Nigeria’s four billionaires have a combined $4.5bn more than South Africa’s seven

Key Takeaways

  • South Africa leads in headcount, with seven billionaires, more than other African countries.
  • Nigeria leads in wealth, with four billionaires worth $47.5 billion, $4.5 billion more than the combined $43 billion of South Africa's seven billionaires.
  • Nigeria's billionaires are richer individually, with an average net worth of $11.9 billion, compared with South Africa's $6.1 billion.
  • North Africa punches below its weight: Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria have ten billionaires combined but just $31.4 billion in total wealth.
  • East Africa barely registers: Tanzania and Zimbabwe each have just one billionaire, both worth $2.1 billion.

 

South Africa has seven billionaires, the most on the continent, with Nigeria coming second (four billionaires), but headcount is where South Africa's dominance ends. Nigeria's four billionaires are collectively worth $47.5 billion, $4.5 billion more than South Africa's seven combined.

The average Nigerian billionaire on this list is worth $11.9 billion, nearly double the $6.1 billion average across the border. No other African country threatens either; Egypt's six billionaires share $23.8 billion, and the rest of the continent barely registers.

Source:

Forbes

Period:

March 2026
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