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…
Author: Newsdesk
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…
The Kaduna government has expressed readiness to partner with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and development partners, to curb the spread of misinformation and hate speech in the state. Ashenews gathered through NAN reports that the government identified the aforementioned factors as the major drivers of conflict and social tension in the state. The Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, stated this at an Executive Peace Roundtable organised on Saturday in Kaduna, under the ‘Delimi PROSPER Project’. The project is being implemented by Search for Resilience and Development with support from the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRING) Programme of the…
Caribbean leaders are intensifying efforts to deepen economic and diplomatic partnerships with Africa as global trade tensions and shifting geopolitical alliances push smaller regional blocs to seek new markets and sources of investment. Speaking at the Fiftieth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in St Kitts and Nevis on February 24, Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett said the organisation would place renewed emphasis on strengthening ties with African institutions and governments. Dr Barnett told leaders from CARICOM’s 15 member states and six observer states that South-South cooperation would be central to the bloc’s…
Amnesty International has sensitised residents of Iddo-Sarki community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on the rights of women and girls as part of activities marking International Women’s Day. The campaign focused on educating women, girls and community members on their rights, available legal protections and channels for seeking justice in cases of abuse or discrimination. Speaking during the outreach on Saturday, the Programme Manager of Amnesty International, Barbara Magaji, said the initiative was inspired by the theme of the 2026 Women’s Day celebration, which focused on rights and justice for women. According to Magaji, Amnesty International recognised that many…
Kano State governor, Abba Yusuf has launched the distribution of 100,000 bags of rice donated by Aliko Dangote Foundation to support vulnerable residents of the state. The gesture complements the state government’s humanitarian efforts. This is contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad in Kano on Saturday. Yusuf, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, expressed appreciation to the foundation for the generous donation, describing it as timely and impactful. He noted that the gesture would significantly complement the state government’s humanitarian efforts aimed at improving the living condition…
The Nigerian Navy said it dismantled illegal crude oil refining activities and recovered suspected stolen crude oil in the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni area of Rivers State. This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday via its verified X handle. The Navy said the operation was carried out under its flagship maritime security initiative, Operation Delta Sentinel. The Nigerian Navy said the operation, conducted by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder Anti-Crude Oil Theft patrol team, uncovered a tampered wellhead belonging to a company. According to the Navy, the wellhead had been illegally connected to an improvised pipeline used to siphon crude oil into…