The Federal Government has directed all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to immediately reconcile and utilise unaccessed and unutilised education intervention funds within 30 days or risk sanctions. Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, issued the directive during a strategic meeting in Abuja with Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, Bursars, and Procurement Officers from public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. He described the failure of some institutions to utilise intervention funds meant for infrastructure and academic development as a major setback to national progress, warning that the era of idle allocations was over. “This meeting is not for blame…
Author: Editor
Even as key Arab states condemned the war in the Gaza Strip, they quietly expanded security cooperation with the Israeli military, leaked U.S. documents reveal. Those military ties were thrown into crisis after Israel’s September airstrike in Qatar, but could now play a key role in overseeing the nascent ceasefire in Gaza. Over the past three years, facilitated by the United States, senior military officials from Israel and six Arab countries came together for a series of planning meetings in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar. Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to the first phase of a peace framework that…
The Akwa Ibom State Government has launched the Nigeria Solar for Health Project (NISHP) to address the problem of unstable electricity supply in the health sector. Governor Umo Eno, in his keynote address during the state launch on Friday in Uyo, said the initiative was in collaboration with the European Union (EU). He explained that the project aligns with the state’s vision of ensuring universal, reliable, and sustainable energy access for all communities, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas. Represented by the Deputy Governor, Sen. Akon Eyakenyi, Eno noted that Akwa Ibom had taken bold steps to domesticate the Electricity…
The Kogi State Government has launched a major initiative to rehabilitate nine livestock markets across the three senatorial districts of the state. The bid opening ceremony for the project was held on Friday at the Kogi State Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (Kogi L-PRES) Project office in Lokoja. Project Coordinator, Mr. Abdulkabir Otaru, highlighted the significance of the initiative and assured stakeholders of a transparent and fair selection process. Otaru described the rehabilitation effort as a new dawn in Kogi’s livestock value chain and commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his unwavering support. He disclosed that the World Bank had…
The National Mathematical Centre (NMC) says it plans to collaborate with the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, and the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to strengthen teaching, learning, and research in mathematical sciences. This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the Controller of Information and Public Relations at the Centre, Mr. Onyekachi Njoku. Njoku quoted the Director/Chief Executive of the Centre, Prof. Promise Mebine, as saying this during a meeting of the Centre’s Governing Council. Mebine said the partnership aims to enhance academic activities leading to the award of postgraduate degrees in Mathematics,…
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to improve disaster management and humanitarian response across the country. Umar made the appeal at a sensitization lecture organized by the agency in Sokoto as part of activities marking the 2025 Customer Service Week, themed “Mission Possible.” Represented by the NEMA Zonal Head, Mr. Aliyu Kafindangi, the Director-General said the heart of any successful agency lies in its commitment to delivering exceptional and satisfactory services to its customers and partners. “In our case, those we serve are often the most vulnerable…
The Enugu State Government has inaugurated a 30-member task force to eliminate maternal and infant mortality across the state under the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Innovation Initiative (MAMII) project. The MAMII workshop, which began on October 6 and ended on October 10, culminated in the inauguration of the task force charged with implementing the project. The task force comprises health professionals from hospitals and health agencies in the state, as well as representatives of donor organizations and development partners. Inaugurating the team in Enugu on Friday, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. George Ugwu, described the moment as symbolic, noting that…
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to excellence, empathy, and accountability in humanitarian service delivery. Umar stated this on Friday at the 2025 Customer Service Week (CSW) celebration organized by the NEMA Lagos Operations Office. The event had the theme, “Mission: Possible.” Represented by Mr. Mohammed Olatunde, Head of the NEMA Lagos Operations Office, Umar described the celebration as more than an annual observance, but a reminder of the agency’s purpose, values, and the people it serves. “This year’s theme, ‘Mission: Possible,’ is a powerful reminder that no challenge…
The Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran, has said that women are more vulnerable to mental health challenges, calling for increased awareness, early intervention, and psychosocial support to promote mental well-being. Labaran stated this on Friday in Kano during a press briefing to mark the joint commemoration of World Mental Health Day, World Sight Day, and the National Childhood Tuberculosis (TB) Testing Week. He said findings from the ministry indicated a steady rise in mental health disorders among women, largely driven by social, economic, and psychological pressures. “The ministry’s data show that women are disproportionately affected by depression,…
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has refuted reports suggesting that it imported finished petrol with high sulphur content into Nigeria, describing the claims as “false, misleading, and unfounded.” In a statement issued on Friday, the company explained that the cargo in question was an intermediate feedstock — not finished petrol — and would undergo full processing in its refinery to produce fuels that meet both Nigerian and international quality standards. “As a world-scale complex refinery, we process a wide range of crude oils and intermediate feedstocks. This is standard practice in global refining, designed to optimise production efficiency and product quality,” the…