Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for a major rethink of charity and philanthropy in Nigeria and across Africa, urging wealthy individuals, organisations and governments to focus on long-term solutions that tackle the root causes of poverty.
Speaking at the inaugural memorial lecture held in honour of the late HRH Igwe Vincent Onyekelu Ilo in Enugu, Osinbajo said charity alone cannot transform society if the structures that create hardship remain untouched.
In his lecture titled “Charity as a Catalyst for Social Change: Moving from Philanthropy to Sustainable Social Impact,” the former vice president explained that charity provides immediate relief for suffering, while philanthropy should focus on creating systems that reduce poverty permanently.
According to him, while feeding the hungry and supporting vulnerable communities remain important, societies must also invest in education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and economic opportunities that empower people to become self-reliant.
Osinbajo warned that many deeply religious societies often become highly charitable without becoming more just, arguing that repeated acts of giving can sometimes ease the conscience of the wealthy without addressing inequality.
“Charity comforts; justice disrupts,” he said while stressing the need to confront corruption, weak institutions and exploitative systems that keep people trapped in poverty.
He also highlighted examples of transformative philanthropy, including the work of the Gates Foundation through the Gavi Vaccine Alliance, which helped reduce vaccine costs and improve immunisation across Africa.
Drawing from his experience as vice president, Osinbajo recalled the establishment of the North East Children’s Fund after visiting internally displaced persons camps in Borno State in 2016. He said the initiative moved beyond emergency relief by building schools for children orphaned by insurgency and providing long-term educational opportunities.
The former vice president stressed that philanthropy should strengthen public systems rather than replace governments, warning African countries against overdependence on donor support for critical services such as healthcare.
He further called for stronger collaboration between governments, businesses, faith organisations and civil society groups to achieve sustainable development and social transformation.
