24th May, 2024
Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed his commitment to expanding support for the poor and vulnerable in Nigeria and across Africa, declaring that philanthropy remains a driving force behind his life’s work.
Dangote made the remarks during the TIME100 Impact Dinner held at the One World Observatory in New York, where he was honoured as one of the world’s top philanthropists.
Speaking after being named among TIME Magazine’s inaugural list of 100 most influential philanthropists globally, Dangote noted that his mission goes beyond building wealth.
“We need to create the next generation of African leaders,” he said. “Investing in nutrition, health, education, and economic empowerment is our contribution to setting Africans up for success.”
Dangote, who chairs the Aliko Dangote Foundation, was listed among global icons such as Melinda Gates, Michael Bloomberg, David Beckham, Oprah Winfrey and Stephen Curry. TIME described him as one of 23 “Titans” among the 100 individuals recognised for their philanthropic impact across 28 countries.
With an estimated net worth of $23.9 billion, Dangote’s philanthropic foundation spends around $35 million annually on projects across the continent.
In 2014, he committed $1.25 billion to the foundation, focusing on healthcare, education, nutrition, and economic empowerment. One of its most significant initiatives is a $100 million multi-year campaign to tackle child malnutrition, alongside earlier collaborations with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that contributed to Nigeria’s historic polio eradication in 2020.
Education remains a priority, with Dangote recently donating $10 million to Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Kano. His foundation has also supported tertiary institutions with major infrastructural donations, including a record-setting N1.2 billion hostel at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria.
Through programmes like “Mu Shuka Iri” in Kano, the foundation is also working to improve early childhood education by training local women in Montessori teaching methods.
“My mother instilled in me the ethos of giving back, which inspired my philanthropy 30 years ago,” Dangote shared. “I trust my three daughters will continue this legacy, just as they will continue to grow our business and impact. I want to be known not just as Africa’s richest person but also as its biggest philanthropist.”
