• Others to scale access to eye care

The JigiBola 2.0 Initiative has expanded to eight additional states—Edo, Enugu, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, and Taraba—boosting the Federal Government’s efforts to provide affordable primary eye care services across Nigeria.

The expansion was officially launched on Wednesday at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, bringing together senior government officials, health sector leaders, implementing partners, and stakeholders committed to strengthening national eye health delivery.

JigiBola 2.0 is implemented under government leadership through the National Eye, Ear, and Sensory Functions Health Programme (NESHP), with support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and funding from the Livelihood Impact Fund (LIF) and Founders Pledge.

The initiative integrates the provision of reading glasses into primary healthcare services, bringing basic vision care closer to communities. It focuses on presbyopia, an age-related loss of near vision that commonly affects adults over 40, embedding screening and treatment into routine healthcare delivery.

During its first phase, implemented from November 2024 to December 2025 across 10 states, the programme screened 1,178,573 Nigerians for presbyopia and provided reading glasses to 1,089,663 beneficiaries.

Through targeted training, supportive supervision, and provision of screening tools, primary healthcare workers are now better equipped to identify near-vision impairment and provide corrective care at the point of service.

This approach strengthens government service delivery systems while expanding equitable access to eye health services.

Speaking at the launch, NESHP National Coordinator Dr. Oteri Okolo Eme described the initiative as transformative:

“The vision is clear: to bring clear sight to millions of Nigerians, especially older adults living with uncorrected refractive errors such as presbyopia, which silently robs many of their ability to read, work, and fully participate in daily life. JigiBola 2.0 is more than a programme; it is a promise of inclusion, equity, and renewed hope for millions.”

Phase 2 aims to achieve a 40 per cent increase in effective refractive error coverage, contributing significantly to reducing avoidable visual impairment in Nigeria.

The eight-state expansion is part of the broader Presidential Initiative on Vision Care, which targets the distribution of reading glasses to five million Nigerians through coordinated national action.

By institutionalising access within government primary healthcare systems, the initiative lays a solid foundation for nationwide scale-up and the long-term integration of primary eye care services.