The fourth edition of Vision First, the flagship health initiative of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), began on Monday in Mushin Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.
The five-day medical outreach, held in collaboration with Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, is offering eye and cardiovascular screenings, surgeries and general health education to residents of Mushin and nearby communities.
Over 40 eye surgeries were conducted on the first day, with more than 700 people receiving different forms of healthcare.
A formal opening ceremony was held on Tuesday, with representatives from NNPC, SNEPCo, Lagos State Government, Mushin local council and community leaders in attendance.
Managing director of SNEPCo, Ronald Adams, represented by head of corporate relations, Abubakar Ahmed, said the outreach is supported by the Bonga North Project as part of its social investment commitments.
“Following the Final Investment Decision on Bonga North earlier this year, we are beginning to see the benefits materialize — starting with initiatives like this — that deliver direct and lasting value to communities,” he said.
Chief upstream investment officer of the National Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Oluwaseyi Omotowa, represented by head, business services, Nkechi Anaedobe, said the initiative reflects the group’s dedication to community health.
“This initiative embodies our commitment to improving the health and well-being of communities where we operate. The Vision First programme is a testament to our partnership’s dedication to providing accessible and comprehensive healthcare services to our people,” she said.
Director of Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, Dr Olukorede Adenuga and chairman of Mushin LCDA, Emmanuel Bamigboye, said they were pleased to work with NNPC, SNEPCo and their co-venture partners, Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, TotalEnergies Nigeria and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Ltd to bring healthcare to the people.
Since its launch in 2022, Vision First has reached more than 4,000 individuals, distributed nearly 2,000 eyeglasses and performed close to 200 vision-restoring procedures, including cataract removals and other corrective surgeries.
In 2024, the programme reached over 6,000 residents in Bariga, Lagos, where more than 1,700 people were screened, 1,696 given glasses and medications and 233 eye surgeries conducted.
Healthcare provision is just one part of the social investment initiatives of NNPC/SNEPCo and co-venture partners.
Other efforts include the rehabilitation of hospital wards and educational facilities, scholarship awards at secondary and tertiary levels, donation of cancer treatment equipment and support for internally displaced persons in Northeast Nigeria.
