Tinubu Launches RenewHER, Says Maternal Mortality National Shame

President Bola Tinubu has flagged off RenewHER, a Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Initiative, to safeguard maternal health and women’s well-being.

He described the programme as an answer to one of the nation’s most critical prayers and a cornerstone of a healthier Nigeria, rating it as a national priority.

Speaking on Thursday night during the Launch Gala and Awards at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, President Tinubu, who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted that women’s health is fundamental to Nigeria’s development trajectory.

He said the programme was designed to be the national engine of collaboration among all stakeholders in our campaign for a healthier Nigeria.

“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,” the President said in a statement by Presidential spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha.

The RenewHER initiative, he explained, will introduce a Presidential focal office on women’s health, working closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, the State-Wide Approach Coordination Office (SWAp), the Ministry of Women Affairs, and the Governors’ Spouses Forum to ensure women’s health priorities are embedded “in every state, every local government, and every community across the nation.”

The Nigerian leader also announced the creation of an AI-powered National Women’s Health Digital Hub to deliver geo-targeted campaigns on maternal survival, adolescent health, preventive care, and workforce strengthening.

The hub, he said, would connect women and families with trusted health information, while linking healthcare 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 explained, adding that RenewHER will complement ongoing national initiatives such as MAMII, while aligning with international development partners.

President Tinubu assured that his administration would serve as both umbrella and catalyst for interventions across all tiers of government until RenewHER delivers tangible results.

“With the mandate of the Nigerian people, I hereby unveil RenewHER—our Presidential Women’s Health Commitment,” he declared.

For her part, the First Lady of Kwara State and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, said while Nigeria’s women’s health is important, RenewHER represents the commitment of the Tinubu administration to women’s empowerment.

She assured that the initiative will find support in every state of the federation through the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum, adding that the forum will continue to work with state governments, the private sector, and relevant stakeholders to ensure the RenewHER objectives are actualized for the betterment of women and girls.

Earlier in her opening address, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, Dr. Adanna Steinacker, said the RenewHER initiative would not have been possible without the vision of President Tinubu, who sees women’s health as a national priority.

She urged relevant stakeholders to collaborate by forming one movement aimed at renewing Nigeria’s future.

Also, the United Nations (UN) Women Country Representative for Nigeria, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, described the RenewHER idea as “a turning point” and a “bold initiative”—the first time, at the highest level in Nigeria.

Eyong noted that the federal government is giving a new narrative where women’s health is recognized as a driver of socio-economic growth.

The UN official added that the UN stands ready to work with the RenewHER team to “expand access,” thereby ensuring that Nigerian women can afford to live with dignity.

Other dignitaries who graced the event include the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, some governors’ wives, and diplomats, among others.