THE United States billionaire philanthropist and Chairman Gates Foundation, Bill Gates has announced a $2.8 billion investment aimed at enhancing the country’s healthcare, nutrition, and agricultural sectors.
Speaking at the National Economic Council, NEC, meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, Gates emphasized the critical need to invest in Nigeria’s greatest resource, its people, while addressing the economic challenges the country faces.
Gates, who had met with the Vice President alongside the Chairman of the Dangote Foundation, Aliko Dangote, has been a long-time advocate for Nigeria, with his foundation’s commitment to the country now totaling over $2.8 billion, the largest of its kind in Africa.
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 prioritizing primary healthcare, noting that without health, “there can be no opportunity,” pointing out that despite Nigeria’s wealth, the country spends just N3,000 per person annually on primary healthcare, a ratio that he argued should be reversed.
