Top 10 richest politicians: A look at their reported wealth
According to Yahoo Finance, these are the world’s top 10 richest politicians by net worth
Last updated:
2 MIN READ
1/10
Vladimir Putin — US$200 billion: Russian President Putin is often listed as the wealthiest politician in the world, primarily due to estimated stakes in energy and natural-resource companies. His exact wealth is not confirmed, but analysts believe his influence and long political career contribute to this enormous estimate.
AP
2/10
Alexander Lukashenko — US$9 billion: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is often associated with sizeable wealth estimates, though details remain unclear.
AFP
3/10
Donald Trump — US$7.2 billion: U.S. President Donald Trump’s wealth comes mainly from real estate, branding, hotels, and golf resorts. His financial disclosures and business valuations contribute to this estimate, which reflects decades of property investments and media ventures rather than his time in political office.
AFP
4/10
Kim Jong Un — US$5 billion: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s estimated wealth is based on international reports referencing state-linked assets and luxury holdings. Exact figures remain difficult to verify, but global financial analysts often cite multibillion-dollar estimates tied to the country’s centralised system.
AFP
5/10
Xi Jinping — US$1.5 billion: China’s President Xi Jinping is associated with modest wealth compared to other world leaders, based on publicly circulated estimates. These figures often include family-linked assets reported internationally, though official Chinese disclosures do not confirm personal financial details.
AFP
6/10
Teodoro Obiang Nguema — US$600 million: Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema is linked to wealth estimates that reflect decades in power and reported family holdings. International media assessments contribute to the widely cited figure, though official verification remains limited.
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AFP
7/10
Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s long-serving president, is often listed among the world’s wealthiest political leaders, with an estimated net worth of around US$500 million based on publicly reported assessments.
AFP
8/10
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan — US$500 million: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s estimated wealth is built from publicly discussed reports linking him to assets, investments, and long political tenure. As with many leaders, the exact figure is debated and not officially verified.
AP
9/10
Ilham Aliyev — ~US$500 million: Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev is associated with an estimated US$500 million net worth, drawn from reports about family businesses and national assets. These figures are based on international publications rather than confirmed financial statements.
AFP
10/10
Cyril Ramaphosa — ~US$450 million: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s estimated wealth comes largely from his past business career, including investments in mining, finance and agriculture. Before entering politics, he was a successful entrepreneur, contributing to the widely cited US$450 million figure.
AFP
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct.
Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action.
Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya.
His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011.
He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.
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