Video - Insecurity in Nigeria's northern regions hampering food production

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, as many as 26 million Nigerians could face severe hunger by next year. The UN agency says several issues, but mainly insecurity, contribute to the problem. Experts have called on the government to address these concerns to safeguard food production.

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Nigeria declares state of emergency in health sector

The Federal Government has declared a state of emergency in Nigeria’s health sector.

This was as stakeholders across the sector converged in Ekiti State for the 64th National Council on Health where salient issues around the health sector are up for discussion.
Muhammed Ali Pate, the coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare said the nation’s health facilities are in bad shape, adding that there is a need for an urgent intervention.

The House of Representatives had last month called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency in the sector and allocate significant votes to it in the 2024 budget.

The call was a sequel to a motion by a Lagos lawmaker Fayinka Oluwatoyin (APC) during a plenary session in Abuja.

In the motion captioned “Need for the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency to collaborate with relevant health agencies in states and local governments to ensure the functionality of Primary Healthcare Centres,” the lawmaker representing Mushin Federal Constituency II of Lagos State said Nigeria’s health facilities are dilapidating at a fast rate.

Read also: FG urged to deepen public private partnership in health sector

According to him, the shortage of personnel, medical equipment, drugs, and qualified personnel among others, has led to a hike in the death toll in health facilities in the country.

By Temitayo Ayetoto-Oladehinde, Business Day

Ex-central bank chief of Nigeria remanded in custody pending bail hearing

A Nigerian court on Friday remanded former central bank governor Godwin Emefiele in custody on charges of procurement fraud, pending a bail hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

Emefiele applied for bail after pleading not guilty to six new graft charges that accused him of "conferring corrupt advantage". Prosecutors cut the charges from a previous 20-count indictment, which he faced along with two others, so he could be tried separately and quickly.

"The matter is hereby adjourned to Wednesday, November 22, for ruling on the bail application. Meanwhile, the defendant should be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the ruling on his bail," Justice Hamza Muazu said.

The main trial is set to start on Nov. 28, the judge said.

Last week, Emefiele was granted bail by a separate judge after successfully challenging five months in detention.

Emefiele, who has not commented publicly on the case, was suspended by President Bola Tinubu on June 9 and was arrested a day later.

He resigned in August while in detention, paving the way for the appointment of new central bank governor Olayemi Cardoso in September. 

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

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Naira briefly drops to record low on official market

Nigeria's naira briefly slumped to a record low against the dollar in thin trading on the official market on Thursday, bringing the official exchange rate within touching distance of the parallel market rate.

The currency of Africa's biggest economy fell as low as 1,105 naira to the dollar from 830 at Wednesday's close, LSEG data showed, before recovering to trade firmer on the day around 800 to the dollar.

A central bank spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the naira's fall or its plans for the currency when contacted by Reuters.

The naira's official exchange rate has been drifting towards the parallel market level for the past two weeks, traders said.

The naira was quoted at 1,135 to the dollar on the parallel market on Thursday, while lenders had been quoting the currency within a range of roughly 750 naira to 990 naira on the official market before Thursday's trade.

"We suspect this is an anomalous rate in a liquidity squeeze due to increased demand in the I&E window (official market), and don't expect this to be reflective of a true market rate going forward," said Kyle Chapman, FX markets analyst at London-based Ballinger & Co.

Olayemi Cardoso, the central bank governor who took office in September, has been silent about where he wants to see the trading band for the naira or when further liquidity might be injected into the market.

The central bank has not intervened on the official market since October, which has helped accelerate the naira's slide, traders said.

Last week the naira recovered from a record low of 1,300 on the parallel market after the central bank sold dollars to 14 lenders to clear outstanding currency forwards. Some other lenders are yet to get settlement.

The government has said it is expecting $10 billion in foreign currency inflows that will improve market liquidity, but it is not clear when those funds will arrive.

By Elisha Bala-Gbogbo and Chijioke Ohuocha, Reuters

Related story: Nigeria Inflation Hits 18-Year High

Oladips: Nigerian rapper dies aged 28

 Tributes are pouring in for popular Nigerian rapper Oladips, following his death at the age of 28.

"We are still in shock as we speak," his management said in an Instagram post.

The cause of death is unclear but the post read he "kept his battles within himself" for two years.

Oladips was a talented musician who rapped about political issues like the ENDSars protests against police brutality.

He also touched on the subject of mental health and depression in his songs.

"His story telling rap was top notch" one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Big Brother Naija contestant Hermes Iyele expressed his shock over the young rapper's death saying: "May God grant the family the grace to carry this grief."

The rapper was due to release his new album titled SUPERHERO ÀDÚGBÒ (The Memoir) on Thursday. His last single was called Die Young.

Oladips rose to fame when he won a rap competition called the King is Here hosted by Nigerian music giant DBanj in 2015.

Oladips's death comes a few months after another popular musician, Mohbad, died in September, leading to countrywide protests.

By Danai Nesta Kupemba, BBC