Africa's richest man pledges $10mln in aid for Boko Haram-affected families

PanARMENIAN.Net - Africa's richest man, Nigerian business tycoon Aliko Dangote, has pledged $10million to help families affected by Boko Haram's seven-year insurgency, BBC News reports.

It is the biggest donation by a businessman towards easing the humanitarian crisis in the north-east.

The conflict has forced more than two million people to flee their homes, with most of them living in camps.

Nigeria's government is urging people to return to areas recaptured from the militant Islamist group.

Dangote, who has an estimated fortune of $17bn, announced the donation while visiting camps in Borno state with its governor Kashim Shettima.

A leaked World Bank report estimates that about 30% of 3.2 million private homes have been destroyed in the state, which has been worst-affected by the insurgency.

Welcoming the donation, Mr Shettima said: "Our people are in dire straits and there is only so much that we can do with our limited resources."

Dangote said his main priority was to help curb malnutrition and hunger in the camps, and to then create education and job opportunities for people.

"This is not the first time I am coming here and it will not be the last," Dangote said, adding that he had previously donated about $6m to tackle the humanitarian crisis.

The north-east in extremely under-developed, with Boko Haram exploiting high levels of unemployment to recruit young fighters, BBC says.

Some 17,000 people have been killed by the insurgency.