In Uganda’s business world, few names are as widely known as Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, who stands out for his long history of success and influence. In 2025, he remained at the top of the country’s wealth rankings with a net worth of about $1.6 billion, according to the Forbes Africa 2025 Billionaires List. His work spans many sectors, and his achievements this year show how deeply his efforts have shaped Uganda’s economy and image.
Sudhir Ruparelia was born in 1956 in Uganda. He left the country in the early 1970s during political upheaval and moved to the United Kingdom. There, he worked in various jobs and saved money. In the 1980s, he returned to Uganda and began building what later became the Ruparelia Group. The company he founded grew from a small foreign exchange business into one of the most diversified business groups in the country. Today, it has interests in real estate, hospitality, education, banking, insurance and other industries. Iconic properties linked to his group include Speke Resort Munyonyo and Victoria University in Kampala, both of which have played a role in shaping the city’s modern face.
Throughout 2025, Ruparelia received several major awards that honoured his long term contributions. In September, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Property Awards for his work in transforming Uganda’s real estate sector and helping to expand housing options in urban areas. The award highlighted how his developments have influenced city growth and created employment in the housing and construction industries.
Earlier in the year, Ruparelia was recognised at the UK-Africa Business Summit in London for his leadership in promoting investment between African countries and the diaspora community. The recognition was part of a wider effort to encourage Ugandans living abroad to invest in opportunities at home and contribute to national development.
In October, the Ugandan government acknowledged Ruparelia’s influence on tourism with a special award at the 2025 Tourism Champions Awards. His hotels and resorts attract visitors from both within Uganda and abroad, helping to grow tourism revenues and strengthen the country’s hospitality sector.
The year also brought personal challenges for Ruparelia. In May, his son Rajiv Ruparelia, who was a managing director in the family business, died in a road accident. In response, Sudhir and his family set up a scholarship programme in his son’s name to support students and give young people greater access to education and opportunity. This move reflects the family’s ongoing commitment to giving back to their community and investing in future generations.
Ruparelia often speaks about leadership and teamwork. In a recent message, he said that building strong teams and empowering people to grow has been key to his group’s success. His approach aims to create lasting impact that goes beyond wealth creation to include job growth and skills development across the nation.
As 2025 ends, Sudhir Ruparelia’s influence remains prominent in many areas of Uganda’s economy. His group continues to looks for new ways to innovate, including expanding real estate projects and improving hospitality services. For many business leaders and young entrepreneurs in Uganda and across Africa, his story is an example of how resilience, strategic investment and a focus on community can shape long term success.
