The MAMII $65m commitment marks a new effort to reduce preventable maternal and newborn deaths in Nigeria, as seven organisations pledge financial and technical support to strengthen healthcare delivery across the country. The initiative will focus on 172 Local Government Areas (LGAs) with some of the highest maternal mortality burdens, particularly communities where women struggle to access skilled birth attendants and emergency medical services.
The Federal Government announced the commitments on Wednesday, November 11, during the 2026 Joint Annual Review of the health sector in Abuja. The organisations submitted Letters of Intent under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) Private Sector Compact.
The seven organisations include DP World, Bayer, UNICEF, dsm-firmenich, Nestlé Nutrition Institute, Roche and Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Their proposed contributions exceed $65 million in financial and in-kind support.
According to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the contributions will help address gaps in maternal and newborn healthcare. They will include funding, medical products, technology, technical expertise and supply chain support.
Why the Government Selected 172 Local Government Areas
The 172 LGAs cover communities across 33 states and account for more than half of Nigeria’s maternal deaths, according to MAMII’s targeting analysis. The government selected these locations because they face significant challenges in providing essential healthcare services to pregnant women and newborns.
Many communities struggle with shortages of trained medical personnel, inadequate equipment and limited access to emergency maternity services. In some areas, women also travel long distances before reaching facilities that can manage pregnancy complications.
Furthermore, delays in receiving medical attention can increase the risk of death during pregnancy, childbirth and the first weeks of a baby’s life.
Through MAMII, the government intends to strengthen healthcare services at community level, primary healthcare centres and referral hospitals. The programme also aims to identify pregnant women early and connect them with dedicated healthcare teams.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency says its implementation strategy includes linking women to trained health workers and providing essential reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services. It also includes access to free Caesarean sections and treatment for complications under the programme’s service arrangements.
How the $65 Million Support Could Improve Healthcare Access
The new private sector compact will bring additional resources and expertise into the existing government-led initiative. Rather than allowing organisations to run separate projects without coordination, the framework seeks to align their contributions with identified healthcare needs.
For instance, partners can support the supply of essential medicines, strengthen medical equipment availability and improve emergency transportation. They can also help train frontline health workers to recognise and manage complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
These interventions are important because some maternal deaths result from conditions that healthcare workers can prevent or treat when they receive patients early. Severe bleeding after childbirth, infections and pregnancy-related high blood pressure are among the complications that require prompt medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has introduced a digital monitoring platform to track partner contributions, implementation coverage and outstanding healthcare needs across participating states.
MAMII coordinator Dr Dayo Adeyanju explained that the platform would help partners identify service gaps and avoid duplicating interventions in the same communities. However, the system remains at the prototype stage, with further development expected to support resource allocation.
The compact also builds on existing engagement with the Gates Foundation, MSD for Mothers and MTN Foundation, while the World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health supported efforts to mobilise industry partners.
Nigeria Faces a Major Maternal and Newborn Health Challenge
Nigeria continues to record a high number of preventable maternal and newborn deaths. Figures cited by the Federal Ministry of Health estimate that approximately 40,000 women and 300,000 newborns die annually from preventable causes.
These figures highlight the need for stronger healthcare facilities, skilled birth attendants and reliable emergency referral systems, particularly in underserved communities.
Speaking at the review, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, described reducing preventable maternal and newborn deaths as a national priority. He also stressed that the government would measure the success of the compact through improvements in healthcare delivery and survival rates.
However, the announcement of financial commitments does not automatically guarantee better health outcomes. The participating organisations must translate their promises into actual resources and effective interventions.
The next phase will involve agreeing on implementation targets, directing support towards priority communities and monitoring the contributions of each partner.
For millions of Nigerian women, the real value of the initiative will depend on whether they can access quality antenatal care, receive emergency treatment when complications arise and deliver their babies safely, regardless of where they live.
