The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has flagged off the distribution of farm inputs, relief materials, and life jackets to communities across its member states. The Managing Director of N-HYPPADEC, Abubakar Sadiq-Yelwa, disclosed this on Wednesday during the official launch of the distribution exercise in Minna. Sadiq-Yelwa said the commission would distribute 850 units of 13-horsepower hand-driven tillers across the ten N-HYPPADEC member states, with 165 units allocated to Niger State. He added that the commission would also provide 4,000 life jackets, various relief materials, and a cash donation of ₦10 million to residents of Niger State.…
Author: Newsdesk
Community leaders in Oban, Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, have described UNESCO’s biodiversity business training programme as timely, transformative, and crucial to preserving their fast-depleting forest resources. The leaders expressed their views in separate interviews with reporters on Wednesday in Akamkpa during a capacity-building workshop for 12 communities within the Oban Biosphere Reserve. The training focused on developing sustainable biodiversity-based businesses such as fishery, poultry, and piggery. It was organised by UNESCO Nigeria under the project titled “Biodiversity Business in Omo Biosphere Reserve, Oban Biosphere Reserve, and Shere Hills Reserve, Nigeria – A Means to Poverty Reduction,…
New Horizons Nigeria, a leading Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training and certification organization, has been named the Best ICT Training and Certification Organization in Africa. The company’s Managing Director, Mr. Timothy Akano, announced the recognition during a media briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, noting that this latest honour marks the firm’s 307th national, continental, and international award. Akano expressed deep appreciation to CompTIA, the awarding body, describing the recognition as both a celebration of past achievements and a renewed call to service. He reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to addressing technology skills gaps across Africa, particularly in underserved communities. “This…
The Delta State Government on Wednesday commended the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-supported Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) project for engaging 630 incubatees under its Additional Financing initiative. The LIFE-ND project, which recently completed its first six-year cycle, has empowered 4,373 rural youths and women in Delta State through agribusiness initiatives. The project is jointly sponsored by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), IFAD, and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and is implemented by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with the state government. The State Commissioner for Economic…
The non-governmental organisation Wild Africa has commended the successful passage of the Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill, 2024, describing it as a major step in combating wildlife crime in Nigeria. This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos by Mr. Festus Iyorah, Nigeria Representative of Wild Africa. The bill, which has already passed both chambers of the National Assembly—the House of Representatives in May and the Senate on Tuesday—is now awaiting the President’s assent. Iyorah explained that the legislation updates existing wildlife laws, increases penalties for wildlife crimes, and strengthens investigative powers for financial tracking and intelligence-led…
The Enugu State Government has reiterated its commitment to enhancing service delivery through digitalisation and increased productivity among civil servants. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, made the statement on Tuesday in Enugu during a four-day training program for administrative officers. The event was themed: “Optimising Service Delivery and Productivity in the Digital Age.” Onyia emphasized that the state’s goal of transforming Enugu from a $4.4 billion to a $30 billion economy could be achieved through ethical productivity and the adoption of digital tools. “You must work hard and embrace the new digital transformation and technology-driven…
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to ending Tuberculosis (TB) by 2030 through concrete actions under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu. The statement was issued on Wednesday by her Media Aide, Busola Kukoyi, following her participation as the special guest of honour at the 39th Stop TB Partnership Board Meeting held in Manila, Philippines. Addressing over 180 participants from 47 countries, Mrs. Tinubu said Nigeria is strengthening its efforts to reduce reliance on donor funding and build resilient systems to ensure sustained progress in the fight against TB. As the Global and National…
The Health Anti-Corruption Project Advisory Committee (HAPAC) has endorsed the joint management of Nigeria’s Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) to enhance transparency and accountability. HAPAC, a coalition of experts, civil society organisations, and media representatives, focuses on combating corruption in the country’s health sector. The Chairperson of HAPAC, Dr. Idris Muhammad, announced the endorsement in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. According to reports from reporters, Prof. Muhammad Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, urged communities to actively participate in managing resources allocated to their health facilities. The call follows the release of N32.9 billion for the third…
Gov. Nasir Idris of Kebbi has called on teachers in the state to leverage technology to enhance teaching and learning. He made the remarks while declaring open the 9th State Quadrennial Delegates’ Conference of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Kebbi chapter, held in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday. The theme of the conference was “Embracing the Use of Technology in Increasing Teaching and Learning Outcomes.” Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Kabir Labbo-Jega, Idris said the call was timely, noting that technology remains a key driver of development. “I urge our teachers to…
BudgIT, a civic tech non-profit organisation, has revealed that only seven Nigerian states implemented more than 80 per cent of their health budgets in 2024. The finding was highlighted during the launch of BudgIT’s 2025 State of States Report in Abuja on Tuesday, themed “A Decade of Subnational Fiscal Analysis.” The states identified were Yobe, Gombe, Ekiti, Lagos, Edo, Delta, and Bauchi. The report showed that Nigerian states collectively budgeted ₦1.32 trillion for health in 2024, but actual spending fell sharply to ₦816.64 billion, representing a 61.9 per cent budget performance. Yobe led in budget execution with a 98.2 per…