Les 10 Africains les plus riches en 2026 : le classement Forbes
Dangote, Rupert, Sawiris: 10 African fortunes to watch
Every year, Forbes publishes its ranking of African billionaires. And every year, the same names reappear at the top, driven by the sectors that structure the continent: cement, mining, telecommunications, and luxury goods. Here are the ten richest Africans in 2026, their fortunes, and the empires they have built.
1. Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) — The undisputed king
Aliko Dangote remains, unsurprisingly, the richest man in Africa. The CEO of the Dangote Group built his empire on cement, sugar, and food products. But it is his oil refinery project in Lagos that has garnered the most attention in recent years: one of the largest in the world, capable of processing 650,000 barrels per day. His fortune exceeds $13 billion according to the latest estimates. He is also the only African to have consistently ranked among the world's 100 richest people.
2. Johann Rupert (South Africa) — The master of luxury
Johann Rupert heads Richemont, the Swiss group behind Cartier, IWC, and Van Cleef & Arpels. Born in Johannesburg, he inherited and expanded the family empire into one of the world's leading luxury goods companies. His fortune is estimated at around $10 billion. He is a prime example of African capital that has a far-reaching impact beyond the continent.
3. Nicky Oppenheimer (South Africa) — The Diamond Heir
Nicky Oppenheimer sold his stake in De Beers in 2012 for $5.1 billion, but he remains one of Africa's richest men thanks to his diversified investments. His family has long controlled a significant share of global diamond production. His current fortune exceeds $8 billion.
4. Nassef Sawiris (Egypt) — The empire of construction and sport
Nassef Sawiris is the CEO of OCI, one of the world's largest producers of fertilizers and methanol. He is also a significant shareholder in Adidas. He and his brother Naguib (telecommunications) form one of the wealthiest families in Egypt. Nassef's fortune is estimated at between 8 and 9 billion dollars.
5. Mike Adenuga (Nigeria) — The Man from Glo
Mike Adenuga built his fortune in telecommunications with Globacom (Glo), the second-largest mobile operator in Nigeria, and in oil with Conoil. A private man, he rarely gives interviews. But his business dealings speak for themselves. His fortune is estimated at around $7 billion.
6. Abdulsamad Rabiu (Nigeria) — Dangote’s rival
Abdulsamad Rabiu is the founder of the BUA Group, which has interests in cement, sugar, real estate, and chemicals. He is often described as Aliko Dangote's main rival in the Nigerian construction materials sector. His fortune is estimated at between 5 and 6 billion dollars and is constantly growing.
7. Patrice Motsepe (South Africa) — Gold and football
Patrice Motsepe made his fortune in mining with African Rainbow Minerals. But he is also known for his involvement in continental football: he is the current president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). His fortune is estimated at 3 to 4 billion dollars.
8. Issad Rebrab (Algeria) — The richest man in the Maghreb
Issad Rebrab is the founder of Cevital, Algeria's largest private conglomerate. His group has interests in agribusiness, steel, retail, and energy. Despite the political turmoil in Algeria in recent years (he himself was imprisoned in 2019 before being released), he remains the wealthiest person in the Maghreb, with an estimated fortune of $3 billion.
9. Mohammed Al-Amoudi (Ethiopia/Saudi Arabia) — Oil and agriculture
Mohammed Al-Amoudi is one of the richest men in Ethiopia and the Arabian Peninsula. He controls MIDROC, a conglomerate with interests in oil, gold, hotels, and agriculture. Although the majority of his assets are in Saudi Arabia, he invests heavily in Ethiopia, his country of origin.
10. Koos Bekker (South Africa) — The media and tech visionary
Koos Bekker is the former head of Naspers, the South African group that invested early in Tencent (the Chinese tech giant). This initial investment, made in 2001 for $32 million, is now worth tens of billions. Bekker is considered one of Africa's most visionary businessmen.
What this ranking says about Africa
These ten fortunes illustrate something important: African wealth no longer comes solely from raw materials. It also comes from digital technology (Bekker), luxury goods (Rupert), telecommunications (Adenuga), and media (Abudu, according to other rankings). The continent is producing its own captains of industry, who are no longer waiting for the West to pave the way for them. And with a growing middle class and a market of 1.4 billion people, this ranking is bound to continue evolving.
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