Dangote Named Among TIME 100 Most Influential People For 2026 [Full List]

Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote Refinery, has been named among TIME Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2026.

This is his second time making the list, having first appeared in 2014, when Bill Gates wrote about him in a feature on the magazine’s website.

The annual list, released on Wednesday, highlights influential individuals across different fields such as business, politics, culture, religion, and entertainment.

This year’s list also features global figures like Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Mark Carney.

Others recognised include Pope Leo XIV, as well as top tech executives like Sundar Pichai and Neal Mohan.

Dangote is the only Nigerian on the list this year and appears in the “Titans and Innovators” category, which honours people making major impact in their industries.

Others in this category include Reid Wiseman, Michael Dell and Susan Dell, as well as Ralph Lauren.

Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings and UBA, praised Dangote in a tribute published by TIME.

He described him as hardworking, determined, and forward-thinking, calling him one of Africa’s most outstanding entrepreneurs.

Elumelu pointed to Dangote’s success across industries such as cement, sugar, and oil as proof that Africans can build strong businesses using local resources.

He also highlighted the launch of the Dangote Refinery, describing it as the largest in Nigeria and an important step toward industrial growth on the continent.

He added that Dangote’s achievements inspire many entrepreneurs and noted that despite his success, he remains humble and approachable.

According to Elumelu, both of them share a belief in developing Africa from within, with Dangote standing out for his commitment and long-term vision.

Meanwhile, Sam Jacobs explained that there is no single standard for determining influence on the TIME100 list.

He said the selections are based on the people shaping major global stories each year. Editors, reporters, and sources from around the world contribute recommendations for consideration.

Jacobs added that not everyone will recognise all the names on the list, but that diversity is part of what keeps the TIME100 relevant.

He also noted that the list continues to expand into areas shaping the future, including artificial intelligence, climate, health, philanthropy, and digital innovation.

Below is the list of 100 people on the list.

Artists

• Luke Combs (by Ed Sheeran)
• Jennie (by Gracie Abrams)
• Keke Palmer (by Brian Grazer)
• Noah Wyle (by LeVar Burton)
• Dakota Johnson (by Taylor Swift)
• Jafar Panahi (by Nazanin Boniadi)
• Claire Danes (by Jesse Eisenberg)
• Benicio Del Toro (by Paul Thomas Anderson)
• Jonathan Groff (by Sutton Foster)
• Ranbir Kapoor (by Ayushmann Khurrana)
• Tayari Jones (by Imani Perry)
• Noah Kahan (by Marcus Mumford)
• Anderson Paak (by Natasha Lyonne)
• Rhea Seehorn (by Britt Lower)
• Coco Jones (by Jaylen Barron)
• Freida McFadden (by E.L. James)

Titans

• Zoe Saldaña (by James Cameron)
• Ben Stiller (by Bob Odenkirk)
• Aliko Dangote (by Tony Elumelu)
• Scottie Scheffler (by Tony Romo)
• Anok Yai (by Chanel Iman)
• Ralph Lauren (by Oprah Winfrey)
• Lynsey Addario (by Katie Couric)
• Susan Dell and Michael Dell (by Ray Dalio)
• Sundar Pichai (by Andrew Ng)
• David Ellison (by Jerry Bruckheimer)
• Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou (by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala)
• Lip-Bu Tan (by Harry Booth)

Innovators

• Nikki Glaser (by Chris Rock)
• Hilary Knight (by Malala Yousafzai)
• Vikas Khanna (by Eric Ripert)
• Lando Norris (by Paris Hilton)
• Mashama Bailey (by Kamala Harris)
• Matthieu Blazy (by Margaret Qualley)
• Dario Amodei and Daniela Amodei (by Billy Perrigo)
• Noah Lyles (by Willy Chavarria)
• Yiyun Li (by Salman Rushdie)
• Tony Tyson (by Risa Wechsler)
• Cao Fei (by Miuccia Prada)
• John Furner (by Brian Niccol)
• Jeremy Allaire (by Denelle Dixon)
• Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari (by Kyla Mandel)
• Luciano Moreira (by Scott O’Neill)
• Neal Mohan (by Belinda Luscombe)
• Sabrina Walter (by Anna Mutavati)

Icons

• Wagner Moura (by Jeremy Strong)
• Kate Hudson (by Mindy Kaling)
• Alysa Liu (by Bowen Yang)
• Hilary Duff (by Nicole Richie)
• Alan Cumming (by Lisa Kudrow)
• Sterling Brown (By Kristen Bell)
• Ethan Hawke
• Chloe Kim
• Shirin Ebadi
• Walter Hood
• Victoria Beckham
• Rauw Alejandro
• Kica Matos

Leaders

• Pope Leo XIV
• Claudia Sheinbaun
• Marco Rubio
• Donald Trump
• Mark Carney
• Zohran Mamdani
• Xi Jinping
• Sanae Takaichi
• Benjamin Netanyahu
• Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
• Steve Witkoff
• Gavin Newsom
• Gwynne Shotwell
• Balendra Shah
• Susie Wiles
• Tarique Rahman
• Mark Kelly
• Heather Gerken
• Dan Caine
• Henna Virkkunen
• Rafael Mariano Grossi
• Mette Frederiksen
• Jacob Frey
• Fatih Biro

Pioneers

• Dolores Huerta
• Reid Wiseman
• Josh D’Amaro
• Mamadou Amadou Ly
• Nancy Silverton
• MrBeast
• Mariangela Hungria
• C Wei
• Lauren Hersh
• Rachel Foster
• Shannon Minter
• Zabib Musa Loro
• Sarah Friar
• Kiran Musunuru
• Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas

ALSO READ:  Dangote Refinery Increases Petrol Price To ₦1,245/Litre