Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) has commenced a specialised cochlear implant and hearing-rehabilitation surgeries in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The programme, being implemented in collaboration with Nigerian health authorities at the National Hospital, Abuja, marked a major humanitarian intervention aimed at treating severe hearing loss among children in the country.
According to a statement by the Saudi Arabia embassy in Nigeria, the goal of the project is restoring the children’s hearing and enabling their full integration into society.
The statement said the programme offers a complete chain of care, including diagnosis, surgery, follow-up, auditory therapy, and speech rehabilitation, representing a life-changing step for beneficiaries and their families.
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Saad bin Fahd Al-Marri, the Chargé d’Affaires of Saudi Arabia, commended the collaboration and underscored the humanitarian value of the project.
“This programme reflects the Kingdom’s dedication to supporting vulnerable communities and strengthening health systems in friendly nations,” Al-Marri said.
“Through KSRelief, we are committed to delivering tangible solutions that restore hope, transform lives, and deepen the long-standing partnership between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.”
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The cochlear implant initiative builds on KSRelief’s continued humanitarian presence in Nigeria and across the African continent, where the centre actively supports medical interventions, disease-control programmes, and relief efforts for communities affected by crises.
Oluchy Olanipekun, whose five-year-old daughter, Feyi, benefited from the surgery, commended KSRelief for the opportunity, describing it as a “dream come true”.
“When this opportunity came, it was an opportunity to give her a better life, to be able to communicate, care, speak and communicate with people around her and interact within the house. It’s a big relief,” Olanipekun said.
“They have brought comfort, succour and relief to many families because of the emotional trauma that comes with having a child who cannot talk or hear.”
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She said her daughter was born with hearing impairment and has not been able to communicate with her peers or family members.
Another beneficiary, Saheed Onakoya, who came from Lagos with his four-year-old daughter, was also full of praise for the KSRelief.
“Raising a child with this condition is not very okay, but now as it is, the cochlear implant has been activated; it is a welcome development compared to before when she could not hear,” Onakoya said.
“She has started to pick up sound now, and from there, it’s a gradual process, and it will end up in a normal, healthy life.”
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