The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) says it has introduced a stringent, data-driven credit profiling process for farmers to curb the activities of middlemen. The Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Ayodeji Sotinrin, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday. Sotinrin said the measures include Bank Verification Number (BVN), Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, and GPS farm mapping. He added that the digital safeguards would ensure that public funds and farm inputs reach genuine, actively practising farmers and cooperatives. Sotinrin said the bank had also upgraded its digital verification platform for the transparent deployment of farm inputs…
Author: Newsdesk
The Programme Manager of the Anambra Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Mr. Godwin Akujieze, has advised farmers to take advantage of agricultural extension services to boost productivity and enhance food security. Akujieze gave the advice on Friday during an interactive session with journalists in Awka. He said the core responsibility of ADP is to provide farmers with technical support and guidance on improved agricultural practices, including the selection of suitable crop varieties. “The agency always recommends improved cassava varieties such as TME 419, TME 0505, and TME 0581, which are yellow-fleshed and fortified with Vitamin A to improve nutrition,” he said.…
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has uncovered two abattoirs used primarily for slaughtering donkeys in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, Coordinator of the NESREA Adamawa Field Office, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Friday in Yola. The Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (Establishment) Act 2017 stipulates strict operational guidelines for donkey slaughtering and abattoir facilities. Aliyu said the abattoirs are located in Muchalla and Kwanta Muchalla villages in Gombi LGA. “Following a tip-off by concerned citizens, the agency carried out an investigative visit to the suspected locations in Muchalla and…
To prevent delays for enrollees, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has introduced a strict one-hour authorisation approval limit. Mr. Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, NHIA State Coordinator for the Ikeja Office, disclosed this policy in Lagos on Thursday during the SUNU Health Lagos-Ogun 2nd quarter providers forum. Abraham explained that hospital delays were often caused by prolonged authorisation protocols, a major issue that has led to many patient complaints. “Because of these complaints, we sat down with providers and Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) to restrategise,” he said. “We came up with the one-hour authorisation approval limit. Time is one of the key…
Dr. Marvelous Idemudia of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Clinic, Abuja, has warned pregnant women against ignoring early signs of eclampsia, a life-threatening pregnancy complication. Eclampsia is a severe condition characterised by sudden, uncontrollable seizures (convulsions) or coma in a pregnant woman or one who has recently given birth. In an interview with reporters on Friday in Abuja, Idemudia identified leg swelling, severe headaches, and unusual weight gain as possible warning signs of the condition. She urged expectant mothers to seek immediate medical attention if such symptoms occur, explaining that eclampsia is a severe pregnancy complication in which…
The Enugu State Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) says it will sanction violators of sanitation regulations, especially those flouting the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise. The Managing Director of ESWAMA, Mr. Richard Onaga, gave the warning on Friday in Enugu while announcing the June 2026 Statewide Monthly Environmental Sanitation scheduled for Saturday, June 27, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Onaga said the state government’s Environmental Sanitation Mobile Court would be in operation, and violators would be sanctioned immediately in accordance with the law. He stated that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise would hold on Saturday, with movement restricted across the…
As the world marks the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2026, Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has called for collective action to prevent drug abuse and protect lives nationwide. In a message issued in Abuja on Friday, Mrs. Tinubu underscored the importance of preventive measures, describing them as critical to safeguarding individuals, families, and communities. She urged governments, community leaders, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders to intensify efforts to curb the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking. The 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is themed: “The evidence is clear: invest in prevention.…
Experts have identified cannabis sativa, opioids, and alcohol as the most abused substances among patients as drug-related cases continue to rise sharply. They made this known in separate interviews with journalists in Ibadan on Friday, in commemoration of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The day is commemorated annually on June 26. Dr. Oluwagbemi Ibrahim, Registrar of the Psychiatry Department at University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, identified cannabis, opioids, tobacco, alcohol, and amphetamines as the most abused substances among patients in clinics across Ibadan and Oyo State in general. Ibrahim noted that while cannabis, opioids, and alcohol…
The Governor of Enugu State, Mr Peter Mbah, has invited global investors to partner with the state in delivering climate-resilient projects and accelerating green economic growth. Mbah made the call at the Nigeria Climate Investment Showcase during the London Climate Action Week, where he presented Enugu’s climate investment opportunities. This was contained in a statement issued by Prof. Chukwumerije Okereke, the governor’s Senior Personal Adviser on Climate Policy and Sustainable Development, and made available to reporters on Friday. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Mbah said Enugu was positioning itself as Africa’s leading subnational destination…
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says prices of tomatoes, beans, garri, onions, ginger and other food items recorded month-on-month increases in May 2026 across markets nationwide. The NBS stated this in its Selected Food Prices Watch Report for May 2026, released on Friday in Abuja. According to the report, the average price of one kilogramme of tomatoes rose by 32.48 per cent from N1,177.92 in April 2026 to N1,560.56 in May 2026. On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 12.05 per cent from N1,392.71 in May 2025. The average price of one kilogramme of brown beans increased marginally…