The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards (NHEA), Nigeria’s most prestigious healthcare recognition platform, has announced the recipients of its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Awards and Special Recognition Awards ahead of the grand ceremony scheduled for Friday, June 26, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The event will bring together healthcare leaders, policymakers, regulators, investors, development partners, healthcare professionals, and key stakeholders from across the healthcare ecosystem to celebrate excellence, innovation, leadership, and outstanding contributions to healthcare development in Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, will attend the event as the Special Guest of Honour, while the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, will serve as the Chief Host.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Awards will be conferred on distinguished healthcare icons whose contributions have left an enduring impact on healthcare delivery, medical education, specialist training, healthcare financing, and health system development in Nigeria and beyond.
The recipients are:
Emeritus Professor Samuel Chukwunonyerem Ohaegbulam, one of Africa’s most distinguished neurosurgeons and medical educators, recognised for his pioneering contributions to neurosurgery, specialist training, medical education, and healthcare leadership in Nigeria and across the continent.
Sir Ike Onyechi, an accomplished pharmacist, entrepreneur, and healthcare leader honoured for over four decades of exceptional service to pharmacy practice, healthcare entrepreneurship, professional development, and philanthropy.
Dr. Ladi Awosika, a pioneer of healthcare financing and private healthcare development in Nigeria, recognised for his transformative contributions to health insurance, healthcare reform, and health system strengthening.
In addition, the NHEA 2026 Special Recognition Awards will honour outstanding leaders whose contributions continue to redefine excellence within their respective fields.
Professor Kingsley Ekwueme will receive the Diaspora Special Recognition Award for Pioneering Leadership in Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery for his groundbreaking work in advancing robotic surgery and modern surgical innovation in Nigeria, West Africa, and the United Kingdom.
Professor Mildred Edet John will receive the Special Recognition Award for Excellence in Nursing Leadership, Education and Professional Development in recognition of her remarkable contributions to nursing education, mentorship, professional development, and healthcare leadership across Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Dr. Wale Alabi, Project Director, NHEA, described the 2026 edition as a celebration of resilience, innovation, and excellence across Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.
” For over a decade, NHEA has remained committed to celebrating the institutions and professionals whose work continues to transform healthcare delivery in Nigeria. This year’s award recipients represent some of the finest examples of leadership, innovation, service, and commitment to improving health outcomes for Nigerians. We are particularly excited about the quality of nominees and the rigorous process that has produced this year’s finalists and winners.”
Also speaking ahead of the event, Moses Braimah, Director of Marketing, Communication and Strategy, NHEA, noted that the award has become one of the most respected healthcare recognition platforms on the continent.
” NHEA is more than an award ceremony; it is a movement that shines a spotlight on excellence and inspires higher standards across the healthcare industry. The credibility of our process—anchored on public participation, independent verification, research, and jury review—continues to strengthen stakeholder confidence and reinforces the value of recognition as a catalyst for progress.”
Braimah added that the 2026 ceremony promises to be one of the most memorable editions in the history of the awards.
” From the quality of nominees to the calibre of dignitaries, award recipients, partners, and healthcare leaders expected to be in attendance, this year’s event will be a celebration of achievement, innovation, and the future of healthcare in Nigeria.”
The organizers disclosed that the NHEA 2026 awards process has now been successfully completed following months of nominations, public voting, independent verification exercises, auditing, stakeholder reviews, and extensive research conducted by the Advisory Board, Independent Jury, and technical assessment teams.
From a highly competitive field of more than 120 nominees spanning hospitals, healthcare professionals, diagnostic centres, health insurance organisations, pharmaceutical companies, health technology providers, public institutions, and other healthcare stakeholders, approximately 26 winners will be unveiled during the awards ceremony.
The organizers emphasized that NHEA’s credibility continuously anchors on a rigorous and transparent evaluation process designed to reward merit, excellence, innovation, impact, and measurable contributions to healthcare development.
Now in its twelfth year, NHEA remains the benchmark platform for recognizing individuals and organizations whose work is advancing healthcare delivery and improving health outcomes across Nigeria.
The 2026 edition is themed” Innovation, Local Manufacturing and Digital Transformation,” highlighting the critical role of technology, local capacity development, and innovative solutions in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system and driving sustainable progress.
The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) is organised by Global Health Project and Resources in collaboration with Anadach Group, USA, and is proudly supported by PharmAccess and Digital Clinical Laboratory (DCL) as Title Sponsors. Over the years, the awards have emerged as Nigeria’s foremost platform for recognising and celebrating excellence, innovation, leadership, professionalism, and outstanding contributions across the healthcare value chain.
