Dangote vs Li Ka-shing

Dangote Industries (Dangote Group) and CK Hutchison Holdings.

The differences

Forbes puts Aliko Dangote about $2.4B ahead of Li Ka-shing.Forbes figures from 15 Oct 2026 and 9 Oct 2026.
Both started the company their money comes from.
Li Ka-shing is about 29 years older than Aliko Dangote.
Aliko Dangote is from Nigeria; Li Ka-shing is from Hong Kong.
Aliko Dangote has held a public or government advisory role; Li Ka-shing has none on record.

Put someone else on either side

Dangote

Li Ka-shing

Net worth, Forbes: $51.1BForbes, 15 Oct 2026; $48.7BForbes, 9 Oct 2026
Net worth, Bloomberg: $35.7BBloomberg, 17 Oct 2026; $46.2BBloomberg, 12 Oct 2026
Forbes rank: No. 35Real-Time list, 9 Oct 2026; No. 38Real-Time list, 9 Oct 2026
Billionaire since: 2008Forbes: he first appeared on its World's Billionaires list in 2008; 1987On Forbes' original 1987 international billionaires list, and on every list since

How it started: Founded itBegan trading rice, sugar and cement in 1978 with a loan from his uncle; Bloomberg says he formed the corporation that became Dangote Group in 1981; Founded itStarted Cheung Kong Industries, a plastics maker, in 1950 at 21 with savings and loans from relatives; moved into property in 1960, listed Cheung Kong Holdings in 1972 and took control of Hutchison Whampoa in 1979
Main source: Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Dangote CementBloomberg's largest items: the refinery ($18.6 billion), Dangote Cement ($11.7 billion) and a fertiliser plant ($3.02 billion); CK Hutchison and CK Asset stockBloomberg also names Cenovus Energy among the stakes that make up most of his wealth
Companies: Dangote Industries (Dangote Group), Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Dangote CementDangote Industries (Dangote Group): Founder, president and chief executive; Dangote Petroleum Refinery: Chairman; Dangote Cement: Chairman of the board; CK Hutchison Holdings, CK Asset HoldingsCK Hutchison Holdings: Senior advisor; CK Asset Holdings: Senior advisor
Biggest stake: Dangote Petroleum Refinery92.3% owned; CK Asset Holdings38% owned

Born: 10 Apr 1957Kano, Nigeria; 13 Jun 1928Chaozhou, Guangdong, China
Country: NigeriaLives in Lagos, Nigeria; Hong KongLives in Hong Kong
Education: Bachelor's degreeBusiness degree, Al-Azhar University, Cairo; No universityLeft high school; no university education
Parents: Son of Mariya Sanusi Dantata and Mohammed Dangote; his father died when he was eight and he was raised by his maternal grandfather, a commodities and building-materials trader. His great-grandfather was one of West Africa's richest men; Born into a poor family that fled to Hong Kong in 1940; his father had been a primary-school principal

Giving Pledge: Not a signer; Not a signer
Foundation: Aliko Dangote FoundationHis private charitable foundation, incorporated in 1994 as Dangote Foundation; Li Ka Shing FoundationThe foundation says he has put in over HK$30 billion since 1980
Lifetime giving: Not stated; $3.8BForbes, 10 Mar 2026. Forbes: the Li Ka Shing Foundation 'has donated more than $3.8 billion', over 80% to Greater China

Role now: Runs the companyPresident and chief executive of Dangote Group; chairman of Dangote Cement and Dangote Petroleum Refinery; RetiredSenior advisor to CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings
Successor: No single successor named; Bloomberg says his succession plan includes his three daughters, Halima, Fatima and Mariya, all group executive directors at Dangote Industries; His elder son Victor Li succeeded him as chairman of CK Hutchison in May 2018 and also chairs CK Asset
Public office: Chairman, Nigeria End Malaria Council2022-; None found
Legal record: None found; None found