Thirty women leaders from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal have begun a 12-month leadership programme aimed at strengthening their ability to influence health systems, shape policy and improve maternal and newborn health outcomes across West Africa.

The women are participating in the 2026 West Africa Midwifery Leadership Journey, a fully funded initiative by WomenLift Health in partnership with WILAN Global, which opened with a four-day leadership immersion in Lagos.

The programme seeks to address the underrepresentation of women in leadership and decision-making positions in the health sector, despite their central role in delivering maternal and newborn healthcare across the region.

The cohort comprises midwives, educators, clinicians, policymakers, researchers, programme managers and health systems leaders who are already contributing to their institutions and communities.

According to the organisers, the participants come from different professional and national backgrounds but face shared leadership challenges that require stronger capacity to influence institutions, policies and health outcomes.

During the immersion, the participants will engage in leadership sessions, coaching conversations, peer exchanges and practical exercises designed to strengthen their leadership practice, expand their influence and build professional networks.

Founder and Executive Director of WILAN Global, Abosede George-Ogan, said the initiative was designed to produce leaders capable of driving change beyond their individual institutions.

“Our ambition goes beyond developing individual leaders. We want to support leaders who can influence systems, shape policy, strengthen institutions, and ultimately improve maternal and newborn health outcomes across the region,” she said.

George-Ogan said the complexity of health challenges required leaders who could collaborate across disciplines and build trusted partnerships.

“The challenges facing our health systems today are complex. They require leaders who can think beyond their own institutions, collaborate across disciplines, build trusted partnerships, and lead with courage in uncertain environments. That is why this journey exists,” she said.

East Africa Director at WomenLift Health, Dr Sylvia Vito, urged participants to turn their experiences into a source of leadership and purpose.

She said: “Do not waste your experience. Use your history to drive your purpose. Service is where transformation happens, and growth often comes from being willing to do the hard things.

“Leadership is not a solo pursuit. You need a network because ecosystems are not transformed by processes; they are transformed by people.”

Beyond the Lagos immersion, the participants will continue the journey through individual coaching, mentorship, health leadership projects, collaborative learning and access to a network of women leaders committed to advancing equitable health systems across the region.