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Nigerian health technology company, Helium Health, has secured a $2.5 million (approximately N3.4 billion) grant from Google.org to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) solutions aimed at improving maternal healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The funding will support the rollout of clinical AI models through its maternal health initiative, HeliumMum, across Lagos, Delta, Kano and Oyo states, with Lagos serving as the primary operational launchpad.
According to an announcement by Google on Wednesday, the company was selected as the only Nigerian organisation among 15 global recipients of the $30 million Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation, an initiative supporting organisations working with governments to improve public service delivery.
Alongside the funding, Helium Health will also participate in a dedicated Google.org Accelerator programme, receiving technical support from Google engineers and AI product experts.
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Healthcare initiative targets 1.9 million women
The Nigerian implementation roadmap for the maternal healthcare programme was formally presented in Lagos during an executive briefing with Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, led by executives from Google and Helium Health.
Helium Health said the initiative aims to reach an additional 1.9 million women over three years and contribute to a 30% reduction in maternal mortality through the deployment of AI-powered clinical tools.
Speaking on the initiative, Dimeji Sofowora, CEO of Helium Health, said the funding would enable the company to scale its existing maternal healthcare interventions and expand access to quality care.
He noted that the company had reached more than 3.5 million women through its maternal health initiatives over the past decade.
Head of Public Health at Helium Health, Dr Shona Oluwatola, highlighted the urgency of the intervention, citing Nigeria’s significant contribution to global maternal deaths.
- “Nigeria accounts for nearly three in every ten maternal deaths globally. Behind every maternal death is a woman whose family expected her to come home,” she said.
Oluwatola said the company hopes to contribute to a 30% reduction in maternal mortality by helping women identify pregnancy risks early and access appropriate medical attention.
How HeliumMum will use AI
Through HeliumMum, Helium Health plans to deploy AI tools that will help pregnant women identify potential pregnancy complications early and connect them with appropriate healthcare providers.
The platform will link pregnant women to healthcare facilities equipped with electronic medical records and AI-powered clinical decision support systems, helping healthcare professionals make more informed decisions and deliver appropriate care.
The initiative will also provide governments with actionable data to strengthen maternal health services, identify gaps in healthcare delivery and improve maternal health outcomes.
The deployment across the four states is expected to strengthen the integration of digital health solutions into primary healthcare delivery, particularly in maternal health services.
Google expands AI support for public services
Google.org said the funding is part of its broader effort to bridge the gap between the potential of artificial intelligence and its practical application in improving public services.
Maggie Johnson, Global Head of Google.org, said the selected organisations would receive both financial support and technical assistance from Google’s AI experts to demonstrate how the technology can address real-world challenges.
- “By equipping the 15 selected organizations with funding and pro bono support from Google’s own AI experts, we are empowering the people closest to the problem to show what is truly possible,” she said.
The Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation provides funding to organisations developing AI-powered solutions in areas including health, resilience and the economy.
What you should know
The grants to Helium Health marks the latest in Google’s drives to empower Nigerian startups, especially those focusing on AI.
In April this year, Nairametrics reported that Google selected four Nigerian startups for the 10th cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme.
The four selected startups included Bani, MasteryHive AI, Regxta and Termii.
- The selected startups are deploying artificial intelligence to solve key business and financial challenges across the continent.
- Bani operates a cross-border payments infrastructure platform designed to eliminate settlement delays for African businesses trading globally.
- MasteryHive AI provides an AI-driven platform that automates transaction reconciliation, fraud detection and anti-money laundering monitoring.
Regxta combines alternative data-based credit scoring with a hybrid digital agent model to deliver financial services to unbanked micro businesses, while Termii offers an AI powered communications infrastructure platform focused on reliable financial messaging for banks and fintech companies.
