From Research to Practice: Leveraging the Power of Philanthropy to Promote Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction

Higher education institutions across sub-Saharan Africa operate in a complex funding landscape. Broadly, education is a major priority area for philanthropic giving in Africa. Moyo and Ramsamy describe philanthropy in the African context as socially embedded practices of giving, sharing, caring, reciprocity, solidarity, and mutual support that contribute to individual and community well-being (Moyo & Ramsamy, 2014). In 2021, the education sector in Africa received 21% of the total philanthropic giving (The Bridgespan Group, 2024; Heriot Row Advisors & IEFG, 2022). Additionally, giving to HEIs in Africa grew exponentially from USD $290 million in 2019 to USD $867 million in 2022 (The Bridgespan Group, 2024; Heriot Row Advisors & IEFG, 2022). The education sector is viewed as a major key to the growth and development of Africa (Nwosu et al., 2023). A majority (87%) of the total funding to HEIs in Africa comes from international donors, while only 13% of the funding is from domestic donors (OECD, 2021). Furthermore, 79% of the giving flows to Anglophone countries and 15% to Francophone countries (OECD, 2021). HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa operate in a complex environment as they continue to deal with stagnation of government funding and unpredictable donor funding.

The funding environment has influenced HEIs’ ability to deliver quality education, conduct research, and contribute to community development. Additionally, it has affected the financial sustainability of the institutions, the quality of education offered, and HEIs’ ability to accomplish their mission.

The complex funding environment raises questions that need answers grounded in research and experience. These are questions from development officers, government officials, donor agencies, policy makers, and higher education managers. This article is an introduction to a series of short articles on the intersection of higher education and philanthropic giving in sub-Saharan Africa. These short articles draw on rigorous academic research by scholars who study philanthropy across Africa, as well as practitioners with real-world experience with fundraising for HEIs. Each of the articles in this series addresses critical questions on how philanthropy advances higher education in Africa. The following are some of the key questions these articles will explore.

1. How can HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa transform alumni into active partners?
   Alumni participation in African HEIs remains low. In 2020, the median alumni participation rate for South African universities was 0.21% (Thaver & Abrahams, 2023). Alumni in Africa represent one of the most underutilized assets in African higher education. The situation in Africa differs from places like North America, where alumni participate more, and where alumni giving generates billions of dollars annually (Wood, 2023).
   
   Different universities in Africa are still developing approaches to maintain relationships with alumni after graduation. At the same time, some high schools have made progress in sustaining alumni engagement, offering lessons that HEIs could use to strengthen alumni relationships (Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, 2024). Mobilizing alumni in Africa could represent a high return on philanthropic engagement for universities.
2. How can HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa establish effective development offices?
   Despite philanthropy having deep roots in Africa (Wilkinson-Maposa et al., 2005), philanthropic support for higher education in Africa remains largely informal and unstructured. Higher-ranking institutions with more established fundraising departments are more likely to have clear fundraising priorities and systems, such as dedicated websites, and are more likely to raise more funds compared to those without websites and development staff (Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, 2024).
   
   A study found that African universities with strong development offices in South Africa achieved growth in their philanthropic giving. For example, Stellenbosch University raised ZAR 412 million (equivalent to around USD 22.5 million) in 2024, and the University of Western Cape raised ZAR 44 million (equivalent to about USD 2.4 million) (Ruiters, 2025). The strength of the development/advancement office is positively correlated with the philanthropic giving received by an institution.
   
   African HEIs face a challenge in building effective development offices, with few employing professional fundraising/development staff. This challenge underlies part of the systemic barrier embedded in HEIs in Africa. It limits an institution’s ability to execute diverse funding strategies, develop clear strategic plans, and manage partnerships (Edoru et al, 2025).
3. What can HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa do to diversify their sources of funding?
   The major sources of funding for HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa include government funding, student tuition, and international donor aid (Nwosu et al., 2024). Africa’s average government spending in 2021 on education as a share of GDP was 3.7%, which is lower than the 5% recommended by the World Bank (World Bank & UNESCO, 2023). Additionally, this funding is constantly fluctuating, with different countries such as Nigeria experiencing significant cuts in government funding to HEIs.
   
   HEIs that rely primarily on a single source of funding, such as government or tuition fees, are financially vulnerable. The solution could be strategic diversification of sources of income. African universities are exploring different approaches, such as research grants and consultancy, technology-based distance learning programs, executive and professional development courses, property rental, and strategic partnerships (Akinmoyeje, 2026). Research shows that universities supported by three to five sources of revenue are more financially sustainable (Khumalo & Schutte, 2025). Another study found that the absence of strong leadership and the complex sociopolitical context in which African HEIs operate were among the major challenges that both private and public universities face in achieving diversification and sustainability (Pramjeeth et al., 2023).
4. How can HEIs in Africa strategically engage corporations and businesses?
   Corporations have a long history of engaging in philanthropic activities to support HEIs in Africa. According to Jaumont (2016), foundations established by corporations are the second most important type of philanthropic organizations for African HEIs. In recent years, many corporations, as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, establish foundations as instruments or mechanisms for giving to HEIs. An emerging opportunity across Africa is the increasing number of billionaires, which grew by 10% between 2022 and 2024, and indicate potential for increased domestic philanthropy (IEFG, 2024). The ultra-high-net worth individuals in Africa tend to donate through their companies or corporate foundations (Kumi, 2024). One example is the Aliko Dangote Foundation, founded by Aliko Dangote, one of the wealthiest people in Africa (Kilama, 2026)
   
   This giving occurs as a result of the CSR goals that have become central in how companies engage with communities. Universities are positioning themselves strategically as critical partners in CSR agendas focused on workforce development, community innovation, and sustainable development. Sustainable support is more likely when corporate entities partner with HEIs to address shared objectives such as community development, skills training, research commercialization, and employee education (Arthur, 2025).
5. How can HEIs launch and execute capital campaigns?
   HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa have development priorities that include infrastructure development, scholarship awards, and financial sustainability, among others. Capital campaigns are strategic fund-raising initiatives to raise a specific amount of money within a specific period.
   
   These capital campaigns often focus on tangible outcomes such as buildings, scholarships, and research centers, rather than abstract needs. The campaigns typically take between five and seven years. These campaigns require a clear understanding of the donor base, donor motivations, and donor behavior (Momen & Tahiru, 2026). Important factors like transparency, accountability, and donor management systems all affect the likelihood of success and the efficiency of capital campaigns in HEIs (Ahunanya et al., 2010). It is therefore important to explore the dynamics involved in capital campaigns.
6. What are the major shifts and emerging trends in the field of philanthropy and higher education in Africa?
   HEIs in Africa grapple with various challenges and realities. These include the depreciating quality of teachers for HEIs, a deficit in research capacity, inadequate funding, facility inadequacies, limited capacity for quality assurance, management inefficiencies, and poor quality of entrants to HEIs from secondary schools (Okebukola, 2015). Furthermore, major shifts are occurring due to the development of artificial intelligence, climate change, and prolonged global conflicts. Additionally, emerging trends related to Islamic philanthropy and Waqf models are gaining prominence on the continent (Suryanto et al., 2025). All these trends are current realities that intersect in the path of higher education and philanthropy in Africa. Philanthropy alone will not solve all the major challenges of African HEIs. However, philanthropy is vital for the advancement of HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, a critical question here is, what is the place of philanthropy in addressing major shifts and trends in HEIs in sub-Saharan Africa?

Insights in Action

This series of articles aims to bring insights from research and practice to professionals and leaders working with African higher education institutions. They offer actionable strategies to help elevate donor stewardship, optimize resource mobilization, and build financially resilient institutions while navigating the unique socio-cultural dynamics of the African higher education landscape.

Let’s dive in!

Further Readings:

• Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. (2024). Engagement of African donors in advancing higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa. https://doi.org/10.7912/TKCN-6171
• Kumi, E. (2024). A literature review of African philanthropy and higher education in Africa. Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. https://doi.org/10.7912/ypcj-jg09
• Nwosu, L. I., Azubuike, R., Oben, J. A., & Vorster, H. (2024). Financing of higher education institutions in Africa: A systematic literature review and call for action. In T. Moloi & B. George (Eds.), Towards digitally transforming accounting and business processes (pp. 425–442). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-46177-4_23

References

Ahunanya, S., Enyinna, O., & Abdullahi, M. (2010). Stakeholders perception of transparency and accountability in higher education financing in Lagos State. https://doi.org/10.4314/LWATI.V7I4.57693

Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. (2024). Engagement of African donors in advancing higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/43647

Jaumont, F. (2016). Unequal partners: American foundations and higher education development in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-59348-1

Kilama, D. (2026). Dangote, Aliko. In: List, R.A., Anheier, H.K., Toepler, S. (eds) International Encyclopedia of Civil Society. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99675-2_9666-1

Moyo, B., & Ramsamy, K. (2014). African philanthropy, pan-Africanism, and Africa's development. Development in Practice, 24(5–6), 656–671. https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2014.937399

Author Bio

Dennis Kilama previously worked as the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Development and Advancement at Africa Renewal University in Kampala, Uganda. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the William and Edie Enright fellow at the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving.