Africa

We believe that solutions to Africa’s greatest challenges can come from within Africa. Our role is to support African partners whose bold ideas and creative approaches have the potential to save lives, improve health, and help families all across the continent.
A Kenyan family at the Umoja Health Centre in Nairobi.
A Kenyan family at the Umoja Health Centre in Nairobi.

At a glance

  • Working alongside national governments, local organizations, and other partners across Africa, we contribute funding and scientific expertise in support of their goals for change.
  • We focus on countries where we believe we can have the greatest impact.
  • We support a range of programs that work to improve health and nutrition; gender equality; disease prevention, treatment, and research; water, sanitation, and hygiene; agriculture; and financial services for the poor.

Latest updates

A farm worker spreads fertilizer over their rice field in village near Rosso in the Senegal River valley in October 2022.

The war in Ukraine sparked a global food crisis. One year later, here’s where things stand.

Our agriculture expert shares an update on the state of global food security, and why the potential for innovation gives him reason for optimism.
By Enock Chikava Interim Director, Agricultural Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
A farmer sifts through corn harvested from hybrid drought-resistant maize seed on her smallholder farm in Kenya.

Smallholder farming is a proven path out of poverty, but climate change is changing the rules

Urgent action is needed to help smallholder farmers in places like sub-Saharan Africa adapt to climate change, which is already creating crisis conditions that threaten the livelihoods of millions of people.
By Enock Chikava Interim Director, Agricultural Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Isabella Oyier

To support innovators in Africa, create an environment where African R&D thrives

“We are best placed to answer the questions that impact us most." A conversation with Isabella Oyier and Abdoulaye Djimdé.
By Abdoulaye Djimdé and Isabella Oyier

Focus countries

We know that those closest to health and development challenges are in the best position to address them. That is why we work alongside local partners across Africa to contribute funding and scientific expertise in support of their goals for change.
  • Working with partners in Burkina Faso, we support projects that aim to empower women and girls, transform the agricultural economy, and combat infectious diseases.
    Burkina Faso
    Working with partners in Burkina Faso, we support projects that aim to empower women and girls, transform the agricultural economy, and combat infectious diseases.
    Learn more
  • Health extension workers at a health post in Asano, Ethiopia.
    Ethiopia
    Since opening our office in Addis Ababa in 2012, we have partnered with the Ethiopian government, donors, the private sector, and civil society organizations to help improve agricultural productivity and increase the coverage of live-saving health and nutrition interventions.
    Learn more
  • Kenya
    Kenya
    In Kenya, our work focuses on areas of overlap between our expertise and the government’s priorities under the Kenya Vision 2030 development blueprint and the country’s United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which include primary health care and gender equality.
    Learn more
  • Eno Ekpo, from Gender Mobile, speaks with students during a presentation on the University of Abuja campus in Abuja, Nigeria
    Nigeria
    Since opening our office in Abuja in 2012, we have worked closely with partners in Nigeria to make progress in key areas of health, including primary health care and polio eradication.
    Learn more
  • Students in front of toilets at a primary school outside Durban, South Africa.
    South Africa
    We work with partners in South Africa to advance research and solutions that address the country’s areas of greatest need, including HIV and tuberculosis prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and progress in gender equality.
    Learn more

More about our work in Africa

Regional offices

We work across Africa from our regional headquarters in Johannesburg and our offices in Abuja and Addis Ababa.

Fact sheet: Our work in Africa

A brief overview of our priorities in Africa.

Ideas

Read the latest stories, research, and news from across the foundation and subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Optimist.