Nigeria’s drive to build a stronger, innovation-led health system advanced on Thursday as the Society for Family Health, through its enterprise arm SFH Access, introduced the CoElevate Catalytic Fund, a new financing and support vehicle created to fast-track local solutions in HealthTech, WASH, pharmaceutical research, and non-communicable diseases. The unveiling took place at the organisation’s Lagos office and signalled a broader shift toward nurturing early-stage ideas that can grow into nationally relevant health innovations.
The CoElevate Fund will operate through two competitive cycles each year and is structured to provide early innovators with milestone-based grants valued between five thousand and ten thousand dollars. Beyond the seed capital, beneficiaries will receive equity investments, technical mentorship, regulatory guidance, and access to SFH’s extensive national operations. This blend of funding and institutional support positions the initiative as a major boost for Nigeria’s emerging innovation economy, especially for entrepreneurs who struggle to move from concept to market due to structural and financial barriers.
SFH Access leadership described the fund as the start of a new phase for innovation in West Africa, noting that many promising ideas fail not because of lack of skill but because innovators lack exposure, systems, and an enabling environment. They emphasised that no health system can advance without sustained innovation, and that CoElevate is designed to offer the capital, technical know-how, and operational backbone needed for young companies to build scalable products. SFH’s forty-year record in product development, supply chain management, technology, and nationwide distribution was highlighted as an advantage that participating startups can immediately leverage rather than spend years trying to recreate.
The board of SFH Access framed the initiative as an important step toward improving equitable healthcare access while supporting the next generation of Nigerian solution builders. They noted that young innovators across the country possess significant potential but often lack structured pathways to bring their ideas to life. CoElevate was therefore presented as a platform that recognises local talent and gives them the room, visibility, and support required to address critical health challenges.
The managing leadership of SFH detailed the scale of infrastructure being opened to beneficiaries, from cloud-based digital systems and API development capacity to a pharmagrade warehouse covering seven thousand square meters, supported by twenty-two satellite warehouses and a national distribution network capable of delivering products to any part of the country. They added that the organisation’s longstanding reputation with regulators and key partners will help startups accelerate research, development, and market entry, reducing the friction many early-stage companies face.
A representative of the Lagos State Ministry of Health commended SFH for launching the fund at a period when innovators face shrinking opportunities and rising operational costs. She described the initiative as a catalyst that can unlock solutions with real impact, particularly as the country seeks homegrown pathways to strengthen its health ecosystem.
For MSMEs, the CoElevate Catalytic Fund represents more than a financing window. It signals a growing recognition that small businesses and early-stage ventures are critical to building a resilient health economy. Access to SFH’s distribution systems, regulatory networks, and product development infrastructure offers smaller enterprises an opportunity to scale faster, reduce operational costs, and compete more effectively in a sector where entry barriers are typically high.
