Three Nigerians have been recognized on Forbes’ 2024 list of the most powerful, impactful, and wealthiest Black Americans, showcasing their exceptional achievements in finance, technology, and entrepreneurship.
The honorees—Wemimo Abbey, Tope Awotona, and Adebayo Ogunlesi—have made significant contributions that exemplify the global influence of African talent.
Wemimo Abbey: Transforming Rent Credit
At just 32, Wemimo Abbey, co-founder and co-CEO of Esusu, has revolutionized the rental market with his fintech innovation. Based in New York, Esusu helps renters build credit by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus. Currently, Esusu impacts the credit records of approximately 1.8 million Americans, servicing over 20,000 properties. In 2022, the company secured $130 million in funding, achieving a valuation of $1 billion.
Abbey’s inspiring journey from Lagos to the U.S. includes a personal sacrifice by his mother, who sold her wedding ring to fund his education. Prior to Esusu, Abbey worked in mergers and acquisitions at PwC and founded a nonprofit and a data analytics firm.
Tope Awotona: Scheduling Innovator
Tope Awotona, 43, is the founder and CEO of Calendly, a scheduling software company valued at $3 billion in 2021. Born in Lagos, he moved to Atlanta at age 15 and later earned a degree in business and management information systems from the University of Georgia.
Frustrated by inefficient scheduling, Awotona used his retirement savings to launch Calendly in 2013. The platform gained traction, and by 2021, he had raised $350 million to scale the business. Awotona now has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion.
Adebayo Ogunlesi: Infrastructure Pioneer
Adebayo Ogunlesi, 70, is the chairman and co-founder of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a private equity firm focused on infrastructure investments. In October 2024, GIP was acquired by BlackRock for $12.5 billion, with Ogunlesi remaining as chairman and CEO.
A Harvard and Oxford graduate, Ogunlesi has an illustrious career that includes clerking for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and leading investment banking at Credit Suisse. Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.7 billion.
Inspiring Global Impact
The achievements of Abbey, Awotona, and Ogunlesi place them among an elite group of influential Black Americans, including cultural icons like Dr. Dre, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan. Their stories of innovation and perseverance highlight the transformative power of African talent on the global stage, inspiring others to break barriers and redefine success.
