Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has announced he will donate 99% of his fortune expected to reach $200 billion by 2045 largely toward health and education initiatives across Africa over the next two decades.
Speaking at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the 69-year-old philanthropist said he is determined to ensure that every country on the continent is placed on a path toward prosperity. Gates emphasized that unlocking human potential through investments in health and education is the key to that future.
“I recently announced that I will give away my wealth over the next 20 years. I will spend most of that money to help you address the challenges in Africa,” Gates said, directly addressing African youth in his speech.
He also challenged young innovators across the continent to harness artificial intelligence (AI) in ways that would improve public healthcare systems. He cited Rwanda’s early adoption of AI-based technologies, like ultrasounds that help detect high-risk pregnancies as an example of progress already being made.
Former Mozambican First Lady Graça Machel welcomed Gates’s announcement, calling it timely and courageous amid ongoing crises. “We look forward to his continued walk with us on this path of transformation,” she said.
Gates’s pledge comes at a time when U.S. government aid to Africa has been sharply reduced under former President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies. Cuts in funding for critical programs, including HIV/AIDS treatment, have raised concerns about the long-term stability of healthcare across many African nations.
In response, Gates affirmed that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which has operated extensively across Africa is focusing its resources on strengthening primary healthcare systems.
“What we’ve learned is that helping mothers stay healthy and well-nourished before and during pregnancy, and ensuring children are nourished in the first four years, makes all the difference,” he explained.
Mobile technology, Gates noted, has already revolutionized financial services in Africa. Now, he urged, it’s time for AI to do the same for healthcare. He believes innovation from within the continent is critical to solving its most pressing challenges.
Last month, Gates announced he would increase his charitable giving significantly, reiterating his lifelong commitment to philanthropy. “When I die, people will say a lot about me, but I’m determined not to let them say ‘he died rich,’” he wrote in a blog post.
Even after giving away 99% of his wealth, Gates would still be the fifth-richest person in the world, according to Bloomberg.
Gates, who co-founded Microsoft in 1975 alongside Paul Allen, has slowly stepped back from the company in recent years. He resigned as CEO in 2000 and relinquished his role as chairman in 2014.
He has often credited investor Warren Buffett and other philanthropists for inspiring him to give away his fortune.
However, not all observers are applauding. Critics argue that the Gates Foundation’s vast wealth gives it disproportionate influence over global health policy. Some have accused Gates of using the foundation’s charitable status as a means to avoid paying taxes, a charge his team has consistently denied.
Nonetheless, Gates remains unwavering in his vision: transforming Africa through innovation, health, and education and leaving behind a legacy not of wealth, but of impact.
