Ifgreen Foods has expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the Special Adviser to the President on MSMEs and Job Creation, Temitola Adekunle Johnson, for their unwavering support to entrepreneurs.
The company gave the commendation after emerging winner of the National MSME of the Year 2025 Award, alongside the Award of Excellence in Agriculture, at the 7th edition of the National MSME Awards held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.
Group Managing Director of Ifgreen Industries and Investment Ltd, Mrs. Ifeoma Mary Okonkwo, received the awards on behalf of the company.
She described the recognition as a milestone achievement that reflects resilience, innovation, and teamwork.
“This is more than a plaque. It is a testament to the dedication of our team, the trust of our customers, and the belief that green, quality foods can transform lives,” she said.
Ifgreen Foods has built its reputation on innovation in cassava value addition, producing a range of fast-moving consumer goods and industrial raw materials such as gluten-free flour, cassava starch, fibre-rich IfgreenVita flour, odorless fufu flour, and biofortified garri.
The company also integrates local farmers into its value chain, a move that not only strengthens rural livelihoods but also promotes climate-smart agriculture. By focusing on traceability, affordability, and quality, Ifgreen ensures its products meet both household and industrial demands while minimising environmental impact.
Judges of this year’s awards commended the company’s remarkable growth, sustainability drive, and social impact.
According to the organisers, “Ifgreen Foods serves as a benchmark for responsible, scalable businesses that benefit both people and the planet.”
Looking ahead, Mrs. Okonkwo reaffirmed the firm’s long-term vision to become one of Nigeria’s most recognised indigenous brands and a market leader in cassava industrialisation across sub-Saharan Africa.
“We see this honour as the beginning of a bigger journey. Our focus is to expand product lines, deepen farmer partnerships, and reach more households with healthy, affordable foods while continuing to invest in sustainable practices,” she said.
The recognition, observers note, not only highlights Ifgreen’s contributions to Nigeria’s agro-industrial growth but also underscores the importance of government policies and support in nurturing small and medium enterprises into global players.
For centuries, fatherhood in Nigeria has rested less on science and more on trust, tradition and social recognition. But in an age of DNA testing, quiet suspicions are being confirmed with startling frequency—reshaping families and unsettling age-old notions of lineage. Behind every result lies more than biology: a clash of culture, identity and the fragile threads that bind households together, reports Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF
It often begins as a whisper—a disturbing doubt, a subtle question gnawing at the back of a man’s mind, quietly eroding trust until it demands answers. In Nigeria today, that whisper is no longer confined to private anxieties; it is becoming louder, more insistent, and increasingly common. More men are turning to DNA testing not merely for curiosity, but for certainty. And all too often, the truths uncovered are devastating.
From hospital labs to private facilities and even discreet at-home test kits, paternity testing is on a sharp rise across the country. What was once shrouded in cultural taboo has become a growing trend, one that is prying open hidden cracks in Nigeria’s relationships, family structures, and social values. And the findings are stark. A new report by Smart DNA, the nation’s leading paternity testing centre, reveals that one in four Nigerian men who undergo DNA testing is not the biological father of the child in question.
The company’s 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report, covering July 2024 to June 2025, offers a rare window into how modern science is colliding with age-old family bonds. While there was a slight dip in paternity exclusions—from 27 per cent in 2024 to 25per cent in 2025—the persistently high figure underscores what many experts now view as an emerging social fault line. Beyond the raw numbers lies a deeper narrative: the erosion of trust, the complexity of modern relationships, and the strains—emotional, cultural, and financial—that Nigerian families are navigating. “This data is not just about science,” said Elizabeth Digia, Operations Manager at Smart DNA Nigeria. “It reflects the realities of trust, relationship challenges, and the immense pressures—both emotional and economic—that families face today.”
Indeed, the report positions DNA testing as more than a medical procedure; it has become a mirror held up to society. It exposes questions of fidelity, challenges traditional gender roles, and forces families to confront uncomfortable truths. For many men, the results confirm suspicions that festered in silence. For women, the trend raises difficult conversations about autonomy, trust, and cultural expectations. And for children, it redefines identity itself, often in painful ways. What is clear is that paternity testing is no longer a fringe phenomenon. It is reshaping how Nigerians think about family, loyalty, and truth in an era where science leaves little room for secrets.
Perhaps the most striking revelation in the report is the disproportionately high exclusion rate among firstborn children, especially sons. A staggering 64 per cent of tested firstborn males were found not to share biological ties with their presumed fathers, making them the most affected group. This contrasts sharply with lower rates among later-born children and carries profound psychological and societal implications. Firstborn daughters also showed elevated exclusion rates, though less pronounced. Analysts suggest these patterns may be tied to early relationships, premarital pregnancies, or deliberate partner choices that shape how fatherhood is initially defined and socially recognised. In Nigeria’s patriarchal society—where male lineage is bound to legacy, inheritance, and family name—the findings raise unsettling questions about the very foundations of fatherhood, family identity, and the cultural weight placed on firstborn sons.
The “Japa” effect: When DNA becomes a passport
Beyond the emotional turbulence of broken homes and unraveling trust, Nigeria’s growing appetite for DNA testing has found another engine: the country’s massive emigration wave—popularly known as the “Japa” movement. According to the 2025 Smart DNA report, immigration-related DNA testing surged by 13.1 per cent over the past year. This marks a historic rise driven by Nigerians applying for visas, seeking dual citizenship, or navigating family reunification processes abroad. As more families prepare for or adjust to life in the diaspora, DNA testing has become more than just a tool for uncovering the truth—it’s also a gateway to opportunity. “DNA testing is now a gateway not just to truth, but to opportunity,” said Elizabeth Digia, Operations Manager at Smart DNA. “We’re seeing parents use this as a safeguard—essentially, a form of biological passport for their children.”
In many embassies and immigration offices, DNA verification has become a required step—particularly when processing foreign documentation for minors. For a family hoping to start a new life in Canada, the UK, or the U.S., a single mismatched result can stall or derail their application. This immigration-driven segment of DNA testing shows a side of the industry that is less emotionally volatile but just as critical. It’s also one where accuracy, privacy, and documentation become paramount, with families caught in the bureaucratic intersection of science and sovereignty.
Who’s testing—and why?
While the paternity testing boom is multifaceted, the demand remains overwhelmingly male-driven. In 2025, men accounted for 88.2 per cent of all DNA test requests, highlighting the deep gendered dynamics driving the trend. The previous year told a similar story, with about 80% of tests initiated by men—most of them between the ages of 31 and 40. In a society where male lineage carries legal, cultural and emotional weight, the burden of questioning paternity—and living with the results—still falls squarely on men. Interestingly, older men (aged 41 and above) made up the largest age group of test initiators, accounting for 45.5per cent of cases. Analysts suggest that this demographic may feel more empowered—both financially and emotionally—to confront longstanding doubts, sometimes dating back decades. For many, it’s not just about trust; it’s about legacy.
But while older men are the ones initiating most DNA tests, the children under scrutiny are strikingly young. Data from Smart DNA shows that 58.6 per cent of all children tested in 2025 were under the age of five—evidence that in many households, doubts about paternity surface early and are acted upon swiftly. The numbers also reveal a gendered pattern. This year, 53.8 per cent of children tested were boys, a trend consistent with 2024, when boys (56.62per cent) were more frequently tested than girls (43.38 per cent). Age data reinforces this picture: children aged 0–5 years accounted for 58.02per cent of all tests, underscoring how quickly parents seek clarity on paternity questions. The preference for testing sons is telling, for it reflects the persistence of cultural norms that elevate the male child as the bearer of legacy—central to succession, family name, and inheritance. In many Nigerian traditions, the firstborn son is more than just a child; he is the heir, the namesake, the embodiment of continuity. A revelation that he might not be biologically related can therefore shake not just a family, but its very foundations.
Not surprisingly, Lagos remains the epicentre of DNA testing activity in Nigeria, accounting for 69 per cent of all samples submitted nationwide. But even within the city, new dynamics are emerging. The traditional Lagos Mainland strongholds like Yaba and Ikeja remain active, but Island locations such as Lekki and Ajah are experiencing a noticeable spike in demand—a shift attributed to the growing affluence of those communities and higher awareness levels among upwardly mobile residents. In fact, Lekki alone accounted for 20.3per cent of all tests. Other notable hotspots include: Yaba – 15.8percent; Ajah and Ikorodu – 10.5 per cent each; Surulere and Ikeja – 9 per cent each. This geographic trend shows that DNA testing is no longer confined to the fringes of society. It has moved into Nigeria’s middle and upper classes, becoming a tool of certainty in a world filled with relational and legal complexities.
“These findings offer a unique window into the changing dynamics of Nigerian families and society,” said Digia. “The high rate of negative paternity tests and the surge in immigration-related testing are particularly noteworthy. They reflect broader societal trends that merit further discussion and research. The concentration of testing in Lagos also raises important questions about accessibility and awareness of DNA testing services across Nigeria. As a company, we’re committed to expanding access to our services nationwide while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and confidentiality,” she added.
The report also shines a light on ethnic disparities in DNA testing uptake. Yoruba clients made up 53 per cent of all test cases, followed by Igbo clients at 31.3percent. Strikingly, Hausa participation remains extremely low at just 1.2%, despite the ethnic group’s large national population. Experts believe this gap may reflect cultural and religious sensitivities, especially in Northern Nigeria, where paternity discussions are considered highly sensitive—even shameful. In more conservative or Islamic communities, the idea of questioning a child’s legitimacy could carry severe social consequences or even pose personal risk to the individuals involved.
What’s also notable is the quiet, personal nature of most DNA test requests. According to the report, 83.7% of tests were conducted for “peace of mind,” not legal purposes. This shows a largely hidden culture of suspicion—one where individuals seek answers privately, often without involving courts, lawyers, or even other family members. Only 1.4per cent of all tests were court-mandated. Moreover, 80% of tests involved only one child, indicating that many clients are honing in on a single source of doubt rather than launching broad investigations across all offspring. It underscores how targeted—and secretive—these suspicions often are.
Legal silence in the face of emotional ruin
Despite the staggering scale of the problem, Nigeria remains without a legal framework to address paternity fraud. Unlike South Africa and many Western nations where deceived fathers can seek legal restitution or even reclaim years of child support, Nigerian men have no formal avenue for redress when DNA tests reveal a child is not biologically theirs. In this void, countless men are left financially drained and emotionally shattered—sometimes after decades of nurturing children they later discover are not bound to them by blood.
This silence in law has deepened the scars of betrayal. The Smart DNA report warns that the absence of clear policies not only perpetuates injustice but also risks turning DNA testing into an unregulated free-for-all, where results are delivered without safeguards for the emotional fallout. “There is an urgent need for policy reform,” the report concludes, “not only to protect men, but to ensure that DNA testing is approached ethically, responsibly, and with full awareness of the emotional consequences involved.”
Among its recommendations are the integration of DNA education into public health systems, mandatory counselling before and after testing, and public campaigns to normalise honest conversations about paternity and family identity. Such measures, it argues, would help families process the seismic shifts that often accompany a single test result. For beyond the statistics lies a national reckoning. Nigeria’s DNA boom is not merely a medical trend—it is a mirror held up to a society in transition. Traditional family structures, once sealed by silence and trust, are colliding with modern realities of migration, economic strain, and globalisation. Questions once buried in shame are now being asked aloud.
Behind every sealed envelope is a human story: a father whose world has collapsed, a mother navigating truth and survival, a child caught in the crossfire of biology and belonging. As Digia notes, “Behind every statistic is a human story—of doubt, betrayal, clarity, or relief. Our mission is not just to deliver answers, but to handle them with the compassion and confidentiality our clients deserve.”
I feel impelled today to short circuit my way to 27 May 2026, the next CHILDREN’S DAY. None other than the 18-year-old girl I code named SG in the children’s day column of two years ago is the cause of it. I heard good news about her this week which I cannot hold until next year. SG was one of three girls whose story touched my heart in 2023. They all attended Lagos secondary schools. The first passed in annoying circumstances. She was troubled by sickle cell anaemia, was chronically anaemic and was continually pressed by her parents to make schooling her priority when they should have first attended to her health. Surprisingly, too, was the fact that neither her class teacher nor the school counsellor saw her death coming, even when she physically looked terribly ill and weak and, as her friends said, sometimes fainted in school. Her teacher and the counsellor would arrange for the sickly girl to be taken home to her parents. A few days later, she would return to school and her health would again regress in that vicious cycle. Why the school did not take her matter far more seriously I still do not understand. Was it a case of overpopulation in her school where about 100 girls huddled in a classroom and the teacher was overwhelmed with work everyday?
The second girl became pregnant at 15 for a boy aged 23 she thought was her hero. She was intelligent and gifted in the understanding and handling of technique driven ways and means of existence. She has very little to eat and to feed her baby with. Money is not easily forthcoming. She abandoned home to live with friends because she is fed up with the “drama” of aunts and uncles who now find almost everything about her reproachable. She is a listening girl, otherwise she may have abandoned the baby somewhere or, as she once suggested she could, sold her and gone her way. I kept reminding her that her parents did no such thing to her and she should refrain from such an act whenever the baby came. She is all alone today with her baby in a village, still unsure of what to make of her life. Periodically, I get in touch with her to motivate her, to prevent her from drowning in depression, as her circumstances became more precarious. She is learning that, for the female gender, there are few heroes among today’s men, that most are predators!
SG is a different kettle of fish. She is the third girl I mentioned in that year’s CHILDREN’S DAY column. She is the one this column is discussing. I learned of her when she was 17 and in SS 3. Her father and mother never married. Her mother married another man, and her father another woman by whom he has four children. SG was always tops in her class. Her teachers and friends did not know her father had been seeing her, and that she had become pregnant for him. SG thought she could conceal the pregnancy until she would be through with her Senior School Certificate exams. She was sure she would make the grades for medical school. Alas, the bubble burst and she had to leave school in shame before the exams.
Her father made her pregnant when she was barely 18. Generative power, the highest energy profile of the human body, had broken forth in her, bringing along the spur of puberty and the urge to sniff, taste and enjoy the offerings of her environment. But she had no knowledge of how to contain the sexual urge or instincts, a problem for many adults even in their fifties, sixties and seventies today, as we can observe in many cases of defilement and rape. Additionally, she could not stop her father or tell on him because she did not know where all of that could end. The sexual instinct is natural, otherwise it would not have been an intrinsic part of the human body. To enjoy it and to use it aright, we must understand the reason it is implanted in the gross material body, which is not necessarily for procreation alone. Maybe I should quickly add that SEXUAL INCONTINENCE is wrong and may generate uncontrollable explosions under the counter pressure it would engender. I am not by this also advocating the PRINCIPLE OF LETTING YOURSELF GO. As in this case of father and daughter, the principle will suggest that resistance is troubling, and that the best form of living is bowing to nature or to nature’s call. While this may be true for animals, we should not forget that man is not an animal but a human spirit from the spiritual realm of existence who inhabits an animal body specially prepared by nature beings for his use on earth to which he has descended to perform a special task. Therefore, what is relevant to the animal is not to man whose orign in creation is higher. For man, a different law applies. By this law, which must be a litmus test for all of us in whatever we do, we are free to enjoy everything placed in our way, but under two conditions. The first is that what we seek to enjoy must be enjoyed in the sense in which it was given to us. The second is that… we must not bring harm to other persons while we enjoy our desires.
This story is unfolding. A father who enjoys sex with his daughter who is afraid to tell on him has not, in my view, enjoyed sex in the sense in which creation offered it to him. Also, in my view, enjoyment of his desire has negatively impacted the life of his teenage daughter and threatened to damage her striving for education.
In my twenties, I discovered in a spiritual teaching connected with THE COSMIC TURNING POINT in which we stand today an Almighty formula which may enable every serious minded person to overcome sexual entanglements or dirty sex, even as the Biblical Joseph was able to crush it, provided we are ready to summon this power to our defence and rescue when we are assailed by our weaknesses or those of other person’s. We must also understand what processes activate it and energise it and how the processes may be aborted to save us from inimical consequences of bowing to them. This would require another column. Suffice it to say that the alarm bells to watch out for in this process include
1)(Thought volition, that is deep or fleeting) which react upon
2) The instincts to produce
3) Feeling which, further reacted upon by thoughts will produce
4)IMAGINATION. This is a crucial stage when the spirit begins to construct an astral form of what it wants to do. The astral form is a prototype for the physical form. Even the physical body derives from an astral form. When the astral form is well configured, the next stage is
5) OPPORTUNITY. This is when a man and a woman find themselves alone…and anything can happen. The Biblical Joseph aborted the process at this stage. SG could not with her father several times…and the baby came!
I doubt if this process is taught in SEX EDUCATION at school. The process can be aborted at any stage. Even opportunity can be denied an action by ensuring that two persons of the opposite gender who cannot hold themselves should NEVER BE ALONE TOGETHER.
THE SG STORY
She was a studious girl set to write her final SS 3 exams when her bulge could no longer be hidden. So, she dropped out of school but determined to not give up on her education. When I heard her story, I decided to support her dream in whichever way I could. She was moved from her father’s residence to her aunt’s. The father insisted his daughter return home, but the request was rejected. When he began to steal in once a while even when everyone else was away at work, it was thought he was going too far and may strike again. Some persons thought his case was better reported to the authorities. A successful prosecution could earn him life imprisonment!
SG appealed against this. She loved her father, not as the father of her baby, but as someone who facilitated her coming to the earth. That touched me. Would I want my father jailed for life for whatever infraction he may commit against me? Did the Lord Jesus on the cross of crucifixion not pray that His assassins be forgiven their deed and misdeed? SG also said she liked her father to be able to look after her four half siblings. Again, this was consideration for one’s neighbour, however much inconvenience he may have strewn on her path. SG brought every-one, thereby, to the province of LIFE and earthly LAW.
In life, which needs nothing else to be, gives existence to all things, lies THE LAW out of which everything came into being and is maintained. These are the inviolable and unswerving natural laws or The Laws of Nature. They are very simple to comprehend and to appreciate, need no university education to understand. They are different from earthly laws which a thousand lawyers and a thousand judges would interprete in thousands of divergent or parallel directions. In natural law, only the person who is directly hurt by another can FORGIVE the offender. Once this is done genuinely, the guilt on the offender falls away from him or her and a once crimson -red person thus becomes white as snow. So, if the state punishes him after the injured person has forgiven him, the state commits a sin before the Laws of Nature. For those officers of the state who may assume they are acting or acted according to the constitution, legal process or some other “legitimate” instruction, there is NO HIDING under The Laws of Nature. They undergive our existence, bringing us reward or punishment, and the health of our bodies. In this regard, I share the views of this subject of Commodore Gbolalahan Mudashiru (rtd), former military governor of Lagos State(in the days of the Federal Military Government of Gen Muhammadu Buhari and Gen Tunde Idiagbon).
We all can recall how brutal the Federal Government of that time was, and of how unsparing of human life it could have been. Against that “psychic” pressure, Commodore Gbolahan MUDASHIRU (rtd) refused to sign papers for the execution of convicted armed robbers. Successive governors in Lagos State and in some other states have followed his footsteps. Aren’t the thoughts which governed his world-view worth knowing and followed? For me, he simply said “I did not create this fellow, so I cannot take his life, irrespective of whether my fellow humans, hiding behind the protection of earthly law, have carried out what they believe is fool-proof investigation.
So, if SG said she had forgiven her father, and we believe what we tie or loosen on earth is simultaneously tied or loosened in heaven, what offence has her father committed against us? As lovers and disciples of goodness, which is a quality of life in whom we believe, as LIFE is GOD, should we rather not rally round SG as she joyfully, radiantly and devotedly pick the pieces of her life and is re-assembling them? What has she done to make her deserve empathy from us?
A FORWARD LOOKING SG
She gave her baby to her aunt, who sent her to work as a cleaner in a private primary school to eke a small living to take care of the baby. When the budget became tight, the aunt thought of sending the baby to an orphanage and ending the story. I advised against this. SG did not throw her baby away. I put myself in the place of this baby. How would I feel today, even at 75, if I did not know my father or mother? I have been helping several persons to stabilise themselves in this boat. A well known person in our country denied paternity of the first child in a boy-meets-girl relarionship. The boy, at 18, looked every line like him. His half siblings knew their own father. He made their mother’s home a hell to live in, not out of hate but out of desire to know his father. So, I spoke to this gentleman who agreed the boy could see him. This was after the boy’s graduation from the university. They met… and this man still categorically denied paternity of the young man. He also rejected request for a DNA test. His wife told him the son was his. He threatened to end their marriage if she had dealings with him. His mother and uncles pleaded to no avail. However, the young man was very happy I got them to meet.
So SG’s auntie kept the baby while SG went to work. From her meagre income, she re-registered at school for the SSCE which she had missed . Those of us who could make our widow’s mite financial contributions to her dream did so. Meanwhile, her baby was sent to her step mother in the village to stop her father from coming near her, under pretence of coming to visit the baby. SG told me she wished to study medicine. Her results in the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) released about two weeks ago shows she can. Please, see them below
Economics A1
Civic Education C4
English Language C4
General Mathematics B2
Agricultural Science C5
Biology. B3
Chemistry A1
Physics. B2
Unfortunately, she did not write the last JAMB exams. She was too shy to ask anyone for money to purchase the registration form. I was upset and resolved it would not happen again. This is the sort of young woman women’s development organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations should seek out and help, protecting their identities and privacies while doing so. I wish I still have the contact telephone addresses of Mrs Nkiruka Okoro and Mrs Benedicta Kole James. They are good at such things. They worked with me in The Guardian newspaper and at The Comet newspaper. I hope that by or before or shortly after May 27, 2026, I should be able to update this beautiful progression of SG story.
This story will continue to be a troubling story to all the parties involved. SG’s father must still be a restless man. I do not think there is a sane man who likes to have a baby by his daughter. I do not know how I would feel today if I am a son of my paternal grandfather by my mother. As for SG, how would she put it to her heartthrob of the future that she had a child early in life by not a boyfriend but by her own father? How many men today will not develop cold feet when they hear the story? However, these may be mere human expressions for as we always discover in life, what will be will be. For now, my prayer is that SG be blessed with Good Samaritans who would bring to fruition a great dream on which she is working so hard irrespective of her shattering experiences.
Nigeria is preparing for a landmark integrated health campaign to vaccinate 109 million children aged 0 to 14 against measles, rubella, and polio, alongside nutrition interventions, it emerged on Wednesday.
In what he described as ‘the mother of all campaigns, the Executive Director (ED) of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina, disclosed that the exercise is expected to commence in October and will extend nationwide, while urging Nigerians to embrace vaccination as a key pillar of primary health care.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the handover of 1,653 solar-powered refrigerators donated by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Federal Government, the ED described the campaign as a turning point for Nigeria’s immunisation drive.
“The timing of the receipt of these devices cannot be more perfect in view of the reforms that we’re doing in our routine immunisation program, but also the campaign programs.
“In fact, we are gearing up for the mother of all campaigns, which is an integrated campaign of measles rubella, kicking off in October, integrated with polio, nutrition entities and a few other interventions in different communities.
“We want to reach 109 million young Nigerians between 0 to 14 years with different vaccines as part of this campaign.
“I encourage Nigerians to work with us to be on the lookout, as we look forward to participation and uptake from our communities.”
Noting the significance of newly donated refrigerators, Aina said they are expected to strengthen Nigeria’s vaccine supply chain, especially in underserved and hard-to-reach communities.
The donation includes 1,653 Solar Direct Drive (SDD) cold chain refrigerators, 165 sets of spare parts, and both remote and 30-Day Temperature Recorders, all valued at $11 million.
“Today marks another manifestation of the health pillar of President Tinubu’s agenda to deliver high-quality primary healthcare services for all Nigerians,” Aina said.
He added that the refrigerators, procured from B Medical and Plus brands through a rigorous process, will be distributed based on disease burden and existing gaps.
“Specifically, 448 units will be going to States in the North-West zone, the North-Central zone will receive 308 units, and the North-East zone will receive 128.
“The South-East zone will receive 205 units, the South-West zone will receive 343 units, and the South-South zone will receive 221 units of the SDD refrigerators.
“In all, 884 units or 53 per cent, just over half of these devices will go to States in northern Nigeria, while 769 or 47 per cent will go to States in southern Nigeria.
“We have also procured spare parts and 10 years of maintenance agreements, including plant preventive maintenance by the vendor.
“Every single unit comes with temperature monitoring devices to ensure the vaccines are stored at the right temperature,” the ED explained.
Aina expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his leadership, as well as the Coordinating Minister and Minister of State of Health, Nigeria’s development partners, including Gavi, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and UNICEF.
“This donation is a testament to the power of partnership and collaboration. We look forward to continued partnership and support from our colleagues, partners, and the Nigerian public,” he said.
Represented by Deputy Country Representative Dr. Alexander Chimbaru, WHO Country Representative Dr. Alex Gasasira reaffirmed the organisation’s support for Nigeria’s primary health care system, describing the equipment handover to NPHCDA as a pivotal step in strengthening the nation’s immunisation infrastructure.
“These solar-powered refrigerators will play a vital role in maintaining vaccine quality and safety, especially in remote and energy-challenged communities,” he noted.
Gasasira stressed that the initiative aligns with WHO’s global Immunisation Agenda 2030, which emphasises equitable vaccine access, sustainable cold chain systems, and health system integration.
“By leveraging solar technology, we are ensuring not only the potency of vaccines but also advancing environmental sustainability and strengthening health systems’ resilience,” he said.
UNICEF echoed similar sentiments, with its Chief of Health, Dr. Maharajan Muthu, calling the investment a milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to reduce the number of zero-dose children by half by 2028.
“Cold chain infrastructure is the backbone of an effective immunisation program, ensuring that vaccines and other temperature-sensitive medical supplies retain their potency from storage to administration,” he said.
Muthu outlined UNICEF’s role in strengthening Nigeria’s vaccine delivery system, from identifying cold chain needs to procuring and delivering modern equipment.
“This investment will significantly enhance Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure, enabling outreach to remote communities and ensuring that safe and effective vaccines reach every child, leaving no one behind,” he said.
While celebrating the milestone, Muthu highlighted ongoing challenges, including equipment tracking, regular maintenance, stock management, and sustainable funding.
“UNICEF remains committed to working alongside the federal government of Nigeria to overcome these challenges. We will continue to strengthen the immunisation supply chain, support community engagement, and advocate for sustainable financing to ensure every child receives life-saving vaccines,” he added.
As Nigeria continues to battle with recurring disasters such as devastating floods and cholera outbreaks, the Oyo state government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched fresh efforts to strengthen regional preparedness and protect vulnerable communities, especially women and children.
The initiative took off at a three-day multi-sectoral Emergency Preparedness workshop held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, bringing together stakeholders from Oyo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Edo States. The workshop aims to boost regional capacity to prepare and respond to emergencies that have continued to threaten public health and safety.
Declaring the workshop open, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Ministry of Information and Orientation, Rotimi Babalola, described the meeting as timely, given the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters and disease outbreaks in Nigeria.
He stressed that emergencies rarely give prior notice, hence the need for states to build resilience and forge stronger inter-state cooperation.
Babalola said, “Emergencies, as we all know, do not give prior notice. They demand timely, coordinated, and multi-sectoral action. This workshop provides a unique opportunity to share knowledge, review strategies, and strengthen collaboration across the southwest.”
He urged participants to actively engage in discussions and ensure that the outcomes of the workshop are translated into practical measures that can safeguard lives and protect communities.
UNICEF’s Planning, Monitoring and Reporting Specialist, Mr. Oluwasola Olanipekun, emphasised that women and children who are the most affected during emergencies are not left behind.
He emphasised that prompt activation of emergency plans, backed by strict adherence to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), would save countless lives.
The workshop focuses on practical solutions such as early warning systems, community sensitisation, and rapid response coordination among states. At the end of the three days, participants are expected to develop concrete action plans that can be implemented across the region.
Beyond statistics, the initiative underscores a shared vision, building stronger, safer and more resilient communities where vulnerable families can withstand the shocks of disasters without losing their lives, livelihoods, or dignity.
During the technical session, UNICEF Emergency Specialist, Mr. Olayinka Afolabi, highlighted the worrying trend of recurrent flooding and cholera outbreaks in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, and Osun States. He linked the problem largely to poor sanitation practices, weak enforcement of hygiene regulations, and persistent open defecation in many communities.
Quoting from the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) 2025 countrywide risk analysis, Afolabi revealed that as of week 30, 64 suspected cholera cases were reported nationwide, with no deaths recorded, representing a 74 percent decline from the previous week.
However, cumulatively between weeks one and 30, Nigeria had recorded 4,708 suspected cases and 113 deaths across 199 local government areas in 35 states. This, he explained, represents a case fatality rate of 2.4 percent.
While stressing that although disasters cannot be completely avoided, their impacts can be significantly reduced through adequate preparedness and robust institutional frameworks. He highlighted four critical planning processes that states must prioritize: Risk Analysis, Scenario Planning, Anticipated Response and Preparedness.
“If you spend two dollars on emergency preparedness, you save between 6,000 and 8,000 dollars when an emergency actually happens,” he said, emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of early investment in disaster management.
As the workshop progresses, participants expressed optimism that the knowledge gained, partnerships forged and action plans developed will go a long way in reducing vulnerabilities, saving lives and safeguarding communities across the Southwest states and Edo State.
Management of the Med-Vical Medical Centre in Benin City, the Edo State capital, where twin babies died few days after they were admitted, has denied being complicit in their deaths.
It said it took proper care of what it termed “the very ill extreme pre-term twin babies” referred from another facility to them.
The hospital, which denied allegations of medical negligence, secrecy and incompetence in the handling of the twins, said the mother saw the corpses before they were taken to the mortuary.
Both babies died on separate days at the neo-natal intensive care centre.
Parents of the babies, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Sylvester, had in a petitioned to the Police called for discreet investigation into the deaths.
They also called for autopsy even as they accused the hospital of taking one of the babies to the mortuary without informing them.
Consultant Paediatrician/Neonatologist of the hospital, Dr. Enato Gertrude, said she received the babies from a second private hospital about 9pm on July 9.
Enato said the babies were in a critical condition and were diagnosed to have severe prematurity, severe respiratory distress syndrome, severe neo-natal sepsis and peri-natal asphyxia.
She said the hospital started treatment to save the babies despite inability of the parents to pay 50 per cent of what was needed before treatment.
According to Enato, the first twin died after eight days after admission, while the second one died three weeks later.
“I wasn’t there at the delivery. I don’t know what transpired. I don’t know everything that happened until they got to our facility which was several hours after the children were born, because they came into our facility very ill.
“When the children came, we diagnosed them and put the babies on the machine and started treatment, there is a minimum deposit that is supposed to be paid. The babies needed tubings, surfactants and caffeine citrate, which are expensive. They are not even readily available over the counter.
“They’re actually specially ordered, specially packaged, and cold chain must be maintained with them. And they are quite expensive. I don’t produce them. I buy them to use for the babies. And it’s supposed to help these babies. So at this point, the parents didn’t have enough money for all of this. I think the father had less than 50 per cent of the money because he said he couldn’t get the money at that time.‘‘
“He came to meet me and I just told the billing officer not to bother them, let’s attend to these babies first, collect what he had. So, I think then he had just N250,000 or so for each baby. But, we were not focusing on the money. We just needed to save the lives of the babies of which we continued the care.
“We placed both babies on the machine and we continued to give antibiotics and oxygen therapy. And at a point, we noticed that the respiratory distress was not getting better and we informed the parents.
“While on admission we noticed the babies had thrombocytopenia and immediately we told the parents to get what they call platelets. Due to the severe sepsis, we also requested for blood culture.
“At a point on day eight, we noticed that the thrombocytopenia for baby two was not getting better despite all that we had done. A diagnosis of severe neonatal sepsis with multiple organ dysfunction and disseminated intravascular coagulation was made.
“So, we called the parents and counselled them that we needed to put the baby on the ventilator for complete life support but at this time the baby was bleeding from thrombocytopenia and we carried the parents along. They saw what happened. Despite all our resuscitation efforts for the baby, the baby succumbed to the illness. The father wasn’t happy after we explained everything to him. It was quite painful at that time for everybody.
Following the passing of the first twin, the father became hostile and we tried to counsel him but he was difficult to get him to calm down. We even suggested referring the second twin to University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), but he quickly declined and pleaded for treatment to continue, as they had nowhere else they preferred to go to.
“We did a lot for these babies to ensure that the second baby continued to live but two weeks after the passing of the first baby, we noticed bleeding continued for the second one despite blood transfusion with platelets administration, and the baby needed a mechanical ventilator (life support).
“We counselled the mother and told the mother that at this point that the baby had poor prognosis. Chances of survival was slim and she said yes that we should continue to do everything she has faith that the baby will survive.
“On Wednesday, we saw a little bit of improvement but it declined again and the baby had to be continued on mechanical ventilator life support, but the baby succumbed to the illness.
Due to the delay in claiming the body after 12 hours of demise and after several attempts to reach the father to no avail, we decided to take the body to the mortuary. We never denied the parents’ access to their child’s body.”
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against the use of falsified batches of the emergency contraceptive pill, Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg), currently in circulation.
The regulatory agency, in a public alert issued on Monday, disclosed that the counterfeit versions were detected following a report from the Society for Family Health (SFH), the marketing authorisation holder, which confirmed it did not import the suspect products.
NAFDAC explained that the fake contraceptives carry noticeable spelling and labelling errors that distinguish them from the original.
According to the agency, “The font size of the text on the pin verification sticker of the fake appears smaller, with the word ‘Verify’ wrongly spelt as ‘Veify’. On the back of the pack, the fake bears ‘Distnibuted in Nigeria’ instead of the correct ‘Distributed in Nigeria.’”
The genuine Postinor-2, the agency stated, is batch T32458H, manufactured in February 2023, with an expiry date of February 2027, and bears registration number 04-6985.
However, two falsified versions have been confirmed — Counterfeit Type 1, batch T36184B, manufactured in August 2024 with an expiry date of August 2028, and Counterfeit Type 2, batch 332, manufactured in March 2023 with an expiry date of February 2027.
Both fake products also carry the same registration number as the authentic brand, making them potentially misleading to consumers.
NAFDAC warned that the use of the falsified contraceptives could lead to failed contraception, exposure to harmful or toxic substances, unpredictable side effects, and long-term reproductive health complications.
In extreme cases, the agency said, contaminated ingredients could trigger allergic reactions, organ damage, or even death.
“Counterfeit medicines are unregulated, untested, and illegal, making their safety and efficacy impossible to guarantee. Patients should only obtain Postinor-2 from verified pharmacies or licensed healthcare providers,” the agency cautioned.
It added that investigations into the source of the falsified products were ongoing, while all zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to intensify surveillance and mop up the counterfeit batches across states.
The agency urged consumers and healthcare workers to carefully verify PIN stickers, report suspicious products, and purchase medicines only from reputable outlets.
Nigeria has recorded a significant drop in circulating variant poliovirus (cVPV2) cases in Nigeria, declining from 78 per cent in 2024 to 46 per cent in 2025, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), said.
The announcement was made on Tuesday in Abuja at the Second Quarter 2025 review meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care Delivery (NTLC), chaired by the Emir of Argungu, His Highness, Alhaji Sa’Maila Muhammad Mera.
NPHCDA Executive Director/CEO, Dr Muyi Aina, said the progress was most evident in high-burden states like Kano and Katsina, where infections have dropped by 85 and 84 per cent respectively.
He noted that vaccination coverage rose from 81 to 84 per cent between April and June, with settlements reached during campaigns also increasing from 71 to 78 per cent.
Aina however warned against complacency, citing challenges such as insecurity and fake finger-marking, which undermine the credibility of campaigns.
He urged stronger collaboration with the media and traditional leaders to improve accountability and reassure parents.
“No mother would knowingly endanger her child. Providing accurate information is critical, and involving traditional leaders in selecting vaccinators builds trust and compliance,” Aina said.
In his welcome address, Emir Mera urged royal fathers to sustain their commitment to eradicating cVPV2, describing it as “a sacred duty we owe our people.”
He also expressed concern about poor uptake of HPV and anti-malaria interventions during campaigns, urging traditional rulers to intensify education and mobilise households.
Development partners pledged continued support for Nigeria’s immunisation drive.
Dr Sam Okiror of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation praised the accountability role of traditional leaders in vaccination teams but highlighted insecurity and low routine immunisation coverage in states such as Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger, and Borno as persistent threats.
UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Ms Wafaa Saeed-Abdelatef, said Nigeria was nearing the “final stretch” in polio eradication but warned that nomadic and mobile populations, as well as children in hard-to-reach areas, still miss vaccinations. She also noted progress in primary health care revitalisation, with 1,160 facilities upgraded and 2,800 more undergoing improvements.
She urged traditional leaders to play a stronger role in the upcoming integrated measles, rubella, and polio vaccination campaign.
The NTLC meeting, attended by traditional rulers from 19 states and the FCT alongside government officials and development partners, provided a platform for experience sharing and reinforcing community-led approaches in health delivery.
To promote malaria awareness and empower students as health advocates, a pharmaceutical firm, Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, has launched a nationwide campaign on a health initiative.
The company unveiled the programme, known as the Geneith Health Competition (GHC), at the 8th Annual BAMSA Symposium of Lagos State University (LASU).
Leading the activation, Judith Ngozi Udeh, a pharmacist and Principal Manager, Marketing at Geneith and Co-Initiator of the competition, described it as an academic platform designed to reward excellence, stimulate innovation, and mobilise youths in the fight against malaria.
Udeh, who was joined by other pharmacists Abimbola Bowoto, Assistant General Manager (Sales & Marketing), James Ochuogu, and Somto Chimbiko, both Brand Managers, told the gathering of over 1,000 students that the competition would transform participants into health ambassadors.
“This competition is more than rewarding — it’s empowering. The focus on malaria education positions students not just as learners but as leaders in health advocacy.
By educating students, we transform them into health ambassadors who spread awareness across homes, schools, and communities,” she said.
The LASU activation, held in partnership with CEOAFRICA, also featured a medical outreach that provided free health screenings, personalised wellness counselling, and on-site registration using PINs from Coatal Forte Softgel.
Head of the Department of Business Administration, Prof. N.S. Alaka praised the initiative, saying it offers students opportunities to make a meaningful impact in their communities while building skills that could guarantee financial success before graduation.
The organisers noted that beyond recognising talent, the competition will contribute to Nigeria’s malaria eradication drive by encouraging research, peer-to-peer education, and innovative solutions from undergraduates.
They added that it provides a bridge between classroom learning and real-life health advocacy, ensuring that future leaders combine academic excellence with social responsibility.
Awards of Recognition were presented to Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, CEOAFRICA, and Pharm. Udeh for their contributions to healthcare innovation, impactful journalism, and youth empowerment.
With the LASU launch, Geneith said the competition is expected to expand across tertiary institutions nationwide, turning students into champions of public health through academic excellence and advocacy.
Health experts have called for urgent prioritisation of early childhood development (ECD) in Nigeria, stressing that the survival, safety, and future of children depend on adequate care from birth to age five.
The call was made at the public presentation of the Osun State Early Childhood Development Strategy, held at the Ministry of Health Conference Room in Osogbo.
Consultant at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Oluwatosin Olorunmoteni, said early childhood development is cost-effective and impacts all areas of human endeavour and policy.
She urged the Federal Government to introduce child survival action plans, explaining that such measures would further boost survival rates.
“The children should have their development monitored by the parents and this should be for every child. The brain of the children can be worked upon when they are young and not when they are already old. Every child should also have developmental screening while every school is also encouraged to monitor the growth of the children,” she said.
Permanent Secretary at the Osun State Ministry of Health, Dr Adekunle Isiaka, said a pivotal foundation had already been laid in Ife Central Local Government Area as a pilot study.
He assured that the project would be extended across the state in no distant time, urging development partners to support the government.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Hospitals Management Board, Bosun Awoyemi, suggested that all states of the federation should adopt the initiative.
Similarly, Commissioner for Health, Jola Akintola, pledged that Osun State would formally adopt the strategy and present it to the National Council on Health.
