Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for deeper partnerships across Africa to strengthen health systems, expand educational access, and improve the lives of women and families across the continent.
Speaking at the 12th Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Committee meeting in Banjul, The Gambia, Tinubu said partnerships rooted in shared values are essential to building resilient health and education systems.
“Partnerships built on shared values can build stronger health systems, expand educational access, and give hope to families across Nigeria,” she said.
In a statement by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, Tinubu highlighted the progress of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), her social intervention platform created to complement President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Through RHI, she said, over $2 million has been donated to support advocacy and treatment for cervical cancer and tuberculosis, aligning with Nigeria’s goal to eliminate both diseases by 2030.
On education, she noted that the initiative has provided annual scholarships to 47 indigent university students for three years and partnered with the Federal Ministry of Education to award 1,500 additional scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
Tinubu also commended Merck Foundation CEO, Rasha Kelej, for supporting Nigerian doctors with training and scholarships, including 14 postgraduate programs in fertility, reproductive health, and family medicine; 40 scholarships in diabetes, cardiology, and obesity management; and three in oncology research and pain management.
She expressed optimism that the collaboration between Merck Foundation and the Renewed Hope Initiative will continue to expand, saying:
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