Three Nigerians make Forbes 50 wealthiest black Americans list

• Published On: 22 December 2024 at 15:56

Forbes has released its 2024 ForbesBLK 50 list, which recognises the accomplishments of the wealthiest and most influential Black Americans.

Three Nigerians, Adebayo Ogunlesi, Tope Awotona, and Wemimo Abbey, are among the distinguished honourees, having been recognised for their entrepreneurial achievements and social impact.

The ForbesBLK 50 list reimagines the 2009 Wealthiest Black Americans list, which featured celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, and Magic Johnson.

This year's list emphasises not only net worth, but also innovation, societal contributions, and leadership across industries.

Adebayo Ogunlesi, worth $1.7 billion, is a prominent figure in global infrastructure investment. As chairman and co-founder of Global Infrastructure Partners, Ogunlesi oversaw the firm's transformational $12.5 billion acquisition by BlackRock in 2024. He was a Harvard-educated lawyer and banker who worked at Credit Suisse for more than 20 years before founding GIP in 2006.

Ogunlesi's influence is global, as he continues to reshape the infrastructure investment landscape.

Calendly's founder and CEO, Tope Awotona, is worth $1.4 billion and has revolutionised scheduling. Born in Lagos and raised in Atlanta, Awotona founded Calendly in 2013 after becoming frustrated with meeting coordination.

The platform, which raised $350 million in 2021, is now worth $3 billion and has millions of users worldwide.

Wemimo Abbey, 32, is the youngest Nigerian on the list and the co-founder of Esusu, an African fintech company dedicated to financial inclusion.

Esusu helps renters build credit by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus, which benefits more than 1.8 million Americans. Abbey, who grew up in Lagos and has a background in mergers and acquisitions consulting, co-founded Esusu, which was valued at $1 billion in 2022 after raising $130 million in funding.

The ForbesBLK 50 list, launched by ForbesBLK, highlights Black Americans' impact and influence within and beyond their communities.