Connectivity: Nigeria, Gates Foundation’s MoU on AI Scaling Hub with $7.5m in funding, technical expertise

*Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani, Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, discloses the Federal Government and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have signed an agreement to establish the Nigerian AI Scaling Hub with US$7.5 million in funding and technical expertise from the Foundation, to boost connectivity and Artificial Intelligence as ‘two pillars critical’ to digital transformation in the West African country

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

In a fresh move to strengthen the innovation and digital economy ecosystem towards unlocking Africa’s full potential, the Nigerian Government and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have partnered to drive and maximise the application of Connectivity and Artificial Intelligence (AI) as two pillars critical to Nigeria’s future as regards digital transformation.

ConsumerConnect reports Dr. ’Bosun Tijani, Honourable Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), who disclosed this development during the week, said he had the privilege of playing host to Mr. Bill Gates, American multibillionaire businessman, philanthropist, Chairman of Gates and Melinda Foundation and Co-Founder of Microsoft Corporation, as well as his team in his office, in Abuja, FCT.

One-to-one engagement between Gates and Dr. Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister for FMCIDE

The Gates Foundation is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates.

Based in Seattle, Washington, United STates (US), the Foundation was launched 2000, and reportedly the third largest charitable foundation in the world, holding $77.2 billion in assets as of December 31, 2024.

Dr. Tijani, in a blog note shared via his verified social media account, stated of the new MoU: “Mid-way into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, I had the honour of welcoming Mr. Gates, Paulin Basinga, Uche Amaonwu, Bunmi Okunowo and the incredible Gates Foundation team to my office.

The Minister said: “Our conversation was rich — anchored on two pillars critical to Nigeria’s future: Connectivity and Artificial Intelligence.”

He also recalled that a few weeks before his appointment as Minister 2023, he had the privilege of moderating a powerful conversation with Bill Gates and young African innovators.

According to him, Artificial Intelligence featured strongly that day besides a clear call to strengthen the innovation ecosystem to unlock Africa’s full potential for the good of humanity.

On $7.5m in funding, expertise from Gates Foundation

Noting other significant highlight of Gates’ visit to his office, in Abuja, Dr. Tijani, FMCIDE Minister wrote: “We concluded the visit with something truly historic — the signing of an agreement to establish the Nigerian AI Scaling Hub, backed by up to US$7.5 million in funding and expertise from the Foundation.”

As regards the core objectives of the renewed partnership between the Nigerian Government and the Gates Foundation in the country’s digital transformation drive, the Minister further stated: “This initiative will help accelerate the application of AI in healthcare, agriculture, and education — critical sectors where impact matters most to everyday Nigerians.”

He added: “This moment means a lot — personally and nationally. I’m grateful for the trust, collaboration, and shared belief that Nigeria can lead, not just in adopting technology, but in shaping it to solve real problems.”

NigComSat CEO: Nigerian AI Scaling Hub is a reality already unfolding

In her remarks about the historic moment of hosting Gates to a meeting on Nigeria’s future, Jane Egerton-Idehen, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat), described the realisation of the much desired Nigerian AI Scaling Hub as no longer a dream but a reality that already unfolding in the ecosystem.

Egerton-Idehen, who was part of the Federal Government’s team in the meeting with Gates, asserted: “This is not a dream. It’s already unfolding.”

She also affirmed Minister Tijani’s disclosure of the agreement with the Gates Foundation and said: “Today ended with a truly historic moment — the signing of an agreement to launch the Nigerian AI Scaling Hub, backed by $7.5 million in funding and technical expertise from the Gates Foundation.”

The Managing Director/CEO of NigComSat also in a note, stated the fundamental goal of the meeting agreement is to “accelerate the use of AI in healthcare, agriculture, and education” and equipping “Nigerian startups with tools like local language models, compute access, and global support to build at scale” in the digital economy.

Appreciating the leadership of Minister Tijani, Egerton-Idehen the meeting day as “a symbol of the deep, hard work happening behind the scenes.

She acknowledged the significance of the visionary leadership of Dr. Tijani, the dedication of teams at Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, NITDA Nigeria, NIPOST, NCAIR Nigeria, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

“This is what it looks like when policy meets purpose,” she averred.

The NigComSat Chief Executive as well appreciated the importance of sharing space with other global changemakers, such as Mr. Gates, Paulin Basinga, Uche Amaonwu, Olubunmi Okunowo, Rachel Sibande, and the Gates Foundation team, who all attended the strategic meeting with the FMCIDE delegation in Abuja.