(3 Minutes Read)
Melinda Gates Foundation announced a USD 2.8bn investment for Nigeria, aimed at tackling health, nutrition, and agricultural challenges. Co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, who was invited to the NEC meeting, announced this investment in Nigeria aimed at enhancing the country’s healthcare, nutrition, and agricultural sectors
Melinda Gates Foundation announced a USD 2.8bn investment for Nigeria, aimed at tackling health, nutrition, and agricultural challenges. Co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, who was invited to the NEC meeting, announced this investment in Nigeria aimed at enhancing the country’s healthcare, nutrition, and agricultural sectors. Gates has been a long-time supporter of development in Nigeria, with his new commitment to the country now totalling over USD 2.8 billion, the largest in Africa.
Addressing the NEC-in-session, the United States billionaire and philanthropist stressed the critical need to invest in Nigeria’s greatest resource, its people, while addressing the economic challenges the country faces. His remarks to the NEC highlighted both the challenges and opportunities facing Nigeria, especially in the wake of economic stagnation and rising national debt. He underlined the importance of prioritising primary healthcare, stating that without health, “there can be no opportunity”.
Gates pointed out that despite Nigeria’s wealth, the country spent just N3,000 per person annually on primary healthcare, a ratio that he said should be reversed. He urged Nigerian leaders to increase funding for primary healthcare and to ensure timely disbursement of allocated resources. Gates praised recent efforts, such as the successful HPV vaccination campaign, that reached over 12 million Nigerian girls in just one month.
He stressed the need for continuous improvement, particularly in data-driven decision-making, to optimise healthcare delivery and workforce management. On nutrition, Gates highlighted the alarming rate of child malnutrition in Nigeria, which contributed to nearly half of all child deaths. He called for greater private-sector involvement in food fortification and urged state governments to ensure compliance with nutritional mandates. Gates also discussed affordable interventions in maternal health, such as the use of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) that could prevent millions of cases of anaemia and save thousands of new-born lives.
In the agricultural sector, Gates expressed concern over Nigeria’s food insecurity, exacerbated by climate change and poor agricultural practices. He advocated increased funding for extension services, fertilisers, and infrastructure to support farmers. He encouraged the adoption of innovative crop varieties with higher yields and greater resistance to pests, such as the new cassava varieties developed with support from the Gates Foundation.
Read Also:
Bill Gates reaffirmed the Gates Foundation’s long-term commitment to Nigeria and Africa. He acknowledged the difficulties in turning around the country’s fortunes, but expressed optimism that with smart investments, innovative thinking, and dedicated leadership, Nigeria could build a better future.
