In a decisive move to address a deepening health funding crisis, African heads of state, health officials, and global stakeholders gathered in Accra for the Africa Health Sovereignty Summit, unveiling a new strategy to reclaim leadership over the continent’s health future. Hosted by Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama, the high-level summit centered on the theme: “African Health Sovereignty in a Reimagined Global Health Governance Architecture.” It aimed to confront the dual challenges of falling external aid and unsustainable debt, both of which are threatening to roll back decades of progress in health and development. Global aid in sharp decline Africa’s…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
What is chikungunya? Chikungunya is a viral infection caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), primarily transmitted to humans through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes. These mosquitoes, known for their aggressive daytime biting behavior, also spread other illnesses like dengue and Zika. The disease is characterized by sudden high fever, intense joint pain, rash, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and fatigue. While deaths are rare, the joint pain can become chronic, lasting for weeks or even months, especially in older adults or those with underlying health conditions. Newborns and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable. The transmission cycle involves…
The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) is expanding its production of F1 bell peppers in response to growing national demand and the crop’s superior nutritional and health benefits. The university plans to increase its greenhouse facilities from one to six by year-end, as it positions itself for large-scale distribution and potential exportation. Receiving the freshly harvested peppers from the University’s Vegetable Production Centre, Vice Chancellor Professor Adenike Oladiji expressed excitement over the progress and reaffirmed FUTA’s commitment to food security. “We are not paying lip service to food security,” she said. “FUTA is expanding this initiative, not only to…
Kaduna State Government has secured a landmark $62.8 million Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) to implement the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project in the state. The historic agreement — KFAED’s first-ever intervention in Nigeria — was signed in Abuja between the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Finance, and the Kuwait Fund. The Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while KFAED Director General, Dr. Waleed Al-Bahar, signed for his agency. Speaking at the signing ceremony, the State Governor, Uba Sani described the deal as a…
Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on Thursday, attended the 19th Annual Scientific Meeting and All Fellows Congress (ASCAF2025) of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria held at the Conference Centre in Kasarawa, Sokoto. The high-profile medical gathering brought together professionals from across the country, with the Sultan’s presence underscoring the importance of advancing medical education and research in Nigeria. Declaring the event open, the Governor of Sokoto State, represented by his Deputy, Idris Muhammad Gobir, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to improving healthcare infrastructure and supporting medical research initiatives. Also in attendance was the President of the National Postgraduate Medical…
Ethiopia has the largest cattle population in Africa, with approximately 70.3 million heads of cattle, according to World Bank data. This makes it the leading country on the continent in terms of cattle numbers. Tanzania ranks second with around 38 million cattle, as reported by Statista. Other African countries with significant cattle populations include Chad, Sudan, and Kenya. Ethiopia’s extensive livestock sector also includes 95.4 million sheep and goats and 8.1 million camels, contributing substantially to the nation’s economy. Livestock accounts for about 19% of Ethiopia’s GDP and up to 45% of its agricultural GDP, underscoring its importance in both…
Nigeria’s banking sector saw a remarkable surge in capital importation during the first quarter of 2025, drawing in a total of $5.64 billion. This figure reflects a 67.12% increase compared to the $3.38 billion recorded in the same period in 2024, signaling growing investor confidence in the country’s financial ecosystem. The banking sector alone accounted for $3.13 billion, or 55.44% of the total foreign capital inflows into Nigeria. At the forefront of this inflow was Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, which attracted $2.10 billion, followed by Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc with $1.40 billion and Citibank Nigeria Limited pulling in $1.05…
The Federal Government has approved a grant of ₦4.249 billion to fund 158 research projects across Nigerian universities and institutions under the 2024 cycle of the TETFund National Research Fund (NRF). The fund, administered by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), is aimed at advancing innovation, science, technology, and scholarship across critical sectors. A total of 6,944 research proposals were received, out of which only 158 were approved for funding. Breakdown by thematic areas: Science, Engineering, Technology & Innovation (SETI): ₦2.35 billion Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS): ₦1.03 billion Cross-Cutting Research: ₦870.7 million Top benefiting institutions: Federal University of Technology,…
Yobe state Governor Mai Mala Buni has approved a grand ceremony to honour 17 year old Nafisa Abdullah and 15 year old Rukayya Muhammad Fema for emerging world best in English language skills and overall debate competitions respectively at the 2025 TeenEagle Global Finals in London, United Kingdom. Nafisa and Rukayya, both from Yobe state, are students of the Nigerian Tulip International College, who reprepresented Nigeria at the World competition to beat other 20,000 participants from 69 countries. Nafisa and Rukayya both beneficiaries of the Gov. Mai Mala Buni’s scholarship programme covering full tuition for 890 students at the Nigeria…
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has described a recent media report targeting the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba, as “baseless and malicious,” urging the public to disregard it entirely. The report in question, allegedly sponsored by a little-known group under the name Education Rights Activists Coalition (ERAC), accused the UBEC chief of administrative misconduct and disregard for the rule of law. However, the minister, in a personally signed statement, dismissed the claims as a deliberate smear campaign by unnamed individuals seeking to derail ongoing reforms in the education sector. “It is…