Bill Gates Meets With Tinubu in Nigeria 

Gates and Dangote are expected to see President Tinubu in the State House today.

By Omotayo Olutekunbi

Bill Gates, Co-Chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest man, will meet with President Bola Tinubu on Monday, June 19, 2023.

Following a closed-door meeting with the President on Friday, June 16, 2023, the Chairman of Dangote Group informed State House media that he visited the Villa to notify Tinubu of his and Gates’ scheduled meeting with him on Monday.

“I did not come to do much. I only came to inform the President about our visit with Microsoft co-founder and my friend Bill Gates. We will both see the President on Monday when we come together,” Dangote said.

While the Nigerian billionaire did not specify the reason for his visit, new information has revealed why the Microsoft Co-founder is traveling to Africa’s most populous nation.

According to a statement from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the American billionaire will be in Nigeria and Niger next week, after a visit to China, to discuss global health and development with national and local leaders, foundation partners, grantees, scientists, and young innovators.

According to the statement, Gates’ planned visit is part of his foundation’s commitment to engage directly with communities and leaders to encourage innovation that may help accelerate development and improve lives throughout Africa.

“Gates and other foundation leaders are visiting to learn from partners helping to address polio, anemia, and other health threats; scientists applying research to develop agricultural innovations that will help with food security and climate adaptation; innovators using technology to improve access to financial services; and others working to improve lives in Niger and Nigeria and throughout the continent.

“They will also meet with national and regional leaders to encourage them to make investments and advance policies that promote innovation and provide equitable opportunity, despite challenging economic conditions,” the statement partly read.

It was also said that Gates would discuss with students and young leaders to acquire thoughts and exchange views on how science and innovation can accelerate good change and contribute to a better future for Africa.

The moderated event, titled ‘Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation,’ will be co-hosted by the Co-Creation Hub Nigeria and Lagos Business School and will be live-streamed throughout Africa.

The ceremony, which will be hosted in Lagos, is set to begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21, 2023.