A claim has surfaced online alleging that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is set to launch the world’s first contraceptive capable of preventing pregnancy for up to eight years in Kenya.
The claim, initially reported by some media platforms in Africa, including Kenya and Nigeria, asserts that the long-term birth control method would offer women an extended family planning option, reducing the need for frequent replacements, and was going to be implemented first in Kenya.
Both platforms attributed the information to the Gates Foundation, quoting Dr. Anita Zaidi, head of its Gender Equality Division, who allegedly said that a new hormonal IUD, designed to be more affordable and user-friendly, was being introduced in Kenya, Nigeria, and possibly India.
The claim also spread to X, where it was posted by @africafactszone and amplified by @UnkleAyo. It has since been widely shared across social media platforms.
The claim read:
Bill Gates’ Foundation is set to launch the world’s first contraceptive that will prevent pregnancy for 8 years in Kenya.
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Similarly, @UnkleAyo shared a screenshot of the post with the caption:
CLAIM
The Bill Gates Foundation is set to launch the world’s first contraceptive capable of preventing pregnancy for eight years in Kenya.
THE FINDINGS
Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE!
On August 4, 2025, the Gates Foundation announced a $2.5 billion commitment through 2030 to accelerate research and development focused on women’s health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The foundation noted that the investment will advance innovation across five high-impact areas of a woman’s lifespan: obstetric care and maternal immunisation, maternal health and nutrition, gynaecological and menstrual health, contraceptive innovation, and prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
Although Anita Zaidi was quoted in the release, a closer examination of the statement shows no point where she specifically said the contraceptives would be launched in Kenya, Nigeria, and India. This was also corroborated by local media outlets such as The Guardian and Nairametrics.
In another article, the Gates Foundation noted that the funding would support research teams globally to advance more than 40 innovative women’s health solutions, such as a self-administered contraceptive patch offering six months of protection, rapid testing for sexually transmitted infections, AI-enabled ultrasound, and vaginal health therapies.
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There is no part of the statement where it was explicitly mentioned that the foundation will launch an eight-year contraceptive in Kenya or any other African country.
FactCheckHub also conducted keyword searches online and reviewed Bill Gates’ social media handles but found no mention of such an announcement.
When reached for a response, the Gates Foundation clarified that it is not launching contraceptives in Kenya or elsewhere in Africa, noting that hormonal IUDs have long been available globally and in many African countries, and emphasised that decisions on health products rest with individual governments.
“The Gates Foundation has not, nor is it planning to launch contraceptives in Kenya, or anywhere in Africa. The 8-year contraceptive products are not new in the market. Hormonal IUDs have been available globally for years and were introduced in many African countries nearly a decade ago.
It’s up to each government to decide which health products make the most sense for their people, based on local needs, safety standards, and public health priorities,” the statement read in part.
When contacted on Instagram, one of the authors of the report, Olamilekan Okebiorun, explained that his reference for the claim about contraceptives being implemented in Kenya came from the Gates Foundation’s statement and two Kenyan media reports — one of which originally carried the claim. He added that although several Kenyan outlets had published the story at the time, some later took it down for reasons he could not explain.
“At the time of release, the story was awash across most Kenyan news outlets. Although some have since taken it down, I am not sure why,” he stated.
The Factcheckhub also reached the Kenyan media outlet and the reporter who authored the story to ask for their references but received no response.
Further findings by The FactCheckHub show that an IUD can prevent pregnancy for up to 10 years depending on the specific type, and this has been in existence for some time.
THE VERDICT
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org.
