🌍 Big Win for Nigeria on the Global Stage

Two Nigerian-born entrepreneurs, Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi and Tope Awotona, have landed on the prestigious Forbes 2025 list of America’s Richest Immigrants — and their success stories are nothing short of inspiring. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

Out of 125 billionaires from 41 countries, these two Nigerians are flying the green-white-green flag high in the world of finance and technology.

💼 Meet the Billionaire Duo:

1. Adebayo Ogunlesi – $2.4 Billion

Ranked 77th, Ogunlesi made his fortune in private equity, particularly through his leadership at Global Infrastructure Partners, where he’s made high-stakes deals in aviation, energy, and infrastructure.

Fun fact: He once served as an advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump. But trust Nigerians — we’re not surprised. Bayo has always played in the big leagues.

2. Tope Awotona – $1.4 Billion

Coming in at 106th, Awotona is the founder of Calendly, the popular scheduling app used by millions across the globe. He built it from scratch — and did we mention it started as a side hustle?

Tope’s journey from Lagos to the heart of Silicon Valley shows that tech money no dey discriminate — just bring sense, code, and ambition.

🌟 The Bigger Picture: Immigrant Hustle is Real

According to Forbes, 93% of the immigrants on the list are self-made, building their wealth from scratch in industries like:

• Tech

• Finance

• Pharmaceuticals

• Energy drinks (yes, really)

From Elon Musk to Jay Chaudhry, immigrant billionaires now make up 14% of all U.S. billionaires, controlling 18% of total billionaire wealth.

🇿🇦 Africa Representing Strong

Aside from Nigeria, Africa is holding its own:

• Elon Musk (South Africa) – $393.1B

• Patrick Soon-Shiong (South Africa) – $5.6B

• Rodney Sacks (South Africa) – $3.6B

• Haim Saban (Egypt) – $3.1B

• Marc Lasry (Morocco) – $1.9B

• Bharat Desai (Kenya) – $1.6B

Together, these names prove that the immigrant mindset — built on resilience, hustle, and smart risk — continues to shape the U.S. economic story.

💰 Top 10 America’s Richest Immigrants (2025)

1. Elon Musk – $393.1B

2. Sergey Brin – $139.7B

3. Jensen Huang – $137.9B

4. Thomas Peterffy – $67.9B

5. Miriam Adelson & Family – $33.4B

6. Rupert Murdoch & Family – $24B

7. Peter Thiel – $21.8B

8. Jay Chaudhry – $17.9B

9. Jan Koum – $16.9B

10. John Tu – $14.1B

✨ Final Thoughts from Eyes of Lagos

As Lagosians, we love to see it: Naija no dey carry last, especially when it comes to global money moves. Ogunlesi and Awotona prove that with grit and grace, the world is our market.

Stay tuned to Eyes of Lagos for more inspiring, funny, and fresh stories from Naija to the world 🌍