Billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist Folorunsho Alakija has reportedly lost her sight completely, according to Sahara Reporters.
The 73-year-old founder and executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil was said to have developed health complications following a near air mishap.
Reports indicate that Alakija was travelling with her husband, Modupe Alakija, chairman of Famfa Oil, when the incident caused a spike in her blood pressure, ultimately affecting her vision.
Following the scare, she ordered a new private jet to avoid flying on the same aircraft as her husband. However, her vision continued to deteriorate until she became completely blind.
“She had a near air mishap with her husband on board, and her blood pressure shot up, affecting her eyes,” a source told Sahara Reporters.
“She had been experiencing vision issues for some time, but rather than seeking medical treatment, she focused on her church. Now she has completely lost her sight,” the source added.
Alakija, a prominent Nigerian businesswoman, founded Famfa Oil, which holds a significant stake in OML 127, a lucrative oil block in the Agbami deepwater oilfield.
Her net worth was estimated at $1 billion as of 2020, according to Forbes.
In 2015, she was ranked 87th on Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful women and was one of only two African women on the list of Africa’s richest individuals.
Beyond business, she is deeply involved in ministry.
Around 2004, she began hosting a small fellowship in her home, which later grew into the Rose of Sharon Glorious Ministry International. She was ordained as an apostle on her 69th birthday.
Alakija was last seen publicly at the book launch of former Nigerian military president Ibrahim Babangida on February 20, 2025.
The event, held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, brought together Nigeria’s political, business, and intellectual elite. It also served as a fundraiser for the Babaginda’s Presidential Library Foundation, raising approximately N17.5 billion.
Speaking at the event, Alakija praised Babangida’s legacy, saying, “May this book inspire dialogue, understanding, and a deeper appreciation of not just your journey but our nation’s journey.”
