Headline

Top 10 Countries With The Most Billionaires In 2024

Published

10 months ago

October 26, 2024

Billionaire wealth is at an all-time high with some countries boasting of close to 800 billionaires and some struggle to count 20

Forbes’ 38th list shows 2,781 billionaires with a combined $14.2 trillion. This is 141 more billionaires and $2 trillion more wealth than last year.

In 2023, the list saw $900 billion in added wealth, and many of the world’s richest have grown even wealthier.

The U.S. leads with tech and finance billionaires. China, India, Germany, and Russia follow with wealth in tech, resources, and manufacturing. In Europe, countries like the UK, France, and Italy have their wealth mainly in finance, luxury, and industry.

Here’s a look at the top billionaire countries and some of their top billionaires.

United States

Leading globally, the U.S. has around 813 billionaires. Many come from technology, finance, and entertainment industries. Some of its billionaires include:

Elon Musk ($245.8 billion)– Founder of Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures, Musk’s fortune has soared due to innovations in tech and space.

Jeff Bezos ($206.6 billion)– He is the founder of Amazon and his fortune expanded from the e-commerce and cloud computing empire.

Warren Buffett ($145 billion) – Known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” Buffett leads Berkshire Hathaway with investments in diverse sectors.

Bill Gates ($106.6 billion) – He is the co-founder of Microsoft.

China

China follows closely with about 406 billionaires, thanks to its booming tech and manufacturing sectors. Some of its billionaires are:

Zhong Shanshan ($52 billion) – He is the founder of Nongfu Spring, China’s largest bottled water company, with a fortune made through consumer goods.

Ma Huateng (Pony Ma) ($47.4 billion) – He is the founder of Tencent, the social media and gaming giant, which has contributed significantly to his wealth.

Jack Ma ($25.8 billion) – Co-founder of Alibaba, China’s leading e-commerce platform, Jack Ma is a popular name among Chinese billionaires.

India

India has seen rapid growth in its billionaire count which stands at 200, driven by industries such as technology, consumer goods, and pharmaceuticals. Here are some of its billionaires:

Mukesh Ambani ($107.7 billion) – He is the chairman of Reliance Industries and his wealth spans energy, telecom, and retail.

Gautam Adani ($80.4 billion) – He is known for his conglomerate Adani Group, and his wealth comes from infrastructure, energy, and ports.

Shiv Nadar ($41 billion) – Founder of HCL Technologies, Nadar is among the tech billionaires pushing India’s economy forward.

Germany

Germany’s billionaire wealth is strongly rooted in manufacturing and technology, with some billionaires maintaining family-held businesses. The country has approximately 132 billionaires. Some of their billionaires are:

Beate Heister & Karl Albrecht Jr. ($25.9 billion) – Heirs of the Aldi supermarket chain, the Albrecht family has long been part of Germany’s wealth.

Dieter Schwarz ($37 billion) – Owner of Lidl and Kaufland, Schwarz is a major player in European grocery retail.

Susanne Klatten ($22.3 billion) – She is a key shareholder in BMW and an heir to the pharmaceutical company Altana.

Russia

Russia’s billionaires are primarily concentrated in energy, metals, and mining industries, with wealth tied closely to natural resources. The country boasts of 120 billionaires.

Vladimir Potanin ($23.7 billion) – A leading shareholder in Norilsk Nickel, Potanin’s wealth is deeply rooted in mining and metals.

Leonid Mikhelson ($27.4 billion) – He is the CEO of Novatek and one of Russia’s wealthiest, thanks to his investments in natural gas.

Alexey Mordashov ($25.5 billion) – He is the owner of Severstal and his wealth is based on steel and energy.

Italy

Italy’s billionaires are often tied to fashion, infrastructure, and manufacturing. The country currently has 73 billionaires, and some of the popular ones include:

Giovanni Ferrero (43.8 billion)– Chairman of Ferrero Group, known for Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, his wealth is rooted in the confectionery business.

Leonardo Del Vecchio ($25 billion) – Founder of Luxottica, the world’s largest eyewear company, Del Vecchio has long been a staple of Italian wealth.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is home to 67 billionaires with businesses spanning across real estate, finance, and technology. Some of its billionaires are:

Li Ka-shing ($36.8 billion) – Known as “Superman” in Hong Kong, his wealth stems from infrastructure, real estate, and telecommunications.

Lee Shau Kee ($29.3 billion) – Founder of Henderson Land Development, Lee is a major figure in Hong Kong’s real estate scene.

Henry Cheng ($28.9 billion) – Chairman of New World Development, Cheng’s fortune is rooted in real estate and infrastructure.

Canada

Canada’s 67 billionaires are primarily involved in media, e-commerce, and real estate. Here are some:

David Thomson & family ($61.3 billion) – Owners of Thomson Reuters, the Thomson family are leaders in media and information services.

Joseph Tsai ($9.7 billion) – He is the co-founder of Alibaba and owner of the Brooklyn Nets. Tsai represents Canadian investments in tech and sports.

Jim Pattison ($9.3 billion) – His conglomerate, the Jim Pattison Group, spans grocery, media, and automotive services.

United Kingdom

The UK’s billionaire population of 55 comes from various sectors, including finance, real estate, and retail. Some of the popular ones include:

James Ratcliffe ($16.5 billion) – Founder of chemical giant Ineos, Ratcliffe is among the wealthiest in the UK.

Hugh Grosvenor ($12.8 billion)– Known as the Duke of Westminster, Grosvenor’s wealth comes from extensive real estate holdings.

Sir Richard Branson ($6.5 billion) – Founder of the Virgin Group, Branson’s wealth spans industries from music to travel.

France

France’s billionaire population is largely in luxury goods, a sector in which it leads globally. France has 53 billionaires, and some of them are:

Bernard Arnault ($177.9 billion) – Chairman of LVMH, Arnault is often among the world’s wealthiest due to luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Sephora.

Francoise Bettencourt Meyers ($87.2 billion)– Heir to the L’Oréal empire, she is among the wealthiest women globally.

Francois Pinault ($20.9 billion)– Founder of Kering, which owns luxury brands like Gucci and Saint Laurent, Pinault’s fortune is rooted in high-end fashion.

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

9 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

9 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

9 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”