The richest Black people in the world right now according to Forbes’ annual billionaire list
Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, Rihanna, and LeBron James are not only some of the most famous people in the world but also some of the wealthiest.
Forbes’ annual billionaire list just dropped, and out of 3,028 people, 23 different Black people with a combined worth of $96 billion made the cut. Of the 23 richest Black people in the world, Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, who founded the Dangote Group, has landed in the top spot with a net worth of $23.9 billion. Winfrey, Hov, Riri, and James aren’t too far behind—though, with the exception of Jay, they are each tied with others on the list. Regardless, Winfrey remains the richest Black woman in the world.
The group includes a mix of women and men and a wide range of industries, including hotels, entertainment, music, IT, oil, sugar, health care, basketball (Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are also in the house), cosmetics, and more.
The authors of this list, which began in 1987, used stock prices and exchange rates from March 7, 2025, to compile this year’s set, which grew by 247 from more than a year ago. The billionaires also have even more billions than they did last year. According to the publication, all 3,028 have a combined wealth of $16.1 trillion, which is nearly $2 trillion more than in 2024.
See where your faves rank in the list below.
1. Aliko Dangote
Net Worth: $23.9 billion
Source of Wealth: Cement, sugar
Citizenship: Nigeria
2. David Steward
Net Worth: $11.4 billion
Source of Wealth: IT provider
Citizenship: U.S.
3. Robert F. Smith
Net Worth: $10.8 billion
Source of Wealth: Private equity
Citizenship: U.S.
4. Alexander Karp
Net Worth: $8.4 billion
Source of Wealth: Software firm
Citizenship: U.S.
5. Mike Adenuga
Net Worth: $6.8 billion
Source of Wealth: Telecom, oil
Citizenship: Nigeria
6. Abdulsamad Rabiu
Net Worth: $5.1 billion
Source of Wealth: Cement, sugar
Citizenship: Nigeria
7. Michael Jordan
Net Worth: $3.5 billion
Source of Wealth: Charlotte Hornets, endorsements
Citizenship: U.S.
8. (tie) Patrice Motsepe
Net Worth: $3 billion
Source of Wealth: Mining
Citizenship: South Africa
8. (tie) Oprah Winfrey
Net Worth: $3 billion
Source of Wealth: TV shows
Citizenship: U.S.
10. Jay-Z
Net Worth: $2.5 billion
Source of Wealth: Music
Citizenship: U.S.
11. Adebayo Ogunlesi
Net Worth: $2.2 billion
Source of Wealth: Private equity
Citizenship: U.S.
12. (tie) Magic Johnson
Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Source of Wealth: Basketball, investments
Citizenship: U.S.
12. (tie) Femi Otedola
Net Worth: $1.5 billion
Source of Wealth: Energy, utilities
Citizenship: Nigeria
14. (tie) Tope Awotona
Net Worth: $1.4 billion
Source of Wealth: Software
Citizenship: United States
14. (tie) Tyler Perry
Net Worth $1.4 billion
Source of Wealth: Movies, Television
Citizenship: U.S.
14. (tie) Tiger Woods
Net Worth: $1.4 billion
Source of Wealth: Golf
Citizenship: U.S.
14. (tie) Rihanna
Net Worth: $1.4 billion
Source of Wealth: Music, cosmetics
Citizenship: Barbados
18. Mohammed Ibrahim
Net Worth: $1.3 billion
Source of Wealth: Communications
Citizenship: UK
18. (tie) LeBron James
Net Worth: $1.3 billion
Source of Wealth: Basketball
Citizenship: U.S
20. Strive Masiyiwa
Net Worth: $1.2 billion
Source of Wealth: Telecom
Citizenship: Zimbabwe
21. (tie) Michael Lee-Chin
Net Worth: $1.1 billion
Source of Wealth: Mutual funds
Citizenship: Canada
21. (tie) Herriot Tabuteau
Net Worth: $1.1 billion
Source of Wealth: Healthcare
Citizenship: U.S.
23. Sheila Johnson
Net Worth: $1 billion
Source of Wealth: Cable TV, hotels
Citizenship: U.S.
