The philanthropy of the richest man in Africa, Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, was recognised on Wednesday as he was named the sixth most charitable man in the World.
Richtopia, a digital periodical that covers business, economic and financial news, based in the United Kingdom, gave the recognition Dangote.
Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and J.K Rowlings occupied the first three positions, while Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk were in the fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Aside Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), was 11th on the list.
Aliko Dangote started his foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), 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.
The foundation was, however, incorporated in 1994 as a charity in Lagos. 20 years later, the foundation has become the largest private foundation in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the largest endowment by a single African donor.
The primary focus of the Aliko Dangote Foundation is health and nutrition, supported by wrap-around interventions in education, empowerment and humanitarian relief.
Among many others, it would be recalled that the foundation gave out a whopping N2.5 billion, the same amount the Federal Government also donated for the purpose of ameliorating the suffering of flood victims during President Jonathan’s era.
The foundation, in line with its mandate to provide relief in times of disaster, spread its philanthropic works beyond the shores of Nigeria with a donation of $1m to the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
The gesture was meant to support the government’s effort in providing relief to the victims of earthquakes that occurred in the country.
The foundation also recently came to the aid of victims of a communal clash between Yoruba and Hausa traders and residents in Ile-Ife, Osun State, with a donation of N50m and also donated N500m as assistance to victims of the fire outbreak that occurred recently in five major markets in Kano.
The foundation has also been at the forefront of alleviating the conditions of people in IDPs. In 2011, it gave N364m to IDPs across Kaduna, Bauchi and Gombe states after the post-election violence which rendered many homeless, while N100m and N60m were respectively donated to victims of flood disaster in Lagos and Oyo States the same year.
It donated N39.34m to IDPs displaced by communal clashes in Benue State in 2014.
Dangote recently endowed his foundation to the tune of $1.25bn.
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