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Skipper Eye-Q Rolls Out Plan to Improve Eye Care in Nigeria
The nation’s health sector, has received a major boost, as Skipper Seil Group in partnership with Eye-Q, unveiled a state-of-the-art facility, known as Skipper Eye-Q Super Speciality Eye Hospital in Lagos, aimed at providing a world class diagnostic, medical, surgical and optical ophthalmic services in Nigeria.
The facility was commissioned in Victoria Island by Prof. Ben Ayade, Cross River State Governor.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Dr. Ajay Sharma, founder, Eye-Q Eye Super Speciality Hospital, India, who rolled out various plans of the hospital to improve eye care services in Nigeria, said the hospital was established to assist Nigerians with visual impairments regain their sight and to also save them the trouble of travelling abroad for treatment.
Sharma, one of the most renowned eye surgeons in India, said having such a facility in Nigeria was long over due considering the fact that 4.5 million adults in Nigeria aged 40 years and above, were visually impaired or blind, based on the National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey conducted in 2005-2007.
He said: “In a bid to enable more people to access medical care, the JV-Skipper Eye-Q Nigeria-aims to improve medical services in the region. It is committed to deliver its services using the most advanced, progressive and highest standards of quality eye care at affordable price and we have a team of highly qualified and experienced ophthalmologists to provide the best possible service.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 285 million people are estimated to be visually impaired worldwide: 39 million are blind and 246 million have low vision.
WHO also says that about 90% of the world’s visually impaired live in low-income settings like Nigeria. Sharma therefore, said the hospital will invest $20 million dollars in eye services in Nigeria through the establishment of 30 eye centres in the next few years, which will further help the country to achieve the global eye health action plan 2014–2019, which seeks to reduce avoidable visual impairment as a global public health problem and to secure access to rehabilitation services for the visually impaired.
Already, he said Skipper Eye-Q Super Specialty Eye Hospital had started partnering with four states in the country; Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Cross River to improve their ophthalmology clinics and upgrade their facilities.
According to him, the hospital will be involved in the training of Nigerian doctors with ultra modern facilities on surgeries and different eye care so as to enhance their performance and services. Apart from offering Corporate Social Responsibility services, Sharma also noted that the hospital will be creating jobs for Nigerians.
Commissioning the hospital, Ayade said Nigerians will be happy to see this as it will help in reducing medical tourism. “We have intelligent and smart doctors, but the equipment are not there. Now that we have this state-of-the-art facility in place, it is an opportunity for our doctors to learn and upgrade their knowledge in eye care services”, he said. To enable the people of Cross River state access quality eye care at a very affordable price, the governor said he had already signed a MoU with the hospital.
He said: “Vision is important. Without vision, you are nothing. My responsibility after the commissioning is to take the innovation and technology home. I have given a contract to the management of the hospital to replicate same in my state.” In his remarks, Dangote who expressed delight at the establishment of the facility, said his foundation will work with the hospital to provide free eye care services to the poor, stressing that provision of effective and accessible eye care services is key for effectively controlling visual impairment including blindness.
He added that the foundation will also support the training of doctors. Group President, Skipper Nigeria, Mr. Jitendra Sachdeva, said Nigeria has an alarming number of visually impaired people and therefore, needs such specialized state-of-the-art hospitals that can treat all kinds of eye ailments.
“With the launch of this centre, we look forward to catering for the country’s population and provide best eye care facility to the people. As a community healthcare provider, our main focus will be on the primary and secondary eye care needs of local people of Lagos and its neigbourhoods,” Sachdeva said.
Also, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said having Skipper Eye-Q Super Speciality Eye Hospital in Lagos remains a plus for the state as it will boost the state’s services on eye care. Apart from improving eye care in the state, Idris pointed out the hospital will assist in building capacity locally and also update the knowledge of eye care professionals in the state.
He said, “We have shortage of human resources in all specialties and eye care is one of them. Establishing the hospital in Lagos state is more like a plus to us. “It is a positive thing because they have compact equipment that will help boost our services in eye care.”
He therefore, urged Nigerians to carry out regular eye check to help prevent glaucoma which causes irreversible blindness if detected late.
Mobility technology company, Moove has raised $250 million in a Series C funding round at a valuation of $2.1 billion, reaching unicorn status.
The startup will deploy the fresh capital to build out autonomous vehicle infrastructure, expand fleet ownership, construct robotics-focused “Nests” for charging and maintenance, and grow its autonomous workforce from 150 to 500 by year-end.
The company plans to enter additional global markets, reflecting a strategy to build the operational infrastructure required for large-scale autonomous transportation rather than simply supplying vehicles.
Led by Mubadala Investment Company and co-led by Woven Capital, Toyota’s Growth Fund, and Ion Pacific, the round also included new investors BlueCrest Capital Management, Sona Asset Management and The Raptor Group, alongside existing backers BlackRock, MUFG, Franklin Templeton and Uber.
“Autonomous mobility is becoming an infrastructure race requiring fleets, charging systems, maintenance, data infrastructure and continuous city-level operations,” said Ladi Delano, co-founder, co-CEO and advisory board chairman of Moove.
Founded in Lagos in 2020, Moove has grown into a global mobility platform employing about 3,300 people across 29 cities in 13 countries, operating approximately 42,000 vehicles and reaching $420 million in annualised recurring revenue.
It has expanded organically and through acquisitions, including Kovi in Brazil and Tokyo Taxi in Japan. Moove also operates autonomous vehicle fleets in partnership with Waymo in Phoenix and Miami, with London expected to join its footprint.
The $2.1 billion valuation places Moove among Africa’s small group of tech unicorns, alongside Flutterwave, OPay, Moniepoint, Andela, Chipper Cash, Wave, Tyme, MNT-Halan and Interswitch.
The $250 million round is the largest single funding deal announced by an African startup this year, though EV mobility firm Spiro raised $270 million cumulatively across two separate rounds.
Heirs Life Assurance, the specialist life insurance company of Heirs Insurance Group, has appointed Pastor Jerry Eze as an Independent Non-Executive Director on its Board, effective August 10, 2026.
L – R: Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Life Assurance; Pastor Jerry Eze, incoming director, Heirs Life Assurance
The appointment reinforces Heirs Life Assurance’s commitment to expanding financial inclusion and accelerating insurance adoption by strengthening public trust, consumer education, and long-term financial resilience across Nigeria.
Despite being Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria’s insurance penetration remains below one percent – among the lowest globally – highlighting the need to expand financial protection and build greater public trust in insurance.
As Heirs Life continues to pursue its mission of making insurance accessible to every Nigerian, Eze’s appointment brings a unique perspective on community engagement, value-based leadership, and broad societal impact.
Pastor Jerry Eze is the Founder and Lead Pastor of Streams of Joy International Ministry, a growing multinational ministry with 34 branches across West Africa, Southern Africa, Europe and North America.
He is also the convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declaration (NSPPD), one of the world’s largest digital prayer platforms, reaching millions of people daily. Through his ministry and humanitarian initiatives, he has become one of Africa’s most influential voices, championing hope, compassion, and community transformation.
Beyond ministry, Eze is the Founder of the Jerry Eze Foundation, a faith-led philanthropy where he provides housing support and grants to vulnerable and underserved communities.
In 2026, he announced N1billion in grants to support young entrepreneurs across agriculture, technology, and manufacturing, further advancing enterprise development and economic opportunity.
Before entering full-time ministry, Pastor Jerry Eze built a career in development communications, serving as a Communications Specialist on a World Bank HIV/AIDS programme and with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and International Relations from Abia State University and a postgraduate degree in Business Administration from Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Speaking about the appointment, Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, Chairman, Heirs Life Assurance, said: “Pastor Jerry brings an exceptional combination of integrity, influence, and a deep understanding of people and communities.
“As we continue our mission to democratise access to insurance, his insight will help strengthen consumer trust, deepen financial inclusion, and reinforce our commitment to protecting the financial future of millions of Nigerians.
“We are delighted to welcome him to the Board of Heirs Life Assurance and the broader family of Heirs Insurance Group.”
Commenting on his appointment, Pastor Jerry Eze said: “I am honoured to join the Board of Heirs Life Assurance at a defining moment for the insurance industry. Financial security empowers individuals, families, and businesses to pursue their aspirations with greater confidence and resilience.
“I look forward to working with the Board and Management to advance the company’s mission of making insurance more accessible, relevant, and impactful for every Nigerian.”
Heirs Life Assurance has become one of Nigeria’s leading specialist life insurance companies, ranking 7th on the Financial Times list of Africa’s fastest-growing companies.
It is one of the three insurance businesses of Heirs Holdings, the leading pan-African investment company, with investments across 24 countries and four continents.
Combining an omni-channel digital presence with physical branches spread across the country, Heirs Life continues to redefine life insurance through innovation, customer-centric solutions, and a commitment to making financial protection accessible to every Nigerian.
Heirs Insurance Group, comprising Heirs Life Assurance, Heirs General Insurance, and Heirs Insurance Brokers, collectively serves over 3 million people directly and indirectly.
The Group is championing financial inclusion and leading the digital insurance play in Nigeria, demonstrating its mission to democratise access to insurance.
The World Bank Group has announced the 31-month debarments of United Aviation Services Limited (UNASEL), a transportation services company based in Nigeria, and Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mamu, its owner and president, “in connection with fraudulent practices under the Enhancing Niger Northeastern Connectivity Project,” according to a press release issued by the multilateral development bank.
The statement said that the project aims to enhance connectivity and road safety along the Zinder-Agadez Road section and improve access to basic socioeconomic infrastructure for selected communities in that road section.
However, according to the statement: “UNASEL and Mr. Mamu presented false experience documents in a prequalification application to qualify for a contract under the project. This was a fraudulent practice under the World Bank’s sanctions framework.”
“The debarments make UNASEL and Mr. Mamu ineligible to participate in projects and operations financed by Bank Group institutions. The debarments are part of two settlement agreements under which UNASEL and Mr. Mamu admit culpability for the underlying sanctionable practices,” it added.
The statement further said: “Per the Bank Group Sanctioning Guidelines, the settlement agreements provide for a reduced period of debarment in light of UNASEL and Mr. Mamu’s cooperation.
As a condition for release from sanction under the terms of the settlement agreements, UNASEL and Mr. Mamu commit to developing and implementing integrity compliance measures that reflect the relevant principles set out in the Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines, and Mr. Mamu further agrees to complete corporate ethics training.
UNASEL and Mr. Mamu also commit to continue to fully cooperate with the Bank Group’s Integrity Vice Presidency.
“The debarments of UNA SEL and Mr. Mamu qualify for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.”
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