President Bola Ahmed Tinubu held a crucial meeting with prominent Nigerian business tycoon Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, and Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, at the State House in Abuja today.
Although specific details of the discussion have not been disclosed, it is understood that the meeting centered around matters pertaining to global health and development. The gathering brought together national and local leaders, foundation partners, grantees, scientists, and young innovators.
What you should know
The collaboration between President Tinubu and these influential billionaires has been in the works for some time. Last week, Aliko Dangote revealed that he had a private session with President Tinubu at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, during which plans were made for today's meeting with Bill Gates.
Shedding light on the purpose of their visit, Dangote informed State House correspondents, "I did not come to do much. I only came to inform the President about our visit with Microsoft co-founder and my friend Bill Gates. We will both see the President on Monday when we come together."
While the precise agenda remains undisclosed, it is widely speculated that President Tinubu's consultations with prominent figures in the local and global business community aim to address concerns raised by investors.
In his inaugural speech on May 29, President Tinubu assured both local and foreign investors that their grievances regarding multiple taxations and other obstacles to investment would be thoroughly reviewed. He further pledged to facilitate the repatriation of investors' hard-earned dividends and profits back to their home countries.
Furthermore, the President reaffirmed his commitment to implementing industrial policies aimed at strengthening domestic manufacturing and reducing reliance on imports. He vowed to leverage a comprehensive range of fiscal measures to achieve this objective.