Some of the most famous African personalities include Nelson Mandela who is famous as the South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and the country’s first black president, and Nigerian and Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote. Other famous people from Africa include Kenyan 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge, and sports legends Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
The continent has also produced famous actors and actresses who include Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Lesley-Ann Brandt, and The Mummy star, Arnold Vosloo. Other African legends include musicians Miriam Makeba, Yemi Alade,Tiwa Savage and Yvonne Chaka Chaka, award-winning authors Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, and religious leaders and activists.
Most famous and influential African personalities
Died aged 82
Died aged 95
59 years old
32 years old
Kenyan middle and long distance runner, 1500 metres world record holder for the and the mile, 3-time Olympic champion in the 1500 metres
54 years old
American-South African-Canadian businessman, world's richest man, founder of Tesla Motors, SpaceX and inventor
32 years old
Ethiopian athlete, long-distance runner, and 2-time World champion in the 5000 metres
Died aged 80
Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013, and Member of Parliament for Langata Constituency from 1992 to 2013
44 years old
South African-born American actress famous as Mazikeen on Lucifer, & Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Died aged 71
Kenyan environmentalist, author, first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize (in 2004), political activist & founder of the Green Belt Movement
36 years old
Nigerian singer who sings a mix of Afropop, dancehall, pop and R&B, & her hits include Johnny (2014), Africa ft Sauti Sol (2016)
Famous Legends from all the 5 Regions of the continent
There are other countless influential personalities from Africa. The most famous people from Africa have excelled in politics, sports, business, entertainment and history. Moreover, these celebrities from Africa span all the main regions of the continent.
These are North Africa, South Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and the six African Island nations of Madagascar, Mauritius, Cape Verde, Seychelles, Comoros, and Sao Tome and Principe.
