Posted on: Fri 27-06-2025

In a remarkable gesture that reflects both corporate responsibility and a commitment to national development, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) has commissioned a state-of-the-art haematology and blood transfusion laboratory complex at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi. The facility, valued at $500,000, is poised to transform diagnostic services and improve patient care in Bauchi State, the Northeast region, and beyond.

The commissioning ceremony, held on a bright Thursday morning, was more than a formal event—it was a celebration of hope, innovation, and partnership in advancing healthcare. Representing NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Philip Mshelbila, Mrs. Sophia Horsfall, Executive Relations/Sustainable Development Officer, spoke passionately about the project’s significance. She explained that this laboratory complex was born out of a thorough needs assessment designed to identify and address critical gaps in healthcare delivery. The result is a modern facility equipped to boost diagnostic precision and provide vital support to clinicians battling complex medical conditions.

The project forms part of NLNG’s Hospital Support Programme (HSP), launched in 2021, which targets 12 federal university teaching hospitals across Nigeria, covering all six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory. According to Dr. Mshelbila, this initiative reflects NLNG’s enduring vision: to invest in critical national infrastructure that enhances lives sustainably. “Over the past 20 years, we have contributed to government revenues, dedicated 100 percent of our LPG for the Nigerian market, supported local businesses, and funded projects like the one we are commissioning today,” he noted, underscoring NLNG’s role in national growth.

For ATBUTH, this laboratory complex represents more than bricks and mortar. It embodies a renewed commitment to quality healthcare delivery at a time when the nation grapples with mounting public health challenges. The Chief Medical Director of ATBUTH, Professor Yusuf Bara, captured this sentiment in his remarks. He praised NLNG for its vision and generosity, describing the facility as “the unveiling of potential, resilience, and a commitment to better health outcomes for the people of Bauchi, the Northeast, and Nigeria at large.”

Professor Bara emphasized the vital role accurate diagnostics play in combating both communicable and non-communicable diseases. With the increasing prevalence of Lassa fever outbreaks, cancer, and antibiotic resistance, he said, such a facility is not merely a building—it is a fortress of response. Equipped with cutting-edge tools, technologies, and skilled personnel, the laboratory is designed to support early disease detection, precise analysis, and timely medical interventions.

Indeed, as Professor Bara aptly put it, NLNG’s contribution goes beyond erecting physical structures. “By building this facility, NLNG is arming a nation against its most silent and deadly enemies: undiagnosed illness and delayed treatment,” he said.

The haematology laboratory at ATBUTH stands today as a beacon of what can be achieved through meaningful collaboration between the private sector and public health institutions—a symbol of resilience, progress, and shared responsibility in the journey toward a healthier Nigeria.

---

---