The National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) and La Shipson Pharmaceutical Ltd have concluded plans to commence local production of HIV drugs by the first quarter of 2026. This was disclosed in a statement on Thursday in Abuja by Mrs. Toyin Omozuwa, Press Secretary to Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Director-General of NBRDA. According to her, the move followed the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties. She said a delegation from La Shipson Pharmaceutical Ltd, led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Moses Shipi, visited NBRDA during the week for further engagements aimed at finalising…
Author: Editor
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says 166 people have died from Lassa fever between January and September 2025, with the case fatality rate now higher than in 2024. According to the agency’s Epidemiological Week 37 report, covering September 8–14, 895 confirmed cases were recorded across 21 states and 106 local government areas. This represents a case fatality rate (CFR) of 18.5 per cent, compared to 16.9 per cent within the same period in 2024. The NCDC noted that while overall cases are fewer than last year, more patients are dying due to late presentation and poor…
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has scaled up its emergency response in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, after a sharp rise in child malnutrition and measles cases overwhelmed its facilities. Between late August and early September, MSF’s Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre at Nilefa Kiji Hospital nearly doubled its bed space, yet by the third week of September was still admitting over 85 children daily. At the Shuwari extension, 3,265 children were treated for malnutrition, with 1,521 referred for ongoing care. More than 625 malnourished children were also treated for measles. “Our isolation units for measles patients quickly reached capacity and remain…
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned the Federal Government against proposed amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the planned sale of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPC) equity shares, describing the move as a grave disservice to Nigeria. ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, issued the caution at a press conference in Abuja as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary. Abdullahi argued that selling off NNPC assets would not amount to reform but would instead erode Nigeria’s energy sovereignty and transfer national wealth into private hands. He recalled that on September 22, the Nigerian…
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has raised the alarm that more than 35% of Nigerian children under five suffer from malnutrition, describing it as a serious public health problem. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, the association stressed that malnutrition contributes significantly to child deaths. It also affects brain development, weakens immunity, and reduces national productivity. NARD explained that ongoing interventions include the distribution of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM), and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) counselling. The association added that research has shown these approaches improve recovery rates…
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has said that 24 people were rescued after a boat accident in Kogi State. On Thursday, NEMA said that 42 people are still missing, and rescue work is still going on. The boat accident happened on Tuesday evening. The boat, which had about 80 people on board, capsized in the River Niger. The boat left Onugwa community in Ibaji Local Government Area and was going to Olushi village when it sank. NEMA said the accident has caused many deaths, and many people are still missing. NEMA’s Director General, Zubaida Umar, asked the Abuja Operations…
The Smile Train Initiative, in partnership with the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), has provided free cleft lip surgeries to 250 patients in Kwara State over the last 18 years. The partnership continues to deliver high-quality and comprehensive treatment to children born with cleft lip and palate across the state. Prof. AbdulRasheed Nasir, Team Lead of the Smile Train-UITH partnership, revealed this during the 2025 Cleft Awareness Day rally held at Oke-Oyi in Ilorin East Local Government Area on Wednesday. He said the community rally was organized to raise awareness about cleft conditions and encourage families, especially in rural…
Nigeria will soon choose its next space representative through a new democratic selection process launched today by the Space Exploration & Research Agency (SERA). The program allows citizens of Nigeria, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Thailand to vote for who represents them in space using a blockchain-powered platform. This is a major change from the past, where astronauts were usually chosen by governments, the military, or academic institutions. Through SERA’s Mission Control platform on Telegram, any citizen of the partner countries can now apply and gain support from their communities for a chance to go to space. Joshua Skurla, SERA’s co-founder,…
An Ebola outbreak was reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in early September. So far, 42 people have died out of 64 confirmed cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the chance of the disease spreading in the region is moderate. Two weeks ago, health officials in DR Congo started giving out vaccines to help protect people from the deadly virus. Ebola is a highly contagious disease that causes bleeding and fever. It has killed about 15,000 people in Africa over the last 50 years. The vaccination campaign began after a new wave of…
The vast expanse of Northern Nigeria has long been overshadowed by socio-economic stagnation. For decades, the region has remained ensconced in a state of dormancy, its potential lying untapped while the world around it surged ahead. However, a palpable shift is underway, as the Northern Elders Forum recently convened a pivotal summit aimed at revitalizing the region’s development prospects. The two-day summit, held from September 29 to 30, 2025, under the theme “Unlocking Strategic Opportunities in Mining, Agriculture, and Power (MAP 2025),” heralds a new era for Northern Nigeria—one that seeks to reconcile its historical legacy with a vision for…