The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, says Nigeria’s $2 billion broadband project will drive economic growth, deepen digital inclusion, and enhance the country’s global competitiveness. He spoke during the Smart Growth, Digital Leap plenary at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES 31) held in Abuja. According to Tijani, the broadband initiative—co-financed by 49 percent government contribution and 51 percent private sector funding with support from partners such as the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC)—is designed to deliver universal broadband coverage across all 774 local government areas within three years. ALSO READ: FG plans…
Author: Newsdesk
Nigeria is rolling out one of the largest integrated vaccination campaigns in its history, aiming to protect around 106 million children against measles, rubella, and poliomyelitis, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The nationwide initiative will combine multiple vaccines and essential child health services in a single drive, ensuring efficient and equitable delivery across the country. The campaign targets children aged 0–14 years for measles and rubella, and children aged 0–59 months for polio. It will be implemented in two phases. Phase one, which launches today, will cover 20 high-risk northern states and Oyo State in the southwest. Phase…
No fewer than 13,117 residents of the Ado State Constituency in Benue State have benefited from a free medical outreach organized by the Deputy Speaker of the Benue House of Assembly, Mrs. Lami Ogenyi. Mr. Agbaji Atsonwu, Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Makurdi. Atsonwu said the seven-day comprehensive medical outreach, sponsored by the Lami Health Foundation, provided a wide range of medical and surgical services to beneficiaries. He listed the ailments treated to include malaria, typhoid, ulcers, high blood pressure, diabetes, cold, and cough, among others. According to him, beneficiaries…
A Nigerian researcher, Dr. Gideon Gyebi, has said that emerging computational technologies can accelerate the discovery of new antibiotics and help combat the growing global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Gyebi, a scientist in Computational and Systems Biology, stated this while highlighting findings from his recent study in Abuja on Tuesday. The study, titled “Computational Profiling of Terpenoids for Putative Dual-Target Leads Against Staphylococcus aureus Penicillin-Binding Protein 2a and Beta-Lactamase,” was conducted at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa. It demonstrates how Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, and molecular modelling can fast-track drug discovery and reduce costs. According to…
Thousands of protesters on Monday brought parts of Kaduna city to a standstill as they marched under the banner of Partners for National Economic Progress (PANEP), accusing the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of “economic terrorism” and colluding with oil cartels to sabotage the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Chanting solidarity songs and waving placards with inscriptions such as “Protect Local Refining,” “End Fuel Import Cartel,” and “Support Dangote Refinery,” the protesters converged on Murtala Mohammed Square before marching through Alkali Road, Ali Akilu Road, and Ahmadu Bello Way, effectively grounding traffic in parts of the city.…
In a fresh exposé surrounding the academic certificate of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has stepped forward with new claims implicating the minister in a certificate forgery scandal. According to Governor Mbah, Nnaji submitted a degree certificate purportedly from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) during his ministerial confirmation process. He, however, contended that UNN never issued such a certificate, describing the document as fraudulent. Minister Nnaji, on his part, has maintained that he is a genuine UNN alumnus, insisting that he earned a Bachelor of Science degree…
President Bola Tinubu has instructed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to cut down the 2026 Hajj fares recently announced, according to the Deputy Chief of Staff, Senator Ibrahim Hadeija. Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with NAHCON officials in Abuja, Hadeija said the directive was prompted by improving currency rates. NAHCON’s earlier fares—determined with a pessimistic exchange rate of ₦1,550 to the dollar—had placed costs for various zones as follows: Maiduguri-Yola Zone: ₦8,318,336.67 Northern States: ₦8,244,813.67 Southern States: ₦8,561,013.67 ALSO READ NAHCON: 2016 Hajj fare should’ve been ₦6.7bn, ₦19bn savings false – Investigation However, Tinubu urged…
Bauchi State has taken the lead in promoting disability inclusion in Northern Nigeria with the inauguration of the first-ever Disability Inclusion Technical Working Group (DITWG). The initiative, launched on Monday in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), makes Bauchi the first among the 19 northern states to establish such a platform. Speaking at the event, Executive Secretary of the Bauchi State Agency for Persons with Disability, Mrs. Brisca Jerome Aaron, described the group as a strategic platform to harmonize efforts toward ensuring that no person with a disability is left behind in the state’s development agenda. She explained…
Students residing at Shama Private Hostel near Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) have raised alarm over worsening insecurity following the collapse of the hostel’s fence and gates. They said the incident has left them vulnerable to theft, intrusion, and lack of privacy, urging the landlords and caretakers to take urgent action. Worried by the development, Abdullahi Rofiat Olajumoke, a 300-level Agriculture student, recounted how insecurity heightened after the fence collapsed. “Hmmm, I’m short of words. I was affected too. One of our big cooking pots was stolen after the fence collapsed. We even considered holding the security men responsible, but…
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has described Nigeria’s integrated vaccination campaign targeting 100 million children as a bold and ambitious step toward strengthening public health. Ms. Jessica Crawford, Gavi’s Senior Country Manager for Nigeria, made the remark on Monday in Abuja during the launch of the campaign by the Federal Government, supported by global health partners. Crawford said the initiative marked a landmark moment for Nigeria and global health. “This campaign is bold, ambitious, and deeply rooted in country leadership. Reaching over 100 million children with life-saving vaccines is no small feat. What makes it truly remarkable is the collaboration behind…