Rihanna And Tyler Perry Among 23 Black Billionaires Featured In Forbes’ World Billionaires List
Tyler Perry and Rihanna are tied for 14th place on the list of 23 Black moguls who earned a spot on Forbes‘ World Billionaires list.
The magazine released its annual World’s Billionaires list on April 1, featuring 3,028 billionaires with a combined net worth of a record $16.1 trillion. While only 23 of them are Black—making up just 0.8% of the list—the Black billionaires represent a wealthy and impressive group.
Michael Jordan came in at No. 7 with a net worth of $3.5 billion. Jordan made the list after selling his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in a deal that valued the NBA franchise at $3 billion. Oprah Winfrey was tied with African Rainbow Minerals founder Patrice Motsepe in eighth place with a $3 billion net worth.
Jay-Z closed out the Top 10 with a $2.5 billion net worth, ahead of Magic Johnson, who was tied for 12th place with $1.5 billion. Perry and Rihanna’s $1.4 billion net worth have them sharing the 14th spot with two others (software mogul Tope Awotona and golf legend Tiger Woods). LeBron James tied for 18th place with a $1.3 billion net worth, and BET Founder Sheila Johnson closed out the list with a $1 billion net worth.
Aliko Dangote, founder and CEO of Dangote Group, is the wealthiest Black man in the world, with an estimated net worth of $23.9 billion. His work on building Africa’s largest oil and gas refinery, which began in 2013 and was completed in early 2024, has boosted his fortune by $10.5 billion since last year’s list.
David Steward finished at No. 2 with an estimated net worth of $11.4 billion. The richest Black American, Steward co-founded World Wide Technology in 1990, a company that provides IT solutions to clients such as Citi and Verizon.
Robert F. Smith, founder of Vista Equity Partners, finished at No. 3 with a net worth of $10.8 billion. Alexander Karp followed at No. 4 with a net worth of $8.4 billion. Karp is the co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, a data mining company whose clients include the FBI, the Department of Defense, and other government agencies.
Mike Adenuga rounded out the Top 5 with a net worth of $6.8 billion. One of Africa’s wealthiest individuals, Adenuga built his fortune through his mobile network, Globacom, and his oil exploration company, Conoil.
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