African news agencies on Wednesday gathered in Marrakech, Morocco, for the 9th General Assembly of the Atlantic Federation of African Press Agencies (FAAPA), with a call for the media to actively promote territorial inclusion and spatial justice across the continent. Opening the assembly, FAAPA President and Director-General of the Maghreb Arab Press Agency (MAP), Mr Fouad Arif, urged African countries to adopt development models that leave no territory or population behind, warning that persistent spatial and social imbalances threaten sustainable growth. Arif said the assembly’s theme underscores Africa’s current development realities, stressing that progress cannot be sustainable or stabilising unless…
Author: Newsdesk
The naira extended its gains against the United States dollar during midweek trading, buoyed by sustained momentum in the official foreign exchange market and a broad-based weakening of the greenback. At the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM), the local currency closed at about N1,400.66 per dollar, marking a monthly high and consolidating on gains recorded earlier in the week. This followed a strong previous session where the naira settled at N1,401.2/$, underscoring a steady appreciation trend since the start of the week. In contrast, movements in the parallel market remained relatively subdued despite the official market’s rapid gains. As of…
Nigeria and Turkiye have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening family cohesion and advancing social welfare in both countries. Ahmed Danbazau, Head of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development (FMoWASD), announced the development in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. The MoU was signed on Tuesday in Ankara, Turkiye, by Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of FMoWASD, and Mrs. Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Turkish Minister of Family and Social Services. The agreement was sealed during President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Turkiye, in which Sulaiman-Ibrahim was part of the Nigerian delegation. Describing…
The Kaduna Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project on Wednesday sensitized residents of Tudun Wada, Rigasa community, on the implementation of a gully erosion control project in the area. The Project Coordinator, ACReSAL, Mrs Hadiza Halid, said the sensitization was part of activities under the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) for the project. Represented by the Human Resource Officer, Mr Nuhu Satuk, Halid said the construction would affect some residents, including houses, farmlands and economic trees located around the gully site. She said consultants had already conducted surveys to identify persons likely to be affected by the project. “The sensitization…
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has announced plans to strengthen its working relationship with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAF) to improve performance and productivity in the agricultural sector in 2026. The General Secretary of AFAN, Mr. Femi Oke, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview in Lagos, noting that the association’s newly elected leadership is prioritizing collaboration with the government to create an enabling environment for farmers nationwide. According to Oke, AFAN recently held engagements with the Minister of Agriculture, during which key policies and interventions aimed at benefiting farmers were discussed. “As newly…
Some survivors of Lassa fever in Bauchi State have begun public sensitization activities to raise awareness about the disease and encourage early presentation at health facilities. The survivors received treatment at the Lassa Treatment Centre (LTC) of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH), Bauchi. One of the survivors, Abubakar Hassan, said he had been engaging in community health promotion to educate people on Lassa fever and the importance of seeking early medical care. Hassan, 22, spoke during an engagement with a medical team from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) on Wednesday in Bauchi. He said the Lassa Treatment Centre…
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to building a knowledge-based economy anchored on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), as efforts intensify to close the long-standing gap between academic research and industry. The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, made this known at the opening of the 7th Annual Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) in Abuja on Wednesday. The two-day conference is themed “From Research to Market: The Making of Knowledge-Based Economies.” Represented by Dr. Olugbenga Fadigbe, Udeh said Nigeria must move beyond knowledge generation to deliberate and structured commercialization of research outputs,…
Farmers in Agaie local government area of Niger State have identified pest outbreaks as a major challenge in their operations, while highlighting the area’s relative security stability compared to other regions in the state. This was made known in an interview session with ASHENEWS reporter on farmer’s experiences on pest infestation, market conditions and overall farming activities in Agaie. Aliyu Mohammed, a farmer in Agaie, explained how pest infestation has affected his farm, particularly during the planting and growing seasons adding that insecticide has been the way out in controlling it. “Yes, I have experienced pests on my farm,” Mohammed…
Akwa Ibom State has taken another step towards strengthening its energy and investment portfolio through a collaborative agreement with Ibom LNG and Logistics Base Limited aimed at advancing gas infrastructure and industrial growth. The two parties on Monday signed a Non Disclosure Agreement at the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation in Uyo, signalling renewed commitment to developing the state’s liquefied natural gas capacity and promoting private sector participation in the industry. At the signing, the Managing Director of AKICORP, Mr Imo Abasi Jacob, described the deal as a strategic effort to create an enabling environment for investors and accelerate economic diversification.…
Ghana has launched a strategic push into Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing $1.3bn chocolate market, marking a significant expansion of the country’s cocoa export footprint into the Middle East and Asia. The development was confirmed by Fuad Mohammed Abubakar, Managing Director of Ghana Cocoa Marketing Company (UK) Ltd, following Ghana’s participation in the Saudi International Coffee and Chocolate Exhibition held in Riyadh in December. The move reflects Ghana’s broader effort to diversify cocoa export destinations beyond Europe, strengthen value-added processing, and tap into more than $3.4bn in cocoa and chocolate demand emerging across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Asian markets. Ghana’s…