Saudi Arabia conducts free hearing restoration implants for 30 Nigerian children

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has conducted a specialised cochlear-implant and hearing-rehabilitation programme in Abuja to tackle severe hearing loss among Nigerian children.
The intervention, funded by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, was carried out at the National Hospital, Abuja, with each procedure costing between $20,000 and $25,000.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Saudi Embassy in Nigeria, Saad bin Fahd Al-Marri, said the initiative offers a full chain of care, from diagnosis and surgery to therapy and speech rehabilitation.
“This programme reflects the Kingdom’s dedication to supporting vulnerable communities and strengthening health systems in friendly nations,” he said.
He added that the project builds on KSRelief’s humanitarian footprint across Nigeria and Africa, aimed at supporting medical interventions, disease-control programmes and relief efforts.
According to him, the initiative reaffirms Saudi Arabia’s commitment — under King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — to advancing health initiatives and supporting underserved populations worldwide.
Speaking with journalists after her daughter’s surgery on Wednesday, Barrister Oluchi Olanipekun said the procedure restored hearing to her five-year-old child after years of silence.
She said her family first noticed the condition in infancy, prompting several hospital visits and tests that later confirmed a hearing impairment.
“It’s a dream come true,” she said. “When this opportunity came, it gave her a chance at a better life — to hear, speak and communicate. It’s a big relief.”
Another parent, Ismail Ahmed, praised the Kingdom for giving his daughter the ability to hear, urging public and private supporters to extend similar help to families unable to afford specialised care.