The wife of Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has been honoured with the 2026 BudgIT Active Citizens Award in the Health Activism category for her contributions to preventive healthcare and community wellness.
Soludo emerged as the winner of the category at the award ceremony held in Lagos, beating other finalists, including health and gender rights advocate, Ramatu Ochekliye and public health and social impact professional, Sidney Sampson.
The award recognised her public health advocacy through her non-governmental organisation, the Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, which focuses on promoting healthy lifestyles, preventive care and improved community health outcomes.
According to BudgIT, the selection process assessed nominees based on criteria including innovation, impact, sustainability, inclusion, leadership and measurable contributions to society.
Reacting to the recognition in a statement issued on Thursday, the Anambra First Lady described the award as a “humbling honour” and a motivation to continue advancing health initiatives across the state.
She dedicated the award to members of the Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative, healthcare workers, volunteers, partners, community leaders and residents of Anambra State.
She said, “Receiving the 2026 BudgIT Active Citizens Award for Health Activism is both a humbling honour and a renewed call to serve with even greater passion and dedication.
“This recognition belongs to every member of the ‘Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Initiative’, our valued partners, healthcare workers, volunteers, community leaders and the resilient people of Anambra State who have embraced the vision of wellness and Healthy Living.”
She said the initiative had demonstrated that communities could achieve lasting health improvements when they actively participate in promoting healthier lifestyles.
“Like a family driven by one common goal, we have shown that when communities take ownership of their health, lasting transformation becomes very possible,” she said.
The governor’s wife also thanked BudgIT, Civic Hive and Ford Foundation for the recognition, pledging that the initiative would continue expanding its reach.
Meanwhile, her Media Aide, Daniel Ezeigwe, said the award reflected national acknowledgement of the impact of her health advocacy programmes in Anambra State.
Ezeigwe highlighted several interventions under the Healthy Living campaign, including statewide fitness programmes, maternal and child health advocacy, nutrition education, environmental sanitation campaigns, the Healthy Living Pad Bank for schoolgirls, free seed distribution to households and the Nonye’s Healthy Living Pap Initiative, which targets childhood malnutrition.
He said the programmes had reached thousands of residents while promoting preventive healthcare as a foundation for improved public health.
The BudgIT Active Citizens Awards, now in its third edition, recognises individuals and organisations contributing to accountability, democratic values and sustainable development through advocacy, innovation, research, community service and public engagement.
Soludo’s recognition adds to the growing list of acknowledgements for her health-focused initiatives aimed at improving the wellbeing of residents in Anambra State.