Nigeria has launched a geospatial database to strengthen preparations for the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census, aimed at delivering credible, technology-driven, and verifiable population data. The initiative was unveiled on Thursday in Abuja at a high-level engagement on consolidating Nigeria’s geospatial database in preparation for the upcoming Population and Housing Census. Ms Muriel Mafico, Resident Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), said the project marks the commencement of an 18-month initiative to modernise Nigeria’s population data systems and strengthen national geospatial infrastructure. Represented by the Deputy Representative, Mr Koesson Kuawu, Mafico said population and housing census data…
Author: Newsdesk
Engineer Michael Abayomi Adeyanju, popularly known as Imole and Director-General of the Imole Progressive Network, has obtained his senatorial nomination form from the All Progressives Congress (APC) national secretariat in Abuja, formally signalling his intention to contest the 2027 election for the Ondo North Senatorial District. The development was confirmed in a statement released Thursday night by the Network’s Secretary-General, Comrade Chris Olorunfemi, who described the move as a major step forward in the group’s political trajectory. “This marks a significant milestone in our collective journey and a moment of pride for us all,” the statement read. “I sincerely congratulate…
A former Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Abiodun Alamutu, has attributed insecurity in Nigeria to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons. Alamutu, who is the Zonal Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (South-West Zone), said this at a one-day seminar on effective post-judgment management of small arms and light weapons in Abeokuta. According to him, findings by the centre indicate that a large number of the weapons are in the hands of non-state actors. “The major enabler of insecurity, banditry, and terrorism in the country is the proliferation of small…
Abubakar Usman, Secretary to the Niger Government (SSG), on Thursday hosted a strategic meeting with Eco Green Investment Limited and key stakeholders on the proposed Eco Green Industrial City project in Minna. Senior government officials, technical experts, and representatives of the investment firm deliberated on modalities for establishing a climate-friendly, self-sustaining industrial hub. Mr Usman said the Eco Green Industrial City aligns with Gov. Umar Bago’s vision for Niger, focusing on economic diversification, environmental sustainability, and growth driven by private-sector investment. He added that Niger remains open to investors, promising government support for a favorable business environment, clear regulations, and…
Members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) branch, on Thursday, April 30, staged a protest at the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) branch in Alagbaka, Akure, over the non-remittance and non-refund of National Housing Fund (NHF) contributions deducted from their salaries. The FMBN administers the NHF, a federal scheme established to provide affordable housing finance for Nigerians through monthly deductions from workers’ earnings. The FUTA branch of SSANU is championing the protest on behalf of the union’s national leadership, with its permission, as the issue affects members across all branches…
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has increased the ex-depot prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Automotive Gas Oil (AGO, also known as diesel) following a sharp rise in global crude oil prices. Brent crude climbed from $105 per barrel on Monday to $118 on Wednesday, reaching about $125 per barrel at the time of filing, intensifying pressure on domestic fuel pricing. As a result, the refinery raised its petrol gantry price from ₦1,200 to ₦1,275 per litre, while coastal supply prices rose to ₦1,215 per litre, according to data from Petroleumprice.ng. Diesel prices were also adjusted upward to ₦1,800 per…
President Bola Tinubu has endorsed Obafemi Hamzat as the consensus governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State ahead of the 2027 election. The endorsement was made on Wednesday after a meeting between the President and members of the Lagos APC’s Governance Advisory Council (GAC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The delegation was led by GAC chairman Tajudeen Olusi and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the development in a post on X, noting that Tinubu “formally endorsed” Hamzat during the meeting. Reacting, Sanwo-Olu described his deputy as a “reliable partner,” saying…
A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in any congress organised by the disputed caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik also restrained the faction led by former Senate President, David Mark, from interfering with the functions and tenure of duly elected state executives of the party. The court held that the responsibility for conducting state congresses rests with the party’s state executive committees, not the national leadership. Justice Abdulmalik affirmed that the four-year tenure of ADC State Working Committees and…
The World Health Organization’s first malaria drug formulated for newborns will help prevent overdosing but is unlikely to significantly reduce malaria deaths in Nigeria, a public health physician, Dr. Ifeoluwa Odedina, has said. Odedina, of the University College Hospital Ibadan, made the assertion in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Ibadan. It was recalled that the WHO recently announced the prequalification of the first malaria treatment developed specifically for newborns and young infants weighing between two and five kilograms, marking a significant global milestone. “Coartem Baby,” approved by WHO, is the first antimalarial designed for infants weighing 2 to…
The Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, says Nigeria carries the world’s highest burden of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), with about 150,000 children born annually with the condition. Fawehinmi spoke at the Patient-Centred Sickle Cell Disease Management in Sub-Saharan Africa (PACTS) Consortium meeting, organised under CESRTA on Wednesday in Abuja, highlighting urgent national health challenges. He said many affected children endure lifelong pain, disrupted education, limited livelihood prospects, and poor access to quality healthcare, particularly in rural and peri-urban communities. According to him, SCD represents a critical national health emergency requiring urgent, coordinated, and sustained intervention from government,…