10 powerful business leaders shaping Africa in 2025

Every year brings a new list of names said to shape the global economy, but in 2025, power in Africa looks different. The most influential business leaders in Africa today are not just running companies; they are shaping how technology, money, and resources move around the world. Their decisions are felt in markets, boardrooms, and even households.

What stands out about this year’s figures is how wide their influence has become. Some lead the charge in artificial intelligence, others in energy, finance, or digital infrastructure. Yet what links them all is their ability to stay relevant in a world where industries evolve faster than ever.

This list is not ranked in any particular order. Instead, it highlights the business leaders setting the tone for what progress, innovation, and power mean in Africa today.

Aliko Dangote

In 2025, Aliko Dangote remains a defining force in African business. The Nigerian entrepreneur and chairman of the Dangote Group has built a diversified industrial empire spanning cement, sugar, salt, fertiliser, and oil refining, making it West Africa’s largest conglomerate. At the centre of his achievements stands the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery near Lagos, the largest single-train refinery in the world, capable of processing 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Since becoming operational in early 2024, it has been hailed as a milestone for Nigeria’s quest for fuel self-sufficiency and a major step toward regional energy independence. Beyond oil, Dangote’s businesses continue to drive industrial growth across Africa, from Dangote Cement’s infrastructure footprint to Dangote Sugar Refinery, NASCON Allied Industries, and the Dangote Fertiliser Plant, which supports agricultural productivity across the continent. As of October 2025, Dangote’s net worth is estimated at $24.9 billion.

Johann Rupert

Johann Rupert, South Africa’s richest man with an estimated net worth of $14.6 billion, is the chairman of Compagnie Financière Richemont, one of the world’s largest luxury goods groups. Nicknamed “Rupert the Bear” for his cautious market outlook, he oversees a portfolio of iconic brands including Cartier, Montblanc, and Jaeger-LeCoultre. He founded Richemont in 1988 after spinning off assets from the Rembrandt Group (now Remgro), growing it into a powerhouse of craftsmanship and global prestige. Beyond Richemont, Rupert chairs Remgro Limited, a diversified investment firm with stakes in over 30 companies, and owns 27% of Reinet Investments, a Luxembourg-based firm managing his family’s long-term assets. A passionate conservationist and philanthropist, he also chairs the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Peace Parks Foundation, which promote youth empowerment and environmental preservation across Africa.

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Mohammed Dewji

Mohammed Dewji, Tanzania’s only dollar billionaire with an estimated net worth of $2.2 billion, is one of East Africa’s most influential business leaders. As CEO of MeTL Group, he transformed his family’s small trading company into a diversified conglomerate spanning textiles, food processing, agriculture, energy, and manufacturing across eight African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Under his leadership, MeTL’s revenues surged from $30 million in 1999 to over $2 billion by 2022, employing more than 34,000 people and contributing around 3.3% of Tanzania’s GDP. The group’s vast operations, from edible oils and beverages to logistics and petroleum—make it one of Africa’s largest privately owned enterprises. Beyond business, Dewji is a committed philanthropist. Through the Mo Dewji Foundation, he funds education, healthcare, and clean water projects nationwide.

Strive Masiyiwa

Strive Masiyiwa, Zimbabwe’s first billionaire with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion, is one of Africa’s most influential technology and telecom pioneers. After years of government resistance, he founded Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in 1998, igniting Africa’s mobile revolution. Today, he owns 38% of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe and 33% of EcoCash, a leading mobile money firm, under his wider Econet Group. Masiyiwa also holds a major stake in Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a private company delivering fibre optic and cloud services across the continent. In 2025, his tech company, Cassava Technologies, partnered with Nvidia to build Africa’s first AI factory in South Africa—a landmark for the region’s digital future. Alongside his wife, Tsitsi, he runs the Higherlife Foundation, funding education for thousands across Africa. Masiyiwa has also served on global boards including Netflix, Unilever, and the Gates Foundation.

Prateek Suri

Widely regarded as the “Technology Tiger of Africa,” Prateek Suri is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Maser Group, a fast-growing multinational with ventures in consumer electronics, AI, mining, and infrastructure. With an estimated net worth of $1.9 billion, he is recognized as the youngest and richest Indian in Africa, representing a new wave of tech-driven industrial leadership. Founded in 2012, Maser began as just another electronics trading firm before evolving into a global brand producing affordable, high-quality devices for African markets. Its breakthrough smart TVs reshaped home entertainment, with over 800,000 unit’s sold and $1 billion in annual revenue by 2024. Suri later launched MDR Investments, Maser’s venture arm focused on infrastructure and emerging tech. Through the Maser Foundations, he funds education, healthcare, and digital skills initiatives promoting sustainable development across Africa.

Nicky Oppenheimer

Nicky Oppenheimer, one of South Africa’s richest men with a net worth of $10.5 billion, is the former chairman of De Beers, the world’s top diamond company. A third-generation heir of the Oppenheimer dynasty, he led the firm into a new era of transparency through the Kimberley Process, which certifies conflict-free diamonds. In 2012, his family sold it’s 40% stake in De Beers to Anglo American for $5.1 billion, ending over 80 years of family control. Today, Oppenheimer invests across Africa through Stockdale Street and Tana Africa Capital, focusing on agriculture, consumer goods, and renewable energy. A passionate conservationist, he co-owns Tswalu Kalahari, one of South Africa’s largest private game reserves, and helped create the Diamond Route. He also co-founded the Brenthurst Foundation to promote African development and donated $110 million to support South African small businesses during the pandemic. In 2014, he launched Fireblade Aviation, a luxury charter service based in Johannesburg.

Nassef Sawiris

Nassef Sawiris, Egypt’s wealthiest businessman with an estimated net worth of $8.9 billion, is one of Africa’s most influential industrialists. A member of the prominent Sawiris family, he has built a global portfolio spanning construction, chemicals, sports, and finance. As Executive Chairman of OCI Global, Sawiris oversees one of the world’s largest nitrogen fertiliser producers, with plants in Texas and Iowa and shares listed on Euronext Amsterdam. He also chairs Orascom Construction, a leading engineering and infrastructure firm traded on the Cairo Exchange and Nasdaq Dubai. Beyond industry, Sawiris is a major sports investor. Alongside American billionaire Wes Edens, he co-owns V Sports, which controls Aston Villa F.C. in England and Vitória S.C. in Portugal. He also holds a 5% stake in Madison Square Garden Sports, and nearly 6% in Adidas, plus an investment in Arkema SA. Through the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, he funds education, healthcare, and empowerment initiatives across Egypt.

Nathan Kirsh

Nathan “Natie” Kirsh, Eswatini’s most prominent billionaire with a net worth of $8.1 billion, built his fortune across global trade, food distribution, and real estate. His journey began in 1958 with a corn milling venture in Eswatini, which evolved into a thriving international business empire. Kirsh first found major success in wholesale food distribution in apartheid-era South Africa before expanding into supermarkets and property development. His greatest achievement is Jetro Holdings, a U.S.-based cash-and-carry group that owns Restaurant Depot and Jetro Cash & Carry, two of America’s largest wholesale suppliers serving small stores and restaurants. Kirsh owns 70% of Jetro, the foundation of his wealth. Beyond the U.S., he has major real estate investments in the U.K., Australia, and Israel, and through the Kirsh Foundation, he supports women’s empowerment and financial literacy in Eswatini.

Mike Adenuga

Mike Adenuga, Nigeria’s second richest man with an estimated net worth of $6.8 billion, is a defining figure in Africa’s telecommunications and oil industries. Through his company Globacom, he revolutionised Nigeria’s mobile landscape, building one of the nation’s largest networks with over 60 million subscribers. Globacom’s Glo-1 submarine cable, stretching 6,100 miles from Lagos to the United Kingdom via Ghana and Portugal, remains a cornerstone of West Africa’s digital infrastructure, dramatically improving connectivity and data capacity across the region.Adenuga’s influence extends beyond telecoms. His oil exploration company, Conoil Producing, is one of Nigeria’s most successful indigenous operators, managing six oil blocks in the Niger Delta. He also owns 74% of Conoil Plc, a leading petroleum marketing firm listed on the Nigerian Exchange, and holds a 6% stake in Sterling Financial Holding, strengthening his foothold in the nation’s financial sector.

Patrice Motsepe

Patrice Motsepe, South Africa’s renowned mining magnate and philanthropist, is the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) — a company that has become a powerhouse in Africa’s mining sector. With an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion, Motsepe made history in 2008 as the first Black African billionaire to appear on the Forbes list. In 1997, Motsepe began acquiring underperforming gold mine shafts, transforming them into profitable ventures and setting the foundation for ARM’s success. His strategic vision later led to the creation of African Rainbow Capital in 2016, a private equity firm dedicated to driving investment across the African continent. Beyond mining, Motsepe holds a stake in Sanlam, one of South Africa’s largest financial services firms. His leadership extends into sports, where he serves as President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and owns Mamelodi Sundowns FC, one of Africa’s most successful football clubs.