Rethinking Philanthropy: Insights into Nigeria's Charitable Giving

Approximately two weeks ago, a simple question from a friend prompted me to consider a donation to the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society's food bank in Abuja. This inquiry opened up a broader dialogue: What is the essence of this food bank? Who benefits from its services? And how does it sustain its operations annually?

Understanding the role of this food bank can reshape our perception of ‘philanthropy’ in Nigeria.

The food bank at Al-Habibiyyah provides a profound insight into the workings of grassroots philanthropy within Nigeria. Initiated as a component of the Al- Habibiyyah Islamic Society's welfare initiatives in the early 2000s, the food bank has transitioned from a modest Ramadan charity program to a well- structured annual initiative at the central mosque located in Guzape, Abuja. Its operational basis is straightforward: the society collects cash donations and food items from its members and supporters, consolidates them, and subsequently distributes cooked meals and raw food packages to fasting Muslims and anyone else in need. The welfare director indicated that the organization can distribute over 2,400 food packs in a single day, along with hundreds of additional packs containing staples like rice, semovita, oil, and noodles, as well as clothing. In 2025, the society reported expenditures near N110 million for Ramadan feeding, highlighting the scope of its efforts amidst escalating food prices and economic challenges.

Surveys rank Nigeria high in global donor activity, with about 90% of adults indicating they made charitable contributions in 2024, averaging nearly 3% of their earnings in donations. A significant proportion of this financial support is facilitated through religious institutions: zakat and tithes, as well as welfare offerings from both churches and mosques involving food, cash, and clothing transfers from those better off to those in desperate need. Family remittances further contribute to this ecosystem, as relatives, regardless of their location, assist with educational fees, purchase school materials, and provide some financial support for improvements to local educational and health facilities.

Furthermore, numerous self-help ventures, such as local community groups repairing boreholes, constructing classrooms, and covering hospital expenses and funeral costs, illustrate that official accounts, which primarily focus on registered NGOs and large corporate contributions, capture only a fraction of the vast narrative of generosity within Nigerian communities.

Take for instance the KNOSK N100-a-day Charity Secondary School in Kuje, Abuja, which exemplifies this local philanthropy model. Established in 2019, this institution aims to assist children from the most impoverished backgrounds and those not enrolled in school. For just N100 daily, students receive textbooks, uniforms, at least one meal, access to computer learning, and for female students, sanitary products—all financed through regular small contributions from patrons. The school has enrolled about 170 children, of whom approximately 60% are girls, boasting no dropouts related to fees. Essentially, this operates as a community-based philanthropic project, aggregating minor donations into ongoing educational support.

Alumni networks and cooperative savings groups, such as esusu and ajo, form integral components of Nigeria's philanthropic landscape. These networks come together to fund scholarships, hire teachers, and establish labs for their former schools. Market traders and low-income earners often turn to these savings groups for informal support during emergencies or opportunities. Nevertheless, these communal contributions seldom feature prominently in policy debates concerning the 'philanthropic sector.'

In addition, the rise of social media crowdfunding is transforming how donations are solicited.

Daily urgent appeals emerge on social media: whether a child requires surgery, a family faces eviction, or an exceptional student cannot afford tuition. Influencers and digital activists frequently rally their followers for assistance. Individuals like VeryDarkMan have become particularly prominent in this niche, with many others, including skit creators, lifestyle bloggers, and health advocates utilizing platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X as fundraising avenues, drawing attention to specific cases and encouraging their audiences to contribute directly to affected families or designated accounts.

Thus, crowdfunding initiatives, live streams, and bank transfer confirmations now complement mosque welfare programs, KNOSK-style educational institutions, and alumni WhatsApp groups, forming an integral part of Nigeria's charitable landscape.

Returning to Al-Habibiyyah, the mosque’s food bank originated as part of its welfare and endowment services in the early 2000s and has since developed into a well-planned Ramadan feeding initiative at its central mosque in Guzape. Its leaders emphasize that the program's purpose transcends mere food distribution. It seeks to alleviate the hardship faced by the poorest households, eliminate the stigma tied to hunger, and foster a spirit of shared humanity that transcends religious divides. Al-Habibiyyah has collaborated with the Jewish community in Abuja to distribute thousands of meals to both Muslim and Christian beneficiaries.

This philanthropy demonstrates an improvised mechanism of social protection. As food prices soar or unemployment rises, the number of individuals and families seeking aid increases, leading to longer queues at the mosque. The institution addresses gaps left by broader economic policies and ineffective welfare systems, employing moral legitimacy and communal trust to mobilize resources while maintaining the dignity of those marginalized in society.

However, this philanthropic effort is also limited by its informal nature. Like many grassroots initiatives, the food bank operates with minimal documentation and insufficient resources, largely depending on seasonal donations rather than guaranteed funding.

Such informal, less visible initiatives coexist with the burgeoning formal philanthropic sector in Nigeria: corporate CSR programs, family foundations, prominent projects initiated by wealthy individuals, and charities run by the diaspora. Banks announce educational and health initiatives with significant fanfare, while telecom firms sponsor digital education centers. Oil and gas companies finance community projects as part of their corporate responsibilities.

Formalized philanthropy possesses distinct advantages, efficiently harnessing larger pools of resources while exhibiting a high degree of professionalism through multi-year initiatives powered by sophisticated systems. These programs can standardize approaches, from child-friendly schools to science laboratories, across states and engage with government entities at various levels. They are perceived as more scalable, sustainable, and resilient.

Yet, they too have considerable shortcomings. CSR expenditure often surges during crises, commemorative events, or marketing efforts without a well- defined long-term strategy. Focus tends to concentrate on select sectors such as education, healthcare, and youth entrepreneurship, particularly in urban areas like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt. A substantial portion of notable contributions gets funneled into named facilities, specialized hospitals, or widespread entrepreneurship programs, while grassroots initiatives such as the Al-Habibiyyah food bank or KNOSK’s school in Kuje frequently struggle for consistent backing.

As media narratives usually highlight formal philanthropy, the informal sector remains underrepresented and overlooked. The intricate networks of religious donations, remittances, self-help initiatives, and small institutions that perform significant charitable work remain in the shadows.

A critical obstacle is the absence of infrastructure designed to link donors with each other and with trustworthy local initiatives. In nations where philanthropy is more developed, such infrastructure is essential: producing giving reports, training personnel, certifying organizations, coordinating pooled funds for targeted causes, and advocating for the sector. In Nigeria, this infrastructure is lacking. Grassroots initiatives seldom gain access to advisory services, peer education, or pooled financing. Corporate CSR teams overly depend on the same limited circle of NGOs, influencers, and representatives due to the absence of a widely-recognized framework for identifying credible partners nationwide. While influencer-driven crowdfunding may mobilize significant sums swiftly, it often lacks accountability measures, coordination, and pathways from ad hoc responses to systemic reforms.

This lack of infrastructure is not solely a logistical issue; it is fundamentally political. Discussions surrounding philanthropy often position it as personal virtue—benevolent individuals aiding others of their own accord. While this portrayal holds some truth, philanthropy also serves as a system tackling societal challenges. It influences whose suffering is acknowledged, which deficiencies in governmental assistance are addressed, and which concepts are given consideration.

From this vantage point, donations, endowments, remittances, zakat, alumni funding, crowdfunding drives, and corporate budgets are not merely acts of kindness—they constitute a crucial aspect of the political economy surrounding assistance.

If Nigeria is genuinely committed to cultivating a more equitable society, it must cease treating the philanthropy sector with disdain, regarding it as a factional adversary, and stop leaving charitable efforts to chance. A more structured philanthropic landscape could elevate initiatives like Al- Habibiyyah and KNOSK’s school into effective national movements for development by offering access to consistent funding, advisory resources, and peer networks. This would provide corporate and private donors a clearer route to sustainability while simultaneously reinforcing their roles in national development. The pivotal question remains: will those in authority commit to constructing this framework or persist in dismissing nonprofits as opposition forces while neglecting the promise of the extensive informal giving landscape?