President Bola Tinubu has conferred Nigeria’s third-highest national honour, Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), on American billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. The investiture took place on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at the President’s residence in Lagos, in the presence of top government officials including Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health, and Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group.
The award recognizes Gates’ decades-long commitment to improving lives through global health initiatives, polio eradication, education, digital innovation, and agricultural development, with significant impact in Nigeria and across Africa. President Tinubu praised Gates for inspiring leaders worldwide by consistently uplifting the poor and underprivileged.
Bill Gates is in Nigeria to meet with President Tinubu and senior officials to discuss reforms in the country’s primary healthcare system. He is also participating in the Goalkeepers Nigeria event, focused on Africa’s innovation future, and engaging with local scientists and partners on Nigeria’s national strategy for artificial intelligence (AI) and scaling up health solutions.
The Gates Foundation has committed to spending $200 billion over the next 20 years to advance progress in saving and improving lives, particularly across Africa. Through partnerships with African governments and organizations, the foundation has contributed to saving millions of lives via vaccination programs, disease eradication efforts, and health system strengthening.
President Tinubu lauded Gates’ philanthropic work as an inspiration and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to fostering partnerships that promote development and innovation. The CFR honour is reserved for individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to Nigeria’s development and global standing.
