By Emmanuel Elebeke

ABUJA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched RenewHER — the Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative — reaffirming his administration’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of Nigerian women and girls.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said maternal health must be treated as a national priority. He described it as “the heartbeat of every family, the compass of social stability, and the truest index of national welfare.”

Tinubu explained that RenewHER will serve as a national engine for collaboration among stakeholders in health and beyond, embedding women’s health priorities across every state, local government, and community.

As part of the structure, a dedicated focal office on women’s health has been established at the Presidency to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health and the State-Wide Approach Coordination Office (SWAp). The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the Governors’ Spouses Forum will also play key roles in ensuring women’s voices and priorities are integrated into policy and community engagement.

A major innovation under the initiative is the creation of an AI-powered National Women’s Health Digital Hub to deliver trusted health information and services nationwide. The hub will host geo-targeted campaigns on maternal survival, adolescent health, preventive care, workforce development, and community-based health coalitions.

The programme will complement existing national health initiatives, including the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Initiative (MAMII), while linking women’s health to broader national goals of economic empowerment and prosperity.

Calling maternal mortality “a shame against which we must all rally,” Tinubu urged collective efforts to make women’s health a central pillar of national development.

The United Nations, represented by officials from agencies such as WHO, UNICEF, and UNDP, pledged continued collaboration with Nigeria to improve maternal health, enhance healthcare access, and expand health education. The UN representative noted that investing in women’s health is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building resilient communities.

Dr. Adanna Steinacker, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health and convener of the event, said RenewHER seeks to transform maternal, newborn, and women’s health through evidence-based interventions, strategic partnerships, and robust stakeholder engagement. She noted that maternal mortality has shown a steady decline in recent years, underscoring the importance of sustained investment.

Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq, First Lady of Kwara State and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum, reiterated her commitment to advancing women’s health, girl-child education, and economic empowerment. She pledged to mobilize support across the 36 states to improve maternal care, expand access to breast cancer screening, promote exclusive breastfeeding, and strengthen reproductive health education.

With the unveiling of RenewHER, the Presidency described the initiative as a transformative, people-centered commitment to women’s health, gender equality, and national progress.