Bill Gates lauds his buddy, Dangote, as having a lot in common with him
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Aliko Dangote has been my “invaluable partner” for decades and we have a lot in common, says Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Both Gates and Dangote are businessmen, billionaires, and massive philanthropists.
Gates, one of the richest men in the world, disclosed in his blog his non-profit and the Dangote Foundation owned by Africa’s second richest man have worked together “on issues like malnutrition, food fortification, and polio” in Nigeria.
“I’ve been lucky to call Aliko Dangote a friend for many years. We have a ton in common: Both of us started successful businesses, and then, for our second acts in life, we chose to start foundations aimed at improving health and education,” Gates wrote in his journal about his latest visit to Nigeria and Niger Republic.
“I got to spend lots of time with him this week, and it’s always super fun to catch up with him in person. He’s been an invaluable partner to our foundation over the years – especially in his native Nigeria – working together on issues like malnutrition, food fortification, and polio.”
During the visit, Gates and Dangote met with President Bola Tinubu in Aso Rock. Gates also met with some Governors and traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, and urged governments to deal with challenges in the health system.
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Gates says ‘lucky’ to have Dangote as a friend
In 2019, Gates described himself as “lucky” for having Dangote as a friend. At the time, he narrated how they met and hit it off from their first conversation.
“Have you ever met someone new and immediately felt like you could talk to them for hours? That happened the first time I met Aliko Dangote. A couple of years ago, he and I ended up going to the same event in New York,” Gates recounted, via reporting by Vanguard.
“A mutual friend suggested that I meet him because he knew we were both super interested in global health. So we made sure to sit next to each other at dinner.
“As soon as we shook hands, it was clear we had a ton in common. We both started successful businesses in the late 1970s. For our second act in life, we both chose to start foundations aimed at improving health and education.”