USA- The Aliko Dangote Foundation has given a transformative $20 million donation to Africa Center to advance and accelerate the Center’s capital campaign, further activate its public spaces and programming, and support ongoing operations.
The donation which was announced during the Future Africa Forum is believed to be one of the largest known donations of its kind by an African philanthropist to a U.S. non-profit organization
In recognition of this historic donation the Center renamed its venue “The Africa Center at Aliko Dangote Hall” at a ceremony during the Future Africa Forum.
The donation by the Aliko Dangote Foundation is focused on supporting Center’s work encompassing policy, business, and culture to transform global understanding of the continent by promoting partnership and collaboration between Africa and the United States.
The funds will also be used to help change narratives about Africa’s economic and cultural significance today and into the future.
Mr. Dangote, founder and president/chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, the largest conglomerate in West Africa, is one of the world’s most successful business leaders.
A dedicated philanthropist, he made an initial endowment of $1.25 billion to the Aliko Dangote Foundation in March 2014, enabling it to scale up its work in health and nutrition, education, and economic empowerment.
While addressing the audience at the forum, Mr. Dangote said, “The Africa Center is showcasing Africa in a contemporary, multifaceted manner as a center of innovation, growth, and limitless potential, which makes this project extremely important and worthy of support through my foundation.”
A new $5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was also announced at the Future Africa Forum.
The Gates Foundation grant is directed to the Center’s capital campaign and for the development of its policy initiatives.
Other foundations, corporations, and individuals that provided leadership support for the capital campaign, including the Mo Ibrahim Family, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, were also recognized at this year’s event.
The Africa Center is focused on transforming the world’s understanding of Africa, its Diaspora and the role of people of African descent in the world.
The Center in partnership with Aliko Dangote Foundation hosted the Future Africa Forum; a platform for sharing new ideas and strategies that challenge the status quo, inform policies and ultimately affect the lives of African people, those of African descent, and the future of Africa
