Arab Billionaires’ Wealth in 2025 Surpasses the GDP of Many Countries
Riyadh, KSA – The 38 Arab billionaires featured in the Forbes 2025 Billionaires List collectively hold $127.9 billion, exceeding the 2024 GDP of over 130 countries, including 12 Arab nations such as Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, Libya, Bahrain, Tunisia, Jordan, and Oman.
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), 42 countries had a GDP below $10 billion in 2024, while 56 countries fell between $10 billion and $50 billion. The wealth of Arab billionaires also surpasses Oman’s GDP ($106.9 billion) and several others, including Jordan ($53.4 billion), Tunisia ($53.1 billion), and Bahrain ($46.9 billion).
Top 10 Arab Billionaires vs. National Economies
| Rank | Name | Net Worth | Countries Surpassed (GDP) | Main Source of Wealth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Al Saud (KSA) | $16.9B | 56 | Kingdom Holding Company, real estate, media, tech investments |
| 2 | Suleiman Al Habib (KSA) | $11.3B | 44 | Healthcare – hospitals, medical centers, pharmacies |
| 3 | Hussain Sajwani (UAE) | $10.2B | 42 | DAMAC Properties, real estate across 15 countries |
| 4 | Nassef Sawiris (Egypt) | $9.3B | 41 | Fertilizers (OCI), Adidas, Aston Villa FC |
| 5 | Naguib Sawiris (Egypt) | $5B | 34 | Telecommunications, gold mining, real estate |
| 6 | Abdullah Al Futtaim & Family (UAE) | $4.6B | 32 | Automotive, retail, real estate |
| 7 | Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Ghurair & Family (UAE) | $4.4B | 31 | Banking (Mashreq), food, real estate |
| 8 | Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani (Qatar) | $4B | 29 | Investments (Deutsche Bank stake) |
| 9 | Emad M. Al-Midib (KSA) | $3.6B | 28 | Food, consumer goods, real estate, financial services |
| 10 | Issam & Suleiman Al-Midib (KSA) | $3.5B each | 28 | Combined $10.6B; food, real estate, financial services |
Key Takeaways
- The Top 10 Arab billionaires have a combined net worth of $76.3 billion, nearly equal to Azerbaijan’s GDP ($74.3B).
- Compared to 2024, the number of Arab billionaires nearly doubled, rising from 20 to 38, with total wealth growing from $53.7B to $127.9B.
- Saudi Arabia leads the list with Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, Suleiman Al Habib, and the Al-Midib family dominating wealth rankings, while the UAE contributes key billionaires like Hussain Sajwani and the Al Futtaim family.
Conclusion: The scale of wealth among Arab billionaires now matches or exceeds the economies of numerous nations, highlighting the region’s growing influence in global finance and investment.
Among these nations are 12 Arab countries, including Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, Libya, Bahrain, Tunisia, Jordan, and Oman, based on Forbes’ wealth estimates as of April 27, 2025.
According to the latest available data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), 42 countries worldwide reported a nominal GDP of less than $10 billion in 2024. Additionally, 56 countries had economies valued between $10 billion and $50 billion, while 32 countries saw GDP figures ranging from $50 billion to $124.6 billion.
If the wealth of Arab billionaires were combined, it would exceed the GDP of Oman, which stood at
