Mohammed Dewji is a former politician and billionaire business baron in Tanzania. He is the current CEO of Metl conglomerate which was established by his father Gulamabbas Dewji in the 1970s.
Apart from business, Dewji had interest in politics, he was a member of Tanzanian parliament for Chama Cha Mapinduzi between 2005 to 2015 of Singida.
Mohammed Dewji’s mouth watering Net Worth ranks him number 17 on the list of richest personalities in Africa and also the youngest billionaire in Africa.
One would be interested in the success story of this young billionaire business baron, why not read on as we are going to discuss amazing facts about Mohammed Dewji’s life and Net worth.
Mohammed Dewji Profile
- Net worth :$ 1.6 billion
- Full Name : Mohammed Gulamabbas Dewji
- Date of Birth : May 8,1975 (45 years)
- Nationality : Tanzanian
- Occupation : businessman
- Education : Georgetown University
- Marital Status : Saira Dewji
Mohammed Dewji Early Life
Mohammed Dewji was born in Ipembe, Singida to Zubeda and Gulamabbas Dewji on May 8,1975. Out of six children, Dewji is the second.
Dewji almost lost his life at birth because his unbiblical cord was wrapped around his neck, this condition is known as Nuchal cord. His father had set-up a family shop into a progressing import-export company.
Mohammed Dewji got his first school leaving certificate at Arusha primary school. He was further enrolled in International School of Tanganyika in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
In 1992 his father enrolled him at the Arnold Palmer Golf Academy in Orlando, Florida, where Dewji also attended Trinity Preparatory School for 11th Grade. Dewji then moved for his last and final year of high school to the Saddle Brook High School in New Jersey.
Dewji attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in international business and finance and a minor in theology.
Mohammed Dewji Career
Dewji later returned to his homeland to manage his father’s business Mohammed Enterprise Tanzania Limited (Metl), after graduating from the University of Georgetown.
Mohammed Dewji subsequently became the Chief Financial Officer of Metl just two years after working for at Metl. Presently, MeTL conglomerate is the biggest private establishment in Tanzania.
Metl’s revenues increased from $30 million-$1.5 billion, courtesy of Mohammed Dewji, between 1999-2018. MeTL Group also invested in trading, insurance, transport and logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, real estate, mobile telephony, and food and beverages.
MeTL Group also has a total of twenty eight thousand man power and has also conducted businesses in eleven countries with a target of 100,000 people by 2021. 3.5% of Tanzania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is contributed by Metl group.
Dewji became a member of parliament for Singida Urban, in 200pat Tanzania’s second multiparty elections in which Dewji competed at twenty-five years of age.
He was deemed too young to be in the parliament despite his overwhelming his victory with a high vote. In Tanzania’s third multi-party elections held in October 2005,Mohammed Dewji was chosen by Chama Cha Mapinduzi to contest as the their candidate for Singida Urban.
He won with a 90% vote at the general elections and was later sworn in as a Member of the Parliament (MP) for Singida Urban constituency in December 2005. He finally resigned from politics after serving in the parliament for ten years.
In 2014,Mohammed Dewji founded MO Dewji Foundation with the purpose of uplifting the citizens of Tanzania from hardship and poverty.
His charitable services spans through other areas like health, education and community development projects across Tanzania. Dewji has really improved the life of many Tanzanian citizens through projects that our worth $3 million.
Mohammed Dewji also joined the league of wealthiest men in the world to give half of their wealth to philanthropy either through their will or while still alive with the aim of combating the problems of the society through the Giving Pledge initiative.
This makes him one of the three Africans and the first Tanzanian to have made the pledge in this group numbering more than 150 billionaires with Patrice Motsepe and Bill Gate as well as Mark Zuckerberg inclusive.
On October 11,2018 at exactly 5:35 am, Dewji was abducted by a group of unknown gun men outside the Colosseum hotel where he went for a workout.
Dewji wasn’t the type that goes around with guards or security which made it easy for his abductors to abduct him. On October 20, Dewji was released without a ransom.
Mohammed Dewji Achievements
- 2014: Top 100 of young economic leaders.
- 2014: 10 Most Powerful Men In Africa, Forbes Magazine.
- 2015: Forbes Africa’s Person Of The Year 2015.
- 2016: Choiseul 100 Africa 2016: Economic Leaders for Tomorrow.
Mohammed Dewji Personal Life
Mohammed Dewji got married to Saira in 2001. She bore him three lovely children and they are based in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Mohammed Dewji Net Worth
According to Forbes, Dewji has an estimated net worth of $1.6billion as of 2020 and he is the 17th richest person in Africa and he was also the continent’s youngest billionaire back in 2018. He was the first Tanzanian on the cover of Forbes Magazine, in 2013.
