Aliko Dangote has been honoured with this year’s Clinton Global Citizen Award (CGCA) for leadership in the private sector, and for his contributions to the development of the human society in Africa and beyond.
The award was bestowed on the president of Dangote Group and Africa’s riches man by the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) at an event hosted in New York by former United States President, Bill Clinton.
The ceremony was witnessed by a global audience of political and business leaders as well as other honourees chosen based on their innovative approaches, and on the demonstrated results and sustainability of their work.
Elsewhere in New York, Dangote Cement also won the Business of the Year Award at the African Business Awards ceremony on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
The judging panel applauded Dangote Cement for its continued drive to develop new products, gain market share, and expand throughout the continent.
The CGI said it recognised Dangote’s exemplary and selfless dedication to a better life by positively impacting the lives of people globally through numerous philanthropic initiatives implemented through the Dangote Foundation.
Clinton, who presented the award to the daughter of Dangote, Halima, who represented him, said the man has raised the bar of philanthropy by an African, which is worthy of emulation.
He praised Dangote’s pubic spirit virtue and urged him to continue to contribute to the development of mankind so the world would be a better place for all, where poverty and hunger would be reduced to the barest minimum.
Halima expressed happiness at the recognition for her father’s humble contributions to achieve a better society for all.
Said she: “This award is coming at a time we are expanding both business and philanthropic footprints globally and we are optimistic about creating value that transcends border while improving the quality of lives of people globally.
“We are humbled by this recognition and we are encouraged to redouble our efforts as we work towards promoting Africa’s economic renaissance.”
“While we celebrate Africa’s impressive progress, many of these gains rest on a delicate foundation of extreme poverty, insecurity, hunger, disease and poor education.
“We are proud of the effort of Dangote Foundation overseeing the implementation of our intervention initiatives along key focus areas of health, education, empowerment, and humanitarian aid to victims of natural disasters to bring about sustainable growth.”
This year, the Dangote Foundation donated $1 million to provide relief for the victims of Nepal’s earthquakes and $153 million to the fight against Ebola virus disease that affected Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea in 2014.
Dangote endowed the foundation with $1.35 billion in March 2014 to ensure steady funding of its mission as it scales up work in and outside Nigeria.