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Egypt has produced many wealthy families. Few have built anything quite like the Sawiris brothers.
Nassef, Naguib and Samih, three sons of the late construction magnate Onsi Sawiris, together command a fortune of roughly $16.6 billion, according to the 2026 Forbes ranking of Africa's richest individuals. All three sit in the continent's top 25. As a family unit, they are arguably Africa's most diversified business dynasty.
It started with their father. Onsi Sawiris founded Egypt's Orascom Group in 1950, building it from a modest construction outfit into a sprawling conglomerate covering telecoms, tourism and technology. In the late 1990s, he divided the empire among his sons. Each took a lane and ran.
Nassef Sawiris: The youngest, now the richest
Nassef Sawiris, 64, is the youngest brother but sits at the top of the wealth table with a net worth of $9.6 billion, making him Egypt's richest person and Africa's fifth wealthiest individual. He runs Orascom Construction PLC and OCI Global, one of the world's largest nitrogen fertilizer producers with major plants in Texas and Iowa. In January 2026, shareholders approved a merger of the two businesses, reuniting his industrial assets under one roof listed in Abu Dhabi.
His portfolio reaches well beyond fertilizer. Nassef holds a nearly 6% stake in Adidas and was appointed the sportswear giant's incoming chairman in March 2026. He co-owns English Premier League club Aston Villa and holds a stake in Madison Square Garden Sports, the company behind the NBA's New York Knicks and NHL's New York Rangers.
Naguib Sawiris: The dealmaker
The eldest brother, Naguib, 71, built and sold one of Africa and the Middle East's largest mobile operators. He grew Orascom Telecom into a network spanning North Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and even North Korea before selling it to Russia's VimpelCom in a landmark transaction. His net worth currently stands at $5.6 billion.
Today, Naguib manages a diversified portfolio through Orascom Investment Holding, with interests in mining, media and agribusiness. He holds gold assets through La Mancha Resources, including stakes in Endeavor Mining and Evolution Mining, and controls a 12.5% stake in Swiss football club FC Luzern.
Samih Sawiris: The resort builder
Samih Sawiris, 69, took the least conventional path. He bet on tourism and lost none of the ambition. His flagship project, El Gouna, a purpose-built resort city on Egypt's Red Sea coast north of Hurghada, became one of the country's premier destinations and a global model for integrated resort development. His Orascom Development Holding has since replicated the concept in Switzerland, Oman and Montenegro.
Samih stepped back from day-to-day leadership in December 2021, handing the chief executive role to his son. His net worth is estimated at $1.4 billion.
Together, the three brothers reflect the arc of an empire built across generations. Their father started with roads and waterways. His sons now own fertilizer plants, football clubs and mountain resorts on three continents.
