Amaechi Paid Pregnant Women ₦10,000 for Antenatal Care

Rotimi Amaechi, the presidential running mate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), recounted his initiative of paying pregnant women ₦10,000 each to encourage attendance at antenatal care while he served as governor of Rivers State. Speaking at the 'Her Health, Her Power Conference Africa 2026' in Abuja on Tuesday, Amaechi highlighted the critical importance of women's health, particularly in a state that was rated second on the maternal-child mortality index.

He stated that to combat this issue, he established health centers in every village, employing two doctors and nurses at each facility. The ₦10,000 incentive was designed to improve health outcomes, as many women attended the health centers primarily for the financial support rather than health reasons.

Amaechi stressed that the health of women is intrinsically linked to economic growth, noting that 40 percent of women in Nigeria are farmers, and called for more political efforts to enhance women's health and education.