Vice President Kashim Shettima is holding a closed-door meeting with members of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and development partners, including the Co-Chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates and Chairman of Dangote Foundation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The specific agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed but a media advisory from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said Gates’ visit to Niger and Nigeria is part of the foundation’s commitment to collaborating with communities and leaders to promote innovation for accelerated progress and improved lives across Africa.
The American billionaire entrepreneur on Monday met with President Bola Tinubu as part of the programme 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.
Gates and his delegation had also been scheduled to 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.
He was similarly expected to 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.
Seated for the meeting are the Chairman of the NGF, Governor Abdulrahman Adbulrazaq of Kwara State; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi; Dr Umar Radda of Katsina, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto, Professor Babagana Zulum of Borno and Umar Namadi of Jigawa State.
Also attending are Deputy Governors of Kaduna, Delta, Kano, Plateau, Ebonyi and Benue among others.
