Gov. Mohammed Bago of Niger State has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to comprehensive health reforms, stronger systems and sustainable partnerships to improve access, quality and equity in healthcare delivery. Bago made this known at the opening of a two-day external retreat of the Niger State Ministry of Health on Friday in Kaduna. The retreat was supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The governor, who was represented by the Head of Service, Mr Abubakar Idris, said the state government remained committed to implementing its health sector agenda through stronger coordination, sustainability and system strengthening. He announced the merger of…
Author: Newsdesk
A Nigerian scientist, Prof. Iruka Okeke of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, has called for urgent reforms of Africa’s research supply chains to strengthen health research and development across the continent. Okeke made the call on Friday during a webinar, following a commentary published in Nature Health by African scientific leaders, amid growing disruptions in global health funding that threaten healthcare access and research advancement in Africa. According to her, persistent procurement and logistics bottlenecks continue to undermine health research and development (R&D) in many African countries. She said procurement and logistical processes across the continent were often…
The Cowpea and Beans Farmers Association of Nigeria has warned that low yields in the current harvest season may lead to an increase in the price of beans and cowpeas in the coming months. The President of the association, Mr Kabir Shuaibu, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Friday in Lagos. Shuaibu said that the prices of beans and cowpeas were currently at their lowest levels due to the peak of the harvest season. However, he noted that prices might rise slightly in the next few months because yields from the current harvest were lower compared with previous…
The Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ASPHCDA) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have assured parents and caregivers of the safety and effectiveness of the Measles–Rubella (MR) vaccine. The assurance was given on Friday during a media engagement organized by the Anambra State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with ASPHCDA and development partners, ahead of the introduction of the Measles–Rubella vaccination in the state. The Executive Secretary of ASPHCDA, Mrs Chisom Uchem, said the vaccination exercise would run from Feb. 5 to Feb. 15, targeting children aged nine months to 14 years. Uchem explained that the engagement…
The Federal Government has inaugurated committees to implement Nigeria’s National Intellectual Property Policy and Strategy (NIPPS), aimed at boosting innovation, trade competitiveness, and economic diversification. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, inaugurated the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee and Inter-Agency Coordination Group in Abuja on Friday. The policy was formally inaugurated in December 2025 after receiving Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval and endorsement from key stakeholders. Speaking at the inauguration, Oduwole noted that the policy implementation phase would deliver “tangible benefits to innovators, businesses, farmers, researchers and creators across the country.” She highlighted that Nigeria undertook a five-year inclusive audit of its intellectual…
Kenya set to establish national animal feed reserves to protect livestock and pastoralist livelihoods from recurring droughts that have previously wiped out more than 2.5 million animals and caused losses exceeding Sh50 billion. Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development Sen. Mutahi Kagwe announced the move on Tuesday in Embu County, saying the country must shift from reactive crisis management to permanent preparedness as drought becomes a recurring reality. “Drought is no longer an occasional emergency; it is now a recurring reality. Kenya must prepare permanently,” Kagwe said. “The establishment of national animal feed reserves will ensure that livestock owners…
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed March 9 for Judgment in a suit challenging the legal authority of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to remove elected state officials during a state of emergency. The argument canvased by counsel to parties in the suit during adoption of processes yesterday, revived a critical constitutional debate previously thought settled. The case, filed by the Civil Society Observatory for Constitutional and Legal Compliance (CSOCLC), specifically contests the President’s actions following the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State last year. The NGO argues that while the President may declare an…
A Rivers State High Court in Oyigbo Local Government Area sitting in Port Harcourt, has issued an interim order of injunction against the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and 32 others, including the clerk of the House and Chief Judge of Rivers State. The order restrained the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, from receiving, forwarding, considering and or acting on any request, resolution, articles of impeachment or other document or communication from one to 27 defendants for the purposes of constituting a panel to investigate the purported allegations of misconduct against the governor…
The Federal Government has announced ban on sand mining ten kilometer radius in River Niger as measures to protect the first and second Niger bridges. Minister of Works, David Umahi disclosed this in Asaba on Friday during the commissioning of second Niger bridge CCTV monitoring centre. The Minister said the Federal Executive Council took the decision to ban all mining of sands on the River Niger as part of efforts to protect critical federal infrastructure across the country. He further disclosed that tolling on the second Niger bridge will not commence until all the access roads at Anambra and Delta…
The newly established Ebonyi State Information and Communication Technology (ICT) University has begun academic session with 200 students admitted by the institution. The Governor disclosed this to newsmen on Friday, on the sidelines of the 2026 Oferekpe Day celebration, at Oferekpe Agbaja, in Izzi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, “Yes, the school has commenced academic activities; The institution is already alive, students have been admitted, and academic session is already on,” he said. The governor urged young people in the state and Nigeria at large, to take advantage of the opportunity by seeking admission into the university. “The…