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Layer3, one of Africa’s leading technology solutions providers, has successfully delivered the core network component contract for the AfricaConnect3 (AC3) project, executed by the West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN). This marks a major milestone in one of the most ambitious infrastructure initiatives in Africa’s research and education landscape.

The AC3 project, funded by the European Union through the AfricaConnect3 program, is being executed by WACREN to build a world-class digital backbone for academic and research institutions across West and Central Africa. Following an international competitive tender, Layer3 was selected to supply and deploy the core networking and support solution in data centers in 10 countries in Africa as well as France, capable of scaling WACREN’s backbone to 400GbE. This included Juniper MX and EX series devices, Out-of-Band terminal servers with 4G LTE capability to ensure resilience; Measurement and Cache servers for enhanced performance monitoring and traffic management, and upgraded routing engines in Lagos, Accra, and London to enable future growth. The project also involved setting up a state-of-the-art Network Operations Centre in Accra, Ghana, equipped with high-performance servers and enterprise-grade power systems to guarantee uninterrupted network operations.

Through this deployment, WACREN has significantly strengthened its digital backbone, positioning National Research and Education Networks across the region to collaborate seamlessly while overcoming long-standing barriers of bandwidth and reliability. The enhanced infrastructure will enable universities, research centres, and innovation hubs to participate more actively in global knowledge exchange and provide a robust foundation for emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and advanced cloud-based applications.

Speaking on the significance of the project, Omo Oaiya, Chief Strategy Officer of WACREN, remarked: ‘This project, executed by WACREN under the EU’s AfricaConnect3 program and supported by partners like Layer3 and regional telecom operators, represents a pivotal investment in the digital future of African research and education. It strengthens our backbone while ensuring sustainability and reliability for years to come.’

Godwin Michaels, Chief Technology Officer at Layer3, added: ‘Delivering the equipment for the AC3 backbone demonstrates Layer3’s capability to support large-scale, multi-country deployments with precision and excellence. The infrastructure we provided is not only serving immediate needs but also designed to scale up to 400GbE, future-proofing research and education connectivity across Africa.’

As Africa advances toward a knowledge-driven future, Layer3 remains committed to delivering world-class technology solutions that empower institutions, drive innovation, and foster collaboration. The AC3 project exemplifies this mission, reinforcing Layer3’s role as a trusted partner in building Africa’s digital future.

About WACREN

The West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) is a regional body that interconnects National Research and Education Networks across West and Central Africa. With a mission to develop sustainable, high-performance digital infrastructure that fosters academic collaboration and innovation, WACREN is executing the EU-funded AfricaConnect3 project in its region, expanding access to world-class connectivity for research and education communities.

About Layer3

Layer3 is one of Nigeria’s leading cybersecurity and network infrastructure providers, with nearly two decades of experience. The company offers innovative solutions in cloud, connectivity, systems integration, and managed services to enterprises, governments, and global partners across Africa. Its track record of delivering large-scale projects, combined with global OEM partnerships, reinforces its position as the provider of choice for organizations across the continent seeking enterprise-grade solutions for digital transformation.

In a significant push for Nigeria’s food security, the AVPA deal room has connected impact-focused entrepreneurs across the country’s food systems with potential investors for funding opportunities.

The deal room event, which took place recently in Lagos, is organised by AVPA West Africa, a pan-African network of social investors in partnership with the GIZ’s Private Adaptation Investment Bootcamp (PrivABoo), unlocked catalytic capital for climate smart investing in Nigeria and West Africa’s agricultural landscape.

The deal room also fostered meaningful engagement between investors and agribusiness entrepreneurs to obtain feedback on how its framework can be better structured to help agriculture deliver value to the Nigerian economy.

Tochukwu Ezeukwu, regional director at AVPA WA, said capital mobilisation is a crucial pillar of the AVPA mission, noting that the organisation regularly collaborates with discerning partners such as GIZ PrivaBoo to present qualifying deals with high-impact potential to investors for investment consideration.

‘Of the three businesses presented to five investors, two have received the green light for early investor talks with three of the investors in the room. The expectation is that over the next year, one of them will reach funding,’ he said.

Three companies – Kitovu, Energy Assured and Green Sahara pitched to various investors in the deal room. Kitovu is an agritech company that helps smallholder farmers build and deploy climate smart post-harvest infrastructures. Energy Assured is a business that provides solar-powered pumps to farmers for irrigation.

Green Sahara is an organisation that promotes sustainable farming practices among farmers and is involved in the production of clean cooking stoves and restoring degraded lands.

Grace Nwigwe, technical advisor, GIZ PrivABoo, said that climate change is a growing concern globally, noting that it is integral to the work her organisation does.

‘Our goal with the Private Adaptation Bootcamp PrvABoo was to strengthen private sector actors and to mobilise private sector finance for private sector actors in the space,’ she said.

‘We are grateful to the AVPA for creating a platform for exactly that. Participating businesses have had the opportunity to showcase their adaptation products and services to investors who are providing the needed inputs,’ she noted.

‘We believe that this kind of collaboration in the private sector is key to building resilience to climate impacts across society,’ she added.

Speaking also, Chinedu Allinson, head, membership and partnerships, AVPA WA, said, ‘We believe partnerships are the cornerstone of mobilising capital for impact.’

‘Our collaboration with GIZ on PrviABoo demonstrates how aligning missions can create pathways for private sector actors to access the finance they need, while giving investors a pipeline of solutions with real potential to build climate resilience.’

Global food prices dipped in September as declines in sugar and dairy offset record-high meat prices, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The FAO food price index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a set of globally traded food commodities, averaged 128.8 points in September, slightly lower than August level of 129.7 points.

The September value represents a 3.4 percent increase from a year ago. However, it was nearly 20 percent down from a record level in March 2022 following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Sugar prices, which had climbed to a two-year peak in July before stabilising in August, was curbed in September by a 4.1 percent drop.

It averaged 99.4 points in the period, its lowest since March 2021.

‘The drop was driven by higher-than-expected sugar production in Brazil and favourable harvest prospects in India and Thailand, following ample monsoon rains and expanded plantings,’ the report said.

The fall in sugar prices reflected an improving supply outlook, with higher than expected production in Brazil and favourable harvest prospects in India and Thailand.

According to the FAO, dairy price index slipped 2.6 percent month on month to 148.3 points, driven in turn by a sharp decline in butter prices amid increased production prospects in Oceania.

It reported that milk powder quotations decreased mainly due to softer demand from key importers and firmer export competition.

Cereal benchmark saw a 0.6 percent decline from August, averaging 105 points, with wheat prices dropping for a third straight month due to large harvests and subdued international demand.

‘International wheat prices decreased for the third consecutive month amid subdued international demand and confirmation of large harvests in key producing countries,’ FAO noted.

Maize prices also decreased, partly pressured by a temporary suspension of export taxes in Argentina.

The report notes that rice index also demonstrated a monthly fall as reduced orders by buyers in the Philippines and Africa weighed.

Similarly, vegetable oil prices fell by 0.7 percent in the period to 167.9 points as lower palm and soybean oil quotations offset increases for sunflower and rapeseed oil.

In contrast, FAO’s meat price indicator rose by 0.7 percent month on month, to a new record high of 127.8 points as beef and sheep meat quotations rose.

‘Bovine meat prices climbed to an all-time high, supported by strong demand in the United States of America, where limited domestic supplies and favourable price differential continued to encourage imports.’

Beef prices also reached a new peak, supported by strong demand in the United States. amid limited domestic supply.

In a separate report, the FAO increased its forecast for global cereal production in 2025 to 2.971 billion metric tons from a former projection of 2.961 billion tons.

The latest outlook was up by 3.8 percent from 2024 output, marking the largest annual increase since 2013.

The upward revision was attributed to higher production prospects for wheat, maize and rice.

Political parties under the umbrella of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) are demanding immediate legal reforms to strip the Executive Arm of Government of its power to appoint the chairman, secretary, and national commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

While warning that the nation’s democracy is under threat as long as the electoral umpire remains in the grip of the Presidency, they stressed that the change is essential to safeguard the Commission’s independence and restore public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.

They made this demand on Monday in Abuja during a consultative meeting between the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review and leaders of political parties. The session, chaired by Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Deputy Speaker, brought together lawmakers, party leaders, and civil society representatives to deliberate on key amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

Yusuf Dantalle, National Chairman of IPAC, the umbrella body of registered political parties, said Nigeria’s democracy could only thrive when INEC operates free from the Executive Arm’s interference.

He proposed the establishment of an Independent Appointment Committee (IAC) to oversee the appointment of top electoral officials.

‘To promote the independence of the commission, the power to appoint the chairman of INEC, its secretary, and national commissioners should be taken away from the Executive.

‘We propose an Independent Appointment Committee composed of representatives from all registered political parties, civil society organisations, the National Judicial Council, and the National Assembly. This will ensure transparency and inclusivity in the appointment process’, he said.

Dantalle further outlined IPAC’s wider reform agenda, which includes granting financial autonomy to Local Governments, scrapping State Independent Electoral Commissions, restoring funding for political parties, establishing an electoral offences tribunal, and creating special legislative seats for women.

According to him, these measures are crucial to ensuring credible elections and strengthening democratic governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kalu, the Deputy Speaker, described the Constitutional review as a defining moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey. He said the House Committee is committed to making the process inclusive, transparent, and reflective of the aspirations of all Nigerians.

‘If Constitutional amendments are to be legitimate, they must have the buy-in of political parties. This process must not serve the interests of the few but strengthen institutions, empower citizens, and renew confidence in our democracy,’ Kalu noted.

Kalu also reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to ensuring greater representation of women in governance, fiscal independence for local governments, and an electoral system that reduces post-election disputes.

But, Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, commended the initiative of the House Committee and stressed that credible elections and justice are the bedrock of peace and stability in any democracy.

‘When elections fail, trust dies. When justice delays, faith decays. We must strengthen INEC, shield our courts from corruption, and restore the people’s confidence in their institutions. True federalism begins at the grassroots, and local governments must be freed to function effectively’, Akpabio said.

He also expressed strong support for women’s inclusion in governance, recalling his previous efforts to sponsor a bill for special seats for women in the National Assembly.

Also speaking at the event, Amina Bryhm, President National Women Leaders’ Forum of Political Parties in Nigeria, described the proposed Special Seats Bill for Women as a ‘bold step toward correcting historic imbalances.’

‘The special seats bill represents a call to action. Together, we can turn our focus into action and our aspirations into reality,’ she said.

Three scientists – Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi – have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discoveries that explain how the immune system avoids attacking the body it is meant to protect.

The prize, announced on Monday by Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, recognises their decades-long work in uncovering how the immune system maintains a delicate balance between defending against disease and preventing self-destruction.

Their research, which identified a crucial mechanism known as peripheral immune tolerance, revealed how certain immune cells act as internal peacekeepers. These cells, called regulatory T cells, prevent the body’s defence system from turning on itself – a process that, when it fails, can lead to autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and lupus.

‘Their discoveries have been decisive for our understanding of how the immune system functions and why we do not all develop serious autoimmune diseases,’ said Olle Kämpe, chair of the Nobel Committee, as he announced the award.

The trio will share the prize of 11 million Swedish kronor (about $1.17 million), and each will receive a gold medal from the King of Sweden in December.

The story of this discovery began three decades ago. In 1995, Sakaguchi, a Japanese immunologist now 74 years old and a distinguished professor at Osaka University, challenged the prevailing wisdom of the time. Back then, most scientists believed that immune tolerance – the body’s ability to distinguish between its own cells and harmful invaders – was established only through a process in the thymus gland known as central tolerance. During this process, potentially dangerous immune cells were thought to be eliminated before they could cause harm.

Portraits of (L-R) Mary E Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi are displayed during a press conference announcing them as winners of the 2025 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine [AFP]

But Sakaguchi suspected that the immune system was more complex than that. Through his experiments, he identified a previously unknown class of immune cells that acted as the body’s regulatory force, suppressing harmful immune responses and protecting the body from itself. These cells, later known as regulatory T cells, became a cornerstone of modern immunology.

A few years later, in 2001, Brunkow and Ramsdell – both American researchers – made a discovery that provided the missing link. Working with a particular strain of mice that were unusually prone to autoimmune diseases, they traced the problem to a mutation in a single gene, which they named Foxp3. The faulty gene disrupted the mice’s immune regulation, causing their immune systems to attack their own tissues. Brunkow and Ramsdell later demonstrated that similar mutations in humans lead to a rare but devastating autoimmune disorder known as IPEX syndrome.

Two years later, Sakaguchi built on their findings and showed that the Foxp3 gene is essential for the development of regulatory T cells – the same cells he had first discovered in 1995. His work connected the dots, proving that Foxp3 effectively acts as a genetic switch that allows these ‘security guard’ cells to form and function properly.

The result was a complete shift in scientific understanding. What had once been seen as a simple defence system was revealed to be a finely tuned network of checks and balances, capable of attacking invading microbes while sparing the body’s own cells.

‘Their discoveries have laid the foundation for a new field of research and spurred the development of new treatments, for example for cancer and autoimmune diseases,’ the Nobel Committee said in a statement. The findings not only deepened understanding of the immune system but also opened doors to new medical therapies. By learning how to manipulate regulatory T cells, scientists hope to treat autoimmune disorders, improve the success of organ transplants, and even enhance cancer immunotherapy. Several of these treatment approaches are now undergoing clinical trials.

Thomas Perlmann, Secretary-General of the Nobel Committee, said he personally delivered the news to Sakaguchi, who was at his laboratory when the call came through. ‘He sounded incredibly grateful and expressed that it was a fantastic honour. He was quite taken by the news,’ Perlmann said. He added that he had left messages for Brunkow and Ramsdell, who were unavailable at the time.

Brunkow, 64, holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University and currently serves as Senior Programme Manager at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. Ramsdell, also 64, earned his doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles, and works as a scientific adviser at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco. Sakaguchi received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Kyoto University and continues his research at Osaka University’s Immunology Frontier Research Centre.

The medicine prize traditionally opens the Nobel season, which continues in the coming days with awards in physics, chemistry, literature, peace, and economics. For Brunkow, Ramsdell, and Sakaguchi, their shared Nobel honour crowns years of patient inquiry into one of biology’s most intricate mysteries, how the human body manages to defend itself so fiercely, yet avoid destroying its own fragile harmony.

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s health sector have called on the Nigerian government to stop treating healthcare as a mere expenditure, and instead recognise it as a critical investment that drives economic productivity and human capital development.

Speaking at breakout session on ‘The Health Productivity Link: Building a Resilient Workforce’, at the Nigeria Economic Summit (NES), on monday, in Abuja, health and private sector leaders stressed that shifting the perception of healthcare from a cost to an investment would unlock greater economic potential, especially through collaboration with the private sector. They noted that the $1trn economy target is threatened if healthcare is not prooritised.

Tinuola Akinbolagbe, CEO of the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), stressed that health should be seen as a strategic investment, not a financial burden.

‘We must stop treating health as a cost. Health is an investment that drives productivity. The private sector has a vital role to play, whether in financing or innovation,’ she said.

She referenced the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), which raised approximately ?39 billion during the pandemic, describing it as the largest pool of funding mobilised for health in the country’s history.

‘We are now considering the most effective ways to invest that money. Technology should be a key driver, and we need to bring together all stakeholders across sectors.’

She added that National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) should drive investment, highlighting that the global insurance industry is one of the largest sectors and could be a major avenue for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) into Nigeria’s health system.

Brian Deaver, CEO of the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE), urged the government to invest more in local manufacturing. He recalled that Afreximbank has announced a $1 billion fund for local manufacturers, yet only $75 million has been accessed so far.

He said the fund represents a huge opportunity for Nigeria.

Deaver, also underscored the importance of data-driven decision-making in health, stating that investing in data is essential to improve health outcomes and guide strategic planning.

In his remarks, Kelechi Ohiri, director-general of the NHIA, revealed that while progress is being made in expanding health insurance coverage, challenges remain.

‘We’ve added four million Nigerians to the insurance scheme in the last two years, which is the fastest increase so far. But it’s still a long journey when compared to a population of over 200 million,’ he said.

He cited the informal sector as a major hurdle due to its fragmented nature, making it difficult to bring workers under the health insurance umbrella.

Khalilu Muhammad, senior officer for Health Systems Strengthening Delivery at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, called for more government efficiency in catalysing private sector participation.

‘In a country of over 200 million people, it’s impossible to stimulate economic growth without addressing the foundational issues in healthcare,’ Muhammad said.

Stakeholders stressed thay without public financing, Nigeria cannot build foundation for human capital.

Abisola Olusanya, commissioner of Agriculture and Food Systems, Lagos, has said that addressing the country’s food security challenges requires bold investments, innovative strategies and strategic partnerships.

Olusanya made this known during a press briefing to outline activities by the State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to mark this year’s World Food Day, themed ‘Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.’

The commissioner said World Food Day serves as a rallying call for governments, development partners, farmers, and communities to embrace sustainable food systems and promote food security.

She said the theme emphasised the urgent need for partnerships across governments, the private sector, development organisations, and communities to transform agrifood systems, promote healthy diets, and safeguard the environment.

Quoting the United Nations, she defined food security as the means that all people, at all times, have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

According to her, poor nutrition weakens the immune system, fuels diseases, and lowers productivity, thereby stifling economic growth.

She noted that the challenge of food security is unique to Lagos, the country’s commercial centre, owing to the high population. ‘Despite being the smallest State in terms of land mass, Lagos is home to over twenty-two million people and therefore the most densely populated State.’

‘Feeding our population, therefore, requires innovative strategies, bold investments, and strong partnerships.’

Speaking on what Lagos is doing to drive food security, Olusanya said the state launched a 5-year Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap in 2021, which targets 40 percent food self-sufficiency by 2025.

She said since the launch of the initiative, the agric ministry has rolls out transformative programmes to enhance food production, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen market linkages and empower farmers and youths.

‘Lagos State has continued to invest in transformative programmes aimed at building a sustainable and resilient food system,’ she said.

She listed the implementation of the Food Systems Transformation Agenda, the Produce for Lagos Programme, Lagos rice mill, and Eko Agro Mechanisation Programme as some landmark projects to address food insecurity.

Others are the Lagos Agripreneurship Programme, Lagos Agric Scholars Programme, Cattle Feedlot Project, Lagos Aquaculture Centre of Excellence, Eko Last Mile Meat Shops and Butchers Academy, Lagos Agrithon, Ounje Eko Farmer Subsidy Programme and the Eko Flavour – Junior/Senior.

The Lagos Agric Scholar quiz will take place tomorrow, a Road Walk show will take place on Wednesday and the grand finale will take place on Thursday, 16th October, 2025, at Ikeja Police College parade ground as activities line up to mark the 2025 World Food Day.