Vice President Kashim Shettima has underscored the transformative role of education and skills development in alleviating poverty and hunger, particularly within the context of Nigeria’s rapidly expanding population. Speaking on Wednesday during a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja with a delegation from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, led by Rodger Voorhies, President of its Global Growth & Opportunity Division, Shettima highlighted the urgent need for investment in educational and skill-building initiatives to harness the country’s demographic potential.

With Nigeria projected to become the most populous nation by the end of the century, Shettima emphasized that proactive investment in human capital development is essential. “This demographic bulge can be transformed into a dividend or a disaster,” he stated, stressing that expanding access to quality education and developing skills, especially in the agricultural sector, are crucial strategies to ensure that the population serves as a national asset rather than a strain.

Shettima’s remarks were amplified in a statement issued by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, which reiterated his call for the Gates Foundation to work strategically with the Nigerian government to enhance agricultural productivity, food security, and nutrition. With climate change posing significant challenges to agricultural productivity, the Vice President advocated for climate-smart agricultural practices to secure food sources for Nigeria’s expanding population. He emphasized that agricultural innovation, supported by partnerships with organizations like the Gates Foundation, could serve as a foundation for poverty reduction and sustainable development.

The Vice President also urged the foundation to back President Bola Tinubu’s gender empowerment initiatives, with a particular focus on girl-child education, which he described as central to Nigeria’s poverty alleviation drive. “Investing in the girl child is a critical pathway to breaking cycles of poverty,” Shettima noted, commending the foundation’s previous contributions, particularly in polio eradication and primary healthcare.

Further emphasizing the importance of agricultural self-reliance, Shettima said, “If a nation is not independent in food production, it remains a dependent nation.” He called on the foundation to extend its expertise and resources to Nigeria’s agricultural sector, much like its successful initiatives in Southeast Asia, to address Africa’s pressing food security needs.

In response, Voorhies expressed the foundation’s commitment to continued collaboration with the Nigerian government, particularly within the realms of food security, healthcare delivery, and agricultural transformation. He acknowledged the positive trajectory of the Tinubu administration’s food security agenda and assured support in reaching Nigeria’s agricultural and nutritional objectives.

This call for partnership aligns with both the foundation’s mission to advance sustainable development goals globally and Nigeria’s strategy to tackle poverty, hunger, and unemployment. The Vice President closed the meeting with a hopeful outlook, expressing confidence that a robust partnership could deliver significant results for Nigeria’s future, ultimately contributing to a more resilient, self-sufficient, and prosperous nation.