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NNPC Foundation Unveils New Wards at Igbobi Orthopaedic to Tackle Specialist Care Gap

"For this 80-year-old facility, NNPC Limited’s intervention was targeted at revitalising worn out structures of critical sections of the hospital’s service for patient care"

Per Second NewsApril 30, 20263 Mins read97

By Samuel Akpan

In a bid to bridge the severe infrastructure gaps and personnel shortages plaguing Nigeria’s healthcare system, the NNPC Foundation has completed a major renovation of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos.

On Wednesday, April 29,, the foundation handed over three modernized wards G, H, and J transforming the 80-year-old institution’s capacity to serve those in need of specialist care.

Nigeria currently suffers from a dire lack of orthopaedic expertise, with fewer than 500 surgeons nationwide and an annual $2 billion drain on the economy due to medical tourism.

The situation is worsened by a deepening brain drain that saw over 4,000 medical professionals depart the country in 2024.

By upgrading these critical sections to international standards, the NNPC Foundation has expanded the hospital’s capacity to 102 beds.

This revitalized space aims to provide a better healing ambience, helping to mitigate the effects of dilapidated infrastructure and equipment shortages.

Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, Group CEO of NNPC Limited, represented by Chief Financial Officer Mr. Adedapo Segun, underscored the company’s dual focus on energy production and social impact.

“The NNPC’s ambition remains unshakeable to ensure measurable and scalable steps as we work in alignment with the Presidential mandate to prioritise production,” he stated.

Ojulari who highlighted recent achievements, noted: “We demonstrated this resolve with the significant 355,000 bpd production by our exploration arm achieved in Q4 2025.

“The company is also taking aggressive investments in the deep offshore; taking gas utilisation and commercialisation beyond the domestic market to sub-regional and global market levels.”

He emphasized that the NNPC Foundation’s commitment has yielded nationwide impact, empowering youth, enhancing food security through farmer capacity building, and spearheading major infrastructure developments like the Igbobi hospital project.

Addressing the healthcare crisis, Ojulari identified the core issues as a lack of personnel due to migration, a high rate of medical tourism, and a severe deficit in medical equipment and infrastructure.

“For this 80-year-old facility, NNPC Limited’s intervention was targeted at revitalising worn out structures of critical sections of the hospital’s service for patient care.

“Today, we are delivering three wards (G, H and J) fully renovated to best standards, having the capacity to hold 102 patients in an environment whose ambience will in no small measure facilitate better patient care and treatment. This project has been delivered in record time, within 12 months.”

Mrs. Sophia A. Mbakwe, Executive Vice President, Business Services, NNPC Limited, described the project as “a profound statement with its social interventions – touching lives positively, restoring hope and renewing dignity.”

She highlighted NNPC’s enduring commitment to corporate social responsibility, citing its work in equipping primary healthcare centers, providing potable water via new boreholes, and sponsoring the national quiz competition.

Now operating as a Limited Liability Company, she emphasized that NNPC is “positioned to scale its efforts,” ensuring that future projects are both sustainable and deeply impactful for the Nigerian people.

Mbakwe further explained the NNPC Foundation’s strategic evolution, noting that the company has intensified its social investments.

This new direction prioritizes the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks to drive inclusive development across the country.

“Recent projects and initiatives have encompassed health, education, environment, agriculture, empowerment of youths, humanitarian support and effectively managing the expectations of our stakeholders in every community where we operate. This rehabilitation project is a reflection of our commitment.”

She lauded the hospital staff and reaffirmed NNPC’s dedication, stating, “It demonstrates what can be achieved when purpose meets action and when institutions invest in people.

NNPC Limited’s social intervention programmes aim to enable the people and to ensure that the interventions we deliver touch the hearts of Nigerians.”

Mbakwe also commended the management and staff of the hospital for their “tireless service to humanity.”

She noted that the commissioning of the new wards reaffirms the foundation’s dedication to enhancing the well-being of Nigerians and fortifying the country’s critical national institutions.

The rehabilitation, completed in record time, exemplifies the company’s strategic CSR approach via the NNPC Foundation not as an obligation, but as a deliberate commitment to national development and tangible results felt by over 200 million Nigerians.