The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, has unveiled a new national strategy aimed at expanding Nigeria’s midwifery workforce and strengthening maternal and newborn healthcare as part of efforts to reduce maternal mortality across the country.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this during a ministerial press briefing held in Abuja to mark the International Day of the Midwife.
According to a statement issued by Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations, the minister described midwives as the backbone of maternal and newborn healthcare delivery, especially in rural and underserved communities.
Pate noted that meaningful reductions in maternal and child mortality cannot be achieved without adequate numbers of skilled healthcare workers.
As part of efforts to address existing gaps in the health sector, the minister announced the rollout of the Nigeria Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2025–2030, a national roadmap designed to strengthen training, expand workforce capacity, improve leadership, and enhance service delivery nationwide.
According to him, the strategy will support the expansion of midwifery training institutions, increase student enrollment, modernise training standards, eliminate recruitment bottlenecks, and ensure equitable deployment of midwives to underserved areas.
He explained that the ministry is also intensifying competency-based training and life-saving skills programmes for frontline health workers while scaling up interventions under the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) to address high-burden areas and improve survival outcomes for mothers and newborns.
The minister added that key programmes such as the Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC) and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (CEmONC) initiatives are also being strengthened to improve access to quality maternal healthcare services nationwide.
Speaking on the 2026 theme, “One Million More Midwives,” Pate described it as a timely call for countries to invest more in healthcare personnel needed to safeguard women and children.
“We are committed to ensuring that no woman dies while giving birth and that every child has a healthy start to life. Strengthening the midwifery workforce is central to achieving that goal,” he said.
The minister disclosed that the government is collaborating with development partners to improve the welfare, motivation, retention, and working conditions of midwives, while also ensuring they have the necessary tools, supplies, and supportive environments required to deliver quality healthcare services.
In her welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Daju Kachollom, said the event provided an opportunity to recognise the vital contributions of midwives and reinforce the need for sustained investment in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
She reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to strengthening healthcare training, improving working conditions, and deepening collaboration with stakeholders to advance maternal and child healthcare in the country.
