What if Mbok's Dignity Housing Initiative was not sabotaged and actually succeeded?

Enter 'Housing Dignity Initiative'
 NEW ERA REPORTER    ARCHIVES    KHOMAS
 2006-03-24 00:00:00 12 years ago  184  0 
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By Surihe Gaomas

Updated by Antoine MBOK on March 3rd 2019

Windhoek's housing problems have gone from bad to worst and there seems to be no working solution. I visited Windhoek's Havana suburb today and this reminded me that over 12 years ago i came up with a project to build affordable homes long before various projects from the government such as the mass housing project. my project Dignity Housing Initiative was sabotaged i even ended up investigated and arrested. My dream as a young man to contribute to the development of my adoptive country in trying to solve a problem which affects thousands of families was dashed and my reputation dragged in the mud and money invested in the project lost. 
I feel sad today for our people still without decent shelter; if nothing is done over 60% of our capital city will be made of shacks and the title of cleanest city in Africa a distant dream.

Bellow is the New Era Newspaper article published 12 years ago and as you will notice should you visit certain areas of windhoek that the housing problem is worst over half of the Windhoek population now lives in tin shacks and informal settlement could easily represent 60% of structures in the Capital City.

WINDHOEK Namibia's housing problem is poised for critical levels, as evidenced by the rapid mushrooming of shack settlements especially in the urban areas of the country. Currently, the country is facing a huge backlog of 300 000 houses and the situation is further exacerbated by the rapidly growing population, as close to 600 people migrate to the City of Windhoek on a monthly basis in search of better jobs and decent homes. Most of them end up erecting shacks in informal settlements. Some experts in the housing industry believe that the situation is becoming worse because of the lack of a working sustainable solution, raising fears that Vision 2030 might end up being only a "pipe dream". Just recently, it was reported that the Build Together Programme under the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development is currently incurring losses due to abuse by local authorities. Given the current situation where many local authorities are in financial distress, they take money meant for the programme to pay salaries and other bills. The current housing backlog is mostly due to limited resources allocated for housing delivery. The latest figures indicate that close to 100 000 people live in the capital's squatter settlement areas, which is one third of Windhoek's current population. However, in a drive to stem the growing problem of informal settlements in urban areas countrywide, Mbok Investments Company Limited (MINVESTCO) has initiated the "Housing Dignity Initiative" (DHI) that will focus on the construction of affordable homes. MINVESTCO is a Nami-bian investments brokerage (intermediary) and holding company that specialises in economic development, having a consortium of local companies as well. As the principle investor and holding company, MIN-VESTCO initiated the North-land Development Project Limited - an economic and property development company with a special focus on Namibian development needs guided by the development plan of Vision 2030. Chief Executive Officer of MINVESTCO Tony Mbok told New Era in an interview yesterday that DHI aims to build 20 000 to 50 000 low cost houses across the country through an economical and conventional technology. The price range for these houses will be between N$50 000 and N$70 000, which can be paid off in instalments. "The construction methodology is called the Moladi Building system, a South African invention where houses are built using Moladi plastic like mould structured walls with fitted doors, windows and electrical fittings," explained Mbok. A conventional mixture of sand and cement with special setting biodegradable chemical is then poured into the mould-like structure, which is left for a couple of hours to harden before the Moladi is removed to make up a smooth surfaced building that does not require any plastering. Foundations are either built on a floating raft or conventional cement foundation. Mostly people in the low and extra low-income group with a monthly salary scale of N$800-N$2 000 stand to benefit from this economically viable option. However, interested higher income earners will not be excluded. The houses can start from a 300-square metre plot with two to three bedrooms, a kitchen, living area, a shower and toilet. Mbok added that some local banks have also been consulted to buy into the idea of affordable housing for the poor, a concept that has for long not been considered by financial banking institutions in the country. Negotiations are still underway. Currently DHI is busy with the first phase of providing plots to interested clients on the 210 000 square metre piece of land (81/37 Nubiamis) situated in the Lafrenz area opposite Okuryangava in Katutura. Between 1 600 and 1 800 houses will be constructed on that land starting end of this year. So far all the low-income plots have been sold out. Still to be sold are middle-income plots at the Nubiamis Hills that go for between N$288,750 and 472,500 each. These prices are higher due to cost of bulk services such as installing a sewerage system in hilly terrain. Similar DHI ventures will also take place in the towns of Rundu, Henties Bay and Walvis Bay.
 New Era Reporter

 2006-03-24 00:00:00 12 years ago

Businessman Mbok publishes business books.

Businessman Antoine Mbok publishes business books
February 21st 2019
Staff

 

For the past 2 years friends, family, fans and sympathizers of Cameroonian born Namibian based businessman Antoine Mbok have had the pleasure of reading great motivational business books by the businessman, available on Amazon.com. Indeed Mr. Mbok, in 2015 made his writing debut with three recently released titles; 501 Business Ideas, 500 Ways to make money and Get Rich Quick, Build wealth now. The books are surprisingly well written and very practical business and motivational books meant to share Mr. Mbok's 30 years experience in business as a self employed entrepreneur.

Business man, father, Chief and now author, Mr. Mbok is planing to write more books in the future and in fact is busy writing 4 other titles at the moment and will release a new book every year until he retires. The current books are based on his business experience and should help readers better understand how money works, how to invest, do business and build wealth. Mr. Mbok's academic training included Investment Banking; financial markets, Insurance and business administration. The next four titles he said are works of fiction, without giving any details Mr. Mbok promises a much better book with an improved style. According to the author, fiction is much harder to write than non-fiction books and fiction authors need a set of specific skills to produce a quality, entertaining and enjoyable book.

We can look forward to a new book every year according to Mr. Mbok who is independently published. Mr. Mbok is looking for a wider book distribution network perhaps through large retail outlets and plans to travel to various book fairs around the world to promote his works. Mr. Mbok acknowledges that there is always room for improvement and seeks to acquire more skills as a writer of fiction

Mr. Mbok's books are sold in various bookstores in windhoek and internationally, the books are live as paperback and Ebooks on Amazon.com.

GREAT READING, buy this book.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/179572904X

The business guide is meant to assist you identify the type of business you would like to start, it also motivates and guides you through business start-up processes.As a fulltime worker you can identify side business activities that will not interfere with your employment allowing you to earn a second income. This guide has many business suggestions for business people, students, retirees, housewives, entrepreneurs or the unemployed for business ventures needing very little work or very little startup capital but offers great potential to earn a substantial amount of money. In sum “501 Business Ideas, easy to start with very little investment” can help put you in business regardless of your circumstance. It takes money to make money but this business guide, 501 Business Ideas, has been able to list a number of businesses people can start with very little or no money. This business guide is an absolute gem with the best advice, time honored, tried and tested methods of starting a business and building wealth.


GREAT READING, buy this book.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/172875500X

Through this business guide learn to make money by any means, you are exposed to various business concepts. Irrespective of your qualifications there is something for everyone.


GREAT READING, buy this book TODAY!!!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1795293683

The book succeeds in truly motivating its readers especially those looking to get rich and build wealth, through real life examples and quotes from various sources. The book takes the reader through what it takes to get rich, being rich and the motivations behind aspirations to riches, the book also looks at poverty and reveals the secret or should we say the difference between what makes the rich rich and what makes the poor poor. Great emphasis is made on emulating good examples, having a role model, improving oneself by acquiring new skills, getting financial education, thinking positive about money and having the wealth mentality. The book goes as far as detailing the use of neuro linguistic programming for those living in negative environments but looking to stay positive.


With these books published and successfully sold, Mr. Mbok feels more confident and is encouraged to write more books. No other business book sold as Mr. Mbok's 501 business ideas book in Namibia; the 501 Business Idea book is Namibia's best selling business book by the number of sales. The 501 Business Ideas book has proved very popular in Australia where a great number of e-books were sold. Mr. Mbok would like to be a recognized writer.

African Jewish Tribe; The Bassa people of Namibia

LOST AFRICAN JEWISH TRIBE IN NAMIBIA THROUGH CAMEROON.

THE BASSA TRIBE OF NAMIBIA

Original article By Serge Etele (April 2015)
Updated article by Antoine Mbok (January 2019)

In February of 2014, Menachem Kuchar, an emissary of Rabbi Shlomo Riskin, chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel, joined Serge Etele in Cameroon to examine the claim by some local tribes of their Jewish background. The visit was in response to an article written by Rabbi Israel Oriel Nguimbus, a resident of Great Britain on possible Jewish tribes in Cameroon.
Many local tribes in Cameroon had once observed rituals and customs similar to Jewish ones. The time line of these observances put them before the arrival of Christian missionaries, who had discouraged them. These tribes did not eat the animals that are forbidden in the Bible, and practiced circumcision, definitely not a Christian custom. They also practiced Halitzah, which demands that a brother take the wife of his deceased brother or relative, to ensure a child is born to the widow and the husband’s name is not lost or forgotten. The custom is no longer practiced. Menachem had just returned from Spain and Portugal where he was studying the emigration patterns of the Jews after 1391, especially to Africa. The Bamileke and the Bassa tribes were also visited.
For the purpose of this article, we have focused on the Bassa tribe of Cameroon. Our guides were Frederick Ndawo, a Bassa who had joined my own Beth Yeshourun Jewish Community of Cameroon, and his uncle, Mr Song.

 The Bassa tribe of Cameroon
The name Bassa in the Bantu language means “conquerors”. According to Frederick, Bassa tribesmen are taught that they are Jews. As in many parts of the world, tribal leaders are the keepers of all traditions and history, which they impart through an oral tradition. Frederick is one of his tribe’s leaders.

History
According to Frederick, the Bassa immigrated to Central Africa from Egypt thousands of years ago with Melek, their chief and one of the great grandsons of Judah, son of Jacob. The Bassa oral tradition describes Melek as a military chief in the Egyptian army who chose to stay behind to protect his privileges rather than to follow the uncertain journey espoused by Moses. However, when Melek learned of the death of Pharoah’s army at the Red Sea, he feared the Egyptians would take revenge against the Hebrews who had remained behind.
With the rest of the Israelites gone, Melek led his family and followers from Egypt. First, they traveled south along the Nile, but eventually moved westward, crossed Nigeria, and entered Cameroon. They eventually reached Ngok Lituba, their final destination. The Bassa called G-d, Elolom, the “God of the creation”) and, according to tradition, it was G-d who spoke to Melek and directed him to Ngok Lituba.

The Ngok Lituba Hill

The Bassa believe the Ngok Lituba Hill traveled in front of them from Egypt to Cameroon
 Throughout the centuries, the hill of Ngok Lituba has served as the holiest place of the Bassa people, the place where they used to gather once a year to perform sacrifices. They did this for centuries until German priests arrived in Cameroon in 1845 and forbade the practice. The community continued with their sacrifices in secret until the arrival of the French who stopped them completely by putting to death anyone who performed the sacrifices according to their ancient tradition.
Rites and customs of the Bassa people of Cameroon

Circumcision
Whenever possible, circumcision was performed on the eighth day after the birth of a son, and was considered a festive event. If the tribal leader responsible for circumcisions was not available, uncircumcised children would be gathered together later between their eighth and 11th year and would be circumcised in a group ceremony all on the same day.

Family’s purity Laws
When a woman was in her menstrual period, she isolated herself for eight days. During that period, she would not have intercourse with her husband and was not allowed to cook food for her family or do any kind of work in the house. After eight days, she performed her purification and then resumed her normal life.

Dietary Laws
The Bassa did not eat the animals forbidden in the Bible. They did not eat blood. And when they slaughtered an animal, they would dig a hole and let the blood flow into it. Then they covered it over.

A day of rest
Bassa worked during six days and rested on the seventh, called Ngwa noye u Nlo hinoye (the day of rest). The 7th day was a special day with no agricultural work allowed. People stayed in the village and spent time in rejoicing, eating and drinking and dancing. The priests would pray to Elolom.

The calendar
The Bassa followed a lunar calendar. They watched the moon to know when to celebrate the new month.

Purification
Anyone who attended a funeral had to perform purification. Men had to perform purification after any sexual intercourse. Purification consisted of washing oneself with a plant they call hyssop, then immersing oneself in a river. It could be only one activity or both.

Holidays
The most important Bassa holiday was the Gansaye festival (The Festival of Purification) celebrated at the foot of Ngok Lituba Hill, which took place once a year, some time between the ninth and the 11th month. People came from all the villages and brought animal sacrifices. Other holidays included a new moon festival and a harvest festival.

Priests
The priests were guardians of tribal traditions and ruled over the society. They played many roles, some were judges, others performed rituals.

Marriage
Marriages were arranged between families. The dowry brought by the man’s family had to include 70 items. A man who could not afford a dowry would work for the wife’s family for an agreed period of time after which he received his wife.
The Bassa didn’t give their daughters to other tribes that they called uncircumcised. The only tribe they allowed their daughter to marry was the Eton tribe of Cameroon that they believed descended from a brother of one of their ancestors.

Mourning
Five days after the burying of a man and four days after that of a woman, there was a rite of separation that allowed the soul to leave the area and not continue to wander around.

The above descriptions of Bassa customs and traditions are abbreviated, but demonstrate some similarities to Jewish customs and rituals. The information was given to us by Frederick and his uncle, Mr. Song who is a Bassa chief. During our discussion with Frederick and Mr. Song, Menachem asked them where they learned about the Shabbat if they didn’t attend the giving of the Torah in the desert of Sinai. They told him the giving of the Torah was only a revelation of something the people already knew from their ancestors.

THE BASSA TRIBE IN NAMIBIA
The Bassa tribe of Namibia was founded by Antoine Mbok, the first Bassa who made Namibia his permanent home almost 20 years ago, the name Mbok also spelled Mbog means “people, authority, law or government”. Antoine Mbok II is a descendant of the Nonga family from Hohong in Cameroon, son of Antoine Mbok and grand son of chief Mbog Nonga Pierre. After leaving Ngok Lituba the family settled in a village in the littoral region of Cameroon specifically Mandjap II village in the Gambe district (Samuel Eto’o Fils and Joseph Antoine Bell are world class football players known to be from Ngambe).

The Namibian Bassa tribe specifically the Mbok family is settled in Windhoek, Henties Bay and Kamandjap (chosen due to the slight similarity in the name with its ancestral village Mandjap).
The Namibian Bassa clan practice Bassa rituals and acknowledge their Jewish roots and being a part of the global Jewish community. Part of the Mbok family in Namibia practice Roman Catholicism, while maintaining the Jewish heritage. The first generation and Namibian born Mbok boys have been initiated and received blessings from their ancestors while on holiday in Cameroon. Each Mbok boy born in Namibia is taken to Cameroon in a family ritual for circumcision before the age of 11 and is fully healed before coming back to Namibia.  The Mbok family is closely associated to the Damara, Nama and Baster families in Namibia hence the Mbok family in Nambia speak, Afrikaans and Damara/Nama.
Bassa people are God’s chosen people.
We are pleased to share this personal family history with the general public.

Chief Mbok II

Crime pays as convicted Daphney Swanepoel gets off on a technicality

Desperate black Namibian low income home buyers have lost the battle for justice as Convicted Daphney Swanepoel gets off on a technicality. Following a website publication of a letter of apology from the Namibia Estate Board to Daphney Swanepoel and Pam Golding Namibia. Dignity Housing Initiative and Visionary Entrepreneur Mr. Tony MBOK react to the Convicted Daphney Swanepoel's false accusations that Mr. Mbok filed 3 false complaints.

Mrs Daphney Swanepoel at the time CEO of Pam Golding Properties was entrusted with screening and collecting applications from potential affordable home buyers for the Nubiamis low income housing project under the Dignity Housing Initiative.

According to Mrs. Daphney Swanepoel's statements to the press at the time, she collected 400 applications including N$ 250 processing fee and varying amounts of deposit on average N$ 5,000 from potential customers and she worked in partnership with equally convicted Helena Nekume Mandevuh who was banned for life from doing real estate in Namibia as part of her role when they failed to return clients' money when the project collapsed due to Daphney Swanepoel's sabotaging press statements.

The project received a lot of negative press at the time and being the head of the project Mr. MBOK was wrongfully vilified. Still 8 years after the fact Mr. Mbok is still held liable for money Daphney Swanepeol and Helena Mandevuh took from our clients. Money they ate because at the time they had financial problems. The Namibia Estate Board rightfully convicted them with tangible evidence at hand. If Daphney Swanepoel gets away with crime today and even gets compensated for damages it's only because of the incompetence of the NEB's lawyer at the time who did not insure that complaints were registered under Oath.

DAPHNEY SWANEPOEL GETS AWAY WITH CRIME ON A TECHNICALITY, SHE REMAINS GUILTY AND DISHONEST AS FOUND DURING HER INITIAL HEARING. PEOPLE DEALING WITH HER SHOULD DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK. THAT WOMAN HAS A REPUTATION NOT ONLY ARISING FROM THIS MATTER BUT THOSE WHO DEALT WITH HER IN THE PAST CAN CONFIRM OF HER DISHONESTY. SHE FLED WINDHOEK TO FIND REFUGE IN SWAKOPMUND WHERE SHE OPERATES NOW.

PASSOB VIR DIE VROU.

Dignity Housing Initiative pty Ltd challenges Mrs. Daphney Swanepeol to open her books and show where she put the N$ 2 million she collected from poor black Namibians. Mr. Mbok was made a scapegoat and wrongfully accused and vilified in the media while the real culprit got away with crime.

14 YEAR OLD RAPED

Child fights for her life after horrific rape

January 27th, 2016 | by New Era Staff Reporter

NATIONAL

0

Windhoek

The mother of a 14-year-old girl, who was found unconscious in a pool of blood over the weekend with severe head injuries, is praying that the person who committed the heinous crime against her child will be brought to book soon.
A male adult found the teenage girl some time on Saturday morning where she lay bleeding in Lafrenz Industrial area. He reportedly found the child naked and with a severely swollen face.

The police suspect that the child was raped and that the offender attempted to kill her by hitting her over the head with a rock. No suspect has yet been arrested.
The girl-child, whose name is withheld on ethical grounds, was admitted to Katutura State

Hospital over the weekend and is said to be in a critical condition. She is as yet unable to speak.
The teenager was due to start Grade 1 this week at a school outside Windhoek. A letter seen by New Era stated that she has been living with her unemployed mother on a farm all these years and was not attending school.

Her family said she was very excited about going to school for the first time. The headmaster at the school where she was supposed to attend said the girl showed signs that she would be able to cope in school as she could already count and write some words.

Her mother, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, has had difficulties sleeping or eating due to the stressful situation.

She had been living with her daughter in the impoverished Okahandja Park informal settlement and the two were very close.

However, the teenager’s dream of starting school was cut short on Friday at around midnight when she decided to walk home alone from another house to get a jersey, as she was feeling cold.

The mother – speaking through an interpreter – said she and her daughter were visiting relatives in Okahandja Park on Friday night. At around midnight her daughter insisted on going home to fetch a jersey, as she was feeling cold.
The distraught mother said she had told her daughter to wait so that they can go home together, but the teenager insisted and left. When the girl failed to return in time, the mother followed her home.

“I came home but didn’t find her. I was worried and started crying,” she related. She started looking for her child, but to no avail. She continued looking for her daughter on Saturday morning, but had no success in finding the child.
“At 16h00 I went to the police station to report my daughter missing and the police informed me that there was a girl found at Lafrenz – and that I should go to the hospital to go and see if it is her.”

When she saw her daughter’s face on the hospital bed she became numb with shock and grief: “I didn’t expect to find her at the hospital.”

The victim’s aunt, who lives elsewhere, said the mother is struggling to survive, as she is unemployed. “It is painful for everyone in the family. The mother is not sleeping. She can’t eat,” the relative said.

New Era was shown the rotten tomatoes, which the destitute mother picked up from an open market in Okuryangava to prepare meals for her family. She sometimes gets a little maize meal and other foodstuffs from her neighbours, which she uses to sustain her family, the relative explained.

Police investigations into the crime continue. Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the perpetrator is advised to contact the nearest police station.

Syndicate of organized crime, operating in the Namibian Police Force?

Chris Jacobie

Thursday, September 24, 2015 - 08:15

Editorial

NAMIBIA is a great country. In comparison with a globe in turmoil and leadership under siege by citizens battling them at all fronts, the Namibian nation is blessed.

It is therefore extremely difficult for any Namibian to cast doubt on the commitment or integrity of its police force.

However, when the rank and file are being caught red-handed for various crimes, ranging from stock theft, fraud, rape, murder and drug-dealing the long arm of the law is amputated, because the communities they are supposed to serve are running the risk of being robbed and raped instead.

Lawless police and criminal actions by members of the force have reached the point where it will be a crime of complicity to keep quiet.

The crimes that are committed by police officers must raise the suspicion that a syndicate of organized crime is operating in the force. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and it is undeniable that the vast majority of the common members of law enforcement are true to the call of duty.

Unfortunately, policing is not like a democracy where the good intentions of the majority will prevail, but rather like a crate of apples where the bad one spoils the rest.

Insomuch as the role of city police, traffic police, security companies, reservists and community and neighbourhood watches should be appreciated, the sheer scale of policing outside the national police force must seriously be questioned.

Any additional proof needed to convince the government and political leadership that there is a crisis of trust in the national police will rather be a confirmation of a catastrophic failure of police duty.

There are statistics on police incompetence that are so tragic that it is difficult to comprehend and should be impossible to explain. The Inspector-General of Police, Lt-Genl Sebastian Ndeitunga, is arguably one of the most loyal commanders any police officer can wish for, but is seems to also be his weakest point.

The rank and file have no problem abusing his loyalty to their own criminal advantage and will continue doing so as they calculated that the risk of being caught by a fellow officer is well worth taking.

Some of the most shocking facts are:
More than 2 000 members of the Namibian police force are under investigation by the internal discipline unit and others are suspended or waiting trial for crimes like murder and armed robbery, while dozens are not yet caught.

Even the suspension of police members has reach criminal proportions with the Minister of Safety and Security, Genl Charles Namoloh, hinting that corrupt police file cases against colleagues to block their promotion, because nobody can be considered who is investigated.

A city police officer who appeared as a murder suspect but was free on bail, is now in custody with his lover, also a member of the force, for a second murder after being accused that they murdered the officer’s wife.

A police chaplain was caught near Hochfeld by the neighbourhood watch on poaching charges and the past weekend two police officers were caught, also by a neighbourhood watch, stealing sheep.
Police and law enforcement officers involved in stock theft and illegal hunting can hardly be any worse.

In an astonishing display of corruption, an Angolese man was found guilty of dealing in drugs after he was arrested with cocaine worth N$2,6 million and cash to the amount of N$21 600, which disappeared while in police custody. It now means that 2,6kg of a drug that is sold in grammes is back on the streets, but this time through corrupt police officers who stole the evidence, because of its value in the drug market.

The facts of the case must sent a shiver down the spine of every reasonable Namibian. The facts are: Police caught a drug dealer and then robbed him of his drugs, and knowing who the buyers and users are, could now deal in it.

In any circumstance that points to organised crime on the grandest scale.
There is no better protection for crime than having the drug lords in the police itself.

The proliferation of security companies with poorly-trained guards that are a danger to society and paid slave wages with no job security are on the rise and so are the crimes committed by them growing as they abuse their positions to commit or plan crimes with the knowledge of corrupt policemen and women.

When every second citizen does not feel more secure in spite of ever increasing private and governmental policing initiatives the nation is at war with itself.

For the force to be respected the police have to respect themselves first.

Unfortunately this appears not to be the case as they are the puppets of criminals who even issue orders from the holding cells to policemen and women who belong in custody with them.

Crime intelligence is needed and if it is not available it must be recruited.

Unlike Hollywood where the bad guys win, in Namibia it is time for the majority of the good citizens to win and the bad guys to lose

Africa's Billionaires, Meet the richest Africans

There are 29 African billionaires this year, the same number as in 2014. While 2 tycoons – South African mining magnate Desmond Sacco and Moroccan real estatemogul Anas Sefrioui fell off the billionaire rankings this year, Mohammed Dewji of Tanzania makes his debut on the list with a fortune estimated at $1.3 billion. At 39, Dewji is the youngest billionaire in Africa. Dewji’s company, METL Group manufactures textiles and consumer goods and has annual revenues of more than $1.4 billion. Nigerian-born Femi Otedola, 50, rejoins the list of African billionaires after a 5-year hiatus with a $1 billion fortune. He owns  a controlling stake in Forte Oil, a publicly-listed energy distribution company in Nigeria.Folorunsho Alakija of Nigeria and Isabel dos Santos of Angola are the only two female billionaires on the continent.

Meet the 29 Africans who are worth $1 billion or more:

Aliko Dangote, $15.7 billion

Nigerian, Cement, Flour, Sugar

Falling stock prices and a recent valuation of the Naira might have dented his fortune, causing him to lose roughly $10 billion since last year, but Aliko Dangote is still the richest man in Africa. His Dangote Group is West Africa’s largest industrial conglomerate and has interests in cement production, flour milling, sugar refining and food and beverages.

Johann Rupert & Family, $7.4 billion

South African, Luxury Goods

Rupert is the chairman of publicly-listed Swiss-based luxury goods outfit Compagnie Financiere Richemont , which owns brands including Cartier , Van Cleef & Arpels, Jaeger-LeCoultre and Montblanc. He also owns stakes in investment holding companies Remgro and Reinet. He also owns two of South Africa’s best-known vineyards, Rupert & Rothschild and L’Ormarins as well as the Franschhoek Motor Museum which houses his personal collection of over 200 antique vehicles.

Nicky Oppenheimer & Family, $6.7 billion

South African, Diamonds

Oppenheimer cashed out of the diamond business in July 2012 when he disposed of his family’s 40% stake in his family’s diamond business, De Beers to Anglo American for $5.1 billion in an all-cash deal that marked the end of the Oppenheimer family’s multi-decade control of the diamond company. His E. Oppenheimer & Son entity controls investment arms Stockdale Street Capital and Tana Africa Capital, a joint venture with Singapore government-owned investment firm Temasek. Tana holds minority interests in African food manufacturers Promasidor and Regina Co.

Christoffel Wiese, $6.3 billion

South African, Retail

Wiese, a South African retail mogul, owns a 15% stake in Shoprite Holdings, a chain of low-price supermarkets with a presence across multiple African countries. He also owns a large stake in Pepkor, a private company that owns seven different discount fashion brands.  His other assets include Lanzerac Manor & Winery, a five-star hotel and a significant shareholding in Brait, a private equity firm.

Nassef Sawiris, $6.3 billion

Egyptian, Construction

Sawiris, Egypt’s richest man, is the CEO of Orascom Construction Industries (OCI), the country’s most valuable publicly-traded company. He plans to separate OCI’s construction unit from its chemicals and fertilizers business, and list the newly formed Orascom Construction in Egypt and the UAE in the first quarter of 2015. He also sealed a partnership last November with Abu Dhabi’s International Petroleum Investment Co. to develop a coal-based power plant in Egypt.

Mike Adenuga, $4 billion

Nigerian, Telecoms and Oil

The reclusive Nigerian billionaire is the founder of Globacom, Nigeria’s second largest mobile phone network which has about 27 million subscribers. He also owns Conoil Producing, an indigenous oil exploration company which holds the rights to some of Nigeria’s most lucrative oil fields. Notoriously private, Adenuga hardly grants Press interviews and travels around in with a retinue of bodyguards.

Mohamed Mansour, $4 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Along with his two brothers, Yasseen and Youssef (also on FORBES’ billionaires list), Mohamed runs the Mansour Group which owns the world’s largest GM dealership.  The Mansour Group also owns the largest supermarket chain in Egypt, the country’s second largest real estate developer, Palm Hills, and the Philip Morris franchise in Egypt.

Nathan Kirsh, $3.9 billion

Swaziland. Real Estate

Nathan Kirsh, a Swazi national is the founder of Jetro Holdings, a cash and carry wholesaler of perishable and non-perishable food products, household goods, equipment, supplies and related goods for grocery retailers. Kirsch made his first fortune in Swaziland several decades ago when he founded a corn milling business in 1958. He subsequently expanded into wholesale food distribution in apartheid South Africa and commercial property development.

Isabel Dos Santos, $3.1 billion

Angolan, Investments

The oldest daughter of Angola’s president owns substantial stakes in a number of blue-chip Angolan and Portuguese companies such as Angolan mobile phone company Unitel , Angolan bank Banco BIC SA, Portuguese media giant ZON Optimus and Banco BPI. She is believed to hold many of these assets in trust for her father.

Issad Rebrab, $3.1 billion

Algerian, Diversified

Algeria’s richest man owns a controlling stake in Cevital, Algeria’s biggest family-owned conglomerate. Cevital owns one of the largest sugar refineries in the world with an annual output of 1.5 million tons. The group also has interests in sugar refining, port terminals, auto distribution, mining and agriculture.

Naguib Sawiris, $3.1 billion

Egyptian, Telecoms

Naguib Sawiris is the CEO of Orascom Telecom Media and Technology (OTMT). The company owns a 75% stake in Koryolink, North Korea’s only cell network. He is looking to acquire a 53% stake in French media company Euronews Television.

Youssef Mansour, $2.9 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Youssef Mansour is a part owner of Mansour Group which owns Caterpillar dealerships in 8 African countries and General Motors dealerships in Egypt and Iraq, as well as supermarkets, McDonald’s and Philip Morris distribution.  He maintains a lower profile than his billionaire brothers Mohamed and Yasseen.

Koos Bekker, $2.3 billion

South African, Media

Koos Bekker who has run Cape Town-based media conglomerate Naspers since 1997 will be stepping down as CEO in April this year, and will be taking a year off to travel the world and explore new business opportunities for the company. He is expected to take over as chairman of the company from next year. Over a 17 year period, Bekker transformed the storied publisher into a new media powerhouse, with investments in China (Tencent), Russia (Mail.ru), Brazil (Abril) and other countries in Eastern Europe, Latin America and Africa. Refusing to take a salary, Bekker has traditionally been compensated via stock option grants that vest over time.

Othman Benjelloun, $2.3 billion

Moroccan, Banking

Othman Benjelloun is the CEO of BMCE Bank, one of the largest commercial banks in Morocco, with operations in at least 15 African countries. He is also the chairman of holding company FinanceCom which has interests in banking, insurance, and telecom in Morocco.

Yasseen Mansour, $2.3 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Yasseen Mansour and his brothers Youssef and Mohammed run Mansour Group, a large Egyptian conglomerate which owns Caterpillar and General Motor dealerships, supermarkets, restaurant franchises, and Philip Morris distribution in Egypt.

Patrice Motsepe, $2.1 billion

South African, Mining

South Africa’s first and only black billionaire is the founder and chairman of publicly traded mining conglomerate, African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) which has interests in platinum, nickel, chrome, iron, manganese, coal, copper and gold. He also holds a stake in Sanlam, a publicly traded financial services company.

Stephen Saad, $2.1 billion

South African, Pharmaceuticals

Along with business partner Gus Attridge, Stephen Saadfounded Aspen Pharmacare in 1997. It is now the largest publicly-traded drug manufacturer on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Aspen is a supplier of branded and generic pharmaceuticals in more than 150 countries and of consumer and nutritional products in selected territories. The company has a market capitalization of $11 billion. Saad is the company’s largest shareholder.

Mohamed Al Fayed, $2 billion

Egyptian, Property

In 2010 Mohammed Al-Fayed sold his Harrod’s department store in London to Qatar Holding for a reported $2.4 billion and last July, he sold Fulham Football Club, which he acquired in 1997 to American billionaire Shahid Khan for a reported $300 million. He now owns the famed Hotel Ritz in Paris which he closed in August 2012 to start construction on what will be the hotel’s biggest redo since it was built in 1898 and also owns Cocosa, a U.K.-based discount fashion website.

Folorunsho Alakija, $1.9 billion

Nigerian, Oil

Nigeria’s first female billionaire built her fortune on oil. Nigeria’s former President Ibrahim Babangida awarded her company, Famfa Oil a lucrative oil prospecting license in 1996 – now OML 127, which is one of Nigeria’s most prolific oil blocks and produces as much as 200,000 barrels of oil per day on good days. Famfa Oil, which Alakija controls fully, owns a 60% stake in OML 127.

Onsi Sawiris, $1.8 billion

Egyptian, Diversified

Onsi Sawiris is the patriarch of Egypt’s wealthiest family, and founder of the eponymous Orascom conglomerate, which is involved in construction, telecoms and hotels. The companies are all run by his three sons- Naguib, Samih and Nassef, all billionaires.

Aziz Akhannouch, $1.7 billion

Moroccan, Diversified

Aziz Akhannouch is the largest shareholder in Akwa Group, a multi-billion dollar Moroccan conglomerate with interests in petroleum, gas and chemicals through publicly-traded Afriquia Gas and Maghreb Oxygene, as well as media, real estate development and hotels. His wife, Salwa Idrissi, runs a successful real estate development company in Morocco, and holds the Moroccan franchise for Gap, Zara, and Galeries Lafayette, among other fashion brands.

Allan Gray, $1.6 billion

South African, Investments

Moneyman Allan Gray founded Cape Town-based investment management firm, Allan Gray Limited in 1973, after earning his MBA from Harvard and spending eight years at Fidelity in the US. The company manages $34 billion, making it the largest privately owned asset manager in South Africa. He also owns Orbis Investment Management in Bermuda which manages $30 billion. Venerable philanthropist funds the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation which awards higher education grants to students in Southern Africa.

Miloud Chaabi, $1.3 billion

Moroccan, Diversified

Miloud Chaabi got his start in 1948 developing housing, then expanded through his privately owned Ynna Holding into hotels, supermarkets and renewable energy.  Chaabi has committed to building a university in Casablanca in partnership with Indiana State University.

Mohammed Dewji, $1.3 billion

Tanzanian, Diversified

Mohammed Dewji turned a trading house founded by his father into industrial conglomerate MeTL Group. He acquired government-owned manufacturing plants in the textiles and edible oils industries on the cheap and transformed them into profitable businesses using lean management style. He owns 75% of the group.

Samih Sawiris, $1.1 billion

Egyptian, Property Development

Samih Sawiris is the youngest son of Egyptian construction magnate Onsi Sawiris. His company, Orascom Development develops integrated towns and operates resorts in Egypt. He also owns a minority stake in construction company, OCI N.V., which was founded by his father Onsi and is now run by his brother Nassef.

Sudhir Ruparelia, $1.1 billion

Ugandan, Property, Banking

East Africa’s richest man is the founder of the Ruparelia Group, Uganda’s largest conglomerate with interests in property, banking, education, insurance and agriculture. It owns a chain of hotels, hundreds of commercial and residential property in Kampala, a country club, a chain of forex bureaus, two Highbrow secondary schools and Crane Bank, one of the Uganda’s top 3 commercial banks.

Femi Otedola, $1 billion

Nigerian, Gas Stations

Nigeria’s Femi Otedola returns to Forbes’ list of billionaires for the first time since 2009 following a sharp rise in the share price of petroleum marketing company Forte Oil, despite the drop in oil prices in 2014. Otedola is the controlling shareholder of Forte Oil, with a 78% stake. The company owns gas stations and fuel storage depots and manufactures its own line of engine oils.

Abdulsamad Rabiu, $1 billion

Nigerian, Diversified

Rabiu, 55, is the founder of BUA Group, a Nigerian conglomerate with interests in sugar refining, cement production, real estate, steel, port concessions, manufacturing, oil gas and shipping.  Rabiu used to work for his father, legendary Kano-based businessman, Isyaku Rabiu, before striking out on his own in 1988, importing rice, sugar, edible oils as well as steel and iron rods.

Rostam Azizi, $1 billion

Tanzanian, Telecoms

Tanzania’s second richest man owes the bulk of his fortune to his 35% stake in Vodacom Tanzania, the country’s largest mobile phone company with more than 10 million subscribers. He also owns Caspian Mining, a contract mining company that provides mining services to giants like BHP Billiton and Barrick Gold. Caspian Mining also owns several mining concessions for gold, copper and Iron ore in Tanzania. Other assets include a stake in Dar es Salaam Port in which he is a partner with Hutchison Whampoa and extensive real estate in Tanzania, Dubai, Oman and Lebanon.