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
41 years old
34 years old
Nigerian singer, songwriter, actress, winner of 3rd season of Project Fame West Africa; made a transition from secular to gospel music
65 years old
Beninese-French singer, songwriter, actress, activist famous for the African single hit song Agolo
43 years old
Tanzanian Bongo flava musician whose famous hits include Uko Wapi (2003), Nawewe Milele, Niwe Nawe, Mahaba Ya Dhati
52 years old
Nigerian actor, film director and politician who has starred in many Nollywood films such as Yahoo Millionaire (2007)
48 years old
Nigerian filmmaker, actress (real name Olufunke Ayotunde Akindele) also known as Jenifa
Died aged 78
Dictator & 3rd president of Uganda from the military coup of 1971 (overthrow of Milton Obote) to his overthrow in 1979 by Yusuf Kironde Lule
Died aged 63
Died aged 93
50 years old
Nigerian actress & winner of the 2012 Africa Movie Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role
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.
