The Federal Government of Nigeria has signed an agreement with the Gates Foundation to establish the Nigerian AI Scaling Hub with $7.5 million in funding and expertise from the Foundation.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on Tuesday after a meeting with the Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, and the Gates Foundation team in Abuja.

While the details of the Hub are still sketchy, Tijani said the initiative would “help accelerate the application of AI in healthcare, agriculture, and education — critical sectors where impact matters most to everyday Nigerians.”

“This moment means a lot personally and nationally. I’m grateful for the trust, collaboration, and shared belief that Nigeria can lead, not just in adopting technology, but in shaping it to solve real problems,” the Minister stated.

According to a statement released on Monday by the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates is in Nigeria as part of his visits to some countries in Africa and will be meeting President Bola Tinubu.

Gates is also billed to attend the Goalkeepers Nigeria event, spotlighting local AI innovations and efforts to strengthen primary healthcare.

“In Ethiopia and Nigeria this week, Gates will see first-hand the state of health and development priorities in the wake of foreign aid cuts, and he will affirm his and the foundation’s commitment to supporting Africa’s progress in health and development over the next 20 years,” the statement read.

“I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years. The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa,” he stated.

Last month, Gates announced his plans to give away 99% of his wealth within the next two decades.

The move will culminate in the planned closure of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation by the end of 2045.