None of Ghana's wealthiest entrepreneurs inherited their positions. They built them, from market stalls, carpentry workshops, cassette shops and university campuses. Below are the people who made the most of it.
The ranking
1
Born in Kumasi, Despite started by selling music cassettes and built UTV, Peace FM and Okay FM without formal business training, relying entirely on instinct and relentless reinvestment. The Despite Group is now the most powerful privately-owned media company in Ghana. Read full profile →
2
Known as Cheddar, the founder of Wonda World Estates has made himself one of the most visible real estate developers on the continent. His unapologetic ambition and high-profile persona have defined a new image of Ghanaian business success. Read full profile →
3
Starting from the family trading business after graduating from PRESEC, Sarpong built the Special Group from import trading into mineral water, real estate, finance and television. He co-founded UTV and Best Point Savings and Loans alongside longtime partner Osei Kwame Despite. Read full profile →
4
From carpenter in the Ashanti Region to founder of the Angel Group, the Adonko Bitters story is one of Ghana's most remarkable. He built a broadcasting empire of Angel TV and multiple Angel FM stations from almost nothing. Read full profile →
5
A Microsoft engineer who walked away from Silicon Valley to build Ashesi University in Ghana, a liberal arts institution designed to produce ethical leaders. It was a bet on education as the most consequential entrepreneurship possible. Read full profile →
6
Founder of Ernest Chemist, one of Ghana's most trusted pharmaceutical retail chains. He built a healthcare retail business that became a fixture of daily life for millions of Ghanaians, and was recognised with the Man of the Year award at the EMY Africa Awards in 2020. Read full profile →
7
The son of a man who could not fund his education beyond a technical certificate, Siaw Agyepong turned a book stall in Jamestown into the Jospong Group, sixty-plus companies and 250,000 jobs. One of the great entrepreneurial stories of modern Africa. Read full profile →
8
The Stanford graduate who founded the African Leadership University, ALX and African Leadership Academy to develop the next generation of African leaders. Time named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2019. Read full profile →
9
Founder of Soronko Solutions and Soronko Academy, the first coding school for children in West Africa. CNN named her one of 12 inspirational women in STEM globally, and her work has introduced thousands of young Ghanaians to technology. Read full profile →
10
Founder of UT Holdings and UT Bank, who pioneered an approach to lending that extended credit to Ghana's informal sector for the first time. He built UT from three employees into a full banking group before the 2017 banking sector cleanup. Read full profile →
How these figures are estimated
The net-worth figures above are estimates compiled from publicly available records and reputable reporting.
Celebrity finances are rarely disclosed in full, so treat every number as approximate. They shift as new endorsements, releases and business ventures come to light, and we update the data regularly.
Explore more
- The full Rich List, updated rankings across every category.
- Browse all profiles, the complete Agye Din database of Ghanaian personalities.
- All Ghanaian entrepreneur profiles