PUNCH Chairman Emuwa, Adeyeye Receive Prestigious African Healthcare Honors

Mrs Angela Emuwa, Chairman of PUNCH Nigeria Limited, has been recognised with the Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare Awards for her significant contributions to healthcare development, innovation, and community impact.

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Emuwa, daughter of PUNCH's founding chairman, the late Chief Olu Aboderin, was among 10 outstanding women from across Africa honoured at the third edition of the EWAH Awards, tagged #EWAHAFRO2026, held on Sunday in Lagos, for her role in expanding access to healthcare in Nigeria.

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The awards, according to the organisers, acknowledge the impact of women in the health sector, provide visibility to their work, and encourage them to strengthen Nigeria's healthcare system.

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Other notable awardees include Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, and Njide Ndili, President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, alongside Viviane Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, and Abimbola Adebakin, Chief Executive Officer of Advantage Health Africa.

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Additional awardees include Osayi Alile, Chief Executive Officer of ACT Foundation, and Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni, a former Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, as well as Dr Elizabeth Jack-Rich, Chief Executive Officer of Elin Group Limited, and Adenike Fasawe, Officer-in-Charge of IbuleSoro Basic Health Centre.

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Further awardees comprise Dr Oluwatomi Kogo, Managing Director of Iwosan Lagoon Ambulatory Service and Iwosan Wellness Centre, and Dr Pamela Jackson-Ajayi, Founder of Synlab Nigeria, demonstrating the diversity of women advancing healthcare in Africa.

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Dignitaries at the event included Senator Daisy Danjuma, EWAH Grand Matron, represented by Patrick Ajah, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of May & Baker Nigeria Plc, and Dr Emmanuella Zamba, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Health Management Agency, leading the EWAH alumni.

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The EWAH Awards honour trailblazing women who have significantly improved health outcomes and championed gender parity in Africa's healthcare sector, originating from the Commonwealth Institute to drive advocacy and bridge the persistent gender gap in healthcare leadership.

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Upon receiving the award, Emuwa described the honour as a testament to PUNCH's unwavering commitment to advancing healthcare in Nigeria through investigative and in-depth journalism, expressing appreciation for recognising PUNCH's contributions to improving maternal and child health, among other areas.

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Emuwa noted that the award serves as a strong encouragement to continue telling impactful stories that would strengthen the country's health sector, stating, "We sincerely appreciate this recognition, and it inspires us to do even more to ensure that the health of Nigerians remains a priority and that every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare, with no one left behind."

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Through the PUNCH Media Foundation and PUNCH Healthwise, Emuwa said the organisation continues to spotlight critical challenges confronting the health sector, drawing the attention of the government and other key stakeholders to issues requiring urgent action while helping to bridge the gender gap in healthcare leadership.

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Emuwa highlighted PUNCH's contributions to improving the country's healthcare system through in-depth and investigative health reporting, driving public understanding of health issues, influencing policies, and holding institutions accountable.

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According to Emuwa, PUNCH has consistently advanced healthcare access and public health awareness in Nigeria, particularly in areas such as maternal and child health, women's health, and childhood immunisation, and will continue advocating for increased budgetary allocation to the health sector.

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Emuwa emphasised the importance of adequate financing in improving health outcomes, stating that PUNCH publishes stories highlighting healthcare challenges faced by rural communities to ensure access to basic healthcare services, contributing to achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage.

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In her welcome address, Clare Omatseye, Chairman of the Board of Directors, EWAH Award Nigeria, said the awards aim to inspire transformation and encourage meaningful differences, rather than simply presenting plaques.

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Omatseye noted that despite women's vital role in healthcare, they remain underrepresented in key decision-making positions, stating, "We believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion, but we are not asking for women to overtake men, we simply want women to have a seat at the table and a voice that enables them to make a difference."

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Dr Bisi Bright, Regional Representative for EWAH Awards Africa, explained that the initiative celebrates women with the "Miles to Go" mindset, conceived after recognising that although women comprise over 67.7 per cent of the healthcare workforce, fewer than three per cent occupy top leadership positions.

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Bright said recipients were selected based on their contributions, not age or profession, and that the real work begins after receiving the award, with many past awardees achieving continued success and growth.

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LiveWell Initiative has been appointed to coordinate the EWAH Awards across Africa, with plans to expand to Ghana, Mauritius, Egypt, and Zimbabwe, according to Bright.

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Njide Ndili, speaking on behalf of the awardees, advocated for stronger public-private partnerships to reduce Nigeria's maternal mortality rate, stating, "The statistics show that a woman dies every seven minutes while giving birth, we need to change that."

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Upon receiving the award, Ndili expressed excitement, stating, "I'm really excited because this award focuses on Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare, it means the work I'm doing has been recognised as contributing meaningfully to advancing healthcare for the population."