On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday, May 30, 2025, launched a new publication and called on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, pouches, hookahs and e-cigarettes, to protect youth from addiction and disease.
Nicotine and Tobacco
Flavours like menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy are masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait. Flavours not only make it harder to quit but have also been linked to serious lung diseases. Cigarettes, which still kill up to half of their users, also come in flavours or can have flavours added to them.
“Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.”
The publication, “Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal”, reveals how flavours and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users.
Currently:
over 50 countries ban flavoured tobacco;
more than 40 countries ban e-cigarette sales; five specifically ban disposables and seven ban e-cigarette flavours; and
flavour accessories remain largely unregulated.
Countries such as Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania are taking action, and WHO urges others to follow.
Flavours are a leading reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products. Paired with flashy packaging and social media-driven marketing, they’ve increased the appeal of nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and disposable vapes into addictive and harmful products, which aggressively target young people.
“We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion. “This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation. And we must stop it.”
WHO reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated.
The 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honours governments, youth activists and civil society leaders pushing back against industry interference. “Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” said Dr Krech.
WHO submitted: “With around 8 million tobacco-related deaths each year, the time for action is now. Flavours, and the industries that deploy them, have no place in a healthy future.”
As the world marks World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2025 with the theme, “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing the Tobacco Industry’s Tactics”, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has congratulated the Ekiti State Government for the historic declaration of the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, as a smoke-free city.
Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State
In a statement on Friday, May 30, CAPPA described the declaration as a defining moment for Ekiti State and Nigeria’s tobacco control journey, urging other cities to emulate same and implement smoke-free environments nationwide.
Akinbode Oluwafemi, CAPPA’s Executive Director, noted that with the declaration, Ado-Ekiti has joined a growing global movement of subnational governments and cities that are taking bold steps to reduce tobacco exposure and protect the right to breathe clean air.
Bosun Osaloni, Chairman of Ado-Ekiti Local Government, made the declaration during a ceremony hosted in Ado-Ekiti by the State Ministry of Health to commemorate WNTD. He announced that, henceforth, smoking is prohibited in all public places in the city, including schools, motor parks and offices. He further stated that this directive will be backed by a local government by-law that domesticates the existing Ekiti State Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Law.
According to CAPPA, the initiative reflects both local political will and a strategic alignment with global public health standards.
Oluwafemi said: “By this gesture, Ekiti – famed for its leadership in the pursuit of knowledge – has once again taken the lead by becoming one of the first states in Nigeria to not only prohibit smoking in public places but also declare its state capital, a no-go area for the tobacco industry’s products of death and disease.
“This strategic move aligns with global best practices and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), to safeguard the health and well-being of Ekiti residents.”
The smoke-free cities campaign is a globally recognised public health strategy driven by evidence and championed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Across the world, smoke-free policies have helped save lives, lower healthcare costs, and transform social attitudes toward tobacco. At the core of this approach is the MPOWER package – a set of six proven policy tools developed by the WHO to guide both national and subnational governments in effectively reducing tobacco use.
These measures include monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies, protecting people from tobacco smoke, offering help to quit tobacco use, warning about the dangers of tobacco, enforcing bans on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship and raising taxes on tobacco.
Oluwafemi noted that the emergence of vaping and other newer tobacco products in recent years has introduced fresh challenges, particularly among the youth.
He added: “These products are often marketed as safer alternatives, but they are neither safe nor an alternative to good health. On the contrary, the use of e-cigarettes and other vaping devices leads to nicotine addiction, respiratory issues, and potential long-term health consequences.
“The Smoke-Free Ekiti project is therefore a necessary counter to this trend. It will not only protect non-smokers from involuntary exposure but also shift social norms, reduce long-term health burdens, and foster a culture of wellness.”
CAPPA also urged federal and state governments across Nigeria to create a budgetary line for tobacco control, saying it is critical to countering the menace of the tobacco industry.
Furthermore, it renewed its call for the federal government to significantly increase the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF) beyond the N13 million allocated to it in the national budget for 2025, in the interest of public health.
“Smoke-free environments are not achieved by law alone—they require political will, budgetary allocations for tobacco control, inter-sectoral coordination, social acceptance, and consistent public education,” Oluwafemi added.
WaterAid Nigeria is demanding that menstrual health is recognised as a human right and not a privilege. The organisation is therefore urging governments, schools and communities to break the silence around menstruation and challenge harmful taboos to ensure that every girl and woman can manage her period with dignity, confidence and in a safe manner.
Participants at an event commemorating the 2025 Menstrual Hygiene Day in Lagos
Evelyn Mere, Country Director of WaterAid Nigeria, made the call in Lagos on Thursday, May 29, at an event commemorating the 2025 Menstrual Hygiene Day.
She said: “Every day, millions of people who menstruate face stigma, shame and health risks due to a lack of basic menstrual hygiene facilities and knowledge. Despite being an education and gender equality issue, millions of women and girls in Nigeria still lacked access to basic water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, as well as accurate information and safe spaces to manage their periods. “This reality contributes to keeping girls out of school and preventing women from participating fully in daily life.”
According to the 2021 WASHNORM survey, only about 46% of Nigerians have access to basic sanitation services, and just 13% use improved sanitation facilities with proper handwashing stations. For menstruating girls and women, this gap means exposure to shame, infection, and stigma, often with lifelong consequences.
“It is unacceptable that menstruation continues to limit the potential of millions of girls and women in Nigeria. No one should miss school, feel ashamed, or be unsafe simply because they are menstruating. A period-friendly world is one where dignity, access, and rights are protected for everyone, regardless of age, location, or income,” she stated.
In his submission, Dr. Adebayo Alao, Head of Lagos Programme, WaterAid Nigeria, who gave an overview of WaterAid’s work, stated that in partnership with schools, health institutions, communities and government at national and sub national levels, WaterAid Nigeria is implementing menstrual health and hygiene management (MHHM) interventions that include the provision of WASH facilities in schools, setting up of hygiene clubs, production and distribution of reusable pads, and community sensitisation efforts.
These initiatives, according to the Head of Lagos Programme of WaterAid, are designed to foster supportive environments where menstruation is normalized and no one is left to choose between managing their period and living their life with dignity.
“This Menstrual Hygiene Day, apart from investing in behavioural change and community education to tackle harmful norms, WaterAid Nigeria is renewing its call to integrate menstrual health into national and subnational wash, health, gender and education policies, prioritize inclusive and climate resilience wash facilities and menstrual services in schools and public places as well as challenge menstrual stigma through community engagement and advocacy,” he stated.
Mahmood Adegbite, Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, noted that the event is not just about raising awareness for menstruation, it’s about breaking silence, ending stigma while ensuring dignity, good health and equality for millions of girls and women around the world.
According to him, menstruation is a natural part of life, yet it remains stigmatised and often misunderstood. Many women and girls face challenges due to religious and cultural myths, lack of access to clean water, sanitation facilities and affordable menstrual products.
“Through this event, we aim at raising awareness about menstrual hygiene and its importance. We will promote education and dialogue about menstruation and advocate for policies and programmes that support menstrual health hygiene. Improving menstrual hygiene and providing access to affordable menstrual materials can help improve girls’ and women’s access to education, opening more options for jobs, promotions, and entrepreneurship, thus unleashing female contributions to the overall economy, rather than keeping them at home,” he submitted.
In her remarks, Atinuke Wuraola Owolabi, Chairman Lagos Chapter of Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), called for a collaborative effort in advocating for access to safe, affordable menstrual products.
She also charged stakeholders, policymakers, health advocates, parents and guardians to build clean and private WASH facilities in schools and public spaces. They must design and implement inclusive policies, lend their voices, educate and offer their support on all issues relating to the girl child at all times.
“Menstrual health is a right, not a privilege and ensuring access to it is a collective responsibility,” she stressed.
May 28 every year is a date set aside by the United Nations where a very critical aspect of womanhood is usually celebrated, and it is aimed at breaking the barriers for menstrual health equity.
Highpoint of the event was the presentation of menstrual hygiene kits to some of the students in attendance.
Dignitaries at the event included Dr. Abimbola Mabogunje, Permanent Secretary, Health District VI; and Dr. Omobolaji Gaji, Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, among others.
The African continent is on the frontlines of the climate crisis, but the election of Sidi Ould Tah as the new president for the African Development Bank (AfDB) has been described as an opportunity to pave a new path for the continent’s energy future – to shift toward a just and transformative approach to energy access, one that harnesses Africa’s vast renewable resources and affirms the rights, dignity, and agency of its people.
Sidi Ould Tah
As the debt crisis reaches new heights for the continent, observers believe that scaling up grant-based, concessional funding is vital to ensure countries are financially able to pursue a clean energy transition that is just, equitable, people-centred, and democratically governed. Now, they said, is the time for transformative public finance models which serve the people of Africa, not fossil fuel interests.
As UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, stated, investment in Africa’s renewable energy is “the economic opportunity of the century.” With 60% of the world’s best solar resources and wind potential capable of powering the continent 250 times over, Africa is uniquely positioned to lead.
Civil society practitioners feel that it’s time for President Sidi Ould Tah to close the gap for the 600 million people who remain without electricity and over 970 million that lack access to clean cooking.
“Accelerating the adoption of decentralised, community-based renewable energy is not just a technical fix, it is a transformative, justice-driven solution which makes the most economic sense. It can empower local ownership, enhance resilience, create jobs, develop local economies, and reduce dependence on expensive, unreliable, and centralised energy infrastructure,” they stated.
Civil society demands for the President Sidi Ould Tah are:
A comprehensive ban on fossil fuel financing by the AfDB, including gas, and rejection of false solutions such as destructive hydropower, carbon capture, usage and storage, and hydrogen for export.
A roadmap to 100% renewable energy systems that prioritises decentralised solutions and enables Africa to become a leader in green industrialisation and energy sovereignty.
A just transition approach that avoids creating new debt traps and includes local communities in all decision-making through Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
Karabo Mokgonyana, Just Transition Campaigner from Power Shift Africa, said: “The election of Dr. Sidi Ould Tah as President of the African Development Bank marks a critical moment for Africa’s energy future. With over 600 million people still living without electricity, just 2% of global clean energy investment reaching the continent, and vast untapped solar and wind potential, the urgency for action could not be clearer.
“We call on the new President to make renewable energy the cornerstone of his leadership, to drive a just, equitable, and homegrown energy transition that rejects harmful fossil fuels and embraces Africa’s immense clean energy promise. These AfDB Annual Meetings have shown us that progress is possible. Now, with bold leadership and renewed clarity, we must turn possibility into power – for every home, every enterprise, and every generation to come.”
Fiza Naz Qureshi, Gas Campaigner from Big Shift Global Campaign, said: “With the election of the new President, Sidi Ould Tah, civil society calls for bold leadership that breaks from fossil fuel dependency. Continued support for gas – including through Mission 300 and clean cooking initiatives – risks locking communities, especially women, into harmful energy systems. Women and frontline communities suffer most from extractive projects and weak safeguards.
“Under new leadership, the AfDB must champion a just energy transition rooted in truly clean, renewable solutions that uplift women, protect people and ecosystems, and fulfill Africa’s climate commitments. Africa’s future lies in leapfrogging fossil fuels – not repeating their mistakes.”
Gloria Kafui Kuzo,Lead on Energy Transition, from Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) Ghana, said: “Africa’s innovation landscape holds immense potential to drive sustainable transformation, and AfDB has a pivotal role in shaping it. We urge that innovation across the continent be driven by solutions that harness Africa’s green, resilient human and natural capital.
“This must be pursued through an inclusive approach that ensures women, youth, and local communities are not merely passive beneficiaries, but empowered as active participants and leaders in the innovation ecosystem. By aligning sustainability with equity and inclusion, AfDB can help catalyse transformative growth that is not only impactful but enduring for all Africans.”
Mamadou Barry, Executive Director, from Action Solidaire International, said: “While we welcome the ambition of Mission 300 by the AfDB and the World Bank, we firmly call for it to fully exclude fossil fuels like gas. To truly deliver for communities, strong safeguards must be established to prevent the private sector from capturing the benefits at the expense of those most affected – especially women and frontline communities.”
Anja Gebel,Policy Advisor for Development Banks and Climate at Germanwatch, said: “In difficult geopolitical times, when climate action is facing headwinds, the new President must keep the African Development Bank on course for climate action. It is important that he honours and continues to implement the bank’s Paris alignment commitment. Shareholders should actively support him in this mission and make clear that a just and climate-compatible energy transition is an integral part of Africa’s development.”
Rajneesh Bhuee, Campaign Manager from Recourse, said: “Congratulations to Mr. Sidi Ould Tah on becoming the new President of the African Development Bank. With millions of Africans still living without electricity, we hope he’ll use this moment to double down on public funding for renewable energy that actually reaches people and communities. Mission 300 can be a game-changer, but only if it leaves fossil fuels behind and puts real access first. Civil society is here, as a partner, to help make that happen and hold the Bank to its promises.”
At Oluwo Market in Epe, a coastal town on the outskirts of Lagos, bushmeat sells fast. Antelopes, grasscutters, porcupines, monkeys, snakes. There’s a buyer for every animal.
A bushmeat market in Nigeria
For Sunday Adeeko, a bushmeat retailer with over a decade in the trade, the business is simple: supply and demand. “There is no law that says we should not kill bushmeats,” he claimed, adding, “Only pangolins are not for sale. We are told not to kill them, but I don’t know of any other.”
This widespread and dangerously false perception goes to the heart of Nigeria’s biodiversity crisis. Across markets and forests, ignorance of wildlife laws and indifference to ecological consequences are driving endangered species toward extinction. Pangolins, elephants, gorillas, and lions are being hunted and traded in defiance of international treaties and national legislation.
Dr. Mark Ofua, a conservationist and veterinarian, disagrees with Adeeko on his claim that no law prevents the killings of protected animals as bushmeat. For contextual understanding, he explains the differences between legal and illegal bushmeat.
“There is what we call legal bushmeat, and there is illegal bushmeat. Legal bushmeat is the consumption of bushmeat that is not legislated by law. There is no law protecting these animals because they are not in danger of extinction. In the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN classification, they are referred to as least concerned. These animals reproduce very fast, and they are everywhere. These include animals such as the Giant Rats and porcupines. The reproductive rate of these animals is very high, so there is no danger of losing them.
“On the other hand, illegal bushmeat is the consumption or trade in bushmeats that is protected by law, consumption of wild animals that is protected by law, so when you engage in this, you are a criminal. Certain animals are protected by law, either because of their importance to us or because they are on the brink of extinction, and we are about to lose them.
“These animals usually have very slow reproduction rates. For example, the elephant that carries a pregnancy for about 22 months, the pangolin that has a baby every 18 months animals reproduce very slowly, and our consumption and activities have pushed them to the brink of extinction; therefore, a law has now been promulgated to protect them so that we do not lose them and lose the beneficial roles they play to nature.
“If you consume such animals, if you kill, buy, trade, eat such animals, you are committing a crime because these animals are protected by law.”
He also added that he would attribute the claims that animals are not protected, made by people like Adeeko, including bushmeat sellers and hunters, to Ignorance.
“What they have majorly is ignorant, and as they say, ignorance of the law is not an excuse. So many animals are protected: pangolins, elephants, lions, gorillas, and chimpanzees are all protected species, and pythons, crocodiles, and monitor lizards are protected. Many animals are endangered and protected by law; however, the protection is insufficient, as they are also threatened.
“Additionally, some animals are prohibited due to the inherent danger of introducing them to cities for use as food or pets. Illegal bush meat consumption is a crime, and it’s a real thing. It is even a crime to keep those protected animals as pets at home, let alone consume them. They must be released back into their natural habitat in case anything contrary to this is found to violate the law.” Dr Ofua added.
The Situation: A Legal Framework Failing Wildlife
Nigeria is home to rich biodiversity, but the laws designed to safeguard it have not kept pace with reality. The Endangered Species (Control of International Trade and Traffic) (Amendment) Act of 2016 is rife with loopholes. It lacks meaningful penalties and fails to define clear agency roles for enforcement. As a result, wildlife offenders often walk free – or pay token fines that pale in comparison to the black-market value of the animals they exploit.
Even more troubling is the lack of public awareness. In many bushmeat markets, endangered species are openly sold, sometimes with law enforcement officials unaware of the illegality. The distinction between legal and illegal bushmeat has blurred, largely due to inconsistent messaging and poor community engagement.
The Problem: Extinction at the Edge of Awareness
Nigeria has already lost cheetahs and rhinos. Now fewer than 400 elephants and fewer than 50 lions remain. Pangolins – once widespread – are vanishing rapidly due to poaching and trafficking. These animals are not just biologically significant; they play critical roles in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Many, like elephants and pangolins, reproduce slowly, making population recovery nearly impossible without intervention.
Consuming or trading in species such as chimpanzees, crocodiles, pythons, and monitor lizards is illegal – but public ignorance enables continued violations. Protected species are not only killed for meat but sometimes kept illegally as pets, with little awareness that such actions constitute a crime.
The Solution: A Stronger, Smarter Wildlife Law
The proposed Endangered Species (Conservation and Protection) Bill 2024, which recently passed a third reading, offers a lifeline. It fixes the gaps in the current law, assigns clear responsibilities to agencies like Customs, Police, and NESREA, and establishes penalties proportionate to the ecological and economic damage caused by wildlife crimes.
It also provides for better judicial handling of conservation cases. Judges unfamiliar with environmental law will now have legislative guidance, ensuring wildlife criminals face real consequences – not token fines. A poacher who kills an elephant should not be punished with a ₦100 penalty when a single tusk may be worth millions.
According to Dr Ofua: “There are lots of loopholes in the old laws that these criminals have learnt to exploit; for instance, they have learned to walk their way around these laws and get off the hook. The old laws also did not clearly outline the roles of enforcement agencies, whose job is to catch criminals at our borders or in their hideouts, as is the case with other crimes. The new law will address all these loopholes.”
Broader Commitments and Needed Actions
Nigeria is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). But signing is not enough. Implementation must follow. That means not only passing the 2024 Bill, but investing in national awareness campaigns, empowering communities with knowledge, and ensuring law enforcement officers are trained to identify and act on wildlife crime.
The media, NGOs, and local institutions must also play a role. Citizens need to understand which animals are protected, why they matter, and how protecting them supports public health, food systems, and national heritage.
Conclusion: From Ignorance to Action
Nigeria’s wildlife is not an infinite resource. It is a legacy under siege. To save it, we must move beyond outdated policies, cultural inertia, and legal ambiguity. The new wildlife bill is not just a legal tool – it is a national imperative. It turns confusion into clarity, impunity into accountability, and decline into hope.
By acting now, by strengthening the law, educating the public, and enforcing protections – we protect not just animals but ourselves. Because every species we lose brings us closer to ecological collapse. And every step we take toward protection brings us closer to a sustainable future.
“Nigeria is blessed with a diversity of animals and plants. Some we have lost forever; the Cheetahs and Rhinos are functionally extinct from Nigeria, and many animals are functionally extinct from Nigeria. We need to work together and ensure we don’t lose any further. This can happen when we strengthen our laws, increase awareness about their importance, and work together to move from apathy to empathy for nature and wildlife,” Dr Ofua added.
By Ajibola Adedoye
This article (“Discard Outdated Wildlife Laws, Enact New Protections for Nigeria’s Biodiversity”) was funded by a grant from the United States Department of State (via Wild Africa). The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of State
A group of Nigerian environmentalists has called for an immediate end to fossil fuel extraction and a transition to a low-carbon economy in order to address and promote climate justice across the country.
Participants ai the National Dialogue on Just Transition and Climate Justice held in Abuja
The stakeholders said their call aligns with Nigeria’s national climate agenda, policies, and long-term climate goals.
Speaking at a National Dialogue on Just Transition for Climate Justice in Abuja on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, organised by ActionAid Nigeria in collaboration with the National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Mr. Andrew Mamedu, said that justice is required during this transition process because fossil fuels have an uneven impact on communities.
“As we collectively deliberate on synergising efforts for a just transition with tailored discussions on the prospects and challenges for resilience and environmental justice in resource-dependent socio-ecological systems, there’s an urgent need to transition from fossil fuels and stop greenhouse gases immediately. Global economies must transition to low-carbon economies and societies,” Mamedu, who was represented by Dr. Funmi Olukeye, Director of People and Culture, ActionAid Nigeria, stated.
According to him, the discussion is consistent with his organisation’s climate justice idea, which takes into account the nexus with young people, women, and persons with disabilities (PWD), highlighting the importance of specific actions and solutions to address the various concerns.
In closing, he expressed optimism that a just transition involving economic diversification, social inclusion, and strong governance for climate action will boost biodiversity conservation, protect ecosystems, and lessen environmental damage.
In her remarks at the event, Director General of the NCCCS, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe, shared the ongoing efforts by the federal government in addressing the rapid climate challenges and intensifying environmental degradation through policies, legislative frameworks and national directives.
Represented by Mr. Bala Rufai, an assistant director with the council, the DG highlighted the Climate Change Act (CCA, 2021), the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) 2021-2030, and the NCCCs as highly influential and ambitious roadmaps for Nigeria’s sustainability goals.
“Our gathering today is a strategic imperative, a confluence of intellect and action aimed at shaping a climate-resilient and equitable future for all Nigerians,” she said, emphasising that it is a critical platform to deepen understanding of the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of transitioning to a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy.
In line with her organisation’s focus on addressing the nation’s climate change crisis through nature-based solutions, Dr. Maduekwe went on to say that the council recognises the enormous potential of harnessing the power of ecosystems to address climate change while improving livelihoods and biodiversity.
The project’s national and subnational objectives included reaching important benchmarks like addressing the marginalisation of women and youth in high-value programmes and public services and enhancing sustainable livelihoods for women and youth through climate accountability in the public and private sectors.
The Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) has launched a Community Seed Bank in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State in Nigeria to encourage sustainable practices in the use of traditional medicine among the Ugbe indigenous people.
Participants in the ceremonial launching of the Community Seed Bank in Benue State, hosted by the Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) with support from the UNDP Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (UNDP-GEF-SGP).
Speaking about the motivation behind the project, Dr. Eunice Ortom, the founder of the organisation, stated that ESLF collaborated with the UNDP Global Environment Facility-Small Grants Programme (UNDP-GEF-SGP) to implement the initiative as part of its strategic efforts to combat biodiversity loss and inspire ecosystem conservation in the country.
Dr. Ortom, who was represented at the ceremony by Dr. Comfort Abaa, the ESLF Programme Coordinator, added that its goals are to improve value in terms of production and marketing to boost the income of individual practitioners, enhance community prosperity, and improve the economy of both the state and nation at large.
Other stakeholders who commented on the programme applauded the idea and the efforts behind it, urging security in the area to safeguard the scheme and enable it to fulfil its intended purpose.
Timothy Tavershima Ahile, the Ter Kwande and leader Kwande Traditional Council, who commissioned the bank, commended ESLF for launching the project in his area to help preserve medical herbs, which he described as vital to his people’s traditional legacy.
The traditional leader bemoaned the fact that they were losing the majority of their herbs due to indiscriminate bush burning and unrelenting tree felling, a serious issue he admitted the community seed bank would assist in addressing.
“What our forefathers used, which are herbs, for medicinal purposes are fast disappearing. By this intervention, forests will be repopulated with those same herbs that have been assisting our people to address health challenges, and it will go a long way to improve the health of the community,” he said.
Similarly, Tyoor Moon, Chief Gabriel Awua Wende, who traced the project’s origins back to 2021 when he first met ESLF, thanked the foundation and GEF-SGP for constructing the seed bank for his people and raising awareness about biodiversity protection.
Teseer Ugbor, Member Representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, who was represented by Patrick Pev, Constituency Office Director, praised the project as laudable and asked the community to support and ensure its smooth execution.
Mr. Thaddeus Nyooso, the chairman of the Project Implementation Committee, characterised the project as a predicament eradication, health-boosting, and restoration of domestic and global biodiversity initiative.
He appreciated the series of sensitisation workshops and trainings on sustainable traditional medicine practices carried out under this programme, affirming that traditional medicine is integral to African culture and offers affordable and accessible remedies for all.
“Ugbe is a home of natural resources, and its people are endowed with knowledge of herbs, trees and plant barks that are highly curative for ailments like cancer, hepatitis, diabetes and ulcers, among others,” Nyooso asserted.
On his part, Tine Agernor, manager of the UNDP GEF-SGP project, thanked all of the stakeholders and members of the community for supporting the success of the project, stating that it will have a significant impact on the community both now and in the future.
Other highlights of the occasion included the launch of the community bylaws on natural resources management, the presentation of a certificate of registration to the Ugbe Traditional Medicine Practitioners Cooperative Society, and the inauguration of the Community Forest Guards Group, which would be at the forefront of protecting the community’s biodiversity architecture.
The event concluded with a tour of the Community Seed Bank facility and the official flag-off of planting 1000 indigenous trees in the community to save rare medicinal seed trees from extinction, conserve biodiversity, protect our collective future, and ensure healthier living for all, in line with the ESLF’s vision of “a society without barriers to decent living.
The Federal Government has inaugurated a transport scheme known as “Project CNG-SPROUT” an initiative aimed at promoting Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered transportation in all Nigerian universities.
The Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, Commissioning the pilot phase of the CNG – SPROUT project at the FEMADEC AutoGas Centre, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, said this on Thursday, May 29, 2025, while inaugurating the pilot phase of the project at the FEMADEC AutoGas Centre, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly known as UniAbuja.
the project is the first out of the 20 projects to be delivered across universities in the country, while additional five would be commissioned in June.
It aims to improve mobility and reduce transportation cost for students and lecturers thereby establishing CNG ecosystems, donating CNG-powered buses and tricycles, as well as providing subsidised conversion services for lecturers’ vehicles.
The initiative, which serves as Special Palliative Relief on University Transportation (CNG – SPROUT) Project, aims at deploying CNG buses, tricycles, conversion centres and refueling infrastructure to university campuses nationwide.
Ekpo said there was need to cushion the impact of high cost of transportation on the most vulnerable populations, including students,
“This project remains a key national priority, as Nigeria navigates through economic adjustment and transition to cleaner fuels,” he said.
The minister said that further incentives especially as it concerned CNG vehicle conversion, expanding refueling infrastructure, and supporting local assembly and innovation in the CNG value chain, would be unveiled in the coming months.
“President Bola Tinubu has made a firm commitment to prioritise energy affordability, security and environmental responsibility; today’s commissioning is a direct demonstration of that commitment in action.
“Through the Presidential Compressed Gas Initiative (P-CNGI), we are not only mitigating the impact of recent subsidy reforms but also laying the foundation for a modern, gas-driven transport economy.
“As Nigeria navigates the pathway of energy reform, economic adjustment and transition to cleaner fuels, the need to cushion the impact on the most vulnerable populations, including students, remained a key national priority.
“I will like to specially commend FEMADEC Energy for their vision, commitment and leadership in bringing this project to life. FEMADEC has shown that Nigerian companies have the capacity to be at the forefront of energy innovation.
“Their partnership with the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) underlines what is possible when the private and public sectors work hand-in-hand for national development,’’ Ekpo said.
According to the minister, the MDGIF has remained a steadfast partner in the actualisation of Nigeria’s Decade of Gas vision, providing catalytic funding and support to infrastructure projects that directly benefit the Nigerian people.
He commended the collaborative efforts of the P-CNGI, the Federal Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Transportation, university administrators and private sector partners, who have worked tirelessly to make the project a reality.
The minister said that the students voices, challenges and aspirations have shaped the intervention, hence the Federal Government’s continued effort to ensure that affordable transport, clean energy and innovations were never out of students reach.
Ekpo further said that the Federal Government would continue to deepen the Decade of Gas agenda, as it expands similar initiatives, not just to university campuses, but across other public institutions and commercial sectors.
“In the coming months, we will be unveiling further incentives for CNG vehicle conversion, expanding refueling infrastructure, and supporting local assembly and innovation in the CNG value chain.”
In his address, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, lauded the project, saying that it would enable staff and students of the institution to have their cars converted and refilled with CNG for affordable transportation.
He expressed satisfaction with the recent reforms and programmes of government to energise education in various universities across the country.
Prof. Patricia Lar, Acting Vice Chancellor, Yakubu Gowon University (former UniAbuja), who was excited over the project, commended the Federal Government and the project facilitators for the initiative.
Lar lauded the facilitators for providing five 18-seater buses and many tricycles for the pilot scheme.
She decried the difficulties faced by students in transporting themselves to school, noting that the initiative would bring immediate relief to the them and their lecturers.
The MDGIF which is domiciled in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is a fund established to improve gas infrastructure and utilisation.
The CNG-SPROUT project is being delivered through the collaboration of the MDGIF, P-CNGI and FEMADEC Energy.
A new initiative in one of the world’s most vital ecosystems – the Congo Basin – aims to unlock nature-positive, climate-resilient business opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises across critical green sectors.
Congo Basin rainforest
The partnership between the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), will initially invest $15 million, which will serve as a catalyst to raise additional public and private finance, ultimately targeting a total investment of $30 million in the region.
By fostering local entrepreneurship and pioneering blended finance opportunities, Pro-Congo aims to demonstrate that businesses – whose model does not depend on deforestation – can develop, raise capital and sell products to market intermediaries thereby reducing carbon emissions, combatting deforestation, and promoting environmentally sustainable practices in one of the world’s most climate-critical regions.
The Congo Basin rainforest is one of the world’s largest carbon sinks. It is home to over 75 million people, including Indigenous Peoples whose livelihoods are deeply intertwined with the forest. Despite its importance and the ongoing threat of deforestation and unsustainable land use, this critical ecosystem has not received the same level of attention compared to tropical forests in Southeast Asia or the Amazon basin.
The Pro-Congo initiative, which supports four countries in the region – Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo – is designed to contribute to reversing these trends by empowering local entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises to lead the transition to a green economy and crowd in third party capital from impact investors and development banks.
“UNCDF is proud to unlock finance where it is needed most, supporting MSMEs in the Congo Basin to become nature-positive while creating jobs and driving sustainable growth. Our unique capital mandate within the UN development system allows us to address gaps in fragile contexts where traditional financial mechanisms often fall short. Through blended finance solutions we can unlock public and private capital and de-risk investments, while augmenting the development impact of our UN partners like UNEP,” said Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, the Executive Secretary of UNCDF.
UNCDF will support a pipeline of investment-ready enterprises able to absorb blended capital and create long-term value, deploying an initial $6.2 million in concessional finance, including loans and reimbursable grants to MSMEs with the potential to scale, while UNEP will lead on technical assistance, ensuring enterprises adopt robust environmental and social safeguards, providing seed funding, and building investment-ready business models through incubation and acceleration programmes.
“The Congo Basin, with its unique biodiversity and above and below ground carbon stores, is critical to advance on international environmental targets. UNEP is therefore pleased to work with UNCDF and CAFI to support enterprises in the region to ‘decouple’ deforestation from economic activities,” said Rose Mwebaza, Director of UNEP’s Regional Office for Africa.
The Pro-Congo Initiative is supported by a dynamic coalition of CAFI donors – including Germany, Belgium, France, Norway, Sweden, the European Union, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom – alongside the six Central African partner countries in the Congo Basin.
UNCDF and UNEP are working closely with impact investors, development finance institutions, and national stakeholders to build a robust pipeline of investable, inclusive, and sustainable enterprises. By creating a scalable ecosystem for green finance, the initiative will contribute to the foundation for long-term resilience, climate action, and inclusive economic development in the Congo Basin.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced on Thursday, May 29, 2025, the expansion of the successful Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance in Africa (HSPA) to seven countries on the continent.
Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa
Africa experiences more disease outbreaks than any other part of the world. While significant progress has been made in strengthening disease surveillance over the past decade, no country can tackle today’s complex health threats alone.
The Health Security Partnership strengthens disease surveillance and epidemic intelligence across the African continent, enabling countries to better detect and respond to public health threats – whether they are natural, accidental or deliberate. Launched in 2023 in six countries, The Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia, the partnership will expand to Rwanda in its second phase which runs from 2025 to 2028.
At the heart of the initiative is a collaborative surveillance approach that connects health and security sectors to reduce biological risks and strengthen surveillance systems nationally and internationally.
“HSPA represents an important step forward in building stronger partnerships for health security in Africa. By bringing together global, regional and national actors, this initiative supports countries in strengthening Collaborative Surveillance through mutual exchange and practical action. WHO remains committed to working alongside Member States to ensure that these collective efforts are well-coordinated, responsive, and rooted in national priorities,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa; Deputy Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
The partnership is supporting countries to strengthen capacities in biorisk management, event and indicator-based surveillance, genomic surveillance and epidemic intelligence. This is achieved through training, guidance development, co-creation of implementation roadmaps, and hands-on technical assistance to ensure that implementation is aligned with country priorities, embedded within broader national systems, and built for long-term sustainability.
“Within the framework of this project, Africa CDC will work with the Member States in mobilizing political will for biosecurity and surveillance, establishing regional frameworks for bio-surveillance of high-consequence biological agents and toxins, and coordinating event-based surveillance. The collaboration with other partners and coordination with Member States is crucial especially in the current context of limited resources to strengthen the continent’s capacity for early detection, response, and management of biological threats,”said Dr Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General and Head, Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC.
The HSPA initiative has been supported from the start by the Government of Canada through its Weapons Threat Reduction Program, with additional funding in phase two from the Government of the United Kingdom.
Building on the achievements in phase one, the participating countries, with support from WHO and partners, will accelerate implementation to build a healthier, safer and more resilient Africa.
