SEPLAT, NNPC BEGIN FREE EYE CARE OUTREACH IN AKWA IBOM

Seplat Energy and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have launched a week-long free eye care programme targeting more than 6,000 residents in Akwa Ibom State.

The initiative, known as the “Eye Can See” programme, is being held across Uyo, Eket and Ibeno, with beneficiaries receiving eye screening, treatment, reading glasses and sight-restoring surgeries where required. 

The programme, which began in Uyo on Tuesday, is the first edition of the initiative in Akwa Ibom. Seplat Energy Chairman, Udoma Udo, said the outreach followed a commitment made to the state government after the company acquired Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited assets.

Seplat Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Effiong Okon, said the programme began in 2012 and has since screened 130,771 people, distributed 67,491 pairs of glasses and carried out 5,350 sight-restoring surgeries.

He added that the 2025 edition reached 13,726 beneficiaries, with 7,074 pairs of glasses distributed and 471 surgeries completed.

The Akwa Ibom exercise will also screen participants for conditions such as glaucoma, hypertension and diabetes, which can contribute to vision problems.

The state government described the intervention as timely, noting that visual impairment has affected the productivity and daily lives of many residents.

The organisers said the programme is intended to improve access to professional eye care, particularly for people who may otherwise struggle to afford treatment.