Money In The Bank: 12 Black Billionaires [Photos]

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After decades of being idolized for his athletic prowess and mean shoe game, Michael Jordan has joined the billionaires club. It’s no small feat considering he has a similar net worth and also owns an NBA team just like the man he used to play for during his Chicago Bulls days.

photo: WENN

But MJ is on the financial equivalent of the JV squad when it comes to cake. No shots, considering he’s now wealthy in a major way. Congrats are in order, as Jordan has joined an elite list of 12 Black billionaires who are either currently or at one time worth that elusive billi.

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Photo: WENN

photo: WENN

Oprah Winfrey

Remember when Oprah’s OWN network was struggling? Nah, us either. OWN is said to be in the black now, and even if it wasn’t, syndication money from Dr. Phil, Rachel Ray, and old episodes of Oprah keep the cash rolling in. Anything gained from her movie ventures with Lee Daniels and Ava DuVernay is a bonus to her $3 billion portfolio.

photo: WENN

Dr. Dre

Since he rarely talks (and almost never talks about his money), it’s unclear if Apple’s 2014 purchase of Beats electronics made Dr. Dre a billionaire. The general consensus seems to be that he’ll hover around the neighborhood just like Michael Jordan did before someone crunches the numbers that Dre won’t confirm. Either way, having Apple buy your company for roughly $3 billion is quite a boost to the bank account.

photo: WENN

Michael Jordan

Appreciating Nike stock and the recent NBA collective bargaining agreement have been good to Mike. The new CBA shifted more revenue into owner’s hands and allowed for revenue sharing for small-market teams, all of which made Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets more valuable.

photo: WENN

Robert L. Johnson

Johnson has popped up and disappeared from the black billionaires club a few times since he sold BET to Viacom for $2.34 billion in 2000. Becoming the NBA’s first black owner when franchise values were tanking and subsequently selling the franchise for what seems like a laughable $175 billion may have hurt his portfolio more than anything.

photo: WENN

Aliko Dangote

So Dangote is so wealthy that according to Forbes, he lost about $10 billion over the last seven months and still has a net worth of about $15.7 billion. The Nigerian magnate has four publicly listed companies that trade in sugar, cement, and flour. Since all of these are the closest one can get to societal staples without dealing in oil or petroleum, Dangote should still be good to go.

Mohammed Al-Amoudi

Al-Amoudi trades in Saudi Arabian oil, and to paraphrase the late Pimp C, the game’s been good to him. In addition to investing in agriculture and mining, Al-Amoudi owns a stake in Ethiopia’s National Oil Company and a few other refineries.

Mike Adenuga

Adenuga either outright owns or co-owns Nigerian mobile telecom corporation Globacom, Conoil Producing (and oil exploration company) and also has ties to Sterling Bank. That’s a good way to rack up nearly $4 billion in net worth.

Isabel Dos Santos

Depending on whom you ask, Isabel Dos Santos is the world’s richest black woman. Being the daughter of Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos doesn’t hurt. But Ms. Dos Santos has also profited from Unitel, Banco BIC, and other assets that keep her net worth upward of $3.3 billion.

Patrice Motsepe

Have several seats with any jokes about blood diamonds. Patrice Motsepe’s estimated $2.1 billion fortune is the byproduct of mining chrome, coal, and precious metals like gold and platinum. In addition to owning African Rainbow Minerals, Motsepe can lay claim to the Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club.

Folorunsho Alakija

There are back and forth debates as to whether Alakija is the richest black woman in the world. That’s a great conversation to be a part of, and being the founder of Nigeria’s Famfa Oil should keep her there.

photo: WENN

Mohammed Ibrahim

Selling his African mobile phone utility Celtel to MTC for $3.4 billion in 2005 was a huge coup for Mo Ibrahim. Any loot he’s amassed since then is just icing on top of a very profitable cake.

Femi Otedola

Otedola’s controlling interest in Nigeria’s Forte Oil means that gas stations, fuel deposits, and motor oil all contribute to his estimated net worth of $1 billion.

Abdulsamad Rabiu

Infrastructure and old school staples are the way to wealth for Rabiu. His BUA conglomerate brings in capital from port concessions, manufacturing, oil gas and shipping, sugar refining, cement production, real estate, and steel. That’s a lot of ways to make a lot of money—$1 billion to be more accurate.