OPINION: Are Black Billionaires The New Aristocrats?
If you’re looking for filthy rich black folk outside the United States, Nigeria’s the place to start.
The oil-rich nation is where you’ll find rival billionaires Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola living large.
For sugar-emperor Dangote, 51, worth $2.5 billion (not far from Oprah’s $2.7 billion), life’s sweet in more ways than one.
CHECK OUT THE GALLERY OF BLACK BILLIONAIRES!
Known as Nigeria’s first billionaire, Dangote ranked 261 on Forbes Magazine’s 2009 list of the 739 richest people on earth.
Meanwhile, oil tycoon Otedola, 42, the son of a former governor, is worth $1.2 billion and ranked 601 on the same list.
Born in Jamaica to biracial Chinese-Jamaican parents, Canadian investment banker Michael Lee-Chin is worth $1 billion.
Besides money, the 57-year-old divorced dad of five is also known for philanthropy. He shelled out a cool $30 million to the Royal Ontario Museum, which named a wing in his honor.
On a side note, Lee-Chin owns 250 acres of beachfront property in Ocho Rios, Jamaica and homes in Canada and Florida, according to the Forbes list.
Check out Forbes’ 10 richest Black Americans
Ethiopian-born cell phone king Mohamed “Mo” Ibrahim made headlines in 2006 when he announced an unusual $5 million prize honoring exemplary African leaders.
Ibrahim, 61, the former head of Celtel International, the Africa-based mobile octopus, is worth $2 billion (Forbes ranking: 334)and lives in the United Kingdom.
This year Patrice Motsepe, 47, became South Africa’s first black billionaire. The Soweto-born lawyer turned mining mogul is worth $1.3 billion and joined the ranks of South Africa’s diamond dynasty, the Oppenheimer family on the ritziest of rich lists.
So who’s the richest black person in the world? That honor goes to oil tycoon Mohammed Al Amoudi.
Though a citizen of Saudi Arabia, Al Amoudi, 63, is Ethiopian born and has amassed a net worth of $9 billion, making him the 43rd richest person on Forbes’ list, and as of right now, the richest black man in the universe (if only on paper).
Read more: Mexican Drug Lord makes Forbes’ Billionaire List
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I think the dude who run’s those Nigerian e-mail scams should be SOMEWHERE on this list! LOLOL
HMM, OK MAYBE MY RESPONSE MIGHT BE BIASED BECAUSE IM NIGERIAN MYSELF,. BUT IVE BEEN BACK HOME A COUPLE OF TIMES AND ALL I HAVE TO SAY..BE SMART, MAKE AN INVESTMENT. THERE ARE TONS OF OPPORTUNITY SITTING IN AFRICA ESPECIALLY NIGERIA. START A CONTSTRUCTION COMPANY, TAKE YOUR WEB DESIGNING SKILLS THERE, IT SO WIDE OPEN BUT AFRICAN AMERICANS HERE ARE SO BLIND AND SHALLOW. WE LIVE WITHIN OUR RESTRICTED BOX.
This is excellent yet the influx of money amongst Nigerians has had the same impact as it has had in the US; there are the “haves” and the “have nots”. There is much poverty in Nigeria despite its oil wealth and the fault is not with the big oil companies but with the mismanagement of the income.
Of course none of these wealthy Black men is in the US; Black men here are too busy doing dumb crap with their money the moment they get even a small amount.
ima be on that list in the next 10-20yrs no lie
ok lets start with the simplest information on the motherland. AFRIKA is the richest continent in the entire earth. The last timeI check the annual worth of resources extracted out of the continent was $156 billion.Now why is the continent so poor because out of that money i just mentioned doesnt come back to the continent. Go watch BLOOD DIAMONDS again, and analyze it. Why are these guys billionaires because they are the middle men that were chosen by the EUROPEANS AND AMERIKKKANS TRILLIONAIRES. As an exploiter you need a buffer or a middle men that will fight for you when the workers protest for better working condition and better wages. If these guys are really financial heroes they would tell the Europens and Amerikkkans to kiss their azz because they can produce oil and other products without their help.The thing is if someone out $500 million in front of you. would you complain or say yes massa???
all these niggas is african except one. not one american….shame
Be glad there are some black billionaires cause if it were up the white racist well all would be broke
STOP THE HATE BLACK PEOPLE.
F**k the Forbes Magazine and their Bulls**t list LOL! Lets go see for ourselves and interview (if you’re lucky) The really rich true black billionaires on this planet that don’t give a s**t about being on paper or Forbes List as a billionaire..but who have true wealth! FREE YOUR MINDS PEOPLE.
I love you BENDNOT2BREAK…. Excellent points. You spoke a few truths that most niggas know nothing about because you have to read the information in order to get it. Ask them what a natural resource is and they’ll tell you a White Girl with a job. lol
Its funny how people quick to jump on the back of the African’s but Oprah is doing what exactly for black people besides pass out free chicken? Puffy is doing what for black ppl besides take their money and kill their careers… I could go on. Just because these people are billionaires doesn’t necessarily mean they are exploiting their countries. What about the white people that still have control over the continent of Africa who exploit the people every day by hoarding all of the natural resources that Africa offers!
i CONCUR WITH THE ABOVE COMMENT. tHE bIBLE SAYS, “WHAT PROFITS A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WORLD AND LOOSES HIS SOUL.”
How these African guys are billionaires and the motherland is mostly in dire poverty still? More cases of exploitation of their own people.