Women entrepreneurs and gender advocates have called for increased investment in maternal healthcare and female empowerment through vocational training, highlighting these measures as crucial to reducing Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate and improving the socio-economic wellbeing of women.
The call was made during a sensitisation programme recently held in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State. The event, organised by Adebukola Adeogun, CEO of Bukola Neville Ltd, in partnership with the SLY Impact Foundation, gathered pregnant women, nursing mothers, healthcare professionals, and young people to discuss pathways for improving maternal health and gender equality.
Adeogun, a fashion tech entrepreneur and Lagos State Coordinator for Girls and Women Speak under several international advocacy initiatives, led conversations on safe motherhood, economic independence, and women’s health rights. She stressed that maternal health is a community responsibility, noting that healthier women lead to stronger families and societies. She underscored the importance of antenatal education, nutrition, and safe delivery practices while advocating access to reproductive health services, including contraception, safe abortion, and cervical cancer screenings.
She further emphasized the importance of trauma-informed care, mental health support, and access to education and vocational skills for women, noting that economic empowerment enables women to make informed health choices and live with dignity.
Joining the conversation, Bukola Soaga-Bada, an entrepreneur and Special Adviser on Civic Engagement in Igando-Ikotun LCDA, advised women to prioritize their health over cultural expectations. She warned against societal pressures that risk women’s lives and urged the use of subsidised health schemes like Ilera Eko and registered traditional birth attendants. She highlighted the link between financial independence and improved decision-making for women, stressing the need for vocational training and soft skills acquisition.
Also speaking at the event, media personality and UN ambassador Jessica Ijeh criticized harmful cultural practices that pressure women into childbearing, even at the expense of their health. She advocated mental health awareness, personal hygiene, and the use of affordable health insurance as essential tools for improving women’s wellbeing. Through her creative work and advocacy, Ijeh continues to champion gender equality and women’s health rights.
The programme received support from the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund and the Alimosho/Akowonjo Primary Healthcare Centre, underscoring a collaborative push toward reducing preventable maternal deaths in Nigeria.
