Africa’s 10 oldest billionaires

Africa’s 10 oldest billionaires, all aged 75 and above, control business empires worth more than $50 billion across retail, banking, mining, food manufacturing and global luxury brands.

These industrialists built their fortunes decades ago and sustained them through political transitions, currency crises, commodity shocks and globalization.

From diamond dynasties and supermarket chains to pan-African banking groups and Swiss luxury conglomerates, this generation shaped modern African capitalism.

Their institutions employ tens of thousands across Africa, Europe, the United States and the Middle East, anchoring sectors that power the continent’s economic backbone.

Many have transitioned from hands-on operators to legacy architects, focusing on succession planning, philanthropy, and capital preservation.

Their stories mirror Africa’s economic evolution: post-colonial expansion, liberalization waves, commodity booms, and globalization. Several expanded aggressively into Europe, the United States, and the Middle East, embedding African capital into global markets.

As younger billionaires rise across fintech, telecoms, and technology, this generation remains the bedrock of African capitalism, proving that endurance, institutional depth, and strategic patience are often the ultimate wealth multipliers.

Shore Africa chronicles Africa’s 10 oldest billionaires and the empires they built.

1. Natie Kirsh
Age: 94
Wealth:  $9.2 billion
The oldest billionaire in Africa, Kirsh built his fortune through wholesale retail and property investments. Founder of the Jetro Holdings empire in the U.S., his businesses span cash-and-carry wholesale and commercial real estate. Despite operating largely outside Africa, his Eswatini roots remain central to his legacy, with decades of quiet philanthropy and disciplined expansion defining his 70-year business career.

2. Othman Benjelloun
Age: 93
Wealth: $1.9 billion
A titan of Moroccan finance, Benjelloun transformed BMCE Bank into a leading pan-African financial institution. His interests span banking and insurance, anchoring Morocco’s private-sector expansion. Over decades, he navigated regulatory shifts and regional risk exposure while preserving capital strength, cementing his reputation as one of North Africa’s most enduring financiers.

3. Christoffel Wiese
Age: 84
Wealth: $2 billion
Wiese made his fortune in retail through Pepkor and Shoprite, helping build one of Africa’s largest supermarket chains. Despite setbacks, including corporate governance scandals linked to Steinhoff, he preserved substantial wealth and influence. His retail footprint reshaped consumer markets across Southern Africa.

4. Issad Rebrab
Age: 82
Wealth: $3 billion
Founder of Cevital, Rebrab built Algeria’s largest privately owned conglomerate, spanning food processing, steel, and agribusiness. His sugar and edible oil operations dominate regional markets. Despite political tensions and legal battles, his industrial empire remains central to Algeria’s non-oil economy.

5. Youssef Mansour
Age: 80
Wealth: $1.4 billion
Part of Egypt’s influential Mansour family, Youssef oversees diversified interests ranging from consumer goods to automotive distribution. Through the Mansour Group, the family built global partnerships with multinational brands, embedding Egypt deeply into international supply chains.

6. Nicky Oppenheimer
Age: 80
Wealth: $10.6 billion
Former chairman of De Beers, Oppenheimer inherited and later monetized a diamond empire. After selling the family’s stake, he diversified into private equity and conservation. A major philanthropist, he champions wildlife preservation and education across Southern Africa.

7. Jannie Mouton
Age: 79
Wealth: $2.6 billion
Founder of PSG Group, Mouton built one of South Africa’s leading investment holding companies. His disciplined capital allocation strategy helped incubate Capitec Bank and other financial ventures, strengthening South Africa’s financial services ecosystem.

8. Mohamed Mansour
Age: 78
Wealth: $3.4 billion
Chairman of the Mansour Group, Mohamed Mansour, oversees operations spanning automotive distribution, heavy equipment, and consumer goods. With strong ties to global corporations, his group employs tens of thousands across multiple continents.

9. Michiel Le Roux
Age: 76
Wealth: $3.8 billion
Founder of Capitec Bank, Le Roux revolutionized South African retail banking with a low-cost, simplified model targeting underserved customers. Capitec’s rise reshaped competitive dynamics in the country’s financial sector.

10. Johann Rupert
Age: 75
Wealth: $15.7 billion
Africa’s richest among this cohort, Rupert chairs Richemont, the Swiss luxury group behind Cartier and Montblanc. His fortune stems from global luxury brands and strategic investments. Rupert remains one of Africa’s most influential business figures, with a vast international footprint.