Why Bill Gates is visiting Nigeria, Niger

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will be in Niger and Nigeria next week, following a visit to China…

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will be in Niger and Nigeria 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. 

According to a statement from the Foundation, the visit is part of the Gates Foundation’s commitment to work closely with communities and leaders to support innovation that can help accelerate progress and improve lives across 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 noted.

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It added that Gates will also participate in a conversation with students and young leaders to gather insights and share perspectives on how science and innovation can accelerate positive change and contribute to a brighter outlook for Africa.

The moderated event with the theme: “Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation”, which will hold in Lagos on June 21, will be co-hosted by the Co-Creation Hub Nigeria and Lagos Business School and livestreamed across Africa.