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Bauchi, UNFPA inaugurate committee on Actuarial Analysis

The Bauchi State Government, with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has inaugurated a State Steering Committee on Actuarial Analysis to develop modalities for making healthcare services affordable, sustainable, accessible, and equitable across the state.

The committee, comprising members from health sector-related agencies, was inaugurated by the State Commissioner of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Mohammed Sani Dambam, at the end of a three-day capacity-building program funded by UNFPA in collaboration with the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA).

The training focused on health financing and actuarial analysis and marked the commencement of UNFPA’s support for actuarial analysis in the state.

Inaugurating the committee at the Polio Emergency Operation Centre of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dambam stressed the importance of the committee in ensuring effective and efficient healthcare service delivery.

He charged members to develop strategies that would make healthcare services accessible and equitable to residents, particularly those in the hinterland and vulnerable groups.

Dambam assured the committee that the ministry would provide guidance where necessary and give full support to the successful execution of its assignment.

Introducing the procured actuarial analysis consulting firm at the end of the three-day workshop, the UNFPA Sexual and Reproductive Health/Health Systems Strengthening Specialist, Dr Oluwatosin Kolade, said the support was important to the state’s efforts to improve healthcare financing.

He said the initiative would contribute to the country’s efforts to reduce maternal and newborn mortality by creating opportunities to mainstream high-impact, low-cost interventions such as family planning into a prepayment financing mechanism through the health benefit package of BASHCMA.

In her message, the UNFPA Resident Representative for Nigeria, Ms Muriel Mafico, reiterated the agency’s commitment to its partnership with the Bauchi State Government, particularly in efforts to achieve zero unmet needs for family planning and zero maternal deaths.

She assured the state that the UNFPA team in Bauchi would continue to work with heads of ministries, departments, and agencies to achieve the objectives of the actuarial analysis and strengthen the state’s social health insurance scheme.

Mafico’s speech, which was read by the Sexual and Reproductive Health Analyst at the UNFPA Bauchi State office, Ms Deborah Tabara, also assured that UNFPA would continue to support a sustainable environment for programs in the state.

She thanked heads of agencies for their support, saying, ‘We would not have gotten this far without your cooperation and support. As we go on to the remaining parts of the roadmap that will lead us to eventually sustainably finance the social health scheme and family planning, using state-level data to make informed decisions with regard to the Bauchi State actuarial analysis, UNFPA reiterates its commitment to continue to work with the Bauchi State Government and with the key agencies and respective technical staff.’

She added, ‘We will leave no one behind in this process. We will remain consistent, and we look forward to your cooperation. At the end of the day, it is going to be our data. It’s going to be for the improvement of the lives of women, children, and other vulnerable groups in Bauchi State. We thank you very much, and we look forward to a successful program.’

ICAO president to open IATA WOCE event in Brussels

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Toshiyuki Onuma, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), will open the Wings of Change Europe (WOCE), on October 15, in Brussels, Belgium, the heart of European policymaking.

Onuma headlines a strong list of confirmed speakers for Europe’s premier aeropolitical conference, which aims to shape a regulatory agenda for an efficient and competitive European aviation sector.

Speaking on the event, Thomas Reynaert, IATA’s Senior Vice President External Affairs, said: ‘In a world characterised by fragmentation, air transport is a critical example of the value of global standards. Having the president of the ICAO Council participate in the WOCE discussions in Brussels is a reminder of how important global standards and approaches are for a competitive and connected Europe.

‘Europe needs the economic and social benefits of a competitive and sustainable aviation sector more than ever, but the jobs, growth, and prosperity that aviation generates throughout the economy are challenged by onerous regulation and high costs. Intense competition between airlines is good for passengers, but European airlines are struggling with notoriously thin margins and high oil prices that threaten to limit opportunities for investment in expanding connectivity.

‘WOCE is an opportunity for industry, government, and global institutions to unite and set the course to improve European air transport competitiveness,’ Reynaert added.

Beyond the ceremony: What Xi’s US visit represents

President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States from September 23 to 25 comes at a time when predictability has become a scarce commodity in international affairs. The visit, at the invitation of President Donald Trump, follows Trump’s state visit to China in May and marks another round of direct leader-level engagement within a relatively short period. The White House has scheduled a formal welcome, talks and a state dinner in Washington.

The ceremony will inevitably attract attention. But the more consequential part of the visit lies elsewhere: in the effort to keep senior-level diplomacy functioning between two countries whose decisions affect markets, supply chains, technology, climate policy and international institutions far beyond their own borders.

There is a temptation to judge important visits almost immediately – by the number of agreements announced, the wording of a joint statement or whether one side appears to have secured more than the other. That is often a poor measure of diplomacy.

Meetings between major powers rarely settle complicated questions in a single sitting. Their practical value can be more modest, but still significant. They create opportunities to clarify positions, reduce the risk of misunderstanding, and give officials below the presidential level room to continue working on difficult issues.

The useful question, then, is not whether this visit produces a dramatic breakthrough. It is whether repeated high-level contact can make a complicated relationship more predictable and more manageable.

Diplomacy is also about managing uncertainty

China’s Foreign Ministry has said Xi and Trump will exchange views on major issues concerning bilateral relations as well as questions relating to world peace and development. Beijing has also said it hopes the visit will strengthen dialogue and cooperation while allowing differences to be managed appropriately.

The language is broad, as diplomatic language usually is. What deserves greater attention is the pattern behind it.

Trump travelled to China in May, where the two leaders held talks, and Xi’s September visit provides another opportunity for direct discussion only a few months later. Frequent contact does not erase disagreements, but it can establish habits of communication. Those habits matter.

Economic decisions made by large economies can travel quickly across borders. Changes involving tariffs, technology rules, investment, energy or supply chains can affect businesses and governments thousands of kilometres away. Even when governments cannot remove uncertainty altogether, clearer communication can prevent avoidable uncertainty from being added to it.

There is also a tendency to understand diplomacy mainly through signed agreements. Yet some of its most valuable work is preventive and therefore far less visible.

One government may leave a meeting with a clearer understanding of what another considers negotiable. Officials may agree to keep technical discussions going. A policy decision may be subjected to further consultation before implementation. Communication channels may remain available during the next disagreement.

None of this produces spectacular headlines.

It can, however, matter to businesses making investment decisions, governments managing economic policy and countries whose growth depends on reasonably stable international trade.

This is increasingly relevant because economic and technological questions now overlap. Decisions involving artificial intelligence, digital trade, data, energy and advanced manufacturing are no longer narrow commercial issues. They influence development strategies worldwide.

Diplomatic predictability therefore has an economic value of its own.

Why the wider world will be watching

For developing countries, including Pakistan, the significance of the visit is largely practical.

Pakistan’s economic future depends on an international environment in which trade remains accessible, investment can move across borders, and technological change does not create unnecessary barriers for countries still building their digital and industrial capacity.

The same is true across much of the developing world.

Countries seeking growth need access to markets, investment, affordable technologies and functioning international institutions. They also need sufficient stability to make long-term decisions about infrastructure, exports, energy and technological development.

That is why high-level diplomacy between major economies matters beyond the bilateral relationship itself.

But this should not be overstated. A state visit does not automatically make the global economy more stable, nor does diplomatic language guarantee policy continuity. Developing countries will ultimately judge international economic arrangements by their consequences: whether markets remain accessible, technologies become more widely available, and institutions respond to the concerns of countries at different levels of development.

The September visit is therefore best approached with neither exaggerated expectations nor unnecessary scepticism.

The White House has prepared the full symbolism of a state visit. President Trump is due to receive Xi at Joint Base Andrews, followed by a formal state arrival ceremony and state dinner on September 24. Such rituals have a purpose. They demonstrate that both governments attach importance to maintaining formal channels of communication.

But protocol is only the beginning.

The more meaningful effects will become visible after Xi leaves Washington: whether communication continues, whether officials can address problems before they become larger ones, and whether practical cooperation can continue alongside areas of disagreement.

In an international environment already carrying considerable economic, technological and security uncertainty, diplomacy does not have to resolve every problem to serve a purpose.

Sometimes its most important function is quieter: preserving the ability to talk when circumstances become difficult.

That may ultimately be the more useful way to understand Xi’s visit. Its significance will not be measured only by the photographs or ceremonies that emerge from Washington, but by whether the channels behind them remain active after the state visit is over.

The author is the Chairman of the Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD) and is a financial systems analyst focused on reserve currencies, central banking arrangements, and the structural dynamics of international monetary order.

Cebu welcomes reigning Miss Asia Pacific International, 2026 delegates

Brazilian beauty queen Isabela Fernandes is back in Cebu a year after winning her country’s second Miss Asia Pacific International title. And she has also welcomed the delegates of the pageant’s 2026 edition to the province.

For the second year in a row, Cebu is hosting the oldest and longest-running international beauty pageant founded in the Philippines. And all of the events and activities will be taking place there.

During last year’s edition, the delegates arrived in Manila where the initial activities were held, including the press presentation and the national costume competition. But this year, all the participants went straight to Cebu to kick off the 2026 pageant.

Wearing their sashes bearing the names of their respective countries and territories, the 2026 Miss Asia Pacific International delegates arrived to a warm welcome at the Mactan Cebu International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Host delegate Gabrielle Galapia, who was crowned Miss World Philippines Second Princess before her appointment as Miss Asia Pacific Philippines, flew to Cebu ahead of the other delegates to meet the Cebuano media.

The Kapampangan bet later joined the Brazilian reigning queen in welcoming her fellow 2026 delegates to Cebu, many of whom are visiting the Philippines for the first time.

Last year, the staging of the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant took a more philanthropic turn after a massive earthquake struck northern Cebu, affecting the entire province and neighboring areas.

What was initially envisioned as a week of glamorous event shifted to a humanitarian endeavor when the participants took part in relief efforts to aid those who were hit hardest by the tremor.

For this year’s pageant, the 39 delegates are scheduled to visit different towns and cities in Cebu to explore the province’s world-class destinations, and experience the rich and vibrant Cebuano culture.

The 2026 Miss Asia Pacific International Grand Coronation Night will take place at the Mactan Expo, a 3,000-seater pillarless convention facility inside The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City on Oct. 10.

Galapia hopes to score the Philippines’ sixth victory in all of the pageant’s iterations, following Miss Asia winners Maria Del Carmen Ines Zaragoza (1982) and Gloria Dimayacyac (1983), Miss Asia Pacific titleholders Lorna Legaspi (1989) and Michelle Aldana (1993), and 2018 Miss Asia Pacific International Sharifa Areef Mohammad Omar Akeel.

Shettima to Diaspora: Nigeria has crossed the Rubicon, now on path of sustained growth

Vice President Kashim Shettima has declared that Nigeria has crossed a critical threshold in its economic reforms and is now on the path of sustained growth, urging Nigerians in the diaspora to support the transformation programme of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Shettima said the administration’s reforms were already producing tangible results, citing the growth of the country’s foreign reserves to more than $55 billion, improvements in the foreign exchange market and a 4.45 per cent expansion of the economy in the last quarter.

The Vice President spoke on Wednesday during an interactive session with Nigerians in the United States at Nigeria House in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

He told the gathering that despite challenges confronting the country, the Tinubu administration was working to reposition the economy, particularly in education, healthcare, science and technology and agriculture, while creating an environment capable of attracting investment.

In a statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said, ‘Rest assured that beyond the negative stories that you hear and see in the social media, Nigeria is open for business. We have crossed the Rubicon, and we are on the path of sustained growth’.

He called on Nigerians abroad to play a more active role in the country’s development, describing the diaspora’s knowledge, expertise, and intellectual capital as critical assets in Nigeria’s quest for economic transformation.

According to him, the administration intends to leverage the intellect of Nigerians abroad, which he described as ‘the greatest resource of the future.’

‘Citizens of our country have the capacity and intellect to harness our nation’s potential and take it to greater heights’, the Vice President added.

Shettima said President Tinubu had shown courage in confronting difficult economic problems from the start of his administration, rather than blaming previous governments for the situation he inherited.

‘When President Tinubu assumed office, he did not resort to trading blames and accusing his predecessor for the state of affairs of our nation. Rather, he took decisions that only a leader of courage and conviction would take’, he said.

The Vice President said the administration’s economic measures had helped raise foreign reserves from $3.9 billion to more than $55 billion, alongside improvements in the exchange rate and economic growth.

He maintained that improvements in foreign reserves and the foreign exchange market would better protect diaspora remittances and investments by Nigerians living abroad.

Shettima said the government was determined to redefine modern governance and position Nigeria to take advantage of emerging global economic opportunities, particularly as attention increasingly shifts towards Africa.

‘We are working day and night to reposition the Nigerian nation as investment confidence is returning to Nigeria, and the Dangote Refinery success story is a true manifestation in recent times,’ he said.

The Vice President also highlighted the administration’s interventions in education, saying more than 1.29 million students in tertiary institutions had accessed N125 billion through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund since the programme began.

On insecurity, Shettima acknowledged the challenges confronting the country but said the government was deploying available resources to tackle emerging threats, noting that security challenges were not peculiar to Nigeria.

He appealed to Nigerians, irrespective of their differences, to work towards building a united and prosperous country, insisting that national cohesion remained indispensable to development.

‘Whatever binds us together supersedes whatever divides us as a people’, the Vice President said.

Shettima is in New York representing President Tinubu and leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st UN General Assembly, where he is scheduled to deliver Nigeria’s national statement on Thursday (today).

Nigeria’s engagements at the gathering focus on national interest, reform of global institutions, sustainable development, peace and security, and a more equitable international economic order.

Those at the diaspora engagement included Governors Babagana Zulum of Borno State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, as well as Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele.

Also present were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro; Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Chief Dele Alake; and Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.

Others included the Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite; Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Bunkure; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim; Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Kayode Are; heads of government agencies and senior officials of Nigeria’s missions in the United States.

Alex Eala puts finishing touches hours before Singapore Open match

Alex Eala didn’t want to leave anything to chance ahead of her Singapore Open main draw debut.

Eala still found time to work on her game Thursday in an open practice session at Court 1, just hours before her round-of-16 match against Russian Tatiana Prozorova.

The Filipino third seed plays the 180th-ranked Prozorova before an expected sold-out crowd at Center Court scheduled not before 6:30 p.m.

Eala drew a first-round bye and was in the bottom half of the draw, pushing her keenly awaited first appearance to Thursday night.

Night session tickets had already been sold out since Tuesday in anticipation of Eala, who’s brought her massive following along to every city she’s in.

Eala is not only expected to cruise past Prozorova, but she’s also tipped to easily reach the final against Russian top seed Mirra Andreeva, who headlines the top half of the bracket.

Andreeva issued a warning after easing past Belarusian Aliaksanda Sasnovich, 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals against Canadian-Filipino Leylah Fernandez.

Parliament approves Rs. 17.2 b for electricity relief

Parliament yesterday approved Supplementary Estimate No. 05 of 2026 relating to the Ministry of Energy, providing Rs. 17.2 billion in financial assistance to relieve the public on electricity bills.

A Supplementary Estimate authorises spending beyond the allocations approved in the annual Budget. The Estimate was approved following a debate, after the Committee on Public Finance considered and approved it on 22 September, 2026.

The funds have been drawn from provisions originally allocated to Line Ministries for 2026 but identified as unlikely to be used by the end of the year. As a result, the transfer will not affect the overall expenditure ceiling approved under the Appropriation Act, No. 23 of 2025, which gave legal effect to the 2026 Budget. Nor will it affect the Government’s maximum borrowing limit.

Parliament also passed the Promotion of Export Agriculture (Amendment) Bill without amendments following a debate yesterday.

The Bill amends the Export Agriculture Promotion Act, No. 46 of 1992. When the Department of Export Agriculture was restructured, new positions were created and existing positions upgraded, including a change in designation from ‘Director’ to ‘Director General’. However, the relevant provisions of the Act had not been amended to match, and other related designations had not been revised either. The Bill makes these amendments.

The Bill also updates the Act’s definition of export agricultural crops, referred to as ‘notified agricultural crops’. The existing definition had become incompatible with current production and market conditions, and needed revising to suit the present and future export agriculture sector.

Under the revised definition in Section 19 of the Act, an export agricultural crop is any crop identified as having export potential in addition to local consumption. The crop must also be declared a notified agricultural crop by the Minister in charge of the subject under Section 2 of the Act. Paddy, vegetables, fruits, root crops and other food crops are excluded, as is any crop identified as a plantation crop.

Why some music videos cost over $100,000 – TG Omori

Award-winning music video director ThankGod Omori, popularly known as TG Omori, has said some of the music videos he has directed cost over $100,000 to produce.

Omori disclosed this on the Afropolitan Podcast, published on YouTube on Wednesday, where he discussed production budgets for videos shot both within and outside Nigeria.

According to the director, filmmakers often hesitate to disclose budgets because costs largely depend on the concept and location.

‘As directors, we don’t really like to reveal budgets because filmmaking is subjective. The ideas vary, and sometimes we don’t like to put budgets out,’ he said.

He noted that making budgets public could either discourage potential clients or undervalue the creative work involved.

‘It doesn’t scare people. It doesn’t also speak cheap of our art. To some people, it might be scary. So it always boils down to the concept that we’re trying to work on,’ he added.

Omori explained that shooting in the United States, especially in cities such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles, is significantly more expensive due to insurance, hourly charges and other production requirements.

‘Most times, if we’re shooting abroad, it’s actually more expensive. So most of the videos I’ve had to shoot in Las Vegas or LA have had to be a bigger budget, not necessarily coming to me, but because shooting in America, I have to pay for insurance. Every hour spent, all of those things,’ he said.

He added, ‘At the end of the day, you’re paying in dollars, and sometimes it goes way above a hundred thousand dollars.’

Asked to confirm whether he meant over $100,000 for a single video, Omori replied, ‘Yeah, most times.’

The director said he has also executed projects in Nigeria for around $100,000, which he described as more profitable because of lower production costs.

‘But in Nigeria here, I’ve done a couple for around a hundred thousand dollars. But it’s easier here. You make a lot of profit from that in Nigeria,’ he said.

He contrasted this with shooting abroad, where a similar budget leaves little profit after covering production expenses.

‘But if I do that abroad, you probably might not make… You just probably get a service charge,’ he said.

Omori further spoke about working with local artisans in Nigeria, noting that while labour is affordable and skilled, it requires intensive supervision.

‘That’s why I enjoy shooting in Lagos because I won’t say cheap, but manpower or labour is quite affordable here. You can get good artisans, local artisans,’ he said.

‘If you have the vision that can help you get the best. It’s just that working with people in Lagos, you are going to sacrifice your sleep and your time to make it happen.’

‘It might save you some money, but to save your health, to go after your sleep and your health, because you have to literally work with them on every nail that is going into the wood.

‘You have to watch the process of everything. But they’re going to get it right. But you’re actually going to have to monitor everything to actually get what you really want. So those are the downsides,’ he added.

Azerbaijan, Bahamas sign political consultations memorandum at UNGA

Azerbaijan and the Bahamas have agreed to strengthen political dialogue and explore new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation, as the two countries seek to expand bilateral ties.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Bahamas Foreign Minister Fred Mitchell on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The sides discussed prospects for developing Azerbaijan-Bahamas bilateral and multilateral relations and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest.

The ministers emphasized the importance of establishing a strategic dialogue between the two countries and exploring new areas of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Concluding the meeting, Bayramov and Mitchell signed a Memorandum of Understanding on political consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

The document is expected to facilitate regular diplomatic engagement between the two countries and provide a foundation for further developing their bilateral partnership.

Alex Eala set to draw big Filipino support at Asian Games

Long before Alex Eala steps off her flight from Singapore, anticipation is already building around the Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture, home to Japan’s largest Filipino community.

Thousands of overseas Filipino workers are expected to turn out at the Nagoya City Higashiyama Park Tennis Center, where Eala begins her Asian Games 2026 campaign.

Philippine Sports Commission Chairman Patrick Gregorio said he expects strong support for Eala from Filipinos in Aichi and Nagoya.

‘Sigurado ako super excited ang mga kababayan natin sa Japan, particularly yung mga taga-Aichi Prefecture at Nagoya na mapanood si Alex,’ said Gregorio, whose confidence came from a conversation with Aichi Governor Hideaki Ohmura.

According to Ohmura, the industrial province, globally known as the beating heart of Toyota, hosts the highest concentration of Filipinos in Japan.

Based on statistics, there are almost 48,708 Filipinos in the Aichi Prefecture, including over 11,000 in Nagoya.

For Gregorio, the Filipino community’s support is one of the benefits of international competition.

‘Happy ang Pinoy ‘pag nakakakita ng atletang Pilipino. Happy din ang ating atleta ‘pag sinasalubong ng ating mga kababayan na OFW,’ he said

At 21, Eala has become one of the Philippines’ biggest names in tennis after victories over top-10 players and a historic run at Wimbledon.

The first round of Asian Games tennis kicks off Sunday with Eala raring to bounce back from a bronze-medal finish in 2023 Hangzhou.

Eala is currently competing in the Singapore Open, with her first match scheduled for Thursday.