The Federal Government has pledged support for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) initiative aimed at mobilising investment to address climate-induced migration in West and Central Africa. The Minister of Environment, Mr Balarabe Lawal, made the commitment on Tuesday in Lagos at a regional conference organised by the IOM. Lawal, who was represented by the Director of Climate Change in the ministry, Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, said Nigeria would continue to support efforts to bridge the gap between climate policy and financing. The conference, themed “Migration and Climate Action in West and Central Africa: From Policy Commitment to Climate Mobility Investment,”…
Author: Newsdesk
The Lagos State Government has onboarded 19 accelerators for the implementation of the N10 billion Lagos State Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (LASMECO). LASMECO is a single-digit interest, collateral-free financing scheme targeted at cooperative-based Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The signing ceremony, held on Tuesday at the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment (MCCTI) office in Alausa, Ikeja, marked the formal commencement of the programme’s application and processing phase for eligible cooperative societies across the state. Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, described the selection of the accelerators as rigorous, transparent…
The Lagos State Government has identified mandatory health insurance and expanded public-private partnerships as key to closing a N100 billion healthcare funding gap and achieving universal health coverage. The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this on Tuesday at the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, Ikeja. The briefing formed part of activities marking the seventh anniversary of the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat. Abayomi said the state was intensifying reforms aimed at expanding insurance coverage, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, and positioning Lagos as a leading…
Gov. Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State has urged members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to uphold the values of discipline, unity, loyalty, and peaceful coexistence during their service year. Ododo gave the charge on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream II Orientation Course at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Asaya, Kogi. Represented by his Deputy, Joel Salifu, the governor commended the corps members for their exemplary conduct, teamwork, discipline, and patriotism throughout the three-week orientation exercise. He noted that the virtues displayed during the programme were strong indicators of a successful and impactful…
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, says only about 30 per cent of farmers in Nigeria currently use mechanised tools, while the majority still operate at subsistence level. The Deputy Chairman of the association, Mr. Shakin Agbayewa, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. Agbayewa attributed the low adoption of mechanisation to poor access to land, finance, and modern farm equipment. He noted that most farmers still rely on crude implements and manual labour, which limits productivity and prevents expansion into commercial farming. “Most farmers in Nigeria today are still subsistence farmers.…
Hopes for a peace deal between the US and Iran faded on Tuesday after President Donald Trump said a ceasefire with Iran was “on life support” as Tehran rejected a US proposal to end the conflict. Tehran also maintained its list of demands, which Trump described as “garbage.” READ ALSO: Nigeria’s UN envoy calls for urgent global action on security threats Iran has called for an end to the war on all fronts, including Lebanon, where US ally Israel is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. It also demanded sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, compensation for war damage, and an end…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said countries must not leave people stranded at sea when they have the capacity to safely manage health risks under the International Health Regulations. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the remark during an online media briefing on hantavirus, 10 days after the organisation was first notified of the health emergency. Ghebreyesus said WHO requested assistance from Ulisses Silva when the ship approached Cabo Verde, leading to the evacuation of three passengers who developed symptoms linked to the virus. He explained that the situation had exceeded Cabo Verde’s capacity to safely manage the complete disembarkation…
Dr. Kelechi Nwanchor, a lecturer at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), has called on the Federal and State Governments to invest in large-scale palm tree plantations. Nwanchor, who lectures in the Department of Crop Production and Landscape Management, made the call on Tuesday in Abakaliki while speaking with reporters at the university’s CAS Campus. He noted that Ebonyi State possesses vast arable land suitable for the rapid cultivation and growth of palm trees. The don described palm trees as highly valuable economic crops with enormous benefits across the agricultural, nutritional, and industrial sectors. “Palm trees are very important across the…
The Lagos State Government says malaria prevalence in the state has declined significantly over the past 15 years, dropping from 15 per cent in 2010 to 2 per cent in 2025. The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this on Tuesday at the 2026 Lagos State Ministerial Press Briefing in Ikeja. The briefing was held to commemorate the third year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office. Abayomi, however, noted that the state is facing a major shortage of healthcare workers. He said Lagos requires an additional 30,000 doctors and 40,000 nurses to meet its growing healthcare…
The naira recorded a mild decline against the British pound at the opening trading session of the week, closing at N1,885.8/£1 in the Nigerian foreign exchange market on Monday. The local currency has largely traded within the N1,825–N1,950/£1 range in recent weeks amid evolving economic conditions in the United Kingdom and ongoing liquidity management measures by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Analysts attributed the latest movement partly to market reactions to the Bank of England interest rate outlook and global risk sentiment. Nigeria’s benchmark monetary policy rate remains elevated at 26.5%, a factor analysts say continues to support foreign portfolio…