A Development Communications Strategist, Feyikemi Adurogbangba, has urged the Federal Government and other stakeholders to build on the legacy of previous agricultural programmes and stop implementing projects in silos. Adurogbangba made the call on Wednesday in Abuja while reacting to farmers’ complaints about heavy losses from price crashes in food produce. In a statement analyzing the situation, she expressed concern over the persistent cycle of challenges facing farmers despite multiple intervention programmes by government and development partners. She specifically called on actors across the value chain to build on the foundation of past programmes “instead of working in isolation or…
Author: Newsdesk
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 58-year-old fugitive drug lord Uzoma Valentine Ilomuanya who has been on the wanted list of NDLEA and British authorities for over 15 years. This was made known in a statement to Ashenews on Wednesday signed by the agency’s Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi. Ilomuanya was apprehended at a location in Lagos on Monday, 23rd February 2026, following a high-stakes well-coordinated operation by officers of a Special Operations Unit of the Agency. His arrest ends a long-standing cat-and-mouse game with the law following his long history of drug related crimes across Nigeria…
Biotechnology experts on Wednesday described biotechnology as a critical tool for stabilizing food systems strained by climate change, pests, and rapid population growth. In separate interviews with reporters in Abuja, they emphasized that biotechnology is essential for food stability in developing countries, including Nigeria. Climate-smart crops and biofortification Prof. Charles Adetunji, a biotechnology researcher, said biotechnology enables the development of climate-smart crops. He noted that Nigeria faces unpredictable rainfall and increasing soil salinity in some regions. “Biotechnology helps develop drought-tolerant varieties of maize and rice that require less water or can survive dry spells,” he said. Adetunji added that biofortification…
Ecuadorean and United States forces have launched operations against designated terrorist organizations in Ecuador targeting illicit drug trafficking, the US military’s Southern Command said Tuesday. The Southern Command announced the action in a statement on X but did not provide additional details. The announcement came one day after Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa said the United States was among “regional allies” taking part in a “new phase” of Ecuador’s war against drug cartels. Sources gathered that Noboa says around 70 per cent of the world’s cocaine now flows through Ecuador’s huge ports, making it a lucrative location for drug trafficking gangs. Ecuador also borders Colombia and Peru, the world’s two largest cocaine producers. The latest operations come four months after…
Kano State Government has launched 25 emergency mobile ambulances to boost healthcare delivery and emergency response. Ashenews gathered through NAN reports that the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran, inaugurated the ambulances on Wednesday. He said that the ambulances, procured through federal, state and private sector collaboration, would be distributed to 25 local government areas, with plans to cover the 44 local government areasin phases. Labaran added that the deployment of the ambulances was aimed at ensuring effective service delivery, particularly in handling emergency cases that require prompt medical attention. He explained that the vehicles would provide free services for…
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has urged Nigerians to take advantage of the ongoing ward-level enrollment drive to register and obtain their National Identification Number (NIN). The Head of Corporate Communications at NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, made the announcement in a statement issued to reporters on Wednesday in Abuja. Adegoke said the NIN remains a foundational requirement for accessing critical government services in Nigeria. Enroll at nearest ward centre now “The Commission therefore encourages all citizens and residents who have not yet enrolled to take advantage of this decentralized exercise and present themselves at designated ward enrollment centres,” he said.…
Nigeria is preparing to introduce lenacapavir, a new twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV prevention that global health experts say could significantly strengthen efforts to curb new infections. The injection, which offers an alternative to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), is expected to arrive in Nigeria in March 2026, according to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). The agency says regulatory clearance has already been secured from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), while readiness assessments have been completed in 10 states, including Lagos, Kano, Akwa Ibom and Anambra. The introduction follows a…
The Kaduna State Contributory Health Management Authority (KADCHMA) has intensified collaboration with the Zazzau Emirate Council to strengthen community engagement and boost enrollment in the state health insurance scheme. Abubakar Hassan, Director-General of KADCHMA, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmed Bamalli, on Wednesday in Zaria. Hassan explained that the visit aimed to deepen engagement with traditional institutions, enhance grassroots participation, and improve acceptance of KADCHMA initiatives across communities. He said partnering with the emirate leadership would create a strong foundation for effective interaction with District, Ward, and Village Heads involved in community mobilization. “It…
The Chairman/CEO of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Amb. Ismaila Abba, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to full regulatory compliance and operational excellence in the 2026 Hajj exercise. This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by NAHCON’s Principal Information Officer, Shafii Sani. Sani said Abba reaffirmed the commitment during a weekly virtual preparatory meeting with the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah in charge of International Collaboration, Dr Al Hassan Manakhra. He explained that the weekly meetings form part of sustained coordination efforts to ensure seamless arrangements for the 2026 Hajj. Key discussions: Visas, grouping,…
Nigeria has joined over 60 global regulators to establish stringent standards for AI-generated imagery, aiming to curb deepfakes and non-consensual content. This was disclosed in a statement issued by Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), on Wednesday in Abuja. Bamigboye said the joint initiative was coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG) of the Global Privacy Assembly. He explained that the move addresses growing global concerns over privacy risks posed by AI tools capable of generating realistic images and videos of identifiable individuals. Focus on non-consensual and harmful AI…