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, 2001 Nobel Prize winner Kofi Annan, 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 Christina Shusho, Burna Boy, WizKid, Davido, Miriam Makeba, Yemi Alade, Tiwa Savage and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
Most famous and influential African personalities
43 years old
Kenyan rapper and drummer who sings in English, Kikuyu, and Kiswahili while blending salsa, taarab, rap, kwaito, and afro-rock, among others
Died aged 95
Kenyan historian, author, member of the East African Community (EAC) Legislative Assembly, and academic
43 years old
Kenyan musician and entrepreneur who founded Kenyan tour company Akothee Safaris
38 years old
Popular Nigerian Nollywood actress and film producer who has over 7 million followers on Instagram
45 years old
Cameroonian retired football player (Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid) & president of the Cameroonian Football Federation
39 years old
Kenyan Actress and influencer who is popular on social media and actress on TV show Papa Shirandula as Awinja
47 years old
Kenyan genge rapper and co-founder of Kenyan record label Calif Records who sings in Swahili and Sheng
Died aged 53
Kenyan author, doctor, and activist who wrote the novels The River and the Source, I Swear by Apollo, Mandate of the People
40 years old
Kenyan-Norwegian singer and rapper who represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 with the song Haba Haba
Died aged 55
Kenyan author, journalist, TV personality famous as the writer of the Swahili novel Siku Njema (1996)
Famous people from Africa
Famous Nigerian authors Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, as well as Kenyan novelist Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o are also among the most famous African celebrities and legends.
There are other countless influential personalities from Africa. Most famous people from Africa have excelled in politics, sports, business, entertainment and history. In addition, 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.
