Pecan Bank Turns International Women’s Month Into a Healthcare Access Movement

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

As activities marking International Women’s Month continue across the world, Pecan Trust Microfinance Bank is amplifying its healthcare access initiative aimed at expanding affordable medical coverage for women across Nigeria.
The initiative is being implemented through the bank’s Pecan Plus health cover, a low-cost plan designed to provide basic healthcare services to women for as little as ₦1,000 per month.

The programme forms part of the bank’s 2026 International Women’s Day campaign themed “Give. So She Gains.” The campaign focuses on addressing healthcare access as a key component of women’s empowerment, particularly for women working within Nigeria’s informal sector.

Chairman of Pecan Trust Microfinance Bank, Mr. Shittu Akindele, said the bank believes empowerment must extend beyond financial services to include practical support that improves the everyday wellbeing of women.
“Empowerment must translate into real support that people can access in their everyday lives,” Akindele said. “For many women, the ability to access basic healthcare determines their capacity to work, support their families, and remain economically active.”

The Pecan Plus health cover provides access to outpatient consultations, essential medications, diagnostic support, and referral pathways to specialist care. The plan is structured to encourage early medical intervention by reducing the financial barriers that often prevent women from seeking treatment.

Across Nigeria, healthcare decisions are frequently influenced by affordability, particularly for women operating outside formal employment structures.

Available labour data indicates that a significant proportion of Nigerian women work within the informal economy as traders, artisans, small business owners, and caregivers. These workers often lack employer-sponsored health insurance, leaving them exposed when medical emergencies arise.

Akindele said the initiative was designed to address this gap by creating a simple and affordable pathway for women to access healthcare services.

“When healthcare becomes unaffordable, people postpone treatment until the situation becomes critical,” he said. “What we are trying to do is remove that barrier so women can seek care early and protect both their health and their livelihoods.”

He added that the initiative aligns with the global International Women’s Day 2026 theme, “Rights. Justice. Action.”, noting that practical interventions are necessary to complement conversations around gender equality.
“Healthcare access is one of the most immediate ways to strengthen women’s economic stability and long-term wellbeing,” Akindele added.

The campaign also encourages individuals, businesses, and organisations to extend health coverage to women within their communities or workforce through the Pecan Plus platform.

Pecan Trust Microfinance Bank said the initiative reflects its broader commitment to financial inclusion through products that address everyday economic realities for underserved Nigerians.

Through its savings, credit, and social impact initiatives, the bank said it aims to build systems that provide financial stability while addressing critical needs such as healthcare access for women.