By Christiana Ekpa
Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday took the debate on philanthropy into the political space, calling for a systemic shift from traditional charity to structured, policy-driven wealth redistribution as part of the country’s broader socio-economic reform agenda.
Speaking in Abuja through his Special Adviser on Economic Matters, Tope Fasua, at the 3rd International Conference of the Dawood Research Institute, Shettima aligned the call for “strategic philanthropy” with the reform priorities of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
He argued that philanthropy must evolve beyond handouts into an institutional tool that supports economic inclusion, reduces inequality, and complements government-led social protection policies.
“Our goal is not just welfare distribution but the creation of economic opportunities that guarantee dignity and productivity,” he said, stressing that elite wealth must play a more deliberate role in national development.
The Vice President linked the push to ongoing fiscal reforms, including pro-poor tax adjustments designed to ease pressure on low-income earners while ensuring higher contributions from affluent Nigerians. According to him, such policies reflect a broader political commitment to social justice and inclusive growth.
The conference, themed “Contemporary Practices of Philanthropy in Africa: Prospects and Challenges,” drew stakeholders from academia, development institutions, and civil society, with discussions centering on how private wealth can be mobilised to support public policy goals.
Chairman of the event, Nurudeen Lemu, warned that unstructured charity could undermine development, noting that poorly targeted interventions often deepen dependency rather than drive empowerment.
Also contributing, Catherine Aniagolu-Okoye of the Ford Foundation said Africa’s development challenge is less about scarcity of resources and more about political will and effective coordination of existing wealth.
She noted that Nigeria alone controls significant private capital among high-net-worth individuals, insisting that better policy frameworks could unlock these funds for national development.
Director of the Dawood Research Institute, Dauda Abubakar, further emphasised the need for institutional backing, arguing that philanthropy in Africa must transition from informal, faith-based giving to regulated systems capable of supporting long-term development strategies.
Analysts at the event observed that the renewed emphasis on structured philanthropy signals a growing intersection between governance and private wealth management, with implications for Nigeria’s economic policy direction ahead of future electoral cycles.
The conference continues with sessions focused on regulation, accountability, and aligning philanthropic capital with national and continental development priorities.
