Africa has 55 billionaires, far more than previously thought, Nigeria-basedVentures financial magazine says.They include three women - the mother of Kenya's president, a daughter ofAngola's president and a Nigerian oil tycoon and fashion designer.The richest man is Nigeria's Aliko Dangote, with a fortune of $20.2bn(£12.5bn), Ventures said.The list is likely to reignite debate about inequality between rich and poorpeople in Africa, correspondents say.In April, the World Bank said the number of people living in extreme poverty inAfrica had risen in the past three decades from 205 million to 414 million.'Conservative estimate'A report earlier this month by research group Afrobarometer suggested thateconomic growth in Africa was primarily benefiting a small elite.. This is the first time the respected Ventures magazine has published a list ofrich Africans, reports the BBC's Tomi Oladipo reports from Nigeria's main cityLagos.
By Strive Masiyiwa A few weeks ago I went to the doctor. I will tell you what he said about my health at the end, but first read this: Twenty years ago, I arranged to meet a well-known British international businessman who invested a lot in Africa at the time. We agreed to meet for dinner at a leading hotel in London. After a good meeting, we started to walk out of the restaurant when he suddenly collapsed in the lobby. There was total pandemonium as they rushed to get medical assistance. Being London, an ambulance arrived in minutes. I jumped in the back with him as paramedics wrestled to keep him alive. He had had a heart attack and had to have triple bypass heart surgery. Sadly he died a few weeks later. He hadn't been sick and his sudden death surprised everyone. And yet as I reflected on it, and later discussed it with a doctor friend who knew him, I realized he was very laid back about his health despite having a hectic business life. Even during our dinner...
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