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UNGA 2025: FG Activates Empowerment Of 10m Women

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UNGA 2025: FG Activates Empowerment Of 10m Women
The Federal Government says it has activated the economic empowerment of no fewer than 10 million women to achieve its one trillion dollar economy ambition.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim disclosed this at a high-level sideline event of the 2025 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, U.S.A
The event is themed: “Scaling Women’s Economic Empowerment: Financing Inclusive Growth for Peace, Development, and Human Rights – Lessons from Nigeria for Women Project. “
Vice-President Kashim Shettima departed Abuja on Sunday for New York to represent President Bola Tinubu at the 80th session of the UNGA.
Speaking at the event, the minister said the economic empowerment is being achieved through targeted projects, initiatives, programmes, and interventions focused on women.
She said that one of the key vehicles being utilised for the empowerment  is the Nigeria for Women Project, ((NFWP)
According to her, NFWP, under the leadership of President Tinubu, is currently,  the nation’s most significant women’s economic empowerment platform.
“In phase one, we mobilised over 460,000 women into Women Affinity Groups (WAGs) across multiple states.
“These groups have collectively saved over an average of N4.9 billion of their own money and have inter-loaned significantly to expand businesses, cover health costs, and pay school fees.
” In addition, over 330,000 women have accessed livelihood grants, while thousands have been linked to formal financial institutions, national ID, and health insurance schemes,” she said.
The minister said after the successful pilot launch in six states, the ministry had scaled up and opened up to all states.
“It is critical to highlight, that while this model borrows from the most successful global experiences, we have wholly adapted it to Nigerian realities.
“The Women Affinity Groups that are created under the programme have become platforms of voice, social capital, and economic agency.
“They are changing the texture of communities, lowering household vulnerability, and strengthening our democracy from below, ” she said.
The minister told delegates and partners at the event that the ministry realised that,  “investing in women’s entrepreneurship will transform not just incomes but also nutrition, education, and community stability.
She said based on that  understanding, the government consolidated its empowerment approach into a single delivery architecture that integrated agriculture, clean energy, logistics, digital access, mobile services, amongst others.
“We call this the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions – 774 (RH-SII774).
“This programme is envisioned as a transformative, gender-responsive initiative that will directly impact over 50 million women, children, families, and vulnerable persons across all 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation.
It provides a unified national platform to tackle systemic issues such as gender inequality, family instability, digital exclusion, child vulnerability, and economic dis-empowerment.
” It is a full-scale transformation of how social protection and women’s economic empowerment are delivered in Nigeria,” she said.
Earlier, the Chairman, Nigeria Governor’s Forum, Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazak of Kwara State, said investments in women empowerment are not only a moral imperative,  but an economic necessity for peace ,  prosperity and shared growth.
Abdulrazak, represented by Gov. Hyacinth Alia of Benue state, said in Nigeria and around the world,  when a woman thrive,  family, communities and entire communities thrive.
The governor noted that the Nigeria for Women Programme (NFWP) is a powerful demonstration of what sustained,  target financing could achieved.
” The programme is  collaboration among the Federal Government, State Ministries, the World Bank and other partners.
“It began in six states and it is now active in 15 states with commitments from 32 states in overall
” To date, more than 46,000 women have organised into 22,000 Women Affinity Groups,  saving over N4.4 billion and channeling this resources into small businesses that are transforming families and community alike,” he said
The Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, commended President Tinubu for his support and unwavering commitment to women Inclusivity and youth development in Nigeria.
“So many policies and initiatives have been put in place to empower women at the national and sub-national levels on women empowerment, ” she said.
For his part, Gov. Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, said his administration gave special attention to women empowerment.
He added that women were the major beneficiaries of almost all the empowerment programmes in the state.
Other dignitaries at the event included, Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa and the First Lady of Zamfara State, Hajiya Huriyya Lawal,
The Charge d’Affaires at the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, Samson Itegboje,  and  Prof. Kabir Mato were also at the event.
President Tinubu’s administration has set a target for Nigeria to become a US$1‑trillion economy by 2030.
This goal is part of his administration’s broader “Renewed Hope Agenda’ economic plan under a policy called “Nigeria First”. .
The Vice President, in April, inaugurated the Inter-ministerial Committee to drive the process of achieving the goal.

NDLEA Uncovers 116 Wraps Of Heroin, Cocaine From Brazil Returnees

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NDLEA Uncovers 116 Wraps Of Heroin, Cocaine From Brazil Returnees

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two Brazil returnees who excreted a total of 116 wraps of heroin and cocaine they ingested.

This is contained in a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that they were excreted after days in observatory custody following their arrest by operatives of the NDLEA at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA),  Ikeja, Lagos.

He said that one of the suspects was arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at terminal 2 of the Lagos airport upon his arrival from Laos, Brazil on an Ethiopian airlines flight.

He also said the suspect was taken for a body scan which confirmed ingestion of illicit drugs.

According to him, the suspects had left Nigeria for Brazil on Sept. 3 to courier the consignment to Lagos for a reward of $2,500 upon successful delivery.

“A swift follow-up operation was conducted at Eliata Hotel in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.

“This is where Ofoma was instructed to meet Nweke Chuckwudi who was designated to oversee the excretion of the drugs at the hotel and recover them.

“The 55-year-old Nweke was arrested in the process. A total of 111 wraps of heroin weighing 1.452 kilograms were egested in eight excretions by Ofoma,” he said.

Similarly, another Brazil returnee was arrested at the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers from Brazil via Addis Ababa on Friday 19th September.

Babafemi said that the suspect was taken for body scan which confirmed illicit drug insertion adding that under excretion observation, he expelled five big wraps of cocaine weighing 145 grams.

“In his statement, he confessed to have bought nine wraps of the class A drug in Brazil and inserted all into his anus, a process he claimed took him nearly two hours.

“During his transit through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he said he began to experience severe anal pain and decided to remove the wraps from his body.

“He stated that in an attempt to meet up with his connecting flight to Nigeria, he could only manage to reinsert seven wraps, after which he flushed the remaining two wraps in a toilet,” he said.

Babafemi said that the suspect also revealed that while on board his flight to Nigeria, he felt pressed and uncomfortable, which compelled him to use the lavatory.

According to him, during the process, he expelled an additional two wraps, leaving him with only five wraps in his anus. He claimed to have been into clothing business before traveling to Brazil in 2017.

“In 2020, he moved to the United States, where he was arrested for immigration offence and was detained for over a year before being deported to Nigeria in 2022.

“In March 2025, he returned to Brazil, where he currently works, having already obtained a Brazilian residence permit,”

LASG Ready For Partnerships In Waste Conversion To Wealth, Energy

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LASG Ready For Partnerships In Waste Conversion To Wealth, Energy

The Lagos State Government has expressed readiness to partner with investors in converting municipal solid waste to energy, wealth and liquid waste.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, made this known in a statement signed by the Director of Public Affairs in the ministry, Mr Kunle Adeshina.

Wahab said that the present administration in Lagos State had set up a climate adaptation and climate resilience plan encapsulating its vision and policies.

He added that the state had carried out two pre-feasibility studies on waste-to-energy and waste water projects to demonstrate its commitment.

He said that, with a population of over 20 million generating 13,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, the state was adopting a sustainable climate-friendly approach.

“We now see waste as a resource for wealth and a resource for energy because the quantum of waste that ends in our landfill sites will become very minimal.

“As a state, we have set up policies and laws that enable us as a sub-national to reach out to neighbouring countries where they have expertise,” Wahab said.

He noted that the state government signed a contractual agreement 18 months ago with a Ghana-based company.

According to him, the agreement will take 4,000 metric tonnes of municipal waste out of the 13,000 generated daily.

He said that the agreement would lead to conversion of waste to wealth, composite fertilisers and recyclable plastics, as well as  setting up  of a transfer station for the most challenging parts.

“If that contractual obligation is successfully carried out, we seek to also decommission one of our biggest landfills at Olusosun and Solous.

“All these are symbols of  progress of collaboration,” he said.

The commissioner said that Lagos, as a coastal city, was exposed to the effect of climate change, sea level rise, heavy rainfall and excessive heat.

“All these bring about flash flooding when there is tidal lock due to the inability of water to discharge into its sources,” he said.

He said that aerial geographic information showed that the original landmass of Lagos, which was 3,577 square metres. had increased to 4,050 square metres.

Wahab attributed this to massive reclamation of wetlands and lagoon water bodies for real estate construction.

He said that Lagos State had been exercising its legal powers to check excesses  coming with the human activities.

The commissioner, at the weekend,  featured as a panelist at the the Harvard University Climate Action Week.

The event had the theme: ‘Rising Seas, Resilient Communities, Climate Adaptation Strategies in West Africa’.

PDP Anambra Urges INEC To Protect Internal Party Democracy

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PDP Anambra Urges INEC To Protect Internal Party Democracy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Anambra Chapter, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and stakeholders to protect internal democracy being lured to arbitrarily dissolve its duly constituted State Executive Committee(SEC).

The PDP in a letter to INEC signed by Mr Chidi Chidebe, the chairman of the chapter said the Oct 23, 2024 Congress in the state was conducted in strict compliance with the Judgment of the Court of Appeal and fully monitored by INEC.

The party’s letter which was made available to newsmen in Awka on Sunday, was in reaction to a letter purportedly written by INEC directing a ‘repeat congress’ in the Anambra chapter

The PDP said the election which produced the current State Executive Council, was widely described as the most free and most transparent in the state’s history.

The products of the exercise were were constitutionally guaranteed a four-year tenure between 2024 and 2028.

The party warned that no individual or group should be allowed the power to arbitrarily usurp the party for illegitimate political gains, noting that such actions erode party structures and weaken public trust in Nigeria’s democratic system.

“The need for every stakeholder to join hands in deepening internal democracy within all political parties has never been more urgent,” PDP said.

It called on INEC to investigate and publicly explain why it would consider the abrupt termination of a legitimately constituted State Executive Committee of a political party that had a constitutional mandate of four years.

The party further called on the electoral body to reaffirm its independence and commitment to the Electoral Act 2022 by tracing the source of the allegedly forged document and making clarification to Nigerians

The PDP said hat the document in circulation, which was calling for a so-called repeat congress was unknown to Nigerian electoral law and therefore a nullity.

The PDP in Anambra dismissed so-called “open letter” as ‘social-media propaganda’, adding that it held no weight before a constitutionally established body like INEC.

“The legitimate letter from the State Chairman has been duly submitted, received, and acknowledged by both the INEC Headquarters in Abuja and the Anambra office,” the party said.

The PDP urged INEC not to allow itself to be used as a tool to destabilise a lawfully constituted party structure in Anambra.

Sanwo-Olu Celebrates Remi Tinubu At 65

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Sanwo-Olu Celebrates Remi Tinubu At 65

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has extended his warm wishes to the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu on her 65th birthday.

This is contained in a congratulatory message signed by Sanwo-Olu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile in Lagos on Sunday.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the first lady is a pillar of support to President Bola Tinubu through the Renewed Hope Initiative, which has impacted millions of Nigerians positively.

“Lagos is proud to celebrate Senator Remi Tinubu at 65, following her dedicated service to Lagos State as First Lady and member of the Senate for 12 years,” he said.

He said the first lady’s selfless dedication to public service has continued to shine since the President assumed office on May 29, 2023, noting that she has used her office to impact the lives of many Nigerians, especially women.

The governor praised the first lady for her tireless efforts in addressing the needs of women and children through various empowerment programmes and projects.

He added that the Renewed Hope Initiative, which she championed, has provided relief and support to families across the country.

“On behalf of my adorable wife, Ibijoke, the government and the entire people of Lagos State, I heartily congratulate Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of our leader and President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on the occasion of her 65th birthday.
“Sen. Oluremi Tinubu is a great ambassador of our dear State.

“She has served the State passionately as First Lady for eight years and as a member of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly for three consecutive terms without any blemish.

“We are proud of her achievements in both private and public offices. Her contributions to the development of both Lagos and Nigeria are commendable.

“We celebrate her today and always for her kindness, advocacy for social justice, and philanthropic endeavours,” the governor said.

Sanwo-Olu prayed for God’s continued guidance and good health for her, saying that “God will give her more strength and grace to render more service to humanity and our dear country, Nigeria.”

Rotary Club of Abuja CBD Restates Commitment To End Polio

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Rotary Club of Abuja CBD Restates Commitment To End Polio
The Rotary Club of Abuja, Central Business District (CBD) has restated its commitment to end Poliomyelitis, commonly  known as polio, caused by the polio virus among children in the country.
The President of the Club, Rotarian Lauratu Yenwan, stated this in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of it special fellowship on Polio in Abuja.
The world annually observes World Polio Day on Oct. 24, the birth date of Jonas Salk, who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
The day is set aside to raise awareness about polio vaccination, a vital measure to protect children under five from the infectious disease.
However, the Rotary Club of Abuja CBD, decided to start its campaign before Oct. 24, to show the level of it continuous effort and commitment to end Polio in Nigeria
According to Yenwan, Poliomyelitis is a disease that cause disability in children, especially those not vaccinated against the sickness.
“Our plans as Rotarian to end Polio in Federal Capital Territory and Nigeria is to engage in effective sensitisation on the importance of getting vaccination so that we can keep the Polio at a zero level.
“That is what we have started at the Special Fellowship and that is what we will keep doing; sensitising parents and using polio survivors as advocates to push the message further.
“We will use their voices to encourage others not to be discourage in moving forward with their lives in a positive style and manner,”Yenwan said.
Also speaking, Dr Khadijat Yusuf, the District Polio Chair from the District Club of Abuja, D 9127 Nigeria, the Grand Father’s Club, stressed that Poliomyelitis was a devastating disease that could led to paralysis and disability.
Yusuf, who was the Guest Speaker at the Special Fellowship, explained that Polio was a preventable disease that with only two doses of the vaccine, 80 per cent of the children could be cover and protected.
Yusuf added that the remaining 20 per cent could be in the hard to reach areas,  stressing that they could be traced and immunise against Polio.
“Nigeria has been certified Polio free, but it is not over till is over; until Afghanistan and Pakistan are Polio free, every child is still at risk.
“That is why we are intensifying the effort of immunisation and trying to create more awareness and advocate to parents, because some will tell you that there is no Polio again in Nigeria.
“It may be so, but until Afghanistan and Pakistan are polio free, there is still Polio. So, we appeal to parents with children from zero to five years to ensure and allow immunisation for their children.
“Any opportunity that comes, they should cooperate with the authorities and ensure their children are vaccinated.
“The government is doing very well. However, they should ensure that the vaccines are available at the right time, and the cool chain/storage specifically of the vaccine should not be broken.
“That is to say, electricity should be provided, cool packs and everything that will make the cool chain system intact should be provided by the government, ” Yusuf said.
Ms Sussan Ihuoma, a Polio Survivor and gender advocate, narrated her ordeal in dealing with the challenges of rejection, stigmatisation and lack of inclusive in most life matters.

EPL: With Five Wins In Five, Can Any Team Stop Rampaging Liverpool? … As Chelsea Succumb to Man United at Old Trafford

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EPL: With Five Wins In Five, Can Any Team Stop Rampaging Liverpool? … As Chelsea Succumb to Man United at Old Trafford

It may still be early days in the English Premier League (EPL), but Five wins in as many games by the defending champions, Liverpool Football Club, seem to suggest that are unstoppable in the drive towards retaining their crown at the end of the 2025/2026 season.

The early kick-off win in the derby against Everton on Saturday was their fifth in the season and serves as the third time in their history that the Reds have won their opening Five EPL matches.

Following Arne Slot’s debut season achievement in lifting the trophy last season, Liverpool entered the new season with clear intent to retain the trophy and in style, too. They already have the momentum going for them.

With a spending spree of nearly £500 million, the Reds acquired the services of Giorgi Mamardeshinli from Valencia for £29m, Giovani Leoni from Parma for £26m, Miles Kerkez from Bournemouth for £40m and Jerry Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen for £30m. Others are Hugo Ekitike from Eintranch Frankfort for £79m, Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m and British record transfer, Aleksander Isak from Newcastle United for £125m. Football pundits agree that Liverpool are making no pretences about their intentions for the new season with the investment that they have made.

However, as records show over the years, a fast start does not necessarily guarantee a trophy in May when the season ends.

Since the Premier League started, there have been eight other occasions of teams opening with five straight wins. Of those, only Chelsea, in 2005/2006 and 2009/2010, went on to be crowned champions.

In 1994/1995, Newcastle United made it six wins in six and ended up in sixth place at the end of the season. Arsenal in 2004/2005, indeed, they were the defending champions from the previous season, they ended as runners up. Manchester United won their first five games in 2011/2012 but ended up 2nd, while Manchester City in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017, but ended up fourth and third respectively.

Meanwhile, Chelsea, on Saturday at Old Trafford, failed to erase their awful record of not defeating Manchester United, as they lost 1-2 in a game both teams played with ten men.

Chelsea’s goalkeeper, Manchester was shown a straight red card, forcing the team to play with ten as against United’s eleven men all through the first half.

United capitalised with Bruno Fernando’s scoring with would be his 100th goal for the team. Casemiro later on scored the second for United before being sent of after a second yellow card in the added time of the first half.

Challobah gave Chelsea a glimmer of hope from a thumping header in the late stages of the second half and in spite spirited pressure from Chelsea, United held on for their second victory of the campaign and ended Chelsea’s unbeaten run.

Tinubu Celebrates Music Icon 2Baba at 50

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Tinubu Celebrates Music Icon 2Baba at 50

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Afrobeats legend, Mr Innocent Idibia popularly known as 2Baba on the occasion of his 50th birthday.

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‎The President’s message was conveyed in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja.
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‎Tinubu praised 2Baba’s enduring impact on Nigeria’s music scene, commending his creativity, resilience, and the unwavering spirit that defines the Nigerian identity.
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‎“For more than 20 years, 2Baba serenaded us with soulful melodies, inspired generations, and carried the Nigerian flag with pride worldwide.
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‎“His legendary song, ‘African Queen’, remains an evergreen classic that introduced the beauty of African music to the world, placing Nigeria at the heart of the global entertainment map,” Tinubu stated.
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‎The President also lauded 2Baba’s commitment to national unity and his use of music as a tool for peace, advocacy, and good governance.
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‎Tinubu prayed for continued joy, fulfilment, and sound health for the music icon in the years ahead.

NCC Raids Ibadan Bookshops, Arrests Suspects Over Piracy

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NCC Raids Ibadan Bookshops, Arrests Suspects Over Piracy

Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has raided bookshops in Ibadan, Oyo State, over the sale of pirated books, arresting several suspects and sealing multiple outlets.

The operation, carried out on Saturday, was led by the Oyo State Coordinator of NCC, Mrs Oluropo Oke, with support from operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Bookshops sealed during the raid include Genesis, God’s Grace, Idera, Ireti-Olu, Oluseyi and Blessings Bookshops, among others, located in Beere, Oritamerin, Dugbe, Gbagi and Agbeni areas of the city.

Oke said the raid was part of the commission’s mandate to curb piracy, especially during the school season when book demand surges.

“We check what sellers display, their sources of supply, and ensure they do not stock pirated works.

“The Director-General of NCC, Dr John Asein, has zero tolerance for piracy because it denies authors and publishers their rightful benefits,” she said.

She warned that both sellers and shop owners who obstruct enforcement officers would face prosecution.

He noted that many of the shops lacked proper purchase records, receipts, or documentation for their stock.

“Some of the receipts we saw only showed the total amount of books purchased without listing titles or authors.

“That’s a sign of shady practices. They must explain their records,” she added.

Oke said excuses that publishers or authors failed to make books available in the market could not justify the sale of pirated works.

“Piracy kills creativity, hurts the economy and promotes substandard books.

“Whether or not publishers meet demand, booksellers must not turn to pirated copies,” she warned.

She assured that suspects arrested during the operation would be prosecuted in line with the law.

JAMB Extends Post-UTME Deadline For Underage Candidates In 23 Varsities

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JAMB Extends Post-UTME Deadline For Underage Candidates In 23 Varsities
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation (JAMB ) has extended the deadline for universities to submit Post-UTME screening scores of underage candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

JAMB’s spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, announced the extension yesterday in a statement.

Benjamin, who explained that the decision was reached in collaboration with the affected institutions, said a reminder has been sent via email to the defaulting universities.

He noted that despite the release of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination results by the National Examinations Council on September 17, several institutions had yet to comply.

Benjamin, however, urged the affected institutions to forward the results without further delay.

He said, “23 out of 71 universities failed to meet the earlier deadline of September 15 for the submission of the scores. The institutions are among those chosen by candidates seeking admission.”

Benjamin further directed all public universities to upload their recommended candidates to the Central Admissions Processing System on or before September 30, while private universities have until October 31.

He added, “The measure was necessary to meet the overall admission deadlines of October 30 for public universities and November 30 for private institutions.”

Benjamin said a breakdown of the affected schools shows that the University of Lagos tops the list with 39 underage candidates, followed by Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, with 18, and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, with 15.

Others include the University of Abuja with 12 underage candidates, University of Uyo with nine, Federal University of Technology, Owerri has eight, and David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu with six.

The board spokesperson added that in total, 135 underage candidates are involved across 23 institutions.

JAMB had earlier disclosed in August that it would conduct a special screening for over 500 outstanding underage candidates seeking admission for the 2025/2026 academic session.

Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the screening would be handled by a technical committee between September 22 and 26 at designated centres in Lagos, Abuja, and Owerri.

He noted that while 41,027 underage candidates wrote the 2025 UTME, only a little over 500 met the requirements to proceed to the next stage.

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