All across the globe, black women are making a mark in all sectors of the economy. WoK has compiled a list of the top 10 richest black women in world in no particular order.
Oprah Winfrey-$2.8 billion
For decades, Oprah Winfrey has been christened the queen of talk shows in the world with many having her as a role model. Having been born in a poverty stricken home in Mississippi, she has grown into one the most influential women in the world.
At one time according to Wikipedia, she was the world’s only black billionaire and was the richest African American in the 20th century. Today, her estimated net worth is $2.8 billion.
Isabel Dos Santos-$1.4 billion
Once considered the richest woman in Africa, she was dropped from the list following the scandal that involved her wealth acquisition.
The Angolan businesswoman is the daughter of the former Angola president and is said to have taken advantage of her position to gain wealth illegally. This led to the freezing of some of her accounts although several sources still claim she is worth over $1.4 billion.
Rihanna-$1.4 billion
Regarded as one of the most prominent singers of the century, Rihanna’s net worth is estimated to be $1.4 billion.
The Barbadian singer gained recognition soon after releasing her first two albums: Music of the Sun and A Girl Like Me in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
She is considered the second best selling female artist of all time having sold over 250 million copies worldwide.
Her company Fenty has been globally acclaimed and is one of the top manufacturers of inclusive makeup in the world. Among her accolades are; nine Grammy Awards, 13 American Music Awards, 12 Billboard Music Awards, five World Music Awards, six Guinness World Records, and the NAACP’s President’s Award.
Ngina Kenyatta
Popularly known as Mama Ngina, she was the wife of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta and the mother of Kenya’s fourth president, Uhuru Kenyatta. She has interests in real estate, banking, agriculture and hospitality among others.
It was also was alleged in the Pandora papers documentary that she has offshore accounts containing millions of dollars. The 90-year-old is reported to be worth over a billion.
Folorunsho Alakija-$1 billion
Born in 1951, the Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist is the group managing director of The Rose of Sharon Group and the executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited.
Before venturing into fashion, she had over a decade of experience in the banking industry. On multiple occasions, Forbes has listed her among 100 most influential women in the world.
Also involved in the oil business, she is worth $1 billion.
Hajia Bola Shagaya-$959 million
Hajia Bola Shagaya is the founder and CEO of Bolmus Group International, a conglomerate with holdings in real estate, oil and gas, banking and photography.
The Nigerian businesswoman is also the managing director of Practoil Limited, one of the largest importers and distributors of base oil in Nigeria, serving local lubricant blending plants.
After working in the banking sector, she ventured into business and started by importing photography materials.
Wionews estimates her net worth at $959 million.
Sheila Crump Johnson-$840
She founded BET (Black Entertainment Television) alongside her then husband Robert Johnson. They sold the company to Viacom in 2001 for $3 billion which according to several sources made her the first female black billionaire.
According to Forbes, the businesswoman worth $840 million is the only black woman to own stakes in three professional sports teams : WNBA Mystics, NBA Wizards and NHL Capitals.
Janice Bryant Howroyd-$600 million
The American businessman is the founder and chief executive officer of The ActOne Group, the largest privately held, minority-woman-owned personnel company founded in the United States. She is also the first African-American woman to build and own a billion dollar company.
A woman of many firsts, she was one of the first African American students to participate in desegregation of her town’s high school as a teenager.
According to Forbes 2023 analytics, she is worth $600 million.
Beyonce Knowles-$540 million
A prominent icon of the 21st century, Beyonce has been dubbed by many as the greatest singer of all time. She has sold over 200 million copies worldwide and is the most awarded female artist.
Apart from music, she is also a businesswoman with several ventures including her label, Parkwood Entertainment. Her estimated net worth is $540 million.
Wendy Appelbaum-$259 million
Considered the richest woman in South Africa with an estimated net worth of over $259 million, Wendy was born to wealthy parents.
She started her career working for her father before moving on to do other things including co-founding and becoming Deputy Chairman of Wiphold (Women’s Investment Portfolio Holdings).
Over the years, she has not only added to her wealth but also worked to improve the lives of women across South Africa.
