Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President, met with Bill Gates, co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote Foundation; and members of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) on Thursday.
The meeting began at 11:43 a.m. behind closed doors at the State House in Abuja. It is one of the engagements scheduled for Mr. Gates’ visits to Nigeria and Niger Republic.
Though the agenda of the meeting is not yet known, it is gathered that participants would consider areas of collaboration between both foundations and the Federal Government, especially in the health and education sectors.
In attendance at the meeting are the NGF Chairman and Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Adbulrazaq and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed. Others are Governors Umar Radda (Katsina), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Ahmad Aliyu (Sokoto) and Umar Namadi (Jigawa State).
As of the time of filing this report, Governors Alex Otti (Abia), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Charles Soludo (Anambra), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Nasiru Idris (Kebbi) were yet to arrive.
Others include Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Umar Bago (Niger), Senator Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Sim Fubara (Rivers), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Kefas Agbu (Taraba), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe) and Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe) were yet to arrive.
Also in attendance are the Deputy Governors of Kaduna, Delta, Kano, Plateau, Ebonyi, and Benue states, amongst others.