Forbes has recognized three Nigerians among its list of the most powerful, impactful, and wealthiest Black Americans for 2024. The individuals—Wemimo Abbey, Tope Awotona, and Adebayo Ogunlesi—are all making significant strides in their respective fields while based in the United States.
Wemimo Abbey, 32, is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Esusu, a New York-based fintech startup that enables renters to build credit histories by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus. Forbes highlights that over 20,000 properties currently use Esusu’s services, impacting approximately 1.8 million Americans.
Tope Awotona, 43, founded Calendly, a widely-used scheduling software startup valued at $3 billion in 2021. Originally from Lagos, Awotona moved to Atlanta at the age of 15 and pursued computer science before switching to business and management information at the University of Georgia.
Adebayo Ogunlesi, 70, is the Chairman and Co-founder of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a private equity firm specializing in infrastructure investments. In October, GIP was acquired by BlackRock for $12.5 billion in cash and shares, with Ogunlesi continuing as Chairman and CEO. Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.7 billion. Ogunlesi holds degrees from Oxford, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Business School.
Other notable names on the Forbes list include Dr. Dre, Lebron James, Michael Jordan, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Gary Linnen. This recognition underscores the immense contributions of Black leaders across various industries.
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