Meet Ife Dare-Johnson, the visionary founder and CEO of Healthtracka, who’s revolutionizing healthcare access in Nigeria by bringing diagnostic services directly to people’s homes since 2021.
Born from personal tragedy after losing someone dear to late diagnosis, Ife has transformed her pain into purpose by creating a platform that makes early detection accessible to all, regardless of location or income.
In our latest interview, Ife shares her journey of building Healthtracka and her ambitious vision for the upcoming Banking on Women’s Health Conference, which aims to spotlight the critical gaps in women’s healthcare while creating actionable solutions through cross-sector collaboration.
She discusses the groundbreaking “State of Women’s Health in Nigeria Report,” her excitement about innovations tackling maternal mortality and reproductive health, and how she balances technological innovation with deep empathy in healthcare delivery.
Read the full interview below and discover Ife’s powerful message to aspiring female leaders: “Start where you are, use what you have, and don’t wait for permission.”
Ife, let’s start from the very beginning. Healthtracka has been such a game-changer since 2021. What inspired you to build a health tech company that brings diagnostics straight to people’s homes?
Healthtracka was born from a personal place — I lost someone very dear because of late diagnosis. It woke me up to the reality that so many lives are lost, not because there aren’t solutions, but because access to diagnostics is so broken.
I wanted to eliminate the barriers that stand between people and early detection. Healthtracka takes healthcare from being a privilege for the few, to a right for everyone — starting with the simple act of knowing what’s going on in your body, from the comfort of your home.
The Banking on Women’s Health Conference is a significant undertaking! What is the core dream that fuels your passion for this initiative and for transforming women’s healthcare in Nigeria?
The dream is simple but urgent: women’s health is underfunded, under-researched, and underrepresented, yet women are the backbone of families, economies, and nations. Banking on Women’s Health is about flipping the script, turning attention, investment, and research toward women’s health, not just as a moral obligation, but as an economic strategy. When you invest in women’s health, you’re investing in the growth of the economy.
The conference is set to launch the “State of Women’s Health in Nigeria Report.” What are some of the key insights you’re expecting from the report, and how will these findings shape the discussions and proposed solutions at the BWHC?
I’m expecting this report to shine a light on the gaps — the data gaps, the access gaps, the policy gaps — but also the huge economic opportunities that lie in fixing them. Our aim is for this report to serve as both a mirror and a map: a mirror to reflect the reality of women’s health in Nigeria, and a map to guide policymakers, innovators, and investors toward real, scalable solutions.
You’ve brought government officials, investors, healthcare professionals, and everyday women into one room. What kind of ripple effect do you hope will come out of these conversations and collaborations?
The real magic happens when these different worlds collide. We want more than conversation -we want partnerships, we want co-created solutions, and we want policy shifts. When government listens to women, when investors see the economic case for women’s health, and when healthcare professionals bring science and empathy to the table, lives will change, and systems will evolve.
The Banking on Women’s Health Innovation Award is such a brilliant idea. What kinds of groundbreaking innovations or ideas are you hoping to spotlight, and how do you see them impacting the lives of women in Nigeria?
We’re looking for solutions that are both bold and deeply human — innovations that tackle real problems like maternal mortality, reproductive health, access to screenings, and mental health support. The goal is to create a ripple effect where ideas grow into systems, systems become norms, and no woman is left behind simply because of where she lives or what she earns.
For women across Nigeria who are planning to attend the conference on May 4th, what can they expect? What kind of information, connections, and empowerment opportunities will be available to them?
They can expect to be seen, heard, and empowered. From real stories shared on stage to actionable insights from policymakers and health experts, the conference is designed to connect women with the knowledge, tools, and community they need to take charge of their health. And beyond the panels and keynotes, they’ll find a sisterhood — a network of women and allies who are committed to building a world where women’s health is prioritized.
As someone revolutionizing healthcare access through technology, how do you balance innovation with empathy, especially in a space as personal as health?
For me, empathy and innovation are not separate -they feed each other. Every line of code, every AI feature, every service we build starts with the question: “How will this make someone’s life easier, safer, healthier?” Tech without empathy is just machinery, but tech built on human understanding – that’s where real impact lives.
Community is everything, especially when we’re talking about women’s health. What kind of energy and environment are you trying to cultivate at the conference to make sure attendees feel seen, heard, and empowered?
We’re building an ecosystem, not just an event. We want women to walk into the room and feel the power of collective voice and shared experience. With 20% of our audience being medical professionals, we’re fostering open dialogue between the experts and the women they serve.
This isn’t about hierarchy — it’s about partnership. Everyone, from the woman in the audience to the speaker on stage, holds a piece of the solution.
With such an exciting lineup, what activities, sessions or speakers are you personally looking forward to the most? And why do they stand out to you?
I’m especially excited about the keynote by one of Nigeria’s top researchers who has led successful clinical trials in maternal health. Research is the bedrock of progress, and having a figure of that caliber speak at the conference sends a strong message: women’s health deserves scientific rigor, attention, and funding.
I’m also looking forward to the innovation award pitches — because nothing inspires like fresh ideas with the power to save lives.
As a leading woman in the health tech space, what advice would you give to other aspiring female leaders in Nigeria who are looking to drive impactful change within their own sectors?
Start where you are, use what you have, and don’t wait for permission. The world is full of problems, but it’s also full of possibilities. Be bold, be curious, and surround yourself with people who challenge and uplift you. And most importantly – bet on yourself, even when no one else will.
And finally, Ife, when the lights go down on the Banking on Women’s Health Conference, what’s the one thing you hope every attendee walks away thinking or feeling? What’s the legacy you’re hoping to build—both with the conference and through Healthtracka?
I want every woman to leave knowing her health matters, not as an afterthought, but as a national priority. I want the policymakers to walk away with a sense of urgency, the investors with a sense of opportunity, and the health professionals with a renewed sense of purpose.
The legacy I’m building isn’t just about Healthtracka or this conference, it’sabout helping to create a world where women don’t just survive, they thrive.
