1.Naushad Merali – Kenyan
Sameer Group. The is one of East Africa’s most venerable dealmakers. In 2000, along with French
Media giant Vivendi, he launched Kencell, bought a 60% stake $230 million which he flipped hour later Celtel for $250 million.
He spends his time steering the Sameer Group, a 15-company Kenyan conglomerate with activities in financial services, construction, agriculture, energy and power and information technology. Forbes estimates he is worth $210 million, using 2nd November 2011 stock prices.
2. Phuthuma Nhleko - South African
MTN International. He still serves as non-executive chairman of MTN International and remains one of the company’s largest individual shareholders, with 3.3 million shares worth $58 million. He now devotes his time to managing Worldwide African Investment Holdings (WAIH) which has interests in mining and ICT. Currently sits on the board of BP and mining giant Anglo American.
3.Manu Chandaria- Kenya
Comcraft Group. He is the chairman of Comcraft group, a $2.5 billion industrial conglomerate his father founded over 80 years ago. The group produces steel, plastics, and aluminium products from its manufacturing facilities in 16 African countries and employs a workforce of over 40,000 people in 45 countries on five continents. He funded the creation of the Chandaria Business Innovation and Incubation Centre at Kenyatta University to provide seed funding and mentorship to student entrepreneurs at the institution.
4. Tokyo Sexwale – South African
South Africa’s Minister of Human Settlements is the founder and major shareholder of Mvelaphanda Group, a listed Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) Investment firm with significant interests in blue chips like media giant Avusa, Absa Group. In 2005 he hosted the reality show The Apprentice.
5. Harold Pupkewitz – Namibian
The 96 year-old Namibian mogul parlayed a small family trading business into Pupkewitz Holdings, one of Namibia’s largest privately held conglomerates. He owns Pupkewitz Motors a subsidiary of the group is the largest dealer of Toyota, Nissan, Honda cars in the country. The group also has extensive interests in real estate and irrigation services. The group is also the largest distributor of Nokia, Samsung and Apple products in the country.
6. Isabel Dos Santos – Angola
Kento Holding. The eldest daughter of Angolas current president. She is a very successful businesswoman in her own right, and one of the continent’s wealthiest women (Forbes estimates her net worth is $170 million). Kento Holding holds a 10% stake in Portuguese media giant Zon Multimedia. She acquired the stake last year for a reported 164 million Euros. She is also a shareholder in Portuguese banks Banco Espírito Santo and Banco Português de Investimento, and in electric utility company Energias de Portugal.
7. Said Salim Bakhresa – Tanzanian
Bakhresa Group The extremely reclusive Tanzanian tycoon famously dropped out of school at the age of 14 to sell potato mix, then opened a small restaurant and then finally delved into grain milling. Today, his Bakhresa group employs over 2,000 people and is Tanzania’s largest conglomerate. The company’s interests include grain milling, confectionaries, frozen foods, beverages and packaging. The group’s Azam brand is the most popular manufacturer of chocolates and ice cream in the region. The $800 million (sales) group is also the largest producer of wheat flour in East Africa. Daily capacity: 2,100 metric tons.
8. Gilbert Chagoury – Nigeria
Chagoury Group. He founded the Chagoury Group in 1971 which today is one of the country’s leading industrial conglomerates. The group’s activities include commercial real estate, flour milling, glass manufacturing and tourism. The group owns the landmark Eko Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos. He is building Eko Atlantic, a new mini-city in Lagos which is being constructed on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean.
9.Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez – Nigerian
Petro-Inett. Served as the Central African Republic’s ambassador to the United Nations. Jose Eduardo dos Santos, Fernandez has extensive gold, diamond and oil mining interests in Angola and across Africa held through his company, Petro Inett. Divides his time between lavish homes in France, Scotland and the United States.
10. Kase Lawal – Nigerian
Camac International Holding - Politician’s son left his native Ibadan-Nigeria to study chemical engineering and business in Texas way back in the 70s. He enjoyed brief stints at oil giants Halliburton and Shell, before branching out in 1986 to found CAMAC, a small commodities trading outfit. In the early 1990s he ventured into energy. Today his $1.5 billion (sales) Camac International.
Information Courtesy of Career Point Kenya