No fewer than 1,444,581 Nigerians have benefited from free reading glasses under the Federal Government’s Effective Spectacle Coverage Initiative, popularly known as Jigi Bola 2.0, within its first year.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, revealed this on Tuesday at the State House in Abuja during the first 2026 session of the Meet-the-Press briefing.
He explained that the scheme is part of President Bola Tinubu’s plan to distribute five million free eyeglasses to Nigerians in need. The programme is being carried out through the National Eye, Ear and Sensory Functions Programme of the Federal Ministry of Health in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative.
According to the minister, over 1.3 million free reading glasses have been distributed, while more than 1.5 million Nigerians aged 40 and above have been screened across 16 states. He described the intervention as one of the largest vision-care programmes in Africa.
The states currently participating include Bayelsa, Delta, Ekiti, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Plateau, Ogun, Kwara, Benue, Sokoto, and Jigawa.
Salako disclosed that 94 per cent of the donated glasses were utilised, with 65 per cent of beneficiaries receiving eyeglasses for the first time. Women accounted for 53 per cent of recipients, helping to bridge the gender gap in access to eye care.
To strengthen services, the government trained 2,216 primary healthcare workers and upgraded 811 health facilities to provide basic eye care such as screening, counselling, dispensing glasses, and referring complicated cases. The National Primary Eye Care Training Manual has also been reviewed and adopted as the national standard.
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As part of sustainability efforts, three vision centres offering subsidised glasses have been set up at Alimosho General Hospital in Lagos, Ijebu-Ode General Hospital in Ogun State, and Idanre General Hospital in Ondo State.
A digital monitoring system using Kobo Collect software has been introduced to track screenings and distribution in real time, allowing stakeholders to monitor progress from anywhere.
On funding, Salako said the Livelihood Impact Fund is covering one million pairs of glasses for 2026, while Founders Pledge supported Restoring Vision to supply two million pairs, with one million already delivered to the ministry. The Christian Health Association of Nigeria also distributed over 201,000 glasses through its network.
Sharing testimonies, the minister said beneficiaries reported improved productivity and confidence. A mechanic in Delta said the glasses helped him work faster, while a pharmacist said she can now read prescriptions clearly. Another beneficiary in Kwara said being able to read again strengthened his faith.
The programme will expand to more states next year, including Nasarawa, Rivers, Oyo, Enugu, Taraba, Osun, Ogun, and Edo, with additional vision centres planned. The ministry has also signed an agreement with the Essilor Luxottica Foundation to scale the project nationwide.
Salako added that the initiative has attracted further support, including a €15 million VisionQuest Nigeria programme by Christian Blind Missions and a $5 million Bloomberg Focus on Vision Project, which will target 1.6 million schoolchildren and train thousands of teachers and health workers.
He noted that the programme is improving sight, boosting livelihoods, and strengthening Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.
