By Adedapo Adesanya

Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative to support African healthtech startups to commercialise and scale their offerings, has announced its 3rd cohort of seven growth-stage companies working to transform pharmacy services on the continent.

Sponsored by the Gates Foundation, MSD, Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), Endless Foundation, HELP Logistics (a subsidiary of the Kühne Foundation), Sanofi’s Global Health Unit and Chemonics, the three-year programme will empower innovators to improve patient access to healthcare across Africa and scale their impact.

i3 is coordinated by Salient Advisory and Solina Center for International Development and Research (SCIDaR).

The selected startups include mPharma, Chefaa, Dawa Mkononi, Meditect, myDawa, RxAll, and Sproxil.

These startups were selected by an expert committee and with the support of CcHUB and Villgro Africa and an independent expert advisory committee.

According to a statement, they will each receive up to $225,000 in risk-tolerant funding, tailored customer introductions, bespoke deal facilitation, and professional communications and advocacy support.

i3 also aims to facilitate around 150 strategic partnerships and influence deals valued at $30M million between innovators and major healthcare purchasers.

In addition, the cohort will participate in i3’s flagship Access to Markets event in December 2025, designed to spark high-impact partnerships between innovators and large healthcare companies, governments, donors, and multilateral agencies.

In the past two years, i3 has provided $3 million in direct grant funding to 60 start-ups across 16 African countries. The program has also established a diverse cohort of innovators, with 43 per cent being women-led and 20 per cent Francophone-led.

According to a statement, successes have recorded 450 facilitated strategic connections, including 122 contracts and pilots, resulting in $11 million in contracted partnerships, expanded reach, and nearly 1,000 jobs created—half of which were held by women.

Speaking on the latest move, Mr Boniface Njenga, Deputy Director, Health Delivery and Systems, Africa at the Gates Foundation, commented: “As the global health landscape continues to rapidly shift, we remain committed to supporting innovative solutions and initiatives that strengthen local health systems across Africa. The i3 program emphasises the transformative potential of technology-driven innovations on the continent when empowered with the right resources, and we have already seen impressive results from the cohorts.”

On her part, Dr Priya Agrawal, Vice President, International Health Equity and Partnerships, at MSD, noted: “Now more than ever, investing in local healthcare businesses is essential for securing effective and sustainable medicine and vaccine distribution across Africa. MSD is committed to partnering with i3 to support entrepreneurs that are dedicated to expanding equitable healthcare access. By engaging the local private sector and meeting patients where they are, we can enhance access and strengthen health systems through fostering innovation in pharmacy services.”

For Dr Ashifi Gogo, CEO and Founder at Sproxil, remarked: “It is an honor to be selected as part of the i3 cohort focused on growth-stage companies. The support of leading global life sciences and logistics companies, alongside forward-thinking foundations, is encouraging as we scale our impact. The i3 program continues to differentiate itself through the transformative power of local innovation, and I am eager to see the significant impact this cohort will undoubtedly make.”

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

An ambulance has been donated to the Mainland Hospital Yaba, Lagos, by the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), the first the health facility was getting in the past decade.

The chief medical director of the organisation, Mr Adejumo Adedeji Olusola, while receiving the item last Friday, emphasized how crucial the donation was, describing patient mobility as a longstanding challenge.

“Today we received an ambulance from Aliko Dangote Foundation to support our response activities in Lagos. Aliko Dangote Foundation has taken care of our biggest headache; in fact, it is a game changer for us, so we can do a lot of things now that we can’t do before,” the medical practitioner stated.

He further acknowledged the impact of private sector support, particularly expressing appreciation to Mr Aliko Dangote for addressing a decade-long need.

“We are really grateful, and our sincere gratitude goes to Mr Aliko Dangote. We lacked an ambulance for about 10 years, but now we have one we can boast of thanks to Mr Aliko Dangote. Thank you very much,” he said.

In his remarks, the Director of Health and Nutrition for the ADF, Mr Francis Aminu, reiterated the foundation’s unwavering dedication to improving the lives of Nigerians, particularly in the health sector.

He opined that the ambulance would bolster Mainland Hospital Yaba’s capacity to manage infectious disease outbreaks and enhance emergency response.

“We are happy to help. The foundation is there to assist, especially in areas of health. They say health is wealth, so the foundation is there to fill the gaps found and through this donation initiative, this is us (ADF) showing our commitment to ensuring those needs are met.

“What we do at ADF isn’t just charity, it’s a duty. We believe that every Nigerian life is valuable, and health is the foundation on which all other aspirations are built; no Nigerian should be left behind due to a lack of access to essential health resources.

“This isn’t a one-time effort; we are committed to building systems that last, ones that Nigerians can rely on even in the toughest of times,” the remarked.

The ambulance is expected to serve as a game changer, enabling swift mobility for critical cases and improving the hospital’s overall efficiency in disease outbreak responses.

ADF has long been at the forefront of major health interventions in Nigeria, from combating malnutrition and polio to supporting disease control during pandemics. This gesture to Mainland Hospital is one of many strategic moves reflecting its broader mission to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure.

By Timi Olubiyi, PhD

It is safe to say Nigeria’s economy has undergone transformations in recent times, characterised by overambitious reforms aimed at stabilising the macroeconomic environment.

However, these changes have also introduced challenges that directly affect the daily lives of Nigerians.

As of March 2025, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate rose again to 24.23%, up from 23.18% in February 2025, even though it had reached a high of 34.8% in December 2024. Higher food prices and the cost of living primarily contribute to this increase.

Additionally, petrol price has experienced a 488% increase from N175 in May 2023 at the resumption of the current administration to N1,030 in October 2024, even though it currently trades around N950.

The removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the naira have further exacerbated inflationary pressures, leading to increased costs for imported goods and services.​ The removal of the fuel subsidies has significantly increased operational expenses for businesses, leading to higher prices for goods and services. This situation has led to significant hardship, and it has also made it difficult for many Nigerians to sustain livelihoods, especially those in low-income brackets.

No doubt, the economic challenges continue to have profound effects on mental health, livelihood and well-being. This is in a country where the cost of medicines, in some cases, has risen significantly, with a more than tenfold increase in price.

Mental health is a big issue in all of this, and it is largely disregarded—it is the core of how we experience and navigate our daily activities. Whether in the workplace, market, family, or among friends, the current economic woes do affect our emotional and psychological well-being regardless.

Mental health issues can affect anyone regardless of your age, gender, geography, income, social status, race, ethnicity, or religion. Mental illnesses are health disorders characterised by changes in feelings, thinking, or behaviour, or a combination thereof.

Mental health issues may be linked to discomfort and/or difficulties in professional, social, or family functioning. It determines the quality of overall health, relationships, decisions, security and well-being. The influence of mental health has become undeniably clear in the realms of business, family, and social life in Nigeria.

In Lagos State, for instance, it is a high-pressured environment; many spend long hours to get to work, employers give unrealistic expectations, and job insecurity can create chronic stress, mental health issues and physical illness.

Many can still remember the recent occurrence where some employees in Lagos State who work on the island and live on the mainland of the state experienced long hours in traffic that kept some in Lagos Island at 2am in traffic due to road closures and road maintenance. Such employees are more likely to experience depression or burnout, which can make them underperform. It may even lead to having some chronic issues around their mental health, even though many hardly accept this fact.

In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy a lot. For employees, records have shown that symptoms of mental illness may include difficulty concentrating, absenteeism, emotional exhaustion, or a lack of motivation to even socialize. For entrepreneurs and executives, the stakes are different but equally significant.

The loneliness at the top, coupled with financial and operational pressures, can lead to decision fatigue and emotional instability.

At home, mental health is deeply integrated in attitudes of married couples and families it often leads to strain in communication and tension in the household, and it can lead to emotional withdrawal or even manifest in conflicts.

The high rate of unemployment and joblessness in our country can also contribute to mental health issues in households. However, a parent’s mental health condition significantly shapes the emotional environment in the home and how children grow up.

Humans are social beings, and decent work can contribute to recovery, even though in Nigeria, like many parts in Africa, we fail to recognise the significant impact of mental health on businesses, families and social lives.

More so our need for connection, acceptance, and belonging is deeply rooted in our psychological recognition that mental health is real. Mental health shapes how we interact with others, and our social interactions, in turn, influence our mental health.

So, when mental health is compromised, therefore the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships are also compromised. Depression can result in social withdrawal, anxiety can lead someone to avoid gatherings or become overly self-conscious, and trauma can lead to difficulty trusting others. As a result, people often find themselves isolated during their most vulnerable moments—when support is most needed.

In all, a supportive family can be a powerful buffer against mental health struggles.Therefore, in my opinion, it is crucial to normalise mental health discussions in workplaces, families, and friendship groups to promote understanding and encourage self-care.

In the professional world, success is often measured by tangible outcomes: revenue, promotions, deadlines met, and goals achieved. But beneath the surface of performance metrics lies a crucial, often invisible factor—mental health. Because we are in a world that often prioritises and celebrates output over well-being, re-centering mental health is not just an act of care—it is more than important in the current dispensation for more work-life balance, longevity and a successful life. Good luck!

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Dr Timi Olubiyi is an entrepreneurship and business management expert with a PhD in Business Administration from Babcock University, Nigeria. He is a prolific investment coach, author, seasoned scholar, chartered member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), and a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-registered capital market operator. He can be reached on the Twitter handle @drtimiolubiyi and via email: drtimiolubiyi@gmail.com, for any questions, reactions, and comments.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, Dr Timi Olubiyi, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of others.