Nigeria’s bold commitment to women’s health took centre stage at the 2025 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80), where Dr. Adanna Steinacker, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, showcased the country’s flagship RenewHER Initiative, the Presidential Women’s Health Transformation Project.
RenewHER, launched earlier in September under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, represents a landmark national commitment to transform women’s health by closing gender gaps in access, equity, and dignity. The initiative introduces a data-driven, tech-enabled, and community-focused model that places women’s health at the heart of Nigeria’s development goals.
Speaking at high-level health discussions during UNGA, Dr. Steinacker underscored that the global statistics remain stark: ninety per cent of maternal and newborn deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, with nearly two-thirds happening in conflict, displacement, and disaster settings. She emphasised that Nigeria’s RenewHER is designed not just as a programme, but as a movement to renew the confidence, dignity, and future of women and girls nationwide. The panel discussion, themed around health innovation and survival outcomes, highlighted startling statistics that underscore the urgency of action: ninety per cent of maternal and newborn deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, while nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths take place in conflict, displacement, and disaster settings.
A high-level roundtable followed, moderated by Alice Park, Senior Health Correspondent at Time Inc., with contributions from H.E. Toyin Saraki (Wellbeing Foundation Africa), Dr. Ru-fong Joanne Cheng (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), and Dr. Adanna Steinacker, Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on Women’s Health. Moderated by Isra Chaker, Chief Executive Officer of Every Pregnancy, and Emmanuel Akpakwu, Chief Executive Officer of Axmed, the dialogue also featured insights from Zaher Sahloul, President of MedGlobal. Collectively, the panelists collectively underscored the need for new funding models and tailored interventions that prioritise the most vulnerable populations in the world: women and children.
Dr. Steinacker explained that RenewHER goes beyond improving health outcomes, it will also create economic opportunities for women through skills training, microgrants, and support for women-led health innovations, reinforcing the link between women’s health and national prosperity. The initiative will run a series of phased, geo-targeted national campaigns focusing on maternal, newborn and child health, sexual and reproductive health, adolescent health and menstrual equity, nutrition and preventive care, healthcare workforce and access, as well as community coalition building. A flagship component is the Women’s Health Nigeria Digital Media & Communication Hub (@WomensHealthNigeria), which will deliver AI-personalised and culturally relevant health education while linking women directly to care.
At UNGA, her interventions connected Nigeria’s domestic agenda with the global call for sustainable financing, political action on women’s health, and integrated, gender-responsive approaches. “The path forward is clear,” she said. “We must align global financing, innovation, and political will to save lives and empower communities. RenewHER is Nigeria’s contribution to this global movement.”
Her participation reaffirmed Nigeria’s position as a leader in championing women’s health on the global stage. For advocates and policymakers gathered in New York, RenewHER stood out as a replicable model that shows how political leadership, data, and partnerships can combine to deliver impact.
As UNGA draws attention to the unfinished agenda of maternal and newborn survival, Nigeria’s message through RenewHER was clear: investing in women’s health is investing in the nation’s future.
