The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) are planning joint pilot projects to integrate rural electricity infrastructure with telecommunications networks. The initiative aims to improve power supply to rural telecom base stations, reduce diesel consumption and extend digital services to underserved communities. REA Managing Director, Dr Abba Aliyu, represented by the agency’s Executive Director, Technical, Umar A. Umar, disclosed this at the Rural Connect 2.0 Summit in Lagos on Tuesday. Aliyu said the agencies had established a joint committee to identify locations where rural mini-grids could supply electricity to mobile network operators’ base stations. He said…
Author: Newsdesk
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized counterfeit alcoholic beverages worth more than N2 billion during a raid at Trade Fair Market in Lagos. The agency disclosed this in a statement on its X handle on Tuesday, following an operation by its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate. NAFDAC said the raid followed credible intelligence that exposed illegal activities within the market complex. It said operatives uncovered more than 20 illegal stores concealed within makeshift parking spaces on the premises. Suspects were found blending and counterfeiting popular alcoholic beverage brands, revalidating expired and unsafe drinks for…
There’s Federal Government has assured the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) of its commitment to sustained dialogue to address workers’ welfare concerns and legitimate demands. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Muhammad Dingyadi, gave the assurance while declaring open NASU’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday. Dingyadi said the government recognised NASU’s critical role in ensuring the smooth operation of educational institutions and remained committed to improving workers’ welfare through constructive engagement and collective bargaining. “We are going to be transparent. We are going to be committed to the welfare of the…
The Federal Fire Service (FFS) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have urged students to adopt fire safety measures and embrace disaster preparedness to protect lives and property. The agencies gave the advice on Tuesday during a sensitisation exercise at the Federal Government College, Kaduna, to mark the 2026 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, themed “Resilience Starts at Home”. The State Controller of the FFS Kaduna Command, Mr Aminu Kiyawa, identified faulty electrical wiring, overloaded sockets and improper handling of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as potential causes of fire outbreaks. “During an emergency, students need to know what…
The Sultan Foundation for Peace and Development has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in Zamfara State to improve vaccine uptake. The foundation said collaboration among Routine Immunisation (RI) service providers, community-based organisations (CBOs) and partners would help address the zero-dose burden and ensure that children receive life-saving vaccines. The foundation’s Head of Programme, Jamilu Gulbi, stated this at a one-day onboarding meeting for routine immunisation service providers held on Tuesday in Gusau. The exercise is being organised to support the Zamfara Tracking and Accountability for Equitable Immunisation (Z-TRACE) project. Z-TRACE seeks to address the zero-dose burden, with an estimated…
Mary-Brenda Akoda, winner of the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, has developed artificial intelligence (AI) technology that reduces Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan time by up to 90 per cent. Akoda, an AI research scientist, founder of Genscan AI and former Microsoft engineer, disclosed this at the public presentation of the 2026 prize winner organised by Nigeria LNG Ltd. (NLNG) on Tuesday in Lagos. She said the technology, called GenMRI, was developed to address delays in medical diagnosis caused by limited MRI scanners, high equipment costs and lengthy scanning procedures in healthcare facilities. Akoda explained that the idea…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday sought strategic development partnerships with German cities, particularly in agriculture, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and youth skills acquisition. Wike made the remarks when the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stefan Rössel, visited him in Abuja. Welcoming the envoy, the minister highlighted the decades-long economic, cultural and political ties between Nigeria and Germany. He reaffirmed the FCT Administration’s commitment to transforming Abuja into a world-class capital city capable of competing with global metropolises such as Berlin, Munich and Washington, D.C. He said the administration was working to…
The World Bank Group and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have signed a new co-financing agreement to scale up investments in rural economies, strengthen food systems and create jobs. The agreement was signed on Tuesday during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, Thailand. It is designed to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions in promoting rural transformation, building resilience, supporting entrepreneurship and improving food security amid slowing economic growth and rising uncertainty. IFAD President Alvaro Lario said the partnership would combine the institutions’ resources, reach and expertise to…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), in collaboration with the Adamawa Government, has validated a climate-resilient livelihoods strategy to support vulnerable communities from 2026 to 2030. Prof. Yakaka Maina, FAO Natural Resources and Energy Specialist, disclosed this at a state-level validation workshop on Tuesday in Yola. Maina said the initiative aimed to align agricultural investments with the state’s durable solutions plan for internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and vulnerable host communities. She said the exercise, conducted in collaboration with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), focused on developing a climate-resilient livelihoods strategy and a climate-smart agriculture…
Cisco Nigeria has identified artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and digital skills development as key drivers of innovation, entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for Nigerian youths. Cisco is a global technology company that offers skills-to-jobs programmes. Mr Ikechukwu Ibeawuchi, Government Affairs Manager at Cisco Nigeria, said this on the sidelines of the 14th Africa Information and Communication Technologies Alliance (AfICTA) Summit in Abuja. The summit’s theme was “Advancing Inclusive Economic Growth: The Role of Security, Digital Skills and Indigenous Content in Regional, National and SME Development.” Ibeawuchi said Africa was a priority for Cisco, noting that the continent’s young population and growing…