President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria met with co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, on Monday at the State House in Abuja.
The meeting, which took place behind closed doors, was also attended by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, who had announced earlier that the American billionaire would be visiting.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the Gates Foundation’s commitment to working closely with communities and leaders to support innovation.
President Tinubu expressed his admiration for Bill Gates’ dedication to working for humanity and commended the partnership with the Aliko Dangote Foundation.
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During the meeting, President Tinubu praised Bill Gates’ efforts in addressing climate change and his contributions to eradicating polio and malaria in Africa.
He urged Gates to raise awareness in the West about the challenges faced by developing countries, stating, “You have all it takes to help developing nations more.”
Aliko Dangote, in his remarks after the visit, congratulated President Tinubu on his election and praised the government’s decision to remove fuel subsidy.
He also highlighted the commitment of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Aliko Dangote Foundation to improving the health sector in Nigeria.
Dangote expressed the foundations’ willingness to further cooperate with the government in achieving its goals.
The meeting signifies the importance of collaboration between government and philanthropic organizations in addressing pressing issues such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.
President Tinubu’s engagement with Bill Gates and Aliko Dangote demonstrates his commitment to leveraging partnerships for the benefit of Nigeria and its people.