ABUJA/Nigeria: The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, joined other African First Ladies at the 12th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary held in Banjul, The Gambia, where Merck Foundation announced significant expansions in its healthcare capacity-building programmes, including 82 medical scholarships for Nigerian doctors.
The annual conference was hosted in partnership with the Government of The Gambia and co-chaired by its First Lady, H.E. Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, alongside the Chief Executive Officer of Merck Foundation, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej. The First Ladies of Burundi, Central Africa, Liberia, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Senegal also attended as Guests of Honour and Keynote Speakers.
Dr. Rasha Kelej described her engagement with Nigeria’s First Lady as productive, noting that the 82 awarded scholarships will help strengthen Nigeria’s health workforce in critical and underserved fields. She explained that the scholarships cover fertility and embryology, sexual and reproductive care, women’s health, oncology, diabetes care, endocrinology, cardiology, obesity and weight management, preventative cardiovascular medicine, acute medicine, respiratory care, dermatology, rheumatology, psychiatry, geriatric care, infectious diseases, and pain management. According to her, these programmes will contribute significantly to improved access to quality healthcare for Nigerians.
Senator Tinubu praised the partnership, emphasising her commitment to expanding access to quality healthcare and supporting education for vulnerable groups. She expressed particular enthusiasm for the Educating Linda Programme, through which 71 high-performing but underprivileged Nigerian schoolgirls will receive annual secondary school scholarships until graduation. She said educating girls remains central to her mission of building stronger, healthier communities. She also reiterated her appreciation for the 82 medical scholarships awarded to Nigerian healthcare professionals.
The opening day of the conference featured keynote speeches by African First Ladies and a high-level ministerial session on the Merck Foundation African Research Summit (MARS), which focused on expanding scientific research capacity and empowering women in STEM disciplines. On the second day, the Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative committee convened, allowing African First Ladies to present impact reports from their countries and discuss future strategies with the Foundation’s leadership.
Working with the First Lady of Nigeria, Merck Foundation highlighted the detailed scope of the 82 scholarships, which include awards in reproductive and family health, non-communicable disease management, oncology and cancer care, acute and critical medical services, and broader specialist training in areas essential to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system. Dr. Kelej noted that Merck Foundation has been committed to building healthcare capacity since 2012 and has provided more than 2,400 scholarships to medical professionals across 52 countries.
The Foundation also announced the call for entries for its annual awards, held in partnership with the First Lady of Nigeria, targeting media practitioners, musicians, fashion designers, filmmakers, students, and emerging creative talents. It further revealed the launch of several children’s storybooks in collaboration with Senator Tinubu, including More Than a Mother, Educating Linda, Jackline’s Rescue, Ride into the Future, Sugar-Free Jude, Not Who You Are, Mark’s Pressure, and Ray of Hope. The books address issues such as infertility stigma, girl-child education, gender-based violence, diabetes and hypertension awareness, and other health and social themes. Thousands of copies will be distributed to Nigerian schoolchildren.
The 12th Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary was streamed live across Merck Foundation and Dr. Rasha Kelej’s social media platforms, drawing global participation. The conference also highlighted the Foundation’s broader impact efforts, which include training thousands of journalists across Africa, producing educational songs and animations, supporting underprivileged girls with scholarships, and driving continent-wide awareness campaigns on health and social development challenges.
Merck Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria and other African nations, pledging to continue expanding scholarship opportunities and deepening partnerships that strengthen healthcare systems and improve lives.
