List of top 10 richest men and women in Ghana 2021
Written By
Franklin IzuchukwuCrypto Writer, Business Writer and Radiographer
Ghana is a middle-income country with vast resources at its disposal. It has a market-based economy; few policy barriers to trade have made its economy even more robust.
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As a country, Ghana is endowed with natural resources like hydrocarbons, industrial materials and precious metals.
Its mixed and digital economy has paved the way for some notable billionaires in the region to become the richest men and women in Ghana; some have also ranked among the richest people in Africa.
Ghana's stock Exchange ranks as the 5th largest in Africa, a promising rank for such a country that has worked hard to make its country one of the best countries in Africa.
The country also ranks as the worlds' second-largest producer of cocoa. Its vast resources have poised it to rank as a middle-income country.
Read on to know more about the top 10 richest men and women in Ghana in 2021.
Top 10 richest men in Ghana 2021
- Ernesto Taricone - Net worth of $1.3 billion
- Sir Sam E. Jonah - Net worth of $1.2 billion
- . Nabil Edmond Moukarzel - Net worth of $900 million
- Ibrahim Micheal Mahama - Net worth of $860 million
- Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat - Net worth of $850 million
- The Irani Family - Net worth of $800 million
- Patricia Poku Diaby - Net worth of $720 million
- The Kalmoni Family - Net worth of $700 million
- . Kwabena Duffuor - Net worth of $680 million
- The Awuah-Darko Family - Net worth of $650 million
1. Ernesto Taricone - Net worth of $1.3 billion
Ernesto Taricone tops the list of the top richest men in Ghana. Ernesto Taricone is the richest man in Ghana. He was once ranked as the second richest person in Ghana behind the former richest man in Ghana, late Charles Ampofo.
Ernesto, an investor in Ghana's business world, was born in Italy around 1948. He arrived in Ghana with his father and siblings in 1968.
He is the founder of the conglomerate Trasacco Group. The famous businessman has a net worth of $1.3 billion.
Ernesto Taricone's source of wealth
Trasacco Group, headed by Ernesto, focuses on Agro Business, construction, mining, design, and real estate development. Trasacco Estate Development Company, a subsidiary of Trasacco, has over $500 million invested in ongoing projects across Ghana.
All these investments in Trasacco Group have helped Ernesto earn such money to become the richest man in Ghana.
Ernesto Tarricone, the richest man in Ghana is also a co-owner of Royal Aluminium Systems; producing aluminiun windows and doors.
2. Sir Sam E. Jonah - Net worth of $1.2 billion
Sir Sam E. Jonah is the second richest man among the top ten richest men and women in Ghana, with a considerable net worth of $1.2 billion.
Sir Sam E. Jonah was born on the Cape Coast in November 1949. Jonah has once noted that life was never all rosy for him.
At 25, he started working in Ashanti Goldfield's deep mines, located in central Ghana. He worked underground for the Ashanti mining company in exchange for an engineering scholarship at the U.K.'s Exeter University.
The billionaire businessman later graduated and went back to the Ashanti Mining company.
According to Forbes, Sam E. Jonah was named the Chief executive officer at Ashanti in 1986; he attained this position at the age of 36; barely 11 years of working underground for the Ashanti mining company.
Sir Sam E. Jonah's Source of wealth
Sir Sam E. Jonah has a holding company and private equity firm Jonah Capital Limited that invests in the mining sector, real estate, agriculture, constructions, financial services, oil and gas services.
He acquired most of his wealth through Jonah Capital owning 78% of the Jonah Capital. His investments increased his net worth to become one of Ghana's richest men and women.
Sir Sam E. Jonah's invested in a different business niche in Africa; this fit has pushed him to rank as the second richest man in Ghana.
He was once awarded Ghana's highest national award, the Companion of the Order of the Star of the Volta, recognising him as one of Ghana's richest and most prominent men.
Sir Sam E. Jonah wth his wife Lady Giselle Jonah
3. Nabil Edmond Moukarzel - Net worth of $900 million
Nabil Edmond Moukarzel has made it to our list of top richest men and women in Ghana in 2021 due to his amazing net worth of $900 million. Nabil Edmond Moukarzel is the 3rd richest man among the top ten richest men and women in Ghana.
The famous businessman owns the largest shares in Finatrade, one of the largest food manufacturing and distribution companies in West Africa.
Finatrade has many subsidiaries like Akuafo Adamfo, Ghana Market Direct Ltd, Continental Commodity Trading Company, Sucatrade, etc.
Finatrade deals in frozen foods, vegetable oil, sugar, rice, cocoa, meat, ice cream, dairy products, beverages, powdered milk, animal feed, tiles, granite, marble, false ceilings, sanitary and kitchenware.
Nabil Edmond Moukarzel and Philanthropy
Finatrade is also involved in social development and giving back to the community. Finatrade established a scholarship scheme for undergraduates in the agricultural sector.
It also partnered with the Kofi Annan International ICT Centre of Excellence to foster and integrate ICT in the Ghana communities.
4. Ibrahim Micheal Mahama - Net worth of $860 million
Ibrahim Micheal Mahama is the 4th richest man among the top ten richest people in Ghana, with a net worth of $860 million.
The wealthy businessman is the younger brother of the former President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama. He was born on 29th January 1971 to the family of Emmanuel Adama Mahama.
Ibrahim Micheal Mahama owns Engineers and Planners, a company focused on mining, construction and civil works, hiring heavy-duty equipment, and consulting services.
The famous businessman has invested in different areas of the Ghanaian economy, which helped him earn huge money to become the fourth richest man among the top ten richest men and women in Ghana.
Ibrahim Micheal Mahama, the 4th richest man in Ghana.
5. Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat - Net worth of $850 million
Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat is the 5th richest man in Ghana in the list of top richest men and women in Ghana with a net worth of $850 million.
Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat is a Ghananian but of Lebanese descent. He once worked for Toyota Ghana before buying the BBC Industrial Company in 1978.
He is currently the chairman of IPMC, a company that focuses on developing a digital economy in the region through systems integration, software development, and IT skill-development programs.
Other sources of income that helped Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat earned a vast net worth to become one of the richest people in Ghana are other companies he established, such as Rana Motors & Metal Works Engineering Co. Ltd.
Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat is the 5th richest man in Ghana
6. The Irani Family - Net worth of $800 million
Anthony Irani and Edmund Irani are popularly known as the Irani brothers and are sometimes referred to as the Irani family. They live in Ghana, but like Mohammed Ahmed Odaymat, they are also of Lebanese descent.
The Irani family is jointly the sixth richest man in Ghana in the list of Ghana's top richest men and women.
The two brothers founded The Irani Brothers and Other Limited; they founded the Irani Brothers & Others Limited in 1967, a manufacturing company that produces flour.
The Irani family accounts for over 60% of wheat flour in Ghana, which has given them so much money to be among the richest people in Ghana. They export over 180,000 metric tons of wheat annually that is milled into bread and other pastries.
The Irani Family, the 6th richest men in Ghana
7. Patricia Poku Diaby - Net worth of $720 million
Patricia Poku Diaby ranks as the 7th richest person in Ghana. She is the first woman to be listed among the top ten richest people in Ghana. Patricia is also the richest woman in Ghana.
The rich businesswoman started her business career from her family's business, trading and transportation before opening a company, Plot Enterprise Group, in Ivory Coast and Ghana.
Plot Enterprise Ghana is a Ghanaian indigenous company that centres on cocoa processing. The company in Ghana was fully functional in 2010 and equipped with different machines and plants.
One of the company's plants located in Takoradi, Ghana, is valued at $90 million. Plot enterprise company exports its products to the US, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
Patricia Poku Diaby has made so much money from her plant importation to different countries worldwide, which has helped her rank as the 7th richest person and richest woman in Ghana.
Patricia Poku Diaby, the 7th richest person in Ghana
8. The Kalmoni Family - Net worth of $700 million
Jalal Kalmoni, Salem Kalmoni, Nouhad Kalmoni, Salah Kweku Kalmoni jointly rank as the 8th richest people among the top ten richest men and women in Ghana.
They are the successors of the Salem Kalmoni's fortunes. Salem Kalmoni is the late patriarch of the Kalmoni Family. He is a Lebanese immigrant that arrived in Ghana before the first world war.
After his death, his sons took over his company named Kalmoni and Sons.
The Kalmoni Family's source of wealth
Salem Kalmoni founded the company, Kalmoni & Sons. The company later metamorphosised into
- Japan Motors Trading Company LTD,
- Modern Auto Services,
- Silver Star Auto,
- Silver Star Tower,
- Lakeside Estate,
- Advanced Construction and
- Oman Fofor Trading Company Limited - all as subsidiaries.
Kalmoni & Sons, turned into Japan Motors, a business empire in Ghana
9. Kwabena Duffuor - Net worth of $680 million
Kwabena Duffuor ranks as the 9th richest person in Ghana, with a net worth of $680 million.
He obtained his B.sc in Economics from the University of Ghana and an MBA from Syracuse University in New York, United States.
Kwabena Duffuor is a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana from July 1997 to Sep 2001. In 1999, Kwabena Duffuor was named one of the four best central Bank Governors globally.
He earned so much money when he served as the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, which increased his net worth to become one of the richest people in Ghana.
Akufo is the founder and chairman of HODA Holdings, a business entity comprising Insurance, Banking, Real Estates, Farming, Mining and Media, a business that has helped him rank as the 9th richest man in Ghana 2021.
10. The Awuah-Darko Family - Net worth of $650 million
The Awuah-Darko Family is jointly the 10th richest people in the list of top richest men and women in Ghana in 2021. The Awuah-Darko Family has an insurance company that Nana Awuah-Darko Ampem founded.
Nana Awuah Darko Ampem began as an insurance broker in Ghana before the Ghananian Government passed a law that prevented government agencies from dealing with insurance brokers.
Nana Awuah-Darko Ampem died in 2005 before his family took over the business. The insurance company, known as Vanguard Assurance, is one of the insurance companies that strongly exist in Ghana.
The Awuah-Darko Family made the majority of their fortune from the Vanguard insurance company, making them the 10th richest person in Ghana with an estimated net worth of $650 million.
The Awuah-Darko Family possess a major stake in the vanguard insurance company.