Helium Health announces Maternal Health Fund to strengthen quality maternal care in Nigeria

Helium Health, on the 13th of November, launched the Maternal Health Fund (MHF), a program that provides sustainable financing and simple digital tools for maternal health providers across Nigeria. MHF is the next step after FOR M(om), a multi-stakeholder effort that strengthened facility readiness through digitization, workforce training, community engagement, quality improvement, and targeted financing.

FOR M(om) showed where investments work and where gaps remain. Facilities that adopted digital tools and received training improved service quality, yet many still lacked the capital to upgrade equipment, expand services, and maintain quality systems over time. MHF was created to close that gap by pairing provider financing with a streamlined portal for applications, know-your-customer (KYC), and performance dashboards.

Why this matters
The MHF helps providers finance upgrades, add capacity, and embed continuous quality improvement. The program targets 1.4 million women by 2030 through provider loans, digital onboarding and monitoring, and partnerships that scale impact responsibly.

Evidence base from FOR M(om)

• 150 facilities digitized across three states
• 1,800 health workers trained on digital tools and clinical quality
• 50+ community sessions reaching 35,000+ women and families
• $731,000+ in loans disbursed to 19 facilities for service expansion and upgrades

The MHF will expand access to quality maternal care by enabling providers to finance upgrades, add capacity, and embed continuous quality improvement. The program targets 1.4 million women by 2030 through provider loans, digital onboarding and monitoring, and partnerships that scale impact responsibly.

FOR M(om) laid the groundwork for scale. We saw how digitization, training, and community engagement improve readiness. MHF carries this forward with sustainable financing and transparent performance tracking

Dr. Jean Kyula, Public Health & Partnerships

“Financing is often the missing link between intent and impact,” said Gbolahan Olagbaju, HeliumCredit Head, “The Maternal Health Fund is more than financing – it’s a lifeline. With interest rates far below market levels, we’re helping healthcare providers expand capacity and save more mothers and babies”

The FOR M(om) program has shown that when innovation, financing, and community engagement work hand in hand, maternal health systems become stronger, more responsive, and more equitable. By empowering healthcare providers with digital tools and training, and ensuring facilities have the financial resources to deliver quality care, the program has built a solid foundation for lasting change.

The Maternal Health Fund (MHF) builds on this legacy by transforming proven solutions into scalable, sustainable systems that protect the lives of women and newborns across Nigeria. By aligning financing, capacity strengthening, and continuous quality improvement under one framework, MHF ensures that every investment delivers measurable, long-term impact.

Now, we call on every stakeholder to play a part in this collective mission:

For Healthcare Providers: Access affordable financing through the MHF to upgrade your facility, expand services, and enhance the quality of maternal care.
For Funders and Partners: Join us in sustaining this impact. Invest in the MHF to scale access to quality maternal healthcare and strengthen service delivery across Nigeria.

Together, we can advance a future where no woman dies giving life, where strong systems safeguard every mother, and sustainable investments secure generations to come.
Visit formomnigeria.org/mhf to learn more or get involved.