Fashola Joins Gates-Backed NGO as Nigeria’s Health Policy Becomes the Billionaire’s Playground

Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Resolve to Save Lives Nigeria (RTSL Nigeria), a global public health organisation primarily funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The announcement was made by RTSL Nigeria on July 18, citing Fashola’s role in managing Nigeria’s response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak. As a prominent public figure with experience in governance and public health coordination, he is expected to contribute to the organisation’s mission to prevent cardiovascular diseases and respond to epidemic threats.

Since RTSL Nigeria opened its Abuja office in 2022, it has received $46.5 million in funding from the Gates Foundation, part of a total $96 million since the group’s inception. While this level of funding has enabled broad operations, it has also reignited concerns about “philanthrocapitalism”, the growing influence of ultra-wealthy donors on public policy in developing countries.

A 2022 report published by Synergetic Press, titled “Philanthrocapitalism and the Erosion of Democracy,” argues that individuals like Bill Gates wield outsized influence over key sectors like agriculture and public health, often bypassing democratic processes and weakening local sovereignty in the process. RTSL Nigeria’s growing role in Nigeria’s health governance underscores those concerns, especially given its extensive network of 14 government partners and 28 non-governmental partners, many with foreign affiliations.

One notable partner is the Legislative Advocacy Initiative for Sustainable Development Goals (LISDEL), a policy advocacy group also based in Abuja. LISDEL received $504,214 from the Gates Foundation in 2021. According to its mission statement, LISDEL works to “institutionalise mechanisms and systems that work together to ultimately provide a decent, affordable, quality of life for Nigerians,” by fostering partnerships between government and development stakeholders.  However, it is worth noting that such language often masks the reality of donor-driven policy shaping.

Fashola’s appointment has been praised by members of the public health community. Ibrahim Abubakar, a member of the RTSL Nigeria Board and Pro-Provost (Health) at University College London, described the addition as one that “brings an important perspective” to the Board. Yet, many observers remain sceptical of the increasing overlap between foreign-funded initiatives and Nigerian public institutions.

As the Gates-backed RTSL Nigeria expands its policy footprint, the debate continues over whether philanthropic influence, no matter how well-intentioned, is compatible with transparent and accountable governance in countries like Nigeria.

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Mayowa Durosinmi

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M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

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