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In its 2025 edition, Forbes ranked 3,028 billionaires worldwide, collectively holding a staggering $16.1 trillion in wealth. However, only 23 Black billionaires made the list, representing just 0.8% of the global elite, with a combined net worth of $96.2 billion.
These Black billionaires have carved out their fortunes through industries such as finance, energy, technology, sports, and entertainment. Their journeys reflect extraordinary innovation, perseverance, and strategic brilliance.
Below are 20 of the wealthiest Black billionaires in the world in 2025, according to Forbes, highlighting their net worth, business ventures, and impact:
20. Strive Masiyiwa – $1.2 Billion (Zimbabwe)
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Founder of Econet Group, Masiyiwa's telecoms empire spans multiple continents. His philanthropic efforts support education and healthcare in Africa.
Background: Born in Zimbabwe in 1961, Masiyiwa studied electrical engineering in the UK and worked for various companies before founding Econet in 1993.
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Telecoms Vision: Econet Group operates telecommunications services across Africa, with subsidiaries in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Lesotho, and other countries. The company has been instrumental in expanding mobile connectivity across the continent.
19. LeBron James – $1.3 Billion (USA)
The first active NBA player to reach billionaire status, James earns from endorsements, production company SpringHill, and investments.
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Background: Born in Akron, Ohio, in 1984, James entered the NBA directly from high school and has since won four NBA championships with three different teams.
Business Portfolio: Beyond his NBA salary, James earns from his lifetime Nike deal, SpringHill Entertainment (production company), and investments in Blaze Pizza, Liverpool FC, and various start-ups.
18. Mohammed Ibrahim – $1.3 Billion (UK/Sudan)
Founder of Celtel, sold for $3.4 billion, Ibrahim now focuses on good governance in Africa via the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
Background: Born in Sudan in 1946, Ibrahim studied electrical engineering in the UK and worked for British Telecom and Motorola before founding Celtel in 1998.
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Telecoms Pioneer: Celtel became one of Africa's largest mobile phone networks, operating in 15 African countries before being sold to Zain Group for $3.4 billion in 2005.
17. Michael Lee-Chin – $1.4 Billion (Canada/Jamaica)
Lee-Chin made his wealth through National Commercial Bank Jamaica and investment firm AIC Limited.
Background: Born in Jamaica in 1951, Lee-Chin immigrated to Canada, where he worked as a bouncer, road crew member, and bus driver while studying economics at McMaster University.
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Banking Empire: National Commercial Bank Jamaica is the country's largest bank, serving over 1.5 million customers. Under Lee-Chin's leadership, the bank has expanded throughout the Caribbean.
16. Herriot Tabuteau – $1.4 Billion (USA/Haiti)
Founder of Axsome Therapeutics, a biotech firm focused on mental health, Tabuteau is a newcomer to the billionaire list.
Background: Born in Haiti, Tabuteau is a physician-entrepreneur with expertise in neurology and psychiatry. He moved to the United States for medical training and career opportunities.
Biotech Innovation: Axsome Therapeutics focuses on developing treatments for central nervous system disorders, including depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer's disease. The company has several promising drugs in clinical trials.
15. Rihanna – $1.4 Billion (Barbados)
The music icon-turned-mogul built her fortune through Fenty Beauty, Savage X Fenty, and lucrative brand partnerships.
Background: Born Robyn Fenty in Barbados in 1988, Rihanna became a global music superstar with over 250 million records sold worldwide and nine Grammy Awards.
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Beauty Revolution: Fenty Beauty, launched in 2017, revolutionised the cosmetics industry with its 40-shade foundation range, filling a gap for people of colour that major brands had ignored for decades.
14. Sheila Johnson – $1.4 Billion (USA)
A new entrant in 2025, Johnson co-founded BET and owns luxury resorts and sports teams. She's the first Black woman billionaire in hospitality.
Background: Born in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, in 1949, Johnson co-founded BET with her then-husband Robert Johnson in 1980. She's a trained violinist and former music teacher.
Hospitality Empire: Johnson owns luxury resorts including Salamander Resort & Spa in Virginia and Innisbrook Resort in Florida. Her hospitality portfolio focuses on luxury experiences and wellness.
Sports Investment: She has ownership stakes in the Washington Mystics (WNBA), Washington Capitals (NHL), and Washington Wizards (NBA), making her one of the few women to own multiple professional sports teams.
13. Magic Johnson – $1.5 Billion (USA)
Beyond basketball, Johnson holds a 60% stake in Equitrust and ownership in teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Sparks.
Background: Born in Lansing, Michigan, in 1959, Johnson led the Lakers to five NBA championships before retiring due to an HIV diagnosis. He's since become a successful businessman and HIV advocate.
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Investment Strategy: Johnson focuses on businesses that serve underserved communities, bringing cinemas, restaurants, and other services to urban areas previously overlooked by major corporations.
12. Femi Otedola – $1.7 Billion (Nigeria)
Otedola's investments in Geregu Power and past ventures like Forte Oil have cemented his place among Africa's business elite.
Background: Born in Lagos in 1962, Otedola comes from a political family—his father was a former Lagos State governor. He studied at Obafemi Awolowo University before entering business.
Energy Focus: After selling Forte Oil, Otedola acquired Geregu Power, one of Nigeria's largest electricity generation companies. He's investing heavily in expanding Nigeria's power generation capacity.
11. Jay-Z – $2.5 Billion (USA)
Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z made his fortune from Roc Nation, Armand de Brignac champagne, and other business ventures, redefining the boundaries of culture and commerce.
Background: Born Shawn Carter in Brooklyn in 1969, Jay-Z grew up in the Marcy Houses housing project. He started selling records from his car boot before founding Roc-A-Fella Records.
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Entertainment Empire: Roc Nation, founded in 2008, is a full-service entertainment company representing artists and athletes and producing content. The company manages the careers of top-tier talent across music, sport, and entertainment.
10. Oprah Winfrey – $3 Billion (USA)
The only woman in the top 10, Winfrey built her empire through media, with significant investments in real estate and Weight Watchers.
Background: Born in rural Mississippi in 1954, Winfrey overcame poverty and trauma to become one of the world's most influential media personalities. She started in radio before moving to television.
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Media Legacy: "The Oprah Winfrey Show" ran for 25 years and reached 44 million viewers in the U.S. alone. She owns the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and has produced numerous successful television shows and films.
9. Patrice Motsepe – $3 Billion (South Africa)
Founder of African Rainbow Minerals, Motsepe is the first Black African to make Forbes' billionaires list (2008). He also owns digital bank TymeBank.
Background: Born in Soweto in 1962, Motsepe studied law at the University of the Witwatersrand and worked as a lawyer before entering the mining industry in the 1990s.
Mining Empire: African Rainbow Minerals operates gold, platinum, and other mineral mines across South Africa. The company has been instrumental in South Africa's mining transformation and Black economic empowerment.
8. Michael Jordan – $3.5 Billion (USA)
NBA legend Jordan became a billionaire through Nike royalties, brand endorsements, and the $3 billion sale of his stake in the Charlotte Hornets.
Background: Born in Brooklyn in 1963, Jordan's basketball career with the Chicago Bulls made him a global icon. However, his business acumen has proven equally impressive post-retirement.
Brand Empire: Jordan's lifetime deal with Nike, signed in 1984, includes royalties from the Jordan Brand, which generates over $5 billion annually. The brand accounts for more than 11% of Nike's total revenue.
Business Investments: Beyond Nike, Jordan has invested in restaurants (multiple locations), car dealerships, and various other ventures. He recently became a NASCAR team owner, further diversifying his portfolio.
7. Abdulsamad Rabiu – $5.1 Billion (Nigeria)
Founder of BUA Group, Rabiu made his fortune through cement, sugar, and real estate investments across Nigeria.
Background: Born in Kano in 1960, Rabiu inherited a small family trading business and transformed it into a major industrial conglomerate. He studied at Capital University in Ohio.
Industrial Empire: BUA Group operates across multiple sectors, including cement production (BUA Cement), sugar refining (BUA Sugar), and port operations. The company has invested over $2.5 billion in Nigerian infrastructure.
6. Mike Adenuga – $6.8 Billion (Nigeria)
Adenuga is the founder of telecoms giant Globacom and oil firm Conoil. His diversified portfolio makes him one of Africa's wealthiest entrepreneurs.
Background: Born in Ibadan in 1953, Adenuga started as a taxi driver to fund his education. He later became a lace trader before venturing into oil and telecommunications.
Telecoms Revolution: Globacom, launched in 2003, revolutionised Nigeria's telecoms industry by introducing per-second billing and affordable rates. The company now serves over 60 million subscribers across Nigeria, Ghana, and Benin.
5. Alexander Karp – $8.4 Billion (USA)
Co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, Karp's data firm is valued at over $160 billion, serving clients including the CIA and FBI.
Background: Born in 1967, Karp holds a law degree from Stanford and a PhD in social theory from Frankfurt University. He co-founded Palantir in 2003 with Peter Thiel and others.
Technology Leadership: Palantir specialises in big data analytics and artificial intelligence, helping organisations make sense of vast amounts of information. The company went public in 2020 and serves both government and commercial clients.
4. Mohammed Al Amoudi – $10.3 Billion (Ethiopia/Saudi Arabia)
Al Amoudi's fortune comes from oil, mining, and real estate. He owns Ethiopia's largest gold mine and multiple Saudi businesses.
Background: Born in Ethiopia in 1946 to an Ethiopian mother and Saudi father, Al Amoudi moved to Saudi Arabia in his teens. He started as a construction worker before building his diversified business empire.
Business Portfolio: His Midroc Group includes oil operations in Sweden and Ethiopia, gold mining through Midroc Gold Mine, and extensive real estate holdings. He also owns the Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi Centre for Excellence in Addis Ababa.
3. Robert F. Smith – $10.8 Billion (USA)
Founder of Vista Equity Partners, Smith runs the world's largest Black-owned private equity firm, with over $100 billion in assets under management.
Background: Born in Denver in 1962, Smith earned a chemical engineering degree from Cornell and an MBA from Columbia. He worked at Goldman Sachs for seven years before founding Vista in 2000.
Business Strategy: Vista focuses exclusively on enterprise software companies, with a systematic approach to identifying and improving technology businesses. The firm has generated consistent returns above industry averages.
2. David Steward – $11.4 Billion (USA)
The richest Black American, Steward, co-founded World Wide Technology in 1990. With $20 billion in annual revenue, WWT serves clients like Citi and Verizon.
Background: Born in Chicago in 1951, Steward overcame dyslexia and worked in various sales roles before recognising the potential in IT services. He started WWT with just seven employees in a small office in St Louis.
Business Empire: WWT is now one of the largest Black-owned businesses in America, employing over 9,000 people globally. The company provides technology solutions, including cloud services, cybersecurity, and data analytics, to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.
1. Aliko Dangote – $23.9 Billion (Nigeria)
Africa's richest man, Dangote leads the Dangote Group, West Africa's largest conglomerate. His net worth soared with the opening of a $23 billion oil refinery in 2024—the seventh largest in the world.
Background: Born in Kano in 1957, Dangote started his business journey at age 21 with a small loan from his uncle. He began trading commodities before expanding into manufacturing across cement, sugar, salt, and flour production.
Business Empire: The Dangote Group operates across 18 African countries, with the Dangote Cement Company being Africa's largest cement producer. His petroleum refinery has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day and is expected to make Nigeria self-sufficient in refined petroleum products.