Stakeholders at the 2025 Niger Disability Inclusion Summit have called on the Niger State Government to urgently implement disability-friendly policies and prioritise inclusive infrastructure development, especially as it undertakes several infrastructure projects across the state. Speaking at the summit themed “Advancing Disability Inclusive Development in Niger State” and organised by Succeeding Against All Odds (SAAO), participants stressed that accessibility must become a key part of public planning, not an afterthought. Founder of SAAO, Dr Valda Itunu Martins, said the state cannot claim to be a smart city while its infrastructure remains inaccessible to persons with disabilities. “A smart city is…
Author: Tina George
The Niger State Government has partnered with the World Bank, to implement the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (SURWASH) project aimed at expanding access to clean water and improved sanitation across the state. Speaking during a two-day validation workshop in Minna, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources and Dam Development, Akilu Musa Kuta, underscored the state’s commitment to overhauling water infrastructure. “This administration is determined to ensure every community in Niger State has access to clean water and improved sanitation. The SURWASH project is a cornerstone of our vision, and this workshop validates the…
The Adunni Foundation has announced the maiden edition of the Basic Education Torchbearers Awards (BETA), a national program aimed at honoring individuals and institutions that have contributed to Nigeria’s basic education sector. The event which is scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, at the NECA Main Hall in Alausa, Lagos, will have Professor Michael Omolewa, a professor of education and former Nigerian ambassador to UNESCO, delivering the keynote address on the theme “Education is True Independence.” Launched on Oct. 1 to coincide with Nigeria’s 65th Independence Day, BETA seeks to recognize both celebrated and unsung heroes whose efforts have shaped the…
The Young Adult Literature Prize (YALP) 2025 has announced its regional finalists, spotlighting some of Nigeria’s most promising literary voices. From over 100 submissions received nationwide, Nigerian author and journalist Ejiro Umukoro emerged as the South-South regional winner with her novel The Distortion of Hardassah. Umukoro’s selection underscores her growing influence in African literature. The Distortion of Hardassah tells the story of eleven young adults across Nigeria as they struggle with themes of identity, acceptance, and opportunity – a narrative that mirrors the realities of many young Nigerians today. The author first gained widespread attention with her debut novel, Distortion…
Nigeria can only make its manufacturing sector competitive again if it shifts to home-grown engineering and new technologies, the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has declared. Speaking at the close of APWEN’s 2025 international conference in Ibadan, Engineer Adebisi Osim said local engineers must lead the country’s industrial turnaround. “The future of Nigeria’s manufacturing sector lies not in imported solutions, but in home-grown innovations driven by Nigerian engineers.” Over 500 participants, including industry leaders, policymakers and international partners, flagged a familiar set of problems which include falling productivity, dependence on imports, skills shortages, weak academia-industry links and…
Female journalists from private and state-owned media across Niger State have been charged to champion gender-sensitive reporting as a way of amplifying women’s voices and driving inclusive storytelling in the media. The call came during a one-day intensive workshop on gender-sensitive reporting organised by Media Mentors Network with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under its Report Women! News and Newsroom Engagement Project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The training held on Thursday, 18th September at the IBB Pen House, Minna, gathered 50 female journalists drawn from newspapers, radio, television, and online platforms.…
Niger State is turning to aquaculture as a fresh path to food security and youth employment, as it organises a two-day hands-on fish farming training at Tagwai Dam in Minna. The training is part of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) initiative, running in Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna states to raise agricultural productivity across crops, livestock and fisheries. “This training is designed to spark youth interest in aquaculture and create jobs,” said Uamr Alhassan, AGRA project coordinator in Niger State. “Participants are learning the entire process, from fingerlings to table-size fish, so they can start their own…
The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has opened its 2025 International Conference in Ibadan with a strong call for innovation to revive Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. During the press conference to mark the beginning of the International Conference which is holding in Ibadan, APWEN President, Engineer Adebisi Osim noted that innovation and collaboration can revive the nation’s struggling manufacturing sector. She told delegates that the theme, “Revitalizing Nigeria’s Manufacturing Sector Through Innovative Engineering Solutions,” reflects the urgency to blend creativity with practical action. Osim outlined a year packed with impact with over 1,000 girls and women benefitting from…
Lecturers at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna have rejected the loan scheme proposed for academics by the federal government declaring that the loan scheme is “an insult” and a clear sign of disregard for university lecturers. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) members, led by their branch chairperson, Professor Lukman Kunle Oyewobi, staged a protest on campus, insisting that what they need is the implementation of their long-overdue agreement with government, not loans that will trap them in debt. “Our condition of service has been on the negotiation table for years. Government set up committees, we did…
The Zainab Mohammed Bima Initiative (ZMBI) has launched the 2025 edition of its flagship programme, Support a Mother, with a new target to reach 900 women across Niger State. Speaking at the flag-off event in Minna, the Convener and Founder, Hajiya Zainab Mohammed Bima, said the initiative is driven by a belief that every mother deserves dignity, care, and support throughout the journey of childbirth. “This year’s edition will reach 900 mothers across Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C of Niger State. It is more than the distribution of maternal kits, it is a gesture of love, solidarity, and…