Innovation hubs in Nigeria's commercial capital support young entrepreneurs with guidance and seed capital. However, financial constraints remain a major hurdle for many early-stage startups trying to scale their ideas.
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
Video - Lagos startups thrive despite funding challenges
Innovation hubs in Nigeria's commercial capital support young entrepreneurs with guidance and seed capital. However, financial constraints remain a major hurdle for many early-stage startups trying to scale their ideas.
Video - Nigerian returnees lead campaigns to curb irregular migration
Survivors of dangerous journeys to Europe are sharing their experiences to warn others of the risks, including torture, inhumane treatment, and near-death encounters.
Free emergency C-sections lifeline for Nigerian mothers
The Federal Government’s initiative to offer free emergency Cesarean sections (C-section or CS) for poor and vulnerable women in Nigeria who require it is a laudable move to address the nation’s high maternal mortality ratio due to pregnancy-related causes.
Nigeria currently has the fourth-highest maternal mortality rate globally, with a staggering 1,047 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This is a figure that is higher than the regional average, putting Nigeria in the category of countries with extremely high maternal mortality rates.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammadu Ali Pate, announced this in Abuja during the formal launch of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives, MAMII, project. The initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden associated with C-sections and reduce the high number of maternal deaths in the country.
An emergency C-section is a surgical procedure that is utilised to deliver a baby through incisions in the mother’s abdomen and uterus when there are complications that put the health of the mother or baby at risk. It is generally more expensive than the natural birthing process due to the involvement of major surgery and a longer hospital stay. Surgical procedures require specialised equipment, an operating room, and additional medical personnel, all of which increase the overall cost.
Access is generally limited by high cost, hence most women who require this critical lifesaving procedure either cannot afford it or have to pay a huge sum out of pocket.
In a typical government hospital, a basic C-section can cost between N200,000 and N500,000, although complications and additional care can push the cost up to N1,000,000 or more. In a private hospital, the cost of the same procedure can range from N1,000,000 to N3,000,000, depending on the complexity and additional postnatal requirements.
For many pregnant women, a C-section is a lifesaving procedure, even if it comes with significant financial implications such as additional care, and extended hospital stays, that can push the cost even higher.
Based on the premise that no woman in Nigeria should lose her life simply because she can’t afford a C-section, the new policy has received wide praise essentially because it would remove financial barriers to the life-saving surgical procedure and afford more women access to the much sought-after critical care.
The success of this initiative hinges on its effective implementation and assurance that the women who are eligible are afforded prompt access.
Since only women in public hospitals registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, are eligible, it becomes expedient that the coverage of the NHIS must be extended to more women, particularly in the informal sector.
Long-term sustainability requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of maternal mortality. This includes prioritising investment in maternal healthcare education, improving healthcare facilities, and increasing the number of skilled healthcare providers.
To avoid running into stormy waters, the broader healthcare challenges that would ensure the initiative’s effective implementation and lasting positive outcomes must be adequately addressed to guarantee the initiative’s sustainability. The Federal government must implement robust strategies to mitigate these requirements and ensure that the successful implementation of the free emergency C-section initiative is a task that must be done.
Nigeria currently has the fourth-highest maternal mortality rate globally, with a staggering 1,047 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. This is a figure that is higher than the regional average, putting Nigeria in the category of countries with extremely high maternal mortality rates.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammadu Ali Pate, announced this in Abuja during the formal launch of the Maternal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives, MAMII, project. The initiative aims to alleviate the financial burden associated with C-sections and reduce the high number of maternal deaths in the country.
An emergency C-section is a surgical procedure that is utilised to deliver a baby through incisions in the mother’s abdomen and uterus when there are complications that put the health of the mother or baby at risk. It is generally more expensive than the natural birthing process due to the involvement of major surgery and a longer hospital stay. Surgical procedures require specialised equipment, an operating room, and additional medical personnel, all of which increase the overall cost.
Access is generally limited by high cost, hence most women who require this critical lifesaving procedure either cannot afford it or have to pay a huge sum out of pocket.
In a typical government hospital, a basic C-section can cost between N200,000 and N500,000, although complications and additional care can push the cost up to N1,000,000 or more. In a private hospital, the cost of the same procedure can range from N1,000,000 to N3,000,000, depending on the complexity and additional postnatal requirements.
For many pregnant women, a C-section is a lifesaving procedure, even if it comes with significant financial implications such as additional care, and extended hospital stays, that can push the cost even higher.
Based on the premise that no woman in Nigeria should lose her life simply because she can’t afford a C-section, the new policy has received wide praise essentially because it would remove financial barriers to the life-saving surgical procedure and afford more women access to the much sought-after critical care.
The success of this initiative hinges on its effective implementation and assurance that the women who are eligible are afforded prompt access.
Since only women in public hospitals registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, are eligible, it becomes expedient that the coverage of the NHIS must be extended to more women, particularly in the informal sector.
Long-term sustainability requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of maternal mortality. This includes prioritising investment in maternal healthcare education, improving healthcare facilities, and increasing the number of skilled healthcare providers.
To avoid running into stormy waters, the broader healthcare challenges that would ensure the initiative’s effective implementation and lasting positive outcomes must be adequately addressed to guarantee the initiative’s sustainability. The Federal government must implement robust strategies to mitigate these requirements and ensure that the successful implementation of the free emergency C-section initiative is a task that must be done.
Dangote Refinery Retained 13% of Nigeria’s Crude Exports in 2024
The Dangote Refinery retained 13% of Nigeria’s crude oil exports in 2024, marking a significant increase from just 2% in 2023, according to Reuters. This shift helped to reduce Nigeria’s exports to Europe while boosting the country’s domestic share of oil supply.
Despite being a major net exporter of crude, Nigeria still imported 47,000 barrels per day of US oil in 2024, a move that experts find unusual for an oil-exporting country. The Dangote refinery, with a capacity of 600,000 barrels per day, played a key role in this trend, receiving multiple shipments of US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil due to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s failure to meet its supply needs.
The year also saw global crude exports decline by 2% due to weak demand and the reshuffling of trade routes. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil, caused significant shifts in global oil supply chains, influencing both exports and imports.
As the global oil market faces continued uncertainty, particularly in 2025, experts predict a rise in demand from India, while some countries are increasingly turning to gas and renewable energy sources.
Despite being a major net exporter of crude, Nigeria still imported 47,000 barrels per day of US oil in 2024, a move that experts find unusual for an oil-exporting country. The Dangote refinery, with a capacity of 600,000 barrels per day, played a key role in this trend, receiving multiple shipments of US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil due to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company’s failure to meet its supply needs.
The year also saw global crude exports decline by 2% due to weak demand and the reshuffling of trade routes. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with sanctions on Russian and Iranian oil, caused significant shifts in global oil supply chains, influencing both exports and imports.
As the global oil market faces continued uncertainty, particularly in 2025, experts predict a rise in demand from India, while some countries are increasingly turning to gas and renewable energy sources.
By Abdullahi Jimoh, News Central
Related story: Nigeria's richest man Aliko Dangote takes on the 'oil mafia'
Pastor in Nigeria Arrested in Major Child-Trafficking Bust, 13 Children Rescued
Authorities in Nigeria have arrested a prominent pastor and dismantled a major child-trafficking syndicate he led in Plateau State, rescuing 13 children in the process.
Pastor Dayo Bernard, a well-known cleric from the End Time Army Ministry in Bukuru, was identified as the alleged leader of the trafficking ring, local officials said. The operation, described as a significant breakthrough, also led to the arrest of other key members of the network.
Police Commissioner Aliyu Abdulrahman praised the crackdown as a victory for the protection of vulnerable children. “Efforts are intensifying to ensure that those responsible face the full force of the law,” he said.
During police questioning, Bernard reportedly confessed to trafficking at least 13 children, admitting to buying and selling them at varying prices. Authorities said the syndicate targeted families in vulnerable situations, abducting children for illegal adoption or forced labor.
Human trafficking remains a critical issue in Nigeria, with Plateau State frequently identified as a hotspot due to poverty and insecurity. UNICEF estimates tens of thousands of Nigerian children are trafficked annually, with many sent across borders to neighboring countries or beyond.
The rescued children have been placed under the care of child welfare services while efforts are being made to reunite them with their families, officials said.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities vowing to prosecute those involved and crack down further on trafficking networks operating in the region.
By Nneoma Omeje, OCCRP
Pastor Dayo Bernard, a well-known cleric from the End Time Army Ministry in Bukuru, was identified as the alleged leader of the trafficking ring, local officials said. The operation, described as a significant breakthrough, also led to the arrest of other key members of the network.
Police Commissioner Aliyu Abdulrahman praised the crackdown as a victory for the protection of vulnerable children. “Efforts are intensifying to ensure that those responsible face the full force of the law,” he said.
During police questioning, Bernard reportedly confessed to trafficking at least 13 children, admitting to buying and selling them at varying prices. Authorities said the syndicate targeted families in vulnerable situations, abducting children for illegal adoption or forced labor.
Human trafficking remains a critical issue in Nigeria, with Plateau State frequently identified as a hotspot due to poverty and insecurity. UNICEF estimates tens of thousands of Nigerian children are trafficked annually, with many sent across borders to neighboring countries or beyond.
The rescued children have been placed under the care of child welfare services while efforts are being made to reunite them with their families, officials said.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities vowing to prosecute those involved and crack down further on trafficking networks operating in the region.
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