Seven private sector and philanthropic organisations have pledged more than 65 million US dollars under the MAMII Private Sector Compact to help reduce maternal and newborn deaths in Nigeria, Premium Times reported on 11 November.
The commitments were announced on Wednesday at the 2026 Nigeria Health Sector Joint Annual Review in Abuja. The organisations are DP World, Bayer, UNICEF, dsm-firmenich, Nestlé Nutrition Institute, Roche and Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
What the MAMII Private Sector Compact covers
The organisations submitted letters of intent under the MAMII Private Sector Compact, a government-led framework linked to the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII). Contributions may include money, medical products, technical expertise, supply chain support and other services, according to the report.
The MAMII Private Sector Compact is designed to channel private resources into the same LGAs and priorities that the government is targeting, rather than allowing partners to choose locations independently.
The support is expected to target 172 local government areas (LGAs) across 33 states with a high burden of maternal deaths. MAMII was launched in November 2024 and covers LGAs that account for more than half of Nigeria’s maternal deaths.
About 40,000 women and 300,000 newborns die each year in Nigeria, or more than 100 maternal deaths and 800 newborn deaths every day, according to estimates cited in the statement.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that every commitment is aligned with national priorities,” said Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Muhammad Pate.
Other partners
Other partners named include MSD for Mothers, the MTN Group Foundation and the World Economic Forum’s Global Alliance for Women’s Health. MSD for Mothers is supporting the Training for Emergency Action, Management and Workflows in Midwifery, Obstetrics and Neonatal Care (TEAM OB/NEO) programme, which targets complications such as severe bleeding, infections and newborn breathing difficulties.
“By investing in TEAM OB/NEO as part of the MAMII Compact, we reaffirm our commitment to Nigeria,” said Jacquelyn Caglia, Executive Director of Social Impact and Sustainability at MSD for Mothers.
Uche Amaonwu, Nigeria Country Director of the Gates Foundation, said: “The MAMII compact brings focus to this challenge.” Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, said: “MTN believes technology has its greatest value when it removes real barriers to essential services.”
Tracking who does what
A digital tracking platform developed through the SWAp Coordination Office is at the prototype stage, with partner decision support expected from December 2026. “It shows clearly where the gaps are and which delivery partners are supporting which LGAs,” said Dayo Adeyanju, MAMII National Lead.
The next phase involves agreeing implementation milestones, deploying resources and monitoring outcomes, the statement said.
Why private sector support matters
Earlier at the review, the government said MAMII has linked 750,000 pregnant women to functional facilities, provided emergency transport in 171 of 172 covered LGAs and delivered 80,906 free caesarean sections, with obstetric emergency deaths falling 22 per cent in participating facilities.
Private sector partners can help fill specific gaps, such as supplying medicines for postpartum haemorrhage, improving cold chain and logistics, training midwives and supporting digital tools that connect women to care. Pharmaceutical companies on the list produce products used in maternal and newborn care, including medicines for bleeding and infections.
Health experts caution that private commitments should align with national priorities, avoid duplication and be transparent about what is delivered. Pledges and letters of intent also need to translate into funds and services on the ground.
The compact model mirrors approaches used in other countries, where governments set national priorities and invite private partners to commit resources to defined gaps. The advantage is that partners can bring specialised skills, such as logistics and supply chain management, that public systems often lack.
Previous partnerships in Nigeria have shown that sustainability is a challenge. Programmes funded by short-term grants can stall when funding ends unless the government plans to absorb the costs into its budget.
Experts say that publishing a public dashboard of pledges, disbursements and results by LGA would strengthen trust in the MAMII Private Sector Compact. The SWAp Coordination Office’s tracking platform could serve that purpose once it moves beyond the prototype stage.
With donor funding declining, the government has encouraged private sector and domestic financing for health. The MAMII Private Sector Compact will be tested by whether commitments reach the 172 LGAs and help reduce the number of mothers and babies who die each day.
Why it matters: More than 100 Nigerian women die daily in pregnancy and childbirth, so focused support in high-burden LGAs could save many lives.
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