Often, we hear “the richest men in Africa” without knowing that African women are also rich.
It will interest you to know that African women are making money, and at the same time, they are strongly making notable names for themselves.
Also, these wealthy African women have exceeded the average level; they have now occupied many renounce occupations in society.
African women have moved out on their way to do so may exploit in all sectors of the economy.
Without taking most of your time, we will bring to your notice the wealthiest women in Africa.
Here are the richest women in Africa, what makes them the richest, and their net worth.
1. Folorunsho Alakija, Nigeria
Forbes magazine’s 2021 ranking shows that Folorunsho Alakija is the 1st richest African woman, the 1st most prosperous woman in Nigeria, and the 87th most powerful woman worldwide.
She’s a businesswoman and philanthropist that lives an emulating life while promoting her country’s culture, using fashion and, at the same time, style.
Interestingly, the Nigerian billionaire, born on 15th July 1951 in Ikorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria, is the national president and a lifelong trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria [FADAN].
- Wy Folorunsho Alakija is the first richest woman in Africa.
The famous and wealthy Nigerian woman, Folorunsho Alakija, is a businesswoman in various industrial sectors, including real estate, fashion, oil, and printing.
She’s the vice-chairperson for Famta Oil, partnering with Petrobras and Chevron, and she has a stake in DaySpring Property Development Company and Agbami Oilfield, operating since 2008.
The wife of the former Nigeria president, Ibrahim Babangida, is among the esteemed customers of Folorunsho Alakija in her first fashion label.
Also, she gained recognition from the Nigerian government via an award to her company in 1993 as an oil prospecting license, which the name later changed to an oil mining lease.
Generally, she is a self-made African billionaire from Nigeria that become rich basically through her oil business.
- The net worth of Folorunsho Alakija
The wealthy African woman, Folorunsho Alakija, has a net worth of $1 billion as of 2020. Net worth over time as of 2014 $2.5B.
2. Isabel Dos Santos
Isabel Dos Santos is the second-richest woman in Africa and Angola, her nationality.
The Angolan-Russian businesswoman is the first child of the wealthy Angola ex-president, Jose Eduardo dos Santos.
Isabel was born on 1st April 1973 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to José Eduardo dos Santos and Tatiana Kukanova’s family.
What makes Isabel Dos Santos the second-richest in Africa
She’s a self-made businesswoman who becomes the richest from doing business in Angola and taking stakes from companies.
Also, she makes her wealth from the power and connections of her wealthy family.
Net worth
Isabel Dos Santos’ current net worth is US$2 billion.
Forbes had her on their list as the first richest African woman eight years ago, with a net worth of $3.5 billion.
With a $2 billion net worth, Isabel is supposed to rank no.1 on the list; however, upon noticing the freezing of her business in Portugal, Angola, and the Netherlands, Forbes Magazine dropped her as the 2nd in January 2021.
3. Ngina Kenyatta, Kenya
Ngina Kenyatta is among the wealthiest women in Africa, ranking the third richest woman in Africa and the first in Kenya.
Popularly addressed as “Mama Ngina,” Ngina Kenyatta is a widow of the first president of Kenya, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, and the mother of the current Kenyan president, President Uhuru Kenyatta.
- What makes Ngina Kenyatta the 3rd richest woman in Africa.
Ngina Kenyatta became rich by controlling some of the most extensive private holdings and enterprises in the country.
Also, when her husband, the former president, was alive, he acquired vast land areas at low prices, so she earned the lands when he died. At present, she controls about 500,000 acres of Kenyan land.
Again, this woman of substance and her family owns Brookside Dairies, Kenya’s largest dairy company, also takes stakes in Kenyan Television station K24, timber production company, and Commercial Bank of Africa.
- Ngina Kenyatta’s net worth
She has an approximate net worth of $1 Billion.
4. Hajia Bola Shagaya, Nigeria
Hajia Bola Shagaya is another rich African woman from Nigeria, perhaps the 4th richest in Africa, and the second-richest in Nigeria, after Folorunsho Alakija.
She is a business mogul, a fashion enthusiast, and a managing director of the most significant importation and distribution of base oil in Nigeria, known as the Practoil Limited.
Also, Hajia Bola Shagaya is a member of the unity bank.
- What makes Hajia Bola Shagaya the 4th richest woman in Africa
Hajia Bola Shagaya becomes one of the richest due to various areas where her income comes from, such as the ones she makes in the oil and gas, real estate, banking, and the communication industries that she has too.
- Net worth of Hajia Bola Shagaya
The Net worth of Hajia Bola Shagaya is roughly $950 million.
5. Divine Ndhulukula, Zimbabwe
Divine Ndhulukula is the 5th richest woman in Africa, and she is from Zimbabwe.
Divine Ndhulukula has held many notable posts in many companies both within and even outside the continent. As it stands now, she owns one of the high-paying Security companies in her country Zimbabwe.
- What makes Divine Ndhulukula one of the richest women in Africa
She becomes the richest as a result of the money she makes from the different offices she occupies.
- Divine Ndhulukula’s net worth
She has a net worth of about $809 million.
6. Wendy Appelbaum, South Africa
Wendy Appelbaum is an African woman who has made it big in life; she is the 6th richest in Africa, while in her country South Africa, she happens to be the richest.
She is a business leader, philanthropist, and one of the richest and powerful in Africa.
- What makes Wendy Appelbaum the 6th most affluent
At the onset, Wendy Appelbaum works in Liberty Group, which is her father’s company, and she serves there as a director at the Liberty Group Investors.
From there, Wendy becomes one of the company’s largest shareholders.
As time went on, she sold her shares and opened a winning farm with her husband as of 2003.
Wendy Appelbaum becomes the chairperson of the Demorgenzon Wine Estate, wine and agricultural business in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Also, her company starts off programs that focus more on the issue regarding health educational interest and issues that concern South African Women.
- Wendy Appelbaum’s net worth
The estimated net worth of Wendy Appelbaum is R2.6 million.
7. Wendy Ackerman, South Africa
She is a Non-Executive Director of Pick and Pay Holdings Limited, and she is the 7th richest woman in Africa.
Wendy Ackerman is from South Africa, and she has gained so many achievements and contributes to environmental conservation.
Also, she is considered too as a Diamond Custodian of Table Mountain.
- Why Wendy Ackerman is the 7th riches woman in African
Wendy Ackerman makes her wealth from the income she gains from all her achievement.
- Wendy Ackerman’s net worth
As of 2019, Wendy Ackerman has an estimated net worth of $190.2 million.
8. Charlize Theron, South Africa
Charlize Theron is an African-American movie producer and actress, ranking the 8th richest woman in South Africa.
She earns a considerable amount of income from the movie industry, making her count among the well-paid actresses in the world.
Interestingly, she played notable roles in several movies, and also she has received so many awards, including an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and so many others.
- Why Charlize Theron is the 8th richest African woman
The tremendous amount of money she receives in the movie industry makes her rich and the eighth richest in Africa.
- Charlize Theron’s net worth
Charlize Theron currently has an estimated net worth of $ 160 million.
9. Irene Charnley, South Africa
Irene Charnley is the ninth richest woman in Africa, from South Africa.
She’s a successful businesswoman, social entrepreneur, and president of the International Women’s Forum in South Africa.
- What makes Irene Charnley the 8th richest woman in Africa
She becomes one of the richest due to the money she makes from her business and the one she gains from her other sectors.
- Irene Charnley’s net worth
Her net worth is approximately $150 million.
10. Gifty Lamptey, Ghana
Gifty Lamptey, from Ghana, is the 10th on the list of the richest African women.
She’s a philanthropist, a businesswoman, and the chairperson and C.E.O. of the famous Sidalco Group of Companies.
- What makes Gifty Lamptey the 10th richest woman in Africa
Like every other rich woman, Gifty Lamptey makes money from her work as a C.E.O. and her business.
- Net Worth
Gifty Lamptey has a net worth of $135 million.
11. Njeri Rionge, Kenya
Njeri Rionge is an investor and entrepreneur, the founder of Wananchi Online and other online platforms at the same time.
Amazingly, she’s the 11th on the list of the richest African woman from Kenya.
What makes Njeri Rionge is the 11th wealthiest African woman
Njeri Rionge is one of the richest in Africa, making so much money from several online businesses and many enterprises she makes investments in.
Njeri Rionge’s net worth
Njeri Rionge has an approximated net worth of $100 million.
12. Tabitha Karanja, Kenya
Tabitha Karanja also tops the list as one of the richest women in Africa, from Kenya, ranking as the 12th wealthiest woman.
She is a businesswoman, an industrialist, the founder, and the chief executive officer of a substantial brewery in Kenya, Keroche Breweries.
- Why Tabitha Karanja is the 10th richest woman in Africa
She becomes rich and tops the list of wealthy African women through the income she makes from her wine business.
- Tabitha Karanja’s net worth
Her net worth is approximately $80 million.
13. Patricia Poku-Diaby, Ghana
She is a Ghanaian businesswoman, a cocoa merchant, and the C.E.O. of Plot Enterprise Ghana Limited.
She is the 13th richest in Africa and the eighth richest person in Ghana as of 2015.
- What makes Patricia Poku-Diaby Rich in Africa
Patricia Poku-Diaby is among the rich people in Africa due to her success as the founder and C.E.O. of Plot Enterprise Group, a cocoa processing company in Ghana.
Most of her income comes from her cocoa company and related businesses.
- Net worth
The net worth of Patricia Poku-Diaby is roughly calculated as of 2015 to be $720 million.
14. Sharon Wapnick, South Africa
Sharon Wapnick is another wealthy woman in Africa, and she takes the 14th position in the cue.
Sharon is the chairperson of the Octodec Investments and Premium Properties, both the ones that are part of the Johannesburg S.E.C.
- What makes Sharon Wapnick the 14th richest woman in Africa
Sharon Wapnick became among the richest woman in Africa due to the company [the Octodec Investments and premium Properties] she inherited from her father.
- Sharon Wapnick’s net worth
She has an estimated net worth of $43.1 net worth.
15. Theresa Oppong-Beeko, Ghana
Theresa Oppong-Beeko, the second richest woman in Ghana, is perhaps the 15th wealthiest woman in Africa.
She is the C.E.O. and a founder of Manet Incorporated, a big company with different subsidiaries.
The sub-branches of her company include Manet Towers Limited, Manet Construction Limited), Manet Beach Paradise, and Manet Housing.
- What makes Theresa Oppong-Beeko one of the richest women in Africa
She makes her wealth from the magnet company.
- Theresa Oppong-Beeko Net Worth
Theresa Oppong-Beeko has an approximate net worth of
US$420 million.
Who is the most affluent lady in Africa?
The most affluent lady in Africa as of January 2021 is Folorunsho Alakija from Nigeria.
Who are the wealthiest top 10 in Africa?
The top 10 wealthiest people in Africa with their net worth in U.S. billion dollars are
Aliko Dangote – 11.5 billion U.S. dollars
Nassef Sawiris – 8.3billion U.S. dollars
Nicky Oppenheimer and his family – 8 billion U.S. dollars
Johann Rupert – 7.1 billion U.S. dollars
Mike Adenuga – 6.1 billion U.S. dollars
Abdulsamad Rabiu – 4.9 billion U.S. dollars
Issad Rebrab and his family – 4.8 billion U.S. dollars
Nathan Kirsh – 4.7 billion U.S. dollars
Naguib Sawiris has an approximate net worth of 3.2 billion U.S. dollars, and, finally, Koos Bekker has 3 billion U.S. dollars net worth.
Final Words
African women have proved a popular saying, “what a man can do, a woman can do it better,” through their admirable exploit and noteworthy achievements in their endeavors to make it great.
