The Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON) has declared a public health emergency over environmental diseases linked to greenhouse gas emissions nationwide. The council’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Yakubu Baba, confirmed the declaration on Monday at a news conference in Abuja. Baba said the move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthen environmental public health across the country. He explained that EHCON is raising a national alarm over the silent but rapidly escalating burden of emission-related diseases. “Environmental diseases from greenhouse gas emissions represent one of the greatest silent public health threats of our time,”…
Author: Newsdesk
FairMoney Microfinance Bank says it paid over N7 billion in interest to savings customers, while loan disbursements exceeded N150 billion in 2025. The Managing Director, Mr Henry Obiekea, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday. Obiekea said the milestones reflect the bank’s commitment to expanding access to finance and strengthening Nigeria’s financial ecosystem. He explained that FairMoney began operations in 2021 as a digital lending platform before evolving into a fully licensed microfinance bank. According to him, the bank now offers savings, fixed deposit, and current accounts, as well as debit cards and Point of Sale solutions…
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday signed the ₦4.4 trillion 2026 budget into law. The signing ceremony took place at the Conference Room, Lagos House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja. The Lagos State House of Assembly had earlier passed the budget, tagged “Budget of Shared Prosperity,” in January. The lawmakers approved a bill authorising the issuance and appropriation of ₦4,444,509,776,438 for the 2026 fiscal year. Present at the ceremony were the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; members of the State Executive Council; the Head of Service, Bode Agoro; lawmakers from the Lagos State House of Assembly; and other key stakeholders. Ahsenews…
The Federal Government has opened portal for the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) applications into Federal Technical Colleges nationwide, reaffirming its commitment to free technical and vocational education. This is contained in a statement issued by Folasade Boriowo, Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, in Abuja on Monday. Boriowo said this followed the approval of the initiative by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa. Alausa said that registration for the NCEE would commence on Jan. 26 and close on May 24, while the examination would be conducted nationwide on June 6. He said the exercise aligned with…
A 21-year-old technology entrepreneur, Khalifa Yunusa, has urged youths to embrace digital skills, describing them as a key pathway to self-reliance as Nigeria transitions into a technology-driven economy. Yunusa, a full-stack and mobile app developer, told reporters on Monday in Kaduna that he began his journey into technology in 2019 through mentorship, self-learning, and scholarship-supported training. He advised young people not to give up on learning digital skills, noting that technology is a fast-growing sector with vast opportunities. “As the world becomes more digital, it is important for young people to position themselves with relevant skills,” he said. Yunusa said…
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has confirmed the cancellation of a United States–funded study on hepatitis B vaccines involving newborns in Guinea-Bissau, following ethical concerns. Dr Yap Boum, Deputy Incident Manager for Mpox at Africa CDC, disclosed this on Monday during a webinar briefing. Boum said the study did not meet acceptable ethical standards, adding that Africa CDC supports research that informs sound public health policy. He emphasised that all studies conducted on the continent must strictly adhere to internationally recognised ethical principles. He explained that the proposed research design raised serious concerns, particularly the…
The Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Programme at the College of Medical Sciences, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, has commenced capacity building for 30 healthcare workers in the state. The training, a three-day programme on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) with emphasis on the foundations of IPC and hand hygiene, began on Monday in Bauchi. Speaking at the opening, Dr Abubakar Sari, Lead Data-to-Action Officer of the CHAMPS Project for the Bauchi Catchment Area, expressed concern over the high burden of infections, particularly among children under five years of age. He said the participants were drawn from…
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) says a fallen tanker incident earlier reported at the Tin Can Island area, popularly known as Liverpool Bridge, has been successfully resolved. The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, gave the assurance in a statement on Monday in Lagos. He said that following a prompt emergency response and effective coordination among relevant stakeholders, fuel leakage from the tanker was swiftly contained. ALSO READ: Expert warns against dangers of bush burning “All necessary safety measures were put in place to prevent further risks to lives, property and the environment,” Oke-Osanyintolu said. According to…
Nigeria must align its policy frameworks and infrastructure investments to harness the benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT) and other emerging digital technologies by 2026, an ICT expert has said. Mr Jide Awe, an ICT expert, made this known on Monday in an interview with reporters in Abuja while outlining the ICT outlook for 2026 and its implications for Nigeria’s digital transformation. He said Nigeria was well positioned to benefit from AI, IoT and cloud technologies, noting that effective deployment could help address challenges in the financial sector, improve public service delivery and drive economic growth.…
A climate and environmental expert, Mr Usman Inuwa, has warned that rampant bush burning poses grave dangers to public health, wildlife and environmental sustainability. Inuwa, the North-East Zonal Coordinator of the Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDEVNET), gave the warning in an interview with reporters on Monday in Bauchi. He explained that bush burning undermines the concept of “One Health” or “Planetary Health,” which emphasizes the close link between human health, animal wellbeing and the environment. According to him, uncontrolled fires are accelerating biodiversity loss while exposing both humans and animals to serious health risks. Inuwa noted that Nigeria is…