Africa’s Future Depends On Its Youth, Gates Declares

The Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates expressed optimism that the global child mortality rate could be reduced by half from the current five million cases annually and praised Nigeria for its effective local partnerships. He highlighted that Nigeria had exceptional partners who understood how to support government efforts in delivering healthcare. He emphasized that while the government bore the primary responsibility, their role was to help accelerate these systems.

He further remarked that over the next 20 years, African countries would experience significant economic momentum. Accelerating this progress by addressing unique challenges, simplifying service delivery, and reducing costs would make a substantial difference. Reflecting on the past 25 years, he noted that improvements, such as the decline in childhood death rates, had exceeded expectations, leaving much to be proud of, though there remained considerable work ahead.

“The amazing thing about Africa — and I show people this slide all the time — is that it is a very young continent. The portion of children born in Africa is going to be over half during this century. The city (Lagos) we are in today will, by far, become the largest city in the world. That’ll be interesting and keep things vibrant,” he said.

“Africa has this incredible offset of its youth, and that will make it the most interesting continent throughout this century. How much that youth can really drive progress will depend on the investment decisions we make in the next 20 years — in their health and their education. If we prioritise that, there’s an unbelievable future here.”

Asked whether he remained hopeful that Africa and Africans can still deliver on big health goals, Gates responded affirmatively, citing examples of local success stories.

“Well, certainly, Gombe State is an example — really focusing on the performance of the workforce and being willing, even with very tight budget conditions (which is true throughout Africa), to emphasise not just health, but specifically primary health care. And we see very quickly that when that’s done, childhood deaths go down, maternal deaths go down, and nutrition rates go up,” he said.

“AI is coming along — AI which is improving at the global level, and AI which is being shaped specifically by entrepreneurs in Africa to meet African needs.

“If you take the combination of Africa getting richer, more philanthropists emerging, rich countries restoring generosity, and the sharing of best practices and innovation. We have some incredible tools coming along, even for things like sickle cell disease — which we need to get rid of. It’s a dramatic burden.”

Bill Gates, Chairman of the Gates Foundation and Microsoft Co-founder, highlighted that Africa’s future hinges on the investments made in its young population.

Addressing the audience on Wednesday as a panelist at the Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers event in Lagos, Gates underscored that Africa’s large youth demographic presents a powerful opportunity — but this potential can only be realized through substantial investments in health and education.

Africa Today News, New York