Currently, Nathan Kirsh, who began the year with $9.1 billion, now boasts a net worth of $20 billion according to Forbes’ real-time index, making him the third billionaire in Africa to reach that milestone.
Kirsh’s ascent comes after months of Africa’s richest individuals recording incredible fiscal performances that saw some of the world’s most incredible net worth surges.
Nigerian billionaire Abdulsamad Rabiu and South Africa’s Johann Rupert highlight this point as both men came $300 million shy of the mark.
While Rupert eventually crossed the $20 billion mark per the Bloomberg billionaire index, Mr. Rabiu, who at some point during the year boasted a fortune of $19.7 billion, fell below $15 billion in June.
The net worth spike follows one of Kirsh’s most daring business decisions of the year.
Nathan Kirsh’s brilliant play
Earlier this year in March, the Swazi billionaire decided to sell one of his main businesses, Restaurant Depot LLC, for an estimated $29 billion.
Sysco Corp., a major United States food distributor, occupied a central position in this transaction.
Kirsh amassed wealth by revolutionizing wholesale food distribution.
In 1976, he established Jetro Cash & Carry, which later became Restaurant Depot.
The company pioneered the cash-and-carry warehouse idea, allowing small restaurants, caterers, and other businesses to purchase items directly from distribution centers rather than traditional wholesalers.
Restaurant Depot has grown into one of the largest food-service suppliers in the United States, with 166 locations in 35 states and an annual revenue of around $16 billion.
Kirsh’s net worth has skyrocketed as a result of the planned sale, making him one of Africa’s wealthiest people in 2026.
