The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • NCAA begins 8,805 telecom masts demolition

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Tuesday said it will demolish 8,805 masts belonging to Globacom Nigeria Limited, banks and other financial institutions.

    Its spokesman Sam Adurogboye  in a statement, said the demolition will also affect some banks and other financial institutions which discountenanced NCAA’s regulatory requirements on clearance to erect any high structure within the navigable airspace.

    He said the regulator was left with no choice but to pull down the masts since the 30 – day ultimatum given the telcos has expired.

    Reacting to the threat, telcos warned against acts that will compromise national security and lead to total telecoms blackout in the areas affected.

    The Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) said the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) should take note of the impending threat.

    Its Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, said if the NCAA carries out its threat, the aviation regulatory body will pay damages as the matter will be taken to court. He said any telecoms mast destroyed will not be replaced, accusing NCAA of going beyond its brief.

    Adebayo said the association had been discussing the issue with NCAA, adding that discussions have not hit brick-wall.

    He accused of NCAA of being driven by the desire to generate revenue than that of national security.

    But Adurogboye said prior to the expiration of the ultimatum, letters of reminder were written to all affected organisations to obtain Aviation Height Clearance (AHC) for their masts.

    Read Also: NCAA’s threat to pull down 8,805 masts sparks dispute

    Adurogboye said NCAA had earlier warned all Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) providers and telecoms operators against violation of safety regulations.

    Adurogboye said: “This is derived from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NigCARS) Part 12.1.7.1.3.1 which stipulates that No person or organisation shall put up a structure (permanent or temporary) within the navigable airspace of Nigeria unless such a person or organisation is a holder of AHC Certificate granted under this regulation.

    “In line with this, the regulatory authority requires an AHC approval for every tower installation in the country irrespective of the height and location.

    “It should therefore be noted that under the Civil Aviation Act. 2006, section 30(3) (1), the NCAA is empowered to prohibit and regulate the installation of any structure which by virtue of its height or position is considered to endanger the safety of air navigation.

    “While some of the providers and operators have since commenced regularization of their masts, others have failed to do same.”

    The NCAA spokesman listed  telecoms operators which have not regularized their masts to include Globacom Nigeria-7,012 masts, United Bank of Africa-439 masts, Guaranty Trust Bank-295 masts, Unity Bank-217 masts and Sterling Bank-159 masts.

    Others are Union Bank -92 masts, First City Monument Bank-205 masts, Fidelity Bank-83 masts and Access Bank-303 masts.

  • Shareholders laud Dangote Sugar

    Shareholders of Dangote Sugar Refining Plc, on Tuesday at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the firm lauded it for its performance last year.

    National Coordinator, Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN) Mrs. Bisi Bakare said some companies are struggling with the payment of dividends, Dangote Sugar Refinery has been consistent in taking care of shareholders.

    Founder, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, decried the negative impact of Apapa Wharf traffic situation which has impacted negatively on the performance of companies as they struggle to move finished goods and raw materials to distributors and warehouses.

    Responding, the Chairman of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Aliko Dangote restated the resolve of the company to soar to greater heights and create more values for stakeholders despite the plethora of challenges in the economy.

    He said the company has posted a profit before tax of N34.6billion with a turnover of N150.4 billion for the 2018 financial year. He lamented continuous smuggling of sugar into the country.

    Dangote said the company was able to post an appreciable resilient performance despite the gloomy economic outlook at the dawn of the previous year.

    He told the shareholders that the sugar giant was able to weather through the economic downturn and advanced significantly in 2018 because it pursed aggressively its backward integration plan aggressively by focusing on issues that have been bogging down the plan and subsequently adjusting the timelines.

    “2018 was quite a challenging year for the Company with several negative activities, which include influx of smuggled sugar into the key markets nationwide coupled with the Apapa traffick gridlock which continues to affect evacuation of products from the refinery”, Dangote stated.

    The Company Chairman explained that prior to the traffic logjam at Apapa, the company could move up to between 60 and 70 trucks out of the refinery but that since the problem started, it could hardly move up to 20 trucks out of the Sugar refinery daily.

    Dangote stated that the company had to revise its backward integration timeline to mitigate against the unforeseen challenges noting that the first phase of the plan include the rehabilitation and expansion of the Savanna Sugar, the Lau/Tau project in Taraba state and the Tunga sugar project in Nasarawa state.

    According to him, Savanna Sugar remains the only company producing sugar from sugarcane grown in the country and had just ended its 2018/2019 crop season. “Rehabilitation of the land and its infrastructure for improved yield and output is still on-going.

    Dangote disclosed that the first phase expansion of the Savanna Sugar capacity from the current 3,000 Tons of cane per day (TCD) , to 3,500TCD has been completed while the subsequent increase of production capacity to 6000TCD has commenced and is expected to be completed by 2020 “as well as the installation of the new 12,000TCD factory that will be fed with the increased cane supply”.

    “At Tunga, activities are well underway at 68,000 hectares sugar projects site. Activities ongoing at the project site include the establishment of the cane seed nursery, housing and other basic infrastructure with the project currently employing 325 staff with potential for increase towards the fouth quarter of the year”, Dangote stated.

  • Fed Govt exceeds oil budget target

    Nigeria’s crude oil and condensates production has risen to 2.323 million barrels per day (bpd), exceeding the 2019 budget benchmark of 2.3 million bpd.

    The Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, who spoke in Abuja on Tuesday while receiving in audience, the national officials of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), said Monday’s crude oil output figure was a significant improvement from the average daily production of 2.1 million barrels recorded last year.

    The NNPC chief also revealed that the corporation had recorded significant growth in its gas output, noting that it has grown the country’s gas production from about 450 million standard cubic feet (scf/pd) to about 1.5 billion SCF/pd currently.

    He said officials of the state run oil firm are now negotiating foreign direct investments (FDI) for the petroleum industry to the tune of $7 billion, a significant improvement from the $3.6 billion recorded in 2017.

    Baru said: “Since we came in July 2016, we had been focused on increasing production of oil and gas and condensates. At some point, our national combined production was about a million barrels; I am happy that as at the end of 2018, we have moved on, averaging last year, about 2.1 million barrels.

    “As I am speaking, this morning, I look at our production figures, combined oil and condensates we are pushing 2.32 million barrels a day. This stability and ability to push production has come as a consequence of several factors, both internally, externally and also with the help of the media.

    Read Also: ‘Why Fed Govt adopted $60 benchmark for oil in 2019 Budget’

    “Our drive for transparency has also produced a lot of fruits. We have been able to attract FDI into the oil and gas industry and in 2017 alone, we attracted about $3.6 billion. In 2018, we shot it up by $3 billion; at the moment, some of our officers are in London, where they are negotiating sums in the region of $7 billion as FDI for the oil and gas sector.”

    Baru said NNPC had been able to reduce the cost of crude oil production, dragging it down from $27 per barrel in its Joint Venture (JV) operations to $22 per barrel, adding that it was looking at further reducing it to about $20 per barrel.

    He said the Federal Government currently does not have funds to finance the revamp of the country’s refineries, noting that the corporation was currently engaged with some contractors to carry out checks on the refineries and present the findings to the financiers who had agreed to fund the rehabilitation.

    “At the Port Harcourt refineries, the contractors are on site; they are carrying out every checks and lots of non-destructive testing. We believe that by the end of October, we would have detailed review and we would approach our financiers, clearly on financing basis; raise the funds because they are quite willing to fund the operations.

    “NNPC would do that and pay the loans as appropriate, being that government does not have sufficient funds to finance the refineries rehabilitation. That is why it is taking time,” he said.

    Baru, who said the corporation was yet to hit its TD in the oil drilling in Kolmani River 2, in Bauchi State, said “may be next week we will hit the TD.”

    He explained that an interesting thing is happening in the exploration, which is accountable for the longer time that the project has taken instead of the 60 days from February 2, 2019.

  • States tackle commission over gaming/lotto regulation

    The Association of State Gaming Regulators in Nigeria (ASGRN) has accused the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) of acting unconstitutionally.

    They lamented the constant harassment and shutting of gaming centers by agents of NLRC.

    Rising from an emergency meeting in Lagos on Tuesday, the body, which comprises representatives of states regulating all gaming activities, said the states have right to regulate the business.

    The Chairman, Enugu State Gaming/Lotto Commission, Harrison Ogara (JP) and Head, Pools and Betting Division, Ogun State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS), Mr. Felix Fagbohun, who spoke on behalf of the others, flayed the activities  NLRC agents who go from one state to the other to shut operators legally licensed by the state government.

    The body said it is improper for NLRC to claim rights to regulate gaming activities clearly under the Residual List in the constitution, adding that such activities amount to eroding the very essence of true federalism.

    Mr. Fagbohun said while some of its members have regulated the industry under gaming laws promulgated as far back as 1981 and 1991, the NLRC only came into existence in 2005. He said: “For NLRC to assume the roles it is playing now, the Commission must first seek for an amendment of the Constitution because gaming regulatory power lies in the states”.

    Read Also: Senate threatens to order shutdown of Bet9ja over refusal to honour its invitation

    Recounting some the latest issues with NLRC, Mr. Ogara said: “When we noticed the obvious infraction on the provisions of our statute, the states were taken aback and surprised by this act, since the NLRC itself had reached out to the states to explore a joint approach to regulations, a development that was warmly embraced and supported by a few of the states, though there was  initial resistance, as per sincerity of purpose of  the national agency due to past antecedents particularly the handling of value added tax (VAT), which led to states loss of income. However, following concerted efforts of some of the states a lot of progress had been made, until this unfortunate act by the NLRC.”

    Mr. Ogara, emphasised that the authors of the Constitution in their wisdom gave the regulatory role to states because of the peculiar nature of the industry, states and their religious inclinations.

    “Nigeria is a Federation where the three tiers of government are expected to act independently together. We are also aware that there are cases in Supreme Court seeking for clarification over who has rights to regulate gaming”

    While justifying the right of the State to regulate gaming, the body pointed to the recent Bauchi State Government ban on all gaming activities in the State citing several reasons. This singular realisation that gaming/gambling is prohibited in some religion and other factors led to the placement of gaming regulation in the Residual List of the Constitution. As such, States that permit gaming have the inherent constitutional right to regulate gaming.

    ASGRN urged NLRC to understand that legally, its regulatory power only covers the ambit of the Federal Capital Territory and setting up a viable National Lottery to challenge what is currently available in other countries along the West African sub-region. “Ghana Lotto for instance is very popular in Nigeria and one would ask why Nigeria cannot float a similar lottery”.

    The state regulators also roundly condemned the current news filtering out that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) was contemplating the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) on gaming in Nigeria adding that implementing VAT in gaming can have a devastating effect on the economy.

    Reacting to the news that the States were making arrangement to float another body charged with the responsibility to issues taxes and license gaming operators Mr. Ogara said: “In fullness of time and after all due diligence and consultations have been concluded, we intend to establish a Joint Gaming Board (JGB) (one of the few positives of the roundtable discussions between the States and NLRC), whose duty will be to harmonise and design a unified tax regime among the regulating states. On the issue of licenses, we shall leave it for the respective State to decide.

    The Public is therefore advised to take note.

  • Woman, 67, charged with stealing N16m from hacked account

    In Odogbolu, Ogun State-based businesswoman, Wuraola Folashade Oluloye, has been brought before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly hacking a First Bank account and stealing a customer’s N16.2million.

    Oluloye, 67, was arraigned by the Lion Building Police Division, Lagos on five counts of fraud and fraudulent diversion, according to a charge marked B/33/2019.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate Folashade Olukoya granted Oluloye N500,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum, among other conditions.

    The case continues on June 24.

    Read Also: Barber pleads guilty to stealing church property

    The prosecutor, George Nwosu, said the defendant was arrested following a complaint by the bank’s Head of Department of Forensic Auditors, Mr. Solomon Akhanolu.

    Nwosu said the defendant committed the offence between last October 16 and December 31, at the bank’s Agidingbi Branch, Lagos.

    The court heard that Oluloye hacked the account of Emefiele Ogbor, with account No 3014419974.

    She withdrew N16,200,000 and transferred the same to her accounts in Stanbic IBTC, Union, Sterling and First banks.

    The defendant allegedly withdrew the money from the four accounts and converted it to her use.

    The bank discovered the fraud during an audit and blocked the defendant’s bank account.

  • Court dissolves ‘lazy’ man’s four-year marriage

    An Igando Customary Court in Lagos on Tuesday dissolved the four-year-old marriage of a businesswoman, Mrs Lydia Nwaru and Daniel, her husband.

    The petitioner told the court that Daniel, with whom she had a daughter, wanted to be “househusband”.

    The court’s President, Mr Adeniyi Koledoye, held that the husband’s repeated refusal to appear in court would not stop the proceedings.

    “Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court processes, in spite of being served with all court processes. Therefore, the court has no other choice than to dissolve the marriage.

    Read Also: Colleagues defend Chrisland School’s supervisor in court

    “The court pronounced the marriage between Lydia and Mr Daniel Nwaru dissolved. Both parties, henceforth, cease to be husband and wife.

    “Each of you should go on his or her separate way. The court wishes both of you well in your future endeavour,” he said.

    Koledoye said the only child of the marriage should be in the petitioner’s custody.

    He ordered Daniel to be responsible for the child’s upkeep and education, whenever the need arises, and when he is gainfully employed.

    Earlier, the petitioner said: “my husband is not ready to work. He prefers to stay at home. Whenever I complain about his idleness, he turns it to fight.

    “I have been responsible for the upkeep of the family, including school fees and rent.”

    She said she raised N120,000 for him to start a business but two weeks after she gave him the money, he did not do or say anything concerning the money.

    “I gave him another N86,000 to register for a job; the money went into nothing.

    “Thereafter, he started complaining that Nigeria was not suitable for progress; that he wanted to travel abroad to hustle,” she added.

  • Colleagues defend Chrisland School’s supervisor in court

    Two teachers from Chrisland School, Lekki on Tuesday defended their supervisor, Adegboyega Adenekan, accused of defiling a two-year-old pupil two years ago.

    Adenekan, 47, was charged before an Ikeja Domestic Violence and Sexual Offences Court for allegedly inserting his manhood into the child’s private parts.

    The incident happened in December 2017 on the school premises when the child was two years and eleven months old.

    In her testimony, the victim said the supervisor defiled her in his office and in the toilet.

    Adenekan pleaded not guilty.

    When the case came up on Tuesday before Justice Sybil Nwaka, the Assistant Head Teacher, Mrs Tolulope Adebola, said there was no way the defendant could have defiled the child on the school premises.

    Led in evidence by the defence counsel, Olatunde Adejuyigbe, SAN, Adebola, who said she had worked for the school for 19 years, said the victim gave conflicting accounts of where the incident happened.

    Read More: My wife is a street fighter, man tells court

    “When the matter was reported to the school, the victim’s mother was invited. She came along with her friend whom she described as a lawyer and church member.

    “She told us that she is the only one that bathes her daughter. But when the child was brought from her class for questioning, she said, ‘Aanu use to bath me and hurt my bum bum .’

    ‘The child’s mother was visibly disturbed on hearing that. She then opened up and said Aanu is her husband’s niece.

    The witness said when the child was asked to show where Adenekan defiled her, she took them to the Assembly Ground, which is an open space.

    She said her mother shouted at her and told her to show them the other place she was defiled and the child took them to the canteen.

    “I was shocked because the canteen is a very busy place where we have the maintenance office, the driver’s lounge and the kitchen. There was no way she could have been defiled there.

    “This child was in Kindergarten II at that time and Adenekan was a Supervisor of the primary school section. His office was on the last floor. There was no way he could have taken the child out of the class without the teacher or assistant teacher being aware,” the witness said.

    The victim’s class teacher, Ruth Ujunwa, children in her class were always escorted to and fro the restroom.

    “The child is intelligent I agree, but there is no way a two-year-old child can draw manhood. We don’t teach pre-school children how to draw. We treat these children like babies because of their age, so we accompany them everywhere within the school premises.

    “The school is well structured. My Lord, so such a thing could never have happened,” Ujunwa maintained.

    Justice Nwaka adjourned till June 25.

  • How guard aided robbers into our homes, by residents

    Some Lagos residents have described as traumatic their experience in armed robbers’ hands.

    They said it was shocking to discover that their guard had a hand in the robbery.

    Reliving their experience during a visit to The Nation, they said the robbers invaded their 10, Akanro Street, Ilasamaja, Lagos home, and raided all the four flats.

    Speaking on behalf of others, Ibikunle Ojikutu and Habeeb Yahya said the robbers were aided by their guard.

    Ojikutu, a Facility Manager at Meditrack Limited, said he was watching a movie with his wife around 1:30am when the couple saw the guard behind their window.

    He said they thought he was on normal patrol, until they heard a heavy sound around 2am .

    Ojikutu said: “I didn’t even know it was my door. My wife woke me and told me someone is at the door. So, I carefully listened to the noise. So, when we got into the living room, I could see the robbers already opening the window and brandishing cutlasses. I went back into the room. They came to the room’s window and said ‘We can see you. It’s better you open that door yourself or we break into the room.’ So, I just thought to myself that they could harm my wife and kids if they forced themselves into the house. Immediately, I opened the door, they pushed me to the wall and kept shouting ‘Where is your gold!’ They were opening the wardrobe as they were talking, throwing out everything they saw. They were just ransacking all the bags they saw in the house, asking ‘Where are your phones?’

    “Before I could bring out my phones, someone had already taken it. They took a pair of shoes. They took three phones in the wardrobe.

    “My one-year-old daughter woke up and started screaming. We pleaded with them as they were showing their weapons to ensure we didn’t raise any alarm. So we kept quiet. After they were done, they locked us in the room. We heard them banging on another door. We knew they were already breaking into other people’s apartments.”

    Ojikutu said he saw the guard about an hour later near the generator house, adding: “the rule of the house is that we don’t put on the generator after midnight. He had turned on the generator while there was electricity probably to ensure our neighbours do not hear anyone trying to call for help. He also turned off the security lights. It was after the robbers left that he turned off the generator and switched on the security lights.

    Read Also: One killed as Police, armed robbers clash in Imo

    “Later, he came out and I called him to help us to open the door.  It was when we came out that we discovered they had robbed other neighbours. It was our first experience. I heard people talking about it, but my first-time experience was crazy. It is horrific because, for almost a week, my wife was saying let us just go look for somewhere else to stay. So, till date, when I hear the slightest of sound, I’m up. I don’t sleep peacefully. That’s how bad it is. The trauma remains with us and never leaves,” he added.

    Yahya, a businessman said, he had called the guard before the incident to notify him of the light issue in his apartment.

    Yahya said: “He (the guard) said he wasn’t in the compound; that he went to dispose of dirt. I told him to ensure he puts on the light when he comes back. But, he never returned until I slept off.”

    He said at about 2am, about six armed men woke him up, adding: “they were holding guns, cutlasses and axe. They broke into my apartment but not through my door. I have no idea how they entered.”

    According to him, they carted away cash, laptop, five phones and Jewelry.

    He said: “They told us not to make noise and lie down. The surprising thing was that they knew much about my apartment because they knew where all the switches were. They could easily turn on the light. My bedroom door is bad, so they didn’t lock me inside the bedroom; they took me to the other room and locked me up there.”

    He said he saw the robbers chasing the guard about five minutes after they left him.

    “The armed robbers and the guard ran through the back and they were saying ‘if you run I will shoot you’, but they didn’t injure the guard. They brought him to my apartment and locked him up with me.

    “They were supposed to see the guard first. They didn’t see him until after they robbed me. After they locked him up, I started hearing them beating someone’s door,” he said.

    Yahya said what they stole was worth N500,000.

    “It was horrible because to see guns after waking up from sleep is not pleasant. They were pointing guns at me and my wife. It was a terrible experience,” he said.

  • PDP berates Obaseki over delayed inauguration of Assembly

    Edo State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) has berated Governor Godwin Obaseki over the delay in sending the official proclamation letter for inauguration of the 7th House of Assembly.

    A statement by the State chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, outlined that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria made a very clear position on the three arms of government with subject to their roles and responsibilities.

    He condemned the assault on the state’s democracy by calling on all lovers of Democracy to call the governor to order.

    He said: “What is playing out today in Edo State is that the executive arm led by Governor Godwin Obaseki has clearly and illegally stopped the legislature from performing it’s constitutional role by refusing to send the official proclamation letter to Clerk of the House for the inauguration of the 7th Assembly”.

    “By his unconstitutional act, he has assumed the character of a sole administrator. Edo PDP is uncomfortable with this unfortunate development.

    READ ALSO: You cannot intimidate us, lawmakers-elect tell Obaseki

    “We knew the inherent dangers of the APC magical claim of 24 over 24. As a party we want it on record that this unpleasant development has nothing to do with Edo PDP but a product of greed and inordinate ambition of a non performing government who is afraid of its shadows”.

    The chairman further urged the Governor to do the needful and transmit the letter of proclamation to the clerk without further delay.

    He said the 7th Assembly ought to have been inaugurated on Monday, June 10.

    Procedurally, the state governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, ought to have made a proclamation for the dissolution of the 6th Assembly, to pave the way for the inauguration of the 7th Assembly.

    But the governor had yet to transmit the proclamation to the Assembly Clerk.

    However, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said Obaseki will proclaim the Assembly as soon as he is back from Abuja.

     

     

     

     

  • Transforming child nutrition in Nigeria: Fabusoro’s leadership in Nestlé healthy kids program recognised 

    Transforming child nutrition in Nigeria: Fabusoro’s leadership in Nestlé healthy kids program recognised 

    Nestlé’s Global Healthy Kids Program (NHK) is a groundbreaking initiative designed to tackle childhood malnutrition and raise health awareness among school children in Nigeria. 

    Mr. Fabusoro, a co-Principal Investigator in the project, played a pivotal role in the program’s success. 

    He led the monitoring and evaluation team, spearheaded curriculum development, and championed the program’s expansion across southwestern states. 

    This article delves into the program’s originality, its impact on children’s health, and its potential as a scalable model for global public health initiatives.

    Mr. Fabusoro with members of the monitoring and evaluation team and some stakeholders in one of the communities in Ogun West Senatorial district.

    The NHK program distinguishes itself by addressing the specific dietary needs and challenges faced by Nigerian children. Unlike generic programs, it incorporates local dietary habits and health issues, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness. 

    A crucial aspect of the program is the integration of nutrition education into the school curriculum, making it an inseparable part of a child’s daily learning experience. 

    This approach fosters the development of healthy habits from a young age, promoting long-term health benefits.

    Read Also: Nigerian Breweries grosses N383b in first quarter

    Mr. Fabusoro’s leadership was instrumental in integrating nutrition education into the curriculum. He collaborated with educational authorities to develop and implement a curriculum rich in nutritional knowledge. 

    His team conducted research on childhood nutritional challenges in Nigeria, incorporating these findings into the curriculum. 

    Furthermore, Dr. Fabusoro recognized the importance of empowering teachers to educate students about healthy habits. By training teachers, the program creates a ripple effect, enabling them to guide not only their students but also their families and communities towards healthier lifestyles.

    The program goes beyond just nutrition education. Fabusoro designed and implemented programs that promote physical activity and hygiene practices alongside healthy eating habits. 

    This comprehensive approach equips children with the tools they need to make informed choices about their health, potentially reducing the risk of diet-related diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease in the future.

    The monitoring and evaluation team, led by Fabusoro, assessed the program’s impact in three southwestern Nigerian states. 

    The results, published on the Nestlé website (https://www.nestle-cwa.com/en/nutrition-healthy-kids-nigeria), demonstrate positive changes in participating children’s eating habits and physical activity levels. 

    Schools reported a significant boost in nutrition education, with activities like “fruits day” encouraging children to incorporate healthy foods into their diets. The program’s reach extended beyond schools, with parents and family members actively supporting the initiative. 

    A testament to the program’s success is the fact that over 62,483 children and 807 teachers have benefited from the program since its launch in 2011, with teaching and learning materials reaching 112 schools across Nigeria (https://www.nestle-cwa.com/en/nutrition-healthy-kids-nigeria).

    Stakeholders across participating schools reported noticeable improvements in children’s attitudes and behaviors after the NHK program’s implementation. 

    School heads and parents observed positive changes in children’s eating habits, hygiene practices, and overall health. Children demonstrated a newfound awareness of the importance of a balanced diet, including fruits, vegetables, and protein. 

    They were observed washing their hands more frequently and taking better care of their personal hygiene. Teachers noted a significant reduction in illness among students, likely attributable to improved dietary choices.

    The Nestlé Healthy Kids program addresses the dual burden of malnutrition and obesity prevalent in many developing countries, including Nigeria. 

    By promoting balanced diets and physical activity, the program tackles both issues simultaneously. This two-pronged approach is essential for preventing chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

    The program’s focus on children underscores the significance of early intervention. By establishing healthy habits at a young age, the NHK program has the potential to reduce the risk of NCDs later in life. 

    Early education on nutrition and health can yield long-term benefits, potentially lowering healthcare costs and improving the quality of life for future generations.

    The success of the Nestlé Healthy Kids program in Nigeria has paved the way for its adaptation and implementation in other countries facing similar nutritional challenges. 

    Countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon, and Senegal have adopted the program, demonstrating its scalability as a model for global public health initiatives aimed at reducing NCDs through preventive measures.