The C-Circle Foundation for Sustainable Health and Environment has launched a nationwide campaign to end the consumption of ‘nzu’ (edible clay), a hidden source of lead poisoning in Nigeria. The campaign, held in Abuja on Wednesday, coincided with the 2025 International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. It was themed, “No Safe Level: Act Now to End Lead Exposure”, and supported by the Lead Exposure Elimination Project (LEEP). Dr. Chimere-May Ohajinwa, an environmental toxicologist and head of the C-Circle Foundation, warned that nzu poses both chemical and hygienic risks, as it is often sold uncovered and handled without proper hygiene. “While attention…
Author: Newsdesk
The Better Health for Rural Women, Children, and Internally Displaced Foundation (BERWO) has enrolled 10,000 pregnant women in Ebonyi State into the State Health Insurance Agency (EBSHIA) scheme at no cost to them. The Founder of BERWO and Wife of the Governor, Mrs. Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, announced this on Wednesday during the inauguration of the second phase of the enrolment in Abakaliki. The programme was organized in collaboration with EBSHIA. According to Nwifuru, the initiative ensures that women have access to quality antenatal care, safe delivery, postnatal services, and emergency medical care without financial burden. “This life-changing programme captures 10,000 pregnant…
Lifelong Learning and Capacity Development Limited, in partnership with Ashoka Africa, has urged teachers to become agents of change by instilling values of empathy, initiative, and collaboration in their students to tackle real-life challenges. The call was made during a one-day capacity-building programme held on Wednesday in Osogbo, Osun State, for 62 senior secondary school teachers selected from across the 30 local government areas of the state. The training workshop, themed “The Changemaker Teachers: Time for Change,” is part of the Changemaker Teachers Activation Programme (CTEACH), aimed at equipping educators to mentor students in leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. Mr. Biola…
Moniepoint, a leading business payments and personal banking platform, has launched “M”, Nigeria’s first artificial intelligence-powered chatbot, to support the growth and understanding of the country’s informal economy. Unveiled by Mr. Babatunde Olofin, Managing Director of Moniepoint MFB, during the presentation of the 2025 Nigeria Informal Economy Report, the chatbot is built on advanced Large Language Model (LLM) technology to deliver conversational, easy-to-understand insights. Olofin said “M” is designed to make data on small businesses and informal trade accessible and actionable for policymakers, researchers, journalists, and the public. “This reflects our belief that technology should serve people — especially everyday…
The Federal Government and ActionAid Nigeria have reiterated their commitment to ending poverty by 2030 through a coordinated, accountable, and inclusive approach that empowers citizens and rewards productivity. The assurance was given on Wednesday in Abuja during the ongoing High-Level National Dialogue on Rethinking Poverty Reduction Strategies in Nigeria. Organised by ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), the dialogue, themed “Prospecting for an Improved Living for Our Communities”, aims to tackle the alarming rise in multidimensional poverty affecting 61 per cent of Nigerians and promote community-driven strategies for sustainable poverty eradication. ActionAid Country Director, Mr. Andrew Mamedu, emphasized that poverty eradication requires shared…
The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) Stroke Unit on Wednesday organised free medical tests and distributed medications to indigent residents of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. The outreach forms part of activities to commemorate the 2025 World Stroke Day. Speaking to journalists at the event, the Head of the Stroke Unit, Prof. Kolawole Wahab, said World Stroke Day 2025 underscores the urgent global call for action on stroke prevention, care, and recovery. “The theme for this year, ‘Every Minute Counts,’ emphasizes the critical importance of timely intervention in saving lives from stroke,” Wahab said. He noted that hypertension is…
A coalition of stakeholders under the auspices of the National Cassava Industrialisation Group (NCIG) has endorsed the Cassava Flour Mandatory Inclusion into Flour Production Establishment Bill currently before the National Assembly. The National Convenor of NCIG, Dr. Tony Bello, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, noting that the coalition had submitted a memorandum in support of the bill to the legislature. The proposed bill seeks to establish a legal and regulatory framework for the mandatory inclusion of cassava flour in edible flour production, in line with the Federal Government’s policy to promote cassava farming, create sustainable markets for cassava…
The National Park Service (NPS) has reaffirmed its commitment to complying with global biosphere reserve regulations and guidelines as recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Conservator of the Cross River National Park, CP Joseph Ntui, stated this on Thursday in Akamkpa, Cross River, during an interview on the sidelines of a UNESCO-supported biodiversity business training for 12 communities around the Oban Biosphere Reserve. The training, focused on fishery, poultry, and piggery, aims to provide alternative sources of income, reduce dependence on forest resources, and promote sustainable resource management. It was sponsored by the India-UN Development…
An Abuja-based medical practitioner, Dr. Ikechukwu Orji, has revealed that 30 per cent of residents screened in the Kaba community of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were found to be hypertensive. Orji, who heads the Primary Health Care Department in Kwali Area Council, made the disclosure during a free medical outreach he led to the community on Wednesday. He added that preliminary screenings also showed that 10 per cent of participants had abnormal blood sugar levels, indicating possible diabetes. Describing the findings as “deeply concerning,” Orji said the diabetes rate in Kaba was more than three times the national average…
The Linguistic Association of Nigeria (LAN) has urged the Federal Government to halt any move to reverse the 2022 National Language Policy, warning that such action would undermine the country’s educational progress and cultural identity. This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the association’s 36th Annual Conference held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, and made available to journalists in Abuja. The communiqué was signed by Prof. Gideon Omachonu, the association’s National President. Omachonu described the proposed reversal as a major national setback that would negate decades of research, consultation, and international collaboration. He explained that…