There are 2,043 people across the globe with three commas in their net worths, according to the 2017 Forbes Billionaires list. The 23 wealthiest have $1 trillion collectively.
In 2017, 10 of the world’s billionaires — fewer than 1% — are black, down from 12 last year, reports Forbes contributor Mfonobong Nsehe. Three of the 10 are women. All but one, Isabel Dos Santos, are billed by Forbes as self-made.
To compile the full list, Forbes uses stock prices and exchange rates to estimate the net worths of the world’s richest people and then ranks them based on their wealth. This year’s list was created using data from February 17, 2017, but Forbes also maintains a current snapshot of the world’s billionaires, updated daily.
Continue reading to see the richest 10 black billionaires in the world, according to the 2017 Forbes Billionaires list.
Mohammed Ibrahim: $1.14 billion
Self-made billionaire, 71 year-old Mohammed Ibrahim, was born in Sudan and now lives in the United Kingdom, where he is the 11th wealthiest citizen. Ibrahim became a billionaire after selling his telecommunications company, Celtel International, in 2005, according to Forbes. Now he spends much of his time focusing on improving the lives of African citizens through the Mo Ibrahim Foundation.
Michael Jordan: $1.31 billion
Yvette Prieto and Michael Jordan.
One of the most successful athletes of all time, Michael Jordan, 54, made a total of $90 million as a basketball player, according to Forbes. Since retiring from the NBA, he has amassed the majority of his wealth through his relationship with Nike and other corporate partnerships. Jordan, who also owns a stake in the Charlotte Hornets, now makes more in one year than he did during his entire professional basketball career.
