Top 5 wealthy entrepreneurs in Ghana

With every passing year, new millionaires and billionaires emerge in Africa, and Ghana is no exception.

With a touted business-friendly environment and poised investment destination in Ghana, there still remains a group of individuals who have earned their net worth through various means such as investment on the stock exchange, diversification of businesses, capital injections, and foreign direct investment, among others.

In this article, GhanaWeb Business takes a look at some notable wealthy entrepreneurs who have earned their right to be called millionaires or billionaires. The following list is in no particular order.

Osei Kwame Despite (Despite Group)

Dr Osei Kwame Despite is the founder of the Despite Group of Companies. He runs the operations of the companies with his partner, Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong, who both own a chain of businesses in the country spanning real estate, finance, food and beverages.

Osei Kwame Despite and his partner also own the biggest media group in the country: the Despite Media Group. They are reported to also become the front runners to partner the government in its bid to establish a home-based national airline carrier.

Ibrahim Mahama

Ibrahim Mahama is one of the wealthiest men in Ghana with an estimated net worth of over US$860 million. He owns a company focused on mining, construction and civil works, heavy-duty equipment and consulting services known as Engineers and Planners.

The wealthy businessman is known to have made various investments across key sectors of the Ghanaian economy and abroad.

He is an ardent philanthropist who supports many people and has helped champion development across society.

Ibrahim Mahama is the younger brother of the former president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama.

Sir Sam Jonah

Sir Sam Jonah is a renowned business executive and entrepreneur with a reported net worth of US$1.2 billion. He is a former Chief Executive Officer of the Ashanti Goldfields, a mining company that deals in natural resources.

Sir Sam Jonah is also the Executive Chairman of Jonah Capital Equity Fund, which owns about 14 mineral resource assets across 10 countries in Africa.

He has served on several boards both in Ghana and abroad and is currently the Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast.

Patricia Poku Diaby

Patricia Poku Diaby is considered one of the wealthiest women in Ghana. She runs several businesses in the country, focused on trading and transportation.

Patricia Poku is the founder and owner of Plot Enterprise Group with branches in Ivory Coast and Ghana. The indigenous company focuses on cocoa processing and exporting cocoa products to the US, UK, Asia, Europe Australia and the Middle East.

Gifty Akushika Lamptey

Reverend Gifty Lamptey, according to a report shared by the Center for Economic and Leadership Development, is a businesswoman and a philanthropist.

She is the CEO of Sidalco Group of Companies, the mother company of other successful subsidiaries including Dominion International Petroleum Ltd, Sidalco Construction and Roads Ltd, DEL Estates and Empire Concretes Ltd.

She is also a Bulk Oil Trader who privately owns 45,000 metric tonnes of fully-automated storage and loading gantry in the heavy industrial area of Tema, on a 16.7-acre land.

Gifty Lamptey also took great initiative to venture into the concrete batch plant business with Empire Concretes, where clients receive the benefit of the full spectrum of the company’s combined experience and expertise in the industry, satisfying and supporting the growing building and construction industry with supreme quality ready-mix concrete.