Yesterday on Thursday 11 September, I was pleased to be represented by the Wellbeing Foundation Africa’s Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Launch Gala and Awards of the Presidential RenewHer Initiative, convened by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health OSSAP-WH, under the leadership of Dr. Adanna Steinacker.

On behalf of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, I extend warm recognition to the Organising Committee, Distinguished Guests, Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Community, Development Partners, and all stakeholders gathered for this occasion. The establishment of RenewHER and the inauguration of the Office represent a significant advancement within the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, affirming Nigeria’s commitment to placing women’s health at the heart of sustainable development and human capital growth.

For over twenty years, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa has advanced reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, strengthening midwifery leadership, embedding respectful maternity care, and integrating #PSHE #WASH and nutrition into health systems. In 2024 alone, our programmes reached more than 302,000 women, children, and families, providing antenatal and postnatal education to over 71,000 mothers, extending digital midwifery support to 12,300 women, and delivering neonatal care to nearly 900 preterm infants.

As we imagine this impact multiplied nationwide, RenewHER is timely and catalytic, creating a platform for collaboration, investment, and accountability that can transform outcomes for women, families, and communities. I applaud Dr. Steinacker and the organisers for convening this distinguished assembly, and encourage all partners to ensure that the commitments translate into lasting impact, where every pregnancy is safe, every childbirth dignified, and every child afforded the opportunity to thrive.

I wish the RenewHER Launch Gala and Awards every success, and celebrate this initiative as a model of policy innovation and institutional leadership.