Nigeria Spends $10 Per Person on Health – Bill Gates

…Urges Govt on Commitment to Nigeria Healthcare Services

Bill Gates said Federal Governments only spend the equivalent of $10 on health per person each year, compared to $31 in sub-Saharan Africa as a whole.

He urges the Nigerian government to increase investment in equitable solutions, as Nigerians still face the challenges discussed five years ago and grapple with economic instability and security threats.

Nigeria’s state and federal governments spend only $10 per person annually on health, compared to $31 in sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, highlighting the need for a larger financial commitment to improve primary health systems and ensure access to essential healthcare services and vaccines.

Bill Gates plans to engage with the Nigerian government to enhance commitments to agriculture and digital financial systems.

Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft and Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to increase its investment in equitable solutions for the country.

Speaking at the Pan-African Youth Innovation Forum in Lagos, Gates emphasized that Nigerians continue to face the same challenges he highlighted five years ago, including economic instability and security threats.

Gates’s remarks underscore the urgent need for greater financial commitment to improve the healthcare system and address the basic needs of the Nigerian population.

Bill Gates urged the Tinubu government to make a much bigger financial commitment, focused most of all on improving primary health systems.

In the forum themed: Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation”, he cited that Nigeria was full of talented people with a lot of potentials, and warned it could be hard to fulfil that potential if they 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 on health per person 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,” he said