President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has launched RenewHER, a Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative, aimed at tackling maternal mortality and advancing women’s well-being across Nigeria.
The President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, unveiled the programme on Thursday night during a Gala and Awards ceremony at the State House, Abuja.
Describing RenewHER as a national priority, Tinubu called it “an answer to one of the nation’s most critical prayers.”
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the President said:
“There is no greater test of a nation’s character than the care it extends to its women.
Maternal health is the heartbeat of every family, the compass of social stability, and the truest index of national welfare.”
He explained that RenewHER would serve as “the national engine of collaboration among all stakeholders” to drive a healthier Nigeria.
A new Presidential Focal Office on Women’s Health will coordinate with the Federal Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Women Affairs, the State-Wide Approach Coordination Office (SWAp), and the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum to embed women’s health priorities nationwide.
Tinubu also announced the establishment of an AI-powered National Women’s Health Digital Hub, designed to deliver geo-targeted campaigns on maternal survival, adolescent health, preventive care, and healthcare workforce development.
According to him, the hub will connect women and families with trusted health information while linking healthcare delivery to entrepreneurship and national prosperity.
“Maternal mortality is a shame against which we must all rally. We owe every girl-child not just the eloquent promise of a better tomorrow, but the certainty of a healthier one,”
the President said, adding that RenewHER would complement existing programmes such as the MAMII initiative while partnering with international organisations.
Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum and First Lady of Kwara State, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, pledged the forum’s support to ensure RenewHER reaches every state.
She said the initiative underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment “not only to women’s health but also to their empowerment.”
In her opening remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, Dr. Adanna Steinacker, said RenewHER was made possible by the President’s vision to prioritise women’s health at the national level.
She urged stakeholders to unite as “one movement aimed at renewing Nigeria’s future.”
Ms. Beatrice Eyong, the UN Women Country Representative for Nigeria, described RenewHER as “a turning point” and “a bold step” by the Nigerian government, noting it marks the first time women’s health is being treated at the highest policy level as a driver of socio-economic growth.
She assured that the UN would support efforts to “expand access” for Nigerian women.
The event was attended by top dignitaries, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, governors’ wives, diplomats, and development partners.
