Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has concluded plans to donate one-third of his wealth to charitable causes as part of his succession strategy, according to his daughter, Halima Dangote.
Halima, who serves as a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, disclosed the development in an interview with Bloomberg, explaining that the billionaire had secured the support of his family to dedicate 33 percent of his estate to philanthropy.
Based on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which estimates Dangote’s net worth at $35.1 billion, the planned donation would amount to approximately $11.7 billion if his fortune remains at its current value. She said philanthropy has always been central to Dangote’s vision and has been formally integrated into the family’s long-term succession plan.
According to Halima, Dangote had previously committed 25 percent of his wealth to the Aliko Dangote Foundation and later expanded the commitment in line with Islamic inheritance principles, allowing up to one-third of an estate to be dedicated to charitable causes.
She noted that Dangote ensured the arrangement was properly documented by asking his mother and three daughters to sign the relevant section of his will, reflecting his desire for the foundation’s work to continue across generations. Halima explained that the family believes its business success is closely tied to giving back to society, making philanthropy a core part of its legacy.
Established in 1994, the Aliko Dangote Foundation has become one of Africa’s largest private charitable organisations. According to Halima, the foundation received an endowment of $1.25 billion about a decade ago and has since been strengthened with an additional $700 million.
She said around 70 percent of the foundation’s annual spending is invested in programmes across Nigeria, while 20 percent supports projects in other African countries, with the remaining funds allocated to initiatives in other parts of the world.
The foundation focuses on health, education, nutrition and humanitarian interventions, and has partnered with organisations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and several northern Nigerian state governments in efforts that contributed to the eradication of wild poliovirus across Africa.
If implemented, Dangote’s planned donation would rank among the largest philanthropic commitments ever made by an African billionaire, further cementing his reputation as one of the continent’s leading philanthropists. Earlier this year, TIME magazine recognised Dangote on its inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, citing the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s annual spending of more than ₦50 billion on programmes across Africa.
