The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen collaboration on climate-resilient agriculture in Nigeria. AATF, a non-profit organisation, works to eliminate barriers preventing smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa from accessing transformative agricultural technologies that raise productivity, strengthen food security, and reduce poverty. NiMet, established under the NiMet Act of 2003, is mandated to collect, process, and disseminate meteorological data to support sustainable socio-economic development nationwide. At the signing ceremony in Abuja, Dr. Jean Baptiste Tignegre, AATF’s Regional Representative for West Africa, said the partnership reflects both organisations’…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the reconstitution of the Governing Council and Board of Trustees of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYREP), with the Minister of Environment to serve as Chairman of the Council. The Council will include Loanyie Barituka Victor, representing environmental NGOs; Bright Onyebuchi Jacob and Henry Obiabure, representing Niger Delta communities; Professor Barinedum Michael Nwibere and Barrister Baride Abdul Gwezia, representing the Ogoni community. ALSO READ Tinubu appoints new FCC chairman, 31 commissioners [FULL LIST] The nine oil-producing states will be represented by Gideon Onyebuwa Melfor and Dr Ibikunle Omotehinse. Alternate members include Rev. Canon Dr…
NIAMEY, Niger — Niger’s military government has taken over the country’s only industrial gold mine from Australian firm McKinel Resources Limited, accusing the company of multiple “serious breaches” of its operating agreement. The announcement was made on August 8, 2025, in a televised decree read by junta leader General Abdourahamane Tiani. The move is another bold step in the regime’s bid to tighten control over strategic natural resources. The mine, located in western Niger and operated by Société des Mines du Liptako (SML) since 2019, has been struggling financially. According to the government, McKinel defaulted on a $10 million investment…
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is set to introduce the world’s first contraceptive that can prevent pregnancy for up to eight years, starting in Kenya. This new hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) releases progestin, a synthetic hormone, which thickens cervical mucus to block sperm and may also prevent ovulation. It is designed to be affordable, accessible, reversible, and low-maintenance, marking a significant advance in long-term family planning options. Kenya will be among the first countries to receive this innovation, alongside Nigeria and India, as part of a broader initiative by the foundation backed by a $2.5 billion investment aimed at…
Latest data from the World of Statistics based on the WHO/UNICEF’s Joint Monitoring Programme, the highest percentages of people practicing open defecation are found primarily in African countries, with Eritrea leading at 67%, followed closely by Niger (65%), Chad (63%), and South Sudan (60%). Benin and Namibia also face significant challenges with 49% and 37% respectively. Other African countries like Liberia (35%) and Madagascar (34%) have similarly high rates. Nigeria shows an 18% rate of open defecation, representing a large number of people given its population size, although the country has been working on sanitation campaigns to reduce this practice,…
Nigeria’s Prof. Ademola Adenle won the inaugural global M.S. Swaminathan Award for Food and Peace, recognizing his outstanding contributions to food security, climate justice, rural development, and empowering vulnerable communities. The award was presented at the M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference in New Delhi by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and honors the legacy of Professor M.S. Swaminathan, known as the “Father of India’s Green Revolution”. Prof. Adenle is a senior special adviser on agricultural innovation in Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture. His work covers biosciences, renewable energy, public health, and policy advocacy aimed at improving livelihoods in Africa and…
Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has officially rejected a proposal from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct trials of a new hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) that can prevent pregnancy for up to eight years in Namibia. The President strongly condemned the initiative, calling it a profound injustice to the Namibian people and humanity. In her statement, President Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized that Namibia, with a population of just over 3 million people, should not be subject to population control measures that would hinder its human potential. She pointed out that if any country needed to consider population growth control, it would…
In a major boost for women-led agribusinesses, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has officially launched its flagship women-focused initiative, VALUE4HER, in Dakar, Senegal. Themed “Powering Senegal’s Food Future through Women-Led Agribusinesses,” the launch marks a strategic step in positioning women agripreneurs at the centre of Senegal’s agricultural transformation. The timing is significant, coming just weeks before the country hosts Africa’s largest agricultural gathering — the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) — scheduled for 31 August to 5 September 2025. The event brought together a diverse coalition of stakeholders, including women-led agribusiness founders, cooperative leaders, government officials…
At least five Al Jazeera journalists and media staff were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a media tent at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, according to the network. Those killed included prominent reporters Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qraiqea. Al Jazeera, citing the director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza City, said correspondents Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qraiqea were killed on when their tent near the hospital complex was struck on Sunday night, local time. In a later update, Al Jazeera reported that the death toll had risen to five, including photographers and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen…
In a nation where access to healthcare often depends more on one’s wallet than on one’s condition, the death of Senator Ibrahim Musa Kontagora is both shocking and painfully familiar. Having served Niger North from 2011 to 2015, he was denied critical surgery when he couldn’t pay the full bill—despite already depositing half the amount. It is a heartbreaking reminder: even for someone with relative privilege and political stature, inadequate finances can mean the difference between life and death. Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case—it is a reality that millions of Nigerians face every day. A system in crisis: When…