Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote has been included in TIME Magazine’s inaugural list of the 100 most influential figures in global philanthropy. The list, published on Tuesday, features Dangote as the only Nigerian among those recognised.
The magazine published the list on Tuesday, featuring Dangote as the only Nigerian among the honorees.
Dangote joins other notable philanthropists such as Michael Bloomberg, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, and Melinda Gates in the “Titans” category. The 2025 TIME100 Philanthropy list highlights individuals from 28 countries, with Dangote among the 23 who earned the Titans classification.
The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) allocates approximately $35 million (about N50 billion) each year to various charitable programmes across Africa. Dangote funded his foundation with $1.25 billion in 2014, demonstrating his commitment to giving back to the continent that played a central role in his career.
“Investing in nutrition, health, education, and economic empowerment is our contribution to setting Africans up for success,” Dangote said, describing his foundation’s main areas of focus.
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The foundation currently manages a $100 million multi-year programme addressing severe childhood malnutrition. ADF’s earlier vaccine initiative in Nigeria, which they developed with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, helped the World Health Organisation announce in 2020 that Africa had eradicated polio.
In the education sector, Dangote recently committed $10 million to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Kano State. His foundation previously donated a N1.2 billion hostel to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The foundation also runs the “Mu Shuka Iri” (Let’s Plant a Seed) programme, where local women learn Montessori-style education techniques to become community educators in Kano. ADF provides additional educational support through vocational training, scholarships, and fellowships through the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders programme.
Dangote has built a $23.9 billion business through ventures in cement, agriculture, and oil refining. He attributes his philanthropic approach to his upbringing.
“My mother instilled in me the ethos of giving back, which influenced my philanthropy 30 years ago,” he explained. “I trust my three daughters will continue this work, just as they will continue to develop our business. I want people to know me not just as Africa’s richest person but also as someone who gives back to society.”
The TIME100 Philanthropy list recognises those who make considerable contributions to charitable giving worldwide.
