The Nigerian government has secured a $600,000 relief fund and commitments from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support flood relief efforts and bolster health and agricultural sector reforms.
The announcement was made during a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Foundation’s head of the Global Development Programme, Dr Christopher Elias, on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.
The relief fund will be used to assist victims of the devastating floods and to support the government’s efforts to improve health and agricultural sectors.
The Foundation also pledged $5 million for Lagos Business School to develop the agricultural economics of industrial cassava.
Vice President Shettima reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to placing health, nutrition, and agricultural development at the forefront of the nation’s agenda. He emphasized the government’s dedication to integrity and effective leadership in tackling these issues.
Dr Christopher Elias, the President of the Global Development Programme at the Gates Foundation, expressed the Foundation’s deep concern about the severe flooding in Borno State and its commitment to supporting Nigeria during this crisis.
The Foundation also pledged support for Nigeria’s health sector reforms, particularly in the fight against polio.
Additionally, Rodger Voorhies, the President of the Global Growth & Opportunity Division at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced plans to scale up drought-tolerant maize production and advance the Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator program. He requested import permits for 5,000 metric tons of certified maize seed to build a foundation seed system in the country.
The Nigeria Country Office at the Gates Foundation also expressed appreciation for the ongoing partnership with the Nigerian government, highlighting a $60 million investment in sector-wide programs and collaborations on reproductive health issues.
