Prof. David Houeto, Professor of Health Promotion at the Université de Parakou, has called on West African countries to develop local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity to produce essential medicines for the region. Houeto made the appeal in an interview with reporters on Monday in Abuja, stressing that the region’s heavy reliance on imported medicines threatens health security and development. “If we truly want development, we need healthy manpower. Our governments must act now to build strong and healthy nations,” he said. He noted that countries such as Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, and Benin are capable of producing medicines individually or…
Author: Newsdesk
The University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, did not discharge patients on admission over the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) proposed strike slated for Jan. 12, the President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Dr Uthman Adedeji, has said. NARD had earlier threatened to resume its suspended strike on Jan. 12 over the Federal Government’s alleged failure to meet its welfare-related demands, including issues bordering on promotions, allowances and working conditions. It was, however, reported that the intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima led to the suspension of the proposed strike for two weeks. A visit to the hospital…
The Nigerian Software Testing Qualifications Board (NGSTQB) says it will prioritize stronger, globally aligned software testing standards in 2026 to improve the reliability, security and trustworthiness of Nigeria’s digital systems. The President of NGSTQB, Mr Boye Dare, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Monday in Lagos. NGSTQB is a member board of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB®), the world’s leading organization for the certification of software testing professionals. Dare said the board’s focus for 2026 was to embed software quality as a standard expectation across both public and private sector digital services, as Nigeria’s digital transformation…
The Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists (NSA) has called for its involvement in the Lagos State Government’s investigation into alleged medical negligence surrounding the death of the son of renowned author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The society’s National President, Prof. Alhassan Mohammed, made the call in a statement obtained by reporters on Monday. Mohammed commended the Lagos State Government for initiating an investigation into the incident, expressing satisfaction that the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) had commenced the probe in line with the directive of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He noted that the alleged negligence appeared to centre on the physician…
The Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will on Wednesday, January 14, formalise a new agreement to improve Nigeria’s universities and ensure stability. The announcement was made in a statement released on Sunday in Abuja by Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education. The formalisation of this agreement follows years of engagement between the federal government and ASUU to address industrial disputes and improve the quality of education in Nigerian universities. The Ministry of Education said the ceremony will hold at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Conference Hall…
The price war in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has intensified, with several retail outlets slashing the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) below the ₦739 per litre benchmark recommended by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Ashenews gathered through Punch report that some filling stations now dispense petrol at prices lower than those of MRS Oil, the major retail partner endorsed by the Dangote refinery to implement the ₦739 per litre regime. During a survey over the weekend, it was observed that NIPCO sold petrol at ₦738 per litre, SAO stations offered it at ₦735, while Akiavic sold at ₦737 per litre.…
The startup programme for Web Summit Qatar 2026 has officially sold out, with more than 1,600 startups from across the globe confirmed to participate in the highly anticipated technology event scheduled for February 1–4 in Doha. In a press release issued on January 11, 2026, organisers said the event floor has also reached full capacity, with several leading global companies already signed on as partners. They include IBM, TikTok, Microsoft, Huawei, Qatar Airways, and Snapchat, among others. The organisers noted that ticket demand continues to rise rapidly, adding that the entire event is expected to sell out in the coming…
Renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie has demanded accountability from a private hospital in Lagos, accusing it of medical negligence and professional impropriety following the death of her 21-month-old son, Nkanu Nnamdi, after undergoing medical procedures. Reliable sources reports that in a detailed legal notice dated January 10, 2026, solicitors acting for Adichie and her partner, Dr Ivara Esege, alleged that the hospital, its anaesthesiologist and attending medical personnel breached the duty of care owed to their son, Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, who died in the early hours of January 7, 2026. According to the notice, the child, born on March 25, 2024, was referred to…
The Kano State Government has announced plans to train no fewer than 50,000 youths across the state in 2026 as part of efforts to curb unemployment and promote economic self-reliance. Governor Abba Yusuf disclosed this on Sunday during the distribution of empowerment packages to 2,260 graduates of eight entrepreneurship skills institutes at the Government House, Kano. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Dawakin Tofa, the initiative is aimed at equipping young people with practical skills to enable them to become productive contributors to the state’s economy. Speaking at the event, Yusuf said the programme…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted dust haze and cloudiness from Sunday to Tuesday across the country.NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged moderate dust haze on Monday over the northern region throughout the forecast period.NiMet predicted thick dust haze over the central region throughout the forecast period with moderate dust haze over the inland cities of the southern region. It predicted sunny skies with patches of clouds over the coastal region with chances of isolated thunderstorms accompanied with light rains over parts of Lagos, Bayelsa and Rivers States later in the day. The agency predicted moderate dust…