Entrepreneur and Nollywood filmmaker Mbong Sule says commercialising Cross River State’s agricultural resources can create opportunities across the value chain and complement the state’s tourism potential. Sule said this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. She is pursuing the initiative through her company, Southern Girl Co. Ltd., which sources raw honey from Obudu and processes it for consumers beyond the state. She noted that the state is widely associated with tourism and natural attractions despite its significant agricultural resources. Developing products from these resources, she said, could create businesses around local production while attracting wider attention from…
Author: Newsdesk
Stakeholders in the livestock, environment and health sectors have renewed their commitment to ending rabies by 2030 through sustained public awareness, animal vaccination and improved access to post-exposure treatment. They made the pledge at a symposium in Abuja to mark the 2026 World Rabies Day. The stakeholders included the CORE Group Partners Project, the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the War Against Rabies Foundation, among others. Dr Lami Samaila, Secretariat Director of the CORE Group Partners Project, said sustained awareness, responsible animal ownership, timely reporting and surveillance were critical to preventing rabies. She said…
Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo on Monday launched the “Zero Hunger Agricultural Empowerment Programme” for the distribution of crop seedlings to 1,000 households across the state. Uzodimma said the distribution, which took place in Owerri in partnership with the Young Professionals for Tinubu (YP4T), was designed to achieve self-sufficiency in food production. He said the objective was to mitigate the current national economic challenges. He also said that while the Federal Government’s economic reforms include palliatives, sustainable national growth requires citizens to transition from receiving relief items to active food production. “There is no way Nigeria will move if we…
The Federal Government has urged states and Local Government Authorities (LGAs) to intensify annual mass dog vaccination to prevent human deaths from rabies. Dr Chinyere Akunjobi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD), made the call on Monday in Abuja at a symposium to commemorate World Rabies Day. World Rabies Day is marked annually on September 28. The 2026 theme is “Stronger Together”. Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Livestock Development, Mr Idi Maiha, Akunjobi said no Nigerian should die from a dog bite because the disease is preventable through vaccination and appropriate response. She said a dog-bite…
Veterinary experts have urged pig farmers to stop the free-range system and strengthen biosecurity measures following outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the country. Dr Abdulrahman Adamu, a lecturer in the Department of Animal Health and Production Technology, Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, gave the advice in an interview with reporters on Monday. Adamu said ASF was a deadly viral disease whose mortality could reach 100 per cent in susceptible pig populations. He said the disease affected domestic and wild pigs, including wild boars, warthogs and bushpigs. According to him, the virus spreads through direct contact between healthy and infected pigs,…
Zacuten Technologies has urged Nigeria to strengthen financial-crime safeguards as businesses increasingly move millions of dollars across borders. The Chief Executive Officer of Zacuten Technologies, Mr Godsreal Ojinaka, made the call in an article made available to reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. Ojinaka said faster cross-border payments must be matched by stronger transaction monitoring, due diligence, financial intelligence and mechanisms for tracing and recovering disputed funds. He said Nigeria’s growing digital economy had expanded international commerce, but businesses could face significant risks when high-value transactions involving multiple jurisdictions went wrong. Ojinaka cited Zacuten’s experience in a disputed 2026 cross-border transaction…
The Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU) on Monday conferred its prestigious Shield Award on President Bola Tinubu in recognition of his commitment to the welfare and interests of Nigerian workers. The National President of the union, Comrade Oluwole Sunday, presented the honour to the President during the NCSU’s 114th anniversary celebration held in Abuja. The Shield Award, described as the union’s highest honour, is reserved for individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service, commitment and dedication to the advancement of Nigerian workers. The award was received on behalf of President Tinubu by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo,…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed the major opposition parties as “just participants” in the 2027 general elections, with its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, insisting that the ruling party is better prepared for the polls. Yilwatda spoke on Saturday at the end of a three-day retreat for members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) in Maiduguri, Borno State, where he said the party had completed key preparations, including the inauguration of campaign councils and reconciliation committees. He said the APC was confident in the candidates produced through its primaries and would intensify its campaign by highlighting the…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has called for increased investment in agroecology to strengthen Africa’s food security, climate resilience and sustainable agricultural development. Dr Hussein Gadain, FAO Representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, made the call on Monday while delivering his address at the Agricultural Fund for Sustainable Agriculture (AGRECOFARM) final conference in Abeokuta. The event was held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB). Gadain, represented by Dr Nifesimi Ogunkua, FAO Nigeria Climate Change Specialist, said agroecology offers practical pathways to address Africa’s food, environmental and socioeconomic challenges. He said Africa’s agrifood systems are under exceptional pressure, noting…
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kaduna State Chapter, has debunked concerns surrounding TELA Maize, saying the variety has reduced production losses and improved farmers’ earnings. The AFAN Chairman in Kaduna, Nuhu Aminu, disclosed this on the sidelines of a field day organised by the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, on Thursday. The event was organised in collaboration with Biotech Maize Seed Systems (BMSS) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) at Tashar Dundu, Giwa Local Government Area, Kaduna State. Themed “Eating is Believing,” the event featured public tasting of various foods prepared from…