LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)-Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has called for a significant increase in Nigeria’s public health spending.
He warned that the country’s current investment is grossly inadequate to address critical issues such as maternal mortality, child malnutrition, and disease outbreaks.
Speaking at a roundtable with journalists in Lagos on Wednesday, Gates said Nigeria’s healthcare budget, both as a percentage and in absolute terms falls far short of what is needed to meet the scale of its challenges.
“The amount Nigeria spends on healthcare is very, very small. You can’t depend on aid to fund essential health systems. Countries need to build resilience internally,” Gates said.
Gates, who was recently honored with Nigeria’s Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) award by President Bola Tinubu, emphasized that while donor support plays a vital role, sustainable health systems must be driven by domestic commitment.
“We can assist as partners, but the foundation of a functioning health system has to be built and maintained by the government,” he said.
Nigeria has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates and widespread gaps in access to primary healthcare. Gates stressed that reversing these trends will require not just more funding, but also stronger governance and long-term political will.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Low Tax Rates Hinder Funding For Health, Education- Bill Gates
While he acknowledged improvements in some states, particularly in immunisation and family planning, he noted that these are not widespread enough to significantly shift national indicators.
“In states like Kano and Lagos, you are seeing some positive movement. But if you take the country as a whole, the funding just isn’t there yet to achieve universal health coverage,” Gates said.
Also, he warned that international health funding is becoming more constrained due to shifting global priorities and economic uncertainty, making self-reliance even more urgent.
On maternal and child health, the CEO highlighted the importance of reducing home births and improving emergency obstetric care. His foundation is supporting innovations such as low-cost ultrasound devices, bleeding intervention kits, and micronutrient supplements for pregnant women.
“If a mother delivers at home, there are certain complications that you can’t solve,” he noted.
He cited recent clinical trials that have identified cost-effective ways to reduce anaemia and postpartum haemorrhage, including one study that was stopped early due to its success.
Turning to immunisation, Gates said the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has significantly contributed to vaccine affordability through global partnerships.
“We took the rotavirus vaccine from $60 to $2. We took the pneumococcus vaccine from $60 down to $2,” he added.
READ ALSO: Tinubu Confers National Honour On Bill Gates In Lagos
The foundation is now supporting the development of needle-free vaccine patches, which could simplify distribution and reduce waste.
Despite a 40% drop in polio cases from the previous year, Gates expressed concern over persistent low immunisation rates in northern Nigeria.
“We’ve got lots of cases in six states, including Kano and Sokoto. We’re not getting to the 90% coverage yet,” he said, urging governors to renew their focus on high-coverage vaccination campaigns.
Looking ahead, Gates said he remains optimistic about Nigeria’s health future if investments and innovations are sustained.
“Even if the health budget doesn’t go up right away, innovation means we can do better. Over five to 20 years, I would be very optimistic,” he stated.
