Chairman of PUNCH Nigeria Limited, Angela Emuwa, has won the Extraordinary Women Advancing Healthcare (EWAH) Award for her immense contributions to healthcare development, innovation, and community impact in Nigeria.
Emuwa, a daughter of PUNCH’s founding chairman, the late Chief Olu Aboderin, was among 10 outstanding women from across Africa honoured at the third edition of the awards, held in Lagos on Sunday under the theme #EWAHAFRO2026, for her role in deepening access to healthcare in the country. The organisers said the awards recognised the impact of women in the health sector, gave visibility to their work, and encouraged them to do more to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Other honourees included NAFDAC Director-General Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria President Njide Ndili, Nigeria Health Watch Managing Director Viviane Ihekweazu, Advantage Health Africa CEO Abimbola Adebakin, ACT Foundation CEO Osayi Alile, and former Kaduna State Health Commissioner Dr Amina Mohammed-Baloni. Also recognised were Elin Group Limited CEO Dr Elizabeth Jack-Rich, IbuleSoro Basic Health Centre Officer-in-Charge Adenike Fasawe, Iwosan Lagoon Ambulatory Service Managing Director Dr Oluwatomi Kogo, and Synlab Nigeria founder Dr Pamela Jackson-Ajayi. Dignitaries at the event included EWAH Grand Matron Senator Daisy Danjuma, represented by May & Baker Nigeria Plc CEO Patrick Ajah, alongside EWAH alumni led by Lagos State Health Management Agency Permanent Secretary Dr Emmanuella Zamba.
Receiving her award, Emuwa described it as a testament to PUNCH’s commitment to advancing healthcare through investigative, in-depth, and impact-driven journalism. She expressed appreciation to the organisers for recognising PUNCH’s contributions to improving maternal and child health, routine immunisation coverage, universal health coverage, nutrition, public health awareness, and healthcare financing. “We sincerely appreciate this recognition, and it inspires us to do even more to ensure that the health of Nigerians remains a priority and that every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare, with no one left behind,” she said.
Emuwa noted that through the PUNCH Media Foundation and PUNCH Healthwise, the organisation continues to spotlight critical health sector challenges, drawing government and stakeholder attention to issues requiring urgent action while helping to bridge the gender gap in healthcare leadership.
EWAH Nigeria Board Chairman Clare Omatseye said the awards were designed to inspire transformation rather than simply honour achievement, noting that women remain underrepresented in healthcare decision-making positions despite their dominant presence in the workforce. “We believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion, but we are not asking for women to overtake men. We simply want women to have a seat at the table,” she said.
Regional representative Dr Bisi Bright said the initiative was conceived after organisers found that while women make up more than 67.7 percent of the healthcare workforce, fewer than three percent occupy top leadership positions. She said LiveWell Initiative had been appointed to coordinate the EWAH Awards across Africa, with expansion plans already underway for Ghana, Mauritius, Egypt, and Zimbabwe.
Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Njide Ndili called for stronger public-private partnerships to reduce Nigeria’s maternal mortality rate, noting that a woman dies every seven minutes during childbirth in the country.
