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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, engaged in key bilateral meetings with Namibia’s President and the Gates Foundation, ahead of delivering Nigeria’s national statement on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
At the UNGA, where he joined world leaders for the opening session and heard a keynote address by U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President Shettima emphasised Nigeria’s commitment to multilateralism, United Nations reform, climate action, and international financial restructuring. These issues will feature prominently in the national statement he is set to deliver on Wednesday.
On the sidelines, Vice President Shettima hosted Namibia’s President Nandi-Ndaitbia, who took office in March 2025. The Namibian leader praised Nigerian diplomats for their deep involvement and assistance to Namibia, noting, “All the Nigerian diplomats were basically Namibians, helping in so many ways.” She expressed her intention to visit Nigeria soon for a formal introduction to President Tinubu, saying, “I will still find time to come physically and introduce myself to the President.”
In response, Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria’s pledge to strengthen the bond between the two countries, stating, “We are all Africans, and the Nigeria–Namibia relationship should be taken to the next level, beyond where it is now.”
The bilateral meeting was attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; and Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
In a separate high-profile engagement, Vice President Shettima met with a delegation from the Gates Foundation, led by CEO Mark Suzman.
Shettima, according to a statement by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, expressed gratitude for the foundation’s ongoing support in healthcare, agriculture, and financial inclusion, and called for increased investments in Nigeria’s development sectors.
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He said, “In the Gates Foundation, we have a partner that we trust and believe in. If all high-net-worth individuals made even half the investment Bill Gates has made, the world would be a better place. Kindly convey the highest regards of my boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to Mr. Gates.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s ambitious growth target, he added: “Our target over the next few years is to achieve annual growth rates of no less than seven per cent, anchored on macroeconomic stability, improved productivity, and strategic investment in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, and education.”
Minister of Education, Alausa appealed for the Gates Foundation to increase support in education, focusing on technology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.
He noted, “The initial focus over the years had been on child nutrition but not education. Now I think there is more focus on education, so I am seeking enhanced support to bolster our foundational education. We don’t have adequate support at all.”
Suzman pledged greater investment in human capital development across education and health sectors, highlighting the foundation’s work in digital identity and financial inclusion in Nigeria. He affirmed, “Nigeria is really one of our strongest partnerships on the African continent, and I’m looking forward to hearing from you about where and how we might be more helpful while assuring you of our continued support.”
Suzman also mentioned recently signed grants with the Central Bank of Nigeria supporting related initiatives and expressed encouragement over Nigeria’s broader developmental efforts.
The Gates Foundation delegation included, President of Global Growth and Opportunity Division; Rodger Voorhies, Nigeria Country Director; Uche Amaonwu and Director for Africa, Paulin Basinga.
