The wealthiest Black people stand out as exceptional individuals in a society where success is frequently determined by material possessions. These people are trailblazers in a variety of industries, including entertainment and industry, and their accomplishments not only break down boundaries but also open doors for others to follow.
Here are the top five wealthiest Black people worldwide:
Steward, David USA: $11.4 billion
David Lloyd Steward is an American millionaire businessman who was born in 1951. World Wide Technology (WWT), one of the biggest African-American-owned businesses in the US, was founded by him and he serves as its chairman. Steward had an estimated net worth of $11.4 billion in 2024, placing him 344th on Forbes’ list of billionaires worldwide.
Dangote Aliko ($11.3 billion)
Born on April 10, 1957, Aliko Dangote is among the wealthiest Black individuals worldwide. Notably, he was the first Nigerian to construct a private oil refinery. He is a well-known businessman and industrialist. With an estimated net worth of $11.2 billion as of October 2024, Forbes lists him as the 211th richest person in the world. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates that he is worth $27.7 billion.
Oprah Winfrey ($3 billion)
Over the course of her 25-year talk show, Oprah Winfrey built a strong media and commercial empire.Her wealth has been estimated at $2.5 billion, which includes the proceeds from her show as well as films including “The Colour Purple,” “Beloved,” and “Selma,” which were co-produced by her firm, Harpo Productions.
She started the OWN cable channel in 2011 and sold Warner Bros. Discovery the majority of her shares in 2020, for which she was compensated with company stock. In 2024, Winfrey kindly donated her shares to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, having acquired a 10% investment in WeightWatchers in 2015. Winfrey also has a large real estate holding, which includes 2,100 acres of property in Hawaii, as well as residences in California and over a dozen other properties.
Adenuga Mike ($6.6 billion)
The second richest person in Nigeria, Mike Adenuga, made his money in oil and telecoms. With more than 60 million users, Globacom, his mobile network provider, is the second-biggest in Nigeria. Adenuga’s oil company, Conoil Producing, runs six oil blocks in the Niger Delta in addition to providing telecommunication services. Additionally, Globacom built Glo-1, a 6,100-mile underwater internet cable that connects the United Kingdom to Portugal and Ghana. Adenuga owns little less than 6% of the Nigerian bank Sterling Financial Holding and 74% of the publicly traded Conoil.
Smith, Robert F. ($10.8 billion)
American philanthropist and billionaire Robert Frederick Smith was born on December 1, 1962. He founded the private equity business Vista Equity Partners and serves as its chairman and CEO. Smith graduated from Cornell University with a degree in chemical engineering and then went on to Columbia Business School to acquire an MBA.
He was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs before to starting his business. Smith made waves in 2019 when he promised to pay off the entire $34 million in student loan debt owed by the graduating class of 2019 at a commencement speech at Morehouse College.
