Hiking is gaining popularity in Nigeria, even as safety concerns persist in remote areas near Abuja. Groups like Naija Adventurers are going on treks with security teams, offering city dwellers a safe way to explore nature.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Video - Abuja hikers defy dangers to enjoy great outdoors
Hiking is gaining popularity in Nigeria, even as safety concerns persist in remote areas near Abuja. Groups like Naija Adventurers are going on treks with security teams, offering city dwellers a safe way to explore nature.
Nigeria becomes first African country to regulate media portrayal of tobacco, rituals
Nigeria has become the first African country to formally regulate the portrayal of tobacco use, money rituals, and narcotics in media content, according to a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).
The announcement was made following the board’s presentation at the 2025 World Tobacco Conference held in Ireland, where the country’s new policy was praised as a bold and visionary step toward safeguarding public health and cultural values.
The National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, which positioned Nigeria as a trailblazer in African media regulation, said the regulation borders on the control of the promotion and glamourisation of tobacco, narcotics, ritual killings, and money rituals at the World Tobacco Conference in Ireland, held from 22- 27 June 2025.
The regulation, a first of its kind in Africa, was lauded as a bold step toward safeguarding public health and cultural values.
At the world conference, the Executive Director of the NFVCB, Shaibu Husseini, delivered a status report detailing the regulation’s objectives, stakeholder engagement process, and enforcement mechanisms.
By Omotoyosi Idowu, Premium Times
The announcement was made following the board’s presentation at the 2025 World Tobacco Conference held in Ireland, where the country’s new policy was praised as a bold and visionary step toward safeguarding public health and cultural values.
The National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, which positioned Nigeria as a trailblazer in African media regulation, said the regulation borders on the control of the promotion and glamourisation of tobacco, narcotics, ritual killings, and money rituals at the World Tobacco Conference in Ireland, held from 22- 27 June 2025.
The regulation, a first of its kind in Africa, was lauded as a bold step toward safeguarding public health and cultural values.
At the world conference, the Executive Director of the NFVCB, Shaibu Husseini, delivered a status report detailing the regulation’s objectives, stakeholder engagement process, and enforcement mechanisms.
Policy
The policy, which was approved and gazetted in 2024 under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, targeted harmful portrayals in Nigerian films, music videos, and skits.
The conference recognised Nigeria as the first African nation to implement such a comprehensive measure, with attendees commending Mrs Musawa’s leadership as “a courageous and visionary move to protect public health and preserve cultural values.”
One significant outcome of the conference was the various pledges by several international organisations to assist Nigeria in continuing to implement the regulation.
The support—set is expected to be delivered through their local partner, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, which will include logistical and technical assistance to enhance compliance and awareness.
Mr Husseini highlighted the significance of this backing at the conference, stating, “The recognition received at the World Tobacco Conference is a direct result of the Honourable Minister’s unwavering commitment to responsible cultural governance and public safety.”
The policy, which was approved and gazetted in 2024 under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, targeted harmful portrayals in Nigerian films, music videos, and skits.
The conference recognised Nigeria as the first African nation to implement such a comprehensive measure, with attendees commending Mrs Musawa’s leadership as “a courageous and visionary move to protect public health and preserve cultural values.”
One significant outcome of the conference was the various pledges by several international organisations to assist Nigeria in continuing to implement the regulation.
The support—set is expected to be delivered through their local partner, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA, which will include logistical and technical assistance to enhance compliance and awareness.
Mr Husseini highlighted the significance of this backing at the conference, stating, “The recognition received at the World Tobacco Conference is a direct result of the Honourable Minister’s unwavering commitment to responsible cultural governance and public safety.”
Commitment to Enforcement
The NFVCB emphasised its dedication to ensuring the regulation’s success, collaborating with local and international partners to prevent the Nigerian creative industry from promoting harmful behaviours or ideologies.
The policy’s focus on curbing the glamourisation of tobacco, narcotics, and ritualistic practices aligns with global efforts to mitigate the influence of media on public health.
The NFVCB emphasised its dedication to ensuring the regulation’s success, collaborating with local and international partners to prevent the Nigerian creative industry from promoting harmful behaviours or ideologies.
The policy’s focus on curbing the glamourisation of tobacco, narcotics, and ritualistic practices aligns with global efforts to mitigate the influence of media on public health.
US cuts visa validity for most Nigerian applicants
The United States has announced sweeping changes to its non-immigrant visa policy for Nigeria, cutting the duration and conditions under which most Nigerian travellers can enter the country.
Staring 8 July, the US Department of State says nearly all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be single-entry and valid for only three months.
It says this is part of a global reciprocity realignment, a sharp shift from previous visa terms, which often allowed for multiple entries over two years or more.
Nigeria also offers single-entry visas valid for three months only for those planning to visit the country from the US.
The Nigerian government has not yet commented.
The State Department says visa policies remain "subject to ongoing review" and may change depending on evolving diplomatic, security, and immigration benchmarks.
In a statement, the US government said it was working closely with Nigerian authorities to ensure the country meets key international standards.
These include: issuing secure travel documents, managing visa overstays, sharing security or criminal data for public safety purposes.
The US also ordered that the social media accounts of all foreigners applying for visas, including from Nigeria, would be vetted for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States".
Nigerians account for one of the highest number of student-visa applications to the US in the world.
By Chiamaka Enendu and Mansur Abubakar, BBC
Staring 8 July, the US Department of State says nearly all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens will now be single-entry and valid for only three months.
It says this is part of a global reciprocity realignment, a sharp shift from previous visa terms, which often allowed for multiple entries over two years or more.
Nigeria also offers single-entry visas valid for three months only for those planning to visit the country from the US.
The Nigerian government has not yet commented.
The State Department says visa policies remain "subject to ongoing review" and may change depending on evolving diplomatic, security, and immigration benchmarks.
In a statement, the US government said it was working closely with Nigerian authorities to ensure the country meets key international standards.
These include: issuing secure travel documents, managing visa overstays, sharing security or criminal data for public safety purposes.
The US also ordered that the social media accounts of all foreigners applying for visas, including from Nigeria, would be vetted for "any indications of hostility toward the citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles of the United States".
Nigerians account for one of the highest number of student-visa applications to the US in the world.
Related story: Canada denies over 13,000 Nigerians refugee status
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Video - Farmer-herder feuds persist in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region
Insecurity in northern and central Nigeria continues to worsen, driven by violent farmer-herder clashes. These disputes, rooted in competition over land and water, are fueled by ethnic and religious tensions. Despite repeated government efforts, the crisis remains unresolved and increasingly deadly.
Over 43m risk river blindness as Nigeria moves toward elimination target
Despite significant progress in eliminating river blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, over 40 million Nigerians remain at risk.
This is as the federal government, in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, yesterday confirmed that transmission of the disease had been interrupted in at least 10 states, including Kaduna, Nasarawa, Anambra and Abia.
Speaking at NIMR’s monthly media chat in Lagos, the Director of Research at NIMR and a leading public health parasitologist, Dr. Babatunde Adewale, stated that children under 10 were now being targeted for blood sampling in endemic communities where treatment had been ongoing for more than a decade.
If these children test negative, it is an indication that transmission has stopped.
Onchocerciasis, transmitted by blackflies, is a major cause of preventable blindness in sub-Saharan Africa.
Nigeria began using Ivermectin through mass drug administration, MDA, in the 1990s to control the disease.
However, due to its effectiveness and growing scientific evidence from countries such as Nigeria, Mali, and Senegal, global focus had shifted from control to total elimination.
“We are no longer just controlling the disease, elimination is now within reach. By 2030, we hope Nigeria will be declared free of onchocerciasis,” Adewale said.
He noted that over 37 million Nigerians had received treatment, adding that using Ov-16 antigen tests on samples collected must show positivity rates below 0.1 per cent to confirm transmission interruption.
NIMR also contributes to public health education and ethics, focusing on neglected tropical diseases that impact rural communities, which are key to Nigeria’s food security.
“These communities are the backbone of our food system,” Adewale said, emphasising that their health must not be overlooked.
He recalled that Nigeria’s success did not happen overnight, stressing that it followed decades of mass campaigns, supported by the World Health Organization, WHO, the federal ministry of health, and other partners, using community-directed treatment with Ivermectin, CDTI. This approach empowers locals to lead the fight by administering the drug themselves.
Onchocerciasis is caused by the Onchocerca volvulus parasite and is the world’s second leading cause of infectious blindness. Nigeria has adopted a phased strategy toward elimination: Phase one is the interruption of transmission; phase two involves post-treatment surveillance for 3–5 years; and phase three, verification by WHO experts.
Challenges remain, particularly insecurity in parts of the country that limit access to some communities. Only Lagos and Rivers States remain officially non-endemic.
Whie expressing optimism about its elimination, Adewale said: “We are doing better than many other African countries. Only Niger has been validated for elimination, and Nigeria is much larger.”
NIMR’s Senior Research Fellow Dr. Kazeem Osuolale, called for stronger community engagement and economic empowerment to improve health outcomes.
“Health interventions must be people-centered,” he said, noting that financially empowered individuals were more likely to comply with treatment.
Also speaking, Mr. Adeniyi Adeneye, a Research Fellow at NIMR’s Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, stressed the importance of health literacy.
He said: “Without public understanding of disease causes and prevention, even the most expensive innovations may fail.’’
By Chioma Obinna, Vanguard
This is as the federal government, in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, yesterday confirmed that transmission of the disease had been interrupted in at least 10 states, including Kaduna, Nasarawa, Anambra and Abia.
Speaking at NIMR’s monthly media chat in Lagos, the Director of Research at NIMR and a leading public health parasitologist, Dr. Babatunde Adewale, stated that children under 10 were now being targeted for blood sampling in endemic communities where treatment had been ongoing for more than a decade.
If these children test negative, it is an indication that transmission has stopped.
Onchocerciasis, transmitted by blackflies, is a major cause of preventable blindness in sub-Saharan Africa.
Nigeria began using Ivermectin through mass drug administration, MDA, in the 1990s to control the disease.
However, due to its effectiveness and growing scientific evidence from countries such as Nigeria, Mali, and Senegal, global focus had shifted from control to total elimination.
“We are no longer just controlling the disease, elimination is now within reach. By 2030, we hope Nigeria will be declared free of onchocerciasis,” Adewale said.
He noted that over 37 million Nigerians had received treatment, adding that using Ov-16 antigen tests on samples collected must show positivity rates below 0.1 per cent to confirm transmission interruption.
NIMR also contributes to public health education and ethics, focusing on neglected tropical diseases that impact rural communities, which are key to Nigeria’s food security.
“These communities are the backbone of our food system,” Adewale said, emphasising that their health must not be overlooked.
He recalled that Nigeria’s success did not happen overnight, stressing that it followed decades of mass campaigns, supported by the World Health Organization, WHO, the federal ministry of health, and other partners, using community-directed treatment with Ivermectin, CDTI. This approach empowers locals to lead the fight by administering the drug themselves.
Onchocerciasis is caused by the Onchocerca volvulus parasite and is the world’s second leading cause of infectious blindness. Nigeria has adopted a phased strategy toward elimination: Phase one is the interruption of transmission; phase two involves post-treatment surveillance for 3–5 years; and phase three, verification by WHO experts.
Challenges remain, particularly insecurity in parts of the country that limit access to some communities. Only Lagos and Rivers States remain officially non-endemic.
Whie expressing optimism about its elimination, Adewale said: “We are doing better than many other African countries. Only Niger has been validated for elimination, and Nigeria is much larger.”
NIMR’s Senior Research Fellow Dr. Kazeem Osuolale, called for stronger community engagement and economic empowerment to improve health outcomes.
“Health interventions must be people-centered,” he said, noting that financially empowered individuals were more likely to comply with treatment.
Also speaking, Mr. Adeniyi Adeneye, a Research Fellow at NIMR’s Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, stressed the importance of health literacy.
He said: “Without public understanding of disease causes and prevention, even the most expensive innovations may fail.’’
By Chioma Obinna, Vanguard
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)