Table of Contents
Key Points
- Naguib Sawiris’ net worth surged to $8.98 billion this year, driven by gains in private holdings across telecom, mining, and real estate.
- In July, Sawiris invested $100 million in Morocco’s BluEV to accelerate the shift to electric two- and three-wheelers in North Africa.
- Sawiris is developing major projects in Iraq and the UAE, including a 120,000-home smart city and a 4.8 million sqm coastal community.
Billionaire businessman Naguib Sawiris, Egypt’s second-richest individual, has added more than $2 billion to his net worth since the beginning of the year, fueled by the rising value of his private investments across telecommunications, mining, technology, and real estate.
Naguib Sawiris’ net worth nears $9 billion
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which tracks the wealth of the world’s 500 richest people, Sawiris’ fortune has grown from $6.88 billion on Jan. 1 to nearly $9 billion ($8.98 billion) as of early August.
The $2.09 billion gain places him firmly among Africa’s top ten wealthiest individuals. This sharp rise in his fortune builds on an earlier $400 million increase recorded in 2024, when his wealth climbed from $6.48 billion to $6.88 billion. The consistent gains are largely tied to the performance of his private holdings, which continue to grow in value across multiple sectors.
Backing greener transport future
Naguib Sawiris has long been a familiar name in global business circles. In 2010, he made headlines by selling key telecommunications assets—including Italy’s Wind Telecomunicazioni and 51 percent of Egypt’s Orascom Telecom Holding—for $1.5 billion and a 20 percent stake in Vimpelcom.
That deal alone brought in $300 million, and by 2012 he had raised more than $4 billion through additional share sales. These early moves laid the groundwork for the diversified portfolio he now manages.
A large share of his current wealth—$7.45 billion —is held in private companies, especially in sectors where he has been actively investing in recent years. In July 2025, Sawiris expanded his reach into North Africa’s green energy space with a $100 million investment in BluEV, a Moroccan company focused on electric mobility. The firm, a subsidiary of Orascom Investment Holding, is working to phase out petrol-powered motorbikes in favor of electric two- and three-wheelers, supporting the push for cleaner, more affordable urban transportation.
Naguib Sawiris backs bold urban visions
Sawiris’ interests aren’t limited to clean energy. Sawiris is also pursuing large-scale real estate projects, including the Al-Wardi City development near Baghdad. Awarded to his property firm ORA Developers by Iraq’s Ministry of Construction, Housing, and Public Municipalities, the project will deliver 120,000 homes along with parks, modern infrastructure, and smart technologies designed with sustainability in mind.
That development comes shortly after Ora launched another ambitious project: Bayn, a new coastal city between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Covering 4.8 million square meters, Bayn is designed to offer both city vibrancy and waterfront serenity. With 1.2 kilometers of beachfront along the Arabian Gulf and more than seven kilometers of residential shoreline, it’s one of the most expansive master-planned communities in the UAE.
Together, these recent moves reflect a businessman still actively building—not just wealth, but long-term investments that span continents and industries. While his brother Nassef Sawiris remains Egypt’s richest person, Naguib is steadily narrowing the gap—quietly reinforcing his place among Africa’s most influential investors.
