A billionaire wants to give $5 million to African leaders who rule responsibly.
Mo Ibrahim's ideas have been labeled wacky before. A decade ago, when even American consumers were just getting used to cell phones, he decided that the real growth market was sub-Saharan Africa.
"I'm not a visionary," says Ibrahim, 61, a Sudanese businessman who was raised in Egypt and now lives in London. "Things are obvious, but most of us just don't open our eyes."
Celtel, the Pan-African telecom giant he created then, was sold to a Kuwaiti company in 2005 for $3.4 billion. Now Ibrahim wants to use that money for another big, possibly loopy gamble—to pay African leaders to retire.
About Me
- Marc A. Ross
- Washington, DC, United States
- Marc has an extensive background in business development for companies as well as directing the advocacy operations, communications efforts, fundraising programs and public affairs for nonprofits, corporations and political campaigns for the highest offices in the United States and the United Kingdom. Marc is available for consulting, workshops, panels, interviews, training sessions, advice, commentary and speaking on all things Advocacy 2.0. Marc can be reached via email by sending a note to marc (at) 2ndsix.com or by twitter at @microadvocacy.
