Hygeia Nigeria Limited was incorporated in 1984 as a limited liability company, which owns and operates Lagoon Hospitals - a tertiary level specialist hospital in Apapa and Ikeja, Lagos.

The company was promoted by Prof. E. A. Elebute and Prof. (Mrs.) O. W. Elebute, a husband and wife team of physicians, who had several years medical experience, having been among the foundation staff team of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Lagos at its inception in 1962. Hygeia successfully raised capital from 22 shareholders including African Alliance Insurance Company Limited, Lion of Africa Insurance Plc and City Securities Limited.

In 1999, the company completed a capital expansion programme in which the International Finance Corporation participated as an equity investor, as well as proving debt capital. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is the private equity arm of the World Bank Group, which provides debt and equity finance for business ventures in developing countries.

Hygeia has been essentially operating as a Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO), that is, offering a health insurance product in addition to its provider's services, since 1986 when it developed its first managed care contract.

Hygeia's managed care schemes have been complemented by its ability to provide an integrated delivery healthcare system. The concept of the integrated delivery system is to emphasize the delivery of the primary, secondary and tertiary health care services all under one umbrella, the purpose of which is to create a seamless delivery of health care services in Nigeria.

At the primary care level, Hygeia currently operates 27 worksite company clinics within its clients' premises. At the secondary and tertiary levels of care, the company operates its flagship hospital, Lagoon Hospitals/Clinic in Apapa, Ikeja and Victoria Island, Lagos and at the same time, has developed contractual relationships with nearly 200 other clinics and hospitals around the country to create a wide-reaching network.

It also has relationships with evacuation facility providers, which enable patients to be moved from more remote locations in the country to Lagoon Hospital in Lagos for tertiary care provided by some of the top specialist in the country. Where necessary, evacuation can also be arranged for treatment outside Nigeria. Hygeia's integrated delivery system includes a programme for the management of HIV/AIDS thereby serving a crying need produced by this pandemic.

We have a fully developed IT – based management information system, the Hygeia Information System (HIS) and maintain a group website at www.hygeiahmo.com

In order to maximize its response to clients' needs, Hygeia is currently developing an electronically managed Nurse Call System as well as Telemedicine Services linked with medical experts overseas.