Bill Gates to Give Most of His $200bn Fortune to Africa
Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has announced that the majority of his vast fortune – expected to reach $200 billion – will be directed towards transforming health and education systems in Africa over the next two decades.
Speaking at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the 69-year-old said his commitment is rooted in the belief that expanding access to quality healthcare and education will unlock the continent’s full potential.
“By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity,” Gates told African leaders and innovators gathered at the event.
A Focus on Africa’s Future
Gates, who recently pledged to give away 99% of his wealth by 2045, stated that most of those funds would be focused on African development. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – which has a long-standing footprint in the region – will lead the effort, with a focus on maternal and child health, primary care, infectious disease prevention, and poverty reduction.
“We’ve learned that investing in mothers’ health and nutrition before and during pregnancy has the greatest impact,” he said. “Good nutrition in a child’s first four years can change the entire trajectory of their life.”
Mozambique’s former First Lady, Graça Machel, praised Gates’ announcement, calling it a timely intervention during what she described as a “moment of crisis” for healthcare across the continent.
A New Era for Innovation
Gates also urged young African innovators to seize opportunities in artificial intelligence (AI) to strengthen healthcare systems, much like mobile phones revolutionised banking across the continent.
“Africa skipped over traditional banking. Now, as you build your next generation of healthcare systems, you have the chance to think about how AI can be part of that,” he said.
He highlighted Rwanda’s use of AI-powered ultrasound to detect high-risk pregnancies as an example of how the technology is already making a difference in improving services and saving lives.
Foundation to Wind Down by 2045
In a statement, the Gates Foundation outlined three key priorities for its remaining years: ending preventable maternal and child deaths, combating infectious diseases, and lifting people out of poverty. The foundation plans to sunset its operations by 2045.
Last month, Gates reaffirmed his intention to speed up his philanthropic efforts. “People will say a lot of things about me when I die,” he wrote in a blog post, “but I’m determined that ‘he died rich’ won’t be one of them.”
Despite the scale of his giving, Gates – currently the world’s fifth-richest person, according to Bloomberg – would still remain a billionaire even after parting with 99% of his wealth.
Legacy and Scrutiny
Gates, who co-founded Microsoft in 1975 with the late Paul Allen, stepped down as CEO in 2000 and eventually left his role as chairman in 2014 to focus more on philanthropy. He has credited his giving philosophy to fellow billionaire Warren Buffett.
While the Gates Foundation has been widely recognised for its work in global health and development, critics argue it wields disproportionate influence and question whether its charitable operations enable tax advantages for the ultra-wealthy.
Nevertheless, Gates’ new pledge marks one of the most ambitious philanthropic commitments ever made – aimed at reshaping the future of an entire continent.
