Gombe State governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya drew praise and attention on Wednesday during the Gates Foundation’s “Goalkeepers: Africa in Motion” event in Lagos. There, he shared his bold reforms in health, education, and other critical sectors.
Themed “The Future of Progress: Africa in Motion,” the event brought together influential leaders, philanthropists, innovators, and changemakers to spotlight African-led innovations and community-driven solutions that are shaping the continent’s development trajectory.
Specially invited owing to his superlative performance, Governor Inuwa Yahaya was featured alongside Bill Gates in a panel discussion moderated by Folly Thibault of Al Jazeera. They discussed the power of sustainable partnerships and strategic funding to accelerate progress, particularly in the health sector.
The governor responded to several questions about his administration’s consistent investments in the health sector despite fiscal constraints and national economic uncertainty.
He said, “People think cuts save money. But what really saves money, and lives, is spending with vision, discipline and a service mindset.”
Recounting his early days in office, he narrated his sobering visit to the Gombe State Specialist Hospital.
“The hospital was barely functioning. At times, there was no electricity; doctors were examining patients with flashlights, and people avoided care because they had no trust in the system,” he said.
The governor said his administration prioritised reform over austerity.
‘We undertook a full-scale transformation of the hospital, including new buildings, solar power installations, emergency and outpatient wings, and state-of-the-art equipment. Three new general hospitals were also built, and healthcare personnel were recruited and trained to match the needs of the population.”
When asked why, with a background in finance, he focused so heavily on primary healthcare and technology, the governor replied, “Leadership isn’t only about background, it’s about meeting the needs of the people you serve. People can’t learn, work, or thrive if they’re sick or afraid to seek care. That’s why we declared a state of emergency in the health sector.”
Under his leadership, Gombe renovated or constructed Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in all 114 wards and expanded the Gombe State Health Insurance Scheme to over 240,000 people.
He emphasised that the core of his reforms was rebuilding public trust in the healthcare system.
The governor highlighted increased immunisation coverage, wider access to care, and improved infrastructure as key markers of progress.
He noted that the impact is already visible in reduced maternal and child mortality rates, better staff performance, and enhanced service delivery.
Discussing implementation challenges, Governor Inuwa Yahaya revealed how ghost workers and absenteeism plagued the sector.
He revealed that his government introduced biometric attendance systems, identifying and removing ghost workers and flagging chronic absentees.
He said the reform saved over N2.8 billion, which was redirected to hiring and training healthcare workers. The Governor said the state is advancing further by linking staff attendance to service delivery metrics.
On what makes for effective partnerships, Governor Inuwa Yahaya praised the Gates Foundation’s approach. “They didn’t come with a lecture. They came with a question: ‘Where are you going?’ That meant something. They listened. They backed what we were already fighting to fix.”
He explained that Gates’ support enabled Gombe to uphold policies that promoted discipline and empowered the state to rebuild healthcare trust, facility by facility and community by community.
Governor Yahaya offered advice to fellow leaders and young reformers working under constrained conditions, saying,
“Leadership is not about chasing recognition. It’s about building a society where people no longer wake up fearing the same suffering they knew yesterday. In Gombe, we didn’t wait to be rescued. But we didn’t try to go it alone either. We had a plan and invited the right partners to walk with us.”
In his remarks during the panel discussion, Bill Gates called Gombe State a model and exemplar of impactful governance, especially in delivering primary healthcare.
He commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s courage, strategic leadership and partnership in tackling systemic challenges in the health sector.
Gates assured of his continued commitment to improving health in Nigeria and aimed to invest more in this cause in the next 20 years.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya, alongside his Lagos counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the deputy governors of Jigawa and Kaduna States, and the coordinating minister of health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, had an audience with Bill Gates ahead of the commencement of the event.
