Video - Nigerian entrepreneurs help riders, passengers beat traffic safely

Nigeria's biggest city Lagos is notorious for its terrible traffic. Motorcycle taxis or Okadas in the city are an easier way to get to your destination -- but authorities recently banned them from highways because of a sharp increase in accidents. Two young entrepreneurs want to make it easier for Okada riders and passengers.

HBO to adapt book by Nigerian novelist to TV series

Nigerian-British writer Nnedi Okorafor has revealed that her 2010 fantasy novel 'Who Fears Death' has been adapted by Home Box Office (HBO) for a television series. In a tweet on the 10th of July, the writer shared this news with her fans and followers. The book won the 2011 World Fantasy Award for best novel as well as the Carl Brandon Kindred Award in 2010, for outstanding work of speculative fiction dealing with race and ethnicity because of its unique blend of Nigerian culture with science fiction.

Nnedi's works are usually laced with cultural norms- especially the ones that affect women, yet she skillfully shatters these stereotypes about Africans and women. The book 'Who Fears Death' is the story of a girl - Onyesonwu, who was conceived as a result of rape. The story takes us through her development to the point where she discovers a world full of mystical powers, where she learns that she must end the war between the two communities.

Also included in her tweet was the Executive Producer of the upcoming series. The writer stated that the prestigious George R. R. Martin will preside over the production process of the series. She wrote: "My novel WHO FEARS DEATH has been optioned by @HBO & is now in early development as a TV series with George RR Martin as executive producer. George is the author of best-selling series of fantasy books 'Game of Thrones' and is currently the Executive Producer of the HBO adaptation of his book- hit TV series Game of Thrones, and he's doing a great job with that, therefore Nnedi is in great hands".

According the author, the development has been in the works for a few years, but they just decided to come forward with it. She also revealed in another tweet that she will be overseeing the adaptation:"I am very involved. I also know George well (we met in 2014 and I stayed in touch); he's been a sort of mentor to me through all this. And all those involved know what this story is; Onyesonwu is in good hands."

Daily Trust

America gives Nigeria $4.3 billion to tackle HIV in Nigeria

The US government support for HIV/AIDS programmes in Nigeria totalled $4.3 billion between 2014 and 2016 with more than 700,000 patients treated in 2016 alone.

Charge D Affairs U.S Mission in Nigeria, Mr David Young who disclosed this in Abuja. Young who made the call at the commissioning and official handing over of Jikoko Community Health Centre project supported by U.S. Ambassador’s small Grant Programme in Bwari Local Council Area, Abuja, said over $23 million is contributed annually to immunisation activities in Nigeria. 

The envoy said the US through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, made annual contribution of $7.35 million to support Nigeria polio programme.” “In addition to the annual contribution the polio programme also received an additional seven million dollars at the national level in 2016 and provided technical assistance in Bauchi, Katsina and Sokoto States. 

“The U.S. Government is appreciated of our work with the National Primary Health Development Agency, the UN agencies, state governments as well as National Stop Transmission of Polio programme and GAVI alliance. “We urged them to strengthen this work to kick out polio out of Nigeria. Nigeria is the only country in Africa that is still on the endemic list of polio.” 

He said health workers are encouraged to continue to make the provision and demand for immunisation a priority, and that health of children is the future of the family, community and the country in general. The envoy said U.S. always cooperates with other partners and government to make a difference in Nigeria.

He expressed confident that the commissioning of the health centre in the community would contribute towards the goal to kick out polio. “The commissioning of the clinic was an indication that “health is one of the priority areas of U.S. development assistance in Nigeria.”

Vanguard

Video - New plan adopted to eradicate insurgency in Lake Chad Basin

Well, authorities say they're close to eradicating Boko Haram. Defence ministers from the Lake Chad Basin and the government of Benin have adopted a new strategy to curb the insurgency.

Cameroon military kill 97 Nigerian fishermen

Nigeria's parliament is investigating reports that 97 fishermen have been killed in the Bakassi peninsula, which the country ceded to Cameroon.

Reports say that the killings happened last week when a Cameroonian paramilitary unit was enforcing a $300 (£230) fishing levy.

Nigerian Interior Minister Abdulrahman Dambazau accused Cameroon of breaching an agreement to protect its citizens.

The Cameroonian government is yet to comment.

Cameroon took control of oil-rich Bakassi in 2008 after an International Court of Justice ruling, ending years of border skirmishes.

Survivors of the attack have been arriving back in Nigeria with injuries, reports the BBC's Naziru Mikailu in the capital, Abuja.

Nigeria's lower house of parliament resolved that it will investigate the reports in view of the 2005 Green Tea agreement between the two countries, to protect the citizens of the ceded areas from harm.

A five-year UN-backed transition period was put in place exempting the area's residents, many of them Nigerian fishermen, from paying tax.

Nigeria earlier this week summoned the Cameroonian ambassador to lodge a formal protest note.

BBC

Related story: Nigeria clears Cameroon of the death of 97 fishermen