Development of a Mobile-Based Health Education Application for Maternal Health in Kebbi State

Maternal mortality in North West Nigeria remains among the highest in the country, driven in part by limited access to accurate prenatal health information in rural and peri-urban communities. This study presents the development of a mobile-based health education application targeting expectant mothers in Kebbi State, with content covering antenatal care schedules, danger signs during pregnancy, nutrition guidance, and facility delivery encouragement. The research was preceded by a needs assessment involving 100 pregnant women and 20 community health workers across three local government areas, which established that 71 percent of respondents received health information primarily from informal sources rather than qualified health personnel. The application was developed using Android Studio, with content localised in Hausa to improve accessibility among the target population. Key features include audio-narrated health tips, appointment reminders, offline content availability, and a community health worker dashboard for monitoring engagement. A field trial involving 60 application users over 10 weeks showed a 44 percent increase in self-reported antenatal visit attendance and improved knowledge scores on danger sign recognition. The study recommends integration of the application into the Kebbi State Primary Health Care Development Agency's community health programme. Keywords: maternal health, mobile health application, Kebbi State, antenatal care, Hausa language.