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Bill Gates Pledges Majority Of $200B Fund To Africa
Mr Gates particularly emphasised the importance of investing in primary healthcare systems, citing them as the foundation for broader development.
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has announced that the majority of the $200 billion his foundation will disburse over the next two decades will be allocated to improving health and development in Africa.
On Monday in Nelson Mandela Hall at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mr Gates, the chair of the Gates Foundation, emphasised that Africa would receive the largest share of the funding, citing the continent’s potential and the urgent needs.
“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,” he told the audience, including African leaders, health professionals, youth representatives, and development partners.
Mr Gates praised African governments that prioritise the health and well-being of their citizens and called for more investment in primary healthcare.
Local innovation
“Investing in primary healthcare has the greatest impact on health and wellbeing,” he said, noting that strong maternal and child nutrition support in the early years of life helps break cycles of poverty and disease.
On Sunday, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed awarded Mr Gates the country’s highest state honour for 25 years of the foundation’s work in key development sectors.
Throughout his speech, Mr Gates highlighted how countries like Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Zambia are already showing what is possible when bold leadership meets innovation.
He pointed to initiatives such as scaling up frontline health services, using data to reduce child mortality, and deploying advanced tools against malaria and HIV.
Mr Gates particularly emphasised the importance of investing in primary healthcare systems, citing them as the foundation for broader development.
“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,” he said.
“Ensuring the child receives good nutrition in their first four years as well makes all the difference.”
AI in healthcare
Mr Gates also spoke about the transformative potential of artificial intelligence, noting its relevance for the continent’s future.
“I’m seeing young people in Africa embracing this and thinking about how it applies to the problems that they want to solve,” he said.
Referring to Africa’s mobile banking revolution, he urged leaders to now imagine AI being woven into healthcare and governance systems.
He noted that Rwanda already uses AI-enabled ultrasound to detect high-risk pregnancies earlier, helping women receive timely, potentially life-saving care.
In Nigeria, Mr Gates is scheduled to meet with President Bola Tinubu later during the week and participate in a “Goalkeepers Nigeria” event focused on scaling innovation, where discussions are expected to touch on Nigeria’s primary healthcare reform agenda and national AI strategy.
This visit follows the Gates Foundation’s announcement in May that it will spend $200 billion over the next 20 years to end preventable maternal and child deaths, eliminate deadly infectious diseases, and lift millions of people out of poverty.
Commitment to Africa
Africa has been a central focus of the Gates Foundation’s work for over two decades. Since opening its first office in Ethiopia 13 years ago, the foundation has expanded to Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Senegal.
During this time, it has supported over 100 innovations and helped save more than 80 million lives, largely through partnerships with Gavi and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
Following his address, Mr Gates joined a fireside chat with Paulin Basinga, the Gates Foundation’s Africa director, where both men discussed how governments can work more closely with local innovators to solve challenges.
Other speakers included the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed.
In her remark, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala praised African governments for driving progress in public health and development.
She emphasised that Africa’s health progress is a result of strong government leadership, resilient communities, and partnerships that deliver results.
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Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Naija News reports that Justice had earlier convicted Kanu on all seven counts levelled against him by the Federal Government.
The judge sentenced Kanu to life imprisonment for count 1, 2, 4,5, and 6.
He also sentenced Kanu to 20 years forcount 3 without option of fine.
The Judge sentenced Kanu to five years in prison on count seven without option of fine.
Justice Omotosho ruled that he should not be kept in Kuje prison. He forfeited Nnamdi Kanu’s radio transmitter and barred him from access to social media.
More are still coming
The Federal Government has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to impose the death sentence on the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, following his conviction on all seven terrorism counts.
The request was made on Thursday by the FG’s lead counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), shortly after Justice James Omotosho found Kanu guilty of all charges preferred against him.
Awomolo, addressing the court after the verdict, argued that the severity of Kanu’s actions merited the maximum penalty under the law.
The senior lawyer insisted that Kanu committed “many illegalities” and should not be treated with leniency.
Awomolo further reminded the court that four of the seven counts on which Kanu was convicted carry the death sentence under Nigeria’s terrorism laws.
He urged Justice Omotosho to take this into account in determining the appropriate punishment.
“It will not be considered justice that he is isolated and punished lightly in a country where we have Boko Haram, ISWAP, Lakurawa, et cetera,” he argued.
According to the prosecution, Kanu’s actions were as destabilising as those of other violent groups and should be treated with equal seriousness.
Awomolo also urged the judge to ensure that Kanu is kept in a secure correctional facility pending the court’s final pronouncement on sentencing.
He stressed the need to prevent any disruptions or security breaches involving the IPOB leader while the sentencing process is underway.
Kanu was earlier found guilty of inciting violence, ordering attacks on security personnel, calling for killings, and issuing threats capable of terrorising the public, all captured in broadcasts tendered as evidence by the prosecution.
Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has delivered his ruling in the case between the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, and the Federal Government.
Naija News reports that the judgement was given in Nnamdi Kanu’s absence after the judge had ordered security operatives to kick him out of the court over his unruly behaviour.
Nnamdi Kanu had earlier stated that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja does not have the jurisdiction to try him.
The separatist, who has been in custody since 2021, faced seven terrorism-related charges bordering on alleged incitement, running an unlawful group, and acts threatening national security.
The IPOB leader contended that the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, under which he is being prosecuted, has been repealed.
He urged the court to strike out the charges, describing them as “disclosing no offence known to law” and therefore invalid.
Kanu also requested that the court nullify the “purported plea of not guilty” entered on his behalf, claiming it was obtained through deception and contrary to a Supreme Court ruling.
He further asked the court to set aside all subsequent proceedings and order his immediate release.
“My contention is very simple: this court lacks jurisdiction to try me,” he said.
Delivering ruling on Thursday, Justice Omotosho ruled that the court has the authority to preside over the Nnamdi Kanu case.
The judge also stated that the matter of extradition has been settled by the Supreme Court, and he ruled against Kanu in this regard.
On the issue of fairness in the hearing for Nnmadi Kanu, Omotosho ruled against the IPOB leader, stating that the court ensured he received a fair hearing.
On the defendant not entering his defence, Justice Omotosho said: “I begged the defendant passionately to enter his defence, but he remained obsolete. That shows that he chose to rest his case on the prosecution. Which is a gamble and a risky action.”
The court found Nnamdi Kanu guilty and convicted him of count 1 in the charges filed against him by the federal government.
The Judge said: “The court will rely on the uncontroverted evidence of the prosecution. This court, therefore, finds that the prosecution has discharged Count 1 beyond reasonable doubt. Consequently, the defendant (Kanu) is hereby convicted in respect of Count 1.”
More judgement is being read and this report will be updated as it comes in…….
BREAKING: Court Sentences Nnamdi Kanu To Life Imprisonment
Just In: FG Urges Court To Impose Death Sentence On Nnamdi Kanu
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