Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s low tax collection, emphasizing that it poses a significant challenge to adequately financing critical sectors such as health and education. Gates made these remarks while addressing questions on financing mechanisms for large-scale public health interventions during the Nutrivision 2024, a Pan-African youth dialogue on nutrition held in Abuja.
Gates pointed out that for citizens to have confidence in the government’s ability to deliver quality healthcare, there must be a clear commitment to ensuring that health program funding is well-managed. “Over time, there are plans for Nigeria to fund the government more than it does today. The actual tax collection in Nigeria is actually pretty low,” he said.
He further explained that as citizens witness the efficient management of health programs, including primary healthcare systems where resources are well-utilized, they will likely support increased funding for these services. “It’s exciting that we are driving the credibility of those health programs so that the citizens will feel like primary healthcare is amongst the priorities that should be very funded as you get some fiscal flexibility,” Gates added.
In addition to his concerns about public health financing, Gates also shared his optimism regarding Nigeria’s agricultural potential. He highlighted that with the right support—such as improved credit facilities, comprehensive soil surveys, and effective advisory services for farmers—Nigeria could significantly boost its agricultural output. This, he suggested, could transform the country from a net food importer to a major food exporter.
“Nigeria today is a net food importer and yet, given the geography, if the right credit facilities and advice to farmers, soil surveys, things are available, there is the opportunity for Nigeria to more than double its food output, which would be pretty transformative,” Gates noted. He added that such growth would not only improve the nation’s economy by turning Nigeria into a food-exporting country but would also reduce the need to spend scarce foreign exchange on food imports.
Gates underscored that agricultural productivity, particularly in rural and northern areas, is essential for improving incomes. By leveraging digital technologies and adopting improved seed varieties, he believes Nigeria could achieve an agricultural “miracle” that would not only enhance food security but also address issues of equity and nutrition across the country.
