Dr. Zainabu Wushishi Mudasiru is a dedicated paediatrician and neonatologist whose career reflects a deep commitment to improving newborn survival, particularly among premature and critically ill babies. As Co-Founder and Clinical Lead of Babies Matter Medical Centre, an advanced neonatal care centre in Lagos, Nigeria, she is at the forefront of efforts to improve access to specialised neonatal care and give vulnerable newborns a stronger start in life.

Originally from Niger State but born and raised in Lagos State, Dr. Mudasiru discovered her ambition to become a doctor at the age of nine. Driven by this early sense of purpose, she pursued her A-level studies in the United Kingdom before returning to Nigeria for her medical education at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, where she began laying the foundation for a career devoted to caring for children.

Following her medical training, she returned to the United Kingdom to undertake specialist paediatric training. Her professional journey also took her to South Africa, where she served as Head of the Neonatal Unit at a hospital, gaining valuable leadership experience in the management of newborns requiring specialised care. She subsequently returned to the UK, where she further developed her clinical expertise in neonatology.

Over the years, Dr. Mudasiru’s clinical experience deepened her understanding of the complexities of neonatal care and the importance of timely, evidence-informed interventions in determining a newborn’s chances of survival and long-term wellbeing. Her work also strengthened her conviction that every baby, regardless of the circumstances of birth, deserves the opportunity to survive and thrive.

Her decision to return to Nigeria was driven by this conviction. Confronted with the country’s significant neonatal mortality burden and the challenges families face in accessing specialised care for premature babies, Dr. Zainabu made the bold decision to leave behind the life and career she had established in the United Kingdom and return to Lagos in November 2023. It was a decision rooted in purpose: to bring her international experience and specialist knowledge closer to the families and newborns who needed them most.

Today, as Co-Founder and Clinical Lead of Babies Matter Medical Centre, she is helping to build a centre focused on advanced neonatal care, with particular emphasis on the survival and recovery of premature babies. Under her clinical leadership, the centre has successfully managed numerous premature infants, including babies born at gestational ages as early as 25 weeks, who have survived, been discharged home and are doing well. These outcomes represent not only important clinical milestones but also life-changing moments for families who might otherwise have faced profoundly uncertain beginnings.

Dr Mudasiru and her team understand that the care a premature baby receives from the moment of birth can have a lasting impact on survival and development. Their approach is grounded in the recognition that vulnerable newborns require timely assessment, specialised clinical management, close monitoring and coordinated care throughout their hospital journey.

As Babies Matter Medical Centre continues to make a difference in the lives of newborns and their families, Dr Zainabu is focused on expanding the centre’s capacity to reach more babies in need of specialised care. Her vision is to help build a stronger neonatal care system in which fewer premature babies are denied a chance at survival because of the circumstances surrounding their birth or limitations in the healthcare environment.

A 2025 recipient of the Woman of Merit Gold Award (WMGA), Dr. Mudasiru’s clinical expertise, leadership and determination to make a meaningful contribution to newborn health in Nigeria embodies a powerful combination of professional excellence and purpose-driven service. Her journey from specialist training abroad to establishing advanced neonatal care in Lagos reflects a commitment to translating knowledge into impact—and to ensuring that even the smallest and most vulnerable babies are given the chance to go home, grow and thrive.

It Is in Recognition of her Sterling Accomplishments in Human Medicine (Paediatrics) in Nigeria that Dr. Zainabu Wushishi Mudasiru is deemed worthy to be conferred with the Nigerian Achievement Award.