President Bola Tinubu on Monday met with the co-founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and the chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Tinubu is also expected to leave Nigeria on Tuesday, to join world leaders in Paris, France on Thursday, to review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on a priority list for support and investment, following the devastating impact of climate change, energy crisis, and after effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Bola Tinubu Tinubu’s meeting with Bill Gate and Dangote was disclosed by his media aide, Dayo Olusegun, via his Twitter handle. According to Olusegun: “Mr @BillGates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and founder of Microsoft has arrived the Presidential Villa with Alhaji @AlikoDangote to see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR).” The Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake also issued a statement, stating that the President will participate in the two-day Summit, June 22 and 23, that looks at opportunities to restore fiscal space to countries that face difficult short-term financial challenges, especially the most indebted; mobilize innovative financing for countries vulnerable to climate change; foster development in low-income countries, and encourage investment in “green” infrastructure for the energy transition in emerging and developing economies. President Tinubu and the other global leaders, multilateral institutions, financial experts and economists will take a more holistic look at the recovery of economies from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rising cases of poverty, with a view to providing access to finance and investment that will leverage inclusive growth. The Summit, which will be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron of France, will be held at Palais Brongniart. The President will be accompanied by members of the Presidential Policy Advisory Council and senior government officials. He will return to Abuja on Saturday.