Aliko Dangote pledges 25 percent of wealth to foundation

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has disclosed that 25 percent of his $30 billion fortune should go to his foundation, The Aliko Dangote Foundation, which he founded to fund programs across Africa in health, education, and economic development.

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has formalized a plan to leave 25 percent of his wealth to The Aliko Dangote Foundation, marking one of the largest individual commitments to philanthropy in Africa. The billionaire industrialist, whose net worth stands at about $30 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, disclosed the arrangement at an event in Lagos attended by senior government officials and leaders from the private sector.

Family backs 25 percent philanthropy ommitment

The event, held at Eko Hotels, drew the vice president, several governors and federal ministers, reflecting the scale of interest in the foundation’s growing work in education and social welfare. Dangote used the occasion to outline a fresh push in education funding, saying the foundation will invest $700 million in Nigerian schools and universities over the next decade.

Speaking about his long-term plans, Dangote said the commitment had already been documented within his family. “The sustainability of this program, which I expect to run through future generations of my family, is anchored on my decision to allocate 25 percent of my wealth to the foundation,” he said. “We drafted an agreement to guide my inheritance—my three children and my mother—and they have all signed it. If anything happens to me, 25 percent of my wealth goes straight to the foundation.”

His remarks followed similar comments at the 2025 Doha Forum in Qatar, where he detailed the new education program aimed at supporting more than 155,000 students in secondary schools and universities. The initiative targets students in communities with limited access to schooling and is designed to help families improve their incomes by building stronger academic and vocational pathways.

Supporting education, health, economic stability

Since its launch in 1994 The Aliko Dangote Foundation has operated across Africa, funding healthcare programs, building classrooms and hospitals, supporting nutrition projects and offering scholarships and skills training. It has also provided food assistance in areas hit by conflict or natural disasters, becoming one of the most active private charities on the continent.

In Nigeria, the foundation has committed more than N1 billion ($688,700) to universities. Recent contributions include N500 million ($344,000) for a business school at Bayero University and N100 million ($68,800) for the proposed Otuoke University in Bayelsa State. It also funded N1.2 billion ($826,400) worth of dormitories at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, creating space for more than 2,000 students.

Earlier this year, the foundation broadened its National Food Intervention Program, a $10 million effort that distributes rice to households in the Federal Capital Territory and Kogi State. The program was expanded as rising food prices placed new pressure on families nationwide. The announcements underscore Dangote’s effort to build a structure that can operate long after him, using his wealth to support education, health and economic stability.