•Adebayo Ogunlesi, Tope Awotona and Wemimo Abbey
Forbes has unveiled its 2024 ForbesBLK 50 list, celebrating the achievements of the wealthiest and most influential Black Americans.
Forbes said: “Adebayo Ogunlesi, with a net worth of $1.7 billion, stands out as a pioneering force in global infrastructure investment.
“As chairman and co-founder of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Ogunlesi led the private equity firm through a transformative acquisition by BlackRock in 2024 for $12.5 billion.
“Tope Awotona, the founder and CEO of Calendly, has redefined efficiency in scheduling and holds a net worth of $1.4 billion.
“Wemimo Abbey, at just 32, is the youngest Nigerian on the list and co-founder of Esusu, an African fintech company addressing financial inclusion.
“Esusu helps renters build credit by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus, a service utilised by more than 20,000 properties and benefiting 1.8 million Americans. Congratulations to them. This shows that you do not need to do anything illegal to be recognised.
“It does not come as a surprise that only men from the Yoruba Ethnic group made it to the list.”
