The World Bank has unveiled a new initiative, AgriConnect, aimed at boosting global food production and creating jobs, particularly in developing countries. The announcement was made in a statement issued during the ongoing Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group in Washington on Tuesday. According to the Bank, AgriConnect seeks to transform smallholder farming, which produces most of the world’s food, but still leaves millions of farmers in poverty due to limited access to finance, markets, and technology. “Supporting them to become commercially successful is critical to creating jobs, reducing poverty, and improving global food…
Author: Newsdesk
The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, has declared a state of emergency on the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) and constituted a committee to revitalize the institute. Malam Auwalu Umar, Director of the Public Affairs Directorate of the university, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Zaria. He said the revitalisation initiative aims to reposition NAPRI for greater impact in livestock research, breeding, and resource mobilisation. According to Umar, the NAPRI Reform and Strategic Transformation Committee is chaired by Prof. J. K. P. Kwaga of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. He quoted the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adamu Ahmed,…
Mrs. Florence Wenegieme, a Fellow of Disaster Risk Leadership, has urged the federal, state, and local governments to increase public investment in disaster prevention across Nigeria. Wenegieme, who is also a Fellow of the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria, made the call in a statement on Monday in Abuja to commemorate the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR). She also appealed to all tiers of government to ensure the effective implementation of policies that promote resilience and public safety. According to the immediate past Director-General of the Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department, increased investment in disaster prevention…
Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko has commenced a 21-day intensive training programme for 100 youths from the Sokoto Central Senatorial District on solar light installation, maintenance, and repair. The initiative, focusing on renewable energy and solar photovoltaic systems, aims to empower participants with practical skills for self-reliance and climate-friendly entrepreneurship. Each trainee will receive a complete working toolkit and a start-up allowance at the end of the exercise. Representing Senator Wamakko at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Almustafa Abubakar Alkali, said the programme complements the state government’s job creation efforts while promoting sustainable energy solutions. Speakers,…
The Federal Government on Monday launched the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Project (NZNP) to tackle climate change challenges and achieve Nigeria’s net-zero emissions target by 2060. Speaking at the NZNP inception workshop in Abuja, Director of Forestry at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Halima Bawa-Bwari, described the project as a milestone in Nigeria’s collective journey toward a climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, and inclusive future. She said the initiative aims to strengthen institutional coordination, enhance biodiversity, restore degraded ecosystems, and attract investments that promote nature-positive and low-carbon development. “The NZNP project offers a unique opportunity to address these challenges in an integrated and transformative way,”…
The Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has called on traditional rulers across the country to partner with it in enforcing and creating awareness on data protection laws. The National Commissioner of the NDPC, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, made the call on Monday at the Lagos National 2025 Executive Committee meeting of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN). Olatunji said data privacy was a fundamental human right that required mass awareness, including at the grassroots level. He explained that data protection was more than just a legal obligation, describing it as the foundation of trust in Nigeria’s digital society…
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Monday organized an inter-secondary schools quiz competition on disaster reduction strategies, aimed at promoting behavioral change, positive attitudes, and early education among students. The Head of NEMA Operations Office in Sokoto, Aliyu Kafindangi, said the event was part of activities marking the 2025 International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDDR), in line with global efforts to assess progress in disaster risk reduction. Kafindangi, represented by Mr. Tukur Abubakar, said the programme was designed to strengthen the agency’s resolve to build a more resilient society. He explained that this year’s theme, “Find Resilience, Not Disaster,”…
The Gombe State Government has issued a safety advisory urging residents, especially those living near riverine areas, to exercise caution following a deadly hippopotamus attack in the Dadin Kowa River. Mr. Mohammed Fawu, Commissioner for Water, Environment, and Forest Resources, gave the warning after a 19-year-old farmer, Yahuza Bawa, was killed by a hippopotamus while fishing in the river in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area on October 5. The incident also left Bawa’s colleague, identified as Abubakar, seriously injured. Fawu, who sympathised with the deceased’s family, said the government responded promptly, leading to the recovery of Bawa’s body for burial. He…
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and cloudiness across the country from Monday to Wednesday. NiMet’s weather outlook released in Abuja envisaged sunny skies on Monday with patches of clouds over the northern region. It also anticipated isolated thunderstorms with light rain over parts of Taraba and southern Kebbi States during the morning hours. “Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rain are expected over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi, and southern Sokoto States,” it said. For the central region, NiMet predicted cloudy skies with spells of sunshine and prospects of morning thunderstorms…
Bacteria are rapidly developing resistance to antibiotics, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday, with one in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections now caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The organization has, for the first time, quantified the problem in relation to 22 antibiotics that are commonly used to treat infections of the urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, bloodstream, and sexually transmitted gonorrhoea. The WHO also examined various combinations of bacteria and antibiotics, using the latest figures from 2023. It found that resistance increased in more than 40 per cent of cases between 2018 and 2023, rising by between 5 and 15 per…