Nigerian health technology company Helium Health has secured a $2.5 million grant from Google.org to expand the use of artificial intelligence in maternal healthcare across Nigeria, with plans to reach an additional 1.9 million women over the next three years.
The funding will support the rollout of HeliumMum, the company’s maternal health initiative, across Lagos, Delta, Kano and Oyo states, with Lagos serving as the primary operational launchpad.
Helium Health was the only Nigerian organisation selected among 15 global recipients of the $30 million Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation. The initiative supports organisations working with governments to apply artificial intelligence to public service challenges.
Alongside the funding, Helium Health will participate in a dedicated Google.org Accelerator programme, receiving technical support from Google engineers and AI product experts to strengthen the development and deployment of its technology.
The Nigerian implementation roadmap was presented in Lagos during an executive briefing with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, attended by representatives of Google and Helium Health.
Through HeliumMum, the company plans to use AI-powered tools to help identify potential pregnancy complications earlier and connect pregnant women with appropriate healthcare services. The platform will link women to healthcare providers equipped with electronic medical records and AI-powered clinical decision-support systems to support medical professionals in assessing risks and making informed care decisions.
The initiative will also provide governments with data that can help identify gaps in maternal healthcare delivery, strengthen primary healthcare services and improve health outcomes.
Speaking on the development, Dimeji Sofowora, Chief Executive Officer of Helium Health, said the company had spent the past decade building technology and partnerships to improve healthcare delivery across Africa.
He noted that its maternal health initiatives had already reached more than 3.5 million women, adding that the Google.org support would enable the company to expand its work and extend access to quality maternal healthcare.
Dr Shona Oluwatola, Head of Public Health at Helium Health, said the programme aims to reach an additional 1.9 million women within three years and contribute to a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality.
She highlighted the urgency of the intervention, noting that Nigeria accounts for nearly three in every ten maternal deaths globally. According to her, the goal is to ensure that more women can identify pregnancy risks early and access the care they need.
Maggie Johnson, Global Head of Google.org, said artificial intelligence has significant potential to improve public services, but organisations need the resources and technical support to translate that potential into practical solutions.
She explained that the selected organisations would receive funding and professional support from Google’s AI experts to develop solutions addressing real-world challenges in their communities.
The grant marks another step in Helium Health’s efforts to use technology to strengthen healthcare systems across Africa. The company provides digital solutions for healthcare providers and institutions, including electronic medical records and hospital management tools.
With the HeliumMum expansion, the company is taking its technology further into public health, focusing on maternal care and the use of data and artificial intelligence to support earlier intervention.
The success of the initiative will depend on how effectively the technology is integrated into healthcare facilities and how well women, particularly those in underserved communities, can access the services it supports.
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