The Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited Foundation has donated a 1.5 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) in Nnewi, Anambra State.
The high-tech medical equipment was handed over to the hospital management on Friday.
Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, said the intervention would positively impact thousands of lives in Anambra State and the entire Southeast region by reducing the time, cost, and stress of seeking medical care outside the state.
Ojulari, who was represented by Mrs. Emmanuella Orukwe, Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, urged stakeholders to properly maintain the facility for the benefit of future generations.
He described the donation as part of the company’s social investment initiatives aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery while building stronger relationships with stakeholders.
“Today marks a milestone achievement as NNPC Limited commissions and officially hands over this critical equipment for optimal healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
“The installation of the MRI at NAUTH exemplifies our commitment to building enduring institutions, sustainable systems, and lasting legacies.
“This intervention aligns with our conviction that access to quality healthcare underpins human dignity, longevity, and economic productivity,” he said.
Mrs. Orukwe said the donation was in response to a request from NAUTH for a 1.5 Tesla MRI to support its ultramodern trauma and diagnostic centre.
She noted that the MRI machine and accessories were delivered in December 2025, while installation, calibration, pre-commissioning, and operator training were completed in April 2026.
Orukwe added that NNPC’s areas of intervention include energy and environment, revealing that over 50 patients benefited from free MRI scans during the training of handlers.
“In the area of health, we have delivered free and successful cataract surgeries to over 6,000 Nigerians, including children with congenital blindness, and screened over 4,000 for cancer.
“I am optimistic that this MRI will serve its purpose to the benefit of all Nigerians,” she said.
Prof. Nnamdi Ugboaja, Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, described the donation as more than an installation of equipment, but a symbol of hope, precision, and excellence in healthcare delivery for the people of Anambra State and Nigeria.
He said his administration’s goal of ranking NAUTH among the top three healthcare facilities in Nigeria by 2030 could not be achieved through government funding alone, but required the support of visionary corporate partners.
Ugboaja noted that patients in the hospital’s catchment area had previously been forced to travel long distances at great cost for advanced diagnostics, adding that this burden has now been significantly reduced.
“Today, the NNPC Foundation has demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is not just a policy statement — it is a lifeline for institutions like ours.
“The 1.5 Tesla MRI represents a quantum leap in our diagnostic capabilities. MRI remains the gold standard for neurological and oncological conditions.
“This intervention aligns seamlessly with our 10-year strategic development plan, especially our focus on acquiring state-of-the-art equipment,” he said.
