Why is leadership a strategic investment for philanthropy?

Philanthropy does not look the same everywhere, and it should not. It is shaped by culture, religion, economic history and by what the state does or does not do. In North America, it often takes the form of large individual donations, formal foundations and the language of strategic giving. In Europe, it tends to sit closer to public systems and structural issues, such as social justice. In parts of Asia, giving is tied to family, business and traditions that treat success as carrying responsibility to others. In the Middle East and North Africa, religious obligations, such as Zakat and Sadaqa, remain central. In Africa, philanthropy has long been rooted in reciprocity, communal support and social obligations. This is reflected in ideas, such as Ubuntu, “I am because we are,” and traditions, such as Harambee, a Kenyan practice of pulling together for a common purpose.

Seen in this context, investing in leadership is not some abstract or elite expression of philanthropy. It is one of its more practical forms. Leadership is often what determines whether a good idea remains a pilot, whether an intervention survives beyond the funding cycle and whether something useful actually becomes part of a system, rather than a line in a report.

This is also where philanthropy can be at its most frustrating. It is often good at funding activity, but not so good at backing the people and institutions that make change stick. Projects are easier to point to. They photograph well. They fit neatly into grant updates. Leadership is messier. It takes time. It is harder to measure. But if the goal is lasting public value, rather than short-term visibility, it is usually the smarter investment.

This matters, especially where institutions are uneven, needs are immediate and leaders are often required to build and respond at the same time. In those contexts, leadership is not theoretical. It is often the difference between something that fades once attention moves on and something that holds. Backing leadership does not mean turning away from urgent needs. It means being honest about how durable change usually happens: through people with the judgment, credibility and networks to carry it out.

The YGL Aliko Dangote Fellowship is one example of that logic in practice. Over the past 14 years, it has supported more than 90 Fellows from over 25 African countries, enabling full participation in the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders programme through access to convenings, executive education, peer networks and global platforms. Over that period, Fellows have taken part in more than 400 engagements across Annual Meetings, regional summits and learning modules, contributing to debates on finance, climate, health, technology and governance.

“Africa’s future will be defined by the strength of its people. When the right leaders, especially women, are empowered and given a global voice, they do not just lead; they reshape what is possible. That is why we invest in people: because it is the surest path to lasting global prosperity, stability and self-determination," explains Fatima Aliko Dangote, Trustee, Aliko Dangote Foundation and Group Executive Director, Dangote Industries Ltd..

"The 2026 YGL Aliko Dangote Fellows represent that future; leaders who will expand opportunity and strengthen institutions, advancing Africa on its own terms while helping define a world whose future will be shaped by the continent.”

The fellowship describes its model through four pathways - access, learning, voice and partnerships - which, stripped of programme language, means giving leaders the support, exposure and relationships that help their work travel further.

That same logic continues with the 2026 YGL Aliko Dangote Fellows. They include:

Dr Esperance Luvindao, Namibia’s Minister of Health and Social Services, who is combining clinical experience with digital health and grassroots innovation.

Dr Stephen Modise, Botswana’s Minister of Health, who is bringing a data-driven approach to public health reform.

Charlot Magayi, the Kenyan founder of Mukuru Clean Stoves, who is linking clean energy, public health and livelihoods.

Dr Musa Kika, Executive Director of the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa, who is using law to defend constitutionalism and civic space.

Rewa Udoji, the Nigerian artist and finance professional whose work bridges culture, capital and women’s economic literacy.

Hatim Eltayeb, Chief Executive Officer of African Leadership Academy, who is strengthening one of the continent’s most important leadership institutions.

Kemi Lala Akindoju, the Nigerian producer and actor, who is helping reshape the creative economy through talent development, financing and more grounded storytelling.

Ms Vimbai Masiyiwa, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Batoka Africa, who is building a model of tourism rooted in sustainability, community ownership and women’s empowerment.

Together, these leaders reflect the range of leadership the fellowship is designed to support: public leaders, entrepreneurs, institution-builders and cultural actors already shaping systems in very different ways. What makes this worth paying attention to is that the value does not stop with the Fellow. It shows up in what the leaders go on to build for others. This includes:

Dr Neema Kaseje is a Kenyan paediatric surgeon and health systems leader. Through the fellowship’s platforms and partnerships, she helped establish the first paediatric operating room inside Kakuma Refugee Camp. Her work also included a financing innovation pilot that enrolled 300 children in health insurance, generated an average reimbursement of more than $1,000 per surgery and produced a reported 22.3 times return for every dollar spent on insurance. More than 1,000 health workers were also trained using digital tools during COVID-19. This is what leadership investment looks like when it moves beyond visibility and into care infrastructure and local capacity.

Landry Signé is a Cameroonian economist, professor and policy expert whose work has pushed African analysis into higher-level global decision-making. The fellowship enabled him to co-lead two World Economic Forum blueprints on Africa’s trade and investment agenda, train more than 280 executives and public officials in agile governance and deliver more than 1,050 briefings and keynotes to heads of state, ministers, CEOs and multilateral actors. Again, the point is not that one person gained a profile; it is that leadership support helped strengthen the capacity of others to govern and act.

Mariéme Jamme is a Senegalese-born tech entrepreneur and founder of iamtheCODE. With the visibility, peer network and convening power that the fellowship helped unlock, iamtheCODE expanded to more than 550,000 learners across 88 countries, built more than 187 institutional partnerships and unlocked 65,000 free online courses for refugees and marginalized learners. The fellowship did not invent the instinct to serve. It gave it more reach.

Professor Tolullah 'Tolu' Oni's UrbanBetter platform has established five citizen hubs across cities, trained more than 1,820 young people, generated more than 745,000 air-quality readings and engaged policymakers and communities around urban health and resilience. Here too, the value moved outward into evidence, participation and stronger public capability.

If philanthropy is serious about lasting impact, it cannot only ask what it will fund this year. It also has to ask who it is strengthening for the long term. That is why leadership is one of philanthropy’s most strategic investments. Not because leaders matter more than communities, but because communities benefit when capable, grounded leaders are better equipped to build institutions, shape policy and widen opportunity for others. When philanthropy backs proven leadership with trust, access and continuity, it has a better chance of lasting.