To address maternal and child deaths, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) has donated a fully equipped Neonatal Ward and a renovated ICU at Federal Medical Center, Asaba, Delta State.

This is part of plans to strengthen  care for newborns and critical patients.

Nigeria accounts for 20per centof global maternal and child deaths, a reflection of its overstretched and unresourced  healthcare system.

The initiative, part of NLNG’s multi-billion-naira Hospital Support Programme (HSP), underscores the urgent need for improved maternal and neonatal care in Nigeria, where preventable complications during childbirth remain a leading cause of death.

The company’s Managing Director/CEO Dr Philip Mshelbila, who was represented by General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development at NLNG, Sophia Horsfall said:  “These facilities are not just infrastructure; they are lifelines. We are investing in precision, preparedness, and partnership to stem the tide of preventable deaths among mothers and children.”

Healthcare experts have long pointed to weak referral systems, poor emergency response capacity, and outdated infrastructure as key drivers of Nigeria’s high maternal and child mortality rates.

NLNG’s intervention is aimed at reversing these trends by providing world-class critical care environments equipped with recovery suites, automated doors, family lounges, and dedicated nurses’ stations to boost response times and patient outcomes.

NLNG’s investment at FMC Asaba is the latest milestone in the HSP, which was launched in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic to shore up Nigeria’s overburdened health sector.

Since then, the programme has delivered upgrades in nine hospitals across the country, targeting critical areas like obstetrics, neonatal intensive care, and neuro-rehabilitation.

Receiving the new facilities, Chief Medical Director, Dr Victor Osiatuma described the intervention as “a transparent, needs-driven project that will save countless lives.”

He praised NLNG for selecting the centre without political interference or lobbying.

The Federal Government, represented by Dr Jimoh Salaudeen of the Federal Ministry of Health, hailed NLNG’s support, urging other private sector players to replicate such impact-oriented models in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

NLNG Board Member, Henry Obih, reinforced the company’s long-term vision: “This is not charity, it is nation-building. It is about ensuring that no Nigerian child dies for lack of oxygen or basic intensive care.”

Nigeria’s healthcare indicators remain among the worst globally, with the World Health Organization estimating that a woman dies every 13 minutes from pregnancy-related causes in the country.

NLNG’s HSP provides a glimmer of hope, highlighting how focused, private-sector investment can create sustainable change when aligned with national health priorities.

The company says more facilities are slated for commissioning in the coming months as part of its long-term goal to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare delivery, especially in underserved regions.

“We’re not just delivering equipment,” Mshelbila added. “We’re delivering second chances, one newborn, one mother, one family at a time.”