TheCable

Folorunsho Alakija, Nigerian oil tycoon and businesswoman; Orji Uzor Kalu, publisher of the Sun newspapers and eight other Nigerians have been named by Forbes Magazine among Africa’s 50 richest.

Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote group, maintained his position as Africa’s richest man, despite losing about N1tr in one year.

“Aliko Dangote of Nigeria retains his spot as number one richest African for the fifth year in a row, but his $16.7 billion net worth is nearly $5 billion lower than a year ago, a result of a drop in the stock price at his Dangote Cement and a weaker Nigerian currency,” Forbes said.

The closest Nigerian to Dangote is Mike Adenuga, chairman of Globacom, who came in at the seventh position on the continent with a net worth of N750bn.

Alakija, who is the only female from Nigeria on the list, came in at 13, with a net worth of about N340bn.

The lover of Christ,  as she portrays herself, is one of the only two women on the list, the second being Isabel dos Santos, the eldest daughter of Angolan President, Jose Eduardo dos Santos who is Africa’s second longest-serving ruler (36 years in power).

Femi Otedola of Forte Oil; Abdulsamad Rabiu, founder of BUA group; Theophilus Danjuma, former defence minister and founder South Atlantic Petroleum and Tony Elumelu came in at 16, 23, 30 and 31 respectively.

Other Nigerians on the list are Jim Ovia, Mohammed Indimi and Orji Uzor Kalu who took the 37th, 39th and 49th spot respectively.

Nigerians who dropped off the list due to harsh economic realities are Hakeem Belo Osagie, chairman of Etisalat Nigeria; Tunde Folawiyo, CEO of Yinka Folawiyo group and Oba Otudeko of Honeywell Group.