"Women must take part in creating policies and legislation that reflect the society they want to live in"

Toyin Ojora Saraki

A brief introduction

Global advocate for women’s and children’s health and empowerment

 

As Founder-President of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA), Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki is a global advocate for women’s and children’s health and empowerment, with two decades of advocacy covering reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; ending gender-based discrimination and violence; and improving education, socio-economic empowerment, and community livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mrs Saraki is the Emeritus Global Goodwill Ambassador for the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM); special adviser to the Independent Advisory Group (IAG) of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), was named by Devex as UHC Global Champion, is the Save the Children Newborn Health Champion for Nigeria; and is a Global Champion for the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood

A global advocate

Global Engagement

Blog

 

Global Advocacy

Global Programs

 

Gallery

See all photos

 

Speeches Section

Advocacy in Action

SPEECH FROM December 17th, 2025

A Quiet Revolution in Care: WASH as the Foundation of Health System Quality By: H.E. Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki & John Oldfield There is an invisibly simple way to assess whether a health system is structurally capable of delivering safe care, particularly at the moment when life is most vulnerable, and it is not found […]

SPEECH FROM December 10th, 2025

On Human Rights Day 2025, the world reasserts a continued promise that human rights are the everyday essentials of a life lived in freedom and dignity. Seventy-seven years ago, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was proclaimed as a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations,” a global blueprint for laws and […]

SPEECH FROM October 7th, 2025

Foreword by H.E. Toyin Saraki  As we mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month under the World Health Organization’s theme Every Story is Unique, Every Journey Matters, I am honoured to spotlight the newly released Devex feature, “New Index Aims to Help Countries Close Breast Cancer Care Gaps,” following my conversation with Senior Editor Rumbi Chakamba during […]

We gathered to observe the third-day Fidau prayers in honour of our late father, Otunba Adekunle Ojora, the Otunba of Lagos and Lisa of Ife.

The prayers were led by the Chief Imam of Ijora, together with our family Imams and the Chief Imam of Agbaji, Ilorin. We are deeply grateful for their guidance in prayer, and for the presence of family and well-wishers who continue to stand with us in remembrance and supplication.

May Almighty Allah God grant him a place among the righteous in Aljannah Firdaus.

Ameen.
...

229 8

We are deeply grateful for the Janazah prayers held at the Lagos Central Mosque, and for the final rites conducted at The Vaults and Gardens, as we laid my beloved father, H.R.H. Otunba Adekunle Ojora (CON, OFR, FNIPR, JP, FCL, FSO, Grand Ufficiale al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana, Grand Decoration of Honour in Silver of the Republic of Austria, Honorary Freeman of the City of London, 1992), Otunba of Lagos and Lisa of Ife, to rest.

Our sincere appreciation goes to His Eminence, the Grand Mufti of Ilorin, His Eminence, the Chief Imam of Lagos, and all the Imams who led the prayers, stood with our family, and upheld the sanctity of Islamic burial rites with grace and compassion.

Their presence, guidance, and supplications brought immense comfort at a moment of profound loss, reminding us of the mercy and order found within belief.

May Almighty God accept their prayers, reward their service, and grant my father a place among the righteous in Aljannah Firdaus, and grant our family the strength to carry this loss. Amen.
...

618 30

We received, with profound gratitude and humility, the bearers of Royal Staffs of Office at Ijora and Olowogbowo, honouring the memory of my father through their presence, at the dignified traditional Igbe panegyric eulogies.

Such gestures carry deep meaning, speaking to continuity, community, culture, and the enduring bonds between lineage, leadership, and service.

My family and I are sincerely thankful for this show of respect, solidarity, and shared history during our time of mourning.

May Almighty God reward every prayer, every step taken, and every expression of goodwill extended to us.

Amen.
...

505 13

We are truly grateful for your presence, prayers, amity, kind words of remembrance, and goodwill as our revered father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, HRH The Otunba Adekunle Ojora, joined his forbears and was laid to rest in peace.

We pray that Almighty God continues to bless you for keeping Daddy in your prayers.

Amen.

H.E. Mrs. Toyin Ojora Saraki
For the entire family.
...

668 41

Today, I was pleased to review the @OneYoungWorld Summit Munich 2025 Report, which offers a clear, evidence-based assessment of both scale and outcomes. As a Counsellor to One Young World, and through my work with the @WellbeingAfrica Foundation, I have long believed that youth leadership must be evaluated not through aspiration alone, but through demonstrable results, with the data emerging from Munich strongly reinforcing this approach.

During #OYW25, more than 2,200 young leaders from 196 countries convened in person, supported by 144 partner organisations spanning government, civil society, and the private sector, with a programme that featured 338 speakers, including 122 young leaders selected through rigorous and highly competitive processes that prioritised demonstrated impact and leadership credibility.

Post-Summit evaluation confirms measurable value. Over 93% of Delegates reported a strengthened understanding of global challenges, nearly 83%  indicated increased leadership capacity, and more than 80% cited tangible professional development gains, with the Summit achieving an average Delegate rating of 4.54 out of 5, reflecting both depth of engagement and relevance.

Equally important is the Summit’s commitment to access. From close to 70,000 scholarship applications, 468 fully funded places were awarded, ensuring that global leadership pathways are shaped by talent and purpose rather than financial circumstance.

When young leaders are trusted, challenged, and supported within serious, evidence-driven frameworks, they deliver outcomes of real value. I remain proud to serve as a Counsellor within the One Young World community, and I am encouraged by what this report affirms. 

#OneYoungWorld 
#WellbeingForAll
...

40 1

Today, on the International Day of Clean Energy, we are reminded that clean energy is essential to social infrastructure, including health facilities and schools, and that reliable power supports continuity, safety, and public trust. The @UnitedNations’ call for a just and inclusive clean energy transition is directly relevant to climate-exposed settings, where energy access continues to shape health and education outcomes.

In Nigeria, through the work of my @WellbeingAfrica Foundation and partners, this is evident at the Eruku Maternity Referral Centre in Kwara State under the Alaafia Kwara initiative, delivered through partnerships with Development Africa, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, where solar power supports consistent maternal and newborn care. Alongside our advocacy for state-led solar electrification at facilities such as Cottage Hospital Eruku and public schools, these investments have strengthened service delivery and community confidence in essential public institutions.

As a Member of the @BayerOfficial Sustainability Council and through my engagement with the Sustainable Markets Initiative, my focus is on advancing integrated climate and health solutions, and I am encouraged by the leadership of Sustainable Energy for All, under Damilola Ogunbiyi, in advancing electrification across health and education as part of broader development priorities.

Clean energy for all must reach hospitals, schools, and communities, because universal energy access remains inseparable from equitable development.

#CleanEnergyDay
#AlaafiaKwara
#WellbeingForAll
...

40 1

My dear brother Dapo, today we mark your birthday with hearts full of remembrance.

You lived with conviction, stood firmly by those you loved, and carried a presence that made people feel protected, seen, and valued.

May you rest in divine peace, held in eternal mercy, until the day we are reunited.

Always remembered. Always cherished.
...

928 76

This #MaternalMonday brings inspiration, as a mother, a woman, a citizen, and an advocate, on why the launch of the Built For Her Foundation is vital, and what it signals for Nigeria’s future at this moment.

Founded by Dr Teniola Saraki MBBS (Imperial), Built For Her is shaped by a clear conviction that women and girls must be visible in data, prioritised in research, supported by responsive systems, represented in leadership, and invested in with intention if progress in women’s health, across the life course, is to be sustained.

Its first flagship initiative, the Built For Her National Medical Degree Scholarships, delivered in partnership with the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association, has awarded medical scholarships to 30 outstanding female medical students across all six geopolitical zones. I congratulate this inaugural cohort, whose achievement strengthens Nigeria’s future health workforce while advancing women’s participation across clinical care, research, and leadership.

Reflections shared by health leaders at the weekend’s launch reinforced a long-established truth. Women’s representation in medicine shapes how health systems function, influencing access, quality, and trust. Persistent underinvestment in women’s health, highlighted in The Women’s Health Gap: A $1 Trillion Opportunity to Improve Lives and Economies and reinforced in Blueprint to Close the Women’s Health Gap: How to Improve Lives and Economies for All by the @McKinseyHealthInstitute, continues to drive poorer outcomes for women and girls across the life course and weaker health system performance overall.

The @WellbeingAfrica Foundation, grounded in the belief that advancing women’s health today shapes wellbeing, resilience, and opportunity for generations to come, endorses the vision of the Inaugural Built For Her Foundation Medical Scholarship Program, whose commitment and leadership reflect this shared mission and whose contributions will help strengthen health systems, expand opportunity, and advance wellbeing for women and communities across Nigeria.

#BuiltForHer
#WellbeingForAll
...

56 0

There is no greater joy than watching a child discover her purpose, and choose a life of service. My heart is full as I celebrate my daughter, Dr. Teniola Saraki, on the launch of the Built For Her Foundation and its inaugural medical scholarships for 30 NIMSA scholars from across Nigeria.

To witness a third generation of service in our family, one that gives, builds, cares, and designs with intention, and her commitment to advancing women’s health through systems-centred philanthropy, is a profound blessing.

With gratitude to the @BuiltForHerFoundation ’s Founder, Dr. Teniola Saraki MBBS (Imperial), and Trustees, Ms Teniayo Saraki BA (Hons), LSE; MSc, Georgetown, and Ms Soraya Koshoni BA (Hons), King’s College London, for initiating this work with such integrity and care.

Teniola, may this work grow with grace, serve with humility, and always remain rooted in care.

#GratefulSunday #BuiltForHer #GenerationNow #ProudMum #GratefulForHisGrace
...

825 50

Over the weekend in Ikoyi, @bukolasaraki and I joined family and friends as the Segbefia and Bakare families hosted a wonderful soirée in celebration of Fafa and Pekun, following their beautiful wedding in Accra. It was an evening filled with laughter, music, and love, a truly joyful celebration of their union and the journey ahead! ...

357 3