FG, PRIVATE SECTOR MOBILISE $65M TO CURB MATERNAL, NEWBORN MORTALITY
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By ‘Balogun Ibrahim
The Federal Government has secured financial and in-kind commitments worth more than $65m from seven private sector and philanthropic organisations to support efforts to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths across Nigeria.
The commitments were made through Letters of Intent under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative Private Sector Compact, with interventions expected to address critical healthcare delivery gaps in 172 local government areas identified as having the highest rates of maternal and newborn deaths.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday during the second day of the 2026 Joint Annual Review of the health sector in Abuja, where the Federal Government officially unveiled the compact.
According to a statement issued by MAMII after the event, the initiative seeks to coordinate private sector investments, technical expertise, products and supply chains with government-identified maternal and newborn healthcare priorities under the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and its Sector-Wide Approach.
Figures cited by the ministry indicate that Nigeria records approximately 40,000 maternal deaths and 300,000 newborn deaths annually, translating to more than 100 maternal deaths and 800 newborn deaths daily.
Speaking at the event, Pate said preventing avoidable maternal and newborn deaths remained a major national priority under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He described the reduction of maternal and newborn mortality as a critical indicator of progress in strengthening the country’s healthcare system.
The minister said the government was bringing federal and state authorities, private sector organisations and development partners together under a unified national strategy, with particular focus on the 172 local government areas bearing the highest burden of maternal deaths.
Pate described the commitments exceeding $65m as a significant demonstration of confidence in Nigeria’s ongoing health sector reforms and the potential for meaningful private sector participation in improving healthcare outcomes.
He said the government expected the contributions to support investments in skilled healthcare personnel, essential medical supplies, emergency obstetric and newborn services, innovation and improved referral systems.
He emphasised that the success of the compact would be determined by measurable improvements in maternal and newborn survival rates, adding that all investments must align with national priorities and be properly accounted for.
The seven organisations that submitted Letters of Intent are DP World, Bayer, UNICEF, dsm-firmenich, Nestlé Nutrition Institute, Roche and Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
Their proposed contributions will be evaluated against identified healthcare priorities and implementation gaps, while progress will be tracked through the Sector-Wide Approach framework.
The latest commitments build on existing engagements with the Gates Foundation, MSD for Mothers and MTN Group Foundation, while the World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health supported efforts to mobilise industry partners and technical expertise.
Also speaking, the Nigeria Country Director of the Gates Foundation, Uche Amaonwu, said the compact would improve coordination among government, private sector and philanthropic organisations working to prevent maternal and newborn deaths.
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