The European Union (EU), the Government of Germany, and Nigeria have jointly launched an €18.3 million agricultural initiative, designed to strengthen key value chains and promote climate-smart farming practices across the country. The programme, known as EU-VACE TARED (Agriculture Value Chain Facility and Transformative Agricultural Systems for Rural Economic Development), seeks to boost the cocoa, dairy, tomato, ginger, and feed-for-dairy (maize, sorghum, and soybean) value chains. Beyond improving productivity, the project aims to create decent jobs for women and youth, while adopting an integrated value chain approach anchored on innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability. Implemented by GIZ in collaboration with Nigeria’s…
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The National Association of Rubber Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NARPPMAN) says the country is working towards contributing at least 12 per cent of global rubber production. NARPPMAN’s National President, Mr. Peter Idowu, made this known on Thursday in Abakaliki during the inauguration of the association’s pioneer state executive in Ebonyi. “Our target is to contribute at least 12 per cent of global rubber production because Nigeria has enough land and resources to achieve it. We are poised to collaborate with government institutions, corporate organizations and international partners in building a resilient rubber value chain,” Idowu said. He…
The David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, Ebonyi State, says no fewer than 24 million Nigerians are currently living with sight loss. The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Jesse Uneke, disclosed this during a media engagement on the activities of the university’s Ultramodern Eye Centre and Institute for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research (Invest), held on Thursday in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area. Citing findings from the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey, Uneke explained that about 4.2 per cent of Nigerians aged 40 years and above are blind, while an estimated 4.25 million adults…
Resident doctors at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, have begun a seven-day warning strike to press for better working conditions. This was announced in a communique issued after an emergency meeting of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) held on Wednesday in Awka, the Anambra State capital. The communique, titled Notification of Commencement of Industrial Action, was signed by ARD President, Dr. Joy Okwumuo, and Secretary, Dr. Chukwubuike Ifekudu. It stated that the strike officially began at noon on Thursday. According to the doctors, the action followed several failed attempts to get the Anambra government to…
The Bauchi State Government has discovered over 100 ghost workers in its health sector and has promised to punish those involved according to civil service rules. The Executive Chairperson of the Bauchi State Hospital Management Board, Sambo Alkali, made this known during a press conference in Bauchi on Thursday. He said the names of all the ghost workers would be forwarded to Governor Bala Mohammed for necessary action. “We are currently carrying out a verification exercise to uncover ghost workers people have been complaining about,” Alkali explained. “Recently, we did the exercise in five of our health facilities and discovered…
Nurses and midwives at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have given the hospital management 15 days to address long-standing complaints about their welfare and working conditions. The workers, under the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), LAUTECH chapter, accused management of sidelining them whenever new benefits were introduced for health workers in the state. Their position was made public in a statement signed in Ibadan by the unit chairman, Ojewumi Olutayo, and the unit secretary, Adedokun Foluwake. According to the nurses, while colleagues in other state-owned hospitals have begun receiving the new national…
A major farming crisis has hit communities in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State after the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMet) 2025 Seasonal Climate Prediction failed. Thousands of farmers had relied on the forecast to decide when to plant, but the reality turned out very different. Kwara Must Change (KMC), a civic advocacy group, described the forecast as “a huge failure” with serious consequences for food security, farmer confidence, and rural livelihoods. NiMet’s 2025 prediction said rains in Asa would start on May 7 and end on November 18, giving nearly 195 days of rainfall. But instead, after early showers…
The Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP) has announced plans to turn bio-waste into useful products for climate-smart farming and greener communities in Nasarawa State. Dr. Michael David, Executive Director of GIFSEP, revealed this during a “Waste-to-Wealth” awareness workshop held in Karu Local Government Area. The event was themed “Unlocking the Hidden Value of Bio-waste to Power Climate-Smart Agriculture and Greener, Stronger Communities.” Supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme in Nigeria, the project aims to promote sustainable waste management, improve food security, and create green jobs. Dr. David said that bio-waste offers a…
The Commissioner for Works in Imo State, Ralph Nwosu, has told road contractors to finish their work on time. He gave this order during a surprise visit to road construction sites in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, on Tuesday, September 10. He said the visit was to check how far the work had gone. He inspected several roads, including the 35km Owerri-Port Harcourt Road (where drainage work is going on), Owerri/Onitsha Road (which is being expanded), Chidi Akurunwa Street (grading work), World Bank/Umuguma Road, Lord’s Chosen/Dreamland Road, and Hospital Road. After the tour, the Commissioner said the roads must…
The Federal Government has published the full list of 26 trade areas approved under its revised technical-education curriculum. A statement signed on Wednesday by the Federal Ministry of Education, the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Bon Folasade, said the revised curriculum will convert all Federal Science and Technical Colleges to Federal Technical Colleges from the 2025/2026 academic year. Announced by Education Minister Dr. Maruf Alausa and Minister of State Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, the overhaul requires each college to offer a minimum of six and a maximum of ten trade courses. Students are expected to offer between nine…