**Helium Health Gets Google.org AI Grant Boost**

Nigerian health technology company, Helium Health has received a $2.5 million grant from Google.org to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) in primary maternal healthcare across Nigeria. The funding puts Nigeria's growing health tech sector back in focus, highlighting how technology and innovation can help address some of the country's major healthcare challenges, particularly maternal mortality.

Helium Health was selected as one of 15 organisations worldwide to receive funding under the $30 million Google.org Impact Challenge: AI for Government Innovation.

It is the only Nigerian organisation among the selected recipients. The initiative supports organisations working with governments to use technology and innovation to improve public services.

The Grant Size and Google's Support:

The $2.5 million grant, equivalent to approximately ₦3.4 billion, will support Helium Health's plan to introduce clinical AI models into primary maternal healthcare in Nigeria.

Beyond the financial support, Helium Health and the other selected organisations will participate in a dedicated Google.org Accelerator programme. Through this initiative, participants will receive professional guidance and pro bono support from Google engineers and AI product experts.

The additional technical support is expected to help organisations develop and implement practical AI solutions that address real public service challenges.

Google formally presented the Nigerian implementation roadmap in Lagos on November 4, 2026, during a joint executive briefing involving Google and Helium Health executives and the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The programme will cover Lagos, Delta, Kano and Oyo States, with Lagos serving as the primary operational launchpad.

What Helium Health Plans to Do:

Through its maternal health initiative, Helium Health intends to use AI to help pregnant women identify potential pregnancy risks early and access appropriate medical attention.

The initiative, known as "Helium mum," will connect pregnant women with healthcare providers using electronic medical records and AI-powered clinical decision-support tools. These technologies will help healthcare professionals access relevant patient information, identify possible complications and make more informed clinical decisions.

The programme will also provide governments with actionable health data to strengthen maternal healthcare services and improve outcomes.

According to Helium Health CEO, Dimeji Sofowora, the company has spent the past decade developing technology and partnerships to improve healthcare delivery across Africa. Its existing maternal health initiatives have already reached more than 3.5 million women.

With Google's support, the company hopes to expand its impact and reach an additional 1.9 million women over the next three years.

Dr Shona Oluwatola, Head of Public Health at Helium Health, also explained that the organisation aims to contribute to a 30 per cent reduction in maternal mortality through the initiative.

Why Health Tech Matters Now:

The investment comes at an important time for Nigeria's healthcare sector. According to Dr Oluwatola, Nigeria accounts for nearly three in every ten maternal deaths globally. This highlights the urgent need for stronger maternal healthcare services, early risk identification and improved access to medical attention.

Technology offers an opportunity to address some of these challenges by connecting patients, healthcare providers and government agencies through more efficient systems.

AI-powered clinical decision support, electronic medical records and actionable health data can help healthcare professionals identify risks and improve the quality of care provided to pregnant women.

Google.org Global Head, Maggie Johnson, noted that AI has significant potential to transform public services, particularly when organisations receive the funding and technical expertise needed to turn innovation into practical solutions.

For Helium Health, the grant represents an opportunity to expand its existing work and demonstrate how AI can support better maternal healthcare outcomes.

As the programme rolls out across four Nigerian states, its success will depend on how effectively these technologies reach pregnant women and support healthcare providers.

Ultimately, the initiative places Nigerian health technology at the centre of an important conversation about using innovation to improve lives and strengthen public healthcare delivery.