Improving the Survival of Mothers and Newborns in Nigeria (2025)

Save the Children employs a comprehensive approach to enhance maternal, newborn and child health in line with national and subnational strategies. We use the ecological model and partner with an array of actors – including national and local authorities, civil society organisations, academic and professional bodies – to strengthen heath systems and improve maternal and newborn care at scale. Our approach is grounded in empowering local actors and advancing locally led solutions through capacity building, joint planning, resource sharing, and strong, collaborative partnerships. We have an equitable partnerships strategy and localisation policy that guides our work.

This brief outlines Save the Children’s efforts to improve maternal and newborn health (MNH) in Nigeria through evidence-driven, system-strengthening, and community-engagement approaches. Despite national strategies such as the Nigeria Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (Ni‑EPMM) and ongoing government reforms, maternal and neonatal mortality remain high, with wide regional disparities influenced by socio-economic factors, service utilisation gaps, and fragile referral systems. Save the Children works across multiple states, partnering with government ministries, technical working groups, and community structures to improve quality of care, expand access to lifesaving interventions, and build the capacity of health workers. Key initiatives include strengthening Newborn Care Units, rolling out the MAMI approach for at-risk infants, training frontline workers in essential newborn care, improving referral pathways, and supporting policy development and localisation efforts. Through innovation, research, and scalable models, Save the Children aims to accelerate progress toward reduced preventable maternal and newborn deaths and promote equitable, sustainable health outcomes for women, infants, and communities across Nigeria.