The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has been honoured with the Humanitarian Organisation of the Year award in the 2024/2025 edition of the Global and Nigerian Muslim Personality Awards (#MNAwards), organised by Muslim News Nigeria, the country’s leading Islamic newspaper.
The foundation, owned by Africa’s richest man and prominent Muslim philanthropist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, was selected for the honour in recognition of its impactful and consistent interventions in humanitarian service, both within and beyond Nigeria.
Interestingly, Dangote was recently listed on the inaugural 2025 ‘TIME100 Philanthropy’ list as the only Nigerian among the 100 most influential global leaders shaping the future of giving.
While announcing the award in a statement released on Friday, November 14, the Publisher of Muslim News Nigeria and convener of the #MNAwards, Alhaji Rasheed Abubakar, noted that ADF’s selection was not surprising given its extensive footprint in areas such as health, education, nutrition, empowerment, and emergency relief.
He added that the award underscores the foundation’s unwavering dedication to transformative and inclusive philanthropy, guided by the vision of its founder, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited.
The publisher of the newspaper which celebrates Muslim achievers emphasised that the ADF’s diverse range of intervention programmes including efforts in health, nutrition, education, food security and empowerment, among others.
Since its incorporation in 1994 (and re‑branded as ADF in 2018), the foundation has committed to reaching one million households via community‑based management of acute malnutrition, while improving water and sanitation, behavioural change, livelihood support and the broader health‑system across Nigeria and Africa.
Notable examples of its humanitarian work include the distribution of over one million 10kg bags of rice nationwide, reaching vulnerable communities across all states, including non‑Muslims, as recently reported in Lagos, Katsina and Kwara States.
Alhaji Abubakar said the Aliko Dangote Foundation has also made significant investments in education as part of its long-standing commitment to human capital development, through landmark interventions, including a N1 billion donation to Nigerian universities, with N500 million allocated to Bayero University for a business school and N100 million to the proposed Otuoke University in Bayelsa State.
He added that one of the most notable interventions was the construction and donation of fully equipped hostel facilities at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. Built at the cost of N1.2 billion, the accommodation has the capacity to house 2,160 students and was fully funded by the Foundation, serving as a testament to its dedication to expanding access to quality education across Nigeria.
Aside from education, Alhaji Abubakar said the Foundation has consistently demonstrated its commitment to humanitarian service by supporting both Muslim and Christian communities across Nigeria through various faith-based interventions.
According to him, “Specifically, in respect to Muslim organizations, one of its notable contributions includes the donation of a mosque valued at over ₦100 million to the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) located in Utako District, Abuja. The structure was officially commissioned in 2017 to support the organisation’s spiritual and community-building efforts.
“Similarly, in 2025, the Foundation took over a ₦1.1 billion, 250-bed student hostel project initiated by the Ilorin Central Juma’at Mosque in Kwara State. In addition to this, the Foundation pledged a monthly donation of ₦5 million to support the mosque’s maintenance and activities until the project is completed.”
He noted that the Foundation under the supervision of Zouera Youssoufou as Managing Director and CEO also engages in other critical interventions such as empowerment, healthcare, and humanitarian relief. These efforts have significantly impacted lives across Nigeria and beyond.
He therefore called on Nigerian Muslims and the general public to continue praying for Allah’s protection and guidance for the Founder and for the success of all his businesses, including the Dangote Refinery located in Lagos.
He also urged the public to support institutions like the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which not only serve their immediate communities but also participate in continent-wide partnerships aimed at changing Africa’s narrative and promoting human dignity across religious and ethnic lines.
“Our decision to honour the ADF is because it meets the highest standards of humanitarian service—delivering measurable impact, operating transparently, working across faiths and communities, and aligning with the ethical service to humanity we celebrate at Muslim News Nigeria,” he said.
Now in its fifth edition, #MNAwards celebrates Muslim achievers across various strata of the society, including politics and good governance, health, education, law, advocacy, philanthropy, among others.
The formal presentation of the award will take place at a yet‑to‑be‑announced date during the newspaper’s 7th anniversary lecture.
Finalists for Nigerian Muslim Personalities of the Year (#MNAwards20242025)
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