In Ogun State, Nigeria, maternal mortality remains critically high, with 70% of deaths linked to delays in seeking, reaching, or receiving care due to poor emergency transport systems.

Emergency Response Africa reached 600 pregnant women across 13 facilities (10 primary and 3 secondary), formed 1 public and 5 private partnerships, raised $40,000 in new funding, and created 45 jobs. The model demonstrated scalability and viability by embedding community-based responders into formal health systems.

Emergency Response Africa developed a maternal transport model that integrates community first responders with a technology-enabled dispatch system to ensure timely care for mothers and babies. Supported by the Ogun State Ministry of Health and private-sector partners, the initiative built strong community trust through extensive stakeholder engagement and alignment with the evolving Emergency Medical Services System framework. The model directly supports Nigeria’s national maternal and child health strategies by integrating into the state’s emergency response framework and advancing national objectives to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.

Emergency Response Africa’s collaboration with the Ministry of Health was instrumental but also highlighted procedural hurdles due to unclear policies and slow MoU finalization. The company’s work underscores the importance of structured public-private partnerships, streamlined licensing, and consistent policy implementation for sustainability.