Billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote has retained his position as Africa’s richest man in the 2026 Africa billionaires ranking released by Forbes.
Forbes estimated Mr Dangote’s net worth at $28.5 billion. The publication said he added about $4.6 billion to his fortune over the past year.
The increase was linked to the performance of Dangote Cement on the Nigerian Exchange Limited. Shares of the company rose during the period.
Dangote’s business interests also include the Dangote Refinery.
Abdul Samad Rabiu, founder of BUA Group, ranked third on the list with an estimated net worth of $11.2 billion.
Forbes said the increase in Mr Rabiu’s wealth was linked to the performance of BUA Cement. Shares of the company rose during the year.
Mike Adenuga also remained on the list. He is the founder of Globacom and chairman of Conoil Producing.
Femi Otedola, chairman of Geregu Power Plc, also featured in the ranking. Forbes said his wealth fell by about $200 million after the sale of a majority stake in the company.
Forbes said 23 billionaires from Africa made the 2026 list with a combined net worth of $126.7 billion. The figure represents an increase of 21 percent from 2025 after they added $20.3 billion to their wealth.
South Africa has the highest number of billionaires on the list, with seven individuals. Egypt has five, Nigeria has four and Morocco has three.
The ranking did not include any female billionaire from Africa.
