Lagos Launches SWIFT Project to Advance Women’s Health, Empowerment, and Economic Inclusion
In a bold move to redefine healthcare and gender equity, the Lagos State Government has launched the SWIFT Project—a transformative initiative integrating family planning, digital innovation, and women-led enterprise across underserved communities. Spearheaded by the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Society for Family Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, SWIFT stands for “Strengthening Women’s Initiatives for Family Planning and Technology” or “Supporting Women’s Improved Financial Transformation.”
Launched at a high-level event in Ikeja, SWIFT aims to expand access to modern contraceptives through trained pharmacies and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs), while simultaneously offering financial empowerment to female health entrepreneurs. Declaring the initiative open, Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi (represented by Dr. Folashade Oludara), described SWIFT as a timely and inclusive solution addressing systemic barriers to reproductive health.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, emphasized that family planning is a development accelerator, while SFH’s Pharm. Kene Eruchalu and Project Manager Ummi Rahama-Shehu detailed the project’s five strategic pillars, including access to finance, technology, and regulatory alignment.
Stakeholders from the Gates Foundation, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, and health district leaders all echoed support for the initiative, describing it as a blueprint for gender-sensitive healthcare reform. As Lagos leads the national rollout following success in Kano and Kaduna, the SWIFT Project promises to uplift women, strengthen families, and position Lagos at the forefront of health innovation and community-based care.
