Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote fortune almost double, reaching $23.9 billion, according to Forbes making him the richest man in Africa and the 86th wealthiest person in the world.

In 2024, Dangote was ranked 144th globally with a net worth of $13.4 billion. His recent rise is mainly due to his 92.3% ownership in Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals.

At 67, he has returned to the top 100 richest people in the world, a spot he last held in 2018.

He is far ahead of South African billionaire Johann Rupert, who is worth $14.4 billion, and Nigeria’s second richest man, Mike Adenuga, who has $6.8 billion.

Dangote also made history by building Africa’s biggest petroleum refinery, breaking the government’s oil monopoly.

The refinery, which started running last year, took 11 years and $23 billion to complete.

Located in the Lekki Free Zone, it covers 6,200 acres and can refine 650,000 barrels of oil daily, making it the largest in Africa and the seventh biggest in the world.

Next to it is a petrochemical complex that produces 3 million metric tons of urea yearly, making it Africa’s biggest fertilizer producer.