Dangote to donate one-third of fortune to charity under succession plan, daughter reveals

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has earmarked one-third of his wealth for charitable causes as part of his succession plan, according to his daughter, Halima Dangote.

Halima, who serves as a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, disclosed the arrangement in an interview with Bloomberg published on Tuesday, saying the billionaire had already secured the consent of his family to dedicate 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy.

Based on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, which estimates Dangote’s net worth at about $35.1 billion, the proposed donation would amount to roughly $11.7 billion at current valuations.

Halima said the decision reflects her father’s belief that philanthropy should remain a lasting part of his legacy and continue across future generations.

“He sort of put all the structure in place whereby we focus a lot on health and education. He actually donated 25 per cent to the foundation. If you look at it, it is what we call in Sharia Code in Islam; it means he has donated 33 per cent of his whole inheritance to his foundation,” she said.

“That is how important it is to him because philanthropy needs to be in existence generation after generation.

“So giving back is part and parcel of what we do. We believe we’re here, that our business is successful because of the giving back and because of the philanthropic aspect. That is why the 33 per cent is important.

“And that is why he made an announcement and he asked myself, my two sisters and his mother to sign under that will that he is able to give that 33 per cent to humanity.”