The richest men in Africa have grabbed the attention of the whole world; they have started to amass wealth on a grand scale. This wealth has not come to them alone; east Africa as a region has prospered in terms of economic growth, and development of new avenues of wealth creation.

This wealth creation has been championed by the people with the knowledge, vision, and understanding. It takes a special kind of person to turn ideas into reality; building the kind of enterprises that create wealth and prosperity for all involved.

By efficiently managing their wealth, and actively seeking out new avenues to invest. The men on this list have grown their enterprises, and opened up new markets. They create jobs, and positively affect their economies.

Top 10 Richest Men In East Africa

1. Manu Chandaria

Country: Kenya

Net Worth: $2 Billion

Manu Chandaria has often been listed among the richest and most influential men in Africa, but not he rises to pole position in his region. The Kenyan steel magnate has had a great run of profits within the last few years, drawing the attention of Forbes, and other wealth watchers.

His business interests include steel and aluminum, and his company is present in over 40 countries. Mr. Chandaria has been awarded as a Member of the British Empire (Britain), and as an Elder of the Burning Spear (Kenya).

His business is one of the most prominent on the continent; his empire stretches from Kenya to Australia. He is on several advisory boards. He is also a big philanthropist.

2. Mohammed Dewji

Country: Tanzania

Net Worth: $1.8 Billion

Mohammed Dewji is one of the richest men in east Africa, and also the youngest billionaire on the continent. He is the first Tanzanian to cover the Forbes magazine, and now serves as the poster boy for Tanzanian economy.

He originally hails from Gujarat in India, but his family has been active in east Africa for a long time. He heads the conglomerate established by his father, and has also entered politics where he has served as a member of parliament for his local constituency.

His company MeTL is the largest conglomerate in Tanzania; its operations include agriculture, food and beverages, manufacturing, trading, finance, mobile telephony, insurance, real estate, transport and logistics.

His company employs 28,000 people in 11 countries. He contributes 3.5% of the Tanzanian GDP.

3. Strive Masiyiwa

Country: Zimbabwe

Net Worth: 1.8 billion

Strive Masiyiwa is the most famous person out of Zimbabwe. He is a known billionaire businessman, philanthropist and public speaker. He is passionate about developing Africa’s human capital, but at the same time, he knows how to make money.

His businesses include Econet, and Cassava Technologies. Telecommunications, and technology are the core of his business; he has business interests in Nigeria, Lesotho, Burundi, Rwanda, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, and china.

Strive Masiyiwa has lived in London for about 10 years, but he still maintains significant business interests in Africa.

His philanthropy has seen him affect the lives of more than 40,000 people. He has also helped resolve critical issues such as striking doctors, and so much more.

4. Sudhir Ruparela

Country: Uganda

Net Worth: $1.2 Billion

Sudhir Ruparela is the biggest man in Uganda; he is a billionaire business magnate with manufacturing and industry at the heart of his businesses. His family comes from India, but has been in east Africa for at least 4 generations. He famously fled with his family to the United Kingdom when Idi Amin banished all Asians, but came back to start afresh.

Sudhir Ruparela returned to Uganda in 1985 with $25,000 which he had earned by working several casual jobs. He immediately ventured into the sales of alcohol (beer and spirits), but was soon forced to leave that business in favor of a currency exchanging business. That currency exchange business soon blossomed into a bank, and the bank into a group.

His business interests include banking and currency exchange. He is gradually increasing the scope of his business; setting his sights on gradual expansion into Rwanda.

5. Amoz Nyezi

Country: Uganda

Net Worth: $1 billion

Amoz Nyezi is a Ugandan billionaire businessman; he is a venture capitalist, entrepreneur, and industrialist, one who has invested most of his wealth in his home country. Some of his business enterprises include Crown Beverages Limited, Hot Loaf Bakery, White Horse Inn, and Nandos Restaurant.

Crown Beverages Limited is a bottler of Pepsi Products. Some of the popular products include Pepsi, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Sting Energy Drink, Evervess, Nivana and Aquafina water.

Hot Loaf Bakery is the most popular bakery and confectionary in Uganda; it is the maker of the most popular bread brands in the country.

His business empire provides employment for Ugandans, and he is also engaged in youth empowerment efforts as a way of giving back.

6. Bhimji Depar Shah

Country: Kenya

Net worth: $750 million

Bhimji Depar Shah is the billionaire owner of BIDCO. Now in the twilight of his career, he is on the verge of handing over the reins to his son Vimal Shah- a decision he has delayed for too long.

His businesses include food processing and manufacturing, and his businesses are present in Kenya, as well as 12 other countries.

Bhimji Depar Shah’s business model involves manufacturing and trans border trade; and he has built a very efficient money making machine. He is a major employer in east Africa.

7. Alykhan Karmali

Country: Uganda

Net worth:

Alykhan Karmali is a Kenyan businessman; he is the person behind Mukwano Industries Uganda. He is a businessman, investor, and entrepreneur. The company was founded by his father, but he has been at the helm for a long time. The company has seen massive growth under his stewardship, and has become a major player in manufacturing and banking.

Alykhan Karmali hails from India, but his grandfather settled in Uganda. He has built up quite an impressive family business, and is an important contributor to the economy.

8. Sameer Merali

Country: Kenya

Net Worth: $790 Million

Sameer Merali is the son of the late Naushad Merali; one of Kenya’s most revered industrialists. He has taken over the reins of his father’s business which is quite sizable- a business that encompasses Telecommunication, Software Development, Manufacturing (tires, batteries, and soap), Agriculture, Banking, Healthcare and Fitness, and Motor vehicles.

Sameer Group of Companies is the holding company with which he controls his businesses, and the company is one of the largest companies traded on the floor of the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Sameer Merali is also a public speaker and a peace ambassador. He is very passionate about communication, and how it can boost business and other aspects of life.

9. Jaswinder Bedi

Country: Kenya

Net Worth: $687 Million

Jaswinder Bedi is Kenyan business magnate; one of the richest people in east Africa. He is also one of those with the most diversified portfolios of interests. Mr. Bedi studied textiles, and he has grown to become one of the leading names in the textile industry.

Bedi Investments makes textiles, not only textiles but also synthetic textiles, and woven apparels for export to the US and UK.

Bedi Investments’ assets include proprietary technology, including machinery and processes involved in the making of the fabrics.

10. Uhuru Kenyatta

Country: Kenya

Net Worth: $550 Million

Uhuru Kenyatta is the son of the first president of Kenya; Jomo Kenyatta. He is also a former president of Kenya. The Kenyatta family is estimated to be worth around $3 Billion, but Uhuru Kenyatta has convinced the world that he operates his wealth separately from his family, and that he is only worth $550 Million.

His wealth is invested in banking, agriculture, technology, mobile telephony, food production, media, and so on. His businesses are not controlled by a single entity, and so his wealth is difficult to track.

He deals in part ownership of profitable companies, and has much of his wealth in foreign countries.  The Pandora Papers revealed that he has owned a network of foreign companies for many years. It is not illegal to own companies.

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Finally

As with all other places, the wealthiest men in east Africa have become rich by increasing the production output of their industries. All indications show that they will continue to increase their wealth as the purchasing power of the people in the region increases.

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