The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has called for stronger inter-agency collaboration and digital reforms to protect Hajj funds from global financial volatility. NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Amb. Ismail Yusuf, made the call at the 8th International Hajj Fund Forum (IHFF) 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Yusuf’s position was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by Shafii Mohammed, the commission’s Head of Information and Publications Division. Indonesia’s Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) hosted the forum at the Jakarta International Convention Center. The event attracted international policymakers, financial experts and institutional leaders to discuss sustainable Hajj…
Author: Newsdesk
Arzikin Noma Africa has urged governments at all levels and the private sector to invest in day-old chick production to boost poultry supply and reduce prices. Mr Adeoluwa Adeshola, Group Managing Director of the organisation, made the call in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Abuja. Arzikin Noma Africa is an agricultural and value-chain development company focused on transforming food systems, improving farm productivity and empowering smallholder farmers across Africa. Adeshola said the rising cost of day-old chicks was hampering growth in the poultry sector, attributing the shortage to limited mother stock production capacity. “There is a lot of…
The World Agriculture Forum (WAF), Nigeria, has called for increased investment in agricultural technology and modern storage facilities to strengthen food security. The Country Director of WAF Nigeria, Mr Alexander Isong, made the call in a statement made available to reporters on Thursday in Lagos. The statement was issued to mark the 2026 World Food Day, themed “Building Resilient Food Systems for a Food-Secure Nigeria.” World Food Day is observed annually on Oct. 16 to raise awareness of hunger and promote action towards food security and improved nutrition. Isong said Nigeria had the agricultural land, human capital and market potential…
An NGO, the Centre for Water and Environment Development (CWED), has mobilised students to champion proper handwashing and promote hygiene to prevent diseases in schools and communities. The initiative was part of activities marking the 2026 Global Handwashing Day at Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Kawo, Kaduna, on Thursday. The event was held under the theme “Be a Handwashing Hero”. Speaking at the event, CWED Programme Officer, Mrs Lydia Saleh, said the annual commemoration aimed to promote behavioural change and encourage handwashing at critical times. She said the initiative sought to help students and community members understand the importance of…
Gov. Ahmed Ododo of Kogi has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development through efforts to strengthen the state’s capacity to access climate finance. Ododo said this on Thursday at the opening of the Climate Finance Readiness Assessment (CFRA) Technical Assistance Programme in Lokoja. Represented by his deputy, Mr Joel Salifu, the governor said climate change posed significant challenges to agriculture, water resources, the environment and residents’ livelihoods. He said addressing these challenges required practical measures and collective action by the government and other stakeholders. Ododo said the establishment of the Kogi Climate Change Agency provided an…
The Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists (NSA) has called for increased recruitment, improved welfare and better-equipped operating theatres and intensive care units nationwide to strengthen patient safety before, during and after surgery. The society made the call in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Dr Agwu Nnanna, in Abuja on Thursday, ahead of World Anaesthesia Day 2026, scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16. According to the statement, the NSA joined the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) to commemorate the annual event celebrating the birth of modern anaesthesia. It said the celebration, themed Before, During and Beyond Surgery, highlighted…
The Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board (SPHCB) has sensitised adolescents with disabilities on sexual and reproductive health, menstrual hygiene, mental health and the prevention of gender-based violence. The sensitisation took place on Thursday at the Kaduna State Special Education School (KADSSES) as part of International Adolescent Health Week. The programme was supported by UNICEF, the Society for Family Health (SFH) and other development partners. The programme, themed “Nothing About Us Without Us: Power, Voice and Health Equity for All Adolescents,” seeks to promote adolescents’ participation in decisions affecting their health and well-being. Bilkisu Zailani, Adolescent Desk Officer at the…
Rural women farmers have urged the Federal and State Governments and the National Assembly to establish an annual national celebration and investment plan to recognise their contributions to agriculture and food security. Mrs Florence Ojo, Acting National President of the Smallscale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), made the call in an interview with reporters in Abuja on Thursday to mark the International Day of Rural Women. The day is commemorated annually on October 15, with the 2026 theme being “Rural Women Farmers Caring for Mother Nature”. Ojo said the occasion should recognise rural women’s contributions to food security and…
Some Level 14 health workers in Katsina State have opted for Level 8 appointments in federal institutions because of salary disparities, Umar Lawal-Bawale, an association chairman, has said. Lawal-Bawale, Chairman of the Katsina Branch of the Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN), disclosed this on Wednesday. He spoke during a briefing by the Assembly of Health Care Professionals on the ongoing strike by health workers in the state. He said the industrial action was not solely about remuneration but also aimed at protecting healthcare delivery and addressing the growing exodus of professionals from the state’s health sector. According to him,…
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says admissions for malnutrition have risen by 18 per cent at its supported health facilities in northeast Nigeria, increasing from 17,000 cases in 2025 to nearly 20,000 in 2026. The ICRC disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Aliyu Dawobe, highlighting the growing burden of malnutrition in northeast Nigeria. Dawobe said the cases were recorded between January and September across six health centres and four hospitals supported by the ICRC, underscoring worsening nutritional challenges among vulnerable populations in conflict-affected communities. According…