Abdul Samad Rabiu Pockets Africa CEO Of The Year Award
Abdul Samad Rabiu, the forward-thinking entrepreneur and chairman of BUA Group, has been crowned “CEO of the Year” at the prestigious 2026 Africa CEO Forum.
Held on May 14, 2026, in Kigali, Rwanda, the high-profile summit brought together over 2,000 corporate executives and heads of state – including Presidents Paul Kagame and Bola Tinubu – to celebrate top business achievements.
Rabiu received the award in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and impactful track record across African industrial sectors. Since he founded BUA Group in 1988, it has grown into a market leader with massive investments spanning cement, sugar, flour, real estate, and energy.
This honour cements his status as a titan of African commerce. It closely follows a surge in his net worth to $15.8 billion, solidifying his position as the second-richest person on the continent after overtaking South Africa’s Johann Rupert.
