Professor Ada Aghaji has stated that Nigeria loses an estimated $1.6 billion annually in productivity due to avoidable vision impairment, a figure that underscores the urgent need for systemic reform in the country’s eye health infrastructure. Speaking during the University of Nigeria’s 254th Inaugural Lecture on October 29, 2026, the Professor of Ophthalmology and Eye Health Systems argued that the crisis of blindness in Africa is not merely a medical challenge but a significant economic and development issue.
Titled “Let There Be Sight: Building Sustainable Eye Health Systems for All in Africa,” the lecture highlighted that the economic toll of vision loss extends far beyond Nigeria. Aghaji noted that across the African continent, the annual loss in productivity is approximately $9 billion, while the global figure stands at a staggering $410 billion. These losses manifest in shortened livelihoods, interrupted schooling, and families being pushed deeper into poverty, despite the fact that many cases of blindness are preventable or treatable through simple interventions such as spectacles or routine cataract surgery.
“The challenge extends beyond what happens inside an operating theatre,” Aghaji said. “It includes the millions who never reach one.”
To illustrate the disparity in care, Aghaji recounted the stories of two children born with congenital rubella syndrome, a condition that can cause cataracts and deafness. One child, born in Nigeria, faced delays and barriers to treatment that resulted in blindness. In contrast, a Somali refugee child in England received timely surgery, spectacles, and hearing aids, allowing him to learn and grow. Aghaji used this comparison to argue that the determining factor in a patient’s outcome is often not the disease itself, but the surrounding health system, including financial accessibility, workforce availability, and functional referral networks.
Aghaji presented economic projections suggesting that targeted investment in eye health yields substantial returns. She cited estimates indicating that a global investment of $7 billion between 2026 and 2030 could generate $199 billion in economic benefits, equating to roughly $28 for every dollar invested. For Nigeria specifically, an estimated investment of $110 million over the same period could generate approximately $2.45 billion in benefits, reinforcing the argument that restoring sight contributes directly to national productivity, education, and household welfare.
However, the professor emphasized that increasing funding alone is insufficient if resources are not directed at the specific barriers preventing care. Using hypothetical examples of countries with poor cataract surgical coverage, she demonstrated that solutions vary depending on whether the root cause is a lack of surgeons, unaffordable costs, weak referral systems, or poor surgical outcomes. Consequently, she argued that success should be measured by whether people actually see better, rather than by the volume of consultations or operations performed.
The lecture concluded by positioning eye health as a critical component of national development priorities. Aghaji urged policymakers and industry leaders to recognize the relationship between vision, workforce productivity, and economic performance, advocating for an approach that addresses equity and ensures that sustainable eye health systems are built for all.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
