Exiled Zimbabwean businessman Strive Masiyiwa, often described as Zimbabwe’s richest man, is now a billionaire for the first time, according to the latest Forbes rankings released today.
His current net worth is estimated at $1.7 billion raking him 14th among Africa’s 23 billionaires.
According to Forbes:
- Masiyiwa overcame protracted government opposition to launch mobile phone network Econet Wireless Zimbabwe in his country of birth in 1998.
- He owns just over 50% of the publicly-traded Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, which is one part of his larger Econet Group.
- Masiyiwa also owns just over half of private company Liquid Telecom, which provides fiber optic and satellite services to telecom firms across Africa.
- His other assets include stakes in mobile phone networks in Burundi and Lesotho, and investments in fintech and power distribution firms in Africa.
- He and his wife Tsitsi founded the Higherlife Foundation, which supports orphaned and poor children in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Burundi and Lesotho.
Below are Africa’s billionaires and their ranking:
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