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Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has raised concerns over Nigeria's low tax collection, warning that it poses a significant challenge to adequately financing critical sectors like health and education.
Speaking at the Nutrivision 2024, a Pan-African youth dialogue on nutrition held in Abuja, Gates highlighted the need for the Nigerian government to enhance its tax collection efforts to fund large-scale public health interventions.
Gates emphasised that for citizens to trust the government's ability to deliver quality healthcare, there must be a commitment to manage health programmes' funding effectively.
"Over time, there are plans for Nigeria to fund the government more than it does today. The actual tax collection in Nigeria is actually pretty low," Gates said.
He added that building credibility in these health programmes would encourage citizens to support increased funding, particularly for primary healthcare.
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"It's exciting that we are driving the credibility of those health programmes and so that the citizens will feel like primary health care is amongst the priorities that should be very funded as you get some fiscal flexibility," he stated.
Bill Gates backs Nigeria for agricultural boom
Gates also expressed optimism about Nigeria's potential to boost its agricultural output significantly.
He suggested that with the proper support, such as improved credit facilities, comprehensive soil surveys, and influential advisory services for farmers, Nigeria could more than double its food production, transforming from a net food importer to a major exporter.
"Nigeria today is a net food importer, and yet, given the geography, if the right credit facilities and advice to farmers, soil surveys, things are available, there is the opportunity for Nigeria to more than double its food output," Gates remarked.
He added that this growth could transform the nation's economy, particularly by improving incomes in rural and northern areas.