To be a successful entrepreneur in Africa, you must have raw courage, and blind perseverance to overcome mind-boggling bureaucracy and limited access to credit.  In spite of these challenges many Africans have tapped into their entrepreneurial spirit and have been rewarded with success beyond their wildest dreams.  Spanning every region of the continent, The Atlanta Post has compiled a diverse list of African visionaries who deserve to be profiled not only because of the size of their wallet, but also because of the phenomenal impact of their initiatives.  Here are seven men and women whose stories will inspire you not to give up.

Aliko Dangote

The Golden Boy

Even when he was a school boy, Aliko Dangote was eyeing the profit margin from the carton of sweets he was selling to his mates.  By the time he was 21 he had secured a loan from his uncle to start a company which trades in cement.  With strategic alliances and a sharp business acumen, he turned his company, the Dangote Group, into a commodities conglomerate operating in several African countries.  According to Forbes’ 2011 rich list, at age 53 Dangote is worth 13 billion dollars, making him the richest man in Nigeria, and the 51^st richest man in the world. dangote-group.com