BY DAVID ADUGE-ANI, ABUJA
The co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates will be meeting with national and local leaders, partners, grantees, and innovators in Africa to discuss advancing health, innovation, and nutrition across the continent.
Gates, who is visiting Nigeria this week, as part of the foundation’s ongoing commitment to Africa’s development, alongside other foundation leaders, will meet with experts in primary health care, agriculture and nutrition who are driving progress across the continent, despite economic challenges.
A statement from the foundation,, which was made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, said that he would also participate in a pan-African virtual dialogue focused on addressing malnutrition through integrated health, agriculture, and financing solutions.
The statement added that Gates would be joined for this dialogue by musician, educator and humanitarian Jon Batiste.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation believes that solutions to Africa’s greatest challenges can come from within Africa.
This is why the foundation supports African partners whose bold ideas and creative approaches have the potential to save lives, improve health, and help families across the continent.
Since the foundation’s inception in 2000, it has supported partnerships with African regional institutions, national governments, and local communities in 49 African countries to contribute funding and scientific expertise in support of their agendas for change.
“These partnerships have driven the success of numerous health, agriculture, equality, and anti-poverty initiatives.
The foundation has committed more than $7bn through 2026 to support African countries and institutions working to develop and implement innovative approaches to confront hunger, disease, gender inequality, and poverty.
“The foundation works with African governments, the private sector, non-profit organizations and civil society to improve health outcomes, boost agricultural productivity, expand access to digital financial services, and empower women and other marginalized populations with greater economic opportunities,” it added.
The foundation also works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives.
“In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life,” it said.