A laboratory scientist, Mr Adeleke Olaoluwa, has called for stronger legislation and regulatory reforms to curb quackery in medical practice, warning that it endangers patients and undermines the credibility of laboratory science services. Olaoluwa, the Publicity Secretary of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos Chapter, made the call in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Lagos. He identified quackery as a major threat to the credibility of medical laboratory science services in the country. “It is heartbreaking that qualified laboratory scientists are not manning some laboratory diagnostic centres in the country,” Olaoluwa said. He urged…
Author: Newsdesk
Dr Abu Babatunde, a medical doctor abducted alongside his brother in Auchi, Edo State, on Jan. 1, has regained his freedom after spending two weeks in captivity. Babatunde, a house officer at Edo University Teaching Hospital, Iyamho, was kidnapped alongside his younger brother, Abu Tahir, a newly graduated medical doctor from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. The two brothers were abducted at the gate of their residence in Igbira Camp, Auchi, shortly after returning from work. The abductors initially demanded a ransom of N200 million for the duo. However, the incident took a tragic turn on Jan. 6 when Tahir was…
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has announced plans to commission a series of research studies aimed at expanding health insurance coverage in Nigeria. The authority said this is coming as millions of Nigerians continue to pay for healthcare services out-of-pocket. NHIA disclosed this on its official website on Thursday, noting that it has invited qualified consultants and firms to submit Expressions of Interest (EOI). According to the authority, the invitation, issued through its Procurement Department, is for the conduct of various research projects targeted at scaling up health insurance coverage nationwide. It said the initiative, captured in its 2025…
The Bauchi State Ministry of Housing and Environment has renewed its warning to residents to desist from bush burning, describing the practice as a serious threat to the environment, public health and efforts to combat climate change. The Director of Climate Change in the ministry, Mr Nasiru Umar, gave the warning in an interview with journalists on Thursday in Bauchi. Umar expressed concern over the increasing incidence of bush burning across the state, noting that the practice—commonly associated with some farmers, hunters and individuals—has become a major environmental challenge requiring urgent attention. He explained that many farmers still rely on…
Moniepoint Inc., a digital financial services provider, has announced the opening of applications for the second cohort of its flagship DreamDevs initiative, aimed at strengthening Africa’s technology talent pipeline. The company disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its Chief Technology Officer, Mr Felix Ike. Ike said the programme, which is open to recent graduates across Nigeria, is designed to bridge the tech talent gap by equipping young professionals with industry-ready skills and real-world experience. According to him, DreamDevs is structured as a national talent search for high-potential software engineers, with only 20 candidates selected annually for an…
The Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-assisted Value Chain Development Programme Additional Financing (VCDP-AF), has launched a three-week training programme for 20 youth farmers in Kogi State. The training, organized by the Kogi State VCDP in partnership with the Nigeria-Korean Institute of Vocational and Advanced Technology (NKFI), Lokoja, commenced on Wednesday. Launching the programme, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Timothy Ojomah, congratulated the participants on their selection and urged them to make the most of the opportunity. He said the initiative was designed to equip youths with practical skills in the…
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology (STI), Dr Kingsley Udeh, says the Federal Government is prioritising strategic STI development to strengthen Nigeria’s scientific capacity and position the country as a leading scientific hub in Africa. Udeh stated this on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving fellows of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Kuo Sharper Center Foundry Fellows in his office. According to the minister, Nigeria’s vision for science, technology and innovation is anchored on a clear ambition to rank among the world’s leading scientific powers, as outlined in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. “Nigeria’s STI vision is…
The Oyo State Government has denied claims that it demolished a property belonging to a former Deputy Governor, Mr Rauf Olaniyan, describing the allegation as false and misleading. The Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Mr Williams Akin-Funmilayo, refuted the claim on Wednesday in Ibadan. Akin-Funmilayo said officials of the ministry only removed a fence erected on an undeveloped parcel of land after it blocked a service road linking the community to the expressway. The commissioner spoke during an on-the-spot assessment of the site at Temidire Zone 1, along the Bodija/Ojoo Expressway in Ibadan. He explained that Olaniyan had been…
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening Nigeria–United States cooperation on data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), capacity building and cybersecurity. The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, made this known on Wednesday at the Nigeria Data Privacy Capacity Building Workshop organized by the U.S. Department of State in Abuja. The workshop was organized in collaboration with the Nigerian Mission and other key stakeholders in the digital ecosystem. Inuwa said the partnership formed part of a deliberate and growing effort by both countries to address emerging digital challenges and harness new opportunities. He recalled that in…
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) says noise pollution topped environmental complaints in 2025, accounting for 3,300 of the 8,437 cases recorded across the state. The General Manager of LASEPA, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, disclosed this during the agency’s Annual Performance Appraisal and Media Parley held in Ikeja. Ajayi said the agency shut down 244 facilities—including hotels, churches, mosques and warehouses—between January and December 2025 for violating environmental regulations. He explained that the actions followed sustained monitoring, compliance and enforcement exercises carried out across households, markets, service centres and places of worship statewide. According to him, more than 200 hospitality…