His was the classic story of rags to riches, the boy who grew up in poverty, worked hard and ended up a multimillionaire. When he was 15 years old, Miloud Chaabi was herding goats in the scrubby fields near the Moroccan coast; when he died he was one of the richest men in Africa, head of a multinational construction and supermarket conglomerate worth around $4 billion, according to Forbes’ Billionaires list.
He appeared late in life as an avuncular and beneficent figure. However, even in old age, rivals conceded, he had a sharp mind, forgot little and was the classic example of a wily businessman. The founder and owner of Ynna Holding, Chaabi topped the list of Africa’s richest businessmen, with interests in ceramics, supermarkets