The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Director of Nutrition, Mrs Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, have been named in the prestigious 2025 TIME100 Health list.
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr Alaba Balogun.
Curated by TIME Magazine, the TIME100 Health list celebrates 100 of the most influential individuals in global health—leaders who are transforming health systems, advancing medical innovation, and improving lives through visionary leadership and forward-thinking policy.
According to the statement, the inclusion of two senior officials from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health underscores the country’s rising influence in global health conversations.
Professor Muhammad Ali Pate
Professor Pate was recognised for his longstanding dedication to health equity, systemic reform, and the revitalisation of primary healthcare. His leadership, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, has driven key reforms in Nigeria’s health sector.
Among his notable achievements are:
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Launching the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative, based on a Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) to encourage coordinated and impactful stakeholder investment;
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Strengthening primary healthcare, expanding the community health workforce, and scaling up maternal, newborn, and child health services;
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Accelerating malaria elimination efforts, including the rollout of the malaria vaccine;
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Promoting local production of essential health commodities and enhancing the capacity of the national health workforce.
Mrs Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi
Mrs Bako-Aiyegbusi was honoured for her pioneering work in shaping national nutrition policy and leading multisectoral strategies to tackle malnutrition across diverse communities.
Her accomplishments include:
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Leading the implementation of the National Nutrition Policy to improve outcomes for all population groups;
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Overseeing the rollout of the Multiple Micronutrient Supplement (MMS) programme, which provides pregnant women with 15 essential vitamins and minerals to reduce anaemia and enhance maternal health;
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Expanding large-scale food fortification initiatives to combat micronutrient deficiencies;
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Advocating for nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive social protection policies that address the root causes of malnutrition.
The TIME100 Health recognition reflects Nigeria’s increasing role in shaping global health and nutrition policy, as well as its commitment to improving health outcomes both nationally and internationally.
The full TIME100 Health list, along with tributes to each honouree, will be published in the 26 May 2025 edition of TIME Magazine, available in print from 16 May and online at time.com/time100health.
