The world’s billionaires have shrunk in number and overall wealth on Forbes new 2022 list.
“War, pandemic and sluggish markets hit the world’s billionaires this year. There are 2,668 of them on Forbes’ 36th annual ranking of the planet’s richest people -87 fewer than a year ago. They are worth a collective $12.7 trillion -$400 billion less than in 2021.”
Elon Musk took over from Jeff Bezos to become the world’s richest person on Forbes’ 2022 list of the World’s Billionaires, buoyed by the rise of share price of automaker Telsa. Musk who ranked number two on Forbes’ 2021 list first debuted on the billionaires list a decade ago, in 2012 worth $2 billion. Jeff Bezos for the first time in four years gets displaced as the world’s richest. His fortune is $6 billion lower than a year ago, due to the 3% drop in Amazon stock and an uptick in his charitable donations, Forbes reports. Bill Gates comes third on the list, Warren Buffet comes fourth place, followed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
Three Africans (all Nigerians) made it to the list’s Top 500. Aliko Dangote, Chairman and CEO of Dangote Group, made it to no.130 with his $14 billion in total earnings, standing tall as Africa’s Richest Man. Mike Adenuga, Chairman/CEO, Globacom Ltd, follows with his $7.3 billion fortune at no. 324, Abdulsamad Rabiu, founder and chairman of BUA Group, is listed at no.350 with his $6.9 billion fortune
L’Oreal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, with $74.8 billion stands proudly as the Wealthiest Woman in the World for the second year running. Among the 2,668 billionaires on this year’s Forbes list, there are a few women: just 327 women ( including those who share their fortune with their spouse, child or sibling) are worth a collective $1.56 trillion up, from $1.53 trillion last year.
Meanwhile, Rihanna, Melinda French Gates, Peter Jackson and 234 others make their grand debut on the coveted 2022 list of billionaires.
Read the full list here
