FG, Gates Foundation sign $7.5m deal to launch Nigerian AI hub
BY MOTOLANI OSENI
The Federal Government has signed a $7.5 million agreement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a Nigerian AI Scaling Hub focused on healthcare, agriculture, and education.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this after a meeting with Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation team in Abuja.
While specific project details are yet to be released, Tijani said the initiative will help fast-track the practical application of AI in critical sectors that directly impact everyday Nigerians.
“This moment means a lot personally and nationally. I’m grateful for the trust, collaboration, and shared belief that Nigeria can lead, not just in adopting technology, but in shaping it to solve real problems,” he said.
Bill Gates is currently in Nigeria as part of his tour of African countries and is expected to meet President Bola Tinubu. He is also scheduled to attend the Goalkeepers Nigeria event, which will spotlight local AI innovations and the state of primary healthcare.
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Earlier, the Gates Foundation revealed that the majority of its projected $200 billion spend over the next two decades will go to Africa. Gates reiterated this in Ethiopia on Monday, stating that his fortune would be directed toward tackling development challenges on the continent.
“I recently committed 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,” Gates said.
Gates, 69, who is currently worth an estimated $168 billion, said he plans to give away 99 per cent of his wealth and wind down the Gates Foundation by 2045. Since its inception in 2000, the Foundation has disbursed over $100 billion in grants, mainly to health and poverty alleviation efforts globally.
