Jeremie Zoungrana, the Country Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, revealed during a courtesy visit to Senator Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Budget and National Planning in Abuja, that the foundation has dedicated over $2 billion to Nigeria over the last ten years.

Zoungrana emphasized Nigeria's significance as a vital partner in the foundation's African endeavors. He pointed out that the foundation has been actively engaged in Nigeria for over a decade, focusing on various programs related to polio vaccines and healthcare issues such as malaria.

Zoungrana also expressed the foundation's commitment to enhancing the health of Nigerians, recognizing that a healthy population can significantly contribute to the country's economic growth.

He mentioned plans to expand investments in areas like malaria and polio vaccines, as well as maternal and child health. Additionally, the foundation aims to support agriculture and food security by empowering Nigerian farmers with agro-processing inputs and prioritizing women's empowerment and gender equality.

While commending the federal government for addressing health challenges, Zoungrana urged the government to allocate resources with a focus on women and children's well-being. He also expressed gratitude to the government for facilitating the foundation's operations in Nigeria.

In response, Minister Atiku Bagudu thanked the foundation for its contributions to Nigeria's healthcare, particularly in polio eradication and maternal and child health. He encouraged the foundation to further assist in identifying the root causes of health challenges in the country to effectively address them.

Bagudu expressed concern about malnutrition affecting nearly 30% of the population and assured the foundation of the government's willingness to collaborate to achieve its objectives in Nigeria. He emphasized the government's commitment to providing quality healthcare and generating impactful, evidence-based data.