The Africa Report has published its annual list of Africa’s most influential people.
In a series of articles published on their platform, The Africa Report named the top 100 Africans “who control the levers of power across politics, business and the arts: from billionaire barons to unpredictable peacemakers and soft-power superstars”.
Here is the list of the top 10 most influential Africans according to the report.
1. Aliko Dangote – Nigeria
Aliko Dangote is noted to be one of the richest men in Africa and the world. His estimated wealth is $10.3bn.
Dangote emerged the first influential African on the list.
2. Elon Musk – South Africa
Elon Musk is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and engineer. His estimated wealth is $1 billion.
3. Koos Bekker – South Africa
“Koos” Bekker is chairman of emerging markets media group Naspers.
The company operates in 130 countries, is listed on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges, and has the largest market capitalization of any media company outside the US and China.
He is third on the list of most influential Africans in 2019.
4. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie -Nigeria
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is an author in Nigeria. She is known as a strong voice on politics, race and feminism.
She was the recipient of the prestigious Pen Pinter Prize this year.
According to the list, Chimamanda is the fourth most influential person in Africa.
5. Trevor Noah – South Africa
Trevor Noah – South Africa is s a South African comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host.
He is the current host of The Daily Show, an American satirical news program on Comedy Central.
6. Tidjane Thiam – Côte d’Ivoire
Tidjane Thiam is an Ivorian banker who has served as the chief executive officer of Swiss bank Credit Suisse since March 2015.
Before assuming the post, Thiam was the chief financial officer of the British banking group Prudential from 2007 to 2009.
7. Davido – Nigeria
David Adedeji Adeleke, better known by his stage name Davido, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has riches worth $16 million. Davido took the seventh position.
8. Enoch Adeboye – Nigeria
Enoch Adeboya is a Nigerian pastor. He has impacted the lives of many across the world.
9. Kumi Naidoo – South Africa
Kumi Naidoo is a South African-born human rights activist of Indian descent who is the current Secretary-General of Amnesty International.
Naidoo was the first African head of Greenpeace, an international environmentalist group, serving as its International Executive Director from 2009 to 2015.
10. Abiy Ahmed Ali
Abiy Ahmed Ali is an Ethiopian politician serving since 2018 as the fourth and current Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
Abiy Ahmed also made this year’s list for his impact on turning a new leaf in his country. Olympic silver-medalist Feyisa Lilesa, who was exiled in 2016 after protesting during the Rio Olympics, writes: “In Ethiopian history, we have never seen a leader like him. He’s an educated person who talks about unity. He has released thousands of people from jail. He brought peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea after 20 years of war. And he made it possible for me to come home,” he says. “Yes, people are still protesting. But now, when they protest, they aren’t going to jail. To me, that is democracy. That is hope.”
