Tag: Federal government

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged the international community to disregard allegations of genocide against Christians in Nigeria, describing the claims as baseless and misleading.

Spokesperson for the Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in reaction to the reports, said the allegation represents a gross misinterpretation of Nigeria’s complex security challenges and an oversimplification of the issues confronting the country.

In an exclusive interview, Ebienfa assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration remains fully committed to securing every part of the country and ensuring the safety of all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

He emphasised that Nigeria’s security agencies are working tirelessly to tackle all forms of threats and restore peace and stability nationwide.

He said, “I must state categorically that the allegations are false and baseless. The Federal Government of Nigeria unequivocally refutes these unwarranted allegations in their entirety. They represent a gross misrepresentation of the complex security situation in Nigeria and a dangerous oversimplification of the challenges we face as a nation. Such claims are not only false but are also irresponsible, as they threaten to undermine the unity, interfaith harmony, and national sovereignty of Nigeria.

“As you are aware, Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multicultural, and multi-religious society where over 230 million people of diverse faiths, chiefly Christianity and Islam, have co-existed and thrived together for generations. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion for every citizen. The Government remains steadfast in its duty to protect this right for all Nigerians, irrespective of their creed.

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“The Ministry, therefore, calls upon the international community to disregard these unfounded allegations and to instead support Nigeria’s efforts in combating terrorism and banditry. Moreso, we urge our international partners to seek verified information from official channels and to engage in constructive dialogue with the Nigerian government.

“Nigeria remains a beacon of religious freedom and diversity in Africa. We are committed to fostering a society where all citizens can live in peace and practice their faith without fear. Therefore, we will not be distracted by those who seek to sow division and distrust for their own geopolitical or ideological ends.”

The ministry spokesperson said, “The security challenges confronting Nigeria, particularly in the Northeast, North Central, and other regions, are a result of the activities of terrorist groups and criminal elements, including Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and armed bandits. These groups are notorious for their indiscriminate violence, which has claimed the lives of thousands of Nigerians, both Christians and Muslims alike, and has led to the destruction of places of worship belonging to both faiths. They do not represent any religion; they are enemies of all faiths and of humanity itself.

“The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully committed to securing every inch of Nigerian territory and protecting every citizen. Our security forces are courageously engaged in ongoing operations across the country to neutralize these threats. We have made significant strides in degrading the capabilities of these terrorist groups and are continuously adapting our strategies to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians.

“Therefore, to attribute the heinous crimes of these terrorists to a state-sponsored policy against a particular religious group is a deliberate and cynical falsehood. It ignores the shared victimhood of Nigerians across religious lines and the tireless efforts of our military and security agencies.”

The federal government has directed key health research institutions in the country to provide full support, including financial backing, for ongoing studies into a potential treatment for brain cancer.

Institutions mandated to participate include the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).

The directive follows encouraging reports about a promising compound believed to be effective against several cancer types, particularly glioblastoma multiforme — one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.

Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Adekunle Salako, issued the instruction during a virtual meeting with the leadership of the institutes and the Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training (CAMRET), a research unit of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

Dr. Salako described the discovery as a potential game-changer for Nigeria’s healthcare system and a significant stride toward achieving President Bola Tinubu’s health sector transformation agenda.

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He emphasised that the development underscores the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s phytomedicine industry as part of broader efforts to unlock the nation’s healthcare value chain.

The Minister further revealed that a ministerial committee has already been established to coordinate collaboration among researchers, investors, and industry partners to fast-track pharmaceutical innovation and ensure that Nigeria plays a leading role in global medical breakthroughs.

“The phytomedicine sector must be prioritized in unlocking Nigeria’s healthcare value chain. A committee has already been established to bring together investors, research institutions, and stakeholders to accelerate development in the pharmaceutical sector,” he said.

Dr. Salako urged the CAMRET team to present a detailed proposal to the Ministry outlining its requirements and pledged the federal government’s support for further research and development.

He commended the scientists for their dedication and encouraged them to sustain momentum until the discovery yields a product that benefits Nigerians.

Presenting the research outcome, CAMRET team lead, Dr. Amina Jega, said the active compound was derived from a plant native to northwestern Nigeria.

Laboratory tests, she explained, showed that the extract destroyed brain cancer cell lines within 48 hours at a specific dosage, while noting that the substance is also being tested against other cancers, such as breast, liver, colon, cervical, leukemia, and lung, and early results have been encouraging.

Dr. Jega also noted that glioblastoma remains one of the most fatal brain cancers, with patients surviving an average of only 15 months due to poor drug response, underscoring the urgency of continued research.

In response, the Director General of NICRAT, Prof. Usman Aliyu, while welcoming the Minister’s swift intervention and affirming the institute’s readiness to collaborate fully, disclosed that NICRAT had already reached out to the researchers and would provide necessary institutional support.

“As soon as the Minister received word of the discovery, he asked us to make contact with the researchers. NICRAT is committed to supporting this initiative in every possible way”, Prof. Malami said.

NIPRD’s Director General, Dr. Obi Adigwe, also confirmed that the Minister approved the inclusion of a CAMRET representative in a federal delegation scheduled to attend specialized biomedical training in China in early 2026.

He added that Stanford University will host a boot camp on translational research in Nigeria in February 2026, where a member of the research team will also participate.

“The Minister has approved these engagements as part of national priority projects,” Dr. Adigwe said.

Similarly, NIMR’s Director General, Prof. John Obafunwa, expressed interest in partnering with CAMRET on clinical studies and further analysis of the extract’s efficacy in human trials.

Stressing why NIMR’s full cooperation is assured, Prof. Obafunwa said, “If this research can extend brain cancer survival rates beyond the current 12 to 15 months, it will mark a major advancement.”

Joshua Oboh

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of civil servants, with fresh initiatives including a proposed N750 billion Pension Bond currently before the National Assembly, the approval of a Group Life Assurance scheme for all federal employees, and the expansion of health and recognition programmes for workers.

Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Mrs. Patience Oyekunle, disclosed this during the quarterly forum with union leaders from federal ministries in Abuja.

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She explained that staff welfare, identified as Pillar Six of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025, has remained a top priority for government under the leadership of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack.

Highlighting progress made, Oyekunle said the government had revived the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund to fully implement the Employee Compensation Scheme, repositioned the OHCSF Wellness Centre to provide free medical services, consultations and medications, and reviewed the Rewards and Recognition Policy to entrench a performance-driven culture across the service.

“These are impactful interventions that demonstrate government’s unwavering commitment to improving the conditions of service, boosting morale and driving efficiency in the civil service,” she said.

The Federal Government has indicated its readiness to recognize tax professionals within the federal civil service structure as part of the ongoing review of the Scheme of Service.

This was disclosed by the Accountant General of the Federation, Dr. Shamisldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi, when he received a delegation from the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN), led by its President, Mr. Innocent C. Ohagwa, during a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.

In a statement issued yesterday  by Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Dr. Ogunjimi assured the CITN delegation that their request for the creation of a career path for tax professionals, with an entry point at Grade Level 10, would be presented to the Head of Service of the Federation.

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He noted that tax professionals deserve to be recognized in the same category as lawyers, medical practitioners, and veterinary doctors in the civil service, adding that such recognition is long overdue.

On Nigeria’s fiscal outlook, the Accountant General pointed to the newly enacted Tax Reform Acts, which he said hold the potential to reshape the country’s fiscal landscape, boost revenue generation, and curb leakages if fully implemented.

Dr. Ogunjimi further disclosed that the Treasury Academy in Orozo would be upgraded into a world-class institute to train accountants to international standards. According to him, the plan is aimed at enhancing professionalism and equipping financial managers with the skills required to support sustainable revenue generation.

The Federal Government has unveiled a digital portal for the registration and licensing of teachers nationwide.

The portal is also expected to provide a transparent and credible database of qualified professionals; enable real-time access to professional development opportunities and strengthen accountability and restore dignity to the teaching profession.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, yesterday in Abuja unveiled the portal developed by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) with the support of the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE).

The opening of the portal aims to strengthen the Nigerian teaching workforce.

Alausa said the government has introduced a mandatory teacher ethics and criminal record verification   framework.

The minister said this would ensure that no teacher in public or private institutions is employed without undergoing ethics screening and criminal background checks.

He described the new framework ias a part of wider reforms to restore dignity, accountability, and professionalism in Nigeria’s teaching sector.

Alausa said the government was committed to safeguarding the integrity of the classroom by ensuring that only individuals of sound moral character and verified ethical conduct are entrusted with the responsibility of shaping the nation’s future.

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He added: “As part of our reform agenda, we are introducing a mandatory Teacher Ethics and Criminal Record Verification Framework. No teacher, whether in public or private institutions, will henceforth be employed without undergoing ethics screening and criminal background checks.

“Private school owners will be mandated to verify the TRCN registration and ethical clearance of their teachers. The TRCN Portal will integrate a secure verification system to make this possible in real time.”

Also, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, noted that the launch of the portal would not only lead to the digitisation of records, she noted that it will also provide a credible database of Nigerian teachers.

She said: “Today, we are not merely unveiling a portal; we are opening a new chapter, a chapter where technology, innovation, and efficiency become the heartbeat of teacher professionalism in our country.

“In a world that is increasingly digital, where knowledge tra vels at the speed of light and where nations are competing through ideas, skills, and creativity, Nigeria cannot afford to remain behind.

“To build the future we dream of, we must embrace the tools of the 21st century. Through the creation of this portal, TRCN is not merely digitising records; it is redefining the narrative of the Nigerian teaching profession.

..with stricter fiscal benchmarks

Nigeria has introduced a new policy framework to enhance the management of its public debt, with the Debt Management Office (DMO) announcing the approval of the Medium-Term Debt Management Strategy (MTDS) for 2024–2027.

The strategy, developed with technical support from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), sets fresh benchmarks to balance government financing needs with long-term sustainability while minimizing costs and risks.

According to the DMO, the MTDS focuses on meeting the government’s short- to medium-term financing and payment obligations, achieving an optimal debt portfolio, and expanding the domestic securities market through innovative products.

Key targets include extending the average debt maturity to at least 10 years to ease repayment pressures and cutting the share of foreign exchange-denominated debt to 45 percent of the total debt, down from 51.75 percent, to reduce exposure to currency volatility.

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Other key targets under the new strategy include: Debt-to-GDP Ratio, this is projected to rise from 52.25 percent at the end of 2024 to a ceiling of 60 percent by 2027; Interest Payments-to-GDP, this will be capped at a maximum of 4.5 percent, compared with 3.75 percent in 2024.

In the case of Sovereign Guarantees-to-GDP, a limit of 5 percent has been set, an increase from the current 2.09 percent; Domestic-to-External Debt Mix, the ratio will be adjusted from 48:52 to a new target of 55:45, a measure intended to reduce foreign exchange risk.

To mitigate refinancing risks, the DMO has set a limit of **15%** for debt maturing within a year, while debt maturing as a share of GDP will be capped at 5 percent.

The DMO said the strategy was developed after consultations with key stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Ministry of Finance. 

The agency believes the adoption of the MTDS will strengthen investor confidence, send positive signals to credit rating agencies, and assure Nigeria’s international partners of the government’s commitment to prudent debt management and fiscal responsibility.

“The key objectives of the MTDS are to meet the Government’s financing needs and payment obligations in the short to medium term, taking into consideration the costs and risks trade offs in the debt portfolio; to achieve optimum composition of the public debt portfolio that ensures debt sustainability; and to further deepen the domestic securities market through the introduction of new products,” the DMO stated.

The Federal Government yesterday expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country.

It said apart from insecurity, floods and other natural disasters that have left over three million Nigerians internally displaced,   shrinking donor support has made ‘’humanitarian challenge in Nigeria worse.

The government expressed concern that more  Nigerians could face hunger and malnutrition if concerted efforts were not made to curb the rate at which floods ravage farmlands across the country. 

Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Tanko Sununo stated this at the inauguration of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Flood Management and Response in Abuja. 

Sununo, who said the situation was worse in the North, added that the government was determined to ensure that the challenges, especially flooding, were addressed. 

He  said:  ‘’More than 70 per cent of the North’s 65 % poor are smallholder farmers, who   have lost their farmlands and livelihoods to floods and drought.’’

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The minister added, “Today, we have a situation whereby global funding is becoming short for humanitarian aid. In fact, with the United Nations, the funding gap today is 36 billion U.S. dollars globally, and in Nigeria, we are seriously affected.

“Just a few days ago, I had to call a press conference on the suspension of the activities of the World Food Programme, which affected almost 1,200,000 Nigerians who are receiving emergency food transfer from the World Food Programme.

‘’It also led to the shutting down of about 150 clinics managed by the World Food Programme in the North East, and that will affect about 300,000 children suffering from malnutrition, leaving us with over 21,200 at risk of malnutrition and over 200,000 receiving treatment for malnutrition.

‘’If you look at the impact and the consequences of flooding in the country, it calls for concern. Today, most of our farmers have been displaced. As of today, the count of internally displaced persons is over three million Nigerians, which is the size of a country.’’

House of Representatives  Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, who inaugurated the committee,  assured that the House was ‘’committed to deploying legislative frameworks that will help mitigate the devastating effects of natural disasters within our land.’’

Advocating strategic efforts to address the menace, Abbas warned that ‘’we cannot afford to treat this matter with levity.’’.

He said: “This gathering is a critical step in addressing one of the most pressing challenges confronting our nation today. Flooding has, in recent years, brought untold hardship to communities, destroyed livelihoods, and undermined development efforts across many parts of Nigeria.

“The 10th House of Representatives is committed to addressing any matter that bothers Nigerians. We are equally committed to deploying legislative frameworks that will help mitigate the devastating effects of natural disasters within our land.

“Our duty as lawmakers extends beyond enacting laws to anticipating challenges, strengthening institutions, and ensuring that government responses meet the needs of the people.

“This Ad-hoc Committee has been established in recognition of the rising frequency and severity of floods across the country, which has caused a lot of damage to many of ur fellow citizens, including loss of lives and property. We cannot afford to treat this matter with levity.’’

  Leader of the House, Julius Ihonvbere and Chairman of the Committee, Midala Balami, stressed the need to change the current approach where states and local government abdicate their responsibilities, pushing you same to the federal government.

He said: “This gathering is a critical step in addressing one of the most pressing challenges confronting our nation today. Flooding has, in recent years, brought untold hardship to communities, destroyed livelihoods, and undermined development efforts across many parts of Nigeria.

‘’The 10th House of Representatives is committed to addressing any matter that bothers Nigerians. We are equally committed to deploying legislative frameworks that will help mitigate the devastating effects of natural disasters within our land.

“Our duty as lawmakers extends beyond enacting laws to anticipating challenges, strengthening institutions, and ensuring that government responses meet the needs of the people.’’

 Balami, described  flooding  as  a “national emergency that demands urgent, coordinated, and strategic action.’’

  “Each year, lives are lost, properties destroyed, livelihoods disrupted, and the socio-economic fabric of entire communities severely affected, ‘’Balami lamented

“The time for piecemeal approaches is over. What we need is a comprehensive national framework—one that encompasses prevention, early warning systems, emergency response, community resilience, infrastructure development, and climate adaptation strategies,” he said.

Red Cross leads flood simulation in Lagos community

The Nigerian Red Cross Society put emergency responders to the test in a large flood simulation exercise staged at Agboyi Ketu in the Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

The exercise was part of the ongoing Flood Resilience Project supported by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and funded by the Italian Government.

Six states- Lagos, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Enugu and Nasarawa- are benefitting from the initiative.

The responders in Lagos were drawn from the state Emergency Management Agency, National Emergency Management Agency,   Nigerian Navy, the Police, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Office of Drainage Services.

 Each group showcased specific response roles ranging from search and rescue to medical treatment and evacuation.

In one of the simulated scenarios, divers retrieved victims from flood waters while medical personnel treated casualties in a triage centre. Ambulances waited nearby for those classified as critical.

 Lagos branch chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Adebola Kolawole, said it was important to place the community at the heart of disaster response.

 “When there is a flood, the community already knows how to go about it. They know who to call, how to raise an alarm, and how to assist the person in danger,” Kolawole said.

Northeast commission distributes relief materials to 3,200 households in Borno

No fewer than 3,200 households affected by floods in Maiduguri metropolitan Council and Jere Local Government Area of Borno State have received relief materials donated by the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC).

The items include 25-kilogram (Kg) bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti, 10 Kg bags of sugar, cartons of instant noodles, several gallons of vegetable oil, mats and blankets.

 State Coordinator of the NEDC, Mohammed Umar, said the donation was carried out after assessments of the extent of damage to communities affected by floodwaters, including Bulumkutu Tsaleke, Bulumkutu Abuja, Bulumkutu Ngomari, Ajilari Cross, Pompomari by-pass, and Zajeri.