Google.org has awarded Nigerian health technology company Helium Health a $2.5 million grant to expand the use of artificial intelligence in maternal healthcare, supporting efforts to identify pregnancy complications earlier and improve access to medical care.
The funding will support the expansion of Helium Health’s maternal health initiative, HeliumMum, across Lagos, Delta, Kano and Oyo states, with Lagos serving as the project’s primary operational launchpad.
The implementation roadmap was presented on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, during an executive briefing at Lagos House, Marina, involving representatives of Google and Helium Health and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Helium Health was selected as one of 15 global recipients of Google.org’s $30 million Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation. It was the only Nigerian organisation among the selected beneficiaries.
Through HeliumMum, the company plans to use AI-powered clinical tools to help pregnant women identify potential health risks earlier and connect them with appropriate healthcare providers.
The system will also integrate electronic medical records and AI-assisted clinical decision-support tools to help healthcare workers make more informed decisions. It is also intended to provide governments with data that can support improvements in maternal health services.
Helium Health’s Head of Public Health, Dr Shona Oluwatola, said the initiative aims to reach an additional 1.9 million women over three years and contribute to a 30% reduction in maternal mortality.
“Our goal is to reach an additional 1.9 million women over three years and contribute to a 30% reduction in maternal mortality,” Oluwatola said.
She highlighted the scale of Nigeria’s maternal health challenge, noting that the country accounts for nearly three in every ten maternal deaths globally.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Dimeji Sofowora, said Helium Health had reached more than 3.5 million women through its maternal health initiatives over the past decade. He said the Google.org support would let the company build on that work and expand access to maternal healthcare.
Google.org Global Head Maggie Johnson said the selected organisations would receive funding and technical assistance from Google engineers and AI product experts.
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“By equipping the 15 selected organisations 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,” Johnson said.
The support will include participation in a dedicated Google.org Accelerator programme, through which Helium Health will receive technical guidance to develop and implement its AI solution.
The initiative comes amid continuing concerns about maternal health in Nigeria, where timely identification of pregnancy complications and access to appropriate medical attention remain important challenges.
While Helium Health has set a target of reaching an additional 1.9 million women and contributing to a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality, these are projected outcomes rather than results already achieved.
The project represents a further effort to apply AI in public healthcare, with its impact depending on successful implementation, access to participating health facilities and the ability of healthcare workers and pregnant women to use the services.
AI Writer
Bio: Joseph Michael is an MBA graduate in Marketing from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology and a passionate tech enthusiast. As a professional writer and author at AIbase.ng, he simplifies complex AI concepts, explores digital innovation, and creates practical guides for Nigerian learners and businesses. With a background in marketing and brand communication, Joseph brings clarity, insight, and real-world relevance to every article he writes.