Top 5 Black Billionaires of 2024: Who Made the Forbes List?

Forbes’ 2009 compilation showcased the wealth of the richest Black Americans, featuring Oprah Winfrey as the sole billionaire with a valuation of $2.7 billion. This Billionaires list included 20 notable individuals from various sectors such as business, sports, and entertainment.

Robert Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television (BET), was featured with a net worth of $550 million. Prominent athletes Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson were also listed, possessing fortunes of $525 million and $500 million, respectively, while Shaquille O’Neal was valued at $130 million.

Other distinguished figures included Berry Gordy, the 95-year-old founder of Motown Records, with a wealth of $325 million, comedian Bill Cosby at $450 million, and Ken Chenault, the pioneering Black CEO of American Express, worth $125 million. 

Wemimo Abbey 

Abbey is co-founder and co-CEO of Esusu, a fintech startup in New York that assists renters in building their credit histories by reporting their rent payments to credit bureaus. Presently, Esusu’s services are integrated into over 20,000 properties, benefitting roughly 1.8 million Americans. 

Recently, the company launched MyEsusu, a direct-to-consumer product that helps users build credit and monitor their scores. In early 2022, Esusu achieved a milestone by raising $130 million in funding, bringing the company to a valuation of $1 billion.

Prior to Esusu, Abbey’s career included roles in mergers and acquisitions at PWC, and he had also co-founded a non-profit and a data analytics startup.

Iman Abuzeid

Iman another notable entrepreneur, co-founded Incredible Health after moving from Saudi Arabia to the United States. Initially trained as a doctor at University College London, she later pivoted to healthcare consulting.

Founded in 2017, Incredible Health was valued at $1.65 billion by 2022, placing Abuzeid among a select group of Black female founders leading billion-dollar companies. Forbes recognised her as one of the top 100 Self-Made Women in America in 2024.

Joshua Aviv

Joshua CEO of SparkCharge, started his company from a dorm room at Syracuse University. SparkCharge, which develops mobile chargers for electric vehicles, has raised $59 million since 2017.

The company gained significant attention when it secured a $1 million investment from billionaire Mark Cuban on Shark Tank in 2020.

Tope Awotona 

Tope is the founder and CEO of Calendly created the scheduling software startup after various roles in tech and a few entrepreneurial endeavours. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, and relocated to Atlanta at age 15.

Awotona funded Calendly by cashing in his 401(k) in 2013 out of frustration with inefficient meeting scheduling. By 2021, Calendly was valued at $3 billion, and Awotona’s personal net worth reached approximately $1.4 billion.

Melissa Bradley

Melissa founder and managing partner of 1863 Ventures, focuses on accelerating businesses owned by women and people of colour. 

Her work with the Washington D.C.-based venture fund aims to create $100 billion in new wealth within the Black community by 2030. 

Bradley, a Georgetown alumna, previously worked in the Obama Administration regulating Black banks and led a summit in 2016 that contributed to the launch of 1863 Ventures.