"Why I Donated $14M to Charity": Femi Otedola Explains How True Wealth Is Measured, Shares Video
- Nigerian billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has shared a throwback video detailing his N14 million donation to a UK foundation
- The prominent businessman explained that true wealth is not measured by what people keep, but by the lives they change
- Netizens reacted to the post with mixed feelings, as some praised his generosity while others questioned if the money reached the intended beneficiaries
Nigerian billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has spoken about the reason behind his $14 million donation to charity, stating that it reflects how he measures real success in life.
He revisited the moment through a video he shared on his X and Instagram accounts on Friday, June 5, 2026, reminding followers of the decision he made years ago to support vulnerable children.
Source: Instagram
Femi Otedola explained that the donation was made in 2019 to the Save the Children UK foundation, with the funds directed to help children.
In the throwback video from that year, the billionaire was asked why he chose to give away such a huge amount of money to charity.
Femi Otedola responded by reflecting on his journey in business, the risks he had taken, and the recognition he had received, before stressing that the next step was to give back.
“In my life, my journey, I’ve taken the risk, I’ve done the chase, I’ve enjoyed it. Fail, I’ve achieved success and recognition. What next? You give it back. A lot of people think when they die they’ll take their money with them. We’ll see. Thank you.”
Sharing the video on June 5, the father of four reminded Nigerians of the donation and emphasised that wealth should be measured by impact, not accumulation.
“Throwback to 2019 when I donated $14,000,000 to @savechildrenuk to support children across Northern Nigeria. True wealth is not measured by what we keep, but by the lives we change … F.Ote.”
Check out Femi Otedola's post below:
Netizens react to Femi Otedola's post
Legit.ng compiled the reactions of netizens below:
The comment section showed a mixture of praise and curiosity from followers.
@etek_notions:
“You are a good man. You owe no one an explanation. I admire your tenacity and strive to follow in your footsteps.”
@otunba_toc:
“Kai, there are levels to these things. Indeed, we ain’t going with nothing. ❤️”
@gerald_a_priestly_king:
“The whole nation celebrates you for gifts like this sir, but, shouldn’t a gift this huge be more targeted to ensure that it’s used exactly for what it was intended for. God bless your heart.”
@LadyVictoria:
“It’s not just about donating. Did the money get to the right beneficiary?? Cos if $14M really reach northern children, it will be felt. It would have made a lifetime impact in a lot of children today that you wouldn’t even need to type it here before we knew something great has happened to the northern children. Did you ask if the money got to the children??”
@CashityoungFx:
“hmm are you sure your donation reach to the children abi e go the other direction you know what i mean”
Source: Instagram
Femi Otedola recalls massive debt crisis
In a previous report, Legit.ng disclosed that Femi Otedola recalled a challenging period in his career involving a N142 billion debt crisis during the 2008 global economic downturn.
The businessman explained how falling asset values and heavy margin loans pushed his total debt exposure above 1.2 billion dollars before the government asset management corporation intervened.
He rejected debt restructuring and chose to surrender vast corporate holdings to clear his obligations outright and rebuild his empire from scratch.
Source: Legit.ng
