The Federal Government/International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), says 1,420 persons have benefited from the project from September 2024 to date. LIFE-ND funded by the Federal Government/IFAD is being implemented by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with counterpart funding from nine participating states in the Niger Delta region. Mr Solomon Joe, State Project Coordinator, said this on the sidelines of a media tour of the project facilities on Sunday at Ibetu community in Mbo Local Government Area of the state. Joe was represented by Mfon Umoeka, Knowledge Management and Communication Officer…
Author: Newsdesk
An Abuja-based cleric and legal scholar, Rev. Fr. Anthony Azuwike, says Nigeria’s Mental Health Act signed in 2023 is progressive but has not fully decriminalised attempted suicide nationwide under existing laws. Azuwike, Head of Department, Private and Property Law at Veritas University Abuja, made the observation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday concerning mental health. According to him, the Act replaced the outdated 1958 Lunacy Act and recognises attempted suicide as a psychiatric emergency, but criminal provisions within Nigeria’s Penal and Criminal Codes remain enforceable today. “The Mental Health Act was signed into…
The operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a 36-year-old businessman, Nwanwene Robinson Destiny, with 1,020 pills of tramadol 225mg and tapentadol 200mg concealed in his luggage while attempting to board a Royal Air Maroc flight to Milan, Italy, where he’s based. The businessman was arrested at the terminal II departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos State, on December 18, 2025. The NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, said the suspect claimed the successful trafficking of the opioids to Italy would have fetched him €200 from the person…
The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) says it is intensifying efforts to secure legislative backing for the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP). The Director-General of NADDC, Mr Joseph Osanipin, during an interactive session with journalist in Abuja, said to guarantee policy stability and attract long-term investment into Nigeria’s automotive sector. Osanipin said that while the NAIDP currently exists as a policy framework, it must be strengthened through an Act of Parliament to give investors confidence. He said automotive manufacturing required huge capital outlay as establishing a functional auto manufacturing plant could cost between three and four billion…
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, says ongoing reforms are restoring confidence in Nigeria’s health system while addressing longstanding grievances of health workers. Pate stated this on Sunday in a broadcast posted on his verified X handle, @muhammadpate, where he reflected on decades of challenges faced by health professionals. The broadcast also reflected the progress recorded in the last two and a half years of his administration as a minister. He acknowledged that for years, health workers served Nigerians under difficult conditions with limited recognition, noting that successive governments failed to provide an enabling environment…
Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, have expressed worry over the high cost of beef, chicken and other livestock, as Christmas festivities approaches. They expressed concerns in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja. The residents described the price situation as being a setback to their celebration. According to them, the cost of these livestock have almost doubled in markets across the city, forcing families to cut portions or go for cheaper alternatives. Meanwhile, others said that sharing costs with extended families, groups or friends have helped to keep the festive spirit…
Nigeria recorded modest improvement in health financial risk protection in 2024, as out-of-pocket (OOP) spending fell to 58.3 per cent of total health expenditure, the National Health Accounts (NHA) 2023–2024 revealed. The NHA report was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja, by the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) meeting of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). NAN reports that the NHA is produced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Budget Office, the Office of the Accountant-General…
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Olabisi Onabanjo University chapter, has awarded scholarships worth N6.2m to 31 indigent students of the institution. The Chairperson of ASUU, OOU chapter, Dr Ganiyu Yinusa, said in a statement on Sunday that the gesture was part of the union’s sustained commitment to equity, expanded access to education and student welfare. Yinusa stated that each beneficiary received N200,000, bringing the total value of the scholarship intervention to N6.2m. “The financial support is intended to assist the students in the payment of school fees and other approved charges for the 2025/2026 academic session, thereby easing the…
Heirs Energies Ltd., has sealed a 750 million dollars financing agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The agreement was signed by Mr Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Dr George Elombi, the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Afreximbank, in Abuja on Saturday. It aims to boost the company’s drive for energy efficiency. Elumelu described the agreement as a clear manifestation of Africa’s capital working for African businesses. He commended Afreximbank for supporting the growth of African businesses, describing it as the most impactful and catalytic financial institution in Africa. He urged African business leaders…
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced the minimum order for petrol from 500,000 litres to 250,000 litres, allowing more marketers to purchase directly from the refinery. The gantry price remains N699 per litre, following a recent N129 reduction from N828 per litre in December 2025. The disclosure was made via the company’s official X account on Saturday. What Dangote Refinery is saying According to a post on the Dangote Refinery X account, both existing and new customers can now access a 10-day credit facility, backed by a bank guarantee, when purchasing the smaller volume. “Petrol Minimum Order Quantity “BEFORE 500,000 Litres “NOW 250,000 Litres “Gantry Price: N699/litre,” the post read in part. The company also highlighted that…