Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, has urged Nigeria to reduce its reliance on medical tourism and focus on local drug production.
During the Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers event in Lagos on Wednesday, he stressed the need for every Nigerian, rich or poor, to have access to quality healthcare within the nation. Dangote highlighted the importance of partnering with Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation to enhance the country’s healthcare infrastructure and boost pharmaceutical manufacturing.
He argued that cutting down on foreign medical trips and increasing local drug production would not only improve healthcare access but also keep essential resources within Nigeria’s economy.
“We need to stop health tourism and start producing our own drugs,” Dangote remarked during a panel discussion at the event.
He underscored the necessity of collaboration with Bill Gates, asserting that Nigerians should not have to seek treatment abroad when ill.
As Africa’s richest man, Dangote recalled the success of the Dangote Foundation in eradicating Polio in Nigeria and making strides in nutritional improvements through its partnership with the Gates Foundation.
From a business standpoint, he noted that his company has significantly reversed Nigeria’s status as the second-largest cement importer, now exporting more than any other African nation. He also mentioned the establishment of the world’s second-largest fertiliser plant, which has led Nigeria to export 37% of its fertiliser to the USA.
In the oil sector, Dangote highlighted his achievement in constructing a 650,000 bpd refinery, which has ended Nigeria’s petrol imports, with the Dangote Refinery exporting 400,000 metric tons of petrol in May 2025 alone.
The Goalkeepers event, held for the first time in Lagos by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, brought together global leaders, policymakers, and change-makers to review progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Attendees included Bill Gates, Lagos State’s Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Gombe State’s Governor Inuwa Yahaya.
