Bill Gates, co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, says Nigerian leaders need to make more financial commitment to improving healthcare and education.
Gates spoke at the Youth Innovation Forum which was held in Lagos on Wednesday.
The event — ‘Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation’ — was co-hosted by the Lagos Business School and Co-Creation Hub (CcHub), in partnership with Africa.com and Channels Television.
Gates said there will be opportunities for youths to make a difference in the world because of the unprecedented potential of new technologies.
He said talented young people are a powerful asset when it comes to making the world a better place.
“Even though Nigerians are still facing many of the challenges I talked about five years ago, and you’re having to contend with economic instability and security threats, I have a lot of faith that your generation will persevere and improve lives throughout Nigeria and beyond,” Gates said.
“Nigeria has one of the biggest youth populations in the world, and it’s growing fast. That represents a lot of potential skills and passion to solve big problems.”
Gates noted that for youths to shine, they need support, “starting with a great education”.
“In this capacity, Nigeria has a strong foundation, with some of the best educational and research institutions across the continent. In Africa, Nigeria is a hub for venture capital and financial technology,” he said.
“There are also many exciting innovations in the global pipeline that are going to improve lives here in Nigeria.
“They’re going to prevent infectious diseases, provide life-saving interventions for mothers and babies, make food more nutritious, and give women more convenient contraception options. Down the road, artificial intelligence will be applied in ways that will bring quality healthcare and education to more people.”
‘INVESTING IN EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS’
Gates, however, said despite rapid innovations, the progress has not been distributed equitably.
“I’m a huge believer in the power of science and innovation to help people lead long, healthy lives. But one of the big lessons I’ve learned is that the benefits don’t automatically reach everyone,” Gates said.
“To do that, the people creating new breakthroughs, the people funding them, and the people getting them into the world all need to prioritise equity.
“The message that I shared with President Tinubu on Monday, and what I’ll share with other leaders tomorrow, is that they must invest in equitable solutions—and invest in the people who are working on them.
“Nigeria is full of talented people with a lot of potential. But it can be very hard to fulfil that potential if you don’t have access to the most basic building blocks of life.
“It may not surprise you that Nigeria’s state and federal governments only spend the equivalent of $10 per person on health each year, compared to $31 in sub-Saharan Africa as a whole.
“Leaders need to make a much bigger financial commitment, focused most of all on improving primary health systems.
“Making sure clinics are well-staffed and supplied, making sure children get the vaccines they need—all of this is absolutely essential to improving health and opportunity and unlocking all of Nigeria’s potential.
“I’ll also be talking with Nigeria’s government leaders about increasing commitments to agriculture and digital financial systems.
“Young people in Nigeria have shown how passionate they are about progress. I know that you will encourage your leaders to follow through on these kinds of commitments.”
Gates added that the foundation he co-chairs remains committed to the future of Nigeria.