The co-founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has reiterated the need for African governments, especially Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to invest more in human development as this is the only sure means to curb the rising poverty level in both counties.
Mr Gates in a telephone press conference ahead of the Goalkeepers event in New York said most African countries especially Nigeria and DRC need to channel more investment towards health, family planning and education as a means of human development as this is the only way in which poverty can be alleviated in the continent.
Mr Gates was speaking based on the Goalkeepers data report which said by 2050, more than 40 per cent of the extremely poor people in the world will live in just two countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria.
Currently, Nigeria has the highest number of extremely poor people as it has taken over from India which used to hold the position.
A Brooking Institution report in June said the number of Nigerians in extreme poverty increases by six people every minutes.
The projection is that since Nigeria in March 2018 took over from India the unenviable spot of the largest number of extremely poor, the DRC could soon take over the number two spot.
Although the Nigerian economy is out of recession, many Nigerians have slipped into extreme poverty. In 2016, the prevalence of people living below the poverty line ranged between 54 per cent and 60 per cent. About 82 million Nigerians are estimated to currently live below thepoverty line of access to less than $1.9 a day.
