Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, have expressed worry over the high cost of beef, chicken and other livestock, as Christmas festivities approaches. They expressed concerns in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. The residents described the price situation as being a setback to their celebration. According to them, the cost of these livestock have almost doubled in markets across the city, forcing families to cut portions or go for cheaper alternatives. Meanwhile, others said that sharing costs with extended families, groups or friends have helped to keep the festive spirit…
Author: Newsdesk
Nigeria recorded modest improvement in health financial risk protection in 2024, as out-of-pocket (OOP) spending fell to 58.3 per cent of total health expenditure, the National Health Accounts (NHA) 2023–2024 revealed. The NHA report was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, by the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). NAN reports that the NHA is produced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office, the Office of the Accountant-General…
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Olabisi Onabanjo University chapter, has awarded scholarships worth N6.2m to 31 indigent students of the institution. The Chairperson of ASUU, OOU chapter, Dr Ganiyu Yinusa, said in a statement on Sunday that the gesture was part of the union’s sustained commitment to equity, expanded access to education and student welfare. Yinusa stated that each beneficiary received N200,000, bringing the total value of the scholarship intervention to N6.2m. “The financial support is intended to assist the students in the payment of school fees and other approved charges for the 2025/2026 academic session, thereby easing the…
Heirs Energies Ltd., has sealed a 750 million dollars financing agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The agreement was signed by Mr Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Dr George Elombi, the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Afreximbank, in Abuja on Saturday. It aims to boost the company’s drive for energy efficiency. Elumelu described the agreement as a clear manifestation of Africa’s capital working for African businesses. He commended Afreximbank for supporting the growth of African businesses, describing it as the most impactful and catalytic financial institution in Africa. He urged African business leaders…
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced the minimum order for petrol from 500,000 litres to 250,000 litres, allowing more marketers to purchase directly from the refinery. The gantry price remains N699 per litre, following a recent N129 reduction from N828 per litre in December 2025. The disclosure was made via the company’s official X account on Saturday. What Dangote Refinery is saying According to a post on the Dangote Refinery X account, both existing and new customers can now access a 10-day credit facility, backed by a bank guarantee, when purchasing the smaller volume. “Petrol Minimum Order Quantity “BEFORE 500,000 Litres “NOW 250,000 Litres “Gantry Price: N699/litre,” the post read in part. The company also highlighted that…
The Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) has recorded yield increases of over 150 per cent across major crops, boosting food security and farmers’ incomes in Kano State. The Country Director of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), Dr Godwin Atser, disclosed this on Saturday at the KSADP/SAA Project Close-Out Workshop held in Kano. Atser said the gains were achieved through the crop value chain component of KSADP, implemented by SAA in partnership with the Kano State Government. He explained that the project, launched in 2020, was designed to address challenges faced by smallholder farmers, including low productivity, weak extension services,…
The Plateau State Ministry of Health has sealed the pharmacy of Zenith Life Hospital in Jos over allegations that an expired Ringer’s Lactate intravenous fluid was administered to a patient. The Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, disclosed this on Saturday while briefing journalists in Jos. Baamlong said investigations revealed that an expired Ringer’s Lactate infusion, batch number B21284, manufactured in November 2021 and due to expire in October 2024, was allegedly administered to the patient. He explained that the action followed a joint investigation by the ministry, the Plateau State Drugs and Medical Commodities Management Agency (DMCMA), the Pharmacy…
The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) has inaugurated a five-year food security and malaria prevention project aimed at empowering 1,200 vulnerable households in Katsina and Nasarawa states. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Senior Communications Manager of IHVN, Ms Uzoma Nwofor, on Saturday in Abuja. Nwofor said the project, which was inaugurated simultaneously in both states on Thursday, is designed to promote sustainable agriculture, improved nutrition practices and malaria prevention among vulnerable households. She explained that IHVN, which currently provides HIV services in four states, selected Katsina and Nasarawa based on empirical evidence of vulnerability, including…
Stakeholders and analysts in the health sector have warned of a significant funding gap for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) following the allocation of ₦2.48 trillion to the sector in the proposed 2026 budget. They spoke to reporters in Abuja on Saturday while reacting to the 2026 Appropriation Bill presented by President Bola Tinubu to the National Assembly on Friday. The stakeholders noted that the proposed allocation falls far short of the 15 per cent benchmark agreed by African Union member states under the 2001 Abuja Declaration on Health Financing. They said the impact of the funding shortfall would be felt…
The Wife of the Anambra Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, has stressed the need to equip children with cooking skills to enable them prepare nutritious meals and reduce dependence on junk food. Soludo made the call on Saturday at the 2025 Healthy Living Cooking and Quiz Competition held in Awka. She said the initiative was inspired by concerns that many young people lacked basic cooking skills, a gap that often pushed them towards unhealthy eating habits with negative health consequences. According to her, exposing children to healthy eating practices at an early age would help safeguard their wellbeing. “Teaching young people…