Nigeria government gets $1 million donation from Bill Gates to address COVID-19 pandemic

The UN financial support fund, “One UN COVID-19 Response Basket Fund,” says it has received an additional $1 million to help Nigeria tackle the country’s pandemic challenges.

The UN Development Program (UNDP), which oversees the Basket Fund, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

The statement quoted Mohamed Yahya, the UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, as saying that the additional fund was intended to support Nigeria, because it observed a dramatic increase in the number of reported cases.

Mr. Yahya said that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $1 million to support the Nigerian Government in addressing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic on 14 July 2020.

He said the UN welcomed the commitment of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to support the country ‘s response to crisis management and post-crisis realities, especially in the protection of vulnerable people.

He added that “as a recognised COVID-19 Response Financing and Investment Platform, this facility provides us a timely opportunity to stand with Nigeria and channel financial contributions toward the COVID-19 multi-sectoral response.

“Working as one UN enables us to minimise the risk of duplication of efforts and ensures efficient mobilisation and rapid deployment of resources.”

The UNDP resident representative said that the unfolding situation of COVID-19 in Nigeria called for unity and concerted government support for the country’s response plan.

 “Through the Basket Fund, the UN aims to ensure policy coherence, programmatic alignment, harmonisation, and coordination of support to the Government of Nigeria during the time of crisis,’’ Yahya said.

The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) recalls that the United Nations, in cooperation with the Nigerian Government, initiated the One UN COVID-19 Response Basket Fund on 6 April 2020.

The Basket Fund is the One COVID-19 Financing and Investment Platform through which different stakeholders will channel their financial support to the multi-sectoral efforts of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Response.

The overall management of the One UN COVID-19 Response Basket Fund is handled and organized by the Project Board.

The Project Board has representation from the Presidential Task Force; Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), relevant government departments, fund contributing donors and the UN.

As of June 2020, the UNDP controlled Basket Fund mobilized US$ 61.3 million, including US$ 54.6 million from the European Union ( EU) and US$ 2.2 million from UN agencies.

The Fund also received $4 million from the private sector ($3.8 million from Dangote and $0.2 million from AP Maersk) and $0.4 million from the Government of Switzerland. (NAN)