A few of the wealthiest Africans have seen a rise in their net worth four months into 2025. Most African billionaires have seen changes in their value due to various economic circumstances.
Although 2025 is still a relatively young year, it has seen some notable increases in the wealth of Africa’s wealthiest individuals. Although this trend is common throughout the world, in Africa it has been particularly noticeable because of some major developments, such as the election of a new president.
The question of whether Dangote’s net worth would decline to about $13 billion given his oil refinery or rise to $20 billion or more in the future is raised by the fact that for some people, the gain they make becomes a milestone they never surpass. These people’s net worth varies throughout the year, with some losses and some gains, as is typical of billionaires.
According to Forbes, here are the top 10 African billionaires who have performed the best so far in 2025, as compared to the beginning of the year.
1. Aliko Dangote (Nigeria)
Current Estimated Networth: $23.9 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $13.9 Billion
Aliko Dangote’s performance in 2025 and 2024 has been impressive, with significant growth in his net worth. As of 2025, his net worth stands at $23.9 billion, making him Africa’s richest man for the 14th year in a row. This represents a staggering $10 billion increase from his 2024 net worth of $13.9 billion. According to Forbes, the refinery began refining crude oil in early 2024 after years of setbacks, and it is expected to reach full capacity this month. This has allowed Nigeria, a major oil-producing nation, to start exporting refined petroleum products rather than relying on imports.
2. Johann Rupert and family (South Africa)
Current Estimated Networth: $14 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $13.8 Billion
Johann Rupert and his family’s current net worth stands at $14 billion. This significant wealth is largely attributed to his leadership and ownership in Richemont, a Swiss luxury-goods company, as well as his investments in other companies like Remgro and Reinet.
At the start of 2025, Johann Rupert’s net worth was valued at $11.3 billion. However, thanks to a notable rise in Richemont’s stock value, his wealth increased by $2.7 billion within a single month.
In comparison, Rupert’s net worth in 2024 stood at $13.8 billion, with a gain of $1.3 billion throughout the year. Richemont’s performance and his other business interests drove this growth.
Rupert has been diversifying his investments, as evident from the sale of his family’s stake in British American Tobacco (BAT) in January 2025. This strategic move marked the end of the Rupert family’s long-standing connection to the tobacco industry.
3. Nicky Oppenheimer and family (South Africa)
Current Estimated Networth: $10.4 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $9.5 Billion
Nicky Oppenheimer’s net worth has experienced significant growth, reaching an estimated $10.4 billion as of 2025, as reported by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This notable increase positions him as the third richest individual in Africa.
In 2024, Oppenheimer’s wealth saw a substantial increase of $1.3 billion, driven by the strong market performance of his investments, including minority stakes in Sundry Markets, a Nigerian grocery retailer, and Interswitch, a leading African payment company.
His net worth in 2023 was estimated at $9.33 billion. As chairman of Oppenheimer Generations, Nicky Oppenheimer continues his family’s legacy of business and philanthropy, focusing on environmental conservation and sustainable development. He is also involved with various conservation initiatives, including the Tswalu Kalahari Game Reserve.
4. Nassef Sawiris (Egypt)
Current Estimated Networth: $9.6 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $8.9 billion
Nassef Sawiris’s wealth has increased significantly, with notable gains in 2025 and 2024; as of 2025, his net worth is close to $10 billion, up $1.26 billion from the year before, largely due to the robust performance of OCI and Adidas stocks.
In 2024, Sawiris’s net worth stood at $8.9 billion, with a modest increase of $200 million since the beginning of the year. Notably, he surpassed Abdul Samad Rabiu to become Africa’s fourth-richest individual.
Sawiris’s wealth is diversified across various sectors, including construction, sports, and fertilizers. He holds key leadership positions as the executive chairman of OCI Global and chairman of Aston Villa F.C. His strategic investments and business expertise have contributed to his success, cementing his position among Africa’s wealthiest billionaires.
5. Naguib Sawiris (Egypt)
Current Estimated Networth: $5 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $3.8 billion
Naguib Sawiris’s financial performance has been notable in 2025 and 2024. As of 2025, his net worth stands at $5 billion. In comparison, his net worth as at the start of the year is estimated at $3.8 billion.
As chairman of Orascom Financial Holding, Sawiris has navigated the company through challenging economic conditions. In Q1 2024, the company reported a consolidated net loss of EGP 22.81 million ($479,062.20), despite significant revenue growth.
Sawiris has spoken out about Egypt’s economic challenges, advocating for a reassessment of large-scale infrastructure projects due to their impact on the country’s foreign currency reserves. Furthermore, he plans to invest $150 million in luxury hotels near the Pyramids, aiming to boost Egypt’s tourism industry.
6. Koos Bekker (South Africa)
Current Estimated Networth: $3.4 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $2.9 Billion
Koos Bekker’s net worth as of 2025 is estimated to be around $2.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and his current net worth is estimated to be around $3.4 billion.
This makes him one of the richest individuals in South Africa. In comparison, his net worth in 2024 was estimated to be around $2.4 billion. Bekker’s wealth is largely attributed to his successful career as a businessman and investor, particularly in the media and telecommunications industries. He is the chairman of Naspers, a media conglomerate with interests in various countries around the world.
7. Patrice Motsepe (South Africa)
Current Estimated Networth: $3 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $2.7 billion
Patrice Motrice Motsepe’s current net worth is estimated to be around $3 billion. At the start of 2025, his net worth was estimated to be around $2.7 billion.
The main source of Motsepe’s riches is his mining company, African Rainbow Minerals, which holds holdings in platinum, ferrous metals, base metals, and gold. In addition, he has substantial investments in other fields, like as football, where he is the president of the Confederation of African Football and the owner of the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.
It’s worth noting that Motsepe’s net worth has been impacted by various market and economic factors. Despite this, he remains one of the wealthiest individuals in South Africa and Africa as a whole.
8. Issad Rebrab and family (Algeria)
Current Estimated Networth: $3 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $2.5 Billion
Issad Rebrab and his family’s current net worth stands at $3 billion, making him Algeria’s richest man and one of Africa’s most influential business leaders. At the start of 2025, his net worth was estimated to be around $2.5 billion.
This significant wealth is largely attributed to his conglomerate company, Cevital, which has interests in various sectors, including food processing, retail, and industrial equipment manufacturing.
9. Michiel Le Roux (South Africa)
Current Estimated Networth: $2.2 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $1.7 billion
Michiel Le Roux’s current net worth is estimated to be around $2.2 billion. As for his net worth at the start of 2025, it was estimated to be around $1.7 billion. He is a South African billionaire businessman and philanthropist, best known as the founder of Capitec Bank. Le Roux owns 11% of the company’s shares and has been instrumental in the bank’s success, which operates over 800 branches in South Africa and employs more than 13,000 people.
10. Mohammed Dewji (Tanzanian)
Current Estimated Networth: $2.2 Billion
Net worth at the start of the year: $1.8 billion
Mohammed Dewji’s net worth at the start of 2025 is estimated to be around $1.8 billion and his current net worth is estimated to be around $1.8 billion
He is a Tanzanian billionaire businessman and entrepreneur, and his wealth is primarily derived from his conglomerate company, MeTL Group, which has interests in various sectors such as textiles, agriculture, and infrastructure.
