Africa’s richest man sees his net worth jump significantly in less than a week

Nigeria’s top billionaire and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has seen his net worth surge significantly in the last few days.

Apr 30, 2026 - 02:49

Africa’s richest man sees his net worth jump significantly in less than a week

Nigerian multinational industrial conglomerate Dangote Group's CEO Aliko Dangote arrives for a dinner in honour of the President of Nigeria, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on November 28, 2024. [Photo by Thomas SAMSON/AFP]

Nigeria’s top billionaire and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has seen his net worth surge significantly in the last few days.

Aliko Dangote's net worth has surged to $34.0 billion, making him Africa's richest man.
He is now the world's 69th richest person, having added $3.99 billion to his wealth this year.
Dangote's performance trails that of South Africa’s Natie Kirsh and Nigerian Abdulsamad Rabiu in year-to-date gains, but he remains the continent's wealthiest individual.
Last week, Dangote announced plans to establish a large refinery in East Africa, modeled after his Nigerian facility, pending government support.

Last week, it was reported that Dangote’s net worth had surged to $33.2 billion. Today, per the Bloomberg Billionaire index, the Nigerian industrialist is now worth $34.0 billion.

According to the index, Dangote has remained one of the continent's best-performing billionaires this year, with a current year-to-date change of $$3.99 billion, making him the world’s 69th richest person.

His net worth was published last week at $33.2 billion, up $3.21 billion year to date, making him Africa's third best-performing billionaire.

Although his performance currently lags that of South Africa’s Natie Kirsh, who has added $5.51 billion to his fortune this year so far, and fellow Nigerian billionaire Abdulsamad Rabiu, whose fortune has grown by $6.75B billion, Dangote remains the continent’s richest man by a substantial margin.

Dangote began the year with a net worth of $30.4 billion, making him the 80th richest person in the world at the time.

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A month later, his fortune had climbed to $32.8 billion, propelling him to the 73rd position in the world, where he remains today.

Dangote in the last week

L-R: Africa's richest man and founder of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote and President William Ruto of Kenya. [X, formerly Twitter/William Ruto]

Last week, Aliko Dangote disclosed strategic intentions to broaden his petroleum refining operations within East Africa.

This proposal involves the establishment of a significant refining facility, modeled after his primary infrastructure in Nigeria, to align with regional initiatives aimed at enhancing industrial autonomy.

Speaking at the “Africa We Build” summit in Nairobi, Dangote said his group was prepared to construct a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in partnership with governments across East Africa, provided there was policy alignment and long-term support. He made the pitch alongside Kenyan President William Ruto and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Furthermore, a recent report indicates a substantial increase in jet fuel exports from Nigeria's Dangote Refinery over the previous two years.

This trend highlights a significant transformation in global aviation fuel supply chains and reflects the expanding impact of African refining capacity within international markets.