The second edition of the D’Bio Wellness & Selfcare Summit opened on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) Conference & Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, drawing health advocates, pharmaceutical stakeholders, industry professionals, community leaders, and representatives from the entertainment and education sectors.
Themed “Self-Care as a Driver of Optimal Health and Wellness,” this year’s summit focused on raising awareness and promoting a culture of self-care among Nigerians as a pathway to improved health outcomes.
Convener of the summit, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, in her welcome address, stressed that self-care should not be seen as the exclusive preserve of medical professionals. “Whichever sector or area you are, self-care and health aren’t the exclusive preserve for those of us who are trained in the healthcare space,” she said, urging participants to prioritize health literacy and engage early in health management.
She highlighted the seven pillars of self-care outlined by the International Self-Care Foundation (ISF), including nutrition, physical exercise, rational use of products, mental health, and health literacy, calling for collective action to embed these practices within society.
Representing the chairman of the event, Pharm. Friday Enaholo, Assistant General Manager (Marketing) at Fidson, underscored self-love as the foundation of wellness. “The word ‘self-care’ starts with self-love. If you love yourself, you will want to achieve wellness and sustain it,” he said, noting that wellness goes beyond physical appearance to include mental and emotional well-being.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Victor ’Gbenga Afolabi, CEO of Hazon Holdings and Co-Founder of Wellness HMO, emphasized that self-care is no longer optional but essential in addressingo Nigeria’s overstretched healthcare system. With a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1:10,000, rising healthcare costs, and the dual burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases, he described self-care as “the first line of defense; hospitals should be the last.” He called for supportive policies, affordable health tools, and education to make self-care a nationwide movement.
The summit also featured goodwill messages from dignitaries including Dr. Fidelis Akhagboso Ayebae, Chairman of Fidson Healthcare PLC (represented by Pharm. Enaholo); Nurse Omomowo O. Omolara, Assistant Director at the Lagos State Ministry of Health; Mrs. Adenike, representing the Nigeria Airforce Officer’s Wives Association (NAFOWA); Prof. Lere Baale, CEO of Business School Netherlands and President of the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy; Pharm. I.G. Anukwu, COO of Alpha Pharmacy; Pharm. Scholastica Mnena Lan, National Chairman, ALPs (represented by Pharm. Foluke); and industry leaders including Mr. Avinash Watts, Vice President of Medicef and Purobien Life Sciences.
A Product Presentation and Tour Exhibition was also held, featuring leading pharmaceutical and wellness brands such as Fidson, Nature’s Field, Nemel, Neimeth, M&B, Greenlife Pharmaceuticals, Embassy Pharmaceuticals, Swipha, JOUF Pharmaceuticals, Agewell, and Pan-Atlantic University’s Lagos Business School. Exhibitors showcased innovative solutions and supplements, highlighting the importance of combining quality products with self-care knowledge.
The summit concluded with a strong call for collaboration across sectors to advance self-care initiatives. Participants agreed that collective engagement in self-care practices could significantly improve health outcomes, reduce pressure on Nigeria’s healthcare system, and build a healthier, more resilient population.
