Meet Africa’s First Female Billionaire
Isabel dos Santos
Isabel dos Santos, the eldest daughter of Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, is Africa’s first female billionaire. The 40-year-old beauty is a very skilled businesswoman. Her purchase of more shares of publicly traded companies in Portugal accompanied with her assets, have pushed her networth over $1 billion, according to research by FORBES.
The successful businesswoman started at age 24 with a restaurant in Angola named Miami Beach. Since then, she has sat on the boards of many companies in Angola and Portugal and has been instrumental in making business decisions. Her newfound billionaire status has many experts scratching their heads and asking “How did she do it?”
Although Peter Lewis, a professor of African Studies at Johns Hopkins University’s School for Advanced International Studies, did not review information about Dos Santos’ holding and admittedly doesn’t know the specifics of her wealth, he still attempted to answer the question because he is knowledgeable of how business operates in Angola. “It’s clear through documented work that the ruling party and the President’s inner circle have a lot of business interests. The source of funds and corporate governance are very murky,” Lewis explained. “The central problem in Angola is the complete lack of transparency. We can’t trace the provenance of these funds. He continued: ”When you tease out the ownership and controlling interests in Angola it reads like a Who’s Who of [the President’s] family members and party and military chiefs. They are fixing a few roads and there are some railways and there are a lot of cranes in Luanda. But they are awash in cash; $5 billion has been documented in illicit financial flows.”
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20 Responses to Meet Africa’s First Female Billionaire
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I thought Folorunsho Alakija was the richest black woman. She has surpassed Oprah Winfrey. Folorunsho is a female oil tycoon.
Michelle Eccleston
January 25, 2013 at 1:26 am
Ok so there are several wealthy people in Africa, so why all the pictures of so many lacking. I ask, because they don’t seem to change the pictures of the children they are displaying. They should be grown by now. Eh?
Priinzez
January 25, 2013 at 3:46 am
The media will always show you what they want you to see. Divide and conquer
Elem
January 25, 2013 at 4:04 am
I do not make comments on anyone rich unless i know from whence it came …it’s unlikely i will ever obtain that information….PEACE!!!!!
black jones
January 25, 2013 at 7:16 am
I heard that Folorunsho Alakija was the richest already. This report seems to have a flaw to it. So check out http://www.bellanaija.com/2012/12/05/nigerian-billionaire-oil-tycoon-folorunsho-alakija-replaces-oprah-winfrey-as-the-worlds-richest-black-woman-ventures-africa/
Devona
January 25, 2013 at 7:27 am
You are right, besides Isabel dos Santos is Spanish descent, not indigenous.
Maria Clemente
January 25, 2013 at 11:32 am
Yes, like many have pointed out, is Folorunsho Alakija not the richest African again? I think she is because her own wealth is most verifiable without strings attached.
Isabel Dos Santos is Angolan president’s daughter, and the world knnows African dictators to hide under many guises
to syphon national wealth for personal use. I think this is an expose and a claim, rather than reality, time will tell.
Francis Ushie
January 25, 2013 at 8:13 am
The article is about Africa’s 1st billionaire , dammm people read, it didn’t say she was the richest in the world
Glendalyn w
January 25, 2013 at 8:24 am
Garikai Nyeke———- commented on how to many Africans from Africa are emulating African Americans—— he states how the brothers and sisters emulate how Blas born in America take drugs, wear European wigs, illegal guns-and all other negative behaviors by some Blacks in America.
What G. N. (good negro) didn’t comment on is the strengths of the Blacks in America, and how our American Slave fore parents fought against the oppressors once we were sold or traded to the enslavers in America. The Beauty of his comment-it shows how the Blake in America are the yard stick all countries use to measure what is fashionable- are the in thing. Now this particular accolade may bare a heavy burden (thin line between fashionableness- or buffoon) to maintain when one realize as a group we cannot employ one and other on a scale that can compete with the average corner store. However the fact remains that we are viewed negatively around the world- and those who are so critical lack the intelligence of the fight we fought in America to gain the little rights we have in America. A many of them don’t know that had it not been for the Black American triumph over the involuntary servitude that was forced upon us in america- set standards throughout the world of how to treat human beings.
The offensive remarks coming from a short sighted African from Africa ought to wake up and respect the accomplishments of Black Americans. Last but not least- Mr. Nyeke- all those negative points you made of Black Americans are deliberate weapons that are used to destroy generations of all people in order to control the Money in every economy on the face of the earth.
Well Mr. Nyeke– with all the so called advancement the Africans made in Africa-who control the economy in your neck of the woods?
Phillip Battle
January 25, 2013 at 1:13 pm
I am inspired by your success. I am a Black female in the United States. I am a patented inventor. Hoping one day to be successful. Women like you certainly give me hope. It hard at first to achieve this but I have patience if nothing else. And Faith in God ,I’m whom all things are possible. You are free to view my invention at –Mariel G.Whitfield g-grip.com patent # US 7,520,478B2 .Hope to be like you some day.
Mariel Whitfield
January 25, 2013 at 3:05 pm
No disrespect Phillip Battle but Garikai Nyeke is correct and just to clarify things, I am an African-American. African-Americans are exporting negative behavior to the world. Our culture has become extremely superficial and materialistic, which has a negative impact on us and the world. And just to let you know, it was not just our forefathers who fought against slavery but theirs did too. I have been to Africa many times, and I love Africa. Those are our people. We need to stop looking at things like it is us against them and recognize that they are our brothers and sisters; first through blood and then we are connected by having a common oppressor. If African-Americans started doing business with Africa, we would both empower ourselves and Africa. This is what your oppressor do not want you to know. Phillip you need to really learn history and politics before you critique someone like Mr. Nyeke, because he is clearly more astute than you.
Wakeup
January 25, 2013 at 3:06 pm
No disrespect taken—-:) and my point is for one not to be so critical of Black Americans may he or she be an African American, an African from Africa,or an European. Highlight the Greatness of a people who taught America how to be civil.
I’m not impressed with ones advise for me to become more educated– I am who I am- and here’s my advise for all you educated folk— design a blue print that will lead Black folk in the direction to control the dollars that are spent in our communities.
So I beg of you and all other so called intelligent folk- to make your education and intelligence serve us who need your guidance.
PEACE.
Phillip Battle
January 25, 2013 at 7:10 pm
Its my belief that in America we are more interested in self-made million/billionaires.
We are Capitalists, not Imperialists. And we dont steal and conpile our country’s wealth
at the expense of poor people.
Maybe its time for people of Angola to get control of their finances and recycle their monies back into the people.
Herbert
January 25, 2013 at 3:22 pm
http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/celebrity/folorunsho-alakija-replaces-oprah-richest-black-woman/
Deborah Ayorinde
January 25, 2013 at 3:32 pm
You sure she’s Africa’s FIRST female billionaire? Sounds like someone needs to do a little fact checking …. http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/celebrity/folorunsho-alakija-replaces-oprah-richest-black-woman/
Deborah Ayorinde
January 25, 2013 at 3:34 pm
Herbert I agree with you about Angola needing to figure out a way to stop its elite from siphoning out the countries wealth, but you clearly do not know about the economics and politics of the United States. First, you mentioned that Angolans are “imperialists;” they couldn’t be even if they wanted to. Imperialist imply empire. They are are barely running their own country let alone an empire. Now the United States has an empire. Second, there are very few self made billionaires in the United States. Most million and billionaires in the United States are such because old money, which means they inherited wealth and just as in Angola the people who attained the wealth did so unscrupulously. Lastly, the elite in America do steal and compile their countries wealth. How do you think that ten percent of the population in this country control more than three quarters of the countries wealth. This is not happen stance. Just to give you an example, what do think happened in the 2008 financial catastrophe. The elite stole some much money from the masses that the masses were no longer able to fund the system. People please do some research before posting these absurd comments.
Wakeup
January 25, 2013 at 5:12 pm
Sounds to me like she is from a Portuguese background. Angola is a former Portuguese colony. I doubt that she considers herself black. anyway, what is the big deal?
John H Hill
January 25, 2013 at 9:42 pm
This is interesting. Who cares if she is rich if “her people” are not? Just like the Mexican who is the richest man in the world and most of his country is dirt poor. It’s interesting when you vacation over there and you see such abject poverty, the tour guides explain it by saying, “Oh these are the Mayan communities and the people live simple lives.” No, they are poor because the government doesn’t care about them! Let’s call it for what it is- we know what the Portugese have done to Africans in the slave trade (in both Africa and America). Look at how the French decimated Haiti where they couldn’t even take care of themselves when the earthquake hit!!
HOWEVER, I do not sympathize with Africans because they are even snottier than white folks. Somehow, jolly ‘ole England has convinced these people that they are preferred over AA, simply because they speak the King’s english. I have worked with them and they are disrespectful, rude, and arrogant. In my opinion, they deserve just what they are getting- meager handouts from Europe, instead of rising up and fighting for their rights. Europe has infected them with disease and they are too stupid to see through the lies. NO disease spreads at the rate that HIV has throughout sub-saharan Africa without external factors being applied to speed up transmission rate. The genocide in Rwanda was due to the white man’s influence, favoring one group over the other. They are 3rd world children that really need to wake up!!
KG
January 25, 2013 at 10:15 pm
Thank you KG——-for enlightening those who think they are so well versed — as to pass judgement of ones educational background or how astute one may or not be.
Again thanks for your clear view — and poignant clarification of who’s more so docile – then those their accusing of being.
Peace.
Phillip Battle
January 26, 2013 at 12:03 am
Build your own family’s wealth and get out of other’s business.
lebuds
January 28, 2013 at 6:14 am