Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has highlighted the challenges posed by low tax collection in Nigeria, particularly in the context of funding critical public sectors such as health and education......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Gates made these remarks during the Nutrivision 2024, a Pan-African youth dialogue on nutrition, held on Tuesday in Abuja.
Addressing a question on financing mechanisms for large-scale public health interventions, Gates noted that Nigeria’s current tax collection rates are insufficient to adequately finance essential services. He emphasized that improving tax collection is crucial for the government to meet its obligations, particularly in health and education.
“The actual tax collection in Nigeria is actually pretty low,” Gates said. He pointed out that for citizens to support increased funding for health care, they need to see a commitment to well-managed health programs.
“If citizens want the education and the health things, as they develop the confidence that these programmes can be very well run… running a very efficient primary health care system where the employees are doing great work, the centres are where they should be, you don’t have underloaded centres or overloaded centres.”
Gates expressed optimism that as Nigeria builds credibility in its health programs, citizens will be more inclined to support increased funding, which will be essential as the country seeks greater fiscal flexibility.
“It’s exciting that we are driving the credibility of those health programmes so that the citizens will feel like primary health care is amongst the priorities that should be very funded as you get some fiscal flexibility,” he added.
Beyond healthcare, Gates also discussed Nigeria’s potential to significantly enhance its agricultural output. He suggested that with the right support, including improved credit facilities, comprehensive soil surveys, and effective advisory services for farmers, Nigeria could more than double its food production. This shift could transform Nigeria from a net food importer to a major food exporter.
“Nigeria today is a net food importer and yet, given the geography, if the right credit facilities and advice to farmers, soil surveys, things are available, there is the opportunity for Nigeria to more than double its food output,” Gates stated.
He added that this transformation would have profound effects on the nation’s economy, particularly in terms of conserving foreign exchange and boosting rural incomes.
Gates also highlighted the potential for a digital and agricultural revolution in Nigeria, driven by the adoption of improved seed varieties and leveraging digital technologies. Such advancements could trigger an agricultural “miracle,” addressing issues of equity and nutrition across the country while also boosting economic growth.
Gates’ comments underscore the critical need for Nigeria to improve tax collection and leverage its agricultural potential to ensure sustainable development and economic growth.