At a Glance
- Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola own yachts symbolizing power, status, and elite leisure.
- African tycoons use luxury yachts for celebrations, privacy, and offshore relaxation.
- Kola Aluko’s seized Galactica Star sold for $42 million amid global corruption probe.
Africa’s ultra-wealthy individuals are increasingly embracing maritime luxury, cruising aboard lavish yachts that symbolize power, wealth, and personal flair. These floating palaces—outfitted with pools, private cinemas, and high-level security—serve not just as status symbols, but as exclusive retreats where the continent’s elite relax, entertain, and mark life’s milestones.
With a net worth of over $23.4 billion, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, owns Mariya, a 108-foot luxury yacht known for its understated elegance. Femi Otedola, with a net worth of $1.4 billion and owner of the yacht Nana, celebrated his 60th birthday in grand style aboard the iconic Christina O in the Mediterranean, joined by family, close friends, and celebrities including Burna Boy.
Oil magnate Kola Aluko, once worth over $1 billion, partied aboard his 65-meter Galactica Star before it was seized and sold for $42 million. Italian-Nigerian billionaire Gabriele Volpi owns Boadicea, a 76.6-meter vessel with accommodation for 16 guests and a full spa.
Equatorial Guinea’s vice president, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, often relaxes aboard his $150 million, 90-meter yacht Ice, while Moroccan King Mohammed VI sails on Badis I, a 229-foot vessel by Perini Navi.
These billionaires aren’t just sailing—they’re living large, making waves in luxury as they fuse business, leisure, and legacy at sea.
Here are some notable African billionaires and affluent individuals known to own or have owned luxury yachts:
1. Aliko Dangote
Net worth: $23.4 billion
Nationality: Nigerian
Yacht name: Mariya
Details: Africa’s richest man owns the Sunseeker Predator motor yacht Mariya, a 108-foot vessel acquired in 2013. It features four cabins—including a master suite, a VIP stateroom, and two twin cabins—comfortably accommodating up to eight guests. Mariya reaches a top speed of 44 knots and cruises smoothly at 30 knots.
2. King Mohammed VI
Net worth: $5.7 billion
Nationality: Moroccan
Yacht name: Badis I
Details: Badis I is a 70-meter (229.8-foot) custom sail yacht built by Perini Navi in Italy and owned by King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Designed by PHDesign, the yacht comfortably accommodates up to 12 guests in six cabins: a master suite, two VIP staterooms, and three double cabins. She also carries up to 11 crew members to ensure a luxurious experience. Powered by twin MTU (16V 2000 M72) diesel engines producing 1,930 horsepower, Badis I can reach a top speed of 17.5 knots and cruises comfortably at 12.5 knots.
3. Naguib Sawiris
Net worth: $5 billion
Nationality: Egyptian
Yacht name: Yalla
Details: Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris owns the 73-meter yacht Yalla, built by CRN Yacht. It accommodates 12 guests in six suites and has facilities for 22 crew members. The interior was designed by Droulers Architecture, with an exterior by Omega Architects. Powered by two Caterpillar engines, Yalla reaches a top speed of 18.5 knots and cruises at 13 knots.
4. Femi Otedola
Net worth: $1.4 billion
Nationality: Nigerian
Yacht name: Nana
Details: Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola, chairman of Firstbank Holdings and Geregu Power, owns Nana, a 32.9-meter Sunseeker Predator 108 motor yacht often docked in Lagos. The yacht accommodates up to eight guests and four crew members. It features a 6.3-meter beam, 1.2-meter draft, and 142 GT volume, with a grp hull and superstructure. Powered by three MTU engines, Nana cruises comfortably at 28 knots with a top speed of 42 knots. It carries 11,000 liters of fuel and 1,800 liters of water.
5. Isabel dos Santos
Net worth: $1.4 billion
Nationality: Angolan
Details: Angolan billionaire Isabel dos Santos owns the 49.8-meter superyacht Hayken, a custom-built Heesen yacht reportedly acquired from London property developer Christian Candy. Featuring an aluminum superstructure and hydrodynamic hull, Hayken is designed for minimal fuel consumption. Its exterior was crafted by Frank Laupman of Omega Architects, with interiors by Francesco Paszkowski and naval architecture by Van Oossanen Naval Architects. The yacht accommodates up to 12 guests in five staterooms, including a luxurious master suite. Powered by twin MTU 16V 4000 M90 diesel engines, Hayken can reach a top speed of 23 knots and cruises at 17 knots.
6. Jean Claude Mimran
Net worth: $1 billion
Nationality: Senegal
Yacht name: Taouey
Details: Jean-Claude Mimran, a French businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, owns the luxury motor yacht TAOUEY. The Sugar tycoon is the founder of the Mimran Group, a private holding company with interests in agriculture, energy, real estate, and finance. Mimran is also known for his philanthropic work in education, culture, and scientific research, and as a collector who has donated numerous contemporary art pieces to French institutions. TAOUEY was built and designed by Perini Navi in 1994. Powered by Deutz engines, the yacht reaches a maximum speed of 17 knots and cruises comfortably at 12 knots, with a range exceeding 3,000 nautical miles. The yacht accommodates 12 guests and 11 crew members. Its estimated value is $15 million, with annual running costs around $2 million. Mimran spends about two months each year aboard TAOUEY cruising the Mediterranean.
7. Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue
Net worth: $500 million
Nationality: Equatorial Guinea
Yachts name: Ice, Ebony Shine, and Blue Shadow
Details: Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, one of the world’s wealthiest heads of state, owns the 90-meter luxury yacht Ice, valued at around $150 million. Designed by Tim Heywood and built by Lürssen in Germany, the yacht was originally owned by Russian billionaire Suleyman Kerimov before Mangue acquired it in 2015. Ice features a diesel-electric system, a swimming pool, jacuzzi, and an AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter. It houses a 27-member crew and is registered in Gibraltar. The yacht has been seen in Tangier, Bridgetown, and Willemstad, reflecting Mangue’s extravagant lifestyle and global presence.
OTHER WEALTHY YACHT OWNERS
Gabriele Volpi
Nationality: Nigerian
Yacht name: Boadicea
Details: Boadicea is a 76.6-meter yacht owned by Italian-Nigerian billionaire Gabriele Volpi, founder of Orlean Invest. Originally built by Amels of the Netherlands for Australian media mogul Reg Grundy, it has a beam of 14 meters, a draft of 4.2 meters, and a volume of 2,191 GT. The yacht accommodates 16 guests and 23 crew members. Powered by two Caterpillar engines, Boadicea can reach a top speed of 15 knots and cruises at 13 knots.
Kola Aluko
Nationality: Nigerian
Former Yacht name: Galactica Star (later renamed Illusion)
Details: The 65-meter motor yacht Illusion (formerly Galactica Star), built by Heesen for long-range cruising, boasts a 4,200-nautical-mile range at 14 knots and a top speed of 28 knots. Its custom interior by Bannenberg & Rowell accommodates up to six guests across 12 cabins, including a master suite, VIP stateroom, and four doubles. Delivered to Nigerian oil tycoon Kola Aluko in 2013, the yacht was seized in 2017 amid corruption investigations and auctioned for $42 million in 2019. It was later purchased by American businessman David McKenzie, head of Associated Television International.
