SMACIN GRACEFULL TEAM The most influential people who control the levers of power (1-10) The top 10 people who control the levers of power across politics, business and the arts: from billionaire barons to unpredictable peacemakers and soft-power superstars. ADVERTISEMENT 1 – Aliko Dangote Money talks Nigeria He’s the richest black man in the world and Africa’s richest man, with an estimated wealth of $10.3bn. Within Nigeria, Senator Ben-Murray Bruce called him “more influential and powerful than (President Muhammadu) Buhari”. The billionaire’s latest project is a $10.5bn oil refinery that will be Africa’s largest, so Dangote will not be sitting on the sidelines when it comes to oil-­sector reform debates there. ADVERTISEMENT He is investing in the continent’s manufacturing and agribusiness capacity, and plans to launch the long-awaited London IPO