By JANET OTIENO | Monday, November 11
2013 at
10:02
Some have worked hard for their wealth while others have
enjoyed the trappings and proximity to power to catapult them to their
present status. African women have gone beyond making handicrafts to
become successful business managers with vast empires translating to
high financial returns of over $50 million and creating millions of
jobs.
Here are a few of them from different parts of the continent.
1. Ngina Kenyatta
Though, she leads a quite life away from public
glare, the widow of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta has a lot of
undeclared wealth, and runs several firms which are mostly not directly
registered under her name ranging from farming, hospitality industry,
banking, insurance, real estate, education among others.
Some of these include the Commercial Bank of
Africa (CBA), Heritage hotels, Brookside Dairies, Media Max and Timsales
Timber. The 80-year-old woman has never revealed the origin of her
investment funds but Ventures magazine estimates her net worth to be $1
billion.
2.Valentina da Luz Guebuza
The youngest daughter of Mozambican President
Armando Guebuza, her business interests run from banking,
telecommunications, fisheries, transport and mining to the property
sector among others.
The 32-year-old civil engineering graduate is also
a shareholder in most family companies like Beira Grain Terminal among
others. She also the boss of Chinese-owned TV company StarTimes.
Economic analysts have named her as a major player
in her country’s economy. She has never disclosed her net worth though
it is believed to be sizeable.
3. Isabel Dos Santos
Forbes magazine estimates that the oldest daughter
of Angola’s President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos has a net worth of over
$170 million with interests in oil, cement, diamonds and banking, among
others.
The 39-year-old used her father’s status to get
business deals with Portuguese companies. in which she owns major stakes
such as in Energias de Portugal.
Isabel dos Santos.
4. Folorunso Alakija
She is the richest black woman in the world replacing US based television host Oprah Winfrey.
The 61-year-old Nigerian's business interests
range from fashion, oil and gas exploration, and production firms. Her
net worth is estimated at a staggering $3.2 billion.
5. Hajia Bola Shagaya
The 59 year-old Nigerian millionaire is the CEO of Bolmus International Limited according to Venture Africa.
Her business interests range from photography, real estate, oil and
gas, banking, cash crops export and fast moving consumer goods. She also
owns properties overseas. Her net worth is estimated to be $600
million.
6. Mamphela Ramphele
The 66-year-old South African investor is the boss
of Circle Capital Ventures, a leading Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)
Private Equity firm. Her net worth in mid-2011 was $90.9 million
according to Mining Weekly.
7. Bridget Radebe
She is the founder of Makau mining in
Johannesburg, South Africa dealing with chrome, coal, gold, uranium and
platinum. She has a first-hand experience working in mines-managing
shafts-before rising to own her own mining company. The 53-year-old is
the first black woman to own a mining firm with her net worth estimated
at $100 million.
8. Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu
Though the 33-year-old Ethiopian entrepreneur has never revealed her net worth, Forbes
estimates that she makes at least $1 million in annual revenue. Alemu
founded sole Rebels footwear- eco-friendly shoes made from natural fibre
and handmade fabrics in 2004 with less than $10,000.
SOURCE: AFRICA REVIEW
SOURCE: AFRICA REVIEW
