Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has said Nigeria’s health spending is far too small to adequately address its numerous healthcare challenges, including high maternal mortality, child deaths, and disease outbreaks.
Gates stressed that the country’s current public health investment does not reflect the scale of its problems.
Gates, who is currently on a visit to Africa, disclosed this at a roundtable discussion with a group of journalists in Lagos on Wednesday.
“When you look at the numbers, the amount Nigeria spends on healthcare is very, very small.
“It is not just about percentages; in absolute terms, Nigeria’s budget for health is insufficient to tackle the crises it faces,” Gates said.
The philanthropist, who was recently conferred with the national award of Commander of the Federal Republic by President Bola Tinubu, noted that Nigeria is grappling with one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, along with widespread child malnutrition and inadequate access to primary healthcare.
According to Gates, reversing these trends will require a deliberate increase in public funding, better governance, and sustained political commitment.
Gates, whose foundation has worked in Nigeria for over a decade, emphasised that without substantial health investments, the country risks stalling development gains and undermining the potential of its young population.
He stressed that while donor support can be a trigger, domestic commitment is irreplaceable.
“We can assist as partners, but the foundation of a functioning health system has to be built and maintained by the government,” he said.
He described the country’s recurrent dependence on donor support and international partnerships for critical health programmes as unsustainable, warning that global health financing is becoming more constrained due to shifting geopolitical priorities and economic uncertainty.
“In the long run, you can’t depend on aid to fund your essential health systems. Countries need to build resilience internally,” he said.
While acknowledging that some Nigerian states are making commendable efforts, particularly in immunisation and family planning, the philanthropist said these efforts are not widespread enough to change national health 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 or even deliver basic services equitably,” he noted.
