President Tinubu Launches Phase 2 of JigiBola Initiative to Improve Eye Care Access

• President Tinubu Launches Phase 2 of JigiBola Initiative to Improve Eye Care Access
• Over 1.4 Million Nigerians Benefit
• Between November 2024 and December 2025, the first phase screened 1,178,573 Nigerians and dispensed 1,089,663 pairs of reading glasses

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to expanding access to affordable eye care services across Nigeria by announcing the expansion of JigiBola 2.0 to eight additional states: Edo, Enugu, Nasarawa, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, and Taraba.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the announcement was made during the launch of the second phase of the Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative, Nigeria JigiBola 2.0, in Abuja. Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, the President highlighted that the first phase of the programme restored vision for over 1.4 million Nigerians over two years.

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“1.4 million people represent a human whose hope has been restored, whose livelihood was positively impacted. They are people who probably could not read very well before now, but today they can read well and access their businesses more effectively,” Ajayi said on behalf of the President.

He pledged continued institutional support for the initiative, noting that the government will remain fully committed to scaling operations nationwide.

The programme is implemented through the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Health Programme (NESHP) with support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and funded by the Livelihood Impact Fund (LIF) and Founders Pledge.

JigiBola 2.0 integrates vision screening and the provision of reading glasses into primary healthcare services, targeting presbyopia, an age-related loss of near vision commonly affecting adults over 40. Between November 2024 and December 2025, the first phase screened 1,178,573 Nigerians and dispensed 1,089,663 pairs of reading glasses, with around 66 per cent receiving their first pair. Women accounted for a significant share of beneficiaries.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Oteri Okolo described JigiBola 2.0 as a cornerstone of the broader Presidential Initiative on vision care, aiming to deliver at least five million free reading glasses to Nigerians in the coming years.

“JigiBola 2.0 is more than a programme – it is a promise of inclusion, equity, and renewed hope for millions,” Dr. Okolo said. Phase 2 will deepen the integration of eye care into the primary healthcare system, strengthen supply chains, expand health worker training, and intensify community engagement.

The Executive Director of Livelihood Impact Fund, Ms. Abigail Steinberg, described reading glasses as a low-cost but high-impact intervention that transforms lives and boosts economic productivity. She noted that every dollar invested in eye care yields up to $28 in economic benefits and praised the programme’s model of last-mile delivery through primary healthcare systems and community networks.

Steinberg added: “One million more Nigerians reached in 2026 with eyeglasses means one million more Nigerians will have restored sight, dignity, well-being and livelihoods. We call for supportive policies to make glasses more affordable and accessible across the country.”