News
Bill Gates to Spend Majority of $200 Billion Pledge on Africa’s Future
At the end of 20 years, the foundation will sunset its operations.

ADDIS ABABA (June 2, 2025 :
In an address today in Nelson Mandela Hall at the African Union, Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates , announced that the majority of his $200 billion spending over the next 20 years will go to Africa with a focus on partnering with governments that prioritize the health and well-being of their people.
Gates therefore urged African leaders to seize the moment to accelerate progress in health and development through innovation and partnership, despite current headwinds.
“I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years.
The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa.”
Addressing over 12,000 government officials, diplomats, health workers, development partners, and youth leaders in person and online, he underscored the critical role of African leadership and ingenuity in driving the continent’s health and economic future.
“By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity – and that path is an exciting thing to be part of,” Gates said.
Following his address, Gates joined Paulin Basinga, the foundation’s Africa director, in a fireside chat to discuss Africa’s development agenda and the investments and partnerships needed to drive future progress.
From Addis Ababa, Gates will travel to Nigeria, where he will meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and engage with federal and state leaders to discuss Nigeria’s primary health care reforms.
Calls for collaboration and shared responsibility were delivered by prominent African leaders, including Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, and Amina J. Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations.
Renowned advocate for women and children, Mrs. Graça Machel, described the current situation as “a moment of crisis” and emphasized the importance of enduring partnerships in Africa’s development journey.
“Mr Gates’ long-standing partnership with Africa reflects a deep understanding of these challenges and a respect for African leadership, ideas and innovation,” she said.
“We are counting on Mr Gates’ steadfast commitment to continue walking this path of transformation alongside us.”
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized that Africa’s health progress is a result of strong government leadership, resilient communities, and partnerships that deliver results.Gates called for prioritizing primary healthcare, emphasizing that “investing in primary healthcare has the greatest impact on health and wellbeing.”
“With primary healthcare, what we’ve learned is that helping the mother be healthy and have great nutrition before she gets pregnant, while she is pregnant, delivers the strongest results. Ensuring the child receives good nutrition in their first four years as well makes all the difference.”
Gates highlighted how countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zambia are showing what’s possible when bold leadership harnesses innovation.
From expanding frontline health services and using data to cut child mortality to deploying advanced tools against malaria and HIV, and safeguarding primary healthcare despite fiscal strain—these country-led efforts are driving scalable, homegrown progress.
Reflecting on more than two decades of engagement on the continent, Gates said, “I’ve always been inspired by the hard work of Africans even in places with very limited resources.”
He added, “The kind of fieldwork to get solutions out, even in the most rural areas, has been incredible.”Gates spoke about the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, noting its relevance for the continent’s future.
He praised Africa’s young innovators, saying he was “seeing young people in Africa embracing this, and thinking about how it applies to the problems that they want to solve.”
Drawing a parallel to the continent’s mobile banking revolution, he added, “Africa largely skipped traditional banking and now you have a chance, as you build your next generation healthcare systems, to think about how AI is built into that.”
He pointed to Rwanda as an early example of this promise, noting, “Rwanda is using AI to improve service delivery. E.g. AI-enabled ultrasound, to identify high-risk pregnancies earlier, helping women receive timely, potentially life-saving care.”
In Ethiopia and Nigeria this week, Gates will see first-hand the state of health and development priorities in the wake of foreign aid cuts, and he will affirm his and the foundation’s commitment to supporting Africa’s progress in health and development over the next 20 years.
“Our foundation has an increasing commitment to Africa,” Gates said. Our first African office was here in Ethiopia about 13 years ago. Now we have offices in South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Senegal.
That’s a great way for us to strengthen partnerships.”While in Ethiopia, Gates met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and heard how Ethiopia is sustaining the momentum on critical reforms, expanding essential services, and remaining resilient amid shifting global aid dynamics.
Gates also took part in a roundtable with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute on the country’s iodine-folic acid double-fortified salt initiative.
From Addis Ababa, Gates will travel to Nigeria, where he will meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and engage with federal and state leaders to discuss Nigeria’s primary health care reforms.
He will also participate in a Goalkeepers Nigeria event focused on Africa’s innovation future and meet with local scientists and partners shaping Nigeria’s national AI strategy and scaling up health solutions.
Gates’s trip follows the foundation’s historic announcement on May 8 that it would spend $200 billion over the next 20 years to advance progress on saving and improving lives and Gates’ commitment to giving away virtually all of his wealth to the foundation in that timeframe.
Over the next two decades, the foundation will work together with its partners to make as much progress as possible towards three primary goals: end preventable deaths of moms and babies; ensure the next generation grows up without having to suffer from deadly infectious diseases; and lift millions of people out of poverty, putting them on a path to prosperity.
At the end of 20 years, the foundation will sunset its operations. Over the last two decades, the Gates Foundation has worked alongside African partners to save lives, develop vaccines, and strengthen systems.
It has helped catalyze more than 100 innovations and contributed to saving more than 80 million lives through Gavi and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
News
President Tinubu Decorates INEC’s Mahmood Yakubu with “CON” National Honour
Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 as the 14th chairman of the commission for an initial term of five years. The appointment, which was renewed in 2020, has now expired due to the passage of time.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday conferred the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on Prof Mahmood Yakubu, the outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying that the award was in recognition of Yakubu’s dedicated service to the nation.
Yakubu was first appointed in November 2015 as the 14th chairman of the commission for an initial term of five years. The appointment, which was renewed in 2020, has now expired due to the passage of time.
President Tinubu thanked Professor Yakubu for his services to the nation and his efforts to sustain Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the organisation of free and fair elections throughout his two-term tenure.
Consequent upon this, President Tinubu also directed that Professor Yakubu should hand over to the most senior national commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will direct the affairs of the commission until the completion of the process to appoint a successor.
In the letter dated October 3, 2025, Professor Yakubu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the nation as chairman of the commission since 2015.
News
OpenAI’s Global Actors to Grace 2025 UNILAG International Week
Director of International Relations, Professor Ismail Ibraheem, emphasised the importance of the event in shaping Africa’s voice in the global tech space, stating that the week serves as a platform for practical collaborations between academia, industry, and government.

Prominent figures, including Emmanuel Lubanzadio from OpenAI, Yvonne Ike of Bank of America, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications Dr. Bosun Tijani, and entrepreneur Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, are set to participate in the 2025 University of Lagos (UNILAG) International Week.
The event, themed “Equitable Partnerships and the Future of AI in Africa,” will take place from October 13 to 17, 2025, at UNILAG’s Akoka campus.
The week-long program will bring together government officials, global partners, academics, and tech innovators to discuss artificial intelligence and collaboration.
Keynote speakers will include Dr. Tijani, Mr. Lubanzadio, and Ms. Ike, while sessions on digital governance will feature Nigeria’s BPP boss, Dr. Adedokun.
Young innovators like Adeleke Eniola, who developed an AI-powered malaria diagnostic tool, will also be highlighted.
Plenary sessions will cover topics such as ethical AI, data governance, and educational innovation, aiming for actionable outcomes like policy recommendations and investment linkages.
Director of International Relations, Professor Ismail Ibraheem, emphasised the importance of the event in shaping Africa’s voice in the global tech space, stating that the week serves as a platform for practical collaborations between academia, industry, and government.
UNILAG continues to strengthen its international partnerships for research and skills development, reinforcing its role in global engagement.
News
FCCPC Withdraws Criminal Charge Against MultiChoice Chairman, MD
Defendants in the case included Adewunmi Ogunsanya, the Chairman of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and John Ugbe, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company.

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Tuesday, withdrew the criminal charge filed against MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and its top officers after parties said they had resolved their differences.
ThisDay reported that FCCPC’s lawyer, Daniel Amadi, told Justice James Omotosho of a Federal High Court shortly after the matter was called for arraignment of the defendants.
“The matter is for hearing, but we have filed a notice of withdrawal on August 16.“Parties have settled and we agree to withdraw this suit,” he told the court.
The defence counsel, Rolake Akingbola, did not oppose the application and Justice Omotosho subsequently struck out the charge.
The judge had, on June 24, fixed Tuesday for the arraignment of the company and its senior workers over allegations bordering on breach of FCCPC Act, 2018.
Defendants in the case included Adewunmi Ogunsanya, the Chairman of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited and John Ugbe, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Others scheduled for arraignment alongside the duo were Fhulufhelo Badugela, CEO of MultiChoice Africa Holdings; Retiel Tromp, Chief Financial Officer, Africa; and Keabetswe Modimoeng,, Group Executive for Corporate Affairs.
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