Majority Of My $200 Billion Donations Will Be Directed Towards Africa – Says Bill Gates

Bill Gates (left) and Dr. Paulin Basinga (right)

Source: Africa Publicity

Chairman of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has announced that the majority of his foundation’s $200 billion donations over the next two decades will be directed towards  Africa, with a focus on partnering with African governments that prioritize the health and wellbeing of their people.

Delivering an an address Monday, June 2, 2025, in Nelson Mandela Hall at the African Union, Mr. Gates appealed to African leaders to seize the moment to accelerate progress in health and development through innovation and partnership, despite current headwinds.

He recounted that “I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa.”

Addressing over 12,000 government officials, diplomats, health workers, development partners, and youth leaders in person and online, Mr. Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft, underscored the critical role of African leadership and ingenuity in driving the continent’s health and economic future.

According to him, “By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity – and that path is an exciting thing to be part of.”

Following his address, Mr. Gates joined Dr. Paulin Basinga, the foundation’s Africa director, in a fireside chat to discuss Africa’s development agenda and the investments and partnerships needed to drive future progress.

Calls for collaboration and shared responsibility were delivered by prominent African leaders, including Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organization, and Amina J. Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the United Nations.

Renowned advocate for women and children, Mrs. Graça Machel, described the current situation as “a moment of crisis” and emphasized the importance of enduring partnerships in Africa’s development journey. “Mr Gates’ long-standing partnership with Africa reflects a deep understanding of these challenges and a respect for African leadership, ideas and innovation,” she says, adding that “We are counting on Mr Gates’ steadfast commitment to continue walking this path of transformation alongside us.”

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala emphasized that Africa’s health progress is a result of strong government leadership, resilient communities, and partnerships that deliver results.

Mr. Gates called for prioritizing primary healthcare, emphasizing that “investing in primary healthcare has the greatest impact on health and wellbeing.”

“With primary healthcare, what we’ve learned is that helping the mother be healthy and have great nutrition before she gets pregnant, while she is pregnant, delivers the strongest results. Ensuring the child receives good nutrition in their first four years as well makes all the difference.”

Gates’ speech highlighted how countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zambia are showing what’s possible when bold leadership harnesses innovation. From expanding frontline health services and using data to cut child mortality, to deploying advanced tools against malaria and HIV, and safeguarding primary healthcare despite fiscal strain—these country-led efforts are driving scalable, homegrown progress.