Nigeria has secured vital financial support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, with $600,000 earmarked for flood relief efforts in Borno State and an additional $5 million allocated to boost the country’s industrial cassava sector.
The announcement followed a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and a Gates Foundation delegation led by Dr. Christopher Elias, head of the Global Development Programme, during the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York. The funds aim to address both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term economic growth.
The $600,000 relief package is intended to mitigate the devastating effects of recent floods in Borno State, where thousands of residents have been displaced. Dr. Elias emphasized the foundation’s concern over the crisis and praised Nigeria’s ongoing efforts in health reforms, particularly in combating polio. He expressed optimism that Nigeria could eliminate variant polioviruses by the year’s end.
In addition to flood relief, the Gates Foundation has approved a $5 million grant to support Nigeria’s cassava industry through the Lagos Business School and its partners. Rodger Voorhies, President of the Foundation’s Global Growth & Opportunity Division, described industrial cassava as a “multi-billion-dollar opportunity” for Nigeria. He urged authorities to facilitate agricultural growth by issuing permits for 5,000 metric tons of certified maize seed, laying the groundwork for a robust seed system.
Vice President Shettima highlighted the Federal Government’s commitment to addressing challenges in health, nutrition, and agriculture, particularly food security. “The Cassava Accelerator Programme holds immense potential for transforming our economy,” Shettima stated, underscoring the government’s broader goals of digital transformation and public service enhancement.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that recent flooding across Nigeria has created a severe humanitarian crisis, affecting 31 states and 180 local government areas. Over 641,000 people have been displaced, 285 lives lost, and 2,504 people injured. Borno, Bauchi, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Jigawa states are among the hardest hit, with thousands of homes and farmlands submerged, causing widespread displacement and loss of livelihoods.
In Borno alone, 414,000 people have been affected by the floods, with destroyed infrastructure in Yobe State complicating relief efforts. Many are at risk of waterborne diseases due to a lack of clean water, shelter, and sanitation. The Gates Foundation’s financial support is expected to provide much-needed relief in these areas while also fueling long-term economic growth through agricultural development.
The Gates Foundation’s contributions come as the Nigerian government and its partners work to manage the overwhelming needs in the flood-affected regions, providing a significant boost to the country’s relief and development efforts.
