While seasoned corporate titans dominate Africa’s ultra-wealthy elite, several business moguls have built multi-billion-dollar fortunes across energy, manufacturing, technology, and real estate well before the continent’s average billionaire retirement age.
Based on Forbes’ 2026 Africa Billionaires ranking, this list evaluates the continent’s wealthiest figures by age rather than total net worth, using overall wealth rank as a tie-breaker.
In this article Tribune online highlights 10 youngest billionaires in Africa.
Mohammed Dewji (Tanzania) – Age: 51 | Net Worth: $2.1bn
Tanzanian industrialist Mohammed Dewji remains the youngest billionaire in Africa. As CEO of MeTL (Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited), a conglomerate founded by his father in the 1970s, Dewji oversees extensive operations across textile manufacturing, flour milling, edible oils, and beverages in 10 African countries. Dewji, the sole billionaire from Tanzania, is also a signatory of the Giving Pledge.
Femi Otedola (Nigeria) – Age: 63 | Net Worth: $1.3bn
Nigerian investor Femi Otedola ranks as Africa’s second-youngest billionaire. After making his mark in petroleum marketing through Forte Oil, Otedola pivoted into the power sector.
In 2025, he divested a majority stake in Geregu Power while retaining a 5% interest. His investment footprint also covers major equity holdings in FBN Holdings and Zenith Bank.
Patrice Motsepe (South Africa) – Age: 64 | Net Worth: $4.3bn
South African mining magnate Patrice Motsepe made history in 2008 as the first Black African on the Forbes billionaires list. The founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals holds expansive stakes across financial services through Sanlam and African Rainbow Capital.
Outside boardroom operations, Motsepe owns Mamelodi Sundowns FC and has served as President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 2021.
Nassef Sawiris (Egypt) – Age: 65 | Net Worth: $9.6bn
Leading a five-way age tie at 65, Egyptian tycoon Nassef Sawiris is the wealthiest of his age group. Sawiris oversees OCI NV, a global leader in nitrogen fertiliser production, and maintains substantial stakes in Adidas and Orascom Construction.
His sports portfolio includes co-ownership of Premier League outfit Aston Villa and a stake in Madison Square Garden Sports (owners of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers).
Strive Masiyiwa (Zimbabwe) – Age: 65 | Net Worth: $2.1bn
Telecom pioneer Strive Masiyiwa built Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in 1998, overcoming fierce regulatory hurdles to launch the carrier. Masiyiwa holds roughly 38% of the publicly traded telecom firm and about 33% of fintech giant EcoCash. His portfolio extends across fibre operator Liquid Intelligent Technologies and clean energy distribution. He has also served on the board of Netflix since late 2020.
Aziz Akhannouch (Morocco) – Age: 65 | Net Worth: $1.6bn
Moroccan Prime Minister and businessman Aziz Akhannouch controls Akwa Group, a legacy multi-industry conglomerate founded in 1932.
Through publicly traded subsidiaries Afriquia Gaz and Maghreb Oxygene, Akwa Group commands major market shares in petroleum, industrial gas, and chemicals across North Africa.
Yasseen Mansour (Egypt) – Age: 65 | Net Worth: $1.4bn
Egyptian developer Yasseen Mansour holds major equity in the family-run Mansour Group, the distributor of General Motors and Caterpillar machinery across several territories.
Mansour also serves as the chairman of Palm Hills Developments, one of Egypt’s premier real estate development firms.
Abdulsamad Rabiu (Nigeria) – Age: 66 | Net Worth: $11.2bn
Industrialist Abdulsamad Rabiu is the founder and chairman of BUA Group, one of West Africa’s largest infrastructure and manufacturing conglomerates. Rabiu controls 98.2% of BUA Cement and 95% of BUA Foods, having expanded the business from an import outfit founded in 1988 into a dominant cement, sugar, and food processing empire.
Aliko Dangote (Nigeria) – Age: 69 | Net Worth: $28.5bn
Africa’s wealthiest individual, Aliko Dangote, founded Dangote Cement, the continent’s top producer with an annual output capacity of 48.6 million metric tonnes across 10 nations.
Beyond cement, his expansive industrial footprint includes a major granulated fertiliser facility launched in 2022 and the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which commenced full refining operations in 2024.
Samih Sawiris (Egypt) – Age: 69 | Net Worth: $1.4bn
Rounding out the top 10 is Egyptian real estate magnate Samih Sawiris. He established Orascom Development Holding, which designs, develops, and operates comprehensive resort towns across Egypt, Switzerland, and Montenegro.
Alongside his billionaire brothers Nassef and Naguib, he retains significant equity in Orascom Construction.