By Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah
Nigeria now accounts for 29% of global maternal deaths, with local women facing a 1 in 19 lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes—a stark contrast to the 1 in 4,900 risk in the world’s most developed nations.
According to the 2023–24 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, these sobering statistics highlight an urgent healthcare crisis.
In response, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu on Monday officially launched the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) at the Presidential Villa to tackle the epidemic head-on.
The First Lady said the occasion represents a further step towards ensuring that every Nigerian child has a healthy start in life and that no woman loses her life while giving birth.
She said the incentive package being launched includes a second batch of 215,000 Mama Kits and bags, following the initial distribution of 110,000 kits in 2025, as well as 40,000 maternal food support packs and 40,000 sets of essential newborn clothing.
She noted that despite ongoing interventions, social, economic, cultural and logistical barriers continue to prevent many women from accessing essential maternal and newborn healthcare services.
“I am informed that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare intends to extend the distribution of food support packs and essential newborn clothing to additional local government areas identified as having low uptake of MAMII incentives.”
The First Lady said such practical support would encourage less privileged pregnant women to attend antenatal clinics, prepare adequately for delivery and continue receiving essential care after birth.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative, MAMII, was created to tackle Nigeria’s persistent maternal mortality crisis because “pregnancy is not a disease, but yet many mothers lose their lives in the course of delivering life.”
The Minister said the initiative was designed to connect both the supply and demand sides of maternal healthcare — from primary healthcare services, manpower, medical commodities and procedures to making healthcare services affordable and accessible.
He said over 60,000 women had received free Caesarean sections and other emergency maternal services through the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, in the last two years, while more than 120,000 frontline health workers had been retrained through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
He added that more than 3,000 healthcare facilities had been revitalised, while about 1,000 additional facilities were currently undergoing revitalisation.
“Hundreds of primary healthcare centres have been equipped, while thousands have been stocked with medical supplies.
“More than 6,000 women suffering from obstetric fistula have received treatment and empowerment under the government’s emergency obstetric fistula programme.”
He linked the government’s maternal nutrition interventions to the First Lady’s Community Food Bank initiative, saying adequate nutrition was essential to developing the human capital needed for national growth.
Giving further details, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, explained that MAMII was launched by the Federal Government in November 2024.
He said MAMII targets 172 Local Government Areas across 33 states, representing about 20 per cent of Nigeria’s LGAs but accounting for 55 per cent of maternal deaths.
He explained that the initiative aims to reduce maternal mortality by 30 per cent and neonatal mortality by 20 per cent in the targeted areas by 2028.
It is also expected to provide free, timely and comprehensive care to 2.9 million pregnant women.
Speaking on the progress recorded under MAMII, the Minister revealed that the initiative had been implemented in states including Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Ogun.
He said more than 250 health facilities were currently implementing the programme, while over 32,000 women and 1,700 newborns had directly benefited from emergency obstetric and neonatal care.
“Through NEMSAS, nearly 79,000 people have been transported to healthcare, with about 60 per cent being pregnant women.”
He acknowledged the support of the World Health Organization, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the Global Financing Facility and USAID, among other development partners, in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Dr Salako also commended First Lady Senator Tinubu for her leadership on maternal and newborn health.
He said that through the Renewed Hope Initiative, she had supported the distribution of professional kits to midwives across the six geopolitical zones.
“She has supported the retraining of 120,000 frontline health workers. She has championed the Free to Shine campaign aimed at eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.”
He said the First Lady had mobilised more than ₦100 billion in support of vulnerable women, children and families across Nigeria.
The World Health Organisation, WHO, Country Representative, Dr. Pavel Ursu, said the success of the MAMII intervention would ultimately be measured by its ability to improve women’s access to quality healthcare and save lives.
He said primary healthcare remained critical to the success of the initiative because it brings life saving services closer to families, builds trust and connects communities to the wider healthcare system.
Ursu urged authorities to make better use of data to identify gaps and direct resources to communities with the greatest needs.
He said data should help the government identify who is being reached, where the gaps remain and where urgent action is required, stressing that effective implementation would be as important as the ambition of the programme.
The WHO representative also called for greater ownership and domestic financing by state governments, noting that while development partners could support Nigeria, sustainable progress must ultimately be driven by Nigerian institutions.
He said lasting progress must be rooted in Nigerian institutions, budgets and accountability.
Ursu also commended healthcare workers, saying their efforts remained central to translating government policies and investments into lives saved.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ipalibo Banigo, commended the Federal Government for prioritising maternal and newborn survival on its health agenda.
She, however, stressed the need for sustained legislative and institutional support to achieve lasting results.
Banigo called for increased funding for the health sector, improved primary healthcare facilities and wider access to emergency services.
She said reducing maternal deaths would require stronger collaboration between the executive and the legislature.
In attendance were the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud; Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye; Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, NHIA, Dr Kelechi Ohiri; and Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Prof. Muyi Aina.
Representatives of the Sultan of Sokoto, the Christian Association of Nigeria, UNICEF and other development partners also attended the flag off.