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COREN seeks FCT, states’ collaboration in curbing engineering failures

Michael Simire
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COREN seeks FCT, states’ collaboration in curbing engineering failures

Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) has sought the collaboration of states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in addressing the challenge of non-compliance with standards, leading to engineering failures.

COREN
Mrs. Margaret Oguntala, President, Nigerian Society of Engineers; and Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, President, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, at the 33rd COREN Engineering Assembly, on Tuesday in Abuja

The COREN President, Prof. Sadiq Abubakar, made the call at the 33rd COREN Engineering Assembly on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Abuja.

The theme for the 2025 Assembly was “Advancing Quality Engineering Services and Businesses in Nigeria-Professional Compliance and Remuneration.”

According to Abubakar, the theme came to bear, focusing on key issues of professionalism, compliance and remuneration while delivering quality engineering services and businesses.

He said that COREN, as a regulatory body, had the mandate to regulate and control the engineering education, training and practice of engineering in all its aspects and ramifications.

He explained that COREN’s call to action, emphasised the importance of collaboration in ensuring that engineering projects are executed in accordance with established codes and standards.

He said that Technical Committees (STCs) and Expatriate Monitoring Committees (EMCs) were inaugurated in 22 states, with the corresponding inspectorates to ensure monitoring and regulation of engineering practices.

“COREN is assidulously working to cover the 36 states and the FCT before the end of 2026.

“So, I call on captains of industries, state governments and the Minister of FCT, Nyesome Wike, to join hands with COREN technical committees in the states, expatriate monitoring committees and other sectorial regulators.

“This is to curb the dangerous trends of non-compliance with codes and standards leading to engineering failures occurring in the various sectors.

“The trends have caused loss of lives, properties, investments and loss of confidence in the engineering professionals,” he said.

Abubakar said that achieving the target would advance quality engineering services and businesses in Nigeria.

The COREN Registrar, Prof. Okorie Uche, said the assembly is a platform that brought together a cross-section of Nigeria’s engineering community both locally and internationally for reflection, connection, and forward thinking.

According to Uche, the theme for the year’s assembly is urgent as it speaks directly to the core to quality engineering services that meet both local and global standards.

“It is also about professionalism that reflects ethical conduct, technical excellence, accountability, compliance with regulations with potent public safety, enhance confidence, and ensure order in practice,” he said.

Uche said COREN recognised that ensuring quality and professionalism in engineering practice should not be separated from the business.

He, therefore, said it is the collective duty of engineers to confront these challenges of non-compliance, quackery and forced service delivery.

The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Barth NNaji, Chief Executive of Geometric Power Group, urged engineers to forge partnership with the government.

He said such partnership would ensure that Nigeria, not only keeps pace with global advances, but leads in innovation, sustainability, and inclusive development.

“We live in an era marked by rapid technological evolution; robotics, renewable energy, smart infrastructure, block chain, and the Internet.

“The world is changing rapidly and so must we.

“This calls for Nigerian engineering community to embrace continuous learning, to be agile, and to lead the adoption of emerging technologies in ways that suit our local context.

“We must build Nigerian solutions to Nigerian problems with Nigerian hands and minds.”

Nnaji, therefore, called on engineers to move beyond routine practices and become strategic thinkers to interpret global trends and local demands.

By Angela Atabo

West African activists push for climate justice

Michael Simire
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West African activists push for climate justice

Environmental justice advocates have called on leaders across West Africa to unite against environmental degradation and resist the commodification of nature.

HOMEF
Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, speaking at the West Africa Climate Justice Roundtable in Abuja

The advocates made the call on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Abuja in separate interviews on the sidelines of the West Africa Climate Justice Roundtable.

The dialogue was part of preparations for the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) coming up in Brazil.

The Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Dr Nnimmo Bassey, said that Africa should demand the recognition and payment of climate debt.

He explained that western countries that exploited resources in Africa and destroyed the environment in the process should be made to pay.

“African countries should demand for the recognition and payment of climate debt because the continent has been raped for hundreds of years and it is time for someone to pay for it.

“Climate financing will not do it, it is a pre-colonial, colonial and ongoing climate debt, it should be recognise for what it is and we should demand for it.

“We must demand that our environment is treated with respect, our people have the right to live with dignity,” he said.

Bassey said that there is need for climate justice for Nigeria with regard to gas flaring, oil spillage and an audit of the entire oil producing belt.

Also speaking, Mr Kwami Kpondzo, Team Lead from the Centre for Environmental Justice in Togo, said that countries across West Africa face a common plight.

He said that pollution and environmental destruction were caused by oil and gas extraction, large-scale mining, and industrial plantations, destruction of biodiversity, polluted waters, loss of community land across the subregion.

The activist warned against the increasing use of monoculture plantations such as palm oil and eucalyptus, promoted under carbon market schemes.

According to him, these plantations are marketed as climate solutions but are destroying livelihoods and ecosystems.

Ahead of the COP30, Kpondzo called for a united front among grassroots, agroecology, gender justice, and anti-extraction movements across West Africa.

“We cannot fight in isolation, we must speak with one voice, because climate change is connected to agriculture, to food security, to women’s rights, to everything,” he said.

Kpondzo said that, as activists, they were not waiting for world leaders to change the system, saying that they will continue to raise voices, build movements, and demand justice, for silence in the face of oppression was not an option.

By EricJames Ochigbo

UN Climate Change launches new report on advancing a ‘Just Transition’ in climate policy

Michael Simire
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UN Climate Change launches new report on advancing a ‘Just Transition’ in climate policy

As the world accelerates action to address climate change, the question is no longer whether to pursue a just transition – but how to embed it meaningfully into national climate strategies.

Simon Stiell
Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change

To help answer that question, the Katowice Committee of Experts on the Impacts of the Implementation of Response Measures (KCI), with the support of the UN Climate Change Secretariat, released a technical paper on Tuesday, July 15, 2025: “Just Transitions in National Climate Frameworks and Climate Policies: Experiences in Alignment, Planning and Progress Tracking”.

The report tracks progress on just transitions and examines how countries are integrating its principles into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategies (LT-LEDS).

The concept of a just transition acknowledges that while the shift to a low-emission economy is necessary to combat climate change, it can also create significant challenges for certain regions, industries, and workers. So a just transition means managing the shift to a low-emission economy in a way that is fair and inclusive, ensuring that no one is negatively impacted by the transition.

“Climate action and just transition pathways are not separate endeavors but intrinsically linked components of broader sustainable development goals,” writes UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell in the report’s foreword.

The report reviews how just transition appears in national climate strategies both explicitly and implicitly, with the reference to specific themes that fall under the multidimensional concept of just transition – including jobs, gender, youth, economic diversification, inequality, and stakeholder engagement.

The report also examines policy actions in high-emission sectors like coal, oil and gas, and mobility – highlighting national and private sector approaches to support just transition, to identify best practices and foster shared learning.

To help track progress and ensure accountability, the report introduces a comprehensive monitoring framework for just transition. This new tool supports governments and companies in evaluating their efforts across the four dimensions: distributional, procedural, restorative and recognition. 

Originating from the labour movement in the late 1970s, the concept of a just transition has gained traction over the past decade as countries seek to address the social and economic implications of climate action; however, evidence suggests that while the ambition is widely recognized, its practical integration into national climate planning remains uneven. For instance, the paper finds that only 26% of NDCs explicitly reference just transition, and few elaborate beyond a basic mention. In contrast, 65% of LT-LEDS refer to it more directly, though the depth varies widely. 

The report addresses a key gap in climate policy planning, where socioeconomic impacts and just transition considerations often remain secondary due to limited capacity and resources. Many countries continue to face challenges in translating just transition principles into concrete policies that are inclusive, actionable, and measurable.

The paper is available here, offering open access to all stakeholders working to advance inclusive, long-term climate strategies.

This initiative reflects UN Climate Change’s continued commitment to supporting Parties in designing response measures that are fair, data-informed, and rooted in real-world needs – ensuring that no one is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon future.

Agency launches comprehensive flood control operation in Asaba

Michael Simire
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Agency launches comprehensive flood control operation in Asaba

The Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA) has launched a comprehensive flood control operation in Asaba, the state capital, to mitigate flooding and ensure a cleaner, healthier environment.

Sheriff Oborevwori
Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State

In a speech at the event on Monday, July 14, 2025, the Director-General of the agency, Chief Patrick Ukah, reiterated the agency’s commitment to building a cleaner, flood-resilient, and sustainable capital territory for all residents.

Ukah described the exercise as a critical aspect of the government’s flood management and urban sanitation plan.

He further said that it was aimed at mitigating flooding and ensuring a cleaner, healthier environment in Asaba.

Ukah said that the agency was embarking on the desilting of the drains and drainages, clearing of overgrown grasses, and evacuation of resultant silts and debris to government-approved dumpsites.

“This effort is part of the agency’s ongoing strategy to improve stormwater flow, reduce the risk of flooding, and enhance environmental sanitation.

”This exercise is vital to safeguarding lives, property, and public infrastructure.

”By ensuring our drains are cleared, we’re reducing flood risks and improving environmental health across the capital territory,” Ukah said.

He called on residents to support the operation by refraining from indiscriminate waste disposal and maintaining good environmental practices.

The flood control effort is being supervised by Mr. Isaac Nwosu, the agency’s Head of Environment.

Nwosu is also coordinating the agency’s field operations to ensure quality and timely execution.

He said: “We are deploying teams across major areas to thoroughly desilt drains and evacuate debris to approved dump sites.

”It’s a coordinated effort with strong community involvement.”

Environmental health officers, sanitation workers, waste management contractors, and community volunteers are all participating in the exercise.

By Mercy Neme

GIZ unveils hi-tech device for waste disposal

Michael Simire
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GIZ unveils hi-tech device for waste disposal

German Development Agency (GIZ) has unveiled a transformative high-tech device to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of waste sorting in Lagos State.

Waste pickers
Waste pickers

The launch of the device and signing of the partnership agreement with the Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) took place on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Lagos.

The event, which was described as a transformative waste disposal management, had in attendance officials of GIZ, top dignitaries from plastic manufacturing companies, WAPAN members and other stakeholders.

Speaking on the idea behind the launch of the project and device, GIZ representative, Markus Wauschkuhn, emphasised that effective sorting of waste in Nigeria has a huge financial gain yet untapped.

“Nigeria generates an estimated 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually, with a large portion ending up in landfills or informal dump sites.

“Informal waste pickers play a critical role in recovering recyclable materials, yet they often lack access to proper tools, training, and support to maximise the value of their work.

“As global and national conversations shift toward circular economies and inclusIve green growth, empowering waste collectors particularly women and youths has become increasingly essential.

“The Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Employment in Nigeria programme, implemented by GIZ, is committed to supporting locally driven, inclusive economic models,” he said.

Wauschkuhn added that GIZ recognised the potential in the waste management sector and the environmental/social impact which led the development of the device.

“We have also resolved to enhance productivity, improve incomes, and promote decent employment to informal workers.

“To this end, GIZ initiated a partnership with the WAPAN, German technology firm trinamiX, and BASE West Africa to promote improved waste sorting practices with handheld sorting devices.

“These devices, developed with advanced German technology and tested in Nigeria, offer a transformative solution to inefficiencies in the waste collection value chain.

“At the heart of this collaboration is a shared goal to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of waste sorting, leading to higher earnings for waste collectors through better-quality, hand-sorted materials.

Wauschkuhn also emphasised that the project would begin with a pilot phase designed to build upon insights from previous data testing efforts.

“As part of this pilot, WAPAN members will be equipped with handheld waste sort devices, developed by trinamiX, a German tech company, and locally tested in Kano by BASF West Africa in collaboration with WAPAN.

“The devices use advanced sensing technology to accurately identify and sort a wide range materials, including plastics, textiles, carpets, polyurethane mattresses, and photovoltaic modules.

“The initiative aims to reach all 774 Local Government Areas across Nigeria. The project not only provides technical tools but also delivers targeted capacity-building interventions to enhance the skills of waste collectors.

“It particularly targets women and youth, identified as entrepreneurs with strong social and economic impact potential. Through this partnership, GIZ continues to promote innovative, community-driven solutions, systemic challenges in the waste management sector,” he said.

Also speaking, WAPAN Executive from Kano State, Mr. Aliyu Auwal, said the introduction of the device as a pilot project in Kano has been helpful and rewarding.

“This is a device that I know will revolutionise waste collection in Nigeria.

“It has been tested and certified and well proven to deliver especially in sorting out different types of plastics used by different manufacturers even money made from polymer,” he said.

The event also included signing of a partnership programme in which WAPAN members would be trained on the use of the hand device and ways to generate more incomes for themselves.

Other dignitaries that attended the event include: trinamiX representative, Susanna Loecher, representative from the German Consulate in Nigeria, Dochen Schindelarz, and a director from BASF, Jean Marc.

By Mercy Omoike

How Buhari elevated Nigeria’s global standing in climate change diplomacy – Onuigbo

Michael Simire
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How Buhari elevated Nigeria’s global standing in climate change diplomacy – Onuigbo

The South-East representative on the Governing Board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), Mr. Sam Onuigbo, has described the late President Muhammadu Buhari as a transformative leader who elevated Nigeria’s status on the global stage.

Buhari COP26
Late President Muhammadu Buhari

In a statement issued on Monday, July 14, 2025, in Abuja, Onuigbo expressed deep sorrow over Buhari’s passing in a London hospital on Sunday, July 13, saying the late president’s death “leaves a huge vacuum in the country.”

Onuigbo, a former two-term member of the House of Representatives, lauded Buhari’s leadership, particularly his role in enacting the landmark Climate Change Act.

He noted that the Bill had previously failed in the 6th, 7th, and 8th National Assemblies but was finally signed into law by Buhari on Nov. 17, 2021, during the 9th Assembly.

“By that singular act and focus on proactive legislation, the former President made Nigeria stand tall in the international community.

“His death has robbed the country of a rich source of international pride,” Onuigbo stated.

The former lawmaker, who currently chairs the Security, Climate Change and Special Interventions Committee of the NEDC, said Buhari’s decision to sign the Climate Change Bill, in spite of internal resistance, showed his dedication to forward-thinking policy and international cooperation.

Sam Onuigbo
Rep. Sam Onuigbo

“The Climate Change Act created the National Council on Climate Change and established a legal framework for Nigeria’s sustainable development and net-zero emissions target by 2050–2070,” he added.

Onuigbo emphasised that, without Buhari’s decisive intervention, Nigeria would have remained on the sidelines of critical global discussions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

“Thanks to Buhari, Nigeria did not attend the COP27 Summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, empty-handed. We actively participated, with our heads held high.

“His leadership helped shape discussions that led to the establishment of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), designed to assist vulnerable nations affected by climate change,” he said.

He also recalled that Buhari was particularly inspired by the outcomes of the COP26 Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, which motivated his prompt action to sign the Climate Change Bill.

Onuigbo expressed his gratitude to members of the 9th National Assembly, especially then Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, now Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, and Senate President Ahmad Lawan, for their roles in supporting the legislation.

“President Buhari will be sorely missed. His contributions to Nigeria’s climate policy and international image will endure as part of his legacy,” Onuigbo said.

By Aderogba George

Cross River reclaims, hands over rubber plantation to firm for oil palm production

Michael Simire
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Cross River reclaims, hands over rubber plantation to firm for oil palm production

The Cross River State Government has officially handed over the defunct Cross River Rubber Estate Limited (CREL) to Biase Plantations Limited, describing it as a symbol of renewal and economic transformation.

Palm oil plantation
A palm oil plantation

Speaking during the handover ceremony in Uyangha, Akamkpa Local Government Area (LGA) on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, Gov, Bassey Otu said that the state regained control of 8,521-hectare rubber estate through a high court judgement.

Represented by Mr. Johnson Ebokpo, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Otu explained that a High Court in Calabar issued the consent judgment on the estate.

He described the move as “a major step towards reviving the state’s agricultural sector” and thanked all the parties involved, especially the state Attorney General and the legal teams for facilitating the smooth transition.

He said that the new operators planed to turn the estate into a large-scale oil palm plantation, generate jobs, boost rural economies, and increase the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

He urged Biase Plantations to prioritise local employment, uphold Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and maintain peaceful relationship with host communities.

In his remarks, Mr. Arumugam Ananth, General Manager of Biase Plantations Ltd, a subsidiary of Wilmar International, said that it had renamed the rubber estate to “Uyangha Oil Palm Estate”.

He appreciated the state’s trust and pledged to restore the estate, while announcing plans to reopen the estate’s school, establish a training center, and create jobs for the locals.

On his part, the Paramount Ruler of Akamkpa, HRM Ophot Agbor Ebani, lauded the initiative while calling on the company to fulfill its promises.

Some of the community leaders, youth and women’s representatives, who spoke to newsmen, expressed hope that the rebranded estate would usher in a new era of growth and opportunity.

Earlier, a formal asset transfer meeting was held in Calabar, where legal documents were passed from Enghaut Nigeria Ltd to the Ministry of Agriculture, overseen by officials from both parties.

By Christian Njoku

ATIDI approves $84m counter-guarantee to support financing of Rwanda’s new international airport

Michael Simire
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ATIDI approves $84m counter-guarantee to support financing of Rwanda’s new international airport

The African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI), an investment, trade and political risk mitigation institution, has approved a $84 million counter-guarantee to support three local Rwandan banks and one regional bank in issuing bonds and guarantees totaling over $322 million. These guarantees have been extended to a joint venture of three contractors undertaking the construction of the New Bugesera International Airport, a transformative project poised to elevate Rwanda as a strategic hub for trade and logistics in Africa.

Rwanda
An impression of Rwanda’s new airport in Bugesera

The project, jointly developed by the Governments of Rwanda and Qatar, is said to be a vital infrastructure that will accelerate Rwanda’s Vision 2050, its national strategy to become an upper-middle-income country by 2035 and a high-income economy by 2050. The airport is also aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework, facilitating the free movement of goods, services and people across the continent.

The airport, which is valued over $2 billion, is scheduled for completion by mid-2028. ATIDI’s cover supports the three local banks including BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, Bank of Kigali (BK), and the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), benefitted directly from ATIDI’s risk mitigation, enabling them to issue guarantees beyond their Single Obligor Limits (SOL). The de-risking provided by ATIDI offers banks capital relief while ensuring smoother execution of infrastructure projects.

The lending consortium led by BPR Bank Rwanda Plc, acting as Mandated Lead Arranger and Facility Agent on behalf of the contractors, also includes KCB Bank Kenya, a regional lender, which participated in the syndicate without recourse to ATIDI’s guarantee.

Commenting on the deal, ATIDI Chief Executive Officer, Manuel Moses, said it was a great privilege for ATIDI to partner in Rwanda’s transformation and continental ambitions through this critical and catalytic project, a central piece of the country’s development strategy.

“The new airport is not just about infrastructure; it’s about unlocking regional value chains and ensuring Africa trades more with itself. Our support demonstrates the value addition of ATIDI’s de-risking solutions in scaling up lending capacity and unlocking financing by banks to Rwanda’s development priorities,” Mr. Manuel said.

Patience Mutesi, Managing Director of BPR Bank Rwanda Plc (the Mandated Lead Arranger), welcomed the deal saying, “We are honoured to lead this transformational financing effort. As Mandated Lead Arranger, BPR Bank Rwanda Plc is proud to play a pivotal role in unlocking capital for a project that will reshape Rwanda’s connectivity and competitiveness. This collaboration with ATIDI and our partner banks reflects our firm commitment to financing national development priorities and enabling long-term value through strategic infrastructure.”

The transaction is aligned with ATIDI’s strategic focus on empowering its member states to deliver impactful, transformative investments that spur growth, sustainability and regional integration. Rwanda, a founding member of ATIDI, has been a consistent partner in leveraging risk mitigation to unlock capital and de-risk essential sectors.

Currently, ATIDI has issued policies worth over $1.45 billion in transaction value and holds a gross exposure of over $611.9 million in Rwanda. These transactions span multiple sectors vital to the country’s development, including agriculture, forestry; fishing; construction; energy and gas; financial activities; information and communication; manufacturing; other services activities; public administration; trade and transportation; transporting and storage; as well as wholesale and retail trade.

This broad sectoral engagement demonstrates ATIDI’s critical and transversal role in de-risking investments and catalyzing trade, infrastructure and socio-economic development across Africa.

Cholera spreads to 17 of Sudan’s 18 states

Michael Simire
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Cholera spreads to 17 of Sudan’s 18 states

Cholera cases in Khartoum State in Sudan are declining following a 10-day vaccination campaign that reached more than 2.24 million people – achieving 96% coverage – in 12 hot spots in five at-risk localities. Together with response measures such as case management, surveillance, risk communication and community engagement, and improvements in access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, the campaign contributed to a sustained fall in the number of new cases.

Sudan
Cholera vaccination in Sudan

Before the campaign began, Khartoum State was registering up to 1,500 new cases a day. In the weeks following the campaign new cases continued to fall. There were just 10–11 new cases a day being registered by July 11, 2025.

A nationwide cholera outbreak

Though case numbers in Khartoum State have declined, the outbreak has spread to all but one – Central Darfur State – of Sudan’s 18 states. The spread to North, South, West and East Darfur states and to North, South and West Kordofan states is particularly concerning given limited access and the already dire humanitarian and health crises in these states.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) is coordinating the response with Sudan’s health authorities and our teams are on the ground providing technical assistance and capacity-building. We are also dispatching cholera and other essential medical supplies to affected localities,” said WHO Representative in Sudan Dr Shible Sahbani. “We are exploring all possible ways to deploy medical supplies and technical support to the hard-to-reach Darfur and Kordofan states, including cross-border operations through Chad and South Sudan.”

By July 11, 2025, almost a year after the current wave of cholera outbreak started in late July 2024, the disease had infected 87 219 people and caused 2,260 deaths – a case fatality ratio of 2.6%. The outbreak is fueled by displacement, lack of access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene caused by the breakdown of water supply systems, and limited amounts of medical supplies for the management of cases. There have been two surges in cases since 2025, one in March and the second in May, likely linked to drone attacks on power and water system infrastructure which severely compromised access to safe water and adequate health care.

Expanding oral cholera vaccination coverage to curb the outbreak

WHO, with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), continues to support campaigns in other affected states, including a 10-day vaccination campaign in North Kordofan State in June, reaching more than 265,518 people and, since July 10, an ongoing campaign in Sennar targeting more than 500,000 people. An additional 3 million doses of vaccines have arrived in the country to cover three additional localities in Khartoum, and 500 000 doses are pending clearance to be deployed to South Darfur.

In light of the evolving epidemiological situation and the resurgence of cases in multiple conflict-affected regions, the International Coordinating Group on Vaccine Provision (ICG) Secretariat has approved the shipment of an additional 2.9 million doses of OCV vaccines for reactive campaigns in 11 high-risk localities in 7 affected states – Al Jazirah, East Darfur, South Darfur, North Kordofan, West Kordofan, White Nile and Sennar.

ICG has four member agencies: WHO, UNICEF, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

WHO’s response to the cholera outbreak in Sudan, including vaccination campaigns, is possible through the financial support of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) and the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE).

Advocates equip school in rural Nigeria with solar power to boost education

Michael Simire
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0
Advocates equip school in rural Nigeria with solar power to boost education

Words cannot express the joy on the children’s faces at Wisdom Academy School in Igbudu, Warri, Delta State, following the installation of solar energy systems by Music Declares Emergency US and The ClimateMusic Project to enhance the pupils’ educational experience.

Wisdom Academy
Students from Wisdom Academy School during the official unveiling of the Light-up Nigerian Rural Schools project in Warri, Delta State

It all started in 2024 when Nigerian musician Idowu Esuku, who resides in Lagos State, visited the school to launch the “Be Cool” Campaign. He has successfully established the “Be Cool Kids Club” both within the school and beyond as part of his efforts to enforce the objectives of this programme, a musical endeavour, which seeks to mobilise young voices in the fight against climate change and inspire them to advocate for a cooler planet.

Wisdom Academy, like many other schools in the majority of the nation’s rural areas, lacks access to essential amenities that facilitate efficient learning, such as electricity, fans and air-cooling conditions, and computers. During the tour, Esuku became irritated when he saw the students’ dehumanising learning conditions.

“I was inspired to light up Nigerian schools because when I see children in rural areas living without access to electricity, it really baffles me a lot,” he said in an interview on Friday, July 4, 2025, during the official launch of the Light-up Nigeria Schools Project in Delta State, which is supported by the Be Cool Campaign.

As an environmental rights activist who has travelled extensively to preach the message of climate change, he said he believes that renewable energy is a critical answer to the energy crisis that is currently threatening sustainable global development.

If the truth is to be told, the Wisdom Academy story is unquestionably one that requires urgent attention. The singer, who is popularly known as Mr. Climate-man, did, however, advise parents not to give up on their children’s academic situation because the solar power they have seen in the school is only the beginning of the project’s execution.

The campaign’s pop anthem – “I Wanna Be ’Cool” – was composed by award-winning songwriters Will Kimbrough and Brant Miller in collaboration with distinguished climate scientists. This song and music video, which has already received 136k+ YouTube views, featured Will Kimbrough and eight world-famous artists, including Jefferson Starship lead singer Cathy Richardson, six-time Grammy nominee John McCutcheon, violin pioneer Scarlet Rivera (formerly with Bob Dylan), and former “The Voice” contestant Raine Stern – plus 2,500 youngsters.

The video was shown at the 2025 EarthX Summit and on a daily basis at COP29 by We Don’t Have Time media. Be cool! The campaign advocates three global areas of action – civic engagement, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and climate education—and encourages everyone to engage with the following nonprofit organisations to help mitigate the growing climate crisis.

More than fifty Nigerian schools and thousands of Nigerian youths took part in the ‘I Wanna Be Cool’ song and music video.

So, it’s fitting that the Wisdom Academy’s low-cost solar power installation, the first of its kind in Nigeria, was carried out by Entric Power System Limited, a solar energy company that promises hope for many.

Jeru Ubrei-Joe, CODAF’s communication officer, is optimistic about the power of young voices and creativity to drive climate action.

According to him, this campaign demonstrates that youth can lead the charge for a cooler and more just planet by combining art and activism to campaign for emissions reductions, promote civic engagement, and demand systemic change.

“We’re not just dreaming of a greener future; we’re building it. Join us in amplifying these voices jointly,” Ubrei-joe stated in a press release made available to EnviroNews. “Let’s turn up the volume on climate justice and ensure every voice is heard because when youth lead, the world listens, and together there’s not one thing that we couldn’t do.”

By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja

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