Fixing Poverty and Malaria in Nigeria Will Take Years Says Gates Foundation CEO
The CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mark Suzman, has said that solving Nigeria’s poverty and malaria problems will take many years of consistent effort, even though the country has recently made some progress in healthcare. He made this known in New York during an interview ahead of the Foundation’s annual Goalkeepers event.
Suzman explained that Nigeria plays an important role in global statistics because of its size and population. He noted that more people live in extreme poverty in Nigeria than in any other country in the world, with millions surviving on less than $2 a day. He also pointed out that the burden of malaria, the number of unvaccinated children, and nutrition challenges are still very high in the country.
At the same time, he praised the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu for showing commitment to healthcare reforms. He particularly mentioned the role of Health Minister Muhammad Ali Pate, who has worked closely with the Gates Foundation over the years. According to Suzman, Nigeria has already made progress in areas like vaccination and malaria campaigns, but because of the scale of the problems, the work ahead will take many years.
He said that the Gates Foundation works in partnership with the Nigerian government and aligns its efforts with national priorities. The Foundation also supports countries in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa to improve domestic resource mobilization, which means finding ways to raise more money locally and investing it in key areas like health and education.
Speaking about the economic benefits of tackling malaria, Suzman explained that reducing malaria does not bring instant growth to the economy but has long-term benefits. For example, when children grow up without malaria, with proper nutrition, and are fully vaccinated, they become healthier and stronger adults. This creates a more productive workforce in the future, which supports economic growth. However, he admitted that such results often take decades, while political leaders usually want quick results within their election cycles.
On Nigeria’s economy, Suzman said the country is facing major fiscal challenges but is making progress in diversifying revenue away from oil. He pointed out that Nigeria has started to increase its non-oil tax revenues, but the journey remains tough, and more still needs to be done.
His comments highlight the need for Nigeria to stay focused on long-term solutions in fighting poverty and improving healthcare, especially malaria prevention and vaccination. While progress is visible, the Gates Foundation believes that lasting change will take patience, strong leadership, and many years of sustained effort.
