The scope and depth of current knowledge about philanthropy in Africa generally and high net-worth individuals (HNWIs) particularly, falls far short of the rapid increases in the density and expansion of HNWIs on the continent. Yet, rich insight about the phenomenon facilitates utilization of the resources they generate for human and economic advancement. This exploratory study of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi and Namibia generates a contemporary data-base by employing a combination of internet-sourced secondary data, questionnaires and telephonic interviews and finds most HNWIs to be former leading politicians rather than professional business people.