Member States of the World Health Organisation (WHO) concluded a weeklong round of negotiations on draft annex for Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) – a key component of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.
The fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group on the WHO Pandemic Agreement (IGWG) – set up by the World Health Assembly (WHA) last year to negotiate the PABS annex – wrapped up over the weekend after productive discussions from February 9 to 14, 2026.
To ensure the world can respond swiftly and effectively to future pandemics, countries must be able to rapidly detect pathogens with pandemic potential and share their genetic sequence information and materials. This timely action enables scientists to accelerate the development of essential tools such as diagnostic tests, treatments, and vaccines.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO)
The PABS system is designed to promote equitable access based on public health need by facilitating the rapid and timely sharing of pathogen materials and genetic sequence data, and on an equal footing, the rapid, timely, fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from these.
“Countries this week have again shown their steadfast commitment to getting the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex done,” said IGWG Bureau co‑chair Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes, of Brazil. “We now have a clear vision for streamlining the text, while ensuring that the more contentious elements receive the necessary consultation.”
Member States will resume negotiations again next month as they advance towards the May deadline, when the outcome of their work will be presented to the WHA.
“As we conclude the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group, I want to thank delegations for their serious and constructive engagement. It is clear that important differences remain, but there is a shared recognition of what is at stake,” said IGWG Bureau co-chair, Mr. Matthew Harpur, of the United Kingdom.
“With time running short, the coming weeks will be critical in bridging the remaining gaps and delivering a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex that is fair, effective, and fit for purpose,” added Harpur.
The WHO Pandemic Agreement was adopted by Member States last year to correct global weaknesses exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen international coordination and collaboration. A legally binding international instrument, it is designed to make the world safer and more equitable in the face of future pandemics.
“Adopting the Pandemic Agreement last year was a huge testament to global cooperation, and we need to build on that momentum. Strong multilateralism remains essential as countries have to face future pandemics together, collectively,” said WHO Director‑General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“Recognising the steady progress being made, I am confident that they will reach an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex in time for the World Health Assembly in May this year,” added Dr Ghebreyesus.
Alongside negotiations on the annex text and dialogues aimed at building consensus, Member States also engaged with relevant stakeholders, including representatives from the private sector, academia, laboratories and sequence information databases.
Water and sanitation appear to have moved decisively to the centre of Africa’s political agenda.
At the High-Level Side Event on “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”, held on the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union, African leaders launched the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy on February 15, 2026 – marking a decisive step from political recognition to coordinated continental delivery.
The launch of the Vision and Policy signals a strategic shift: water and sanitation are no longer treated merely as sectoral challenges, but recognised as fundamental for economic transformation, climate resilience, regional integration and long-term prosperity.
Moses Vilakati, AU commissioner for agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment
A Continental Framework for Transformation
The Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy establishes a shared continental direction to:
Secure sustainable water availability
Ensure safe sanitation systems for allMmobilise climate-resilient investment
Strengthen governance and accountability
Advance transboundary cooperation.
The launch of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy followed its endorsement during the Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government. The Vision and Policy become the basis for elaborating:
The continental implementation framework aimed at advancing the goals of Agenda 2063; and
The Africa’s Common Position and contribution to the UN 2026 Water Conference, accelerating global progress on SDG 6.
Anchored in eight strategic pillars – from universal access and sustainable water availability to resilient ecosystems, trusted data systems, human capital development and cooperative basin management – the Vision and Policy provide a coherent blueprint for delivery across sectors and borders.
Leaders Call for Investment, Implementation and Results
At the beginning of the launch of the Vision and Policy, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, who was represented by Moses Vilakati, AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE), described the moment as historic.
He said: “The decision by the Heads of State and Government to dedicate 2026 to water and sanitation marks a historic turning point to the African Continent. Investing in water and sanitation is not a cost. It is one of the highest returns on investments Africa can make. If we secure water and sanitation, we secure Africa’s economic transformation.”
Presenting the Action Framework for the 2026 Theme of the Year, Moses Vilakati, AU Commissioner ARBE, emphasised that the focus now is implementation.
“This Theme is designed to accelerate implementation,” he said, warning that “Africa is currently off track in achieving its water and sanitation commitments… The sector remains significantly under-financed.”
Commissioner Vilakati stressed that success will ultimately be measured by delivery “and by how many African citizens gain access to safe water, safe sanitation, and resilient services.”
Speaking on behalf of AMCOW, Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, Minister for Hydraulic and Sanitation of Senegal and President of AMCOW, framed the Vision as transformative.
He said: “This is not merely a sectoral vision and policy. It is a continental strategy for prosperity, peace and resilience. Today, we are not simply launching a document – we are inaugurating a new era of continental determination.”
The official launch was led by Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, who was represented by Collins Nzovu, MP, Zambia’s Minister of Water Development and Sanitation.
The President recalled the mandate entrusted to him by the Assembly, saying: “Today, we fulfill that mandate.”
He described the Vision as: “not just a policy, but a transformative blueprint.” He also described water as Africa’s most vital strategic resource: “It is the lifeblood that sustains our people, the energy that powers our industries, and the common thread that binds our nations together”.
President Hichilema further underscored the urgency of water cooperation: “With 90% of our surface water crossing borders, cooperation is no longer an option, it is our only path to survival. The Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy serve as our “Common Position” integrating water into the African Peace and Security Architecture to ensure that our shared basins remain engines of regional integration rather than sources of conflict”.
In launching the vision, he also underscored the need to confront inaction and deal with the annual water investment gap in Africa estimated at $30 billion and called on every leader, partner and citizen of Africa to embrace the Vision and Policy.
The European Union supports this continental ambition through Blue Africa Action, co-funded with the Government of Germany and implemented in partnership with the African Union Commission and AMCOW. The initiative contributed to the development of the Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy and continues to support its implementation.
From Lessons to Leadership
The Africa Water Vision 2063 & Policy builds on lessons from the Africa Water Vision 2025 and continental monitoring mechanisms, including AMCOW’s WASSMO reporting process. These assessments have highlighted both progress and persistent gaps – reinforcing the need for stronger accountability and accelerated implementation.
A Call to Collective Delivery
With its endorsement, the Africa Water Vision 2063 & Policy now sets a clear direction for Member States, Regional Economic Communities and partners to translate political commitment into measurable impact. Clearly, African leaders are convinced that securing water and sanitation means securing Africa’s future.
Kwaku works with a tight calendar; making a routine business trip every week between Kumasi and Accra, the kind professionals make without a second thought.
On this typical Tuesday, he takes an early morning flight from Kumasi for meetings in Accra, with an evening return flight to Kumasi for another early-morning engagement the next day that could unlock a significant business deal.
By mid-morning upon arriving in Accra, the sun blazed with unusual intensity, draining energy from anyone forced to move between appointments.
Kofi Adu Domfeh
Kwaku dashed from one office to another as the sun burnt hot and harsh, but stayed focused on finishing his work to catch his evening flight back to Kumasi.
But without a warning, the clouds gathered. What had been scorching skies just hours earlier began to darken as clouds gathered fast and thick, rolling in with surprising speed. Within minutes, the atmosphere flipped from heatwave to storm warning.
Then came the rain; a torrential downpour. By the time Kwaku reached the airport, the announcement board read flight delayed. Then what he feared hit him; his flight cancelled.
The same skies that had scorched him hours earlier had now grounded him completely.
Despite his careful planning, he could not return to Kumasi that evening, missing a scheduled meeting for the following day.
In just one day, Kwaku experienced two extremes – intense heat and a disruptive storm – both powerful enough to alter personal and professional outcomes.
What once felt like isolated weather incidents now seem connected, part of a broader pattern of climate volatility that was becoming harder to ignore.
Climate change is no longer an abstract headline or distant environmental debate; it is operational risk, an economic loss and human disruption happening in real time.
UN Climate chief calls for new era of climate action
On Thursday February 12, 2026, the UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, addressed a press conference hosted by the COP31 President Designate, Minister Murat Kurum in Istanbul, Türkiye, where he stated that climate action can deliver stability in an unstable world of arms and trade wars.
“We find ourselves in a new world disorder. This is a period of instability and insecurity. Of strong arms and trade wars. The very concept of international cooperation is under attack. These challenges are real and serious.
“Climate action can deliver stability in an unstable world of arms and trade wars. In the face of the current chaos, we can, and must, drive forward a new era of international climate cooperation,” he said.
The UN Climate Change’s plan for a new era of climate action was divided into three eras: first was to uncover the problem and respond; and the second was to get serious about solutions in building the Paris Agreement.
Stiell acknowledged the Agreement did not solve the climate crisis but showed that nations can deliver change on a major scale when they stand together.
“In the decade since Paris, clean energy investment is up tenfold – from two hundred billion dollars to over two trillion dollars a year. And, in 2025, amidst all the economic uncertainty and gale-force political headwinds, the global transition kept surging forward: clean energy investment kept growing strongly and was more than double that of fossil fuels.
“Renewables overtook coal as the world’s top electricity source. The majority of countries produced new national climate plans that will help drive their economic growth up and – for the first time – global emissions down. And, at COP30, nations said with one voice: the global transition is now irreversible, the Paris Agreement is working, and together we will make it go further and faster,” he emphasised.
Trump challenges climate science
While the UN Climate chief is strongly advocating climate adaptation for resilience building, US President Donald Trump has continued his attack on climate science by revoking a landmark ruling that greenhouse gases endanger public health
The key Obama-era scientific ruling in 2009 underpins all US federal actions on curbing planet-warming gases.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decided that key planet-warming greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, were a danger to human health.
But the reversal, according to the White House, is necessitated by the drive to make cars cheaper with an expected ease in the cost of production.
“This radical rule became the legal foundation for the Green New Scam, one of the greatest scams in history,” said President Trump, who has snubbed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change twice.
The exit of US from the Paris Agreement means that America will no longer be bound by the agreement’s requirements, such as submitting plans to reduce carbon emissions.
As the world’s second-largest greenhouse gas emitter behind only China, environmental groups say the latest move by the US is by far the most significant rollback on climate change, amidst skepticism of the potential cost savings being touted by the Trump administration.
The Third Era of Climate Action
The UN Climate Chief has observed an unprecedented threat to the decade of international climate cooperation that has delivered more real-world progress.
“From those determined to use their power to defy economic and scientific logic, and increase dependence on polluting coal, oil and gas – even though that means worsening climate disasters and spiralling costs for households and businesses. These forces are undeniably strong, but they need not prevail,” stated Stiell.
His solution to the chaos and regression is for countries to stand together, building on successes and working more closely with businesses, investors, and regional and civic leaders to deliver more real-world results in every country.
This is the third era of climate action; an era to speed-up and scale-up implementation of actions.
“It must start with a relentless focus on delivering – or even exceeding – the targets agreed in the first global stocktake, in 2023. Doubling energy efficiency and tripling clean energy by 2030. Transitioning away from all fossil fuels, in a just, fair and orderly manner. Strengthening resilience and reducing vulnerability, and ensuring more climate finance reaches people everywhere, especially the most vulnerable,” said Stiell.
The expectation is for countries to be on track to meet the commitments by the second global stocktake in 2028, in boosting resilience, growing economies, and slashing emissions.
“The fact is climate adaptation is the only path to securing billions of human lives, as climate impacts get rapidly worse,” said Mr. Stiell. “As climate disasters hit food supplies and drive inflation, resilient supply chains are crucial for the price stability populations are demanding. And they are increasingly unforgiving of governments who don’t deliver it.
“So more than ever, climate action and cooperation are the answer: not despite global instability, but because of it. There is a huge amount of work before us, this year and in the years to come.”
As vulnerable people and communities in Africa are already suffering the extremes of weather conditions, the UN conference of parties (COP31) in Antalya is expected to deliver for people, prosperity and planet.
For professionals like Kwaku, what used to be a routine of moving between two cities for work has suddenly felt uncertain; the weather is no longer background noise, it is deciding outcomes.
Amidst the reality of climate science and the challenge to the impact of the science, what would a new world disorder of climate change mean for people like Kwaku?
Kofi Adu Domfeh is a journalist and Climate Reality Leader| adomfeh@gmail.com
The Federal Government is actively taking steps to address ozone layer depletion by prioritising the adoption of green, energy-efficient, and low-Global Warming Potential (GWP) cooling systems.
Malam Balarabe Lawal, the Minister of Environment made this known in Abuja on Tuesday at a two-day Capacity Building Workshop on Green Procurement for Sustainable Cooling Systems in Nigeria.
Lawal, who was represented by Mr. Idris Abdullahi, the Director of National Ozone Office said that green procurement is the purchase of products and services that have a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle compared to conventional alternatives.
Malam Balarabe Lawal, the Minister of Environment
“Cooling is no longer a luxury. It is a critical enabler of productivity, public health, food security, and economic growth.From hospitals and laboratories to offices, schools, and food preservation systems, cooling underpins essential services.
“Today, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems account for between 40 and 60 per cent of electricity consumption in many buildings.
“Unfortunately, much of this demand is still met with inefficient equipment that consumes excessive power and uses refrigerants that contribute to ozone depletion and climate change,.
“The Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development SRADev Nigeria in partnership with the National Ozone Office of the Federal Ministry of Environment is to Promote Fast Action to Reduce Emissions of Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases (F-Gases) and Ozone depleting Substances (ODS) in Nigeria.”
The minister said that many developing countries are currently navigating a crucial transition away from ozone-depleted substances, foliates and fluorinated greenhouse gases, essential towards sustainable climate-friendly alternatives in its refrigeration and air-conditioning sector.
“The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol provides a global framework to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
“The Montreal Protocol, ratified by Nigeria, remains the world’s most successful environmental treaty,” Lawal said.
“Implementing this commitment requires not only policy reforms but also utilisation of green procurement principles into public sector decision making,” he said.
Lawal said that green procurement refers to the process through which public authorities integrate environmental conservation into their purchasing decisions.
“So therefore, it is a very powerful tool contributing to the country’s energy conservation, environmental protection, international climate agreements like the National Energy Determined Contribution,” he said.
Mr. Tom Nickson, a representative from the Environmental Investigative Agency (EIA) UK, said that the choices that governments around the world make to support the adoption of sustainable cooling technologies is going to help shape their environmental legacy for decades to come.
“Sustainable cooling is a cornerstone for climate action, and public procurement holds immense power to drive the transitions towards climate-friendly, energy-efficient cooling solutions.
“By prioritising green procurement, we can reduce energy consumption, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and set a powerful example for markets and communities around the world,” Nickson explained.
Dr Leslie Adogame, Executive-Director of SRADev Nigeria, said that it was pertinent to build strong national awareness and capacity for green procurement among national policy actors.
He added that it was also necessary to explore opportunities for policy reforms, and support integration of sustainable cooling systems into climate action strategies in Nigeria.
Mr. Gerald Njume, the Regional Principal Climate Change and Green Growth Officer African Development Bank, stated that it is very important that the bank is key in terms of supporting Nigeria in this drive.
Mr. Yusuf Kilani, the Special Adviser to the President on Climate Matters, said that the workshop came at the right time, adding that also from the Office of the President, are efforts to achieve zero environmental sustainability in all sectors.
Green Energy International Limited and Lekoil Nigeria Limited have clarified their position regarding recent media reports on a court matter stemming from a commercial dispute with a service provider, stating that the issue is already subject to arbitration in line with contractual agreements between the parties.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, both companies said the dispute relates to a contractual claim currently undergoing resolution through arbitration, as provided for under the terms of their agreement with the service provider.
Lekoil Nigeria Limited
They explained that the sums referenced in certain media reports remain unliquidated and are still under review and audit pursuant to the contractual arrangements between the parties. As such, the companies noted that the amounts being reported are subject to determination by an arbitral tribunal.
According to the statement, prior to the interim court application reported in the media, both companies had already commenced proceedings before the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/225/26. The filing included an application for an anti-suit injunction aimed at safeguarding the agreed arbitration process.
The companies disclosed that the processes were duly filed and served on the service provider, H-PTP, before the subsequent court proceedings referenced in media publications.
Green Energy and Lekoil Nigeria stressed that the matter is currently under active judicial and arbitral consideration, making it inappropriate to provide further comments at this stage.
Despite the ongoing dispute, the companies reassured stakeholders that their operations remain unaffected.
“Both Green Energy and Lekoil Nigeria continue to operate their assets safely and in full compliance with applicable regulatory and contractual obligations. There has been no disruption to operations,” the statement said.
They further affirmed their commitment to pursuing their rights through the appropriate legal and arbitral channels, adding that they reserve the right to take action against any inaccurate or defamatory statements published in connection with the dispute.
The development comes amid heightened scrutiny within the oil and gas sector over contractual disputes and enforcement of arbitration clauses, with industry observers closely watching how courts balance ongoing arbitration proceedings with parallel judicial applications.
However, with both judicial and arbitral processes now underway, the final resolution of the matter will depend on the outcomes of the respective legal proceedings.
Dangote Group has signed a $400 million construction equipment agreement with XCMG Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., one of China’s leading manufacturers of construction machinery, in a move set to accelerate the expansion of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day, positioning it to become the largest refinery in the world.
The agreement will enable the Group to acquire additional wide range of advanced construction equipment to support ongoing and forthcoming projects across refining, petrochemicals, agriculture and large-scale infrastructure development. The new equipment will complement existing assets deployed for the refinery expansion, which is expected to be completed within three years.
Dangote Refinery gate
Beyond refining, the expansion programme will see polypropylene production increase from 900,000 metric tonnes per annum to 2.4 million metric tonnes per annum. Urea capacity in Nigeria will be tripled from 3 million to 9 million metric tonnes per annum, in addition to the 3 million metric tonnes per annum capacity in Ethiopia, strengthening the Group’s position as the largest urea producer globally.
Production capacity for Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) will also be increased to 400,000 metric tonnes per annum, positioning the Group as the largest producer in Africa and strengthening supply to the detergent and cleaning agents manufacturing industry. Additional base oil production capacity also forms part of the broader expansion programme.
In a statement, the Group described the agreement as a strategic investment aimed at deepening its construction footprint and accelerating its ambition to build a $100 billion enterprise by 2030.
“The additional equipment we are acquiring under this partnership will significantly enhance execution across our projects. With this investment, we are positioning ourselves to become the number one construction company in the world,” the statement said.
Dangote Group is currently accelerating expansion and regional market development as it advances toward its long-term vision of building a $100 billion enterprise by 2030.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has warned the public against activities of fraudulent individuals who peddle contract offers purportedly on its behalf.
A statement on Monday, February 16, 2026, by Eniola Akinkuotu, Head, Corporate Communication and Media, NUPRC, said these unscrupulous individuals used tactics such as name-dropping and misinformation on social media to deceive members of the public.
According to Akinkuotu, they do so with the sole intention of extorting money from them and are hereby warned to desist from such acts.
Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan, the Commission’s Chief Executive, NUPRC
To set the record straight, he said, all contract being processed at the NUPRC were done transparently and strictly in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and other extant regulations.
“Therefore, anyone who transacts with a third party in order to gain an imaginary undue advantage within the NUPRC does so solely at their own risk.
“For information on any procurement, visit the NUPRC website – www.nuprc.gov.ng – or local newspapers for tenders to bid,” he warned.
A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an interim administration for Green Energy International Ltd. and Lekoil Oil and Gas Investments Ltd. following their alleged failure to pay $25.5 million debt.
Justice Ambrose Allagoa also appointed Mr. Chimezie Ihekweazu (SAN), an accredited insolvency practitioner, as the interim administrator for both companies throughout the interim administration.
The judge ordered that Ihekweazu should do all functions of an administrator, except distribution of the assets of the respondents.
Chief Executive Officer of Lekoil, Lekan Akinyanmi
The judge ordered that the interim administration would continue until the determination of a substantive suit on the matter.
Allagoa also granted an order directing all banks and financial institutions regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure that the accounts of the respondents would be controlled by the administrator or his nominee.
He made the orders following an ex-parte application filed by H-PTP Energy Services Ltd. seeking restraining, mareva and injunctive orders against Green Energy and Lekoil.
The applicant averred in the ex-parte application that it sought the reliefs following alleged failure by the respondents to honour $25.5 million debt obligation.
H-PTL Energy Services Ltd stated that Green Energy and Lekoil were indebted to it to the tune of 25.5 million dollars as Joint venture partners in Okatikpa Field, under Petroleum Mining Lease 11 located at Andoni, Rivers.
According to H-PTL Energy Services Ltd., the respondents have been indebted to it since mid 2025 and have been unable to liquidate the debt in spite of acknowledging the debt in writing.
H-PTP stated that in spite of demands and notices it made, the debt had remained unpaid and both respondents had become evasive and were attempting to dispute the already-agreed debt.
It stated that it attached all bank accounts, receivables and stock of crude oil belonging to, and produced from the two creditors of Okatikpa field to the application.
Allagoa adjourned the case until Feb. 26, for hearing of the substantive motion.
Religious leaders have called for an inclusive and value-driven framework to regulate Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and deployment in Nigeria.
They made the call during a media training organised by the Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence (NRC-AI) for journalists on Monday, February 16, 2026, in Lagos.
Rt. Rev. Dr Evans Onyemara, the General Secretary, Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN), said the council had partnered with the Future of Life Institute to build AI awareness among religious leaders.
Participants at the media training organised by the Nigeria Religious Coalition on Artificial Intelligence (NRC-AI) for journalists
Onyemara said CCN was working with Jama’atu Nasril Islam to ensure interfaith collaboration on AI governance.
He urged government to include faith-based organisations and civil society groups in AI policy formulation and implementation.
The Director of CCN, Very Rev. Kolade Fadahunsi, said the coalition supports AI policies rooted in justice, compassion, accountability and human dignity.
Fadahunsi warned against unregulated AI systems that could erode indigenous values and weaken analytical thinking among youths.
He noted that while AI could improve healthcare, education, agriculture and security, safeguards were necessary to prevent misuse.
A civil society partner, Mr. Philip Jakpor, described the media as indispensable in promoting ethical AI adoption.
Jakpor said AI deployment in Nigeria must respect religious beliefs, cultural norms and national identity.
According to him, while the US and China are currently investing billions in AI creation, adoption and deployment, Africa is still missing in the race largely due to limited infrastructure, low local data representation, and high implementation costs.
“African media is also constrained by entrenched skepticism regarding data biases and potential job losses,” he stated, lamenting that the Nigerian media, which is supposed to be a watchdog by amplifying the need for active engagement to ensure ethical development and application, is largely in the dark with many journalists ignorantly regurgitating ideals that are extraneous to religion as well as Africa’s cultural norms and values.
Jakpor, who is also a journalist, urged the media to serve as a platform for debate and exchange of ideas, in fostering a more informed and engaged public on AI.
His words: “The media must equally showcase positive examples of AI and highlight the ethical drawbacks identified above to encourage the government to take meaningful steps toward addressing them. The media must also report scientific findings on AI and encourage action that will not make Nigerians mere consumers of AI ideas birthed in the west, but also co-creators of AI tools and information.”
Veteran journalist, Tope Oluwaleye, in a presentation, explores issues related to how AI influences religious practices, virtual services (AI-powered platforms host online worship, prayers or sermons), personalised guidance, scripture analysis (AI tools helping to interpret or translate religious texts), and community engagement (AI-driven apps connecting believers and facilitate discussions).
He listed accuracy, accountability and inclusiveness as key principles to help journalists to produce stories that are both informative and respectful of the diverse ways people experience faith.
Programmes Officer, CCN, Ms. Nkechi Oseni, who read the position of the coalition, stressed the need for moral leadership in shaping Nigeria’s AI governance.
Oseni said the coalition supports Pillar Four of Nigeria’s 2024 AI Strategy, which focuses on ethical inclusion and public trust.
She called for an independent AI Ethics Expert Group to provide objective oversight on AI development and deployment.
According to her, clear ethical principles must address fairness, transparency, accountability, privacy and human well-being.
She also advocated standardised assessment mechanisms to ensure AI projects align with Nigeria’s cultural and religious values.
The coalition emphasised that responsible AI development must align with Nigeria’s constitutional values and protect future generations.
On the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), the African Medicines Agency (AMA) convened a High‑Level Presidential Breakfast on the Operationalisation of the AMA, calling on the 24 AU Member States yet to ratify the AMA Treaty to act without delay in support of a safer, more prosperous future for the continent.
Convened by the AMA, the breakfast brought together Heads of State and Government, AU leadership, and senior representatives of the AMA, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat to accelerate the Agency’s full operationalisation, universal ratification, and sustainable financing.
Amb. Amma Twum‑Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union Commission
Leaders underscored the AMA’s role in strengthening continental regulation of medical products, bolstering health security, and supporting Africa’s industrialisation ambitions. While progress has been made in establishing the Agency and operationalising its headquarters in Kigali, only 31 of the AU’s 55 Member States have ratified the AMA Treaty, and several still need to complete domestication measures – leaving gaps in protection against substandard and falsified medical products and limiting the benefits of a unified African regulatory system.
Several government leaders, Ministers of Health and representatives of AU agencies reiterated their commitment to the operationalisation of the AMA. Mr. Sebastien Pillay, Vice President of Seychelles reaffirmed his country’s political support and financial commitment of $200,000, doubling the seed fund contribution of $100,000 required of state parties, while urging larger nations to match this dedication.
Dr. Mustapha Ferjani, Minister of Health of Tunisia, reinforced the foundational importance of regulation, highlighting that “today, a single truth imposes itself: Africa’s health sovereignty depends on regulatory sovereignty.” In his closing appeal, he added: “Let us all ratify, and equip AMA with the capacity to act – with resources, skills, clear procedures, and effective governance. Our people deserve it, our health security demands it, and our sovereignty depends on it.”
Presenting on priority actions for the AMA, Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, Director General of the AMA, updated leaders on the AMA’s ambition to be universally ratified, achieve WHO Listed Authority status and be financially self-reliant by 2030.
She stressed that “over the past five years, we have moved from a Treaty on paper to a living institution” and that the AMA is “already working hand‑in‑hand with Member States that have ratified to strengthen regulatory systems, streamline joint assessments and increase reliance on shared expertise.”
In her closing remarks, Amb. Amma Twum‑Amoah, Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development of the African Union Commission, framed the AMA as central to the AU’s wider health and development agenda. She affirmed that the Commission “firmly believes that universal ratification, full implementation and sustainable financing of the African Medicines Agency are achievable within this political cycle,” describing the AMA as “a shared continental asset integral to delivering on the African Health Strategy 2030 and Agenda 2063, and the commitments our Member States have made to protect the health and wellbeing of their people.”
The 39th AU Assembly thus served as a defining moment to move decisively toward a unified African medicines regulatory system that delivers quality medical products for all, advances regional industrialisation and trade, and contributes to a safer, more prosperous future for every African.
The AMA Treaty was adopted by Heads of States and Government during their 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly on February 11, 2019, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The African Medicines Agency aspires to enhance capacity of State Parties and AU recognized Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to regulate medical products in order to improve access to quality, safe and efficacious medical products on the continent.
