Three Nigerians have been recognized on Forbes’ 2024 list of the most powerful, influential, and wealthiest Black Americans.
The individuals, Wemimo Abbey, Tope Awotona, and Adebayo Ogunlesi, are all based in the United States and have made significant contributions in their respective industries.
Wemimo Abbey, 32, is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Esusu, a New York-based fintech company that helps renters build their credit histories by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus.
Forbes reports that over 20,000 properties offer Esusu’s services, and approximately 1.8 million Americans have benefited from the platform.
In 2022, Esusu raised $130 million in funding, achieving a $1 billion valuation. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, Abbey’s journey was marked by determination, with his mother selling her wedding ring to support his education and travel to the U.S.
Prior to founding Esusu, Abbey worked at PwC as a mergers and acquisitions consultant and co-founded a non-profit and a data analytics startup.
Tope Awotona, 43, is the Founder and CEO of Calendly, a scheduling software startup valued at $3 billion by private investors in 2021.
Born in Lagos, Awotona moved to Atlanta at age 15. He studied computer science before switching to business and management information at the University of Georgia.
After working as a salesperson for several tech firms and launching several unsuccessful startups, Awotona founded Calendly in 2013 using his 401(k) savings.
The frustration of scheduling meetings through multiple emails inspired him to create the software. By 2021, Calendly had raised $350 million, and Awotona’s net worth is now estimated at $1.4 billion.
Adebayo Ogunlesi, 70, is the Chairman and Co-founder of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a New York-based private equity firm.
In October 2024, BlackRock acquired GIP for $12.5 billion in cash and shares, with Ogunlesi retaining his role as chairman and CEO.
Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.7 billion. A graduate of Oxford University and Harvard Law School and Business School, Ogunlesi has had an illustrious career.
He clerked for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, worked at Cravath, Swaine & Moore as an attorney, and spent over two decades as an investment banker at Credit Suisse before co-founding GIP in 2006.
The Nigerians join other prominent names on the list, including Dr. Dre, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Gary Linnen, further cementing their impact on the global stage.
