When we invest in women, girls, we transform families

Danielle Fadeke Adewusi, representing Lagos State, became Miss Universe Nigeria 2026 in a keen contest in Lagos.

Adewusi was crowned after she defeated 19 other delegates from across the country at the grand finale held in Lagos, where she walked away with the N10 million grand prize and other endorsements. She will be representing Nigeria at the Miss Universe pageant scheduled to hold in Mexico this November

In this interview, the beauty queen shed light into her personality, career and non-governmental organisation.

What is it that many people may not know about Danielle Adewusi?

I am a British-Nigerian medical doctor, a graduate of King’s College London and the founder and CEO of Scrub The Stigma, a women’s health charity dedicated to improving access to healthcare and education for women and girls.

I grew up in London, where I pursued both my academic and creative interests. Alongside Medicine, I have a BSc in Psychology, graduating with First-Class Honours, and trained as a classical pianist and cellist at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

I have always been passionate about pursuing my many interests, from medicine and advocacy to music, fashion, modelling and entrepreneurship. I believe we should never feel confined to a single box and I hope my journey inspires other young women to embrace every aspect of who they are.

The moment your name was called as Miss Universe Nigeria, what went through your mind?

I was in complete shock! I experienced so many emotions at once – shock, joy, gratitude. I had spent months preparing for that moment but nothing could have prepared me for actually hearing my name called.

I was overwhelmed with gratitude for everyone who had supported me throughout the journey and so excited about the opportunity to represent Nigeria on the Miss Universe stage.

What was the first thing you did after you were crowned, when the cameras were off?

I hugged all my loved ones. This journey has been incredibly busy and in the months leading up to the competition, I barely had time to spend with the people who had supported me the most.

So once the cameras were off, I made sure to share that special moment with as many of them as I could.

What was the toughest part of the competition that people didn’t see on stage?

The toughest part was the amount of work that went into bringing my vision to life.

I wanted to go above and beyond in how I competed so I began preparing well in advance. But even with all that planning, there were so many early mornings, late nights and very little sleep. Trying to function at your best, both physically and mentally, while juggling so many responsibilities was incredibly challenging.

What people see on stage is only a fraction of the work that happens behind the scenes. But every sacrifice was worth it.

Now that you bear Nigeria’s flag to Miss Universe world stage – what will you tell the world about Nigeria?

I want to show the world that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths. We are a nation filled with rich cultures and beautiful traditions.

As I said on stage, I am incredibly proud to come from one of the most diverse nations in the world and I will represent us with pride, purpose and excellence.

I want to demonstrate that despite our many different languages, ethnic groups and traditions, there is so much that unites us.

Every Miss Universe Nigeria has a pet project – what cause is close to your heart? Why that cause?

Women’s health is incredibly close to my heart. I am a medical doctor and the founder and CEO of Scrub The Stigma, a women’s health charity I founded while I was in medical school, recognising that barriers to healthcare and education disproportionately affect women and girls.

Through our three pillars of Education, Outreach and Advocacy, we have delivered women’s health education in secondary schools across Nigeria, supported girls experiencing period poverty, raised funds to provide healthcare for vulnerable women and taught women how to advocate for themselves in medical settings and beyond.

My ambition is to take this work even further, using the crown to expand our reach and advocate for women’s health education to be incorporated into the national school curriculum.

Before beauty queen, who are you outside the crown?

I like to say that I wear many hats. I am a medical doctor, a graduate of King’s College London and the founder and CEO of my women’s health charity, Scrub The Stigma.

Before pageantry, much of my life revolved around working as a doctor, from long night shifts and being on call to assisting in surgeries and caring for patients. Alongside my medical career, I have spent years developing my charity, delivering educational programmes, speaking at conferences and institutions and advocating for women’s health.

But there is also a very creative side to me. I am a classically trained pianist and cellist, and I have always loved fashion, beauty and modelling.

I have never believed that we should have to choose between our different passions and I want to inspire young girls to embrace every aspect of who they are.

Fashion, business, advocacy – where do you see yourself after your reign ends?

I see myself continuing to pursue my many ambitions but on an even greater scale.

One of my biggest goals is to expand the work we are doing through Scrub The Stigma. I want to advocate for women’s health education to become part of Nigeria’s national school curriculum and eventually expand our programmes across Africa and beyond.

I also hope to continue working with international organisations, like the United Nations, to advocate for women and girls on a global stage.

I have every intention of continuing my journey in fashion, beauty, modelling and entrepreneurship, alongside my medical career.

Ultimately, I want to build a legacy that extends far beyond my reign.

If you could meet President Tinubu for few minutes as Miss Universe Nigeria, what would you ask for Nigerian girls?

I would ask the President to prioritise investment in the healthcare and education of women and girls because I believe these are two of the most powerful investments we can make in Nigeria’s future.

This would look like comprehensive women’s health education to be incorporated into our national school curriculum, alongside improved access to essential healthcare.

My message would be that when we invest in women and girls, we don’t just transform their lives. We transform families and communities and build a better Nigeria for everyone.