Three Nigerians making waves in the United States have been named among Forbes’ 2024 list of the most powerful, impactful, and wealthiest Black Americans. The honorees, Wemimo Abbey, Tope Awotona, and Adebayo Ogunlesi, have achieved remarkable success in finance, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Wemimo Abbey: Revolutionizing Rent Credit
At just 32 years old, Wemimo Abbey, co-founder and co-CEO of Esusu, has transformed the rental market with his fintech startup. Based in New York, Esusu helps renters build credit histories by reporting rent payments to credit bureaus.
Forbes reports that Esusu’s services are utilized by over 20,000 properties, impacting the credit records of approximately 1.8 million Americans. In 2022, the company raised $130 million in funding, achieving a $1 billion valuation.
Abbey’s journey from Lagos to success in the U.S. is inspiring. His mother sold her wedding ring to support his education and travel to America. Before Esusu, Abbey worked as a mergers and acquisitions consultant at PwC and founded a nonprofit and a data analytics firm.
Tope Awotona: From Lagos to Scheduling Solutions
Tope Awotona, 43, is the founder and CEO of Calendly, a scheduling software startup valued at $3 billion by private investors in 2021. Born in Lagos, Awotona moved to Atlanta at age 15 and later studied business and management information at the University of Georgia.
Frustrated by the inefficiency of scheduling meetings via email, Awotona founded Calendly in 2013, using his retirement savings to bootstrap the company. After years of steady growth, he raised $350 million in 2021 to scale the business further. Awotona is now worth an estimated $1.4 billion.
Adebayo Ogunlesi: The Infrastructure Visionary
Adebayo Ogunlesi, 70, is celebrated as the chairman and co-founder of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a private equity firm specializing in infrastructure investments. In October 2024, GIP was acquired by BlackRock for $12.5 billion, with Ogunlesi retaining his role as chairman and CEO.
Ogunlesi, who holds degrees from Oxford and Harvard, has a storied career. He clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and practiced law before transitioning to investment banking at Credit Suisse. Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.7 billion.
The Nigerians join a list of influential Black Americans that includes cultural icons such as Dr. Dre, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, LeBron James, and Michael Jordan. Their achievements highlight the global impact of African talent and innovation in diverse fields.
These three trailblazers continue to inspire, breaking barriers and redefining success on an international stage.
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