Africa’s business mogul and philanthropist, Aliko Dangote, has vowed to invest more money to aid the upliftment of vulnerable populations across Nigeria and Africa.
The Chairman of Aliko Dangote Foundation revealed that he intends to uplift the less privileged as part of his philanthropic efforts to give back to society.
The respected entrepreneur was named among the top 100 philanthropists listed by TIME Magazine on the 22nd of May, alongside other global personalities like Michael Bloomberg, David Beckham, Stephen Curry, Melinda Gates and Oprah Winfrey.
Speaking on the sidelines of the TIME100 Impact Dinner held at ASPIRE at the One World Observatory in New York City, USA, Dangote declared that his investment in key sectors like Health, Education and Economic empowerment form part of his foundation’s main priorities.
“Investing in nutrition, health, education, and economic empowerment is our contribution to setting Africans up for success,” he said.
Among Dangote’s ongoing efforts to make life easier for Africans is a $100 million multi-year initiative to combat severe childhood malnutrition.
Every year, his foundation spends $35 million on average on several initiatives across Nigeria and Africa. This is coming after he equipped the Aliko Dangote Foundation with $1.25 billion, with the sole purpose of giving back to a continent that played such a vital role in his success.
100 public figures from 28 nations have been honoured for their philanthropic efforts in 4 categories: Titans, Leaders, Trailblazers, and Innovators. TIME referenced Dangote’s remarkable growth over the years, having amassed lots of billions via ventures in cement, agriculture, and oil refining in Nigeria.
Education is another key area where the business mogul is making his mark. He recently announced a $10 million donation to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, based in Kano State.
His crucial investments in education include offering vocational training, providing scholarships at the secondary and tertiary levels, and delivering yearly fellowships through the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders programme.
“We need to create the next generation of African leaders. My mother instilled in me the ethos of giving back, which inspired my philanthropy 30 years ago. 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,” he added.
