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Bill Gates Pledges $2.8 Billion to Boost Nigeria’s Health, Nutrition, and Agriculture
On Wednesday in Abuja, Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and philanthropist, unveiled plans to invest at least $2.8 billion into Nigeria’s healthcare, nutrition, and agricultural sectors.
Speaking at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa, Gates stressed the need to focus on Nigeria’s most valuable asset—its people—to address the country’s economic challenges.
As the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates has been a staunch advocate for Nigeria, with his commitment totalling over $2.8 billion—the largest philanthropic investment in Africa.
His address highlighted the pressing issues Nigeria faces, including economic stagnation and rising national debt.
Gates emphasized the necessity of prioritizing primary healthcare, noting that without health, there are limited growth opportunities
He pointed out that despite Nigeria’s wealth, the country spends only N3,000 per person annually on primary healthcare, a situation he believes needs significant change.
He urged Nigerian leaders to increase funding and ensure efficient use of healthcare resources.
He commended recent achievements, such as the HPV vaccination campaign that reached over 12 million Nigerian girls in a month but called for ongoing improvements, particularly in data-driven healthcare decision-making and workforce management.
Addressing nutrition, Gates highlighted the critical issue of child malnutrition in Nigeria, which is linked to nearly half of all child deaths.
He advocated for greater involvement from the private sector in food fortification and urged state governments to enforce nutritional mandates.
Gates also discussed affordable maternal health interventions, such as multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS), which could prevent anaemia and save numerous newborn lives.
In the agricultural sector, he expressed concern over Nigeria’s food insecurity, exacerbated by climate change and inadequate agricultural practices.
He recommended increased investment in extension services, fertilizers, and infrastructure to support farmers, as well as the adoption of innovative crop varieties with higher yields and pest resistance, such as new cassava varieties supported by the Gates Foundation.
Reaffirming his long-term commitment to Nigeria and Africa, Gates acknowledged the challenges in transforming the country’s prospects but remained optimistic.
He believes that with smart investments, innovative strategies, and dedicated leadership, Nigeria can achieve a brighter future.
“By putting the Nigerian people first, Nigeria’s leaders can build a better future,” Gates asserted, expressing his continued faith in Nigeria’s potential and the crucial role of its leaders.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reportedly declared a strike at Taraba State University over outstanding salary-related demands and delays in payments.
The strike is scheduled to begin today, October 12, 2026. According to the union’s chairman, the union had been engaging the Taraba State Government over its outstanding demands since February 2026.
“The union had exercised considerable patience and demonstrated its commitment to dialogue since February 2026, when it began engaging the Taraba State Government over the outstanding issues,” Mbave said.
“The union had earlier suspended its planned industrial action following an appeal by the government for additional time through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in the interest of maintaining industrial harmony,” the chairman added.
The Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Torseer Yina, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town.
The curfew takes effect from Thursday, October 8, 2026, following unrest and violent protests in the area.
According to reports, the action was taken to contain the unrest and violent protests by members of BEMOA following the death of one of its members by unknown gunmen.
The protest, which was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, turned violent after an angry mob burnt two vehicles belonging to the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.
The Gboko council chairman said the curfew takes effect immediately and warned that anyone caught flouting the order or breaching public peace would be decisively dealt with.
Nine people have died in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred on Monday at about 4:55pm around the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the expressway. It involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line and a white Sino truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
The FRSC said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road was wet, with preliminary investigations identifying speed violation as the probable cause.
The FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report, while the bodies of the victims were taken to the General Hospital Morgue in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey speed limits and exercise extra caution when driving in the rain.
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