Blair meets with Osinbajo in Abuja to discuss how his NGO will help deliver government targets

FORMER British prime minister Tony Blair held a brief meeting with vice president Professor Yemi Osinbajo today for what were believed to be discussions regarding his Tony Blair Africa Governance Initiative.

Mr Blair, 65, was prime minister between 1997 to 2007, having been first elected as the leader of the Labour Party in 2004. Upon leaving office, he founded his non-governmental organisation, which aims among other things to help make globalisation work for the many, addressing matters like the fight against terrorism and health challenges such as ebola and other tropical diseases which afflict the African continent.

Earlier today, Mr Blair arrived at the Aso Rock presidential villa where he held a 30 minute meeting with Professor Osinbajo. After the meeting the presidency said that Mr Blair's institute, as well as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, would be supporting the delivery unit in the presidency regarding some critical sectors of the nation’s economy.

Mt Blair regularly visits Nigeria as part of his work and has campaigned for more action to combat malaria in the country in other things. His last visit prior to this was in 2017 and before that, he had met with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum after the general elections in 2015.