Nigeria is a land of great opportunities, ever leading as Africa’s largest economy. Our great country is blessed with talented and hardworking entrepreneurs who know how to mine the gold of the land, people who have earned the richest entrepreneurs title.
We have few names of Nigerians who are making strong waves for themselves in various sectors of the economy and have been recognised internationally. Some of these individuals are always listed as Africa’s Richest yearly, and others have been published and recognised in many leading Nigerian publications and abroad.
Here is our Top 10 Richest Men in Nigeria 2021
Aliko Dangote
It’s not surprising that the Kano-born business tycoon tops our list of top richest entrepreneurs, he is a well-known and respected billionaire in Nigeria and abroad. He has been listed as the richest African for the eighth year in a row on Forbes Magazine. Also, he appeared on Richtopia, a UK-based news blog and digital newspaper as the richest man in Africa in late 2018.
With hard work and strong business ethics, Dangote built his small business unit at the time into the largest manufacturing conglomerate in West Africa. His business interests include cement production, real estate, telecommunications, transportation, oil and gas, agriculture etc.
Dangote is worth a staggering $10. 3 billion, according to Forbes 2019. According to this new report, he is worth less than $2 billion when compared to his 2018 worth of $12.2 billion though he still retains the Africa’s richest title.
Apart from being the richest man in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, he is named the sixth most charitable man in the world alongside Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and J.K Rowlings in 2018.
You will learn more about Aliko Dangote and his business here.
Mike Adenuga
Mike is the richest man in the Yoruba Kingdom and the 2nd in Nigeria and has made the list of our top richest entrepreneurs. He made his first million at the age of 26 and once worked as a taxi driver in New York to support himself through school. Mike Adenuga made bulk of his fortune from telecommunication, banking, and oil and gas.
Beyond his valuable asset, Globacom, he has a stake in many multinational companies including Stanbic IBTC Bank and Conoil. His telecommunication company, Globacom is the second largest telecom operator in Nigeria and has branches in Benin, Ghana and Cote ‘d’Ivoire.
According to Forbes 2019, Mike Adenuga’s net worth is $9. 2 billion, making him the 2nd richest man in Africa.
You can read more on Mike Adenuga here.
Folorunsho Alakija
Hmm, a woman like a man made the list of the top richest entrepreneurs. She is truly a rare gem, a true definition of beauty and brain. Folorunsho has held on to her title as Nigeria’s richest woman for many years and the second richest woman in Africa.
Majority of her wealth came from her oil exploration company, Famfa Oil Limited which owns 60% stake of block OML 127 of the Agbami oil field.
Her net worth is $1.1 billion at as 2019, according to Forbes.
See Also: Biography and entrepreneurial life of Folorunsho Alakija.
Abdulsamad Rabiu
Abdulsamad is one of the richest Hausa indigenes in Nigeria and made the list of the top richest entrepreneurs in Nigeria. He makes his fortune by managing BUA Group, a multimillion dollar company located in Lagos State. His company specialises in agriculture, logistic, manufacturing, port operation and infrastructure.
Abdulsamad Rabiu has returned to Forbes list of World’s Billionaires this 2019 with a net worth of $1.6 billion after dropping off in 2017.
See Also: Biography and net worth of Abdulsamad Rabiu
Femi Otedola
Femi is regarded as a top Nigerian personality and made the list of the top richest entrepreneurs. He is an oil magnate billionaire who owns 75% shares in Forte Oil Plc, an oil marketing and power generation company. His investments cut across oil and gas, banking and real estate sectors. He has a major share in Zenith Bank and United Bank of Africa, both banks are one of Nigeria’s largest financial institution.
Forbes estimated Otedola’s wealth at $1.8 billion in 2016. It later dropped to $275 million in 2017. Even with the drop, he is still one of the richest in Nigeria.
See Also: Biography and net worth of Femi Otedola.
Tony Elumelu
Tony is a strategic Nigerian billionaire whose source of wealth is majorly from investments. He owns a large stake in Transcorp, a leading diversified investment company with interests in agribusiness, hospitality and energy sector.
He is the founder of Heirs Holdings, an African proprietary investment company with portfolio cutting across health care, real estate, financial services etc.
Tony supports and champions entrepreneurial initiatives that puts Africa on the map. He is the conveyor of the African largest gathering of Entrepreneurs. This alone earned him the position of one of the richest entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship programme is his initiative where more than 1000 entrepreneurs get funding yearly. To apply for this year’s opportunity, please go here.
He was ranked 31st with a net worth of $700 million in 2015 on Forbes Africa’s Richest.
Jim Ovia
With over 3 decades of experience in the financial sector, he is regarded as a Godfather in the Nigerian banking industry. He made the bulk of his fortune by investing in the banking, telecommunication, real estate and IT sectors. Jim transformed Zenith Bank from a small commercial bank into a financial service conglomerate.
In his interview with Peace Hyde of Forbes, he says “…it is not necessary to be born rich or in influential circles in other to achieve success.”
According to Forbes, his net worth is estimated at $825 million.
See Also: Biography and net worth of Jim Ovia.
Mohammed Indimi
Mohammed is the founder and chairman of Oriental Energy Resource. Majority of his wealth came from his privately owned Nigerian oil exploration and production company. He sits on the board of many private companies encompassing all sectors of the economy.
The billionaire oil mogul is an in-law of President Muhammadu Buhari. In 2015, Forbes listed him as the 39th richest man in Africa with a net worth of $500 million.
Orji Uzor Kalu
Orji Uzor Kalu is the founder of SLOK Holdings, one of West Africa’s largest companies with interests in shipping, real estate, energy distribution, banking and media.
The university drop out became a millionaire at the age of 20 doing his own thing. He hit it big when the Nigeria Military Government awarded him a contract to supply arms and ammunition.
He is the chairman of the popular newspapers brand in Nigeria, Daily Sun and New Telegraph. His net worth was $330 million as of 2015, according to Forbes.
Tunde Folawiyo
Barrister turned businessman is the Managing Director of his late father’s company, Yinka Folawiyo Group. He is the last on our list of richest entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The company is a thriving conglomerate with subsidiaries in shipping, oil and gas, agriculture and real estate.
Tunde is a major shareholder of Access Bank Plc and MTN Nigeria, Nigeria largest telecommunication company.
His net worth as of 2014 was $650 million, according to Forbes.
See Also: Biography and net worth of Tunde Folawiyo.
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