Bill Gates To Visit Nigeria, Meet Tinubu

Philanthropist and Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, will visit Nigeria this week to meet President Bola Tinubu and senior officials to discuss ways to strengthen the country’s primary healthcare system.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the foundation’s media office said the visit is part of a broader African tour that began in Ethiopia.

There, Gates announced the Gates Foundation’s $200bn commitment over the next 20 years to support global health and development efforts.

The majority of the funding, according to the foundation, will be directed toward Africa, with a focus on strengthening primary healthcare, supporting innovation, and partnering with governments that prioritise the well-being of their people.

In Nigeria, Gates will also participate in the Goalkeepers Nigeria event, an initiative spotlighting innovation in health and technology.

He is expected to engage with scientists and partners involved in shaping Nigeria’s artificial intelligence strategy and scaling health solutions.

Speaking at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa on Monday, Gates emphasised the urgency of investing in primary healthcare, noting its impact on reducing maternal and child mortality.

“With primary healthcare, what we’ve learnt is that helping the mother be healthy and have great nutrition before she gets pregnant, while she is pregnant, delivers the strongest results,” he said.

Gates praised African countries like Nigeria for showing progress through innovation, partnerships, and government leadership.

“By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity,” he told a gathering of African leaders, youth, and development partners.

Bill Gates To Visit Nigeria, Meet Tinubu is first published on The Whistler Newspaper