Forbes has unveiled its 2024 compilation of the most influential, impactful, and affluent Black Americans, with three Nigerians—Wemimo Abbey, Tope Awotona, and Adebayo Ogunlesi—earning prominent spots on the prestigious list.
Wemimo Abbey: Revolutionizing Credit Accessibility
At 32, Wemimo Abbey stands out as the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Esusu, a fintech firm based in New York. Esusu empowers renters by enabling them to improve their credit scores through the reporting of rental payments to credit bureaus.
Advertisement
To order your copy, send a WhatsApp message to +1 317 665 2180
Forbes revealed that Esusu’s services are now available in over 20,000 properties across the U.S., positively impacting approximately 1.8 million users. In early 2022, Esusu secured $130 million in funding, achieving a $1 billion valuation.
Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Abbey’s journey to success is rooted in resilience. His mother reportedly sold her wedding ring to support his travel and education in the United States. Before launching Esusu, Abbey honed his skills as a mergers and acquisitions consultant at PwC and co-founded a nonprofit and a data analytics startup.
Tope Awotona: Transforming Scheduling Solutions
Tope Awotona, 43, is celebrated as the Founder and CEO of Calendly, a widely-used scheduling software valued at $3 billion in 2021.
Awotona, originally from Lagos, Nigeria, relocated to Atlanta at the age of 15. While initially studying computer science at the University of Georgia, he later switched to business and management information. After working as a tech sales executive and enduring multiple failed startup ventures, Awotona invested his retirement savings in 2013 to establish Calendly, driven by frustration with the complexities of scheduling meetings.
His perseverance paid off when he secured $350 million in funding in 2021 to expand the business. Today, Awotona boasts a net worth of $1.4 billion.
Adebayo Ogunlesi: A Giant in Infrastructure Investment
At 70, Adebayo Ogunlesi is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a private equity firm headquartered in New York.
In a significant development this October, GIP was acquired by BlackRock for $12.5 billion in cash and shares, with Ogunlesi retaining his position as Chairman and CEO. With degrees from Oxford, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Business School, Ogunlesi’s illustrious career includes clerking for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and serving as an attorney at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Before co-founding GIP in 2006, he spent over two decades as an investment banker at Credit Suisse. His estimated net worth stands at $1.7 billion.
Other Notable Names
The Forbes list also features renowned personalities like Dr. Dre, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Gary Linnen, showcasing a diverse array of talent and influence.
These Nigerian trailblazers exemplify excellence and determination, marking their indelible impact on the global stage.
