Author: user user

Children and residents of Nigeria’s South-South region appear to have a higher burden of epilepsy, while medication adherence and access to treatment remain significant challenges, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The study, published in the European Journal of Medical Research, analysed 21 studies examining the prevalence, clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of epilepsy in Nigeria.

The researchers, led by Nicholas Aderinto and including Bonaventure Ukoaka, Gbolahan Olatunji and Emmanuel Kokori, reported prevalence estimates ranging from 0.45 per cent to 36.09 per cent across the studies reviewed.

An analysis of 12 studies involving 39,792 participants produced a pooled prevalence estimate of 14.21 per cent. However, the researchers reported a wide confidence interval, indicating considerable uncertainty around the estimate.

The findings also showed differences across age groups and geopolitical zones, although the researchers cautioned that variations in study methods and the identification of epilepsy cases could have influenced the results.

Children recorded the highest reported prevalence, at 36.09 per cent, compared with 11.85 per cent among adults and 3.16 per cent in studies involving both adults and children.

The South-South zone had the highest regional estimate, at 21.73 per cent, followed by the South-East at 14.78 per cent and the South-West at 14.05 per cent. North-Central recorded the lowest estimate, at 0.47 per cent.

The review covered only four of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, highlighting the need for more representative studies to establish the national burden of the condition.

The researchers suggested that complications during pregnancy and childbirth, childhood infections and other neurological conditions could contribute to the burden among children. Regional differences may also reflect variations in environmental exposures, healthcare access, diagnosis and reporting.

Generalised tonic-clonic seizures emerged as the most frequently reported seizure type, accounting for between 76.9 and 83.1 per cent of cases in the studies reviewed.

These seizures typically involve loss of consciousness, muscle stiffening and rhythmic jerking. The researchers suggested that their prominence in the findings could partly reflect the difficulty of identifying less obvious seizure types in settings where specialist diagnostic services are limited.

Carbamazepine was the most commonly reported first-line antiseizure medication. Some studies recorded seizure-control rates exceeding 70 per cent, while one study involving children reported a rate of up to 99 per cent.

Other medications used included sodium valproate, levetiracetam, phenytoin, phenobarbital and ethosuximide. Most studies favoured treatment with a single antiseizure medicine rather than combinations, although the appropriate treatment depends on the type of epilepsy and the patient’s response.

Despite the reported treatment successes, medication adherence and missed clinic appointments remained challenges. The researchers identified drug costs, medicine availability, adverse effects and sociocultural beliefs as factors that could undermine effective treatment.

They called for greater public awareness, more affordable access to medicines, and improved diagnosis and follow-up care, particularly through primary healthcare services.

The researchers also recommended further studies to establish the causes of regional differences, compare treatment approaches and examine the social and economic factors affecting medication adherence.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterised by recurrent seizures that are not caused by an immediate, temporary trigger. It can affect people of any age and disrupt education, work and daily life, particularly when seizures are not adequately controlled.

The authors said more reliable data would help health authorities estimate the number of people requiring care and develop targeted interventions to improve diagnosis, treatment and quality of life.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday threatened to issue arrest warrants against the chief executives of four telecommunications companies over their failure to honour invitations to explain persistent poor network services across the country.

Members of the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the quality of telecommunications services, chaired by Hon. Olumide Osoba, rejected an attempt by the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) to represent the affected companies through its chairman, Engineer Gbenga Adebayo.

Osoba directed the chief executives and other top management officials of MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other licensed operators to appear before the committee on November 4, 2026, or risk arrest warrants.

The ongoing investigation comes amid continuing complaints about the quality of telecommunications services.

The lawmakers had invited the operators on October 21, 2026, to explain persistent complaints about dropped calls, slow internet connectivity, failed airtime and data transactions, and inadequate network coverage. However, the companies reportedly delegated Adebayo to represent them, a move the committee considered unacceptable.

Moving a motion on the matter, Rep. Sunday Umeha argued that the operators were individually licensed by the Federal Government and should be held directly accountable for the quality of services they provide to subscribers.

Umeha also faulted a letter reportedly written by ALTON questioning the committee’s authority to compel the operators to appear, insisting that the National Assembly’s investigative powers were constitutionally guaranteed.

‘I was shocked with what I saw in the letter. I saw a situation where ALTON is saying that they are not bound to appear before this committee. They see their appearance as a privilege to this committee and not as a statutory obligation,’ he said.

Citing Section 88 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the lawmaker maintained that the National Assembly was empowered to investigate matters within its legislative competence, including the implementation of government policies affecting telecommunications services.

In its presentation before the ad hoc committee, a representative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) confirmed that the commission had communicated the invitations directly to the chief executives.

Umeha said the operators had been given sufficient notice and another opportunity to appear after the committee had previously considered seeking arrest warrants against them.

Seconding the motion, the House spokesperson, Rep. Akin Rotimi, also rejected ALTON’s attempt to represent the companies, arguing that subscribers dealt directly with individual service providers and expected each operator to account for its network performance.

Rotimi, who expressed concern over poor network coverage in parts of his constituency in Ekiti State, warned that the absence of mobile signals in some communities and along major roads posed serious security risks.

The Ekiti lawmaker alleged that two traditional rulers in his constituency had been killed in an ambush along a stretch of road where mobile network signals were unavailable for approximately 20 minutes.

Rotimi, who argued that connectivity gaps could prevent residents and travellers from contacting security agencies or seeking emergency assistance during attacks, criticised operators for concentrating infrastructure in commercially attractive locations while leaving rural communities and underserved areas with inadequate coverage.

The lawmakers further questioned Adebayo about a reported ?8.46 billion fine imposed on Globacom, asking whether he could adequately address regulatory and operational issues concerning an individual company while appearing on behalf of the wider industry.

While ruling on the motion, the ad hoc committee resolved to adjourn until November 4, 2026, warning that failure to honour the invitation could trigger further legislative action.

Three in five Nigerian households surveyed say they have little or no familiarity with the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, exposing a major public-awareness gap as the country implements its most significant tax reform in years.

The findings are contained in the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Tax Perception Survey Report 2026, commissioned by the NESG with support from the United Kingdom Government. The study surveyed 18,000 working adults-one per household-and 9,097 firms across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, alongside taxpayer discussions and interviews with tax officials.

According to the report, 60 per cent of household respondents said they were either not at all familiar with the Act or only slightly familiar with its provisions. The remaining 40 per cent reported moderate or high familiarity. The overall mean familiarity score was 2.33 on a four-point scale, indicating that knowledge of the law remains limited among many households.

The survey also found gaps in basic tax understanding. While 61 per cent correctly identified that Value Added Tax is charged on many goods and services people buy, other respondents expressed uncertainty about how VAT is charged or whether it applies to them. Only 15 per cent of households said they had sought official information about the Act.

Awareness of taxpayer rights was similarly uneven. About 63.8 per cent of households knew that a tax assessment could be appealed, while three-quarters believed taxpayers could request clarification or assistance from tax authorities.

However, only 24.3 per cent were aware of the Office of the Tax Ombud, suggesting limited knowledge of institutional channels for resolving tax-related complaints.

Responses on exemptions also revealed perception rather than confirmed legal knowledge. Of those surveyed, 46.3 per cent believed pension, gratuity or retirement benefits were usually exempt or attracted very little tax; 36.9 per cent selected basic food or agricultural inputs; and 25.9 per cent chose minimum-wage earners.

The NESG cautioned that these responses reflect perceptions and do not establish whether respondents understood the legal conditions for each exemption.

Familiarity varied across regions and socio-economic groups. The South East recorded the lowest regional mean familiarity score, at 1.94, below the national survey mean of 2.33. The North East and South South matched the overall mean, while other regions scored higher. Urban and rural scores were nearly identical, at 2.34 and 2.32 respectively.

Education and income appeared to influence awareness. Households with no formal education recorded a mean score of 1.85, compared with 2.54 among those with post-secondary education. Men reported higher familiarity than women, while upper-middle- and high-income households showed greater awareness than no- or low-income households.

Firms demonstrated stronger awareness than households. More than 80 per cent of surveyed businesses said they were aware of the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, the right to appeal tax assessments, and the right to request clarification or assistance. Yet only 56.7 per cent said they had received official information about the Act, and 72 per cent believed it applied to businesses like theirs.

The report found that businesses generally understood some core obligations. About 87.7 per cent correctly answered a basic record-keeping question, while more than 70 per cent demonstrated accurate knowledge of tax-return filing duties, the 7.5 per cent VAT rate, and eligibility for priority-sector incentives.

However, understanding of more specific rules was weaker. Fewer than half of firms correctly identified the taxes applicable to different taxpayer groups. Only 57.9 per cent understood the requirement to register with tax authorities before commencing operations, while 69.7 per cent understood tax exemption for firms below the applicable turnover threshold.

Access to official information also remained a challenge. Fewer than half of firms-44.2 per cent-had tried to obtain official information on business taxes. Among those who did, 86.5 per cent said they obtained it, while 25.6 per cent reported using a professional tax agent, accountant or bookkeeper.

The NESG described the study as a diagnostic assessment rather than an audit or ranking of tax administration. It said the pooled estimates adjust for oversampling but are not calibrated to national population totals, and that the findings describe reported perceptions and experiences rather than causal effects of the reform.

The report’s authors said the results underscore the need for clear, accessible public information on tax obligations, taxpayer rights, exemptions and the treatment of specific income categories and goods. The findings come amid earlier calls by civil society groups for intensified grassroots sensitisation on the Tax Act, particularly in rural communities where awareness has been reported as limited.

With implementation underway, the survey suggests that awareness of Nigeria’s new tax regime cannot be assumed-even among businesses-and that sustained taxpayer education will be critical to compliance, trust and effective revenue mobilisation.