MTN Group Foundation, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, has initiated a four-year digital health programme in Nigeria, targeting significant improvements in maternal healthcare. The project, known as the Nigeria Maternal Health Multiplier, is set to leverage artificial intelligence (AI), mobile connectivity, and accessible digital devices to enhance maternal health services, particularly in underserved communities.
Project scope and objectives
Announced by MTN Group, the parent company of MTN Nigeria, this initiative aims to create an integrated digital ecosystem connecting pregnant women, frontline health workers, and primary healthcare centres. With an initial investment of around $25 million, spanning 2026 to 2030, the programme combines direct and in-kind contributions from MTN and the Gates Foundation. This funding is expected to encourage further investment and potentially expand the model to other regions.
The initiative aims to reach 500,000 women by 2030, equip 5,000 frontline health workers with digital tools for early detection of pregnancy and childbirth complications, and enhance the capabilities of 500 health facilities to provide consistent maternal care.
Use of technology to enhance maternal care
A key feature of the programme is the deployment of AI-enabled, phone-based decision-support tools designed for both healthcare providers and expectant mothers. These tools will offer timely health advice, identify warning signs promptly, and support monitoring during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period.
Addressing challenges in digital healthcare adoption, the programme includes provisions to improve device affordability and data accessibility, as well as strengthen connectivity at primary healthcare centres. Pregnant women involved will receive affordable smartphones and mobile data, while frontline workers will get connected devices with real-time clinical guidance. Connectivity upgrades at health facilities are also planned to ensure dependable digital services, regardless of location.
Alignment with Nigeria’s health reforms
This initiative complements Nigeria’s existing maternal and child health reforms, notably the Federal Ministry of Health’s Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative (MAMII) under the Sector-Wide Approach to health. Nigeria was selected as the launch market due to its substantial maternal health challenges—accounting for nearly 30% of global maternal deaths and with only 59% of women completing four or more antenatal visits.
By integrating digital technology directly into the primary healthcare system, the initiative offers a multi-layered approach that combines connectivity, mobile devices, AI-enabled decision support, and existing healthcare personnel to improve outcomes.
National significance and future potential
Government officials emphasized the importance of foundational systems in adopting innovation across sectors, including health. Nigeria’s health ministers highlighted the project’s alignment with efforts to strengthen primary healthcare and frontline workers as core to national healthcare reforms.
For MTN, the programme marks an expansion of its telecommunications infrastructure utilization into digital public health services, combining connectivity, digital inclusion, financial services, device distribution, and operational expertise.
MTN Group’s CEO underlined the transformative potential of AI in delivering more personalised and predictive health information when implemented appropriately, signalling ambitions to scale this model beyond Nigeria to other parts of Africa.
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