Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is set to dedicate one-third of his wealth to charitable causes after securing the backing of his heirs and close family members as part of a long-term succession plan.
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, Dangote’s daughter, Halima Dangote, disclosed that the billionaire had obtained the legally binding support of his three daughters and his mother to allocate 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy. She said the arrangement reflects her father’s determination to ensure charitable giving remains a lasting family legacy.
“He sort of put all the structure in place whereby we focus a lot on health and education. He actually donated 25 per cent to the foundation. If you look at it, it is what we call in Sharia Code in Islam; it means he has donated 33 per cent of his whole inheritance to his foundation,” she said.
“That is how important it is to him because philanthropy needs to be in existence generation after generation.
“So giving back is part and parcel of what we do. We believe we’re here, that our business is successful because of the giving back and because of the philanthropic aspect. That is why the 33 per cent is important.”
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s fortune is currently estimated at about $35.1 billion, meaning the planned donation could be worth roughly $11.7 billion if his wealth remains at that level.
Halima, who serves as a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, explained that the decision is rooted in Islamic inheritance principles and aligns with her father’s longstanding commitment to philanthropy. She noted that the foundation focuses primarily on health and education, with about 70 per cent of its spending directed to Nigeria, 20 per cent to the rest of Africa and the remaining 10 per cent to other parts of the world.
She also revealed that the foundation, established in 1994, received an endowment of $1.25 billion about a decade ago and has since been strengthened with an additional $700 million in funding. Through partnerships with organisations, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, it has supported major health, nutrition and education programmes across Africa and contributed to the eradication of wild poliovirus on the continent.
The revelation comes as Dangote continues to hand greater leadership responsibilities to his daughters across the Dangote Group as part of a broader succession strategy aimed at transforming the conglomerate into a $100 billion enterprise.
