A mixed methodology was applied in developing this paper. This involved extensive desk research, one on one interviews, and focus group discussions. Through the desk research, existing data from multiple sources including reports, academic papers, and other previously published material were gathered and synthesized to support the white paper’s objectives. Following this, one on one interviews were conducted with seven female health commissioners with guided questions. They shared their perspectives on the state of women’s leadership in the subnational health system, the existing barriers to women’s advancement, and practical recommendations for bridging this gap. Insights gathered from these two stages informed the first iteration of the white paper.

The first draft was presented and validated by a diverse stakeholder group that included mid and senior-level professionals from the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) and Women in Healthcare Network (WIHCN). These stakeholders represented various sectors, including private sector organisations, academia, local health-focused non-governmental organisations, and other health-related industries that interact with the subnational health system in their work. Cumulatively, there were 38 validators across two focus group discussion (FGD) sessions. To conclude, five of the seven female health commissioners who were interviewed were re-engaged for a validation process, after which the final white paper was drafted.

The Special Adviser to the President on Health, Dr Salma Ibrahim Anas, was present at the validation meeting of the first draft of the white paper. She stressed some of the common barriers that women, especially young women in the health sector, at the initial stages of building families face as they grow their careers. In the absence of definitive measures to address these barriers, the professional growth of women is stalled, and this inadvertently impacts the pipeline of women leaders within the subnational health system in Nigeria.