Akwa Ibom has been ranked the cleanest state in Nigeria for 2025, with a accumulative score of 79 per cent according to the State of the Nigerian Environment Report STONE 2025 Mr Ene Owoh, National Coordinator Clean-Up Nigeria said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Wednesday. “Akwa Ibom won the Stone 2025 Unbroken Green Crystal award Trophy and medal of service award for the 8th consecutive times, from 2018 to 2025. Owoh who is also the Secretary of the National Technical Study Group (NTSG), said that the results were arrived at, during the…
Author: Newsdesk
Rural female farmers who once struggled to access formal markets are now supplying fresh produce to major South African retailers, schools and lodges following a successful training programme in Mpumalanga. A women-focused business and skills initiative, convened by UVU Africa in partnership with Absa Bank, the African Development Bank and the Mpumalanga Green Cluster Agency, equipped 25 women farmers with the practical skills and confidence to integrate into the region’s agricultural supply chain. The pilot programme, launched last year in Bushbuckridge, addressed key barriers to women’s participation in the agricultural economy, including limited access to training, market opportunities, technology, and financial management…
Both crop and livestock farmers employ a wide range of vehicles on their farms. From the faithful, hard-working farm bakkie to more specialised equipment for harvesting, livestock maintenance and even minor earthworks, keeping these machines running well is a key imperative – and often a significant headache – for farmers. Trevor Wentzel, sales rep for lubrication specialists Lubrication Engineers (LE) South Africa in Rustenburg in North West province says that he sees significant opportunity for farmers to benefit from high-quality lubricants that can ease their maintenance burden. Wentzel, who has personal experience working on and managing game farms, says, “Something…
A joint research project by the US based Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) and the University of Minnesota (UMN) presented new findings on the genetic basis of lameness in dairy cows at the World Dairy Expo 2025 in Wisconsin. The results confirm that lameness is not just a management challenge – it is also heritable to a meaningful degree, indicating that targeted breeding strategies could reduce it over time. These new insights have been enabled through the use of large, consistent datasets collected via AI-based CattleEye video system, distributed globally by GEA. For the first time, researchers have access…
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and health stakeholders have called for strengthened collaboration to combat HIV/AIDS, especially in rural communities where access to information and services remains limited. Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja at the FCT Integrated Symposium commemorating the 2025 World AIDS Day. The event, organized by the FCT Health Secretariat, had the sub-theme: “Innovation, Collaboration and Integration: Securing the Future of HIV and the ATM Response in Nigeria.” Fasawe, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babagana Adams, stressed the importance of active…
The Oyo State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to reshaping urban development through a coordinated and technology-driven framework. Executive Adviser to the Governor on New Towns and Cities Development Authority, Mrs. Foluke Adebiyi, stated this on Tuesday in Ibadan while briefing journalists. Adebiyi said the agency was established to streamline the expansion of towns and cities in line with the state government’s urbanization agenda, with the overall goal of transforming Oyo’s urban landscape. She outlined the agency’s core mandate as designing and guiding development in Ibadan and other major towns using a scientifically informed blueprint that considers population growth, migration…
UN Women has called on traditional rulers across Nigeria to intensify efforts to end Gender-Based Violence (GBV), particularly emerging forms of technology-facilitated abuse that increasingly threaten women and girls both online and within communities. The appeal was made on Tuesday in Abuja during the National Convening of Traditional Leaders on GBV Prevention, held as part of activities marking the 2025 Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. UN Women Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Beatrice Eyong, warned that violence against women was evolving rapidly, with digital platforms becoming new avenues for harassment, exploitation and intimidation. She said these emerging…
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to oral health services, particularly for vulnerable populations, by increasing funding and strengthening key programmes aimed at improving national oral health outcomes. Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, outlined the plans on Tuesday during the 2025 National Oral Health Week and Noma Awareness Day, emphasizing the administration’s determination to address preventable oral diseases. He explained that additional resources would be channeled through the restructured Basic Health Care Provision Fund to support improved service delivery, facility upgrades and equitable access to oral health interventions across primary…
The United Kingdom Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) has launched a new project to strengthen private sector capacity for climate and clean-air action in Nigeria. The initiative, titled “Transport Climate Action: Boosting Business Leadership for Clean Air in Nigeria,” was unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja. The project aims to reduce carbon emissions and accelerate low-carbon, inclusive economic growth, with a strong focus on the transport sector. It brought together businesses, policymakers, regulators, financial institutions and civil society organizations. Dr Emmanuel Onwodi, Project Lead at Escher Silverman Global Air Pollution, said the intervention was driven by the rising burden…
The Bloomberg Philanthropies Investment’s implementing partner in Nigeria has adopted the Tanzanian Safer Birth Bundle of Care programme (SBBC) toward tackling the maternal mortality problem in Borno. Prof. Hadiza Galadanci, Nigeria’s lead implementing partner for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Investment, made this known during the inception of engagement with state government officials and other stakeholders in Maiduguri. SBBC was aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths. It consists of innovative clinical and training tools for improved labour care and newborn resuscitation, integrated with new strategies for continuous quality improvement. Galadanci said that infant mortality and perinatal mortality have reduced very little in…