The Federal Government and health stakeholders have pledged to expand telehealth services across Nigeria, moving digital healthcare from policy frameworks and pilot projects to wider implementation to improve access and advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC). They made the commitment at the Nigerian Telehealth Conference 2.0, organised by Mobihealth International in Abuja on Tuesday. The conference was themed, ‘The Future of Healthcare is Connected: Click and Brick’. Dr Salma Ibrahim-Anas, Special Adviser to the President on Health, said telehealth was critical to transforming Nigeria’s health sector and expanding equitable access to healthcare for all citizens. Ibrahim-Anas said the future of healthcare…
Author: Newsdesk
Some poultry farmers in Bauchi, Gombe and Jigawa have expressed concern over rising feed costs and poor market conditions, which they said had negatively affected their production capacity. They said the trend had forced them to embrace alternative feeds to recover their investments amid declining demand for poultry products. The farmers, who spoke in separate interviews with reporters in Bauchi, Dutse and Gombe, said high production costs, coupled with weak purchasing power, had threatened the sustainability of their businesses. Poultry farming involves raising birds for commercial or domestic purposes, including chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese, for meat or egg production.…
NISA Premier Hospital, Abuja, has called on the Federal Government to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and surrogacy. The Group Managing Director (GMD) of NISA Medical Group, Dr Musa Shuaibu, made the call in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Abuja. Shuaibu said such a framework would address misconceptions, unethical practices and other challenges associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART). He said that although acceptance of ART was growing among educated Nigerians, cultural beliefs, religious considerations and limited understanding continued to influence public perceptions of fertility treatments. According to him, greater awareness was necessary to…
The Federal Government says it will incorporate phosphorus management into soil health cards, expand soil testing and strengthen quality assurance, among other measures. Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, said this on Monday in Abuja at the Nigeria Fertiliser Summit 2026. A soil health card provides farmers with vital information about the condition of their soil. Experts say phosphorus is an essential chemical element for all living organisms and is crucial for plants to complete their growth and production cycles. The summit was organised by the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) in collaboration…
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has directed the deployment of 66 graduates of the TechRise programme to government offices to strengthen digital service delivery. The Commissioner for Information, Mr Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting in Umuahia on Monday. According to the commissioner, the graduates would be posted to the Office of the Chief Information Officer to the Government for onward deployment to agencies requiring their expertise. Kanu said Abia students had emerged as the world’s best among 79 competing groups at an international schools debate competition in Qatar.…
Moniepoint Microfinance Bank (MFB) on Monday said it disbursed more than N1 trillion in credit to thousands of small businesses in 2025, earning the SME Microfinance Bank of the Year award for the third consecutive year. The Senior Vice-President, Distribution Network Sales, at Moniepoint, Mr Ezekiel Sanni, said in a statement that the recognition reinforced the bank’s commitment to supporting small businesses. Sanni said the bank would continue to expand access to credit and invest in its network to help more businesses grow. He described small businesses as the backbone of the Nigerian economy. “This award strengthens our commitment to…
UNICEF has said that artificial intelligence (AI) will not succeed in rural Nigeria unless underserved communities actively participate in designing digital health tools. The Chief of Health at UNICEF Nigeria, Dr Maharajan Muthu, said this on Monday in Abuja at the Artificial Intelligence in Health Summit 2026. Muthu said predictive analytics, geographical mapping and existing health data should be combined to identify children and poor households left behind by health systems. According to him, technology designed solely in urban centres without rural community engagement cannot adequately address barriers to frontline healthcare delivery in remote areas. “AI will fail horrendously at…
Nigeria’s drive to strengthen its security architecture through indigenous technology has received a boost with the unveiling of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) training centre by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) in Kaduna State. Speaking at the event, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, underscored the need for Nigeria to reduce its dependence on foreign security and agricultural technologies by developing local expertise in the operation, maintenance and adaptation of critical equipment. Governor Sani described the centre as an investment in innovation, skills development and economic growth. He particularly…
The Anambra State Government has confirmed a Lassa fever case involving a patient linked to Omasi in Ayamelum Local Government Area (LGA), who is currently receiving treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (FETHA), Ebonyi State. The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike, disclosed this on Monday at an emergency stakeholders’ meeting in Awka. Obidike said the state had activated an emergency response to prevent further transmission. “The state has intensified disease surveillance and public awareness. “The meeting, attended by health partners, including the World Health Organisation and Médecins Sans Frontières, led to the activation of the Incident Management…
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has raised concerns over doctors’ burnout, cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths, calling for improved welfare and safer working conditions. The NMA National President, Prof. Afekhide-Ernest Omoti, made the call in his address to mark the 2026 Physicians’ Week, themed “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria”. Omoti, represented by Dr George Ebong, Chairman of NMA-FCT, said doctors’ well-being was essential to patient safety and effective healthcare delivery. He attributed physicians’ health risks to excessive working hours, occupational stress, inadequate staffing, poor remuneration, delayed entitlements and unsafe working environments. “We must change the culture of silence…