Ethiopian Airlines has launched eight flights operated entirely by women to mark International Women’s Day, highlighting the growing role of female professionals across Africa’s aviation industry. The flights departed simultaneously from Addis Ababa on March 8 to destinations across Africa, Europe and Asia, with every operational role — from cockpit to ground handling — carried out by women. The initiative comes at a time when Africa’s aviation sector is experiencing renewed growth, with airlines expanding routes and rebuilding capacity as international travel demand continues to rebound. According to the airline, the programme aims to celebrate women’s achievements in aviation while encouraging…
Author: Newsdesk
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the judgment of the Federal High Court restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the Peoples Democratic Party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State. In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the PDP led by a former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, which had challenged the jurisdiction of the lower court to entertain the suit. Ashenews gathered that the appeal formed part of nine harmonised appeals brought…
The village head of Ikot Obong village in Ikpa Ibekwe clan in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Eteidung Gordon Etukeren, has demanded the sum of N50 million as damages from those who dumped a dead corpse in his palace, saying he and his family had been exposed to psychological trauma and health challenges from the stench oozing from the corpse. It was gathered that some aggrieved persons reportedly dumped a corpse in the palace of the village head, without his consent. The incident that occurred last Saturday was the high point of a dispute between the…
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo has settled the medical bills of a pregnant woman and her husband, who are currently receiving treatment for severe burns following a fire incident in Ekpoma. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Patrick Ebojele, on Sunday. It was stated that the governor made the intervention during a visit to the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, where he also paid the medical expenses of several other patients admitted in different wards of the hospital. Speaking with journalists after the visit, Okpebholo explained that the pregnant woman had initially…
The Nigerian Army Medical Corps has commenced the first stream of its 2026 Mandatory Continuing Professional Development Programme (MCPDP) for nurses, focusing on strengthening public health nursing and promoting health equity. The programme, organized by the Directorate of Nursing Services of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps in collaboration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), is themed: “Public Health Nursing and Health Equity: Leaving No One Behind.” Declaring the programme open in Kaduna on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shu’aibu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Wase, described…
The Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, has called for deliberate actions to promote justice and equal opportunities for women and girls across all sectors of society. Mrs Bassey Ikpang, Chairperson of NAWOJ FCT, made the call in a statement on Sunday in Abuja to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD), themed “Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls.” Ikpang said the theme serves as a strong reminder that achieving gender equality requires more than conversations. She stressed the need for concrete actions to protect the rights of women and girls and ensure justice whenever such…
An NGO, the Maternal Accountability Mechanism in Kaduna Initiative (KADMAM), has urged the Kaduna State Government to strengthen the implementation of the 2026 health budget to curb maternal and child deaths. This was contained in a statement issued by its Chairman, Garba Mohamed, to mark the 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD). “While the day is globally observed to celebrate the achievements and resilience of women, it also provides an opportunity to reflect on the urgent need to address health challenges threatening the lives of women and children,” the statement said. The organization noted that maternal mortality and deaths of children…
Teenage pregnancy remains a serious public health challenge in Nigeria, with northern states such as Kebbi, Zamfara, and Kaduna recording the highest rates. This is according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report, released on Sunday in Abuja and produced under the National Health Act (2014). The report highlighted trends in adolescent reproductive health nationwide and revealed emerging regional disparities. It showed that 32 per cent of girls aged 15–19 in Kebbi had been pregnant, followed by Zamfara and Kaduna at 30 per cent each, while Lagos and Edo recorded about three per cent. The findings, drawn…
A health communication scholar, Faridah Abraham of Kansas State University, has urged Nigeria to prioritize women’s access to accurate, culturally relevant maternal health information to reduce persistently high maternal deaths nationwide. Abraham made the call on Sunday in Abuja, marking International Women’s Day 2026. She warned that Nigeria loses about 82,000 women each year to pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications. She described the figure—one of the highest globally—as underscoring the need to expand maternal health investments beyond hospitals and equipment. This must include ensuring that women and families receive timely, reliable information before complications become fatal. According to Abraham, major causes…
Nigeria recorded notable progress in maternal health services, family planning uptake, and antenatal care utilization in 2025, according to the 2025 State of Health of the Nation Report released on Sunday in Abuja. The report, produced under the National Health Act 2014, highlighted improvements in several maternal health indicators but warned that major gaps remained in postnatal care, cancer screening, and nationwide access to skilled birth attendants. Nigeria’s family planning services expanded steadily in 2025, with approximately 80,000 women newly accepting modern contraceptive methods each quarter. This represented an overall 45% increase in uptake nationwide during the year. The report…