Nassef Sawiris Orascom stake $475 million - Shore Africa

Nassef Sawiris, Egypt and North Africa’s richest man, has added $56.61 million to the market value of his holding in Orascom Construction in 2026, as a shareholding increase and a strategic listing shift to Abu Dhabi bolstered the stock.

Orascom stake expands significantly
The Cairo-born billionaire now owns 46,704,773 shares, representing 42.36% of the contractor controlled by the Sawiris family. The stake has risen from EGP20.08 billion ($418.82 million) at the start of the year to EGP22.8 billion ($475.43 million), reflecting a gain of EGP2.72 billion ($56.61 million).

The increase follows his purchase of brother Naguib Sawiris’ 5.84% holding, 6,439,725 ordinary shares, lifting Nassef’s ownership from 36.52% (40,265,048 shares) to above 42%. Naguib has fully exited the company, while brother Samih Sawiris retains 12.5%, or 13,776,618 shares.

ADX listing strengthens market access
The transaction coincided with Orascom’s transition to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) as its primary listing venue. Shareholders approved the move in August after the board backed ADX as the main market. The company retains a secondary listing on the Egyptian Exchange and has exited Nasdaq Dubai, where trading ended Sept. 3.

Orascom also shifted its incorporation from the Dubai International Financial Centre to Abu Dhabi Global Market, deepening its presence in the UAE.

Bloomberg valuation versus market pricing
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Sawiris’ net worth has climbed by $380 million in 57 days. Bloomberg currently values his Orascom stake at about $419 million.

However, data compiled by Shore Africa indicates that the 5.84% block acquired from Naguib is now worth $140.24 million, pushing Nassef’s total Orascom holding above $475 million at current market prices.

Bloomberg estimates show Nassef Sawiris holds $5.95 billion in cash, a $195 million private stake in Aston Villa F.C., $348 million in OCI NV assets, and roughly $2.38 billion from his 6% interest in Adidas, Europe’s largest sportswear maker and the world’s second-largest sports brand. Additional holdings include about $277 million in AKE FP equity.

With Orascom now valued at roughly $475 million, higher than Bloomberg’s $419 million estimate, his total fortune, which began the year at $9.58 billion and pegged at $9.96 billion, crosses the $10 billion threshold when adjusted for the $56 million paper gain tied to his enlarged stake in Orascom Construction.

Sawiris family control intact
Founded in 1976 by the late Egyptian businessman Onsi Sawiris, Orascom Construction has grown into a leading engineering and infrastructure group operating across the Middle East, Africa and the United States.

The Sawiris family maintains firm control through OS Private Trust Company, which holds 54.86% of the company. With Nassef’s 42.36% personal stake and Samih’s 12.5% holding, Orascom remains tightly anchored to its founding family even after its shift to Abu Dhabi.