Aliko Dangote to Fund ₦1.1bn Student Hostel Project for Ilorin Central Mosque.

Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has taken full responsibility for funding a ₦1.1 billion student hostel project for the Ilorin Central Jumma’at Mosque at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.

The 250-bed facility, when completed, will provide modern accommodation for students and also generate rental income to support the upkeep of the Mosque.

The project, initially launched by the Mosque as a sustainable source of revenue, received a major boost when Dangote agreed to singlehandedly finance it.

Confirming the development at a press conference in Ilorin, the Secretary of the Mosque’s Board of Trustees, Alhaji Shehu AbdulGafar, disclosed that a Memorandum of Understanding had already been signed with the University of Ilorin.

Under the agreement, the Mosque will manage the hostel for 21 years before transferring ownership back to the institution.

In addition to covering the full construction cost, Dangote has pledged to donate ₦5 million monthly until the hostel is completed. AbdulGafar noted that the business mogul had already started fulfilling this promise last month, describing the gesture as a reflection of his dedication to both education and religion.

Community leaders and Mosque stakeholders praised the intervention, saying it would help ease the shortage of student housing in the university and also ensure financial sustainability for the Mosque.

They lauded Dangote’s philanthropy as a landmark gesture that blends faith, education, and community development in a way that could inspire future collaborations between religious institutions and the private sector.