Recently, posters outlining the richest black women in the world have been circulating on social media. Black women are making an impact in every sector of the economy around the world.
Some have gone to the extent of amassing great wealth and owning big business brands, thereby challenging and motivating other women.
While some of these women had favorable backgrounds to help them shoot their finances to a higher level, others have built their empires from scratch. In this article, we seek to unearth the world’s richest black women who have made news around the globe due to their massive financial success.
So, who are the richest black women in the world? In no particular order, here is a list of rich and black women worldwide.
Richest Black Women in the World
1. Oprah Winfrey-$2.8 billion
Oprah Winfrey has been dubbed the “Queen of Talk Shows” for decades, and many people look up to her. She grew up in a low-income family in Mississippi and has become one of the world’s most powerful women.
According to Wikipedia, she was once the world’s sole black billionaire and the richest African American in the twentieth century. Her estimated net worth today is $2.8 billion.
2. Isabel Dos Santos-$1.4 billion
She was once considered Africa’s richest woman, however, she was removed from the list following the scandal surrounding her fortune acquisition.
The Angolan businesswoman is the daughter of the former Angolan president and is claimed to have used her position to amass fortune illegally. This resulted in freezing some of her accounts, even though numerous sources estimate she is worth more than $1.4 billion.
3. Rihanna- $1.4 billion.
Rihanna’s net worth is believed to be $1.4 billion. She is regarded as one of the most prominent singers of the century.
The Barbadian singer rose to prominence following her first two albums, Music of the Sun and A Girl Like Me, in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
She is the second best-selling female artist of all time, with over 250 million copies sold globally.
Her brand, Fenty Beauty, has received worldwide praise and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of inclusive cosmetics. Her awards include nine Grammys, thirteen American Music Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, five World Music Awards, six Guinness World Records, and the NAACP President’s Award.
4. Ngina Kenyatta- $1 Billion
She was the wife of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta, and the mother of the country’s fourth president, Uhuru Kenyatta. Among her many interests are real estate, banking, agriculture, and hospitality.
The Pandora documents documentary also claimed that she has offshore accounts worth millions of dollars. The 90-year-old is said to be worth more than a billion dollars.
5. Folorunsho Alakija- $1 Billion
The Nigerian entrepreneur and philanthropist, who was born in 1951, is the group managing director of The Rose of Sharon Group and the executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited.
She worked in the finance profession for over a decade before delving into fashion. Forbes has named her one of the world’s 100 most powerful women on numerous occasions.
She additionally focuses on the oil industry and is worth $1 billion.
6. Hajia Bola Shagaya- $959 million.
Hajia Bola Shagaya is the founder and CEO of Bolmus Group International, an international conglomerate having interests in real estate, oil and gas, finance, and photography.
She is also the managing director of Practoil Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading importers and distributors of base oil, serving local lubricant mixing factories.
She started her firm after working in the financial industry by importing photography materials.
Her net worth is estimated to be $959 million by Wionews.
7. Sheila Crump Johnson-$840
She and her then-husband, Robert Johnson, launched BET (Black Entertainment Television). They sold the company to Viacom in 2001 for $3 billion, making her the first female black billionaire, according to many accounts.
According to Forbes, the $840 million entrepreneur is the first black woman to own shares in three major sports teams: the WNBA Mystics, the NBA Wizards, and the NHL Capitals.
Read also, Top Ten Richest Black People In The World
8. Janice Bryant Howroyd-$600 million
The ActOne Group, the largest privately held, minority-woman-owned staffing firm formed in the United States, was founded by the American businesswoman. She is also the first African-American woman to start and own a billion-dollar business.
She was one of the first African American students to participate in the desegregation of her town’s high school as a teenager.
According to Forbes 2023 analysis, she is worth $600 million.
9. Beyonce Knowles – $540 million
Beyonce has been considered the best singer of all time by many. She has sold over 200 million copies globally and is the most decorated female artist.
Aside from music, she is also an entrepreneur with various projects, including her own company, Parkwood Entertainment. Her net worth is thought to be $540 million.
10. Wendy Appelbaum- $259 million.
Wendy was born to wealthy parents and is considered the richest woman in South Africa, with an estimated net worth of more than $259 million.
She began her career working for her father before going on to co-found and become Deputy Chairman of Wiphold (Women’s Investment Portfolio Holdings).
She has not only increased her riches over the years, but she has also worked to better the lives of women throughout South Africa.
