Forbes 2024: Rupert Surpasses Dangote as Africa’s Richest
South African business magnate, Johann Rupert has secured the title of Africa’s richest individual for 2024, surpassing Nigerian tycoon, Aliko Dangote, as reported by Forbes Real-Time Billionaires.
Excel Magazine International reports that Dangote, founder of the Dangote Group, slipped to second place with a net worth decline from $13.5 billion in 2023 to $9.7 billion on January 4, 2024—a notable $3.8 billion loss.
Meanwhile, Rupert, Chairman of luxury goods firm Compagnie Financiere Richemont, experienced a modest decrease in net worth from $10.7 billion in 2023 to $10 billion in the same period of 2024.
Rupert’s holdings include a 7% stake in Remgro, a diversified investment firm he chairs, and a 26% share in Reinet, an investment holding company in Luxembourg. Notably, he has actively opposed fracking plans in South Africa’s Karoo region, where he owns land.
The chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and Globacom’s chairperson, Mike Adenuga, witnessed a change in their billionaire status. Adenuga dropped from the 6th to the 10th position, seeing his wealth plummet from $6.3 billion to $3.1 billion. In contrast, Rabiu’s wealth increased from $7.6 billion to $5.7 billion.
The revised Forbes billionaires ranking for Africa’s top ten in 2024 is as follows:
Johann Rupert & family — $10 billion
Aliko Dangote — $9.7 billion
Nicky Oppenheimer & family — $8.3 billion
Nassef Sawiris — $7.3 billion
Nathan Kirsh — $5.8 billion
Abdulsamad Rabiu — $5.7 billion
Issad Rebrab & Family — $4.6 billion
Mohamed Mansour — $3.6 billion
Naguib Sawiris — $3.3 billion
Mike Adenuga — $3.1 billion
