Black wealth, especially at the billionaire level, remains a statistical anomaly in global finance. But in 2025, that narrative continues to shift — if only incrementally. According to Forbes, out of 3,028 billionaires worldwide, only 23 are Black, representing less than 1% of the list. Despite this underrepresentation, these 23 individuals collectively hold an impressive $96.2 billion in wealth. The figures tell one story. The names behind them tell another story — one of legacy, innovation, cultural power, and long-game strategy.
This year, two notable newcomers joined the global roster of Black billionaires: Sheila Johnson, the media and hospitality powerhouse, and Herriot Tabuteau, a biotech founder with a focus on brain health. Both represent not only financial achievement but industry-specific influence in spaces where Black leadership is often overlooked or underestimated.
Who’s New To The 2025 Black Billionaires List?
Sheila Johnson, widely known as the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), is America’s first Black female billionaire. Her financial breakthrough isn’t tethered solely to the historic 2001 sale of BET to Viacom for $3 billion. It’s the result of a decades-long portfolio that now includes a luxury hotel and resort company, Salamander Collection, and strategic equity in major league sports franchises, including the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, the NBA’s Washington Wizards, and the NHL’s Washington Capitals. This year, she enters the ranks as the 23rd Black billionaire.
Herriot Tabuteau — Haitian-born and U.S.-based — is the founder of Axsome Therapeutics, a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for brain disorders (central nervous system). His rise to billionaire status is rooted in a 15% ownership stake in the company, which he founded in 2012 and took public in 2015. His ascent marks a significant milestone in both the health tech and investment sectors. Tabuteau debuts tied at No. 21 on the Forbes list, sharing his spot with Jamaican-Canadian investor Michael Lee-Chin. Lee-Chin holds a 60% stake in National Commercial Bank Jamaica, which is nearly half of his fortune.
The 10 Richest Black Billionaires In The World
Aliko Dangote – $23.9B
Dangote remains the richest Black billionaire in the world. The near doubling of his net worth comes on the heels of launching Africa’s largest oil refinery — a $23 billion infrastructure feat more than a decade in the making.
David Steward – $11.4B
The co-founder and chairman of World Wide Technology has built an IT solutions empire serving major clients like Verizon and Citi, with annual revenues nearing $20 billion.
Robert F. Smith – $10.8B
Smith is the founder of Vista Equity Partners, the largest Black-owned private equity firm in the United States, which manages over $100 billion in assets and focuses on software-driven companies.
Alexander Karp – $8.4B
Karp is co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies, a government-contracted data analytics firm with a market cap approaching $200 billion.
Mike Adenuga – $6.8B
A telecom and oil magnate, Adenuga built his fortune through Globacom and Conoil. At the age of 26, he made his first $1 million as a commodities trader.
Abdulsamad Rabiu – $5.1B
Founder of Nigeria’s BUA Group, Rabiu remains a key figure in West Africa’s manufacturing economy. His philanthropic work spans education, health, and social development.
Michael Jordan – $3.5B
Jordan’s legendary NBA career was only the beginning. His recent $3 billion sale of his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets cemented his billionaire status.
Patrice Motsepe – $3B
The founder of African Rainbow Minerals and the first Black African on the Forbes billionaire list, Motsepe remains a mining and philanthropic heavyweight.
Oprah Winfrey – $3B
Winfrey transitioned her daytime talk empire into a diversified media portfolio. She sold a majority stake in her TV network, OWN, to Warner Bros. Discovery in 2020.
Jay-Z – $2.5B
From Rocawear and Tidal to D’Ussé and Armand de Brignac, Jay-Z’s business ventures turned his cultural capital into financial power.
Beyond The Top 10: Building Across Sectors
Outside the top 10, the Black billionaire landscape is increasingly diversified. With a net worth of $1.5 billion, Magic Johnson has built a wide-ranging investment portfolio that includes a 60% stake in Equitrust, a life insurance company whose assets under management have grown from $16 billion to $27 billion under his leadership, which began in 2015. He also holds equity in multiple professional sports teams, including the Washington Commanders and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Femi Otedola ($1.5 billion) has evolved from commodities into energy, now serving as chairman and majority owner of Geregu Power, with investment from the Nigerian government and the State Grid Corporation of China.
Tech entrepreneur Tope Awotona and filmmaker Tyler Perry are each valued at $1.4 billion. Awotona founded the scheduling platform Calendly, while Perry built his fortune through the “Madea” film franchise, his 330-acre studio in Atlanta, GA, and part ownership in BET+.
Golf legend Tiger Woods, worth $1.4 billion, has won more prize money than any other golfer in PGA history and has won 15 major championships. Still, most of his wealth has come from lucrative brand partnerships, including his long-standing relationship with Nike.
Rihanna, also valued at $1.4 billion, became a billionaire through her cosmetics company, Fenty Beauty, which she co-owns with France’s LVMH. Her brand’s success transformed her from a global pop star into a formidable business mogul.
Tied at $1.3 billion are Mohammed Ibrahim and LeBron James. Ibrahim founded Celtel International and later focused his efforts on promoting good governance in Africa through the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. James, the NBA great with four championships and four MVP titles under his belt, has already earned over $900 million (pretax) through business ventures and endorsements by 2022.
Strive Masiyiwa of Zimbabwe, valued at $1.2 billion, is the founder of Econet Group, a telecom conglomerate with investments across Africa, South America, and Asia. He also sits on the boards of Netflix and the Gates Foundation.
These individuals reflect a broader shift among Black billionaires — one defined by cross-sector expansion, long-term investment, and global influence.
Black Billionaires And The Bigger Picture
It’s easy to see these individuals as exceptions — outliers in a global system that continues to marginalize Black economic advancement. But these stories, and the sectors they reflect, point to a deeper shift. This isn’t just about individual achievement; it’s about building a legacy, gaining access to capital, and driving systemic transformation in who gets to lead in spaces once considered closed.
The visibility of Black billionaires, particularly in fields such as biotech, infrastructure, and technology, raises important questions about who is permitted to accumulate wealth and how capital can be more equitably distributed across communities. At the same time, it underscores a truth that Black communities have long known: Excellence is not new. The opportunity to monetize and scale that excellence at the global level is what’s changing.
