Move over Oprah, Nigerian oil tycoon Folorunsho Alakija is now the richest black woman in the world with an estimated fortune of $7.3 billion.
Mother-of-four, Folorunsho Alakija, 62, started her career as a secretary in a bank then studied fashion and launched a label but her big break was oil
In 1993, her company, Famfa Oil, was awarded an oil prospecting license, which later became OML 127, one of Nigeria's most prolific oil blocks
The company owns a 60 per cent stake in the block, valued at around $7.3 billion, Ventures Africa reports According to Forbes, Oprah Winfrey is worth $2.9 billion
Africa boasts 55 billionaires - far more than previously thought - and they're worth a staggering $143.88 billion in total, according to pan-African magazine Ventures Africa.
Starting her career as a secretary in a bank in the mid 1970s, Alakija, 62, then studied fashion in London and returned to Nigeria to start a label, Supreme Stitches. But her biggest break came in oil.
In 1993, her company, Famfa Oil, was awarded an oil prospecting license, which later became OML 127, one of the country's most prolific oil blocks, by then-president Ibrahim Babangida.
The company owned a 60 per cent stake in the block until 2000 when the Nigerian government unconstitutionally acquired a 50 per cent interest without duly compensating Alakija or Famda Oil.
In May 2012, Alakija, a married mother-of-four, challenged the acquisition and the Nigerian Supreme Court reinstated the 50 per cent stake to her company.
She also has a charity called the Rose of Sharon foundation that helps widows and orphans by empowering them through scholarships and business grants.
They noted that Brazilian oil company, Petrobas, was looking to sell its 8 per cent stake in OML 127 for $1.5- $2.5 billion, and extrapolated that if they managed to sell it for $1 billion, Alakija's 60 per cent stake would be worth at least $7.3 billion.
Iweala claims this and other estimates included in the report are actually 'on the conservative side' and said the magazine expect to unearth more African billionaires shortly.
The overall richest African is Nigerian manufacturer Aliko Dangote who is worth $20.2 billion. Twenty Nigerians are listed in total.
According to Forbes, Oprah Winfrey is worth $2.9 billion.culled
Wow that's great
ReplyDeleteHmmm his woman Alakija and hubby have been our family friends/clients for close to 15yrs. Her husband is very nice, jovial and all. Infact if you entered his office and u are in a hurry, you'll end up spending 2hrs without caring a damn if ur next appointment will be missed. Not bcos he's gonna pay u off for the day, but bcos of his free spirit and jovial attitude. Very contagious.
DeleteAs for madame, hmmm. Well, let's just say she's tooooo uptight with money. Hey... there's a diff btw being a prudent spender and a stingy person o. Many pple will say that bcos they work 'hard' for their money they cannot let loose a dime...well, fair enough. But this woman, as much as I don't fancy her attitude as such, she's the cheq signer and the ONLY signatory to the Alakija dynasty. Her hubby will tell u this oh ha. If u like sell pure water to them, if she's not in d office the man can't do a damn thing. Hmmm let me stop here.
But I am truly happy that she's a personality to be reckoned with. I commend you mami
PS: Eh, this is no hater, cos I know how shallow pple on blogs can easily render that cliche when it is absolutely unnecessary. Anyone who is close to the Alakijas will tell u that they do not associate with low lives/broke asses. So am not one to hate on them cos there's nothing they have that I desire.
*strolls away*
I love successful women,they re my inspiration.will get there someday
ReplyDeleteDem say na person wey 1st buy car,
ReplyDeleteNa him buy old model. #Consolatn
Hehehehe
madam Alakija 'wash out' for pinkshell. #YorubaAccent.
That is inspiring.
ReplyDeleteNawa oo..see money
ReplyDeleteGreat inspiration
ReplyDeleteBlessed of the Lord. Oh God, that You will bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that Your hand might be with me.
ReplyDeleteLike seriously!
ReplyDeleteForbes should not be listing any Nigerian dealing in oil, politics and Gospel preaching.
Why?
Because they are all dubious and fraudulent.
They should be on a magazine called "Corruption and Deception".
In a country where more than 50% of the families lives below $1 dollar a day, one woman is sitting on $ 7.3BILLION!
In Obahiagbon's voice, "that is higi higa in a domain of poverty laden Homo sapiens"
What Charity?
How about a charity that caters or pursues FREE EDUCATION, HOUSING, HEALTH AND FOOD FOR NIGER. DELTANS.
Is that not where her Oil Block is located? Pluzzzzzzz.
Oprah is still number one in my eyes. She worked hard for every penny and gives back generously.
$2 Billion being made daily from Nigerian oil production is being shared by a few lots.
I hisssssssssss in Spanish.
Oprah is still my number one. Have you seen the leadership school she built for girls in SA?
No school fees, free books, free accommodation and free upkeeping.
Chop kiss for this
DeleteYou are soooooo right. Oprah will always be number 1. Hardwork. Oli block na free money.
DeleteYou are soooooo right. Oprah will always be number 1. Hardwork. Oli block na free money.
DeleteWell said!
DeleteWord meeen!!
DeleteBad belle pple who sent them not to huzzle u want to have a high standard of living so that u will complain that things are too expensive in the US a bottle of coke is $1.25 without tax.. With tax it becomes $1.65 .. U wey dey do strike when govt. increase school fees and when dey remove subsidy. U sabi how many Americans no fit afford school fees that na why dem dey find scholarship through sports... U na go jst dey watch our dirty linens for public meanwhile d country u wan imitate they hide wash their dirty clothes... If u want to be rich go and huzzle..after all AY, 2face, PSquare are hustlers
DeleteThat is why they don't like revealing their wealth...bad belles go start to dey tlk say they get nd blah blah no get.... Who sent the others not to invest in their talents
DeleteWell said darling!...
DeleteYour head dey there, Ms Asemota. Oprah gives away so much &she still has that much? Goodness gracious! That's what I call true wealth....not all these bolekaja billionaire wey we get for 9ja!
DeleteYou said my mind. In my opinion Oprah is d richest. She's touched so many lives. God bless u OPRAH
DeleteBut if u ask them for 50k them go begin talk tales by moonlight
ReplyDeleteNonsense!
ReplyDeleteAt lease Oprah's clean money can be accounted for to the last dollar
Madam tailor-turned- oil block owner is one of the problems of Nigeria. She benefitted fraudulently from a corrupt government. She should be on the same list with Oprah and other hardworking women. Let her continue deceiving herself with non existent charity work. The whole world can see what Oprah, Bill Gates etc are doing as regards Charity.
Forbes has lost it. Hardword should be separated from freebies. Giving widows bags of rice is not charity.
DeleteYearly bag of rice and washed out wrappers!
DeleteIf u look deeply,dey don't even want to empower these widows and orphans,so they will always be there 'needy,and continue being used as alibi!
As Asemota rightly said,she should try the charity in free education,free hospitals and all den we will be convinced she cares about humanity!
Congrats to her. Na wa oh! God will save Nigeria!
ReplyDeleteVisit koolblend.blogspot.com for true life stories you can't afford to miss.
Well, these rantings cannot change anything now as Alakija has really taken great steps over Oprah. As for the @Stella Asemota, where is the so-called leadership school Oprah built in SA? Where is it? What nonsense!. Now these people ranting are talking about how corrupt these rich people are and are comparing them to Bill gates and others. But one important question I like to put to you all is that, is Bill Gates microsoft not the one creating viruses that slam our computers yet they create anti-viruses for them? Is this not a dubious way of making money? So no matter how much he still spends on charity and care of the poor, they still make money via dubious means.
ReplyDeleteBesides, this is a good news for me as it serves Oprah right. She says nonsense about Nigerians but a Nigerian has beaten her to a position now.
Gurumaraji or wetin u call yourself. Try and build something, let's see how easy it is to build. Google is your friend. Google the school in SA.
DeleteMy role model. But hey, her money is bent while oprah's money is straight. When did forbes start listing illegitimate money, that means they want these politicians to rob us to death in a bid to appear on forbes. This is trouble
ReplyDeleteGuru of Ignorance. Oprah didn't build a school in SA and Bill Gates now produces virus and sells antivirus? lmao. The antivirus that Microsoft produces (Microsoft Security Essentials) is even free, so where's the dubious earning come from?
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure you use a cracked Windows OS on your PC.
Guru is a daft punk. So clueless.
DeleteGuru is a daft punk. So clueless.
DeleteAs far as im concerned,its not legit. So dhe can goto hell.mschweeeeeee.dhes sitting on billions equally owned by het peeps.omly in naija is one person alloerd to own so much at d expense of others
ReplyDeleteOprah is still number one because her money is CLEAN money! No one dashed her oil blocks she worked hard for her money rose against all odds to become the best talk show host of all time
ReplyDelete@Guru Oprah's school is alive and kicking infact her first batch of firls graduated last year or is it he year before and all the girls are in universities world wide some are even in Ivy league schools and most of them managed to get scholarships to these institutions of higher learning.
ReplyDeleteOprah will always be Nos1. This people should stop encouraging corruption in Nigeria. Oprah licked her fingers to its bones to get where she is on merit and has contributed immersely not only to her countryinternationally. There's no room for comparison at all. This people should be left alone with money that does not belong to them. She has oil well, from where? Nigeria's money , in a selectd few's hand.k. fine! If we have to celebrate you. What have you done? There're so many sectors of the economy where u can invest some of this money. Aviation, oil servicing companies to employ people etc. When they do charity, they buy rice and indomie to motherless babies homes and spread the news someing the ordinary man that can barely eat does on a dailky basis without broadcasting it. Its sad though. She's not near Oprah's feet at all.check Oprah's profile and see what she has done. Even to individuals. Also helping so many people in their chosen careers, because she believes they will help others and others, the chain gos on. Just to havr a better society.richest woman.lol. kai so sad.Nigeria!!!
ReplyDelete@stella asemota hugs and kisses dis is your best comment ever. #hard work started from the scratch,Oprah is a great xample. 2.9billion is not oil money!
ReplyDeleteThat man that just had quadruplets with his wife should get her contact. Too much oil money na....let's see how charitable she really is.
ReplyDeleteEhn! Quadru wetin? Shishi he no go get. I heard this woman na akagum. Very stingy.
DeleteWhich Niger deltans is that. Is Niger Delta offshore? Werey asinwin. Ondo is also all of Niger dealtans abi? mtscheew
ReplyDeleteIs she not from Ikorodu in Lagos? What has she ever done to uplift her hometown? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Go to her street, it ranks among the least developed. Members of her family nko, you will expect them to all be millionaires abi? Wrong. Many of them are hustling to eat too. No help. None whatsoever. So where's the wealth? $7.3bd? Make she go chop shit abeg.
ReplyDelete@vinc i dont know why you are supporting @asemota .. so if i invest in oil nd make money ..it is not pure business..... u ass sh*ts go nd invest in your own..jealousy bad belle
ReplyDeleteShut your mouth! Criminal like you, go n invest in oil money! Its world knowledge that oil money in africa is corruption. Yahoo yahoo like u who wont work hard for money, lazy fool, attachee, beg beg, long throat, usa! Go and wash her pant so she can dash u millions, who knows she might be into little boys n girls, it come with the money. Nonsense! Trying to insult someone with good brains. Retard.
DeleteAnon 6.34pm she didn't invest in oil! I repeat she didn't invest in oil! Madam tailor was busying sewing mariam Babangida's clothes and as a reward for the quality clothes she made for them{the babangida's} they DASHED! I repeat DASHED her the oil block... So u see, madam did not work/hustle for dat bloc... BTW, Ondo state is part of the Niger-Delta
ReplyDeleteI laugh o, with all the money alkija has, how has she impacted her generation, trust me she going to die with her money without a single legacy
ReplyDeleteShit!money is talking nonsense,keep kwayet!#
ReplyDeleteBut madam Stellus,what is d essence of this post nw or what moral lesson am i to draw from it?
So sad
ReplyDeletePp can hate sha! Ahn ahan, mr/ mrs/ ms anonymous wu knws dem well, e concern u wu dey sign cheques? Do u knw d husband more dan d wife, dts he is charming doesn't mean he is d best husband okay! Men can be deceptive to outsiders, a colleagues hubby is jus as u describe d alakija man, bt in house na devil!beats his wife lik daily, also dos sayin oprah did dis and dt, do u knw wat oda things dis woman does, empty barrels make d loudest noise op u knw dis adage is real! Also pls nigerians nobody can satisfy u pp, u dnt ever appreciate ur pp , too bad,oprah wey no gree marry has lots of skeleton na I'm u dey rep! Mweesh!u sayin she has free money, she pls google her and read her grass to grace story! Congrats madam alakija u re an inspiration to me!
ReplyDeleteDOLLFACE
Ewu mme!
Deleteasemota, keep quiet. na people like u go sidon on top money pass, if u get opportunity. at least she has a foundation, she try. even d flood with love campaign, is sponsored by her. so what else do u want her to do? spend all her money on others and not enjoy her life\? lets face it, some nigerians are lazy and blame govt for everything. she started as a fashion designer, started sewing clothes for the rich and warmed her way up into oil business. the woman doesnt even have a degree. give a her and others a break. you ppl will abuse dilly motors for 419 and even abuse those who have legal businesses too? hian!
ReplyDelete