Nigeria’s health sector continues to battle endemic infectious diseases such as malaria, Lassa fever, cholera, and meningitis, alongside rising maternal and child mortality and non-communicable diseases like cancer and kidney failure. Despite international interventions, these challenges persist, fuelling calls for homegrown solutions. To address this gap, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) launched the NIMR Foundation in 2022. Its flagship initiative — the Grantsmanship and Mentorship Training Programme (GMTP) — is equipping young researchers with the skills to design high-impact studies, secure international funding, and innovate solutions tailored to Nigeria’s health realities. Since inception, the programme has been hailed…
Author: Editor
How safe are GMOs released in Nigeria? Since the commercial release of pod borer-resistant PBR Cowpea in 2019, no reported cases of health threats to humans, soils, or the environment have been observed in Nigeria so far. To quote Professor Shehu Ado Garki, a well-known Nigerian maize breeder and former Executive Director of IAR, Samaru, who is currently the chairman of the subcommittee on crops at the national varietal release, “There have been no recorded deaths from consuming genetically modified foods worldwide in the last two decades.” Two other top agricultural scientists, cowpea breeder Prof. Mohammed Ishiyaku Faguji and a…
The Federal Government has asked the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to cancel their planned nationwide strike set to begin on Monday, September 8. The strike is over a disagreement with the Dangote Group, which reportedly does not allow its workers to join a union. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, made this request over the weekend. He also asked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to cancel the warning it gave to other unions to prepare for a strike in support of NUPENG. The strike is a response to what workers say are…
Some women say they stop wearing bras because they want to feel more comfortable, avoid health issues, and enjoy more personal freedom. More and more women are choosing not to wear bras. For them, it’s not just a fashion choice, but a way to feel better in their own bodies and express themselves freely. According to findings by reporters, some women avoid bras to stop skin irritation and tightness, while others say it fits better with their new lifestyle. They also said that after getting used to life without a bra, going back felt unnecessary and uncomfortable. Apart from comfort,…
The over 100-year history of the Nigerian railway system, which pioneered the rapid opening of the country, is a mixed bag. There was an upward curvature amidst stability, before the cankerworm of corruption stagnated its growth, reversed its fortunes and virtually killed it. The first railroad was constructed by the British colonial government in 1898 with the construction of the 193-kilometre first rail line from Lagos to Ibadan between 1898 and 1901. With the amalgamation of the Lagos Government Railway and the Baro-Kano Railway on October 3, 1912 and the completion of the 640-kilometre Kano – Maiduguri rail line, then…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has told Nigerians that there are no confirmed cases of Ebola in the country. This announcement was made after news came out about a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dr. Jide Idris, the head of NCDC, said in a statement on Saturday in Abuja that Nigeria is being very careful and has increased health checks at airports, hospitals, and in communities. He reminded people that Nigeria had only one Ebola outbreak in 2014. It was brought by a traveler from Liberia. That outbreak caused 20 cases…
Africa is undergoing a digital transformation, marked by rising mobile phone adoption even in remote regions, rapid fintech innovation, and the steady growth of digital public infrastructure such as interoperable payment systems and digital ID frameworks. These trends are laying a critical foundation for inclusive economic growth. Yet, a staggering 400 million Africans remain financially excluded; unable to access even the most basic formal financial services. This contradiction is not just unacceptable and unsustainable; it risks reinforcing inequality and limiting the impact of innovation. Bridging this gap is essential not only for economic development but also for empowering communities, unlocking…
When the House of Lords, as the upper chamber of the UK Parliament is called, debated the Courts Bill introduced by the government of Edward Heath in December 1970, Lord Hailsham was in the Woolsack as the Lord Chancellor. His father, the first Viscount Hailsham, had served his first tour of duty in the same position a mere 42 years earlier. As the debate proceeded on the bill, Lord Hailsham reminded the prospective judge to “approach the Bench with the enthusiasm of a bridegroom approaching marriage, or of a priest approaching priesthood.” In the British system, the relationships entailed between a groom…
Nigeria’s Department of State Services (DSS) has written to X Corp., the parent company of the microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter), demanding the immediate suspension of activist Omoyele Sowore’s verified account, @YeleSowore, over what it described as a “misleading and dangerous publication” against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In a letter dated September 6, 2025, signed by B. Bamigboye on behalf of the Director-General of the DSS, and posted on its X handle @OfficialDSSNG on September 6, 2025, the agency accused Sowore of deliberately spreading false information, hate speech, and incitement capable of threatening national security. The DSS cited a post…
The controversy over the eligibility of former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race took a twist last week when it emerged that a court had cleared the obstacle to his being sworn in for the third time as president. Critics had cited Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which provides that no elected person into public office in Nigeria shall be sworn-in more than twice, basing their argument on the former president’s swearing-in in 2010 after his predecessor, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, died in office, and 2011 when he won his own election. He…