South African billionaire Johann Rupert has overtaken Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote as Africa’s richest person, according to the latest data from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Mr Rupert controls Richemont, one of the world’s largest luxury goods firms, which owns brands like Cartier and Montblanc.
His net worth has surged by $1.9bn to $14.3bn, placing him at 147th position globally, 12 places ahead of Mr Dangote.
The Nigerian’s fortune has fallen by $1.7bn (£1.3bn) this year, giving him a net worth of $13.4bn, Bloomberg reports.
The downturn in Mr Dangote’s wealth underscores Nigeria’s challenging economic environment, where his conglomerate primarily operates.
Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office last year, he has introduced several economic reforms in Africa’s most populous nation, including the removal of fuel subsidies, which have contributed to high inflation, currently over 30%.
Mr Tinubu said the reforms were necessary to cut government spending and stimulate long-term growth.
The sharp fall in the value of the naira has significantly affected Mr Dangote, whose wealth is largely tied to assets denominated in the local currency.
The 66-year-old businessman made his wealth in the cement and sugar industries – and last year opened an oil refinery in Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos.
His business empire, the Dangote Group, has also faced numerous setbacks in recent months due to production delays at its refinery and supply chain disruptions.
He was listed by Forbes magazine in January as Africa’s richest man for the 13th year in a row despite the country’s economic difficulties.
But the latest Bloomberg index places him second in Africa and 159th globally.
Credit: bbc.com
