Sewiris, Dangote, Motsepe Are Forbes Billionaires, As Otedola Drops Out

PHOTO: AFRICA'S RICHEST BILLIONAIRE, EGYPTIAN NASSEF SEWIRIS.

San Francisco March 11, (THEWILL) - Forbes released the names of World Richest Billionaires alive on Thursday with Mexican Carlos Slim Helu emerging as its 2010 Richest Billionaire with an estimated fortune of $50.3 billion dollars while former number one, William Gates dropped to number two with a fortune of $50 billion dollars.

Nigerian born controversial industrialist and businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, 52, the only Nigerian on the list, was named as the 463^rd Richest Billionaire with a fortune of $2.1 billion dollars.

Unfortunately, Aliko’s rival, Lagos businessman and oil mogul, Femi Otedola dropped out of the list due to the crash in the price of crude in the international market and especially the crash in the price of AP shares in the Nigerian stock market which wiped out a large chunk of his fortune.

Egyptian Billionaire, Nassef Sawiris, 48, is Africa’s Richest Billionaire alive, occupying the 127 spot on the list with a fortune of $5.9 billion dollars.

Others who made the list from Africa are three South Africans, Nicky Oppenheinmer, owner of De Beers, the world’s largest producers of diamonds, who was listed as 154 with an estimated fortune of $5.0 billion dollars; Patrice Motsepe, a mining giant listed as number 421 with an estimated fortune of $2.3 billion; and Johann Rupert Family, also listed as number 421 with an estimated fortune of $2.3 billion.

The top ten billionaires in the world according to the list:

1. Carlos Slim Helu & Family (Mexico), Age 70, fortune $53.5.

2. William Gates III (USA), Age 54, fortune $53.0.

3. Warren Buffett (USA), Age 79, $47.0.

4. Mukesh Ambani (India), Age 52, fortune $29.0.

5. Lakshmi Mittal (India), Age 59, fortune $28.7.

6. Lawrence Ellison (USA), Age 65, fortune $27.5.

7. Bernard Arnault (France), Age 61, fortune $27.5.

8. Eike Batista (Brazil), Age 53, fortune $27.0.

9. Amancio Ortega (Spain), Age 74, fortune $25.0

10. Karl Albrecht (Germany), Age 90, fortune $23.5.