NEPL and Seplat Energy JV Partners Edo Hospital on Healthcare Outreach

The NNPC Exploration and Production Limited and Seplat Energy Joint Venture has taken its flagship healthcare initiative, “Eye Can See,” to the Edo Specialist Hospital in Benin City. The three-day outreach brought thousands of residents for eye screenings, surgeries and other medical services at no cost.

The programme is part of the joint venture’s long-running social investment effort to improve access to healthcare in host communities. By partnering with the Edo Specialist Hospital, the organisers combined funding, medical consumables and institutional support with specialist expertise and hospital infrastructure.

A major focus of the outreach was eye care. Thousands of people were screened, hundreds received free eyeglasses, and several surgeries were carried out for patients with more serious conditions. The initiative also included consultations, treatment and referrals for beneficiaries who needed follow-up care.

What makes the programme notable is that it went beyond vision care. Residents also received basic health checks and dental services, making the outreach a more comprehensive community health intervention rather than a one-issue campaign. That wider scope matters in areas where many people may not have easy access to routine medical services.

Seplat Energy said the partnership strengthens the delivery of “Eye Can See” by bringing together the company’s resources and the hospital’s specialist capacity. The company also described the initiative as a way of improving vision health and general wellbeing across Edo and Delta states.

The programme is part of a broader pattern of corporate social investment by oil and gas companies operating in host communities. For many residents, such outreaches can be the only practical opportunity to receive screening and treatment, especially for eye conditions that might otherwise go undiagnosed until they become severe.

The outreach also shows the role private-sector partnerships can play in filling healthcare gaps. When companies, hospitals and local institutions work together, they can deliver services at a scale that would be difficult for any one of them to manage alone. In this case, the result was free care for thousands of people and broader awareness of preventable and treatable health problems.

If sustained, programmes like this can do more than provide short-term relief. They can encourage earlier diagnosis, reduce avoidable blindness and strengthen trust between companies and the communities where they operate.