In what many see as an unguarded admission of systemic failure, former presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina recently declared that the late President Muhammadu Buhari might have died had he not sought medical treatment abroad. According to him, the overseas treatment “saved his life,” suggesting that Nigeria’s healthcare system was too broken to save its own leader. This deeply unsettling statement not only lays bare the rot in the country’s health sector, but also highlights the cruel irony: those who hold the power to fix the system are the very ones who flee it when their own lives are on the…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Lagos, Nigeria – July 17, 2025 — The West African Association for Cross-Border Trade in Agro-Forestry-Pastoral and Fisheries Products and Food (WACTAF) is organizing a two-day training workshop in Lagos to boost stakeholders’ understanding and effective use of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS). The workshop, running from July 17 to 18, is part of the ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme (EAT), funded by German Cooperation through GIZ, with WACTAF serving as an implementing partner. It is aimed at equipping cross-border trade actors, particularly from Nigeria and Togo, with practical knowledge on ETLS procedures and the broader framework governing regional trade.…
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, hosted a high-level consultative meeting with the technical team working on the development of Nigeria’s Food and Nutrition Security Crisis Preparedness Plan (FNSCPP). The session, held at NEMA Headquarters in Abuja, forms part of nationwide consultations aimed at building a robust, anticipatory response system to food and nutrition insecurity. The visiting team, led by Dr. Ritgak Tilley-Gyado, Senior Health Specialist at the World Bank, included representatives from the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security; Budget and Economic Planning; Health and Social Welfare; and Finance. NEMA’s Director General, Mrs.…
The AUDA-NEPAD delegation, led by Prof. Brando Okolo, its Senior Advisor on Science, Technology, and Innovation, met Stellenbosch University. The strategic meeting held with Prof. Sibusiso Moyo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation, and Postgraduate Studies at Stellenbosch University. The AUDA-NEPAD delegation comprised Mr. Lukovi Seke Lukovi, Principal Programme Officer at ASTII, and Prof. Olalekan Akinbo of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD. ALSO READ AU urges member states to create enabling environment for innovative technologies The engagement focused on shared interests in innovation, exploring potential collaboration opportunities, and AUDA-NEPAD’s leadership in driving Africa’s innovation agenda. Both parties exchanged ideas on strategic…
A security expert, Dr. Bright Echefu, says that through innovation and advanced technology, Nigeria can effectively handle its security challenges. Echefu, the Chairman of EIB Group, made this known on Wednesday during a media tour of the company’s security facilities. The company provides intelligence support to Nigeria’s security agencies through digital forensics, tracking, and the supply of critical assets, including combat and surveillance drones. It manufactures Arginin Reconnaissance Drones, configured for high-performance reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The company also produces Arsenio BFLY and Xander Reconnaissance drones, among other highly precise attack drones capable of navigating difficult environments. “These systems are…
A leap for marine conservation technology has emerged with researchers at the University of Surrey developing a robotic fish that doesn’t just swim — it eats microplastics and powers itself with the waste. The sleek, fish-shaped robot patrols polluted harbors off the southern coast of England, silently collecting harmful plastic particles from seawater. Designed to mimic real marine animals, the autonomous robot uses a flexible tail for propulsion and a special internal filter to capture microplastic debris measuring under 5 millimeters. What makes this innovation unique is that the robot converts the collected plastic into low-voltage energy, which powers its…
L’Agence nigériane de météorologie (NiMet) et le Comité permanent inter-États de lutte contre la sécheresse dans le Sahel (CILSS) ont renforcé leur collaboration pour consolider le Système d’Information sur la Sécurité Alimentaire et Nutritionnelle (FNSIS) du Nigeria, dans un effort concerté pour faire face aux défis liés au climat et à l’alimentation. Cette initiative a été au cœur d’une visite de courtoisie d’une délégation de haut niveau du CILSS au siège du NiMet à Abuja, dans le cadre du Projet PRISISAN — un programme visant à appuyer les pays du Sahel et de l’Afrique de l’Ouest dans la mise en…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) and the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS) have deepened their collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s Food and Nutrition Security Information System (FNSIS), in a renewed push to tackle food and climate-related challenges. This was the thrust of discussions during a high-level courtesy visit by a CILSS-led delegation to NiMet headquarters in Abuja. The visit is part of the ongoing PRISISAN Project—an initiative aimed at building robust and innovative information systems to manage food and nutrition crises across the Sahel and West Africa. Prof. Charles Anosike, Director General and CEO of NiMet,…
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) has called on Nigeria and other African member states to create an enabling environment for innovative technologies that can significantly benefit the continent. Prof. Olalekan Akinbo, Technical Lead of the Genome Editing Initiative at the AUDA-NEPAD Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology and Innovation, made this call on Wednesday in Abuja. According to Akinbo, genome editing—particularly through revolutionary innovations like CRISPR-Cas9—holds tremendous promise for tackling agricultural challenges across Africa. Genome editing is a technique that allows scientists to make precise modifications to the DNA of a cell or organism. CRISPR-Cas9, a widely used gene-editing…
The Federal Government has pledged to end Nigeria’s dependence on fish importation by boosting local production and empowering youth and women with start-up grants in the aquaculture sector. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, made this known on Wednesday in Abuja during a consultative meeting with Fisheries Cooperative Groups. He outlined the government’s vision to transform aquaculture into a pillar of food security, job creation, and export competitiveness. According to him, Nigeria must chart a new course toward self-sufficiency in fish production. “The Federal Government is fully committed to supporting the fisheries and aquaculture subsector through policy,…