By Abdul Lauya
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on Bill Gates, acknowledging his global leadership in humanitarian development.
According to a press release by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the honour recognises Gates’s interventions in maternal health, agriculture, and infectious disease research.
President Tinubu, at the event in Lagos, described Gates as “an inspiration to leaders across the world” for his lifelong commitment to lifting the poor and underprivileged.
“All I need to say is thank you, Bill Gates, for your indivisible commitment to humanity,” Tinubu said, as quoted in the statement by Onanuga.
The conferment signals Nigeria’s appreciation of Gates’s consistent contributions to health equity and underscores the country’s willingness to strengthen partnerships with global philanthropic actors.
Health Minister Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate stated that Gates’s Foundation had invested over $2 billion in Nigeria across healthcare, agriculture, and the digital economy.
Pate highlighted Gates’s collaboration with Alhaji Aliko Dangote, which mobilised traditional leaders to overcome vaccine resistance and ultimately contributed to the eradication of polio in Nigeria.
In his acceptance remarks, Gates said he was honoured by the CFR and dedicated it to his Foundation team and the shared mission in Nigeria.
He noted that in the 25 years of partnership with Nigeria, child mortality rates had fallen due to increased vaccine coverage and strengthened healthcare delivery.
Gates announced that Nigeria had achieved world-leading results in distributing HPV vaccines to girls aged 9–14 to prevent cervical cancer.
He reaffirmed his Foundation’s commitment to combating malnutrition and eradicating malaria in Nigeria within the next 20 years.
Gates also pledged to invest his entire wealth over the next two decades in health-focused initiatives, with Nigeria remaining a top priority.
According to Onanuga, the ceremony was attended by Aliko Dangote, Minister of Special Duties Zephaniah Jisalo, Gates Foundation executives, and Dr. Ayuba Burki Gufwan of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.
Analysts say the diplomatic weight of the honour reinforces Nigeria’s strategic engagement with global development actors to accelerate economic and social progress.
