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Forbes Africa has named Burna Boy among 15 personalities whose ideas, innovations and voices have made a lasting impact on the continent.
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The Nigerian Grammy winner joins Aliko Dangote, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mo Abudu in the magazine’s special 15th-anniversary “The Icons” selection.
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The honours cut across business, public service, music, literature, film and sports, with Didier Drogba, Lupita Nyong’o, Trevor Noah and Angélique Kidjo also featured.
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The selection, published in Forbes Africa’s October/November 2026 edition, is not a ranking but a celebration of personalities who have helped shape Africa’s global image and influence.
October 12, (THEWILL) – Grammy-winning Nigerian music star, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has been named among 15 influential African personalities celebrated by Forbes Africa as the publication marks its 15th anniversary.
Burna Boy appears alongside three other prominent Nigerians — billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and media entrepreneur and founder of EbonyLife Group, Mo Abudu.
The recognition is contained in Forbes Africa’s October/November 2026 anniversary edition, released on October 9, under a special feature titled, “The Icons.”
Unlike a conventional ranking, the anniversary selection brings together 15 personalities from business, culture, public service, literature, entertainment and sports whose ideas, innovations and voices, have made a positive and lasting impact on Africa’s past, present and future.
Forbes Africa said the special edition was conceived as part of reflections on its 15 years of chronicling a continent it said had too often been reduced internationally to stories about aid and crises.
The publication said it had, since its establishment, sought to highlight entrepreneurs, business leaders, innovators and cultural figures whose work demonstrated Africa’s potential and changing position in the world.
Burna Boy, who is listed by his full name, Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, is identified in the anniversary feature as a Nigerian singer and songwriter.
His inclusion underscores the increasing international influence of Nigerian and African music and his own rise from the country’s music industry to become one of Africa’s most recognisable performers on the global stage.
The Port Harcourt-born singer broke into wider prominence following the release of “Like to Party” in 2012 before expanding his audience beyond Nigeria through a fusion of Afrobeats, dancehall, reggae, hip-hop and other influences.
His 2019 album, “African Giant,” became a major turning point in his international career and earned a nomination for Best World Music Album at the Grammy Awards.
Two years later, Burna Boy won the Grammy for Best Global Music Album with “Twice as Tall,” strengthening his position among the Nigerian artistes at the forefront of African music’s growing international reach.
His subsequent releases, international collaborations and performances at major venues have further expanded his global profile.
Reports on the Forbes Africa anniversary edition said his recognition reflects his contribution to projecting African music and culture to audiences outside the continent.
Nigeria has one of the strongest representations in the 15-member selection.
Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, is featured for his impact in business and industry, while Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former Finance Minister and current WTO Director-General, represents the continent’s growing influence in global economic affairs.
Abudu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife Group, is recognised among Africa’s leading media entrepreneurs and cultural figures.
The other personalities featured are South African businessman and Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe; Zimbabwean telecommunications entrepreneur Strive Masiyiwa; former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; and South African businessman and author Adrian Gore.
Also included are Nobel Prize-winning novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah; Ethiopian athletics legend Haile Gebrselassie; former Côte d’Ivoire football star Didier Drogba; South African billionaire Johann Rupert; Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o; South African comedian, writer and producer Trevor Noah; and multiple Grammy-winning Beninese singer Angélique Kidjo.
The spread of personalities across different professions reflects the anniversary edition’s broader attempt to capture Africa’s influence beyond politics and business, recognising achievements in entertainment, literature and sports as part of the continent’s expanding global footprint.
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Background
Forbes Africa was launched in 2011 as the African edition of the international business publication, with a focus on entrepreneurship, wealth creation, investment, innovation and personalities shaping the continent’s economies and societies.
Marking its 15th anniversary in 2026, the magazine said it was looking back at the individuals and businesses it had highlighted over the years while also considering those likely to influence Africa’s future.
In explaining the anniversary project, Forbes Africa said the 15 honourees were selected from business titans and socio-cultural changemakers whose ideas and voices had produced a lasting impact on the continent.
The October/November 2026 edition therefore does not present the personalities as competitors or rank Burna Boy against Dangote, Okonjo-Iweala or the other honourees. Instead, “The Icons” is an anniversary spotlight on 15 people drawn from different sectors.
Burna Boy’s recognition comes against the backdrop of the rapid international expansion of Nigerian music over the past decade, during which Afrobeats and related African sounds have gained wider audiences and increased representation on major international stages.
His appearance alongside some of Africa’s most prominent business leaders, statesmen, sports personalities, and cultural figures marks another recognition of the role music and popular culture now play in projecting Africa’s influence around the world.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
