President Bola Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and Chairman of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
The honour is in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to lifting the poor and underprivileged globally.
Speaking at the ceremony, President Tinubu praised Gates for his unwavering commitment to addressing issues such as maternal health, agriculture, and infectious disease research, which have significantly improved the lives of millions in Nigeria and around the world.
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“Mr. Gates has inspired leaders across the globe by consistently working to alleviate poverty and uplift vulnerable communities,” President Tinubu stated.
“His interventions, particularly in maternal health, agriculture, and infectious disease research, have made a profound impact.”
The Minister of Health and Social Development, Professor Ali Pate, noted that Gates’ recognition was well deserved, given his sustained support for Nigeria’s national development agenda.
“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s support was instrumental in eradicating polio from Nigeria,” he added.
In his acceptance remarks, Gates expressed appreciation for the CFR honour, acknowledging that polio eradication had been one of the Foundation’s most challenging yet rewarding efforts.
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“We learned that working with traditional institutions was critical to our success,” Gates said.
Gates highlighted that the Foundation has already begun rolling out HPV vaccines to address the estimated 7,000 annual deaths from cervical cancer among Nigerian women.
“A single dose of the vaccine for girls aged 9-14 provides lifetime protection,” he said.
Gates also reaffirmed his dedication to combating malnutrition and expanding vaccine access to end malaria in Nigeria.
“I am committed to investing my entire wealth over the next 20 years to improve health outcomes in Nigeria,” Gates assured the President.
Other dignitaries at the event included Aliko Dangote, President and Chairman of Dangote Group; the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo; executives of the Gates Foundation; and Dr. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.