The Nigerian government has secured a $600,000 relief fund and additional commitments from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, aimed at addressing flood relief, health, and agricultural reforms.
This development was announced during a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and the foundation’s Global Development Programme head, Dr. Christopher Elias, at the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
In a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communications, the funds will support ongoing relief efforts for victims of the devastating floods as well as facilitate reforms in the health and agriculture sectors.
The donation includes $600,000 specifically for flood relief in Borno State, alongside a $5 million grant for Lagos Business School to enhance the agricultural economics of industrial cassava.
This announcement follows the Federal Government’s recent creation of a Disaster Relief Fund, designed to enhance resilience against natural disasters, particularly floods. The fund is expected to pool resources from both public and private sectors, addressing the growing challenges posed by climate change.
Vice President Shettima reiterated President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s focus on prioritizing health, nutrition, and agricultural development as key areas for national progress.