Richtopia, a UK-based digital periodical covering business, economics, and financial news, on Wednesday named Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, the sixth most charitable man in the World.
Dangote, majority owner and chairman of Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Flour Mills and NASCON Allied, all listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), among others, recently endowed his foundation to the tune of $1.25bn.
While Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and J.K Rowlings, occupied the first three positions, while Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk occupied the fourth and fifth position respectively.
Aside Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa was 11th on the lists and these two were the only Nigerians on the lists.
Dangote started his foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation in 1981, with a mission to enhance opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and wellbeing, promote quality education, and broaden economic empowerment opportunities.
It was however incorporated in 1994 as a charity in Lagos, Nigeria and in 24 years has become the largest private Foundation in sub Saharan Africa, with the largest endowment by a single African donor.
The foundation focuses primarily on areas such as: health and nutrition, supported by wrap-around interventions in education, empowerment, and humanitarian relief.
Some years ago, the foundation recently donated N2.5bn, same as the Federal Government, under President Goodluck Jonathan, to ameliorate the sufferings of the flood victims.
A statement by the Dangote Group says the foundation, in line with its mandate to provide relief in times of disaster, donated $1m to the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal to provide relief to earthquake victims that occurred in the country.
The Foundation also recently aided victims of the communal clash between Yoruba and Hausa traders and residents in Ile-Ife, Osun State with a donation of N50m, and another N500m as assistance to victims of the fire outbreak recently in five major markets in Kano.
Through the Foundation, Dangote invested N2bn to create jobs and end hunger for Borno State residents living in Internally Displaced Peoples camps (IDP).
It consequently came up with a micro grant scheme aimed at empowering the grassroots dwellers with funds to help them undertake petty trading so as to lift their economy.
Already, 256,500 women in states such Kano, Jigawa,, Kogi, Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe have benefited from the scheme that is expected to move round all the 774 local government areas across the nation.
Following the endowment to the tune of $1.25 billion recently by the founder/President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Dangote Foundation has unveiled a new name and logo, and it is now called Aliko Dangote Foundation.