Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has committed to donating one-third of his estimated $35.1 billion fortune to charity as part of a long-term succession plan, according to his daughter, Halima Dangote.
Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg published on Tuesday, Halima, a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, revealed that the billionaire industrialist has secured the support of his family to dedicate 33 percent of his estate to philanthropic causes, describing the decision as a core part of his legacy.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s current net worth stands at approximately $35.1 billion, meaning the planned donation would be worth about $11.7 billion at current valuations.
Halima explained that her father has built a succession structure that prioritizes philanthropy, with a strong focus on health and education.
“He put all the structures in place to ensure we focus on health and education. In line with Sharia law in Islam, he has dedicated 33 percent of his inheritance to the foundation. That shows how important philanthropy is to him because he wants it to continue for generations,” she said.
She added that giving back has always been central to the Dangote family’s values and business philosophy.
“We believe our success comes with a responsibility to give back. That is why the 33 percent commitment is so important. He announced his decision and asked me, my two sisters, and his mother to sign the will approving the donation to humanity,” Halima said.
The commitment builds on the work of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, established in 1994. 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 in funding.
She disclosed that roughly 70 percent of the foundation’s annual spending is dedicated to projects in Nigeria, while 20 percent supports initiatives across Africa, with the remainder funding humanitarian efforts in other parts of the world.
The foundation’s interventions span healthcare, education, nutrition, and humanitarian relief. It has also partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and several northern Nigerian state governments in efforts that contributed to the eradication of wild poliovirus in Africa.
Dangote’s planned donation ranks among the largest philanthropic commitments ever announced by an African billionaire. Although it falls below the 50 percent benchmark associated with the Giving Pledge, it underscores his growing commitment to philanthropy on a global scale.
Earlier this year, TIME magazine named Dangote among the world’s most influential philanthropists in its inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, recognizing the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s impact through programmes that reportedly spend more than ₦50 billion annually across Africa.
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