The World’s Top 5 Influencers and Their Worth

Nigerian celebs and social media influencers are at war now. And singer Wizkid drew the first blood.

But barring the context, Wizkid tarring music label owner Don Jazzy an influencer was no big deal. Or how else could one have referred to an industry’s stakeholder with about 15 million followers on major social media.

It;s just that there are influencers and there are influencers. On a global scale, football professionals command the highest followerships. Musicians, mostly women, follow.

Below is the list of the world’s biggest influencers.

1) Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese soccer star playing in the e Saudi Professional League club Al Nassr has 545 million followers on Instagram alone.  His posts aren’t about his actions on the pitch alone. He shares snippets of his business deals, workouts, and other light moments. Influencer Marketing Hub says the world’s biggest influencer earns $3.23 million per post on Instagram, CNN reported. According to Forbes, Ronaldo ranks the highest paid among sport professionals, and his net worth, Forbes says, stood at $500 million as of 2023.

2)Leo Messi

Probably the most celebrated football player, Messi boasts of over 428 million followers on Instagram alone, gorging on every post he makes. Brands, including sports drinks, crypto-trading apps and others scramble to sign him on. He earns $2.5 million per post on Instagram. Forbes said he’s earned up to $1.5 billion so far.

3) Selena Gomez

Gomez is a lot of things to his 376 million followers: she’s a singer, an actress, a TV personality, and an entrepreneur. Her posts centre mental health, but she doles out stuff on fashion, her music, and some other candid shots. She grosses in $2.6 million for a post on Instagram, per Influencer Marketing Hub’s estimate. Some estimates put her net worth at $800 million.

4)Kylie Jenner

No fewer than 300 million users follow Jenner on Instagram, making her one of the top influencers on social media. She earns $2.4 million per post on Instagram, according to Influencer Marketing Hub. Forbes estimates her wealth at $680 million as of 2023.

5)Dwayne Johnson

Movie star The Rock has behind him 398 million followers on Instagram. They snag at his  golden nuggets on life, growing, and speaking up one’s truths. He spoke his own truths in 2020 when he endorsed ex-V.P Joe Biden. And Americans rewarded him with a spike in his followership. For a post, the former wrestler earns $2.3 million. Forbes ranked him the highest paid entertainer at $270 million in 2022, but Investopedia says he’s worth $800 million.