The Co-chair, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr Bill Gates, has declared that Nigeria’s huge youth population represented a lot of potential skills and passion to solve big problems.

According to him, Nigerian youths have shown how passionate they are about progress, but they need to encourage their leaders to follow through on these commitments.

Gates spoke on Wednesday in Lagos during the Pan-African Youth Innovation Forum, as part of activities for his visit to Nigeria.

The Forum had the theme: “Advancing Africa: Unleashing the Power of Youth in Science and Innovation.”

He said: “The last time I visited Nigeria in 2018, I spoke to government leaders about your country’s potential for growth.

“This time, I wanted to speak also with you: Nigeria’s next generation of innovators.

“Ever since I was a teenager, writing computer code on a terminal at my high school, and later at Microsoft, I have loved the feeling of innovating to make something a little better for people – or a lot better.

“I’m sure you know this feeling too.

“There’s going to be a lot of opportunity for you to continue to make a difference in the world, because of the unprecedented potential of new technologies.

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“However, Nigerians are still facing many of the challenges I talked about five years ago – and you have to contend with economic instability and security threats.

“I have a lot of faith that your generation will persevere and improve lives throughout Nigeria and beyond,” he said.

Gates said that talented youths are a powerful asset to making the world a better place.

He said that Nigeria’s huge youth population represented a lot of potential skills and passion to solve big problems.

“Yesterday, I met some impressive Nigerians whom the Gates Foundation has been partnering with for years.

“These scientists are improving seeds, fertiliser, and biopesticides so farmers can thrive in the face of climate change and grow crops free of toxins.

“And I met with a researcher scaling up an effective way to reduce anaemia in pregnant women,” he said.

Gates said that young people needed strong support system to thrive, starting with education.

He added that Nigeria had a strong foundation, with some of the best educational and research institutions across the continent.

He stressed the need to bridge inequity in health, education, financial services and pay gaps to drive development.

Gates expressed his belief in the power of science and innovation to help people lead long, healthy lives, but noted that he had learnt that the benefits don’t automatically reach everyone.

The Star