Source: TV Rage

There are only a handful of billionaires on the planet—1,226 to be exact—and an even smaller number are black. Forbes recently put together it’s annual billionaires list, and only six of those listed are black—and only one is American. We bet you know who that is.

Check out the six black billionaires who run the world and how their businesses took them to the top of the money tree.

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

By B. Hutson

Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s first billionaire and owner of Africa’s largest cement company, the Dangote Group, recently pledged $2 million to create a fellowship program that will groom Africa’s future leaders.

Details about the fellowship are currently limited, but during a press conference at the World Economic Forum on Africa earlier this month, Dangote promised that 35 young Africans will receive a fellowship from the Dangote Foundation. The objective of the fellowship is to increase the participation of young Africans, particularly those in the non-business sector, in the Young Global Leaders (YGL) community program, which is administered by the World Economic Forum, reports Forbes. According to Dangote, the fellowship will initially run for five years. Beneficiaries of the fellowship will go through intense leadership training at highly ranked international institutions.

Dangote’s fellowship is great news as Africa continues to make strides in amassing more leaders in business and entrepreneurship, which will ultimately strengthen the continent’s economy.

Business in Africa has been booming and the movement is being led by a new league of African businessmen. These men are building pan-African companies with regional and global presences. They are considered some of Africa’s most esteemed voices in the business and political spheres. Ultimately, they are helping to shape the economic future of the continent. Here are 10 of those bold and fearless leaders according to a recent list compiled by Forbes:

Cyril Ramaphosa

Chairman, Shanduka Group, MTN

Ramaphosa is considered one of South Africa’s most respected business and political figures. He is the founder and executive chairman of the Shanduka Group, a black owned and managed investment group with investments in resources, financial services, property, energy and beverages. Recently, his company acquired the South African operations of McDonalds.

Ramaphosa is committed to South Africa’s development in the areas of education and enterprise development. The Shanduka Foundation focuses on these areas through the initiatives of the Adopt a School program and the Shanduka Black Umbrellas.