The Kano State Government has restructured its Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) Programme team to improve the implementation of the 2026 exercise. The decision followed the review of an investigative committee’s report on the preparation and implementation of the first round of the programme. This is contained in a statement issued on Monday by Nabilusi Abubakar, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Kano State Ministry of Health. The statement noted that the restructuring was aimed at strengthening coordination, supervision, monitoring and accountability. It said: “The new team is headed by the Director of Public Health in the ministry, Dr Ibrahim…
Author: Newsdesk
The Federal Government, in collaboration with UN Women and development partners, has intensified efforts to institutionalise gender-responsive planning and budgeting across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to promote inclusive national development. The renewed commitment was reiterated at a capacity-building programme on Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting organised by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning on Monday in Abuja for senior officials. Mrs Esuabana Nko-Asanye, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, said the training would strengthen government officials’ capacity to implement equitable planning, budgeting and development more effectively nationwide. Nko-Asanye, represented by the Director of Gender…
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the health sector have said Nigeria’s health reforms must move beyond activities and policies to deliver institutionalised, sustainable gains that improve health outcomes and system resilience nationwide. They made the call under the auspices of the Health Sector Reform Coalition (HSRC) on Monday in Abuja during a CSO and media-led mid-year review of Nigeria’s health-sector reforms. Mrs Moji Makanjuola, Co-convener of the Nigeria Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Forum, said the true measure of health reform should be whether it is institutionalised, sustained and translated into better outcomes. “Importantly, this midterm review should move beyond asking…
The Federal Government says it is targeting the activation of no fewer than 200 telecommunications towers in unconnected communities across the country by December. Dr Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, said this on Monday at the commissioning of the new headquarters of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) in Abuja. Tijani said the towers were being deployed under the government’s National Unconnected Communities Access Programme (NUCAP), which targets the deployment of about 3,700 telecommunications towers nationwide. He said it was not part of the 90,000-kilometre nationwide fibre optic network of the government. He said the first…
The Chairman of the Abuja Tech and Digital Economy Week (ATDEW) Steering Committee, Andrew Abu, says the event will connect investors and technology companies to development opportunities at Abuja Technology Village. Abu, who spoke on Monday during an interview with reporters, added that the theme of the event is “Energizing Smart Mobility: Powering Cities of the Future”. He said linkages were critical to translating Nigeria’s innovations into jobs, products and services capable of growing the digital economy and attracting both local and foreign investments. “Nigeria has no shortage of innovative young people. Our responsibility is to build the bridge between…
Nigeria and India have agreed to deepen their strategic economic relationship, with India seeking renewed purchases of Nigerian crude oil. The commitment followed a bilateral meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the recently concluded BRICS Leaders’ Summit. The two countries are seeking to rebuild bilateral trade towards its previous peak of nearly $15 billion. Bilateral trade reached $14.95 billion in the 2021–2022 financial year before declining sharply following reduced Indian purchases of Nigerian crude. The trade value fell to $7.13 billion in 2024–2025…
The Private Health Institutions Management Agency (PHIMA) has sealed a dental clinic in Hotoro Quarters, Kano, for operating without approval. This is contained in a statement issued by PHIMA Public Relations Officer Fauziyya Habib-Mahmud on Monday in Kano. The agency said the action followed an inspection visit to the private dental clinic, where the team observed inadequate cleanliness and hygiene. “PHIMA subsequently invited environmental health personnel to train the facility’s staff on proper cleaning practices and safe medical waste disposal. “The training will cover proper handling and disposal of used gloves, syringes, specimen bottles, drip bags and other healthcare-related materials,”…
Mosho Adekunle, a renewable energy expert, has called for the increased deployment of solar mini-grids and pay-as-you-go systems to address Nigeria’s electricity challenges. He made the recommendation on Monday in Abuja during an interview with reporters. Adekunle stated that these solutions could provide affordable and reliable electricity to households, small businesses, and public institutions, especially in communities with weak or no grid access. He explained that isolated mini-grids could serve communities far from the national grid, while interconnected mini-grids could complement weak distribution networks. “Solar mini-grids and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) solar home systems remain the most practical and scalable innovations for…
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has developed a continental framework to turn community voices, behavioral data, and information trends into actionable public health measures. The initiative is being implemented in collaboration with African Union (AU) Member States, regional institutions, and technical partners. This was announced in a statement issued to reporters on Monday in Abuja. The framework, called Behavioural Intelligence and Infodemic Management (BIIM), aims to enhance how behavioral, social, community, and information-environment evidence inform public health decisions across Africa. The development followed a five-day workshop in Mombasa, Kenya, from August 30 to September 3,…
New tuberculosis (TB) vaccines, expected to be available from 2029, could save up to 7.3 million lives globally between 2030 and 2050, according to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This is stated in a Gavi press release issued on Monday. The alliance said the vaccines could also generate up to $135 billion in economic benefits across low- and middle-income countries. Gavi described these potential vaccines as one of the most impactful immunization tools in decades and a breakthrough in the fight against TB, the world’s deadliest infectious disease. However, Gavi warned that governments and vaccine manufacturers need to start preparations now…