Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has announced that the majority of his estimated $200 billion fortune will be spent on improving health and education in Africa over the next two decades. Speaking at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Gates emphasized the continent’s potential, calling health and education the foundation for unlocking prosperity across Africa. “By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity,” said the 69-year-old, reaffirming his commitment to donate 99% of his wealth through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which plans to wind down operations by 2045.
Gates underscored the urgent need to bolster primary healthcare systems, especially in the face of declining foreign aid. The U.S. has recently scaled back funding to Africa under President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy, including key programs like HIV/AIDS treatment. Highlighting maternal and child health as a top priority, Gates stated, “Helping the mother be healthy and have great nutrition before and during pregnancy delivers the strongest results. Ensuring the child receives good nutrition in their first four years makes all the difference.”
He also called on Africa’s youth to harness artificial intelligence to improve healthcare delivery. “Africa largely skipped traditional banking and jumped straight to mobile banking. Now you have a chance to build your next-generation healthcare systems with AI from the ground up,” Gates said, citing Rwanda’s use of AI-enabled ultrasound to detect high-risk pregnancies as an example of innovation. The Gates Foundation’s three core goals for Africa are: ending preventable deaths of mothers and infants, eradicating deadly infectious diseases, and lifting millions out of poverty. Former Mozambican First Lady Graça Machel praised Gates’ pledge, calling it timely amid rising challenges on the continent.
Despite criticism over the foundation’s influence on global health policy and alleged tax advantages, Gates remains firm in his mission. “People will say a lot of things about me when I die,” he wrote in a recent blog post, “but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them.” Gates, who co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen in 1975, has increasingly focused on philanthropy, stepping down from the company’s leadership roles in 2000 and later as chairman in 2014. Inspired by fellow billionaire Warren Buffett and the Giving Pledge movement, Gates’ vision could redefine philanthropic engagement in Africa for decades to come.
