Nigeria’s Federal Government has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening midwifery services and improving maternal and newborn health outcomes nationwide.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, made this known during a briefing in Abuja to mark the 2026 International Day of the Midwife.
In a statement by Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Press in the ministry, Prof Pate said the government is implementing deliberate strategies to address gaps in maternal and child healthcare.
Represented by the Director of Hospital Services, Dr. Abisola Adegoke, the minister described midwives as critical to healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
He noted that no health system can function effectively without an adequate number of skilled midwives, emphasizing their role in providing care from pregnancy through childbirth and beyond.
He revealed that, as part of ongoing reforms, the ministry has launched the Nigeria Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2025–2030, a national roadmap designed to strengthen training, expand workforce capacity, and improve service delivery. The plan includes increasing student intake in midwifery programmes, upgrading training standards to meet global best practices, creating more employment opportunities, and ensuring equitable deployment of midwives across the country.
Pate also highlighted efforts to enhance continuous professional development through competency based training and life saving skills programmes. He said the government is targeting high burden areas through the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII), with the goal of eliminating preventable maternal deaths.
Other interventions include the Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) programmes, both aimed at improving reproductive health services and overall health indicators.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “One Million More Midwives,” the minister said it underscores the global shortage of midwives, a challenge that also affects Nigeria. He stressed that expanding the midwifery workforce is essential to improving maternal and child health outcomes.
He added that partnerships are being strengthened to equip midwives with the necessary tools and improve their working conditions, noting that better welfare, motivation, and retention efforts are key to delivering quality care.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to scaling up midwife production, strengthening primary healthcare systems, investing in digital health solutions, and deepening community engagement to promote skilled birth attendance. He also commended midwives for their dedication and resilience, describing them as the backbone of safe motherhood and healthy families.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, represented by Dr. Okpako Okpikpi, said the event provided an opportunity to recognise the contributions of midwives and reflect on the need to strengthen the healthcare system.
She reiterated the ministry’s commitment to improving training, working conditions, and healthcare infrastructure, while acknowledging the support of development partners in advancing maternal and child health in Nigeria.