On Friday, June 16, 2023, the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, held a closed-door meeting with the President of Nigeria to inform him of his and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ planned visit on Monday. While Dangote did not reveal much about the purpose of the visit, a statement from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has since provided more information.
According to the statement, Gates will be visiting Nigeria and Niger next week, following a visit to China, to discuss global health and development with national and local leaders, foundation partners, grantees, scientists, and young innovators. The statement noted that Gates’s planned visit is part of his foundation’s commitment to work closely with communities and leaders to support innovation that can help accelerate progress and improve lives across Africa.
During his visit, Gates and other foundation leaders will meet with partners who are working to address polio, anemia, and other health threats. They will also meet with scientists who are applying research to develop agricultural innovations that will help with food security and climate adaptation. Additionally, they will engage with innovators who are using technology to improve access to financial services and others who are working to improve lives in Niger and Nigeria and throughout the continent.
In addition to meeting with national and regional leaders to encourage them to make investments and advance policies that promote innovation and provide equitable opportunity, Gates will also participate in a conversation with students and young leaders. This event, themed, ‘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 across Africa.
The event, scheduled to start at 10 am on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, will give Gates and other leaders the opportunity to gather insights and share perspectives on how science and innovation can accelerate positive change and contribute to a brighter outlook for Africa. The event is expected to draw a large audience and generate significant interest across the continent.
Overall, Gates’s visit to Nigeria and Niger is expected to be an important opportunity for him and other foundation leaders to engage with key stakeholders and promote innovation and equitable opportunity in Africa. The visit underscores the foundation’s commitment to working closely with communities and leaders to support progress and improve lives across the continent.
