Pathways for AI-Enabled
Point-of-Care Ultrasound
in Nigeria

A three-year Gates Foundation-funded effectiveness-implementation study generating the evidence, clinical protocols, and financing strategies to scale AI-POCUS sustainably across Nigeria's maternal health system.

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36
Month Study
PROSPERO
Registered
3
Nigerian States
(Gombe, Ogun & Kano)
29% Nigeria's share of global maternal deaths
60 AI-POCUS devices — Gombe · Kano · Ogun
1.7M Lives saved by LMIC ultrasound scale-up by 2040
9 Work packages across 36 months of research
75K Annual maternal deaths in Nigeria — preventable
Our Mission

Bridging the Gap Between
Innovation and Impact


Nigeria bears nearly 29% of all global maternal deaths, approximately 75,000 annually. Yet critical diagnostic services remain out of reach in the primary health centres where most women seek care, due to severe shortages of sonographers and radiologists.

AI-enabled point-of-care ultrasound (AI-POCUS) offers a transformative solution - portable, affordable, and operable by non-specialist providers. Path4AIPOCUS exists to generate the rigorous evidence needed to deploy this technology at scale, equitably, and sustainably across Nigeria's health system.

E
Evidence
Rigorous implementation research in real health systems
C
Capacity
Training non-expert providers to deliver AI-POCUS safely
F
Financing
Sustainable financing models for national AI-POCUS scale-up
M
Monitoring
Real-time data systems for service delivery oversight
I
Impact
Reducing maternal mortality through proven AI technology
P
Policy
Actionable outputs to shape national health policy
Study Sites

Three States.
36 Months.
Real Evidence.

Grounded in Participatory Action Research principles, Path4AIPOCUS spans 36 months across nine work packages, producing actionable evidence at every stage, from system readiness through to sustainable financing models.

Northeast Nigeria
Gombe State
3.96MPopulation (2022)
39.1%ANC 4+ visits
11Local Govt Areas
37.9%SBA delivery rate
Northwest Nigeria
Kano State
15.5MPopulation (2022)
51.3%ANC 4+ visits
44Local Govt Areas
36.3%SBA delivery rate
Southwest Nigeria
Ogun State
6.38MPopulation (2022)
73.7%ANC 4+ visits
20Local Govt Areas
82.6%SBA delivery rate
Project Team

The People Behind the Research

AT
Alison Tumilowicz
Investment Owner
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Gates Foundation
PW
Peyton Wall
Investment Coordinator
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Gates Foundation
EE
Prof. Ehigha Enabudoso
Principal Investigator
University of Benin, Nigeria
Lead PI
NS
Caroline Jehu-Appiah
Sustainability
NSI — Abuja, Nigeria
Sub-Awardee
SG
Sydani Group
Fiscal Agent & Implementation
Sydani Initiative for International Development
Fiscal Agent
SM
State Health Teams
Gombe · Kano · Ogun
State Ministries of Health, Nigeria
Government
HE
Health Economics Unit
Economic Analysis Lead
University of Benin / Consultant
Economics
QA
Expert Review Panel
Quality Assurance
Obstetric Sonologists · Multi-site
QA Panel
Partners & Funders

A Consortium Built for Impact

Path4AIPOCUS unites leading universities, government health ministries, technology companies, and professional associations around one shared goal: ending preventable maternal death through AI-powered diagnostics.

⭐ Lead & Funding Partners
Gates Foundation
Primary Funder
Philanthropy
University of Benin
Primary Grantee
Implementation
NSI
Sub Grantee
Sustainability
Sydani Initiative
Fiscal Agent
Finance
State Government Partners
  • Gombe State MOHNortheast Nigeria
  • Kano State MOHNorthwest Nigeria
  • Ogun State MOHSouthwest Nigeria
Technology Partners
  • Edan InstrumentsAI-POCUS Devices
  • Philips HealthcareAI-POCUS Devices
  • GE HealthcareAI-POCUS Devices
Regulatory & Professional Bodies
  • FMOH & NPHCDAFederal Ministry of Health
  • Medical & Dental CouncilMDCN · Nigeria
  • Nursing & Midwifery CouncilNMC · Nigeria
  • CHPRBNCommunity Health Practitioners
Latest Updates

Project Milestones

Launch
January 2026
Path4AIPOCUS Officially Launched with Gates Foundation Funding
The University of Benin announces the launch of Path4AIPOCUS, a three-year implementation research project to scale AI-enabled point-of-care ultrasound across three Nigerian states.
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Milestone
March 2026
Inception Meeting Held at CERHI, University of Benin
The Path4AIPOCUS team convened for a two-day inception meeting on 25–26 March 2026. Scope, objectives, and roles were endorsed and the Year 1 workplan confirmed.
Read More
Leadership
March 2026
Vice Chancellor Formally Endorses Project Commencement
Institutional agreements were signed with the University of Benin Vice Chancellor and Registrar, formally affirming UNIBEN's obligations as primary grantee under .
Read More
Get in Touch

Contact the Project Team

We'd love to hear from you

Whether you are a researcher, policymaker, clinician, or implementation partner, we welcome your inquiries, collaborations, and feedback on Path4AIPOCUS.

Emailcontact@path4aipocus.org
Lead InstitutionDept. of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Benin, PMB 1154, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria
LinkedInPathways for AI Enabled Point of Care Ultra Sound in Nigeria
★ Gates Foundation Funded
◷ Jan 2026 – Dec 2028
📍 Gombe · Kano · Ogun — Nigeria
Path4AIPOCUS Research Portal
Path4AIPOCUS · Research Portal

Submit, Track & Review
Research with Ease

The Path4AIPOCUS Research Portal is where investigators submit publications for internal review, provide feedback, and manage the full research workflow.

Document Submission
Upload PDFs and DOC files securely. Track real-time review status across all work packages.
Expert Review
Structured admin review with inline feedback, status updates, and resubmission support.
Admin Dashboard
Full submission oversight, file access, and user management for project administrators.
Cloud Storage
All uploaded documents stored securely with access-controlled URLs and audit trails.