Niger State Government has intensified efforts to close the immunisation gap (also known as zero-dose) among children, with renewed support from the Republic of Korea and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The state government is targeting ten local government areas over the next eight months with the available support. The initiative, unveiled during a socialisation meeting on the ROK–UNICEF partnership grant, focuses on sustaining and strengthening immunisation and essential health services in communities identified with high numbers of zero-dose children. Commissioner for Health, Dr. Murtala Bagana who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Abdullahi Imam,…
Author: Tina George
Onions remain one of the most consumed food items in Nigerian households, yet the crop’s economic potential is still largely underappreciated despite supporting millions of livelihoods across the country. With Nigeria producing about 2.1 million metric tonnes annually and generating an estimated N1.17 trillion in value, onion farming is emerging as a highly profitable agribusiness – offering employment opportunities, boosting rural economies, and positioning the country as a major player in Africa’s agricultural market. In 2019, global onion production was put at 4.5 million tonnes, with China producing 22 percent of the world’s total production, followed by Japan, Mali, and…
Niger State faces imminent risk of a polio outbreak if urgent vaccination drives are not intensified, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned, pointing to rising cases in neighbouring states. Dr Ibrahim Mohammed, UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Specialist for the Kaduna Field Office, gave the stark alert at a one-day media engagement in Minna. He said unvaccinated children remain highly exposed and stressed the need for parents to act swiftly as the statewide polio immunisation campaign began on Sunday, March 29, 2026. Reviewing the polio situation in Bauchi, Kebbi, Kwara, Zamfara and Sokoto, Mohammed noted that the surge…
For decades, neuroscience and artificial intelligence ran on parallel tracks – one seeking to decode the mysteries of the biological brain, the other striving to build intelligent machines. Today, those tracks have collided. Following a rigorous five-day intensive training program aimed at introducing young researchers to the frontier of Neuro-AI, ASHENEWS sat down with the Coordinator of Smartbrains Neuroscience School, Lead Facilitator and renowned Neuroscientist, Professor Barnabas Danborno to unpack this rapidly evolving field. From mitigating climate change with brain-inspired microchips to the promise of personalized neuromedicine, the conversation revealed how merging mind and machine could redefine healthcare, especially here…
Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not render human professionals obsolete, but it will quickly replace those who refuse to adapt to new digital realities. This was the stark warning delivered by medical experts and academics at the SmartBrains Neuroscience School 2026, hosted by Bingham University in Karu. The five-day workshop trained 38 young African neuroscientists on integrating AI into brain research to modernize the fight against the continent’s rising burden of neurological disorders like stroke and epilepsy. The “Neuro-AI” solution for Africa Professor Bamidele Okoli, Dean of the Bingham University Postgraduate School, who represented the Vice Chancellor of the University, dismissed…
In an effort to improve the comfort of treating patients at the Leprosarium in Minna, Niger State capital, The Leprosy Mission Nigeria TLMN has provided the facility with 25 electronic motorised beds. The provision was made by Leprosy Mission in Switzerland through the Operations Manager of TLMN, Pius Ogbu, who presented the items to the Niger State Government at the Facility. Ogbu said, “25 electronic motorised beds, 25 bed sheets and 25 pillows, with cases are released today to support the Leprosy Hospital in Minna. With these electronic motorised beds, patients can now adjust to suit their comfortability. We have…
In a bid to tackle the rising threat of severe malnutrition and anaemia among displaced populations, the Federal Government, alongside the Niger State Government, flagged off the distribution of emergency food and micronutrient supplies in Minna on Saturday. The intervention, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, targets internally displaced persons, particularly pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under five whose health has been severely compromised by ongoing banditry and recurring floods. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction stated that the relief materials were deliberately structured to address essential micronutrient deficiencies and prevent severe…
In a direct response to the deepening water crisis gripping the Niger State capital, a non-governmental organization, Saf-She Enterprise, has provided five hours of free water access to residents across three major communities in Minna. The intervention targeted neighborhoods where the collapse of public water infrastructure has forced households to rely almost exclusively on expensive commercial boreholes and private vendors. By offsetting the costs typically charged by borehole operators, the organization enabled hundreds of residents to fill their containers without charge, offering a brief reprieve from the financial and physical strain of the city’s persistent scarcity. Safiya Yaman Muhammad, the…
In a bold move to sanitise the solid minerals sector, the Niger State Ministry of Mineral Resources has ordered the immediate closure of all illegal mining operations and unregistered mineral trading points. This was declared when the Ministry in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development conducted a high-level joint regulatory inspection and stakeholder engagement at the Gada Daya and Gada Eregi mining sites along Bida Road in Niger state. The inspection, which took place on Tuesday, targeted rampant illegal mining activities, revenue leakages, and lack of proper documentation in the area. Led by the Commissioner, Hon. Mohammed…
The Niger State Government has pledged to strengthen support for the cultivation and promotion of bio-fortified crops as part of a broader strategy to combat malnutrition and improve nutrition outcomes, especially among children and women. The commitment was announced by the Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Mathew Ahmed, during an advocacy visit by the Niger State chapter of the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) in Minna. Ahmed said the ministry is prioritising nutrition-sensitive agriculture by scaling up the production of bio-fortified crops enriched with essential micronutrients such as Vitamin A and Zinc.…