According to Nigeria's Ministry of Health, about 55 million people in the country contract malaria annually. Out of those, 90,000 die. Health experts are now urging the government to scale up efforts to address the issue.
Monday, October 14, 2024
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Former Nigeria national team goalkeeper passes away
Former Nigeria national team goalkeeper Peter “Apo” Fregene has sadly passed away after a prolonged battle with health issues.
He was 77 years old.
Fregene, a 1968 Olympian, died peacefully in the presence of his wife, Tina, and two children.
Segun Odegbami, a renowned sports journalist and former Nigerian international, confirmed the development.
Odegbami, a former national team captain, expressed gratitude to the numerous individuals who supported Fregene’s treatment until his eventual death.
“On behalf of all generations of Nigerian footballers, Olympians, sports persons, his family, friends, fans and a few incredible Nigerians that quietly rallied round and, with their support, prayers and the will of the Creator of the Universe, kept him alive until this night, I say a big ‘thank you’,” Odegbami wrote on his Facebook Page.
Fregene’s health struggles had sparked widespread concern, prompting an outpouring of support from the sports community.
Frantic effort to save Fregene
PREMIUM TIMES reported how three generous Nigerians volunteered to support his treatment at Obule Medical Centre in Sapele, Delta State.
This was on the heels of Odegbami’s initial appeal for assistance, sharing a distressing photo highlighting Fregene’s dire situation.
He noted that repeated appeals to well-known philanthropists had yielded support in the past but expressed concern that these individuals may be exhausted from continually supporting Nigerian sports heroes in need.
The sports community’s response brought comfort to Fregene’s family, with Odegbami thanking Nigerians for their response to the “humble cry of their hero currently in distress.”
However, he also lamented the government’s neglect of sports, leaving veterans like Fregene vulnerable.
Odegbami posed a poignant question: “Why can’t we set up a simple welfare scheme for active and retired athletes to take care of our declining health in old age?”
This highlights the need for systemic support for Nigeria’s sports heroes.
As the football community mourns Fregene’s passing, his legacy as a dedicated athlete and Nigerian icon will be remembered.
Mr Odegbami’s final words to Fregene reads:
“Good night ‘Apo’.
“Rest, my friend, rest in peace, finally!”
By Tunde Eludini, Premium Times
Friday, October 11, 2024
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Nigerian tech firm Data-Lead Africa is teaching coding and bridging the skill and employment gap for people living with disabilities. Aside from equipping participants with tech skills like coding, the company is also fostering an atmosphere of inclusivity and diversity. Students see the program as a stepping stone to a brighter future by getting better jobs.
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The Central Bank of Nigeria introduced the 0.005% cybercrime levy targeting banks and telecommunications companies. The government said money raised from the levy will help strengthen defenses against digital threats. In 2023, Nigerian banks lost more than 5.9 million U.S. dollars to cyber fraud.
NNPC raises fuel prices as it ditches costly subsidies
Nigeria's state-owned oil company, NNPC Ltd, has increased petrol prices by over 15%, marking the second hike in less than a month and the exit from a costly subsidy programme that has strained its finances.
At NNPC fuel stations in Lagos the price of gasoline rose to 998 naira per litre ($0.6257) from 858 naira, while in Abuja the price increased to 1,030 naira per litre from 950 naira. Long queues formed as customers came to terms with higher prices.
NNPC, the country's sole importer of refined products, can now recover its costs in full, having bought gasoline from the Dangote Oil Refinery at 898 naira per litre.
This is the first time in three decades that Nigeria is selling gasoline at full market prices, relieving the treasury of the heavy cost of subsidies, projected to cost the government at least $3.7 billion this year.
President Bola Tinubu scrapped a costly but popular subsidy on petrol last year when he took office, to cut government expenditure. But he reintroduced subsidy partly after inflation skyrocketed, worsening a cost of living crisis and stoking tension among the population.
By September, NNPC said it faced severe financial strain, admitting it was unable to continue importing fuel after weeks of scarce supplies at its petrol stations.
The price increase has sparked criticism from labour unions to manufacturers, who warn that it will worsen the cost-of-living crisis.
Gasoline prices are a particularly sensitive issue in Nigeria, where millions of households and small businesses rely on generators powered by fuel due to the country’s creaking national electricity grid.
Last week, Nigeria began selling crude oil to the Dangote Refinery in naira, with the understanding that the refinery would fully meet the country’s fuel needs. This month, NNPC is supplying the refinery with 13 cargoes of crude oil.
Edwin Devakumar, head of the Dangote Refinery, said the facility now has the capacity to meet all of Nigeria's needs.
Industry insiders say that with gasoline now being sold at market rates, NNPC will no longer be the sole buyer of products from the Dangote Refinery.
"We have applied to buy directly from the Dangote Refinery, but this hasn’t been finalised yet. For now, we are still buying through NNPC," said Billy Gillis-Harry, head of a local fuel traders association.
By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters
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