Author: News Room

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, has called on health professionals across the country to embrace innovation and strengthen strategic collaboration with the private sector and development partners to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage. Salako also stressed the need for strong political will at all levels of government, backed by improved and sustainable health financing, to ensure that every Nigerian has access to quality healthcare without financial hardship. He made this known on Monday while delivering a keynote address titled “Bridging the Gap: Advancing Universal Health Coverage in Ogun State for Healthy Beginnings and…

The Asian Football Confederation banned Indian club Mohun Bagan Super Giant from all its competitions and fined it more than $100,000 for refusing to play a match in Iran. Mohun Bagan did not travel for an Asian Champions League Two group match against Sepahan in Iran in September, citing a lack of security assurances and medical insurance coverage. The AFC disciplinary and ethics committee banned Mohun Bagan from the next edition of the continental second-tier tournament, up to the 2027-28 season, it said in a statement on Wednesday. One of the oldest football clubs in Asia, Mohun Bagan, were also…

As the festival period gathers momentum, organisers of the Shakara Festival have confirmed that BlaqBonez, Brymo, Yinka Alaseyori and other musical stars will be partaking in the four-day event. In a release, the organisers stated that the festival will run from December 18 to December 21, 2025, at the Nautica Beach Resort, Elegushi, Lekki, Lagos. Other artists billed to grace the event are Show Dem Camp, J’Dess and Mich Straaw, who will be bringing Naija Rap and Alté fire, alongside soulful Afro Soul and R&B vibes to the festival. Fast-rising stars such as Mavo, Llona, Tar1q, and Morravey are expected…

The current trend of extending presidential tenures in African countries is diverging from the democratic wave of the 1990s, a development that democracy advocates warn could undermine governance if left unchecked, writes GIFT HABIB Africa is entering a new political era, not the one envisioned during the celebrated democratic wave of the 1990s. Across the region, constitutions are being stretched, term limits softened, and incumbents quietly empowered under what governments call “reform,” but critics increasingly describe as the rise of an extension mentality. From the Republic of Benin’s sweeping constitutional reset to Cameroon’s decades-long presidency and Nigeria’s recurring debates over…

Bitcoin (BTC) aimed for $88,000 on Friday after Japan’s central bank raised interest rates to 30-year highs.Key points:Bitcoin joins US stocks futures heading higher in a curiously bullish reaction to Japan’s interest-rate hike.Commentators argue that no further hikes will happen due to economic forces.Bitcoin continues to hammer out a bottom on longer timeframes.Arthur Hayes eyes BTC price, yen surgeData from Cointelegraph Markets and TradingView showed 2.5% BTC price gains versus the daily open. BTC/USD one-hour chart. Source: Cointelegraph/TradingViewIn line with expectations, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) hiked rates to around 0.75% on the day, marking their highest levels in three…

Counting Crows lead singer Adam Duritz delves into his high-profile romances, history with mental illness and more in the band’s new documentary, Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately? The film, which hit HBO Max on Friday, December 19, revisits the band’s journey to stardom in the early ’90s during the making of their first two records — and doesn’t shy away from exploring how Duritz’s leadership affected their overall success, for better or worse. “Over the years, he’s pissed a lot of people off,” bandmate David Bryson told cameras after the documentary delved into Duritz sparring with Saturday Night…

The House of Representatives has approved a significant increase in campaign spending limits for candidates contesting elective offices. The lawmakers also made other amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 aimed at strengthening the credibility, transparency and integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. The resolutions were adopted on Thursday during a clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the House Committee on Electoral Matters. The session was presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, at plenary. Under the approved amendments, the ceiling on campaign expenditure for presidential candidates was raised from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion. Governorship candidates will now be allowed…

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says the continent is moving closer to meeting the criteria for downgrading Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security. The move, it said, becomes imperative as more countries record zero cases for extended periods. Yap Boum, Incident Manager for Health Emergencies at Africa CDC, made the remarks on Thursday during the continent’s virtual weekly press briefing. Mr Boum noted that seven countries have now reached the ‘end phase’, while Sierra Leone is expected to enter the ‘control phase’ on 16 Dec, after maintaining more than 42 days without…

The men who cornered Ita James did not come for his catch. In this bustling town of Ibaka, one of Nigeria’s largest fishing towns, fishers know how sudden and brutal such an encounter could be. Speedboats fitted with twin 200-horsepower engines emerge from the horizon, shots are fired, and fishermen are forced by men armed with automatic rifles to promptly unbolt and hand over their outboard engines. Those who resist are beaten, sometimes killed. After the attackers vanish, the victims’ boats are left dead on the water, drifting until help arrives. Many fishers return home broken, having borrowed to replace…

The Oba Otudeko Foundation has commenced a comprehensive food assistance programme aimed at easing hardship among residents of Ogun State. In a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday, Yewande Giwa, on behalf of the foundation’s founder, Oba Otudeko, said the outreach was designed to provide relief to 2,000 at-risk . She disclosed that more than 500 people in Odogbolu Local Government benefited from the first distribution exercise. Ms Giwa stated that the programme formed part of the foundation’s December community support activities and was being executed through a zonal strategy spanning all four geopolitical zones of the state.…