Bloomberg restores Dangote as Africa’s richest man after displacement by Rupert
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Aliko Dangote on $15.6 billion has been restored by Bloomberg as the richest man in Africa, a titled he had maintained for 10 years in a row until Forbes two weeks ago rated him second to Johann Rupert, a South African businessman.
Forbes sent shockwaves across the continent in June when it announced Rupert the top man worth $12 billion, and Dangote second worth $10.8 billion.
The wealth of Rupert,73, primarily comes from ownership in Cie Financiere Richemont, a luxury goods manufacturer and retailer, as well as from investments in Remgro and Reinet.
Dangote, 66, owns the largest private conglomerate in Africa which involves – among others – food production, cement production, vehicle assembly, and petroleum refinery.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index, unlike Forbes Magazine, valued Dangote at $15.6 billion in its latest ranking which placed him at the pinnacle of African rich folks.
Only six Africans made it into the world’s top 500 billionaires for 2023. They are:
- Aliko Dangote – $15.6 billion
- Johann Rupert – $13.3 billion
- Nicky Oppenheimer – $9.0 billion
- Nassef Sawiris – $7.47 billion
- Natie Kirsh – $7.37 billion
- Naguib Sawiris – $5.93 billion
On the global scale, Ellon Musk on $219 billion comes first, trailed by Bernard Arnault ($194 billion), Jeff Bezos ($151 billion), Bill Gates ($130 billion), and Larry Ellison ($130 billion), according to Bloomberg, as reported by The PUNCH.
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Bill Gates lauds his buddy, Dangote, as ‘invaluable partner’ for decades
Aliko Dangote has been my “invaluable partner” for decades and we have a lot in common, says Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Both Gates and Dangote are businessmen, billionaires, and massive philanthropists.
Gates, one of the richest men in the world, disclosed in his blog last week his non-profit and the Dangote Foundation owned by Africa’s richest man have worked together “on issues like malnutrition, food fortification, and polio” in Nigeria.
“I’ve been lucky to call Aliko Dangote a friend for many years. We have a ton in common: Both of us started successful businesses, and then, for our second acts in life, we chose to start foundations aimed at improving health and education,” Gates wrote in his journal about his latest visit to Nigeria and Niger Republic.
“I got to spend lots of time with him this week, and it’s always super fun to catch up with him in person. He’s been an invaluable partner to our foundation over the years – especially in his native Nigeria – working together on issues like malnutrition, food fortification, and polio.”
During the visit, Gates and Dangote met with President Bola Tinubu in Aso Rock. Gates also met with some Governors and traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, and urged governments to deal with challenges in the health system.
Gates says ‘lucky’ to have Dangote as a friend
In 2019, Gates described himself as “lucky” for having Dangote as a friend. At the time, he narrated how they met and hit it off from their first conversation.
“Have you ever met someone new and immediately felt like you could talk to them for hours? That happened the first time I met Aliko Dangote. A couple of years ago, he and I ended up going to the same event in New York,” Gates recounted.
“A mutual friend suggested that I meet him because he knew we were both super interested in global health. So we made sure to sit next to each other at dinner.
“As soon as we shook hands, it was clear we had a ton in common. We both started successful businesses in the late 1970s. For our second act in life, we both chose to start foundations aimed at improving health and education.”