West African countries have taken a major step toward strengthening regional epidemic preparedness with the inauguration of the first End-to-End (E2E) Access Roadmap for Lassa fever vaccines. The framework is designed to ensure equitable access once vaccines become available. The roadmap, inaugurated on Tuesday during a webinar, was developed under the leadership of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). It is the first regionally led framework of its kind, mapping the full pathway required to move a Lassa fever vaccine from development to sustained use across West Africa. Lassa fever…
Author: Newsdesk
Some agriculture experts have urged local rice farmers to continue cultivating the crop despite the increase in rice imports into the country. The experts made the call in separate interviews with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. A recent survey in early January showed that over 3,500 rice farmers are set to pull out of cultivation due to losses estimated at N93 billion across the sector during the 2025 wet season. The findings were contained in the 2025 Major Wet Season Impact Report released by the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit. An agricultural communication expert, Dr Ismail Olawale, urged the government…
The Society of Lifestyle Medicine of Nigeria (SOLONg) has advised older people to prioritize their health by adopting healthy lifestyles to reduce the risk of ailments associated with ageing. The President of the association, Dr Moyosore Makinde, gave the advice in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. Makinde underscored the role of lifestyle medicine in managing ageing-related ailments, particularly hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to her, hypertension is relatively easy to manage through a combination of lifestyle interventions and cost-effective medications, yet levels of awareness, treatment, and control remain low. She defined ageing as the process…
The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), in collaboration with the Farm Inputs Support Services (FISS) and other stakeholders, has validated a harmonized fertilizer application manual aimed at improving soil health, food production, and national food security. Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of NADF, announced this at the National Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the Harmonized Fertilizer Application Manual in Abuja on Tuesday. Ibrahim said the workshop underscored stakeholders’ continued commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural sector. He identified fertilizer as a major driver of agricultural productivity but noted that it only delivers value when applied correctly and responsibly. According to him, inconsistent…
The National Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has underscored the importance of strict compliance with data protection and privacy principles as Nigeria intensifies efforts to safeguard personal information in the digital age. The commission made this known on Tuesday during a training session for journalists in Lagos. The event, themed “Privacy in the Age of Emerging Technologies: Trust, Ethics and Innovation”, was organized as part of activities to mark the 2026 National Privacy Week. In his presentation, a facilitator at the training, Mr Alex Onwe, explained that data protection focuses on measures to safeguard data against unauthorised access, breaches, or loss.…
The Ekiti State Government says it has so far donated N100 million to victims of fire outbreaks within the past year, including N35 million for victims of the most recent incident. The Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, stated this on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti while distributing cheques to the second batch of fire victims in the state. Afuye added that the government had also spent a cumulative N150 million to mitigate the impact of the 2025 rainstorm on victims across the 16 local government areas. She noted that Governor Biodun Oyebanji acknowledged the trauma, distress, and uncertainty suffered by the victims…
A Pan-African digital payments platform, Onafriq Nigeria Payments Ltd, has announced a partnership with the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to pilot Africa’s first wallet-based outbound cross-border payments from Nigeria to Ghana. In a statement released on Tuesday, Onafriq said the pilot — approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) — enables instant cross-border transfers fully in naira, eliminating the need for hard-currency conversion. The service is being rolled out in collaboration with banks and mobile money operators. The initiative is designed to deliver seamless intra-African payments for individuals, merchants, and traders, with a strong focus on small…
Mr Christopher Ugbebor, a software engineer, has urged businesses to invest in security controls, employee training and continuous system improvement to curb cyber threats and protect their operations, data and reputation. Ugbebor made the call in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Abuja, noting that cybersecurity has become a strategic business issue requiring a comprehensive and proactive approach. He said the rising rate of cyber-attacks was a wake-up call for organizations to take decisive action to safeguard their digital assets. According to him, effectively addressing cybersecurity challenges requires a combination of technology, people and processes. “As organizations increasingly rely…
The dominance of middlemen and weak agricultural market structures have been identified as major factors driving up food prices in Nigeria. Mr John Olateru, National First Deputy President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), disclosed this in an interview with reporters in Ibadan on Tuesday. He said farmers were largely unable to control the pricing and distribution of farm produce due to inadequate storage and processing facilities, as well as limited access to structured markets. According to him, middlemen often take advantage of farmers’ financial pressure immediately after harvest to buy produce at very low prices. Olateru, who…
Technicians and systems administrators in the public sector on Monday in Abuja received training on artificial intelligence (AI) data compliance and procedural fairness. The workshop, organized by Nelphia Consulting, a firm specializing in emerging technologies, was aimed at strengthening the technical capacity of public sector personnel. Dr Emeka Godspower, Chief Executive Officer of Nelphia Consulting, said the session was designed to bridge the gap between the rapid adoption of AI and the critical need for ethical safeguards. He noted that while data is a national asset, ethics is essential to making it truly valuable. “Our goal is not just to…