NHEA 2026: (L-R) Dr. Wale Alabi, NHEA Project Director; Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health & Social Welfare; Sir Ike Onyechi, Founder of Alpha Pharmacy and recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award; Mrs. Chinelo Onyechi; Dr. Anthony Omolola, NHEA Advisory Board Chairman; and Moses Braimah, NHEA Director of Marketing, Communication, & Strategy
- Salako Commends Winners, Nominees and Organisers for Advancing Excellence in Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector.
Nigeria’s healthcare sector came together last weekend as the 2026 Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA) celebrated the nation’s outstanding healthcare institutions, professionals and organisations at a ceremony in Lagos.
The event, attended by the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, as Special Guest of Honour, brought together top government officials, healthcare leaders, regulators, development partners, industry executives, healthcare professionals and nominees from across the country in a celebration of excellence, innovation and leadership in healthcare.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Salako congratulated all the award winners and nominees for their outstanding contributions to healthcare delivery in Nigeria, describing them as critical partners in the nation’s journey towards building a stronger and more resilient healthcare system.
The Minister commended the organisers of the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards for sustaining a credible platform that recognises and rewards excellence in the healthcare sector, noting that such recognition encourages healthy competition, innovation and continuous quality improvement.
He reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system through strategic reforms, improved infrastructure, expanded access to quality healthcare services and stronger collaboration with the private sector and development partners.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the NHEA Advisory Board, Dr. Anthony Omolola, described the awards as more than a ceremony, but a celebration of the remarkable institutions and individuals whose dedication continues to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system despite prevailing challenges.
He noted that the awards have, for over a decade, promoted transparency, accountability and excellence through a rigorous evaluation process involving public nominations, voting, independent verification, industry research and assessments by an independent Jury and Advisory Board.
This year’s edition, themed “Innovation, Local Manufacturing and Digital Transformation,” recognised excellence across healthcare delivery, pharmaceuticals, biomedical technology, health insurance, diagnostics, media, and public health, with winners emerging after months of public nominations, voting, independent verification, auditing, industry performance assessments and extensive research.
Among the highlights of the evening were the presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards to Dr. Ladi Awosika, Sir Ike Onyechi, and Emeritus Professor Samuel Chukwunonyerem Ohaegbulam, in recognition of their exceptional contributions to healthcare development, medical practice, pharmacy, healthcare financing and leadership in Nigeria.
The event also honoured Professor Kingsley Ekwueme with the Diaspora Excellence Award for pioneering leadership in robotic and minimally invasive surgery, while Professor Mildred Edet John received the Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Nursing Leadership, Education and Professional Development.
The evening also saw outstanding organisations recognised across more than thirty competitive categories. Notable winners included FCMB as Outstanding Healthcare Financial Institution of the Year, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) as State Government Health Insurance Agency of the Year, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital as Public Tertiary Healthcare Facility of the Year, Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals as Private Tertiary Healthcare Facility of the Year, Leadway Health Limited as Health Maintenance Organisation of the Year, Gabbi Health as Innovative Healthcare Service Provider of the Year, Fidson Healthcare Plc as Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company of the Year, and Codix Pharma Limited as Technology-Driven Pharmaceutical Distributor of the Year, among other deserving winners.
Special recognition was also accorded to outstanding achievements in laboratory medicine and biomedical technology, including the DCL-NHEA Laboratory Innovation and Quality Improvement Award presented to Mecure Healthcare Limited, while Vitus Nnaemeka of Echolab Services Ltd. emerged as DCL-NHEA Laboratory Professional of the Year.
The organisers congratulated all nominees, noting that being shortlisted from more than 120 nominees across the healthcare value chain was itself a significant achievement and a testament to their contributions to improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA) is organised by Global Health Project and Resources (GHPR) in collaboration with the Anadach Group, USA, and is proudly supported by PharmAccess Foundation and Digital Clinical Laboratory (DCL) as Title Sponsors.
Over the past twelve years, NHEA has remained Nigeria’s premier platform for recognising excellence, innovation, professionalism and outstanding contributions to healthcare, while inspiring continuous improvement across the sector.
