Mike Adenuga

Nicknamed "the Guru" in his native Nigeria, Adenuga debuts on our billionaires' list after making waves with mobile technology. His telecoms carrier Globacom recently launched a 4G network, and he's invested $1 billion in a submarine cable connecting Nigeria to the rest of the world. He made his first million at age 26 selling lace and distributing Coca-Cola, then won a contract to build military barracks in the late 1980s. He owns a stake in the Equitorial Trust Bank and chairs Niger Delta oil exploration firm Conoil. Adenuga is a soccer devotee and sponsors a number of tournaments.