Folorunsho Alakija
Vice-Chairwoman of Famfa Oil Ltd, Nigeria
Ranked by Forbes as Africa's richest woman in 2021, Folorunsho Alakija remains one of the continent's wealthiest individuals and is probably the richest black woman in the world. This Nigerian woman, originally from Lagos, began her career in fashion before moving into banking, then made her fortune in the oil and gas industry. In 1993, she acquired a plot of land near Lagos that no one wanted, known as Block OPL 216. It turned out to be a golden opportunity, but one that required her to fight hard against the federal government's appetites. Today, she remains vice-president of Famfa Oil Limited and is involved in several other businesses. For the past fifteen years, she has devoted herself to her foundation, Rose of Sharon, which helps widows and orphans.