LAGOS LAUNCHES SWIFT PROJECT TO BOOST WOMEN’S ACCESS TO FAMILY PLANNING, FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT
….new Initiative Integrates Reproductive Health, Digital Innovation, Women-Led Enterprise Across Underserved Communities.
…..stakeholders Commit to Building Capacity of Female Providers, Expanding Services via PPMVS and Pharmacies
In a bold move to transform women’s health and economic inclusion in Lagos State, the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, May 14, 2025, inaugurated the SWIFT Project — a multi-sectoral initiative championed in collaboration with the Society for Family Health (SFH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The event, held at the Radisson Hotel in Ikeja, attracted a robust audience of policymakers, private sector leaders, implementing partners, and development stakeholders.
The SWIFT initiative, which stands for ‘Strengthening Women’s Initiatives for Family Planning and Technology’ or ‘Supporting Women’s Improved Financial Transformation’, depending on its implementation context, seeks to bridge the gap between health services and financial empowerment. By integrating reproductive health, digital tools, and entrepreneurial support for women, the project is positioned to redefine access and equity for thousands of underserved families in the state.
Declaring the project officially inaugurated, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Kemi Ogunyemi, who was represented at the event by the Director, Family Health and Nutrition in the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Folashade Oludara, described the SWIFT Project as a timely intervention addressing real barriers faced by women, particularly in underserved communities.
“Distance, cost, and stigma continue to limit women’s access to modern contraceptives,” she said. “By engaging pharmacies and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs), this project brings care closer to the people and reaffirms the right of every woman to informed reproductive choices.”
She praised the collaboration between government and development partners, noting that the initiative fits seamlessly into the THEMES+ development agenda and Universal Health Coverage goals. “The Lagos State Government supports integrating non-traditional health providers into our reproductive health delivery model, provided they are trained, regulated, and accountable,” he emphasised.
Dr. Ogunyemi concluded by pledging the government’s commitment to ensuring that the SWIFT Project is not only impactful but also sustainable. “We will work with regulatory agencies, implementing partners, and the Ministry of Health to achieve lasting progress. Let this meeting be the beginning of measurable results and greater inclusion.”
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye described family planning as a development accelerator, not just a health intervention. “Family planning empowers women, improves community health, and contributes to poverty reduction,” he said. “With SWIFT, we are deepening our reach, especially among women in marginalised communities.”
He highlighted the achievements of the previous IntegratE program, under which over 1,200 PPMVs and pharmacists were trained, counselling over 310,950 women and providing contraceptives to nearly 188,000 women of reproductive age. “SWIFT builds on this success by equipping more frontline providers with tools and oversight to deliver quality services where they’re needed most.
Underscoring Lagos State’s leadership in health innovation, Dr. Ogboye called on all stakeholders to “take full ownership of this project, promote shared learning, and safeguard its long-term sustainability. The real beneficiaries are the women and girls whose lives will be transformed.”
Speaking on behalf of the Society for Family Health, the Deputy Director for Program Delivery, Pharm. Kene Eruchalu commended the Gates Foundation for making the SWIFT Project possible. “We are pleased to launch this project in Lagos, our final rollout location after Kano and Kaduna,” he said. “Lagos’s size and complexity required thoughtful preparation, but we are now ready to scale with impact.”
He outlined SFH’s decades-long experience in Lagos, noting interventions across HIV, maternal health, sanitation, and non-communicable diseases. “SWIFT is another major step in expanding access to family planning. It will also empower women economically by enabling informed and autonomous reproductive choices,” Eruchalu added.
He emphasised that women feel more comfortable receiving family planning services from fellow women. “We’re not only training health workers, but specifically empowering women providers because peer trust improves uptake and outcomes,” he noted. “This project is as much about trust as it is about access.”
In closing, Eruchalu addressed the scale of ambition. “We cannot quote a fixed target because Lagos is vast, but our goal is to build capacity in underserved communities and reach as many women as possible. When you help one woman plan her family, you uplift an entire generation.”
In her presentation on the initiative’s transformative vision, titled “SWIFT Project: For a Sustainable Healthcare Industry,” the SWIFT Project Manager, Ummi Rahama-Shehu, described the three-year Gates Foundation-funded initiative as a dynamic effort to empower female health entrepreneurs and improve healthcare access.
“The project aims to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of pharmacies and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) using a social enterprise model focused on a triple bottom line: economic viability, social impact, and gender empowerment,, she said.
Rahama-Shehu outlined the project’s five strategic pillars — need-based support, investment readiness, strong market presence, technology-driven access to market, and ecosystem support network—designed to build business resilience and ensure regulatory compliance. She emphasised the role of a formal sustainability network and community of practice to align stakeholders, including regulators, financial institutions, and private sector enablers. She added that the project also targets capacity building, financial linkages, digital access to quality healthcare commodities, and women-led cluster formation to drive equitable healthcare outcomes across underserved communities.
Delivering a goodwill message, the Gates Foundation State Consultant, Mr. Olukunle Daramola, praised the Lagos State Government for its dedication to impactful health interventions. He emphasised that Lagos, along with Kaduna and Kano, are priority states under the SWIFT Project due to their demonstrated commitment to advancing healthcare access. He described the project as a powerful tool for empowering women and female entrepreneurs to deliver voluntary family planning services at the community level, contributing to stronger families and more equitable societies.
Mr. Daramola noted that his role includes overseeing all Gates Foundation partner programs across the states, providing feedback to the Nigeria country office, and ensuring alignment with national priorities. He commended the project’s focus on leveraging registered and trained community pharmacies and PPMVs to extend family planning services to hard-to-reach areas. According to him, the initiative supports Lagos State’s reproductive and maternal health strategies by equipping grassroots providers to close service delivery gaps in marginalised communities.
In her goodwill address, the Permanent Secretary of Lagos Health District VI, Dr. Cecelia Mabogunje, lauded the SWIFT Project and expressed appreciation to the Gates Foundation and the Society for Family Health for their continued investment in the state. She emphasised the critical role of family planning in enhancing individual well-being, promoting healthy child spacing, and fostering stable communities. As a paediatrician, she highlighted the health benefits of accessible family planning, particularly for children and women.
Dr. Mabogunje celebrated the project’s inclusive model, which supports women through pharmacies and PPMVs, often the most accessible healthcare providers in communities. She commended the focus on female empowerment and reiterated the Lagos State Government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the success of the project. She assured stakeholders of continuous support, pledging collaboration throughout the implementation phase to improve access and outcomes.
Dr. Taiwo Filusi, Zonal Director of the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, commended the SWIFT Project for its strategic focus on supporting registered community pharmacies and PPMVs in delivering family planning services. Speaking at the inception meeting, he acknowledged the project’s contribution to improving primary healthcare access and reducing negative health indicators in Lagos. He noted that the emphasis on building the capacity of pharmacies and medicine vendors aligns with the Pharmacy Council’s regulatory mandate and strengthens the health ecosystem.
Dr. Filusi appreciated the deliberate focus on women, noting that many PPMVs are women who play vital roles in their communities as caregivers and health service providers. He urged other donors and international organisations to follow the SWIFT Project’s example by engaging only registered and regulated vendors. He emphasised that such partnerships enhance healthcare delivery while ensuring regulatory compliance and professionalism within the sector.
The SWIFT Project promises to scale healthcare delivery through digital transformation, empower women entrepreneurs in the pharmacy space, and integrate innovative financing for women-led cooperatives. With Lagos taking the lead, the potential ripple effects of this intervention could reverberate nationwide.