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Who's Africa's Richest Billionaire? Johann Rupert Dethrones Nigeria's Aliko Dangote

© AP Photo / LM OteroA sheet of uncut $100 bills is inspected during the printing process at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, on Sept. 24, 2013.
A sheet of uncut $100 bills is inspected during the printing process at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, on Sept. 24, 2013.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 21.06.2023
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For more than ten years in a row, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote had been the richest man in Africa, with a net worth of about $13.5 billion. He was also the wealthiest black man in the world. He embarked on his business career by selling goods such as sugar and flour, but his fortune was built primarily through his company, Dangote Cement.
A stunning turn of events has catapulted South African magnate Johann Rupert to the top of Africa's rich list, overtaking Nigeria's formidable mogul Aliko Dangote, according to Forbes magazine.
Rupert, chairman of Richemont, a luxury goods company that owns brands such as Cartier and Montblanc, boasts an impressive net worth of $12 billion, edging out Dangote, who lags behind with $10.8 billion in his vault.
The South African businessman also owns stakes in Remgro, a diversified investment firm, and Reinet, a Luxembourg-based holding company.
The shift in the rankings is attributed to the recent turmoil on Nigeria's financial markets. Dangote's fortune took a major hit due to regulatory measures imposed on the foreign exchange market by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The resulting devaluation of the naira against the US dollar eroded the net worth of Nigerian billionaires.

As a result, Dangote, along with other prominent Nigerian billionaires such as Abdul Samad Rabiu, the visionary founder of BUA Cement, who is one of Africa's top five most affluent individuals, and Mike Adenuga, the formidable chairman of Globacom Limited, have seen significant losses in their accumulated wealth.
However, Dangote has a ray of hope as the much-anticipated Dangote Refinery, which was inaugurated on May 22 in Lekki, Nigeria, is expected to play a key role in the billionaire's comeback.
The massive $20 billion project, which is the world's largest single-train refinery, is designed to replenish Dangote's coffers and possibly return him to his coveted spot at the top of Africa's billionaire hierarchy.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery Milestone: Presidents Muhammadu Buhari, Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghana), Macky Sall (Senegal), Mohamed Bazoum (Niger), Faure Gnassingbe (Togo),state governors, members of National Assembly, captains of industry assembled at Ibeju Lekki for historic commissioning - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 25.05.2023
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"Game-Changer": Experts Stress Significance of Dangote Refinery Opening for Nigeria and Africa
While Forbes now crowns Johann Rupert as Africa's richest, Bloomberg's assessment still ranks Dangote as the continent's undisputed champion.
Bloomberg's estimate puts Dangote's net worth at a whopping $16.8 billion, while Rupert's fortune is valued at an impressive $13.3 billion. This discrepancy highlights the complexity of the methodologies used by these high-porfile publications to determine the net worth of billionaires.
Aliko Dangote had consistently held the title of Africa's richest person for over a decade, with a staggering net worth of approximately $13.5 billion. He is also the richest black man in the world.
Dangote's journey to affluence, began with selling commodities such as sugar, salt and flour. However, his fortune was primarily solidified through his company, Dangote Cement.
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