Masiyiwa named first black British billionaire

Zimbabwean-born business mogul and Econet founder, Mr Strive Masiyiwa, who has reportedly attained British citizenship, has been named the first black billionaire in the United Kingdom.

According to British newspaper Daily Mail, the London-based Mr Masiyiwa (60) has made it to the Sunday Times Rich List.

Mr Masiyiwa could not be reached last night to comment on when he attained British citizenship.

"He was born in the country — now modern day Zimbabwe — in 1961.

"When he was aged seven, his parents fled the country amid the unrest after Ian Smith's government declared independence from Britain.

"His family moved to Zambia where Mr Masiyiwa attended primary school, before moving to the UK aged 12.

"He attended a private secondary school in Scotland — paid for by his entrepreneur mother — before later earning an engineering degree from the University of Wales," reads the Daily Mail article.

According to the article, Mr Masiyiwa worked in Cambridge in the computer industry for a short period before returning to Africa.

While in the UK, Mr Masiyiwa lives in a detached £2,5 million mansion on an exclusive private estate in Surrey.

Mr Masiyiwa is reported to own high profile properties in New York, including two adjacent apartments atop the 29-storey Eldorado Towers — which have been at various points, home to stars such as Michael J. Fox, Moby and Alec Baldwin.

He bought the two properties for $24,5 million in 2016.

According to 2019 reports, he also owns a £24 million mansion with 24 rooms, including nine bathrooms.

Mr Masiyiwa was in January also named among Africa's richest businesspeople.