Reflections from a Fireside Chat in Davos

On January 20^th, 2026, Wealth4Impact partnered with Africa House in Davos Switzerland, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum to host a session titled – “From Wealth to Legacy: Structuring Generational Capital for Enduring Impact!”

Designed as a fireside chat in a room filled with over one hundred investors, entrepreneurs and leaders, Omar Ben Yedder, the publisher and managing director of IC Publications, including Africa Business Magazine, engaged Dr. Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, the co-founder of Wealth4Impact and President / CEO, of the ONE Campaign.

This session examined how in the midst of geopolitical shifts and significant global cuts in development aid, African leaders can ensure that the emerging wealth being generated on the Continent is stewarded, transferred, and deployed. Moving beyond extractive models, where African wealth exits the continent, this spirited conversation focused on the need to build trust in capital structures rooted in African values and to propel the emergence of enduring economic, philanthropic and social systems.

Dr. Okonkwo Nwuneli cited that according to the Henley & Partners Africa Wealth Report 2025, Africa is home to approximately 122,000–125,000 individuals with investable assets of USD one million or more, about 350 centi-millionaires (USD 100 million+) and 25 billionaires. These high net worth individuals are concentrated in South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco and Kenya. She noted that these numbers are likely four times larger, given the dearth of data in the region and the significant capital flight which makes it difficult to track. She discussed the urgent need for data, awareness creation and strategic interventions to support African families to transition from first generational wealth to multi-generational impact. 

Mr. Yedder posed a central question for consideration – “As one of the largest intergenerational wealth transfers in history unfolds, the central question facing African leaders is no longer whether wealth should serve society — but how deliberately, intelligently, and durably it can be structured to do so?”

Dr. Okonkwo Nwuneli provided some examples of significant knowledge, trust and capacity gaps which propel many families to invest their funds abroad and to create offshore family offices without engaging their spouses or children, often resulting in losses upon their demise. She shared case studies of generous African business pioneers whose good work died with them because they did not invest in the systems and structures to sustain their philanthropic engagement. She lamented about stories of African entrepreneurs who have donated millions of dollars to providing scholarships for students to study abroad – many who never return to the Continent, or provided large sums of money to universities abroad, while neglecting the University of Lagos or Abidjan which actually educate their staff. Dr. Okonkwo Nwuneli cited the power of the African diaspora and the immense potential for leveraging their annual $100 Billion contributions to Africa towards more strategic purposes. Finally, she reiterated the power of exposure, support and partnerships that could emerge from efforts to pool resources to collectively address the root causes of the health, education, and energy crises on the Continent.

Both Mr. Yedder and Dr. Okonkwo Nwuneli agreed that with Africa’s demographic dividends – including the emergence of more youth and women-led businesses, entrepreneurial energy, and capital needs, there was an urgent need to move beyond traditional charity models to focus on systems-level impact, intergenerational stewardship, and governance architectures that translate capital into legacy.

They responded to questions from the audience about the role of faith-based organizations in nurturing a philanthropic culture on the Continent, as many families give to their churches and mosques. In response, Dr. Okonkwo Nwuneli noted the important transformations also required in faith communities to increase the transparency, accountability and stewardship of the resources entrusted to them. She cited encouraging examples from Nigeria including the Freedom Foundation created by This Present House and the House of Freedom and the Pistis Empowerment Foundation established by Elevation Church.

In closing, Dr. Okonkwo Nwuneli underscored the rationale behind the programmatic offerings of Wealth4Impact, including the introduction of innovative programs such as the Supporting the Emergence of Active Philanthropists in Nigeria  (SEAPIN). According to her, this free program offered through the support of the McArthur Foundation will enroll 20 early-stage philanthropy families in Nigeria into a 10-month program to actively gain insights, learning, and support in their efforts to build generational wealth for generational impact. By exposing these families to local and global best practices and guiding them through the process of designing their own tailored approaches, rooted in their values and lived experiences, they will develop sustainable models. They will also improve the structure, effectiveness, and impact of their strategic giving through trusts, and foundations. She expressed the aspiration that through curated conversations, training programs and networking events in partnership with other committed organizations, we will ultimately fulfill Wealth4Impact’s vision – successful professionals and entrepreneurs who have created generational wealth, transformed lives and left sustainable legacies.

The fireside chat ended on a very hopeful note – with the audience eager to engage in future conversations and to connect local and global changemakers to pool their resources to address systemic problems facing our communities and countries.