Author: Helen Okechukwu

President Bola Tinubu has rewarded Nigeria’s senior women’s national football team, the Super Falcons, along with team officials, with national honours, financial gifts, and housing for their triumphant performance at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco. At a presidential reception in Abuja, Tinubu conferred the title of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) on all team members. He also approved a three-bedroom apartment for each of them under the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme. The Special Adviser to the President, Bayo Onanuga, further disclosed that President Tinubu awarded a cash gift equivalent to $100,000 to…

Medical doctors under the Lagos State Government have begun a three-day warning strike in protest against salary deductions they say were imposed without consultation or justification. The industrial action, which kicked off at 8am on Monday, 28 July, is expected to last until Thursday morning, 31 July. According to the Medical Guild, the body representing the affected practitioners, the strike is a direct response to what it describes as the government’s “breach of trust” and failure to honour previous agreements. Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, chairman of the Guild, Dr Japhet Olugbogi, said the controversy began in April…

The Federal Government (FG) has announced that the window of opportunity for foreign nationals with expired visas or immigration documents to regularise their stay in Nigeria will close on 30 September. This move is part of the Expired Visa Initiative (Amnesty), introduced jointly by the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to improve compliance with the country’s updated visa framework and bolster immigration management. The amnesty, which began on 1 May, allows foreign residents and visitors whose immigration status has lapsed — including those with expired Visa on Arrival (VoA), Single or Multiple-Entry Visas, and those holding…

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a renewed appeal for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, alongside urgent calls for full humanitarian access, the safeguarding of children, and the safe release of all hostages. In response to Israel’s recent commitment to implement humanitarian pauses, UNICEF welcomed the move as a step towards improving the delivery of critical aid. The organisation described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic,”  with children bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict. Since hostilities escalated following the breakdown of the ceasefire in March, access to necessities has become increasingly scarce. Read Also: UNICEF seeks collaboration from…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a Chinese national, Liang Tak You, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, with 26.10kg of Loud, a synthetic cannabis strain.

With the aim of easing mobility among patients who face challenges, the Adunni Olayiwola Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has donated 14 wheelchairs to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). While disclosing this on Saturday through the hospital’s Facebook post, it was shared that the donated items were in honour of the matriarch, late Mrs Adunni Olayiwola. Speaking at the event, Mr Seun Olayiwola, son of the deceased, explained that the gesture was part of their commitment to commemorating their mother’s life through impactful community service. “This is something we do to honour our late mum, by giving back…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Timor-Leste malaria-free — a major public health victory for the young nation, which has prioritised the disease since gaining independence in 2002.

The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) is set to kick-start the implementation of an €18 million grant from the European Union (EU), aimed at transforming Nigeria’s vaccine landscape. Speaking in Abuja, NIPRD Director-General, Dr Obi Adigwe, described the grant as a “game-changer” for the country’s vaccine independence. According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the funding supports Nigeria’s 10-year plan (2024–2034) to build a self-reliant vaccine ecosystem through research, development, and local production. While recalling the challenges Nigeria faced during the COVID-19 period, he said, “We also witnessed vaccine nationalism, where countries hoarded vaccines despite preaching equity…

With tomato season in full swing, experts are urging Britons to stop storing their tomatoes in the fridge. While it might seem like a way to preserve freshness, chilling tomatoes at low temperatures destroys both their texture and flavour. According to Professor Graham Seymour, emeritus professor of plant biotechnology at the University of Nottingham, storing ripe tomatoes at 5°C – the average fridge temperature – significantly reduces the aromatic compounds that give tomatoes their distinct taste. “If you have a suitable storage area at a temperature of 12.5C-14C, then ripening will be slowed,” Professor Seymour says. “Flavour could still be…

The United Kingdom (UK) government has acknowledged that its deep foreign aid cuts will likely lead to more global deaths, disproportionately affecting women, girls, and crisis-hit regions in Africa. In its latest report, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed a £575 million cut for 2025-26. Overall aid will drop from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income by 2027—around £6 billion less. The FCDO’s own impact assessment warns that the cuts could increase disease and death, especially among the poorest and most vulnerable, including children and people with disabilities. Critics say key sectors like education, healthcare, and gender…