The Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) has launched a new Public Health beat to help journalists cover emerging health threats, policy changes and other issues affecting communities. The initiative, announced by Katherine Reed, AHCJ’s Director of Education and Content, comes amid growing public health challenges, including measles-related deaths, a widespread Cyclospora outbreak and concerns over vaccine confidence. AHCJ said public health stories continue to dominate the news, while misinformation and reductions in funding for federal health agencies are creating additional challenges for journalists and the public. According to the organisation, healthcare reporters are increasingly required to provide accurate and…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has entered into a series of strategic partnerships with African and international organisations to accelerate agricultural transformation and improve farmers’ livelihoods across the continent. The agreements were formalised in Kigali, Rwanda, as the Africa Food Systems Forum concluded. The new alliance brings together TradeMark Africa, the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), the International Seed Federation (ISF), the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). The partnerships…
Every US$1 invested in tackling climate change and air pollution together could deliver about US$15 in economic benefits, a new United Nations report has found. The report, released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), makes the case that spending on cleaner air and climate protection should not be seen simply as an environmental cost, but as an investment capable of generating significant economic and health returns. Titled Hidden Assets: The Economic and Health Case for Climate and Clean Air Action, the report was released to mark the International Day of Clean…
Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has raised concerns over the use of potentially harmful chemicals to ripen and preserve fruits and vegetables, recounting how his wife, Dolapo, developed unexplained headaches after regularly drinking freshly squeezed orange juice. Osinbajo disclosed this while speaking at the Open Day of the Gardeners’ Seminar, themed “Leaving the Earth Better Than We Found It,” held in Lagos on August 28. A video of the event was later shared on his YouTube channel. According to him, his wife had switched from carbonated drinks to fresh orange juice, which she considered a healthier option. However, she began experiencing…
Nigerian artificial intelligence (AI) researcher and entrepreneur Professor Sanmi Koyejo has been named among the influential figures on the TIME100 AI 2026 list, recognising his contributions to making AI systems more reliable, secure, and trustworthy. Koyejo, co-founder of AI security startup Virtue AI, has built his career around examining the capabilities and limitations of artificial intelligence systems, particularly how they perform when deployed in real-world environments. His growing influence in the sector was underscored in June when Meta announced that it had hired Koyejo and his Virtue AI co-founders, Dawn Song and Bo Li, to join its Superintelligence Labs. At…
The Lagos State Government has unveiled a three-year strategic plan aimed at strengthening the state’s response to HIV through improved prevention, testing, treatment and long-term care. The 2025–2027 HIV Strategic Plan, unveiled by the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA), is designed to coordinate HIV programmes, resources and partnerships while addressing existing gaps in the state’s response ahead of 2027. Chief Executive Officer of LSACA, Dr Folakemi Animashaun, said the plan provides a framework for achieving measurable results by 2027 and ensuring that interventions are better coordinated across the state. According to her, Lagos has made progress in HIV prevention,…
President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, says the Federal Government’s economic reforms are beginning to restore investor confidence and drive Nigeria’s economic recovery. Dangote said the ongoing fiscal, monetary and regulatory reforms had improved macroeconomic stability, boosted industrial productivity and created a more resilient environment for businesses. He said the reforms were also making Nigeria increasingly attractive to investors while laying the foundation for sustainable economic growth. “The economic reforms being implemented by the Federal Government are beginning to yield tangible results. We are witnessing improved economic activity, stronger investor confidence, increased industrial productivity,…
The world is likely to cross the 1.5°C global warming threshold within the next few years, exposing communities and ecosystems to increasingly severe climate risks, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The report, Limiting Overshoot: Navigating Exceedance, however, says the world can still limit the duration and magnitude of warming above 1.5°C and eventually return temperatures below the threshold if countries urgently intensify climate action. It identifies an “overshoot, peak and decline” pathway as the best remaining option for minimizing the period of excessive warming. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said recent extreme weather events,…
Rwandan entrepreneur Marina Kamanzi has emerged as the Grand Prize winner of the 2026 VALUE4HER Women Agripreneurs of the Year Awards (WAYA), taking home $40,000 for her contribution to seed production and agricultural enterprise development. Kamanzi, the Founder and Managing Director of Zambia-based Kagezi Seed Company Limited, was announced the winner at the awards ceremony held in Kigali, Rwanda. Her victory came after a competitive continental process that attracted more than 1,000 applications from 35 African countries. The process was narrowed to 19 finalists representing 15 countries. Kamanzi’s enterprise operates in the seed production segment, providing agricultural inputs aimed at…
As the conjunctivitis, popularly called Apolo, outbreak continues to raise concerns, health authorities and public health experts are urging individuals and communities to take simple but effective precautions to prevent further transmission. While healthcare workers play a critical role in managing infections, experts stress that controlling an outbreak starts with everyday actions at home, in schools, workplaces and other places where people interact. What is Apolo? Apolo is a contagious viral illness that can spread quickly from one person to another, particularly in crowded environments or places where people have close contact. Transmission can occur through direct contact with an…