African Entrepreneurs on TIME100: A New Era of Global Influence

From technology and finance to fashion and philanthropy, African entrepreneurs are increasingly appearing on TIME100 and other global influence lists. This EC feature explores who made the lists, why they matter, and what their rise signals for Africa’s place in global leadership.

When TIME magazine releases its annual list of the world’s most influential people, it does more than celebrate individual achievement. It signals where global power, innovation, culture, and leadership are shifting. In recent years, one shift has become impossible to ignore: African entrepreneurs are no longer operating at the margins of global influence, they are entering its center.

From fintech disruptors and media moguls to fashion visionaries and industrial leaders, African entrepreneurs have begun to appear consistently on TIME100 and similar global lists curated by Forbes, Bloomberg, and Fortune. Their inclusion is not symbolic. It is strategic recognition of Africa’s growing relevance in the global economy. This moment matters not just for the individuals honored, but for an entire continent redefining how it is seen, valued, and engaged.

From Invisible to Influential: A Long-Overdue Recognition

For much of modern history, Africa’s business leaders operated without global visibility. Their companies served millions, sometimes tens of millions, yet international media narratives focused elsewhere. Innovation was framed as Western. Capital as Northern. Influence as external. That framework has collapsed.

Africa’s entrepreneurs are now building companies that power payments across continents, redefine fashion runways, dominate streaming charts, reshape healthcare access, and mobilize capital at unprecedented scale. Global platforms have had no choice but to take notice. The presence of African entrepreneurs on TIME100 lists is not a favor. It is a correction.

Notable African Entrepreneurs Who Have Made Global Influence Lists

While the TIME100 list changes yearly, several African entrepreneurs and business leaders have stood out across recent editions and adjacent global influence rankings.

Aliko Dangote — Industry, Infrastructure, and Economic Power

Africa’s richest man is more than a billionaire industrialist. Dangote’s inclusion on global influence lists reflects his outsized impact on cement, manufacturing, fertilizer, and now oil refining – sectors that directly shape national economies.

His $19 billion refinery project alone has altered conversations around energy independence and industrialization in Africa. Dangote represents a form of influence rooted in scale, patience, and infrastructure – a reminder that power does not always wear a tech hoodie.

Strive Masiyiwa — Technology, Philanthropy, and Policy Influence

Founder of Econet and a leading voice in African telecoms, Masiyiwa’s influence extends beyond business. His presence on global lists reflects his role in shaping digital connectivity across Africa, advising global institutions, and mobilizing capital for education and health initiatives.

Masiyiwa’s story underscores a critical shift: African entrepreneurs are now influencing policy conversations, not just market outcomes.

Mo Abudu — Media, Culture, and Soft Power

As the founder of EbonyLife Media, Mo Abudu’s recognition on global influence lists reflects Africa’s growing soft power. Through film, television, and streaming partnerships, she has positioned African stories as global content – not niche exports.

Her influence lies in narrative control. In deciding how Africa is portrayed, who tells the stories, and how culture travels, Abudu operates at the intersection of entrepreneurship and global perception.

Adebayo Ogunlesi — Global Finance and Infrastructure

Chairman of Global Infrastructure Partners, Ogunlesi’s inclusion on influence lists reflects his role in managing tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure investments worldwide. His leadership spans airports, energy, and transportation – sectors fundamental to global commerce. Though his work is global, his presence challenges assumptions about where financial power originates.

Temasek-Backed & Fintech Founders Rising into Global Visibility

In recent years, founders of African fintech companies from payments to digital banking have begun appearing on global watchlists tied to influence. While not all have made TIME100 yet, their proximity signals what’s coming. As African fintech platforms scale across borders, their founders are transitioning from regional disruptors to global decision-makers.

Why Making the TIME100 List Is a Strategic Signal

Global influence lists are not popularity contests. They are signals to investors, policymakers, institutions, and markets. When African entrepreneurs appear on these lists, several things happen simultaneously: Capital flows become easier. Partnership conversations expand. Policy access increases. Media narratives shift. Young entrepreneurs gain role models. In short, recognition changes leverage. For Africa, this visibility translates into credibility – the currency that unlocks global collaboration.

What This Means for African Entrepreneurship

The rise of African entrepreneurs on global influence lists reflects deeper structural change: Africa is no longer just a growth market. It is a leadership market.

Entrepreneurs are no longer building only for local survival, they are building systems that scale globally. They are solving problems at population level. They are creating intellectual property, infrastructure, and platforms that shape how the world functions. This recognition validates years of underreported work and signals that African entrepreneurship is entering a new phase – one defined by global relevance, not local exception.

The Responsibility That Comes With Influence

Visibility brings responsibility. As African entrepreneurs gain global platforms, expectations rise. The world will watch not only their success, but their governance, ethics, inclusion, and long-term impact. Representation alone is not enough. Sustained excellence is required. Those who make global lists become ambassadors – willingly or not for the continent’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Their decisions ripple far beyond their companies.

Entrepreneurs Cirque Final Thought

African entrepreneurs appearing on TIME100 and similar global influence lists mark a turning point in global leadership narratives. These recognitions are not about validation from the West – they are acknowledgments of undeniable impact.

Africa’s entrepreneurs are no longer asking for a seat at the table. They are building the table. And as global influence continues to shift, one thing is clear: the next generation of world-defining entrepreneurs will increasingly come from Africa – not as exceptions, but as leaders.