President Bola Tinubu in Lagos on Tuesday night, conferred the National Honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) on billionaire Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and founder of Bill Gates Foundation.
The honour was presented during Gates’ visit to Nigeria, which included meetings with Tinubu and other key officials to discuss reforms in the country’s primary healthcare system.
His itinerary also includes participation in the Goalkeepers Nigeria event and engagements with scientists and stakeholders working to expand AI-driven health solutions.
The CFR is one of Nigeria’s highest honours, reserved for individuals who have significantly impacted national development or advanced the country’s standing globally.
Gates, who is 69, said his ongoing engagement with Africa is both a “moral responsibility and a strategic investment.”
Already, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which he co-chair, has committed $100 billion to global development and health initiatives, with plans to direct an additional $200 billion toward the continent in the coming decades, subject to market conditions and inflation.