OAU Researcher Secures $5 Million Gates Foundation Grant to Cut Maternal Deaths in Nigeria by 60%

A researcher at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Professor Ibraheem O. Awowole, has secured a $5 million grant from the Gates Foundation to implement a three-year maternal health project aimed at reducing maternal deaths in Nigeria by 60%.

The project, known as Pregnancy Risk Stratification Innovations in Maternal Health (PRIME), will be led by OAU and implemented in partnership with Jhpiego, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Ministries of Health in seven states during its initial phase.

The participating states are Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe and Jigawa.

The initiative comes amid concerns over Nigeria’s contribution to the global maternal mortality burden, with the country accounting for approximately a quarter of maternal deaths worldwide, according to the project announcement.

PRIME is designed to improve the identification of pregnant women at risk of complications and strengthen interventions aimed at preventing avoidable maternal deaths.

Reacting to the development, the Vice-Chancellor of OAU, Professor Simeon Bamire, said the grant demonstrated how research driven by national priorities could produce interventions with far-reaching public health benefits.

He expressed the university’s pride in Awowole’s work, noting that the project could influence how maternal healthcare is delivered across the seven participating states and potentially beyond.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development, Professor Akanni Akinyemi, said the university was committed to supporting researchers capable of translating scientific evidence into practical solutions that improve lives.

The Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Professor Bernice Adegbehingbe, highlighted the importance of early screening in preventing maternal deaths associated with pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication that can pose serious risks to both mothers and their babies.

She noted that many deaths linked to the condition could potentially be prevented through early identification of risk factors and timely intervention.

According to Adegbehingbe, the PRIME project would equip frontline healthcare workers with simple, evidence-based tools to identify at-risk pregnant women and support appropriate care.

She also expressed appreciation to the Gates Foundation for funding the initiative and affirmed the university’s commitment to delivering on the project’s objectives.

OAU congratulated Professor Awowole and his team on securing the grant, reaffirming its support for the implementation of the three-year initiative and its goal of reducing preventable maternal deaths across Nigeria.