The G20 working group on agriculture, currently meeting in Durban, has centered discussions on macroeconomic factors affecting food prices and market access, both locally and globally.
South African Minister of Agriculture, Mr. John Steenhuisen
Opening the three-day session, South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, urged for collective action in tackling climate change and food insecurity.
He stressed that technology transfer and innovation were essential for sustainable agro-industrial development.
“We are deeply committed to ensuring this working group becomes a platform for collective ambition, practical collaboration, and long-term transformation.
“South Africa has an inclusive and action-oriented approach,” said Steenhuisen.
He highlighted the importance of building food systems that enhanced productivity while preserving ecosystems.
The meeting comes under South Africa’s G20 presidency, which began in Dec. 2024 under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that South Africa’s top priorities include support for the Global South, improved access to development finance, and climate adaptation.
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its determination to eliminate malaria in Nigeria by 2030.
Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare
The country continues to bear the heaviest malaria burden globally, accounting for 27 per cent of cases and 31 per cent of deaths, according to the 2024 World Malaria Report.
Addressing newsmen at a roundtable discussion held to mark the 2025 World Malaria Day on Friday, April 25, in Abuja, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, described malaria as a persistent threat to public health and economic stability.
“Malaria is often underestimated, yet it continues to wreak havoc, particularly among children under five and pregnant women.
“Our response must be aggressive, focused, and sustained,” he said.
The event is with theme:”Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reignite, Reimagine”.
Highlighting new interventions, the minister said that the malaria vaccine rollout – initiated in December 2024 in Kebbi and Bayelsa States – will be expanded to 17 more states this year, targeting children aged five to 23 months.
Furthermore, he said insecticide-treated nets would be distributed in 12 states, including Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, and Oyo, while over 30 million children across 21 northern states would benefit from Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC).
He also announced the pilot of Larval Source Management, a vector control strategy in six states, including Lagos, Ekiti, and Borno, in efforts to disrupt mosquito breeding grounds.
He addressed the disruption in malaria intervention services caused by the “Stop Work Order” from the United States Government, which froze USAID/PMI activities.
He said that the Nigerian government made budgetary provisions to bridge funding gaps and ensure uninterrupted delivery of life-saving commodities, such as ACTs, RDT kits, and injectable artesunate.
He said the government plans to conduct both a Rapid Impact Assessment and a Malaria Indicator Survey to better evaluate progress and inform policy decisions.
The minister said that the role of the private sector through partnerships with entities like the Nigeria End Malaria Council, chaired by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, urged businesses to contribute funding and technical support to sustain the fight.
He paid tribute to frontline health workers and media professionals for their crucial roles in awareness and service delivery.
He also expressed gratitude to partners such as the Global Fund, WHO, UNICEF, and Malaria Consortium for their unwavering support.
“This is a national emergency, and our response must reflect that reality.
“Malaria ends with us. Everyone, government, communities, private sector, and individuals, must take ownership,” he said.
He encouraged Nigerians to use treated nets, maintain clean environments, seek early diagnosis and treatment, and remain committed to the collective goal of a malaria-free Nigeria.
Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by parasites of the Plasmodium species. It is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
The disease affects red blood cells and can cause symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches. Severe malaria can lead to complications like organ failure, anaemia, and death if not treated promptly.
Malaria is most common in tropical and subtropical regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where it poses a significant public health challenge.
The disease is preventable and treatable, with interventions such as insecticide-treated mosquito nets, antimalarial medications, and malaria vaccines being key tools in controlling its spread.
The World Malaria Day 2025, themed “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite”, serves as a call to action against one of Nigeria’s deadliest diseases.
The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) says organic farming is unsuitable to feed Nigeria’s growing population.
Hydroponic farming
The Southwest/Lagos State Chairman of AFAN, Mr. Femi Oke, said this in an interview on Friday, April 25, 2025, in Lagos.
Organic farming is a method of growing and producing food without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, genetically modified organisms, or irradiation.
Organic farmers focus on sustainable practices that promote soil health, biodiversity, and environmental balance.
Oke noted that organic farming cannot feed Nigeria’s growing population in spite of its nutritional benefits.
“We sometimes encourage our farmers to embark on organic farming but the truth is that organic farming cannot cater for our growing population.
“The increasing Nigerian population and the recent food inflation we have experienced is one of the reasons why most farmers cannot fully go into organic farming.
“If we decide to go into organic farming fully, we will be unable to feed the growing Nigerian population.
“Organic farming is good, but it cannot cater to the needs of food security presently in Nigeria.”
The AFAN chairman also called for the adoption of other farming systems in developed countries to boost Nigeria’s food production rather than reliance on organic farming.
“So, what we are saying is that organic farming is good, but it takes time and It cannot feed our population.
“There are other farming systems that we can also adopt in Nigeria like in most developed countries. Farming systems like hydroponics and aquaponics are being used in more developed climes to boost their food production, we can also tap into that.
“Most of our small-scale farmers are even organic farmers. However, if organic farming is the only farming system that we depend on, it cannot sustain us.
“We can embark on biotechnology and other climate-smart farming systems to increase food productivity,” the chairman said.
The Centre for 21st Century Issues (C21st), a Lagos-based civil society organisation (CSO), has joined the global community in observing World Malaria Day 2025, with a focus on the urgent need to adopt climate-resilient and gender-responsive strategies to tackle malaria across Nigeria.
According to the group, climate change is compounding the malaria challenge, leading to increased flooding, stagnant water, and poor waste management
Malaria continues to be a pressing public health issue, especially in urban informal settlements and underserved rural communities. Climate change is compounding the challenge, leading to increased flooding, stagnant water, and poor waste management, which all contribute to the spread of malaria. These risks disproportionately affect women, children, and other vulnerable groups.
C21st emphasises the need for government at all levels to take proactive and inclusive measures to address the root causes of malaria through climate-smart policies and actions. As an organisation working at the intersection of climate justice, gender equality, and sustainable development, C21st urges the following:
Improved waste management systems to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes in urban markets and communities.
Increased investment in clean and sustainable energy solutions such as clean cooking technologies that reduce indoor air pollution and promote healthier homes.
Integration of gender and social inclusion in climate and health policies, ensuring that women and marginalized communities are not left behind.
Support for education and public awareness on environmental health, particularly in malaria-prone areas.
C21st says it remains committed to amplifying the voices of vulnerable groups and advancing policy solutions that protect both people and the planet.
“On World Malaria Day, C21st reaffirms its call for stronger collaboration between government, civil society, and the private sector to eliminate malaria and build healthier, climate-resilient communities across Nigeria,” the group stated.
Nearly 13 million children in East and Southern Africa suffer from acute malnutrition, with almost 4 million facing its most lethal form, UNICEF has reported.
Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF
The agency warns that funding shortages totalling $110 million for nutritional supplies threaten to worsen the crisis, with stocks of critical therapeutic food expected to run out by mid-2025 in the hardest-hit countries.
“What we are witnessing is a malnutrition crisis which is being exacerbated by the global funding crisis,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Etleva Kadilli.
“This is not the time to scale down our support, it is the time to significantly scale up.”
The crisis affects one in three children across the region, many surviving on just one or two food groups daily. UNICEF attributes the widespread malnutrition to extreme climate shocks, insecurity, economic instability and reduced humanitarian funding.
Somalia faces particularly severe conditions with 4.4 million people – nearly a quarter of its population – experiencing crisis-level hunger.
Approximately 1.7 million Somali children are expected to suffer acute malnutrition this year, including 460,000 with severe acute malnutrition.
In South Sudan, over 2 million children under five risk acute malnutrition, a 26% increase from 2024.
Cases of severe acute malnutrition have risen 33% to 650,000 children. An additional million pregnant and breastfeeding women face acute malnutrition, with numbers expected to climb amid ongoing instability.
Ethiopia, despite UNICEF and partners reaching nearly 3 million malnourished children and women last year, continues to struggle with prolonged drought and regional conflicts that threaten to increase malnutrition rates.
The impending shortage of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), a high-energy fortified paste essential for treating severe malnutrition, poses the greatest immediate threat.
“Due to donor generosity, we were able to treat more than 2.2 million children suffering from severe wasting in 2024,” Kadilli said, “but we need your continued investments not only in curative interventions but also around building community nutritional resilience.”
UNICEF’s long-term response includes prevention strategies, integrated interventions for access to nutritious food, safe water and basic healthcare, and addressing root causes of regional malnutrition.
In 2024, UNICEF provided counselling to 58 million caregivers on infant and young child feeding practices and screened 215 million children and 27 million pregnant women for wasting across Eastern and Southern Africa.
The government of Delta State has struck a collaboration with petroleum industry solutions provider, Xenergi Limited, to establish a robust infrastructure and facility base for development of the KGG Gas Eco-Industrial Park (KGIP).
Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State
The collaboration, according to the partners, brings the Xenergi consortium, the Delta State Government and the Delta Special Economic Zone (DSEZ) together in a strategic initiative to attract global investments to an infrastructure enhanced operating haven conceived to be hosted in the state.
The partnership is focused on securing world-class infrastructure and facilities essential for the development of gas-based industries and the financing, engineering, procurement, and installation of such within the KGIP.
Activities in the new KGIP area are to be fired with clean, affordable and sustainable gas from the existing Kwale Gas Gathering (KGG) facilities for speedy industrial evolution and efficient commercial operations across the DSEZ.
The strategic step by the Delta State Government and Xenergi Limited plugs directly into the Nigerian gas vision, the realisation of which is currently accelerated by the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration of the federal government under the Decade of Gas agenda.
The Decade of Gas programme addresses a combination of economic needs, environmental responsibility and energy diversification as captured in the Nigerian vision for its abundant gas resources. The federal government has in recent years challenged the petroleum industry with a set of economic targets to harness produced gas for catalysing national economic and industrial growth, fire power generation and also fuel transportation.
With the robust policies and programmes being implemented under the Decade of Gas programme, government has mandated the petroleum industry to drive domestic economic development and accelerate industrial growth with sustainable and efficient gas resources.
To enable private companies like Xenergi Limited commit funds towards deepening the domestic gas market and diversifying the nation’s energy products, government has, through the Decade of Gas agenda created robust commercial arrangements for development of gas-based industries to drive the economy along global trends in energy transition.
The public-private partnership and the ambitious KGIP project therefore mark a significant step forward in realisation of the collective industry mandate to stake huge investments in developing new infrastructure and facilities for domestic gas supply. The project therefore forms a key success factor for the viability of the DSEZ industrial area in Kwale, Delta State, Nigeria.
“Together, we intend to create a robust environment that will not only facilitate the growth of gas-based industries (GBI) but also attract and retain investors and industry leaders in related fields of business,” the partners declared in a statement.
Secretary to the State Government of Delta State, Dr. Kingsley Emu, emphasised the importance of the KGIP to the local economy.
“This partnership underscores our commitment to driving economic development and creating opportunities for our people which aligns with His Excellency the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori’s MORE Agenda. The KGG Gas Eco-Industrial Park is a testament to the potential we have here in Delta State, and we are proud to work alongside Xenergi and its joint venture partners to bring the Governor’s vision to fruition,” he pointed out.
He stated that development of the KGG Gas Eco-Industrial Park represents a pivotal moment for Delta State, adding that the project comes along with job creation, technological advancement, and economic growth to realization. It is a privilege to work with esteemed partners like the Xenergi consortium and DSEZ to realize this vision, which will benefit our people and economy.
The Managing Director of the DSEZ, Mr. Godwin Akpovie, highlighted the role of the industrial park in attracting global partners and stakeholders.
“The KGIP stands as an emblem of progress and opportunity. We eagerly welcome investors and off-takers to experience our region’s potential. It is a clear indication of Delta State’s readiness to embrace the future of industrialization. Our economic zone is uniquely positioned to facilitate seamless investment and collaboration, ensuring that all stakeholders gain immense value from their participation,” he stressed.
Chief Executive Officer of Xenergi, Mr. Emeka Ene, stated that the KGIP, with the support and partnership of upstream and midstream government agencies and regulators, is conceived to enhance Nigeria’s industrial capacity by pooling global investments that provide economic and commercial opportunities for all stakeholders.
“Our dedication to sustainable industrial growth aligns perfectly with the goals of this partnership. By collaborating with upstream operators, the Delta State Government, the DSEZ, and by extension, the federal government, we can collectively elevate Nigeria’s industrial capacity and provide unparalleled opportunities for local and international investors,” Mr Ene declared.
He added that the strategic location and positioning of the KGIP, alongside its cutting-edge infrastructure, is expected to attract top-tier investors and off-takers, establishing it as a leading industrial hub within the region and beyond.
According to him, “Xenergi and her strategic partners are excited to embark on this journey with the Delta State Government and the Delta Special Economic Zone. The KGIP also supports and aligns with the federal government’s drive to accelerate gas-based industrialization with the CNG transportation initiative and the Decade of Gas program. The industrial park shall be an eco-system for gas infrastructure development, industrial efficiency, and innovation, paving the way for a new era of economic growth in the region.”
According to the project promoters, the partnership aims to establish the KGIP as a beacon of industrial excellence and efficiency, providing a fertile ground for future investments to drive socio-economic development in the area.
More than 100,000 Istanbul residents spent the night outside their homes for fear of aftershocks following a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the city, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced.
Earthquake
Speaking at a press conference in Istanbul on Thursday, April 24, 2025, Yerlikaya said that approximately 101,000 people were provided temporary shelter in mosques, schools, and dormitories across the city.
He added that meals were distributed through mobile catering units and tents to support those affected.
The earthquake, which struck on Wednesday, had its epicenter in the Marmara Sea, just off the coast of Istanbul.
As of 9:00 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) on Thursday, a total of 266 aftershocks had been recorded.
According to Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change Minister, Murat Kurum, no residential buildings collapsed, apart from one abandoned structure in the Fatih district.
Health Minister, Kemal Memişoğlu, reported that 60 people were still receiving treatment in hospitals, primarily for injuries sustained during panic or from jumping out of buildings. He had earlier confirmed a total of 236 injuries, with no fatalities reported.
The National Programme Officer, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Dr Reuben Bamidele, has charged manufacturers to embrace sustainable practices to minimise ecological footprints and environmental impact.
UNIDO Director General, Gerd Müller
Bamidele made the call at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ikeja Branch, Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)/Managing Directors Forum on Thursday, April 24, 2025, in Lagos.
The event was themed: “Sustainability of the Manufacturing Sector in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Way Forward”.
He observed that sustainability had become a key focus for businesses across various industries, and the manufacturing sector was no exception.
Bamidele noted that manufacturing activities consumed vast amounts of energy and water, generated substantial waste, and contributed to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
He said by embracing sustainable practices, manufacturers could minimise ecological footprint and reduce the impact the sector has on the environment.
He noted that governments and regulatory bodies were attempting to speed up this process by imposing stricter environmental regulations and standards.
According to him, non-compliance can result in hefty fines, legal repercussions, and damage to a company’s reputation.
“While sustainable manufacturing holds tremendous promise, it is not without challenges such as high initial costs, change management, supply chain complexities, regulatory compliance and data.
“However, to improve sustainability outcomes, manufacturers can improve product design based on sustainability goals, go green across all operations, and upskill people for green transition,” he said.
The Director-General, MAN, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, said that for Nigeria to deliver on inclusive growth, manufacturing performance must improve.
He stressed the need for continuous engagement with government and all stakeholders to expose the real situation of the country’s real sector.
Ajayi-Kadir also urged government to prioritise the manufacturing sector.
He saluted the resilience of all manufacturing CEOs for staying the course and projected that they would reap the benefits of renewed economic development in Nigeria.
“MAN is poised to support government policies that would promote manufacturing, and we would continue to leverage our access to government to ensure they pay attention to the sector to support its growth,” he said.
The General Manager, Lagos State Wastewater Management, Mr. Adefemi Afolabi, said sewage, which was not really paid attention to, made up a large percentage of waste.
Afolabi urged manufacturers on the importance of abiding to the state’s laws on sewage and other waste products for environmental safety and sustainability.
“We are concerned about waste generated by industries and would continue to engage MAN on sustainable measures on waste disposal and waste management.
“As issues of sanitation have a direct nexus to public health, we would work with the association to create models to monitor and manage waste disposal,” he said.
The Chairman, MAN Ikeja Branch, Mr. Robert Ugbaja, noted that the event’s theme spoke directly to the realities industrialists faced in an increasingly dynamic global and local environment.
Ugbaja stressed that sustainability was no longer a buzzword, but an urgent call for manufacturers to embrace.
He expressed manufacturers readiness to embrace insights on global standards, practical interventions, and proper positioning within the sustainable manufacturing framework.
Some medical experts and researchers on Thursday, April 24, 2025, appealed to policy makers in developing countries, especially Nigeria, to champion the fight against air pollution, describing it as a “silent killer.”
Soot spreading over a neighbourhood in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
The experts spoke at the International Summit on Climate Change/Air Pollution jointly powered by the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF) and Manchester 1824 of the University of Manchester.
The Summit, which had several panel sessions on air pollution, was held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos.
The theme of the summit was: “Advancing Air Quality Policy through Innovation, Research and Youth Engagement.”
Speaking, Prof. Akin Osibogun, Professor of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said that climate change and air pollution had so many health and environmental implications.
“So, if we understand all this as policy makers we should put in place policies to help to reduce atmospheric pollution, and thereby help protect the health of our citizens.
“That is where we should be going,” Osibogun, who is also an Executive Director with the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Alliance Nigeria, said.
He said that Nigerian citizens needed to know the causes of climate change, its effects, and how to protect their health.
“Our people need to know that climate change affects the respiratory tract causing respiratory diseases.
“It’s affecting the cardiovascular system, so there are cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension.
“And current studies have also shown that atmospheric pollution is related to Diabetes Mellitus and aggravates other non-communicable diseases as well,” Osibogun noted.
According to him, policymakers need to be more proactive in terms of looking at the problem on ground, putting in place policies that relate to the existence of the people, and enforcing the policies.
“It’s not sufficient to ask people not to cook with firewood without providing the enabling environment for them to use alternatives,” he said.
Speaking on vehicle emission inspection, the don noted that policy enforcement should not be used as an avenue to raise revenue, but rather to protect the environment and citizens’ health.
Also, Prof. Obuks Ejohwomu of the University of Manchester, shared a story of a young girl called Ella who passed away at the age of nine because of exposure to air pollutants.
Ejohwomu, a Reader in Sustainable Built Environment and Founder of SQUARE, said the girl lived very near a busy road network.
“This meant that when she was going to school, she was exposed to pollutants. When she entered her house, she was also exposed to pollutants,” Ejohwomu said.
He said that if such could happen in a developed country, only God knew how many lives had been lost to exposure to air pollution in developing countries.
Calling for awareness creation about the dangers of air pollution, Ejohwomu said: “It is a silent killer. Nobody can see it. It’s a new revelation that is dangerous, in fact, one of the major killers in our world today.
“We need to be seen to understand it and react to it immediately. We must act now to put in actions.
“Act now! The evidence is already visible. Evidence is pointing to the fact that air pollution is killing our people,” he said.
Speaking further on climate change and air quality, the expert called for policies to mitigate some challenges of air pollution, even in schools to save the lives of children.
Also, Prof. Chinwe Obuaku, Consultant to Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun State on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, advocated rigorous public sensitisation against pollution.
Calling for renewed efforts at planting economic trees, Obuaku said there was the need to inject climate change study in school curriculum.
In his remarks, Dr Kingsley Akinroye, the Executive Director, NHF, called for concerted efforts from all stakeholders – young and old, including the media, to prevent air pollution and climate change.
“People should be discouraged from using firewood and our government should support this initiative. We must have friendly cooking stoves if we don’t have to use firewood.
“We don’t have to use fuel that will produce fumes. Give us clean air through cooking. Let us control vehicle emissions.
Reading the summit’s call to action, Akinroye said countries must adopt the new WHO Global Guidelines on Air Quality, and the policies must be domesticated.
According to him, there is the need for improved air pollution monitoring and modelling, as well as networking in rural and urban areas for accuracy.
Akinroye read: “Countries, multilaterals and philanthropies must create budgets for air pollution solutions and campaign awareness.
“There must be provision of clean domestic fuels and need to move from solid fuel to the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas and solar panels. There is need also for innovative city designs to curb air pollution.”
The Presidency says the Tax Reforms Bill, when passed, will make housing more affordable and available to Nigerians by reducing tax burden on the construction and real estate sectors.
Ahmed Dangiwa
Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, made this known in Abuja on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at a Building and Construction Industry Forum.
The forum was organised by the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) and Housing Development Advocacy Network (HDAN).
Speaking on the theme “Nigeria’s Tax Reforms and the Building and Construction Industry: Implications and Opportunities”, Oyedele said the bill has many benefits, but it is being misconceived by some people.
According to him, when the bill becomes law, Value Added Tax (VAT) on real estate transactions will be exempted, thereby lowering the cost of building materials and houses.
“The bill is designed in a way to favour low income earners contrary to what is being claimed, it will also ease their burden.
“There will be no VAT on lands, sale of real estate, and rent is exempted from VAT. Some of these are areas of controversies in the past.
“There is an exemption on stamp duties for rents below N10 million a month and capital gains tax is also exempted on the sale of dwelling houses.m,” he said
Oyedele added that, in the bill, building materials production including non-metallic products are eligible for priority sector incentives to boost production.
He said reforms will be carried out on land transactions including titling and harmonisation of property taxes.
“The Tax Reforms Bill will improve the affordability of housing. It will provide relief for people who are paying rent because what this bill is going to do is to remove a lot of the tax burden.
“The essence is to make life better for everybody and improve the economic activities in the building and construction sectors, and by extension, the whole of the economy,” he said.
Oyedele encouraged Nigerians to seek more understanding of the tax reforms and stop relying on social media and headlines that were misinforming them.
Speaking in the same veins, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said the bill offers a whole relief to construction firms and contractors.
Dangiwa, represented by the Director, Public Building, Temitope Gbemi, said the ministry has fully aligned its housing policies with fiscal reforms.
He said they were also working with tax authorities to ensure that real estate and housing investments were guided by clarity, equity, and investor protection.
On his part, the CORBON Chairman, Samson Opaluwah, identified poor access to finance and multiple taxation as major drawbacks toward the expansion of the council’s potentials.
He expressed the hope that the tax reforms bill would address the challenges and more
The Executive Director of HDAN, Festus Adebayo, said the VAT exemption on lands, real estate and building materials producers was a welcomed development.
He advocated for incentives in the tax reforms bill that would attract real estate developers and investors to go into building low-cost houses for low-income earners.
