1. Aliko Dangote

Aliko Dangote GCON is a Nigerian billionaire and owner of the Dangote Group, which has interests in commodities in Nigeria and other African countries, including Benin, Ethiopia, Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Togo, Tanzania, and Zambia.

He was born 10th April, 1957. As of October 2017, he had an estimated net worth of US$13 billion. Dangote is ranked by Forbes magazine as the 67th richest person in the world and the richest in Africa.

Aliko Dangote’s Philanthropic Activities

One of his major philanthropic achievements was his $100-million collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2013 to cut malnutrition in Nigeria
Other major donations by Aliko Dangote include:

• Developing the Dangote Academy with the aim of developing manpower in various sectors. The academy is worth around US$6 million.
• Spending a further US$6 million on rehabilitating several universities in Nigeria.
• US$15.4 million donations in aid of cushioning the effects of floods that ravaged Nigeria. A further US$2.8 million was donated as relief aid for flood victims in the same year.
• Donating US$3.3 million and relief items to the value of nearly US$250,000 to victims of a communal clash during insurgency.

 

2. Atiku Abubakar

Atiku Abubakar (GCON) is a Nigerian politician, businessman and philanthropist. He served as the Vice-President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007.

He was born 25th November, 1946. A successful businesman, Atiku  is the co-founder of Intels, an oil servicing business with extensive operations in Nigeria and abroad. He is also the founder of Adama Beverages Limited, and the American University of Nigeria (AUN), both in Yola

Atiku Abubakar Philanthropic Activities

Having benefited from the US system of instruction as a young man, Atiku was eager to make available in Nigeria an American trained faculty emphasising critical thinking, small classes, student participation and problem-solving.

This prompted the establishment of American University of Nigeria (AUN). The first American-style University to be established in Sub-Saharan Africa, it was founded in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State as ABTI American University of Nigeria (AAUN) by Atiku in 2005.

He also issued scholarship to 15 escapees of The Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping in a bid to alleviate the educational fall in Northeastern Nigeria

 

 

3. Chief Temitope Ajayi

Amina Temitope Ajayi (aka Mama Diaspora) is a US-based Nigerian business consultant who is an accountant by training, a social entrepreneur and an ardent community activist.  She was the former President of All Nigerian American Congress (ANAC).

She is the Founder/CEO of the Nigerian American Agricultural Empowerment Program (NAAEP). Her efforts and continued advocacy on the Nigerian Diaspora issues earned her the name “Mama Diaspora.

Chief Temitope Ajayi Philanthropic Activities

Chief Ajayi started her philanthropic goodwill gestures when she established a Fashion/Technical school for underprivileged students in Ibadan, Nigeria in 1980.

Chief Ajayi is well known for promoting women empowerment and poverty eradication in Africa through Agri-business. Through the Arkansas-Nigeria investment forum and other bilateral economic forums in the US, Chief Ajayi’s tenacity and genuineness have been very instrumental in convincing and attracting a lot of key investors in the agri-business from the USA to Nigeria

 

 

4. Folorunso Alakija

Folorunso Alakija is one of the richest black women in the world. She is a business tycoon involved in the fashion, oil and printing industries.

Folorunsho Alakija Philanthropic Activities

Folorunsho has a foundation called the Rose of Sharon Foundation that helps widows and orphans by empowering them through scholarships and business grants.

Her company is also a major sponsor of the Agbami medical and engineering scholarship scheme, one of the most reliable scholarship scheme in Nigeria with over a thousand people yearly as beneficiaries.

In 2014 she donated a substantial amount of money to Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State . The money was used to complete the construction of a 350 Seat Lecture Theater, which was named after her.

 

5. Jim Ovia

Jim Ovia is the founder of Zenith Bank in Nigeria where he worked for over 20 years as Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director.

His leadership at the bank positioned Zenith as one of the most profitable, largest and most respected banks on the African continent.

Jim Ovia Philanthropic Activities

He founded the Jim Ovia Foundation to invest in the Nigerian youths’ unlimited and untapped potential as the key to socio-economic growth to enhance the standard of living of the society and increase efficiency

Today, the foundation has given over 100 million naira out as scholarships,

Apart from his personal foundation, Jim Ovia is in charge of several NGOs including the Nigeria Internet Group.

 

6. Theophilus Danjuma

General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma GCON FSS psc (Rtd) is a Nigerian Jukun soldier, politician and multi-millionaire  philanthropist. He was NigeriaChief of Army Staff from July 1975 to October 1979.

Theophilus Danjuma Philanthropic Activities

He set up the TY Danjuma foundation with a $100 million endowment. During a public forum in February 2010, he recounted his reasons for setting up the charity:

“This was extra money I did not know what to do with. I did not just want to leave the money in the bank. At some point, I thought about saving the money for my children, but I decided against it. I realized that they could fight over the money after I’m dead. So, I decided, why not give back to my people.”

7.  Tony Elumelu

Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu is a Nigerian economist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, the United Bank for Africa, Transcorp and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation.

 

Tony Elumelu Philanthropic Activities

Following his retirement from United Bank for Africa in July 2010, Elumelu founded The Tony Elumelu Foundation, dedicated to the promotion and celebration of entrepreneurship and excellence in business leadership across Africa

 

 

8.    Wale Babalakin

Dr. Wale Babalakin is a very committed philanthropist. When the office of the Public Defender in Lagos was gutted by fire, Dr. Babalakin, in recognition of the significant role the institution played in defending the rights of the masses, opted to rebuild and furnish it.

 

He has over the years executed many philanthropic projects including the following:

 

• Donated an 80-bed hostel to the University of Ilorin in the name of his father, the Hon. Mr. Justice Bolarinwa Oyegoke Babalakin.
• Donated an 80-bed hostel in Ibogun Ogun State in memory of his mother, Mr. Ramotu Ibironke Babalakin.
• Donated a 500-seater auditorium to the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in memory of his late mother.
• Treated 1000 patients with various eye diseases in Aye daade Local Government.
• Treated 4000 patients with various eye diseases in Owo Local Government under the foundation set up in memory of his late mother.
• He has an elaborate scholarship scheme in and out of Nigeria with over 200 students in Nigeria and over 40 students abroad.