Stakeholders in Nigeria’s healthcare and technology ecosystem have unveiled WelFAS, an artificial intelligence-powered wellness application designed to tackle lifestyle-related diseases and expand access to preventive healthcare services.
Launched under the theme ‘Safe, Smart, Sustainable: The Future of Total Wellness & Fitness Transformation in Nigeria’, the app is the brainchild of Cynosure WelFAS Limited and integrates fitness tracking, calorie analysis, medical consultations, and artificial intelligence-driven health insights into one digital platform.
Speaking at the launch, the Medical Director of Cynosure Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Dr Ogbe Omoruyi, and the founder of the initiative described WelFAS as a response to growing health challenges linked to poor lifestyle choices.
“I have been in medical practice for over two decades and as a plastic surgeon for over 15 years. WelFAS is an app that helps people improve their wellness, their fitness, and their body goals,” he said.
According to him, the inspiration for the platform stemmed from recurring patterns he observed in clinical practice.
Omoruyi explained that people have set goals for themselves and are unable to achieve them for several reasons. Many underestimate the calories in the food they eat. “There is a lot of miscalculation,” he noted. “With WelFAS, you can assess the calories on your plate simply by taking a picture of your food. The app analyses it and tells you whether it aligns with your daily energy target.”
He added that users can generate structured meal plans tailored to their caloric needs.
“If your daily plan is 1,600 kilocalories, you can scan each meal and snack. By summing them up, you’ll know if you are exceeding your limit. Step by step, day by day, you build stamina and discipline. Losing weight is not a one-day affair; it is a lifestyle,” he said.
Beyond nutrition tracking, Omoruyi stressed the app’s broader HealthTech capabilities.
“It is a HealthTech app. You can book consultations and upload laboratory results, and the artificial intelligence can analyse them. You can then collaborate with certified doctors through the app. In a country where the doctor-to-population ratio keeps declining, this bridges the gap and makes healthcare guidance more affordable and accessible,” he noted.
On bariatric surgery, Omoruyi clarified that the app promotes preventive wellness first.
“The primary reason for this app is not surgery. But for people who are morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40 or 45, surgery may be recommended. Bariatric surgery reduces the stomach size, helping patients lose weight safely. However, many conditions that lead people to surgery can be managed through disciplined lifestyle changes supported by this app”, he said.
Serving as Artificial Intelligence Project Advisor, Dr Otuanya John-Kennedy said his role was to ensure the technology remains user-friendly.
“It is one thing to have artificial intelligence and another for people to understand how it helps them live a healthy life. My role is to make the process seamless, from how users scan their meals to generating meal plans, uploading their profiles, and tracking their progress over time,” he said.
Kennedy emphasised that the platform is tailored to Nigerian realities.
“Globally designed fitness plans often ignore our local diet. We eat fufu, eba, and egusi. Instead of ruling out these foods, Welfas tells you how much of them you can safely consume without exceeding your calorie limit. We are not saying stop eating your food; we are saying eat it in the right quantity,” he explained.
He disclosed that the app would be available on the Apple and Google Play stores, with demonstration videos embedded to guide users.
“We have over 50 demo videos explaining features. The world is a global village powered by technology, and this app helps Nigerians meet global wellness standards affordably”, he added.
From the medical wellness perspective, Dr Victoria Bakare, a medical programme consultant with WelFAS, linked the innovation to alarming health statistics.
“Globally, one in three adults is overweight, and one in five is obese. Obesity increases the risk of hypertension, diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, metabolic syndrome, and other conditions. When you are not well, you only have one problem, your health,” she said.
Bakare noted that Nigeria is witnessing a steady rise in lifestyle-related diseases.
“We are in an age where sedentary lifestyles are increasing. Wellness is not optional. Whether you are overweight, underweight, or simply trying to maintain your current health status, WelFAS meets you at your point of need,” she stated.
She further highlighted corporate subscription models, offering up to 50 per cent discounts for organisations seeking to improve staff wellness.
Representing the Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Colonel Ernest Onuchukwu, on behalf of the Commander-in-Chief of Medical, Brigadier General Innocent Enwuchola, described the initiative as aligned with military health principles.
“In the Nigerian Army, we do not view health merely as the absence of disease. We view wellness as operational readiness. A soldier who is not physically fit, mentally resilient, nutritionally balanced, and medically supported cannot perform optimally,” he said.
Onuchukwu added, “WelFAS is not just launching an app; it is introducing a culture of wellness. Innovation must always be anchored in ethics, safety, and evidence-based practice.”
Delivering the keynote address, Derrick Nwafor, Head of Corporate Sales and Partnerships at i-Fitness Centre Limited, representing Founder and CEO Foluso Ogunwale, framed the launch within Nigeria’s demographic and economic context.
“Nigeria now exceeds 227 million people, with a median age of 18. Yet non-communicable diseases account for 29 per cent of deaths. These are largely lifestyle-related and preventable. Only about 5 to 10 per cent of Nigerians have health insurance. Prevention is no longer optional,” he said.
He added that digital health ecosystems globally are shifting care from reactive to proactive models.
“If we transformed financial services through technology, we could transform healthcare. Innovation without access creates inequality; access without sustainability creates short-lived gains. Nigeria must embrace all three—innovation, accessibility, and sustainability”, Nwafor said.
As Nigeria grapples with rising healthcare costs and limited access to professionals, WelFAS promoters argue that AI-powered, locally adapted digital health tools may offer a scalable path toward preventive care—positioning technology as both a wellness companion and a public health intervention.
