A don, Dr Esther Babatunde, says waste cooking oil generated by restaurants and households across Nigeria can be converted into high-quality biodiesel capable of powering generators, trucks and industrial equipment. Babatunde, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Ilorin, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. Speaking on her research into renewable energy and waste valorisation, she said biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil could significantly reduce energy costs, environmental pollution and Nigeria’s dependence on fuel imports. Waste valorisation refers to the process of converting waste materials into useful products…
Author: Newsdesk
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has expressed concern over the rising rate of drug abuse among youths in the country. The agency said substance abuse among young people had become a major public health and social challenge in Nigeria. The Deputy Commander of the NDLEA in Osun State, Mrs Oluwatoyin Adegoke, stated this on Tuesday while delivering a lecture at a two-day orientation programme for newly admitted students of the Federal University of Health Sciences (FUHSI), Ila-Orangun, Osun State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture was themed “Healthy Living on Campus: Avoiding Drug Abuse…
An endocrinologist based in Bauchi, Dr Ayuba Mugana, has warned that smokers and individuals with cholesterol-related health conditions are at higher risk of developing diabetes. Mugana disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Bauchi. Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body converts food into energy. It occurs when blood sugar (glucose) levels become abnormally high, leading to various health complications. Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger and unintended weight loss. The endocrinologist explained that smoking disrupts insulin function and causes inflammation in the body. “Insulin is a crucial hormone that regulates…
The National President of the Association of Trauma Healing Facilitators (ASTHEF), Mr Samuel Pender, has advised individuals experiencing trauma or emotional distress to speak out and seek help early. Pender gave the advice on Tuesday in Lagos while speaking with reporters, stressing that timely intervention was crucial to preventing depression and other mental health challenges. He said that while it was natural for people to feel pain when faced with unpleasant situations, the ability to rise above such challenges was essential for emotional wellbeing. According to him, the inability of some individuals to forgive themselves or others after being offended…
The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State chapter, has dismissed claims of egg scarcity in the state, insisting that eggs are abundant and selling at relatively low prices. The chapter’s Chairman, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, stated this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. Iyiola reiterated that there was a surplus of eggs in the state, contrary to reports of scarcity in some areas. “I want to say clearly that eggs are available in Lagos. There is no scarcity of eggs in the state. “Wherever people are experiencing scarcity, it is not a natural shortage. It may be…
The Managing Director of FairMoney Microfinance Bank, Mr Henry Obiekea, says technology-enabled banking has helped to raise formal financial inclusion in Nigeria to over 64 per cent in 2025. Obiekea said this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Lagos, noting that mobile-first and digitally delivered financial services were bridging the country’s financial inclusion gap. “By extending regulated banking beyond physical locations into everyday devices, licensed microfinance banks and other regulated institutions are bringing millions of Nigerians into the formal economy. “This approach helped push formal financial inclusion to over 64 per cent in 2025, ensuring that the last mile…
A Gombe-based cardiologist, Dr Abubakar Sani, has warned that excessive consumption of sugary drinks increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases among children. Sani said frequent intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) could predispose children to heart disease, hypertension and Type 2 diabetes. The consultant cardiologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, made the disclosure in an interview with reporters on Monday. He cautioned parents against excessive consumption of sugary drinks, noting the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) linked to such beverages. According to him, greater attention must be paid to the negative impact of sugary drinks on children’s heart health.…
MultiChoice Nigeria has announced the appointment of Kemi Omotosho as its new Chief Executive Officer following the retirement of John Ugbe. The company, in a statement on Monday, said Omotosho’s appointment will take effect from January 2026. Ugbe is stepping down after nearly 15 years in charge of the pay-TV company, during which he led the business through major industry and market changes. Omotosho has over two decades of experience across media, telecommunications, and digital services in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. She has previously held senior positions within the MultiChoice Group, including Executive Head of Customer Value Management in Nigeria…
With Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) emerging as an increasingly severe crisis for South Africa’s livestock sector, many intervention efforts such as reliable vaccine supply, accelerating livestock identification, enforcing movement controls, expanding diagnostic capacity and intensifying national awareness campaigns continue to be embraced. Additionally, local and global stockholders are roped in to complement government-led containment measures, recognising that the highly contagious transboundary disease poses not only a production challenge but also a long-term threat to trade, rural livelihoods and food security across South Africa and the wider region. Among the stakeholders is Biogénesis Bagó, one of the world’s leading companies in Foot-and-Mouth…
Foot-and-mouth disease must be declared a national disaster. To save the livestock industry, regulations must be amended to shift pressure away from the state which has failed dismally in its responsibilities to the private sector and to farmers themselves. Since Minister Steenhuisen’s announcement in November 2025 that all cattle (approximately 14 million) would be vaccinated, pigs and calves have begun dying from the disease. The dairy, red meat and stud livestock industries have been plunged into an existential crisis, and the Department of Agriculture, which is legally mandated to control and manage the disease, has largely lost the trust of…