Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian billionaire and head of Dangote Group, has once again lost his title as Africa's richest man to South African luxury goods magnate Johann Rupert. According to the daily rankings by Forbes and Bloomberg, Dangote's fortune has been hit hard by the ongoing devaluation of the Nigerian naira.
As of now, Dangote is ranked 186th globally by Forbes, with a net worth of $11.4 billion, having lost over $486 million in the past three days. Earlier, Dangote had already seen a significant drop in his wealth due to the sharp naira devaluation that began in June 2023. Rupert, who chairs the Swiss luxury goods company Richemont, is currently ranked 175th globally by Forbes with a fortune of $11.9 billion.


The Bloomberg Billionaires Index places Rupert at 146th worldwide with a net worth of $14.3 billion, while Dangote is ranked 160th with $13.4 billion.


The differences in rankings between Forbes and Bloomberg are due to their varying methodologies for assessing billionaire wealth.
Analysts predict that Dangote's fortune may rebound in the coming months. This is expected as the production capacity of his oil refinery increases, bolstered by improved crude supply sources and a diversified range of refined products. With Dangote Refinery's near-monopoly position in Nigeria's fuel market and plans to target other African countries, its enterprise value is likely to rise significantly.
Togo parliament adopts WAEMU law against currency counterfeiting Bill defines offences including ...
CCR-UEMOA presents mid-term review of private sector competitiveness efforts Reforms, AfCFTA trai...
Telecel Ghana to boost network investment by 150% in 2026 Expansion targets capacity, reliabi...
ECOWAS is proposing a regional digital platform for passengers to file and track complaints online...
World Bank announces $137 million to boost West Africa digital economy Program expands broad...
Djibouti receives a $35 million grant to expand rural access to drinking water The project will benefit over 120,000 people and strengthen...
DeAfrica is training 1,068 participants from 45 African countries in AI The program aims to prepare youth for a fast-evolving AI-driven economy The...
Ghana will block telecom access for users linked to mobile money fraud The measure relies on the national ID system used for SIM...
ICAO is auditing aviation security in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi from March 18–30 The review is key to improving compliance and restoring...
Event highlights growing role of diaspora entrepreneurs across multiple sectors Networks support trade, investment and SME...
Afreximbank launches Impact Stories season two highlighting trade-driven transformations Series features projects across Africa and Caribbean, from...