Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to integrating eye health into youth development policies and programmes, emphasising that clear vision is a fundamental driver of education, productivity, innovation, and national competitiveness. This was contained in a statement signed by Omolara Esan, Director, Information and Public Relations.
This position was highlighted at the event themed “Seeing the Future: Advancing Eye Health for Youth Development,” held at the Conference Room of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in Abuja, which convened youth leaders, optometry professionals, policymakers, and development partners to strengthen collaboration and advance youth-focused eye health initiatives..
Speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister noted that poor eyesight among young people often leads to frustration, anxiety, social withdrawal, and reduced academic confidence, underscoring the strong link between visual health and mental and psychosocial wellbeing. He stressed that the Ministry’s participation in the roundtable was purposeful rather than ceremonial, as its Department of Youth Health, Mental and Psychosocial Affairs remains committed to policy advocacy, sensitisation, partnerships, and integrated programming that promote holistic youth development.
Highlighting that young
people make up over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population. The Minister emphasised that fully harnessing this demographic dividend requires ensuring that youth can “see clearly both physically and metaphorically.”
“Clear vision empowers clear ambition. Clear sight supports clear opportunity,” he stated.
The Honourable Minster Of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande who was represented by the Director, Youth Mental Health and Psychosocial Affairs, Emmanuel Essien at the high – level roundtable and workshop organised by the Nigerian Optometry Students Association in Collaboration with the Ministry urged the Participants to move beyond dialogue toward actionable commitments, practical recommendations, and a clearly defined roadmap aligned with national youth health priorities and global best practices.
Speaking earlier, the President of NOSA, Mr. Oke described the meeting as a historic milestone and a strategic step toward positioning eye care as a vital pillar of national youth development. He explained that the roundtable signalled a shift from symbolic partnerships to purposeful action aimed at improving youth outcomes through accessible healthcare.
He further noted that millions of young Nigerians are affected by uncorrected refractive errors—conditions that significantly impair learning, skills acquisition, and long-term productivity.
Many youths, he said,
struggle academically or vocationally without realising that their challenges stem from correctable vision problems, describing the situation as a silent but serious development concern.
“Under the proposed
partnership framework, NOSA will provide clinical expertise, professional training, and outreach capacity, while the Ministry will facilitate structured access to youth populations nationwide*. The shared goal, he added, is to ensure that every young Nigerian—whether informal education,
, skilled trades, creative industries, or technology—has the visual capacity needed to thrive.
The keynote address was delivered by Professor Tuwani Rasengane of the University of the Free State, South Africa, who advocated the integration of eye care into educational systems as a strategic pathway to strengthening youth development outcomes.
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