Nigerian billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has shared a throwback video detailing his $14 million donation to a UK foundation, explaining that true wealth is not measured by what people keep, but by the lives they change.
Otedola 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. The donation was made in 2019 to the Save the Children UK foundation, with the funds directed to help children in Northern Nigeria.
What Otedola Said About the Donation
In the throwback video from 2019, the billionaire was asked why he chose to give away such a huge amount to charity. 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.
He stated: "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 emphasized that wealth should be measured by impact, not accumulation. He wrote: "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."
Netizens React to Otedola's Post
The comment section showed a mixture of praise and curiosity from followers. User @etek_notions said: "You are a good man. You owe no one an explanation. I admire your tenacity and strive to follow in your footsteps." Another user, @otunba_toc, commented: "Kai, there are levels to these things. Indeed, we ain't going with nothing."
However, some questioned whether the funds reached the intended beneficiaries. @gerald_a_priestly_king wrote: "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 asked: "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 echoed: "hmm are you sure your donation reach to the children abi e go the other direction you know what i mean"
Otedola's Previous 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.
