Bogotá, Colombia/
Nigerian family health advocate, Chinelo Jessica Ucheaga, has been honoured with the prestigious International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) Excellence in Leadership and Innovation Award (Individual Category) for 2025, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across Africa.
Ucheaga, daughter of prominent lawyer and politician Chief Johnny Ucheaga, received the global honour this week at the ICFP in Bogotá, Colombia, where the world’s foremost family planning advocates, researchers, and policymakers convened to discuss solutions for improving health equity and access.
According to the organisers, Ucheaga’s impact has been both grassroots and digital. She co-led the Stop Period Poverty in Nigeria initiative, reaching over 1,000 schoolgirls across Lagos State with menstrual hygiene support while expanding access to breast and cervical cancer screening for women in underserved communities.
Beyond fieldwork, her digital innovation has also earned global recognition. As a digital content strategist for a leading SRHR advocacy platform, she has grown its audience to over 300,000 subscribers, generating 14 million views through compelling storytelling and data-driven campaigns that make SRHR education accessible and relatable to youth across Africa.
“Chinelo Jessica Ucheaga embodies the spirit of this award and represents the next generation of African leaders redefining the future of SRHR,” the organisers said.
Though she was not physically present at the ceremony, Ms. Amanda Banura accepted the award on her behalf.
Ucheaga, however, appeared on a big screen, addressing the audience in an emotional acceptance speech.
“Hello everyone, good day. My name is Chinelo Jessica Ucheaga and I am deeply honored to be a recipient of the 2025 ICFP Excellence in Leadership and Innovation Award in the Individual category,” she said.
“This award does not belong to me alone. It belongs to every woman, every girl whose voice has not been heard, everyone who’s needed an advocate. It belongs to the Leading Women’s Health Foundation, whose support has helped me in my leadership. It has shaped my journey so far. This award belongs to my home, my heritage, Nigeria.”
Expressing gratitude to the ICFP Core Organizing Group, the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute, and Johns Hopkins University, she added: “It is a testament to purpose, that one individual can change the narrative, one organization can spark change. I’m just grateful to God for His grace, for the energy, the strength to continue to do this. And I can assure you, this is just the beginning.”
The 2025 ICFP, themed “Family Planning and Universal Health: Bridging Policy and Practice,” brought together participants from over 100 countries to discuss innovations that drive reproductive justice, gender equality, and inclusive health systems.
Ucheaga’s recognition reinforces Nigeria’s growing role in shaping global SRHR conversations and highlights the leadership of African women driving progress in health advocacy, innovation, and social change.
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