The World’s Black billionaires in 2025
Key Points
- From tech to infrastructure, Black billionaires are driving economic transformation, innovation, and job creation, with a combined fortune exceeding $90 billion.
- Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, and Patrice Motsepe are spearheading Africa’s economic rise through manufacturing, telecoms, and mining, fostering self-sufficiency and growth.
- David Steward, Robert F. Smith, and Alexander Karp dominate enterprise tech, private equity, and data analytics, shaping the future of business and government solutions.
Black billionaires are shaping the modern economy in ways that go beyond numbers. With a combined fortune exceeding $90 billion, they are redefining industries, creating jobs, and expanding access to capital in markets that have long been underserved. Their influence spans everything from technology and infrastructure to media and luxury, and their impact is felt across continents, especially in Africa, where economic transformation is gaining momentum.
In Africa, industrialists like Aliko Dangote are reshaping the business landscape. With a net worth of $23.8 billion, Dangote has built a manufacturing empire spanning cement, sugar, and now petroleum. His $19 billion refinery, capable of processing 650,000 barrels per day, is set to cut Africa’s reliance on imported fuel, marking a major shift toward self-sufficiency. Nigeria’s Mike Adenuga follows closely with $6.8 billion, leveraging his holdings in telecoms, oil, and real estate to drive Nigeria’s digital and economic expansion. South Africa’s Patrice Motsepe, the continent’s first Black billionaire, is still making waves in mining, a sector that has historically defined the region’s wealth.
Across the Atlantic, Black billionaires in the U.S. are leading tech and finance. David Steward, worth $11.4 billion, has turned World Wide Technology into a leader in enterprise tech solutions, while Robert F. Smith, with $10.8 billion, continues to grow Vista Equity Partners, a heavyweight in software investments. Alexander Karp, CEO of Palantir, has amassed $8.3 billion by steering the company’s data-driven solutions that power everything from government intelligence to corporate analytics.
Infrastructure is another sector where Black billionaires are making a mark. Nigerian-born Adebayo Ogunlesi, with $2.2 billion, co-founded Global Infrastructure Partners, a $100 billion investment firm that owns and operates some of the world’s busiest airports and energy projects. In telecoms, Strive Masiyiwa, worth $1.2 billion, has spent decades expanding mobile connectivity across Africa, bringing affordable communication to millions.
Then there’s entertainment and media—where cultural influence meets financial success. Oprah Winfrey, with $3 billion, has spent decades building a media empire rooted in storytelling and empowerment. Hip-hop’s first billionaire, Jay-Z, now worth $2.5 billion, has mastered the art of blending music, business, and luxury branding. And Rihanna, at $1.4 billion, has built a cosmetics and fashion powerhouse with Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty, proving that entrepreneurship can be just as lucrative as artistry.
The list goes on, but the message is clear: Black billionaires are not just accumulating wealth—they are reshaping industries and setting new economic standards. Whether through energy, technology, infrastructure, or entertainment, their contributions are fueling innovation and driving Africa’s economic rise.
This list, compiled by Billionaires.Africa, draws extensively from Forbes data to highlight the 21 most influential Black billionaires in 2025. However, due to Forbes’ methodology, one notable omission is Mohammed Al-Amoudi, whose wealth—though significant—was not included in this ranking.
- Aliko Dangote
Net Worth: $23.8 billion | Age: 67 | Country: Nigeria
Africa’s richest man is challenging the power. In September 2024 his long-awaited, 650,000-bpd oil refinery in Lagos began processing crude into petrol, diesel, naphtha and jet fuel, setting the tone for Africa’s largest oil producer to reduce its dependence on imported petroleum products. However, the ‘oil mafia’ remains a constant obstacle. Dangote has accused powerful forces within Nigeria’s oil sector of obstructing his refinery at every turn. His challenges are numerous: securing enough local crude remains a struggle. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), a minority partner, has failed to deliver the promised oil, forcing Dangote to import crude, including from the U.S., to make up for local shortages. Additionally, the downstream regulator’s continued issuance of licenses for substandard fuel imports undermines Dangote’s operations. At 67, Dangote is undeterred. “I’ve been fighting battles all my life… and I haven’t lost one yet,” he told Forbes in February. Founder of Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest cement producer with a capacity of 48.6 million metric tons annually, Dangote also produces salt, sugar, and fertilizers. Last year, he established a family office in Dubai to manage his expanding wealth.
- David Steward
Net Worth: $11.4 Billion | Age: 73 | Country: United States
David Steward, the richest black man in the United States, is the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, a $20 billion (sales) company, that provides cloud computing, cybersecurity, digital transformation solutions, and supply chain innovations to customers which include the United States government and several Fortune 500 companies.
- Robert F. Smith
Net Worth: $10.8 billion | Age: 62 | Country: United States
Robert F. Smith, the second richest black man in the United States, is the founder of Vista Equity Partners , a private equity firm that invests exclusively in software companies. Smith co-founded the firm in 2000. It now has roughly $100 billion in assets, and is consistently ranked as one of the best-performing private equity firms in the U.S.
- Alexander Karp
Net Worth: $8.3 billion | Age: 57 | Country: United States
Karp, 57, is a co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, a data mining firm which received early backing from In-Q-Tel, the investment arm of the CIA. Palantir, which was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2020, does contract work for government agencies like the Department of Defense and the FBI.
- Mike Adenuga
Net Worth: $6.8 billion | Age: 71 | Country: Nigeria
Nigeria’s second richest man owns Globacom, Nigeria’s second-largest mobile telecoms operator. He also owns Conoil Producing which owns 6 blocks in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region produces an average of 20,000 barrels of oil per day. Other assets include stakes in Julius Berger, a public listed construction company in Nigeria and Sterling Bank. He also owns an extensive property portfolio in Nigeria.
- Abdul Samad Rabiu
Net Worth: $4.9 Billion | Age: 64 | Country: Nigeria
Abdul Samad Rabiu, Nigeria’s third richest man, is the owner of BUA Group, one of the country’s largest conglomerates with tentacles in cement production, sugar refining and real estate. In 2021, he launched the Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative with an endowment of $100 million. The Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative supports initiatives in health, education, community development, water & sanitation and sports in Nigeria and Africa.
- Michael Jordan
Net Worth: $3.5 Billion | Age: 62| Country: United States
Michael Jordan won six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and earned $90 million during his career, but he has earned over 2.4 billion from partnerships with brands like Nike and Gatorade. In 2023, he sold his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets, a deal that valued the NBA franchise at $3 billion. He is also a NASCAR team co-owner and owns a stake in sports-betting firm DraftKings.
- Patrice Motsepe
Net Worth: $3 billion | Age: 63| Country: South African
Patrice Motsepe built his fortune through African Rainbow Minerals (ARM), the mining company he founded in 1997, where he still holds a 39.7 percent stake. The South African billionaire’s wealth was amplified by his strategic ventures in sectors beyond mining. In 2015, he launched African Rainbow Capital (ARC), a Black-owned investment firm with a focus on financial services and diversified sectors across Africa. ARC’s flagship investment, TymeBank, a rapidly growing digital-only bank, now serves over 6.2 million customers in South Africa and the Philippines. In 2022, ARC injected R257 million ($15.25 million) into TymeBank to fuel its expansion. Motsepe is also a philanthropist, having pledged millions for various charitable causes, including a R30 million ($2.04 million) donation to flood victims in KwaZulu-Natal. He became the first African to join the Giving Pledge in 2013, demonstrating his commitment to giving back. His influence extends to sports as well, being the owner of Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club and the current president of the Confederation of African Football.
- Oprah Winfrey
Net Worth: $3 billion | Age: 71| Country: United States
Oprah Winfrey built a media empire from her 25-year run as the host of The Oprah Winfrey Show, amassing a net worth of $3 billion. Her Harpo Productions has co-produced films like The Color Purple, Beloved, and Selma, contributing to her fortune. In 2011, she launched the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and later sold most of her stake to Warner Bros. Discovery in 2020 for shares in the company. She previously held a 10 percent stake in WeightWatchers, which she donated to the Smithsonian in 2024. Beyond media, Winfrey has invested heavily in real estate, owning homes in California and over 2,100 acres in Hawaii.
- Jay-Z
Net Worth: $2.5 billion | Age: 55| Country: United States
Jay-Z became hip-hop’s first billionaire in 2019 and has since grown his fortune to $2.5 billion, thanks to investments in music, liquor, and tech. He co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records in 1995, launching a career that would see him sell over 140 million albums and win 25 Grammy Awards. In 2021, he sold a 50 percent stake in his champagne brand, Armand de Brignac, to LVMH for $300 million, and in 2023, he offloaded his majority share of D’Usse Cognac to Bacardi in a deal worth $750 million. His business empire spans venture capital, sports management, and tech. He co-founded Marcy Venture Partners, now MarcyPen Capital, which manages over $1 billion in assets. He invested early in Uber, turning a $2 million stake into over $70 million. In 2021, he sold a majority stake in Tidal to Block for $297 million. His Roc Nation Sports agency represents top athletes, and he played a key role in bringing the Brooklyn Nets to Barclays Center. Beyond business, Jay-Z has left his mark on culture. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2022, he won an Emmy for producing the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
- Adebayo Ogunlesi
Net Worth: $2.2 billion | Age: 71| Country: Nigeria/United States
Adebayo Ogunlesi co-founded Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) in 2006 and built it into the world’s largest independent infrastructure manager, overseeing more than $100 billion in assets. In 2024, BlackRock acquired GIP in a $12.5 billion deal that included $3 billion in cash and 12 million BlackRock shares. The deal pushed his net worth past $2 billion. He sits on the board of OpenAI, joining just months before the company raised $40 billion at a $300 billion valuation. He also serves on the board of Goldman Sachs, where he became lead director in 2014. GIP made landmark deals under his leadership, including the $1.76 billion acquisition of London Gatwick Airport in 2009 and a $20.7 billion stake in ADNOC Gas Pipelines. The firm also acquired major stakes in London City Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Italian high-speed rail company Italo, and Bluepoint Wind, a U.S. offshore wind project. He started his career in law at Cravath, Swaine & Moore before spending 23 years in investment banking at Credit Suisse, where he became executive vice chairman. Born in Nigeria, he attended King’s College Lagos and is the son of Theophilus Oladipo Ogunlesi, Nigeria’s first professor of medicine.
- Earvin “Magic” Johnson
Net Worth: $1.5 billion | Age: 65| Country: United States
Earvin “Magic” Johnson won five NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and earned around $40 million during his playing career, but he built his billion-dollar fortune through strategic investments across multiple industries. He owns a 60% stake in EquiTrust Life Insurance, a firm managing $27 billion in assets, and holds minority stakes in the NFL’s Washington Commanders, MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, and MLS’ LAFC. He previously owned 125 Starbucks franchises, 30 Burger King locations, and a chain of movie theaters, selling them for significant returns. His business empire, Magic Johnson Enterprises, spans insurance, healthcare, sports, and food services.
- Femi Otedola
Net Worth: $1.5 billion | Age: 62| Country: Nigeria
The strong man of Nigeria’s financial market, Femi Otedola, derives the majority of his fortune from his investments in energy and banking, with a 78.64 percent stake in Geregu Power Plc, the first power company listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX). His 13.16-percent stake in First Bank of Nigeria Holdings solidifies his presence in the banking sector. Over the years, he has built wealth through Zenon Petroleum, F.O. Properties Limited, and past ventures in shipping and oil marketing. While Forbes values his publicly listed assets at $1.7 billion, his private holdings, including luxury properties in Lagos, Dubai, London, and Monaco, suggest a higher net worth. His philanthropic efforts include a $14-million donation to Save the Children UK in 2019.
- Tyler Perry
Net Worth: $1.5 billion | Age: 55| Country: United States
Tyler Perry built a multi-million-dollar fortune with his iconic “Madea” franchise, which has grossed over $660 million. In 2019, he opened Tyler Perry Studios, a sprawling 330-acre studio complex in Atlanta, cementing his place in Hollywood history. Perry also made a strategic move into streaming, securing a 25 percent stake in BET+ in 2019, a joint venture with Paramount Streaming. Perry’s wealth extends beyond film and television. His ventures include a successful wine brand, Tyler Perry Wines, generating around $6 million in revenue, and a fashion line, the Tyler Perry Collection. He is also a real estate mogul with a portfolio including his 330-acre studio, high-value properties in Los Angeles, and luxury vacation homes in Wyoming and the Bahamas. Through The Perry Foundation, established in 2006, Perry focuses on uplifting disadvantaged communities with programs in health, education, and economic development. His influence and business acumen have helped him amass a net worth of $1 billion, making him one of the wealthiest African-American entrepreneurs.
- Tope Awotona
Net Worth: $1.4 billion | Age: 43| Country: United States
Tope Awotona founded Calendly in 2013 and bootstrapped it for years before raising $350 million in 2021, valuing the company at $3 billion. His majority stake in the scheduling software firm is now worth about $1.4 billion. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Awotona immigrated to the U.S. as a teenager and studied business administration at the University of Georgia. Before Calendly, he launched several businesses, including an e-commerce site for projectors and a garden tools company, but they failed. He is an investor in Vonza, an all-in-one business platform with customers in more than 40 countries, and Givebutter, a digital fundraising company that has processed over $300 million in donations. In 2021, he was named Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Most Admired CEO; in 2019, he won Comparably’s Best CEOs award.
- Rihanna
Net Worth: $1.4 billion | Age: 37| Country: Barbados/United States
Rihanna made her mark as a global music icon before building a billion-dollar business empire. She co-owns Fenty Beauty with luxury giant LVMH, a brand that generated over $550 million in revenue by 2020. She also holds a 28% stake in Savage X Fenty, a lingerie line valued at $1 billion in 2021. Her ventures extend beyond beauty and fashion—she is an investor in the music streaming service Tidal and owns Roraj Trade LLC, the holding company for her Fenty trademarks. Her real estate portfolio includes a $14 million Manhattan penthouse and a West London residence worth $8.6 million. She headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show in 2023, revealing her second pregnancy mid-performance. She was named America’s youngest self-made billionaire in 2022 and continues to rank among the world’s wealthiest.
- Tiger Woods
Net Worth: $1.3 billion | Age: 49| Country: United States
Tiger Woods has won 15 major championships and earned $121 million in prize money, the most in PGA Tour history, but his total career earnings exceed $1.8 billion. In 2022, Forbes certified him as a billionaire, making him only the second active athlete to reach that status, after LeBron James. He turned down a lucrative “high nine-digit” offer from LIV Golf but has built a business empire through TGR Ventures, with investments in golf technology, hospitality, and mini-golf chain Popstroke. He launched his own clothing brand, Sun Day Red, after parting ways with Nike in 2024, following a 27-year partnership that earned him $660 million. He co-founded TMRW Sports with Rory McIlroy and is a partner in Nexxus, a luxury real estate venture, alongside Justin Timberlake and British billionaire Joe Lewis. In 2023, he opened a second T-Squared Social, a high-end sports bar, in partnership with Timberlake.
- Mohammed Ibrahim
Net Worth: $1.3 billion | Age: 78| Country: Sudan/UK
Mo Ibrahim founded Celtel International in 1998 and sold it for $3.4 billion in 2005, pocketing $1.4 billion. He has since built his wealth through private equity investments, with his net worth now surpassing $1.2 billion. He chairs Satya Capital, a private equity fund backing African businesses, including fintech firm Cellulant, which raised $47.5 million in a Series-C round. Through the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, established in 2006, he promotes good governance in Africa. His philanthropic work has earned him honors like the BNP Paribas Prize for Philanthropy and the Oslo Business for Peace Award.
- LeBron James
Net Worth: $1.2 billion | Age: 40| Country: United States
LeBron James, the first active NBA player to become a billionaire, has earned over $500 million in pretax salary across stints with the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers. Off the court, he has pulled in more than $900 million through endorsement deals with Nike and PepsiCo, as well as strategic investments in brands like Beats by Dre. He is a co-owner of Fenway Sports Group, which holds stakes in the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool FC. His media company, SpringHill, valued at $300 million, has produced films like Space Jam: A New Legacy and Hustle. He also owns shares in Blaze Pizza, a fast-growing chain he invested in for $1 million in 2012. In response to criticism from Fox News, he launched UNINTERRUPTED, a media platform amplifying athletes’ voices. He also co-founded Ladder Supplements with Arnold Schwarzenegger, offering NSF-certified workout supplements. His LeBron James Family Foundation has pledged over $40 million for student scholarships.
- Michael Lee-Chin
Net Worth: $1.2 billion | Age: 74| Country: Canada/Jamaica
Michael Lee-Chin built his fortune with strategic investments in financial companies like National Commercial Bank Jamaica and AIC Limited. After acquiring AIC in 1987 with less than $1 million in assets, he grew the company into a $10 billion powerhouse by 2002. In 2009, he sold AIC to Manulife, though he retained a significant 60 percent stake in National Commercial Bank Jamaica, which now represents much of his wealth. In recent years, Lee-Chin has been selling off assets, including his megayacht AHPO, which he sold to billionaire Patrick Dovigi for $362 million, earning a $62 million profit. He also sold CVM Television Limited in 2022 and his 250-acre Reggae Beach property for $50 million. His luxurious Coconut Walk Private Estate, purchased for $12.5 million in 2018, is currently on the market for $35 million. Though his net worth has dropped from $2 billion to $1.2 billion, Lee-Chin remains one of the wealthiest Black billionaires globally. His recent ventures include a strong bullish outlook on Canada’s nuclear energy sector, where he is investing in small modular reactors (SMRs) and hydrogen production. Lee-Chin’s resilience continues, as he explores new opportunities in sustainable energy and healthcare, forging strategic partnerships to drive innovation in these sectors.
- Strive Masiyiwa
Net Worth: $1.2 billion | Age: 64| Country: Zimbabwe
Strive Masiyiwa, the founder and executive chairman of Econet Global, is Zimbabwe’s wealthiest individual, with a net worth of $1.2 billion. His journey began in 1998 when he launched Econet Wireless Zimbabwe after a hard-fought legal battle to break government monopolies in the telecom sector. Today, Econet operates in over 20 African countries, and Masiyiwa holds a 38 percent stake in the publicly traded company and 33 percent in EcoCash, a leading mobile money platform. Beyond telecoms, he has ventured into fintech, satellite communications, and renewable energy. He has been a Netflix board member since 2020 and invests in power distribution companies across Africa. His philanthropic efforts are just as impressive—through the Higherlife Foundation, which he co-founded with his wife, Tsitsi, Masiyiwa supports education and social development in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Burundi, and Lesotho.
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