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''This article refers to actual or incipient billionaires (as measured by U.S. dollars) who have some degree of black ancestry. Not everyone in this article is considered black by all definitions.
], 2011]]


'''Black billionaires''' are individuals who are of predominantly ] ancestry with a ] of at least ].
]According to ] international rich lists, ] is the richest ] and had been the world's only black billionaire for three straight years. However, ], the Congolese president, and ], the ]n military leader, were probably billionaires when they were alive but Forbes could never confirm this (according to Forbes magazine's Kerry Dolan).<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.forbes.com/chat/trans/dolan_0619.shtml | title=Billionaires 2000: The World's Richest People | author=Kerry Dolan | date=June 19, 2000 | publisher=Forbes | accessdate=2006-05-11}}</ref>.


According to the 2024 '']'' ranking of the world's billionaires, Nigerian business magnate ] had a net worth of $13.9 billion and was the world's richest black man.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dolan |first1=Kerry |last2=Wang |first2=Jennifer |last3=Peterson-Withorn |first3=Chase |title=Forbes World's Billionaires List: The Richest in 2021 |url=https://www.forbes.com/billionaires/ |access-date=5 August 2021 |work=Forbes}}</ref>
From 2001-2003, Forbes listed ] founder ] as a billionaire<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.keepmedia.com/Auth.do?extId=10022&uri=/archive/forbes/2001/1008/042.html | title=The Cable Capitalist | author=Brett Pulley | date=October 8, 2001 | publisher=Forbes | accessdate=2006-05-11}}</ref>, but dropped him after his fortune was split in his divorce from his wife Sheila. <ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/harrypotter/11614 | title= Billionaires' ranks open to 'Harry Potter' author | author=Michael P. Regan | date=February 27, 2004 | accessdate=2006-05-11 | publisher=Arizona Daily Star}}</ref> He returned to Forbes international rich list in 2007 with a net worth of $1.1 billion USD.


Other billionaires of African descent on the 2021 ''Forbes'' list included Nigerian businessman ] with $6.1 billion, American investor ] with $11.8 billion, American businessman ] with $12.8 billion, American media mogul ] with $2.7 billion, South African gold magnate ] with $3.2 billion, Zimbabwe ] with $3.1 billion, Barbadian music artist/entrepreneur ] with $1.7 billion,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Berg|first=Madeline|title=Fenty's Fortune: Rihanna Is Now Officially A Billionaire|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/maddieberg/2021/08/04/fentys-fortune-rihanna-is-now-officially-a-billionaire/|access-date=2021-12-26|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> American rapper ] with $2.5 billion, sports executive ] with $1.6 billion, Jamaican-Canadian businessman ] with $1.6 billion, Nigerian businessman ] with $7.6 billion, Nigerian businesswoman ] with $1.1 billion, ] of the United Kingdom with $1.8 billion, American athlete ] with $1 billion, and American media mogul ] with $1 billion.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nsehe |first1=Mfonobong |title=The Black Billionaires 2019 |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2019/03/05/the-black-billionaires-2019/ |website=Forbes}}</ref>
Afro-multiracial billionaires have also been identified. Forbes international richest list includes ] of Canada, who is of ] and ] acestry, and ] who is of ] and ] ancestry.


From 2001 to 2003, Forbes listed American television network executive ] as a billionaire,<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2001/1008/042.html | title=The Cable Capitalist | first=Brett | last=Pulley | date=October 8, 2001 | work=Forbes | access-date=May 11, 2006 }}</ref> but dropped him after his fortune was split in his divorce.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/harrypotter/11614 | title=Billionaires' ranks open to 'Harry Potter' author | first=Michael P. | last=Regan | date=February 27, 2004 | access-date=May 11, 2006 | work=Arizona Daily Star | archive-date=July 19, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719075253/http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/harrypotter/11614 | url-status=dead }}</ref> He returned to the ''Forbes'' Billionaire list in 2007 with a net worth of $1.1 billion. In 2008 Johnson's wealth dropped again, this time to approximately $1.0 billion,<ref name="#1062 Robert Johnson">{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_Robert-Johnson_VYCO.html | work=Forbes | title=#1062 Robert Johnson | date=March 5, 2008}}</ref> and by 2009 he fell off the list again. Nigerian petroleum executive ] briefly emerged as a billionaire in 2009 but did not remain one in subsequent years. He returned to the list in the company of a fellow Nigerian, sugar tycoon ], in 2016, but both were dropped from the rankings the following year.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/03/10/new-billionaires-worlds-richest-people-billionaires-2009-new_slide_9.html?thisSpeed=15000 | work=Forbes | first=Claire | last=Obusan | title=In Pictures: New Billionaires}}</ref> Otedola re-emerged as a billionaire in 2024.{{cn|date=July 2024}}


] billionaires with significant African ancestry have been identified over the years. ]n billionaire ], of ] Yemeni and Ethiopian descent, has been on the ''Forbes'' billionaire list since 2002 and in 2012 had a net worth of $12.5 billion.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mohammed-al-amoudi/ |title=#116 Mohammed Al Amoudi| work=Forbes}}</ref> ] of Canada, who is ] of ] and ] ancestry, was on the list from 2001 to 2010 but dropped off in 2011.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-lee-chin |title=Michael Lee-Chin| work=Forbes}}</ref> ] is of both Angolan and Russian ancestry. ], US$ 8.0billion as of 2024. He is the co-founder, and CEO of ], has an African-American mother.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/8ea36422-2f65-4a14-93be-b7b4d38362e3 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221211221247/https://www.ft.com/content/8ea36422-2f65-4a14-93be-b7b4d38362e3 |archive-date=2022-12-11 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Alex Karp, unconventional purveyor of powerful surveillance tools |work=Forbes |access-date=2020-10-14 }}</ref> ] is of both ] and ].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Spivey|first=Lisa|date=Jan 2007|title=Rihanna, The New Cover Girl|volume=72|page=B.5|newspaper=]|issue=23|issn=0890-4340}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Walker|first=Tim|date=October 31, 2011|title=Rihanna: Out for revenge|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/rihanna-out-revenge-2360129.html|access-date=March 28, 2021|work=]}}</ref>
==Members==

{| class="wikitable"
Of all the above-mentioned billionaires identified by ''Forbes,'' only Oprah Winfrey qualified for ''Forbes'' 2009's list of the world's 20 most powerful billionaires, a list which considered not only wealth, but also market sway and political clout. Winfrey was considered especially powerful because of her influence on American ]s and her pivotal role in ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bertoni|first=Steven|title=In Pictures: The World's Most Powerful Billionaires|url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/02/12/most-powerful-people-business-billionaires_0212_rich_slide.html|access-date=2022-01-02|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>
|-
|colspan=5 | '''Billionaires with sub-Saharan ancestry by year (wealth valuations by Forbes magazine)'''


==List of Black billionaires==
(Wealth valuations by ''Forbes'' magazine)
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|- |-
! Year
| Year || Number of Billionaires of predominantly sub-Saharan ancestry || Number of billionaires with any known sub-Saharan ancestry || Number of all billionaires
! Black billionaires
! Bi/Multiracial billionaires with Black ancestry
! All billionaires
|- |-
| 2001
| 1999 || 0, closest: Oprah Winfrey $725 million || 0 , Closest: unknown|| 298, Richest: Bill Gates $90 billion
| 1: ], $1.6 billion {{flagicon|America}}
| 1: ], $1 billion{{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2001/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2001&passListType=Person&uniqueId=7TE8&datatype=Person|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061028090905/http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2001/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2001&passListType=Person&uniqueId=7TE8&datatype=Person|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 28, 2006|title=Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People 2001| website=] |date=October 28, 2006|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref>
|| 538; Richest: ], $114 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
|2002
| 2000 || 0, closest: Oprah Winfrey $800 million || 0, Closest: unknown || 322, Richest: Bill Gates $60 billion
| 1: ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
| 2:
*], $1.5 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $1.1 billion{{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2002/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2002&passListType=Person&uniqueId=7TE8&datatype=Person|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519060424/http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2002/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2002&passListType=Person&uniqueId=7TE8&datatype=Person|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 19, 2008|title=Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People 2002| website=] |date=May 19, 2008|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref>
| 497; Richest: ], $52.8 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
| 2003
| 2001 || 1, Only Bob Johnson $1.6 billion || 2, Richest: Bob Johnson $1.6 billion|| 538, Richest: Bill Gates $58.7 billion
| 2:
*], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
*], $1 billion{{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2003&passListType=Person&uniqueId=O0ZT&datatype=Person|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101155118/http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2003&passListType=Person&uniqueId=O0ZT&datatype=Person|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 1, 2011|title=Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People 2003| website=] |date=January 1, 2011|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref>
|2:
*], $1.5 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $1.4 billion{{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2003&passListType=Person&uniqueId=7TE8&datatype=Person|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070821195311/http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2003/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2003&passListType=Person&uniqueId=7TE8&datatype=Person|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 21, 2007|title=Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People 2003| website=] |date=August 21, 2007|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref>
| 476; Richest: ], $40.7 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
| 2004
|2002 || 1, Only Bob Johnson $1 billion || 3, Richest: Mohammad Al Amoudi $1.5 billion || 497, Richest: Bill Gates $52.8 billion
| 1: ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
| 2:
*], $2.4 billion {{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}
*], $1.4 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2004/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2004&passListType=Person&uniqueId=AQ88&datatype=Person|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060428014940/http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/10/2004/LIR.jhtml?passListId=10&passYear=2004&passListType=Person&uniqueId=AQ88&datatype=Person|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2006|title=Forbes.com: Forbes World's Richest People 2004| website=] |date=April 28, 2006|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref>
| 587; Richest: ], $46.6 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
| 2005
| 2003 || 2, Richest: Bob Johnson $1.2 billion ||4, Richest: Mohammad Al Amoudi $1.5 billion|| 476, Richest: Bill Gates $40.7 billion
| 1: ], $1.3 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
| 2:
*], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}
*], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
| 691; Richest: ], $46.5 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
| 2006
| 2004 || 1, Only Oprah Winfrey $1.1 billion ||3, Richest: Michael Lee-Chin $2.4 billion|| 587, Richest: Bill Gates $46.6 billion
| 1: ], $1.4 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
| 2:
*], $6.9 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
* ], $2.1 billion{{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/10/7TE8.html | title=#365 Michael Lee-Chin|work=Forbes}}</ref>
| 793; Richest: ], $50 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
| 2007
| 2005 || 1, Only Oprah Winfrey $1.3 billion || 3, Richest (tie): Michael Lee-Chin & Mohammad Al Amoudi both worth $2.5 billion || 691, Richest:Bill Gates $46.5 billion
| 2:
*], $1.5 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.1 billion{{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Robert-Johnson_VYCO.html | work=Forbes | title=#840 Robert Johnson | date=March 8, 2007}}</ref>
|2:
*], $8 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $1.6 billion{{flagicon|Canada}}{{flagicon|Jamaica}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/10/07billionaires_Michael-Lee-Chin_7TE8.html | work=Forbes | title=#618 Michael Lee-Chin | date=March 8, 2007}}</ref>
| 946; Richest: ], $56 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
| 2008
| 2006 || 1, Only Oprah Winfrey $1.4 billion ||3, Richest: Mohammad Al Amoudi $6.9 billion|| 793, Richest: Bill Gates $50 billion
| 5:
*], $3.3 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
*], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_Oprah-Winfrey_O0ZT.html | work=Forbes | title=#462 Oprah Winfrey | date=March 5, 2008}}</ref>
*], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_Mohammed-Ibrahim_IK9A.html | work=Forbes | title=#462 Mohammed Ibrahim | date=March 5, 2008}}</ref>
*], $2.4 billion {{flagicon|South Africa}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_Patrice-Motsepe_RS9H.html | work=Forbes | title=#503 Patrice Motsepe | date=March 5, 2008}}</ref>
*], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}<ref name="#1062 Robert Johnson" />
|2:
*], $9 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $1.8 billion{{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2008/10/billionaires08_Michael-Lee-Chin_7TE8.html | work=Forbes | title=#677 Michael Lee-Chin | date=March 5, 2008}}</ref>
| 1,125; Richest: ], $62 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
|- |-
| 2009
| 2007 || 2, Richest: Oprah Winfrey $1.5 billion ||4, Richest: Mohammad Al Amoudi $8 billion|| 946, Richest: Bill Gates $56 billion
|} | 5:
*], $2.7 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
*], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
*], $2 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
*], $1.6 billion {{flag icon|Nigeria}}
*], $1.3 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
|2:
*], $9 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $1 billion{{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/10/billionaires-2009-richest-people_Michael-Lee-Chin_7TE8.html | work=Forbes | title=#701 Michael Lee-Chin - The World's Billionaires 2009 | date=March 11, 2009}}</ref>
|793; Richest: ], $40 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
|-
| 2010
| 3:
*], $2.4 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
*], $2.3 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
*], $2 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
|2:
*], $10 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $1 billion{{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/10/billionaires-2010_Michael-Lee-Chin_7TE8.html | work=Forbes | title=#937 Michael Lee-Chin | date=March 10, 2010}}</ref>
| 1,011; Richest: ] & family, $53.5 billion<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/10/worlds-richest-people-slim-gates-buffett-billionaires-2010_land.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120918131508/http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/10/worlds-richest-people-slim-gates-buffett-billionaires-2010_land.html|url-status=dead|title=The World's Billionaires|editor-first=Luisa|editor-last=Kroll|editor-first2=Matthew|editor-last2=Miller|website=Forbes|archive-date=September 18, 2012|access-date=March 13, 2011}}</ref> {{flagicon|Mexico}}
|-
|2011
| 5:
*], $13.8 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net"/>
* ], $3.3 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
* ], $2.7 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2 billion{{flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net" />
* ], $1.8 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<ref name="forbes.com" />
|1: ], $12.3 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
|1,210; Richest: ] & family, $74 billion{{flagicon|Mexico}}
|-
|2012<ref name="Nsehe">{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2012/03/07/the-black-billionaires-2012/ |title=The Black Billionaires 2012| work=Forbes |date=March 7, 2012| first=Mfonobong | last=Nsehe}}</ref>
| 5:
*], $11.2 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net">{{cite web|url=http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/30610.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110316115034/http://thenationonlineng.net/web3/news/30610.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 16, 2011|title=The Nation - Are Dangote and Adenuga truly Nigeria's richest men?|date=March 16, 2011|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref>
*], $4.3 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net" />
* ], $2.7 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
* ], $2.7 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<ref name="forbes.com">{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mohammed-ibrahim |title=#1638 Mohammed Ibrahim| website=Forbes.com|access-date=October 25, 2017}}</ref>
|1: ], $12.3 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
|1,210; Richest: ] & family, $74 billion{{flagicon|Mexico}}
|-
|2013
| 5:
*], $16.1 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net"/>
* ], $4.7 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
*], $2.9 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
* ], $2.8 billion{{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.1 billion{{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<ref name="forbes.com" />
|2:
*], $13.5 billion{{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $2 billion {{flagicon|Azerbaijan}}{{flagicon|Angola}}
|1,426; Richest: ] & family, $73 billion{{flagicon|Mexico}}
|-
|2014
| 7:
* ], $25 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Aliko Dangote - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/?sh=2b62f8e822fc |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $4.6 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?sh=5366c45d55e3 |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $2.9 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2.9 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
* ], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<ref name="forbes.com" />
|2:
*], $15.3 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
*], $3.7 billion {{flagicon|Angola}}
|1,645; Richest: ], $76 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
|-
|2016
|11:
* ], $15.4 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Aliko Dangote - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/?sh=2b62f8e822fc |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $10 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?sh=5366c45d55e3 |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $4.4 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $3.1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.85 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.8 billion {{flagicon|ZWE}}
* ], $1.55 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.15 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
* ], $1.14 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.07 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mfonobongnsehe/2016/03/01/the-black-billionaires-2016/5/#58502ec9133b|title=The Black Billionaires 2016|last=Nsehe|first=Mfonobong|work=Forbes|access-date=July 21, 2017}}</ref>
|2:
* ], $8.3 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{Flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}
* ], $3.1 billion {{Flagicon|Angola}}
|1,810; Richest: ], $75 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
|-
|2019
|12:
* ], $10.4 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Aliko Dangote - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/?sh=2b62f8e822fc |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $9.2 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?sh=5366c45d55e3 |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $5 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $3.9 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2.7 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2.4 billion {{flagicon|ZWE}}
* ], $2.3 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
* ], $1.9 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.6 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|4:
* ], $8.6 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{Flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Mohammed Al Amoudi |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/mohammed-al-amoudi/ |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=Bloomberg |language=en}}</ref>
* ], $2.3 billion {{Flagicon|Angola}}
* ], $1.9 billion {{flagicon|Jamaica}} {{flagicon|Canada}}
* ], $1.3 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
|2,153; Richest: ], $110 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|-
===Current trends===
|2020
Peoples of predominantly sub-Saharan ancestry constitute 8% of the world’s population <ref></ref> (though this figure may have increased because of of rapid population growth in sub-Saharan Africa relative to the rest of the world) however as the above chart shows, they were 0% of the world’s billionaires in 1999 and 2000, 0.19% in 2001, 0.20% in 2002, 0.42% in 2003, 0.17% in 2004, 0.14% in 2005, 0.13% in 2006, and 0.21% in 2007. The dearth of black billionaires may be a reflection of ] and the fact that within the U.S. the median income of African Americans as a group is roughly 65 percent <ref></ref> of that of "]" people, that is, "people having origins in any of the original peoples of ], the ], or ]" <ref></ref> according to census.
|14:


* ], $8.3 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Aliko Dangote - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/?sh=2b62f8e822fc |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
Despite this, there are signs of black economic progress, especially within the United States. Over 1.7 million African Americans have gone off the ] rolls; earnings by African American women have moved to within a few percentage points of white women's; and purchasing power of black women in the United States has surpassed that of white women. Unemployment among blacks in recent years has dropped below the 10 percent mark. The poverty rate among African Americans has dropped from 26.5% in 1998 to 24.7% in 2004. <ref></ref> The growth in African American incomes is translating into big gains in buying power and opportunities for black businesses. If these trends continue, Blacks (especially in America) can be expected to increase their percentage of the world’s billionaires.
* ], $5.6 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?sh=5366c45d55e3 |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $5 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $4 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $3.2 billion {{flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $2.7 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2.4 billion {{flagicon|ZWE}} {{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $2.3 billion {{flag icon|South Africa}}
* ], $2.1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|4:
==Half-billionaires==
* ], $7.6 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{Flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Mohammed Al Amoudi |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/mohammed-al-amoudi/ |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=Bloomberg |language=en}}</ref>
===Carl Cushnie===
* ], $3 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
]
* ], $2.3 billion {{Flagicon|Angola}}
] is believed to be Britain's richest Black citizen. Real Business writes "the Jamaican immigrant arrived in this country aged 13 in straitened circumstances after the death of his father. He went on to become the UK's most admired black businessman, and with a 60 per cent shareholding worth £350m in his trade finance company, Versailles Group, the wealthiest". Cushnie purchased the black style magazine, Pride, where he made his son and namesake the publisher. He lived in a £12m mansion in the London suburb of Kingston and owns an opulent property in France.<ref></ref> On August 25 2006 £350m equated to $661 million.
* ], $1.9 billion {{flagicon|Jamaica}} {{flagicon|Canada}}
|2,095; Richest: ], $113 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
|-
|2021–2022
|17:
* ], $11.5 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Aliko Dangote - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/?sh=2b62f8e822fc |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $6.1 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?sh=5366c45d55e3 |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $5 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $4 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $3.2 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net"/>
* ], $2.7 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2.4 billion {{flagicon|ZWE}} {{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $2.3 billion {{flagicon|South Africa}}
* ], $2 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.6 billion {{flagicon|United States}}<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-jordan/|title=Michael Jordan|website=Forbes}}</ref>
* Tope Awotona, $1.4 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}} {{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tope Awotona |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/tope-awotona/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
* ], $1.4 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Paul |first1=Larisha |title=Diddy Replaces Ye, Joins Jay-Z in Billionaires Club on 2022 List of Wealthiest Hip-Hop Artists |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/jay-z-kanye-west-diddy-hip-hop-wealthiest-artists-2022-1234620142/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=December 16, 2022 |date=October 28, 2022}}</ref>
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|6:
In 2004 Cushnie was reportedly sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment for conspiring to defraud private investors and was disqualified from acting as a company director for 10 years.<ref>http://www.sfo.gov.uk/news/prout/pr_270.asp?id=270</ref> How this development may have affected his net-worth is not known.
* ], $5.45 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{Flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Mohammed Al Amoudi |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/mohammed-al-amoudi/ |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=Bloomberg |language=en}}</ref>
* ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.9 billion {{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}
* ], $1.7 billion {{flagicon|Barbados}}
* ], $1.4 billion {{Flagicon|Russia}} {{Flagicon|Angola}}
* ], $1.0 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|2,755; Richest: ], $271.9 billion {{flagicon|South Africa}}{{flagicon|Canada}}{{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Elon Musk|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/elon-musk/|access-date=2021-11-12|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>
===Patrice Motsepe===


|-
While no Black South African has ever appeared on Forbes Billionaire list, the end of apartheid has given rise to at least one Black Half-Billionaire, ], whose wealth has been estimated at more than $500 million<ref></ref> and is believed to be South Africa’s richest Black. Also symbolizing South Africa’s new Black economic elite are ], one of South Africa's richest men, who was once mentioned as a possible successor to ], ], another politician turned entrepreneur, and banking and media tycoon ].
|2023
|15:


* ], $14.2 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Aliko Dangote - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/?sh=2b62f8e822fc |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
Time Europe writes, “Although they work separately, Macozoma, Motsepe, Ramaphosa and Sexwale have been dubbed the Fabulous Four for their growing power and wealth, and between them, they have more than a billion dollars' worth of interests in some of South Africa's largest companies, including mining heavyweights Harmony Gold and Gold Fields, life insurer Sanlam, Alexander Forbes Financial Services as well as banking giants ABSA and Standard Bank”.
* ], $8.2 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net"/>
* ], $8 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $6.1 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?sh=5366c45d55e3 |access-date=1 January 2023}}</ref>
* ], $6 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2.7 billion {{flagicon|South Africa}}
* ], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $2 billion {{flagicon|United States}}<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-jordan/|title=Michael Jordan|website=Forbes}}</ref>
* ], $1.9 billion {{flagicon|ZWE}} {{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $2.5 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}} {{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tope Awotona |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/tope-awotona/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|5:
==Entertainment industries==
* ], $9.05 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{Flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Mohammed Al Amoudi |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/mohammed-al-amoudi/ |access-date=29 March 2024 |website=Bloomberg |language=en}}</ref>
===Sports===
* ], $1.4 billion {{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}
* ], $1.4 billion {{flagicon|Barbados}}
* ], $1.3 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.1 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|2,540; Richest: ] & family, $211 billion {{flagicon|France}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bernard Arnault|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/bernard-arnault/?list=billionaires&sh=48fb152566fa|access-date=2024-02-16|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>
Earvin "Magic" Johnson will likely become the next black billionaire out of sports as he continues to expand his franchise and real estate empire. Two other names that frequently come up in discussions about who will be the world’s first billionaire professional athlete: ] and ]. Many people have become extremely wealthy from sports; Jordan is ]; while Woods, who is half asian, one quarter black, one eighth caucasian, and one eighth native american does not consider himself black, coining the term Cablinasian to describe his ethnicity. "If Jordan isn't the first billion-dollar athlete, then Tiger will be the first," said Rick Burton, director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Centre at the ]. "This guy can play golf 45 or 50 years and, if you calculate it at $200 million a year, that's an unbelievable amount of money." <ref></ref> Figures from Forbes magazine were more conservative, putting Woods' 2004-2005 earnings at $87 million and in 2005 Fortune magazine estimated Woods' net worth to be $298 million<ref> ]</ref> However, Formula 1 racer ] became the world's first billionaire athlete in 2005, per EuroBusiness magazine (no longer published).


|-
Fortune magazine estimated Jordan’s net worth at $398 million and although this figure is now several years dated, Jordan’s career has subsequently wound down.<ref></ref> Some have described Jordan as underpaid given that Fortune also estimated his worldwide economic impact to be at $10 billion by 1998.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
|2024
|17:


* ], $13.9 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Aliko Dangote - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/?sh=2b62f8e822fc |access-date=7 April 2024}}</ref>
Black athlete ] also had a lucrative career. "He should have been the first billionaire athlete in history" said boxing promoter ], citing Tyson's decision to end their partnership as a serious mistake.<ref>http://www.forbes.com/business/forbes/2006/0424/084_2.html</ref> In ] Tyson left King and sued him for $100 million, claiming he had been cheated by King. The suit was settled for $14 million, and King has made his last payment to the fighter. Tyson reportedly grossed more than $400 million in his career but kept only 25%. During his years with King, he paid 30% to the promoter, 20% to two managers, and half of what was left to taxes. Tyson spent much of the rest and filed for bankruptcy in 2003 and has been repaying several million dollars in back taxes.
* ], $12.0 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $12.8 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $6.9 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Mike Adenuga - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/mike-adenuga/?sh=5366c45d55e3 |access-date=7 January 2024}}</ref>
* ], $5.9 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}<ref name="thenationonlineng.net"/>
* ], $3.4 billion {{flagicon|United States}}<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-jordan/|title=Michael Jordan|website=Forbes}}</ref>
* ], $3.3 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $3.2 billion {{flagicon|South Africa}}
* ], $2.8 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $3.1 billion {{flagicon|ZWE}} {{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ] $1.7 billion{{Flagicon|Nigeria}} {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.5 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}}
* ], $1.4 billion {{Flagicon|Nigeria}} {{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tope Awotona |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/tope-awotona/ |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref>
* ], $1.4 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.3 billion {{flagicon|Sudan}}{{flagicon|United Kingdom}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|United States}}
* ], $1.2 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|5:
Low profile American businessman Reggie Fowler is a former college football player who now owns Spiral Inc., which supplies grocery store bags, cups, containers, labels and janatorial supplies. The Arizona Republic reported Fowlers net worth at more than $400 million in 2005. He gained national attention for his failed attempt to become the first black majority owner of the Minnesota Vikings although he is still currently a part owner of the NFL franchise.
* ], $9.43 billion {{flagicon|Ethiopia}}{{Flagicon|Saudi Arabia}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Bloomberg Billionaires Index - Mohammed Al Amoudi |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/mohammed-al-amoudi/ |access-date=7 April 2024 |website=Bloomberg |language=en}}</ref>
* ], US$7.9 billion {{flagicon|United States}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Alexander Karp - Forbes profile |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/alexander-karp |access-date=5 January 2025}}</ref>
* ], $1.4 billion {{flagicon|Jamaica}}{{flagicon|Canada}}
* ], $1.4 billion {{flagicon|Barbados}}
* ], $1.3 billion {{flagicon|United States}}


|2,781; Richest: ] & family, $233 billion {{flagicon|France}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bernard Arnault|url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/bernard-arnault/?list=billionaires&sh=48fb152566fa|access-date=2024-04-07|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>
===Hip-Hop===
|}
As one of the world’s most lucrative Black dominated industries, the world’s next Black billionaire may emerge in hip-hop. ] aspires to be hip-hop’s first billionaire<ref></ref> but he has some competition. According to the Panache report which did six months of research <ref></ref>, the ten richest people in Hip-hop are:

#], $346 Million
#], $340 Million
#], $325 Million
#], $200 Million
#] (] and ]), $155 Million
#], $150 Million
#], $145 Million
#], $110 Million
#], $100 Million
#], $60 Million
:(Tied) ], $60 Million

Note: Eminem and Chad Hugo are white and ], respectively.

==Billionaires in countries with high rates of Black ancestry==
===Brazil===
Brazil is likely to be the country where South America's first Black billionaire emerges. According to Forbes, there are currently 16 Brazilian billionaires, and although there's no evidence to suggest that any are Black or have Black blood, black identity is frequently underreported in Brazil just as it is overreported in America. Just as anyone with any physically recognizable black ancestry can claim to be Black in America, anyone with any recognizable Caucasian ancestry is considered White in Latin America. Even individuals with enough African ancestry to make them as dark as ] can pass for White if they appear to have at least one physically visible Caucasian trait such as straight hair or narrow facial features. According to Jose Neinstein, a native white Brazilian and executive director of the Brazilian-American Cultural Institute in Washington, in America, "if you are not quite white, then you are black." But in Brazil, "If you are not quite black, then you are white." Neinstein recalls talking with a man of Poitier's complexion when in Brazil: "We were discussing ethnicity, and I asked him, 'What do you think about this from your perspective as a black man?' He turned his head to me and said, 'I'm not black,' . . . It simply paralyzed me. I couldn't ask another question."<ref>]</ref>

However such culturual conventions are contradicted by companies like ], used by law enforcement analyzes DNA to determine the exact percentage of Indo-European, sub-Saharan, East Asian, and Native American heritage someone has and assigns the to the categories White, Black, East Asian, Native American, or mixed race accordingly.<ref>]</ref>

===Nigeria===
]
Despite being one of Africa’s top oil producing countries, no citizen of Nigeria has ever appeared on Forbes billionaire list, however an editor for Forbes claims that dictator ] (who died in office in 1998) probably was a billionaire after all. Abacha's position as an allegedly corrupt dictator made his wealth unusually difficult to track and so his exact net-worth was a subject of much dispute. Abacha has been accused of siphoning off $2.2 billion in foreign assets to his family and their representatives (some have put the figure as high as $3 billion), however this fortune may have been divided among the foreign bank accounts of too many people for Abacha, or any individual in his inner circle to have ever qualified as a billionaire. In April 2002, Switzerland, which began blocking Abacha's assets in late 1999, decided that Nigeria would get back $1 billion of the money allegedly embezzled by Abacha and his family with $535 million of that sum being transferred to the Bank for International Settlements in Basel to be used "in favor of the federal government of Nigeria," the justice office said.

According to the terms of a deal reached with the Abacha family, the Nigerian government agreed to drop all criminal charges against Abacha's son Mohammed Sani Abacha and businessman Bagudu Abubakar and would also allow the Abacha family to keep $100 million which were "acquired prior to Abacha's term of office and which . . . demonstrably do not derive from criminal acts," the Office of Justice said.

"The Nigerians talk about $2.2 billion being plundered from the Treasury. They already received around $1 billion between 1998 and 2001, and now they are getting another $1 billion, which corresponds more or less to the $2.2
billion," said Folco Galli, a justice office spokesman<ref></ref>.
Nigerian officials however, continue to insist that only some of the funds that Abacha allegedly embezzled are in Switzerland and have requested assistance from the United States, Britain, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Germany to find the rest.

===South Africa===
According to Forbes magazine, South Africa is currently the only country in sub-Saharan Africa that has billionaires and since the end of apartheid, it has been the recipient of much philanthropy by African American billionaire Oprah Winfrey. While the above mentioned Patrice Motsepe is leading the race to become South Africa's first Black billionaires, the country's three current billionaires are all White:

*Nicky Openheimer & family (De Beers) $4.6 billion
*Johann Rupert & family (luxury goods) $3.3 billion
*Donald Gordan (insurance, malls) $1.6 billion

Note: Forbes lists individual fortunes only but when they are not sure which member of the family owns the fortune or how it is divided among them, they list the person who created or controls the fortune, followed by "& family".

===Zaire/Congo===

] may never have personally owned enough of his country's wealth to be a billionaire]] Although currently the only billionaires in sub-Saharan Africa are White South Africans, there is an evidence that during the 20th century, Zaire/Congo, may not only have had a billionaire, but a Black one. Although no one with any known degree of Sub-Saharan ancestry appeared on Forbes billionaire list until 2001, a Forbes editor has gone on record claiming that ] was probably a billionaire but the magazine could never confirm it. CNN.com reported that Mobutu may have been worth as much as $5 billion<ref></ref>, an amount almost equivalent to his country's foreign debt during the 1980s (the time the wealth was allegedly acquired), and, by 1989, the government was forced to default on international loans from ]. He owned a fleet of ] vehicles that he used to travel between his numerous palaces, while many of his people starved. Infrastructure virtually collapsed, and many public service workers went months without being paid. Most money was siphoned off to Mobutu, his family, and top political and military leaders. Only the Special Presidential Division — on whom his physical safety depended — was paid adequately or regularly. A popular saying that the civil servants pretended to work while the state pretended to pay them expressed this grim reality. However when one of Mobutus's Swiss Bank accounts was investigated, only $3.4 million was found <ref></ref> leading to speculation that the money was spent, or that the claims that he looted his country's fortune were politically motivated. While many believe that Mobutu actually did steal billions, in an effort to evade detection, the fortune may have been split among so many friends, family members, and government officials, that no single individual in Zaire ever qualified as a billionaire.

==Controversies==
===Unverified claims===

], an African-American businessman/attorney originally from Birmingham, AL who now resides in Miami, FL<ref>{{cite news | url=http://birmingham.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2005/10/10/story3.html | title=Donald Watkins moves to Miami, joins the 'titans' | author=Malena Cunningham | date=October 7, 2005 | publisher=Birmingham Business Journal | accessdate=2007-05-07}}</ref> claims also to be one of the richest African-Americans, though some dispute this claim. His wealth was estimated between $1.4 - $1.5 billion<ref>{{cite news | url=http://citypages.com/databank/23/1103/article10103.asp | title=Donald Watkins Is Made Of More Than Money: The Billionaire Next Door | author=Tom Finkel | date=January 23, 2002 | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Minneapolis/St. Paul City Pages}}</ref> in 2002 when he attempted to purchase The ] professional baseball franchise. In 2003, Watkins attempted to purchase The ], but as with The Minnesota Twins, the deal ultimately didn't go through. Walkinns has never once been listed as a billionaire by Forbes nor has he ever appeared on Forbes ranking of the 400 richest Americans which in the past required much less than a billion dollars for membership. Watkins himself has stated he has no need or desire to be "listed."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A16885-2002May14&notFound=true | title= A Wealth of Questions About Watkins: Money Mystery Surrounds Baseball's Prospective First Black Owner | author=By Kenneth Bredemeier | date=May 15, 2002 | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Washington Post}}</ref> According to Watkins, "There are only 12 investment bankers that have the expertise to properly calculate my net worth. But this isn't about how much money I make. I don't work for money. Money is not happiness. The fulfillment of achieving goals is happiness. Money doesn't motivate me, but achievement does." "He's riding around the country saying he's a billionaire," says Jimmy Blake, a political adversary of Waltkin's. "No one knows how he got it. I don't believe anyone thinks he's got it.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A16885-2002May14&notFound=true | title= A Wealth of Questions About Watkins: Money Mystery Surrounds Baseball's Prospective First Black Owner | author=By Kenneth Bredemeier | date=May 15, 2002 | accessdate=2007-05-07 | publisher=Washington Post}}</ref>


On February 6th, 2003, it was shown in interview that Martin Bashir questioned ] on how much he was worth. Bashir stated "How much do you think you're worth?" Jackson replied "It's way up there". After more communication, Bashir asked "A billion dollars?" to which Jackson replied "It's over there". Bashir asked for confirmation: "Over a billion dollars!" to which Jackson replied "Yes". When the interview was aired in the United States, broadcaster ] replied, saying, “As for his claim to be worth over a billion dollars,” Walters explained, “industry sources tell us that Jackson’s last CD was not profitable and that his actual worth is in the two or three hundred million range. That’s hardly bad, but it’s nowhere near a billion”. Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen called Jackson a “self-proclaimed billionaire”, <ref></ref> and during Jackson's trial defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. said that the Beatles catalogue (of which Jackson owns 50%) was worth $1 billion in 2003. There have been estimates it's now worth between $4 billion and $5 billion <ref></ref>, but forensic accountant John Duross O'Bryan testified that the total value of Jackson's assets was $130 million.

Michael Jackson has never appeared on Forbes international billionaire list nor has he ever been ranked among Forbes 400 richest Americans, a list which has often required less than even half a billion for membership. When Forbes editor Peter Newcomb was asked in 2003 to explain Jackson’s absence from their lists he replied “MJ owes $250 to $300 million to a consortium of banks; you will see him selling his publishing company any month now, my prediction”.<ref></ref>

===Allegations of racism===

Reports have surfaced that even Black billionaires are not immune to the racism faced by everyday Blacks. In 2001, then Black billionaire Bob Johnson accused Sen. ], D-N.Y of racism when Schumer attempted to block Johnson’s efforts to start “DC Air," a regional airline that would include slots in ] and reach airports in upstate New York. <ref></ref>

Johnson sent Schumer a letter reading:

''As an African-American businessperson who has a personal net worth significantly greater than the market capitalization of ] and Air Tran combined, I am offended that you could argue that these two companies deserve an opportunity that should be denied to me.

''It cannot be that you believe that they are better businesspersons; perhaps it is because they are white businesspersons.''

Schumer's office released a statement saying the senator’s decision was based on "how it would benefit the people of New York, not on the basis of any political or racial consideration."

] was also suspected when Oprah Winfrey was denied entrance to ]’ ] flagship store when she arrived only fifteen minutes after the formal closing time, despite the fact that the store was still very active and despite the tradition of high-end stores routinely extending hours for VIP customers.
In living rooms and Internet chat rooms across America, Winfrey’s case sparked discussion of what many see as a serious problem of Blacks receiving poor treatment or outright suspicion no matter how well-educated or rich they are - particularly in high-end stores. <ref></ref>
"The presumption in America is that if you have the wealth, you'll get equality - but where's Oprah's equality?" asked Bruce D. Haynes, a sociologist at the ]. "It picks up on every inkling of discrimination that a black person might experience in daily life."
Haynes added: "Many people are saying, 'I don't have the money, but Oprah represents what I could be. … She's like the black ]. And if it can happen to Oprah, it could happen to anyone."

It's simple, Derrick K. Baker writes in
a Houston Chronicle commentary: "While liberals and fairy-tale-living
Republicans might be inclined to believe that financial prosperity and
global humanitarianism are great equalizers and neutralizers of all
things racial, black skin sadly remains the great diminisher."

In September 2005, Hermès CEO Robert Chavez appeared on Winfrey’s show to apologize for the incident.

Racism has also been blamed for derailing the careers of Blacks who appeared headed for billionaire status. Author and activist Dick Gregory says “Michael Jackson did something that no one thought a Black man would do. He purchased the Beatles catalog for $48 million and today it is worth $1.5 billion. He didn’t know when he bought it that the ] owned Little Richard’s music. Michael gave it back to ], who is very happy now. Michael also owns the ] catalogs. A Black man owns (the music of) two of the most important music figures in the world and anytime something is played by either of them, Michael gets paid…He’s a good man and I feel that he’s been the target of a conspiracy to destroy his career. In my opinion, there are people who have a financial interest in bringing Michael down.” <ref></ref>
When BET.com posted an image of Michael Jackson in handcuffs with the heading “Black America is spitting mad” readers commented that “The public is lynching our men” and “No matter how much money you have…society will remind you that you can only go as far as they will let you.”<ref></ref>

==Pioneers==
===Madam C.J. Walker===
]
]
Although black people have never been more than half of a percent of the world’s billionaires, two black people have held the title of richest self-made woman in America, and those same two women simultanieously held the title of richest African American. The first was ], a black woman who became America’s first self-made woman millionaire <ref>http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2001/02.08/06-cjwalker.html</ref> and the richest African-American of her day. The second was Oprah Winfrey who in 2007 overtook Ebay CEO ] as the richest self-made woman in America<ref>Forbes magazine March 21st 2007, pg 160 claims there are only 10 self-made women billionaires in the world and Winfrey is the richest of the 4 listed as U.S. billionaires</ref> and was described by Forbes as the richest African American of the 20th century.<ref name="Oprah The Educator">{{cite web|last = Noon | first = Chris | title = Oprah The Educator | publisher = Forbes | date = ] | url = http://www.forbes.com/facesscan/2007/01/02/oprah-winfrey-education-face-cx_cn_0102autofacescan02.html?partner=rss | accessdate = 2007-03-04}}</ref> Like Walker, Winfrey is one of the greatest philanthropists of her time. Although Winfrey's show is known for raising money through her public charity and the cars and gifts she gives away on TV are often donated by corporations in exchange for publicity, behind the scenes Winfrey personally donates more of her own money to charity than any other show business celebrity in America. In 2005 she became the first black listed by '']'' as one of America's top 50 most generous philanthropists, having given an estimated $250 million. <ref></ref> Despite being the 235th richest American in 2005,<ref></ref> Winfrey was the 32nd most ]. Much of Winfrey's charity goes towards educating girls in South Africa while Walker's philanthropy supported the ], the ] and ].

===Reginald Lewis===
] created the first billion dollar black business.]]
After working at several law firms, ]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2005-06-27-baltimore-jazz_x.htm| title=Baltimore boasts historic African-American arts scene - Special - USA Today| author=Susan B. Weissman| date=June 29, 2005| publisher=USA Today | accessdate=2006-08-15}}</ref> opened ], a ] firm, in 1983. In 1987 Lewis bought '''Beatrice International Foods''' from '''Beatrice Companies''' for $985 million, renaming it '''TLC Beatrice International''', a ], ], and ] conglomerate that was the largest black-owned and black-managed business in the U.S. The deal was partly financed through ]. When '''TLC Beatrice''' reported revenue of $1.8 billion in 1987, it became the first black-owned company to have more than $1 billion in annual sales.

At its peak in 1996, '''TLC Beatrice International Holdings Inc.''' had sales of $2.2 billion and was number 512 on Fortune magazine's list of 1,000 largest companies.

His net-worth was estimated by Forbes magazine as being $400 million making him the richest African-American ever at the time of his death. <ref> {{cite web| url=http://www.stfrancis.edu/ba/ghkickul/stuwebs/bbios/biograph/rglwsbio.htm|title=REGINALD F. LEWIS 1942 - 1993 "The Wealthiest Black Man in History"| author=Toni Townsend Moody}}</ref> Lewis was among the first African-Americans to make Forbes magazine's list of the 400 richest Americans and his wife ] the first Asian woman on the list {{Fact|date=February 2007}}


==References== ==References==
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John H. Johnson


{{Lists of billionaires}}
==See also==
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Latest revision as of 12:18, 7 January 2025

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (July 2023)
The richest black person, Aliko Dangote, at the World Economic Forum, 2011

Black billionaires are individuals who are of predominantly African ancestry with a net worth of at least US$1 billion.

According to the 2024 Forbes ranking of the world's billionaires, Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote had a net worth of $13.9 billion and was the world's richest black man.

Other billionaires of African descent on the 2021 Forbes list included Nigerian businessman Mike Adenuga with $6.1 billion, American investor Robert Smith with $11.8 billion, American businessman David Steward with $12.8 billion, American media mogul Oprah Winfrey with $2.7 billion, South African gold magnate Patrice Motsepe with $3.2 billion, Zimbabwe Strive Masiyiwa with $3.1 billion, Barbadian music artist/entrepreneur Rihanna with $1.7 billion, American rapper Jay-Z with $2.5 billion, sports executive Michael Jordan with $1.6 billion, Jamaican-Canadian businessman Michael Lee-Chin with $1.6 billion, Nigerian businessman Abdul Samad Rabiu with $7.6 billion, Nigerian businesswoman Folorunsho Alakija with $1.1 billion, Mo Ibrahim of the United Kingdom with $1.8 billion, American athlete Tiger Woods with $1 billion, and American media mogul Tyler Perry with $1 billion.

From 2001 to 2003, Forbes listed American television network executive Bob Johnson as a billionaire, but dropped him after his fortune was split in his divorce. He returned to the Forbes Billionaire list in 2007 with a net worth of $1.1 billion. In 2008 Johnson's wealth dropped again, this time to approximately $1.0 billion, and by 2009 he fell off the list again. Nigerian petroleum executive Femi Otedola briefly emerged as a billionaire in 2009 but did not remain one in subsequent years. He returned to the list in the company of a fellow Nigerian, sugar tycoon Abdul Samad Rabiu, in 2016, but both were dropped from the rankings the following year. Otedola re-emerged as a billionaire in 2024.

Multiracial billionaires with significant African ancestry have been identified over the years. Saudi Arabian billionaire Mohammed Al Amoudi, of Hadhrami Yemeni and Ethiopian descent, has been on the Forbes billionaire list since 2002 and in 2012 had a net worth of $12.5 billion. Michael Lee-Chin of Canada, who is Jamaican of Chinese and Black ancestry, was on the list from 2001 to 2010 but dropped off in 2011. Isabel dos Santos is of both Angolan and Russian ancestry. Alex Karp, US$ 8.0billion as of 2024. He is the co-founder, and CEO of Palantir Technologies, has an African-American mother. Rihanna is of both Guyanese and Irish descent.

Of all the above-mentioned billionaires identified by Forbes, only Oprah Winfrey qualified for Forbes 2009's list of the world's 20 most powerful billionaires, a list which considered not only wealth, but also market sway and political clout. Winfrey was considered especially powerful because of her influence on American consumer choices and her pivotal role in Barack Obama's successful 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.

List of Black billionaires

(Wealth valuations by Forbes magazine)

Year Black billionaires Bi/Multiracial billionaires with Black ancestry All billionaires
2001 1: Bob Johnson, $1.6 billion United States 1: Michael Lee-Chin, $1 billionJamaicaCanada 538; Richest: Bill Gates, $114 billion United States
2002 1: Bob Johnson, $1 billion United States 2: 497; Richest: Bill Gates, $52.8 billionUnited States
2003 2: 2: 476; Richest: Bill Gates, $40.7 billion United States
2004 1: Oprah Winfrey, $1.1 billion United States 2: 587; Richest: Bill Gates, $46.6 billion United States
2005 1: Oprah Winfrey, $1.3 billion United States 2: 691; Richest: Bill Gates, $46.5 billionUnited States
2006 1: Oprah Winfrey, $1.4 billionUnited States 2: 793; Richest: Bill Gates, $50 billionUnited States
2007 2: 2: 946; Richest: Bill Gates, $56 billionUnited States
2008 5: 2: 1,125; Richest: Warren Buffett, $62 billionUnited States
2009 5: 2: 793; Richest: Bill Gates, $40 billionUnited States
2010 3: 2: 1,011; Richest: Carlos Slim Helu & family, $53.5 billion Mexico
2011 5: 1: Mohammad Al Amoudi, $12.3 billionEthiopiaSaudi Arabia 1,210; Richest: Carlos Slim Helu & family, $74 billionMexico
2012 5: 1: Mohammad Al Amoudi, $12.3 billionEthiopiaSaudi Arabia 1,210; Richest: Carlos Slim Helu & family, $74 billionMexico
2013 5: 2: 1,426; Richest: Carlos Slim Helu & family, $73 billionMexico
2014 7: 2: 1,645; Richest: Bill Gates, $76 billion United States
2016 11: 2: 1,810; Richest: Bill Gates, $75 billion United States
2019 12: 4: 2,153; Richest: Jeff Bezos, $110 billion United States
2020 14: 4: 2,095; Richest: Jeff Bezos, $113 billion United States
2021–2022 17: 6: 2,755; Richest: Elon Musk, $271.9 billion South AfricaCanadaUnited States
2023 15: 5: 2,540; Richest: Bernard Arnault & family, $211 billion France
2024 17: 5: 2,781; Richest: Bernard Arnault & family, $233 billion France

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