Category: Auto Guid

The Obidient Movement has said a government led by Peter Obi will restore fuel subsidy but operate it under a transparent and verifiable framework that will enable Nigerians to pay half the independently determined reference price of petrol.

The movement, in a statement signed by its Media and Communications Directorate, Onyeka Dike, said the proposed policy would eliminate the secrecy, alleged corruption and opaque accounting that characterised previous subsidy regimes.

It also criticised the Federal Government’s recently announced 30-day petrol discount, describing the policy as contradictory to the administration’s longstanding position that subsidy removal was necessary.

According to the movement, the latest government intervention has raised questions about the figures being used to determine petrol consumption and the financial implications of the relief measures.

It recalled that President Bola Tinubu said in September 2024 that petrol consumption had dropped to around 30-something million litres daily following subsidy removal.

However, the movement noted that the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, put daily petrol consumption at approximately 50 million litres in October 2026 while explaining the government’s proposed relief measures.

‘How did Nigeria move from thirty something million litres to 50 million litres? Where is the independently verifiable data supporting this figure?’ it asked.

The group urged the Federal Government to publish the data and methodology used to determine daily petrol consumption, arguing that inflated or unverifiable figures could create opportunities for the abuse of public funds.

It said every litre used in calculating government interventions must be independently verified, stressing that Nigerians should know how much is being spent, the basis for the expenditure, the beneficiaries and the actual quantity of petrol delivered to consumers.

The movement also accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of continuing subsidy payments under different names despite its declaration that the petrol subsidy had been removed.

‘When Tinubu announced that fuel subsidy was gone, all he did was to change the name,’ it alleged, citing ‘under-recovery’ and ‘energy security costs’ as examples.

The movement further criticised the APC’s historical opposition to fuel subsidy removal, recalling that the proposed petrol price after subsidy removal in 2012 was about ?145 per litre.

It alleged that APC members, including Tinubu, opposed the policy at the time, but that successive APC administrations had subsequently overseen repeated increases in petrol prices.

On what it described as the ‘Half Price Policy,’ the movement said the reference price for petrol would be determined and published weekly by an independent panel based on international benchmarks, freight costs and verified local costs.

It said subsidy payments would be linked directly to actual and verified sales, with refiners, depot operators and marketers unable to claim reimbursement for petrol that had not been sold to consumers through metered filling-station pumps.

According to the movement, digital tracking would provide an auditable trail from the refinery gate to filling stations, while inflated claims and fictitious consumption would not qualify for payment.

It also said the proposed subsidy would be available to every licensed Nigerian refinery, with access to domestic crude for local refining governed by transparent and equitable rules. The movement said the proposed system would also require public disclosure of government expenditure.

It said the funding framework would be presented to the National Assembly for approval, while monthly reports would disclose the reference price, litres sold, subsidy payments, beneficiaries, breaches, penalties, recovered funds and independent audit findings.

‘Public money will not be concealed in NNPC accounts under unexplained labels such as under recovery,’ it said.

The group further proposed audits of energy security contracts and measures to reduce crude production costs, tackle corruption and inflated security contracts, strengthen pipeline protection through partnerships with host communities, and guarantee fair crude access to licensed domestic refineries.

It said the measures would require an appropriate legislative framework and were intended to create a sustainable subsidy system rather than a temporary intervention that would expire after 30 days.

The Obidient Movement also questioned the Federal Government’s decision to introduce a temporary petrol discount after maintaining that subsidy had been eliminated.

‘The APC government claims that subsidy is gone, yet it has now introduced a temporary discount and a mechanism under which refiners and importers may recover shortfalls later,’ it said.

The movement maintained that Nigerians should not have to choose between affordable petrol and accountable governance.

It said Obi’s proposed policy would make fuel subsidy a measurable public intervention aimed at reducing the burden of petrol prices while protecting public funds from fraud and abuse.

‘Every litre must be verified. Every payment must be justified. Every naira must be accounted for,’ the statement said.

The movement said the proposed approach would form part of what it described as a New Nigeria in which public resources would be managed transparently and directed towards improving the welfare of citizens.

It was a moment of excitement and celebration in Lagos on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, as popular Nollywood actor, Lateef Adedimeji, personally presented prizes to the first 10 winners of the recently concluded Lateef Adedimeji (Baba Eta) Challenge on DusDus.

The presentation, which took place at the DusDus office in Lagos, brought together the winners, representatives of the platform and the award-winning actor, who appeared delighted to personally celebrate participants who distinguished themselves in the challenge.

Coker Oluwarantimi, who came first in the challenge, received cheque of N1million while Ajewole Ayomide and others received N200,000 each.

The ‘Baba Eta’ challenge, which leveraged Adedimeji’s popularity and his much-loved ‘Baba Eta’ persona, provided fans and followers with an opportunity to participate in a fun-filled digital campaign while competing for prizes.

For the winners, meeting the actor in person added an extra layer of excitement to what had already been an engaging experience.

Rather than simply having the prizes distributed on his behalf, the actor chose to personally hand them over to the first 10 winners, turning the presentation into an intimate celebration of creativity, participation and the growing relationship between entertainers and their digital audiences.

Adedimeji’s collaboration with DusDus further highlights the evolving relationship between entertainment personalities and digital platforms, where challenges, audience participation and creator-led campaigns are increasingly becoming powerful tools for engagement.

The prize presentation also underscored the importance of recognising audience participation in digital campaigns. For the winners, what began as a social media challenge culminated in a face-to-face encounter with one of Nollywood’s popular faces.

With Adedimeji personally presenting the prizes, the Baba Eta Challenge ended not merely as another online campaign, but as a memorable experience for its first set of winners.

DusDus is an entertainment and creators contest app that empowers young Nigerian content creators to create, share and win rewards for their video posts in a variety of engaging challenges.

All is set for the 21st Annual Fire Conference of the Prophetic Ministry of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 8 a.m. prompt at the MFM International Headquarters, Main Auditorium, 13 Olasimbo Street, Onike, Yaba, Lagos State.

The General Overseer of MFM Worldwide, Dr Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, will minister at the conference, which has the theme ‘Prophetic Oil and Power.’ The programme is expected to reinforce the ministry’s emphasis on prayer, spiritual empowerment and Christian devotion.

The conference, which marks the 21st edition of the annual gathering, is expected to bring together prophets, prophetesses, worshippers and ministers of God from different parts of the world for prayers, biblical teachings, spiritual renewal and transformation.

It will provide participants with an opportunity to deepen their relationship with God and equip themselves for their spiritual assignments.

The gathering will also bring together worshippers, prayer warriors, families and those seeking spiritual renewal for a time of prayer, worship and prophetic ministry.

According to the organisers, the conference will focus on seeking God’s genuine prophetic oil and fire.

Although the event will hold physically at the MFM International Headquarters, it will also be broadcast live on various social media platforms and MFM TV to enable people who cannot attend in person to participate.

The programme will feature prophetic ministrations, prophetic worship and seminars on Equipping End-Time Prophets and Charting a Prophetic Destiny for Our Land.

Members of the public, particularly Christians who believe they have prophetic gifts or desire to serve in the prophetic ministry, are expected to attend, irrespective of their denominational affiliations.

Olukoya established the conference as part of efforts to raise prophets who would serve as God’s mouthpieces and spiritual battle axes.

He was the pioneering leader of the group, while Pastor Kunle Adesanya, Senior Regional Overseer (SRO), Assembly Pastor at the MFM International Headquarters and Rector of the School of Prophets, serves as the group’s international leader.

The objectives of the Prophetic Ministry include awakening and igniting members’ prophetic consciousness, helping them identify and nurture their spiritual gifts, and positioning the prophetic ministry appropriately within the contemporary church.

Other objectives include serving as intercessors for the church and helping ministers understand the importance and benefits of the prophetic anointing in carrying out their spiritual assignments.

The leadership of the MFM Prophetic Ministry has invited members of the public to participate in the conference and use the opportunity to seek God and fellowship with other believers.

With the event scheduled for October 10, the 21st Annual Fire Conference is expected to provide participants with an opportunity for worship, prayer, spiritual growth and renewal.

Participants have been encouraged to attend with expectant hearts as the ministry prepares for another edition of the annual gathering.

DOMESTIC investors dominated trading on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) in the first eight months of 2026, recording N11.89 trillion in transactions-more than double the N5.46 trillion seen in the same period of 2025-and sharply reducing the market’s reliance on foreign ‘hot money’.

Through August, domestic participants accounted for 89.77 percent of total turnover, up from 77.79 per cent for the whole of 2025. Foreign share fell to 10.23 percent from 22.21 percent. Absolute foreign turnover edged down from N1.45 trillion to N1.35 trillion, while domestic volumes surged. First-quarter turnover alone hit a record N4.148 trillion, an 85.9 per cent year-on-year jump.

According to quantitative researcher, Joshua Agbroko, of The Frontier Quant, the ownership structure shifted beneath the price rally. ‘This rally was funded by Nigerian pensions and asset managers, not offshore hot money,’ he said. Domestic institutional transactions reached N5.06 trillion in the first half, up 218.9 per cent from N1.59 trillion a year earlier.

The surge coincides with the end of Nigeria’s bank recapitalisation programme on March 31. The Central Bank confirmed that 33 of 37 banks met the new capital requirements, raising N4.65 trillion, of which 72.55 percent came from domestic sources. Pension fund equity limits were raised in tandem, creating structural demand for large-cap NGX stocks. Capital adequacy ratios now exceed Basel benchmarks. Unlike the 2020 retail-driven rally that later reversed with higher rates, this demand is policy-mandated rather than sentiment-driven.

The market that resulted is deeper in domestic capital yet narrower in composition. Stocks worth over one trillion naira (the SWOOT group) now hold roughly 91 per cent of total capitalisation. Their combined value rose N59.18 trillion during 2026, from N89.68 trillion to N148.86 trillion by late September-a 66 per cent gain that tracked the All-Share Index’s 61 percent rise. Concentration peaked at 91.71 per cent in April before easing slightly to 91.3 percent.

August offered an early test: total turnover fell 46.4 per cent month-on-month to N1.27 trillion, while foreign transactions dropped 53.2 per cent to N62.03 billion. September saw SWOOT valuations rebound by N4.54 trillion, but the episode showed the domestic base has yet to absorb a sustained foreign sell-off.

That test intensifies with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery IPO, open until 13 October. The offer of 4.1 billion shares at N525 targets N2.15 trillion and drew about N1.5 trillion on its first day. At offer price the refinery implies a N65.22 trillion market capitalisation-close to 29 per cent of an enlarged exchange-and would form an N83.5 trillion cluster with Dangote Cement and Sugar. First-half results showed revenue above $13.9 billion and $1.82 billion profit after tax.

Nigeria regained FTSE Russell Frontier Market status on 21 September, though MSCI still ranks it Standalone. Agbroko argues the real question for 2027 is whether the domestic institutional base built in 2026 can sustain the market once the one-time recapitalisation tailwind fades and the Dangote listing settles.

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that political parties that fielded candidates whose names were not on the membership registers submitted to the commission will not be allowed to contest in the 2027 general elections.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, disclosed this on Trust TV’s Daily Politics programme on Wednesday evening.

Haruna said the commission would take a final decision on the implications of the Supreme Court judgment by next week, noting that public anxiety has increased following the ruling.

‘Depending on circumstances, hopefully, we will definitely meet next week to be able to take a decision on this, because I know a lot of people are anxious, not just candidates themselves; even public are anxious. They want to know, given what way Supreme Court has strengthened our hands,’ he said.

The Supreme Court had in its September 24, 2026 judgment in INEC v Zenith Labour Party affirmed sections 77(5)-(7) of Electoral Act 2026 and upheld INEC’s revised timetable for 2027 elections.

Haruna said the judgment affirmed INEC’s position that parties must submit list of members at least three weeks before their primaries.

He said affected parties would not be allowed to substitute candidates, adding that parties should not benefit from violation of law.

‘Because that is what this (Judgment) has done, and said, yes, we are right to have insisted that, you know, any party that wants to contest must submit the list of its membership three weeks before their primaries. So, we need to really sit down…. but by next week, we should be able to take a decision.’

When told that the danger inherent in the judgment was that some of the parties might substitute and submit new candidates, Haruna said: ‘It’s too late to do anything. The party won’t even be able to contest. It’s like you committed an offence and then you come and benefit from it. You remember cases that we had in Zamfara, you remember Plateau? Same thing,’ he said.

‘It’s like you committed an offence. And then, you come and benefit from it. You remember cases that we had of some in Zamfara, you remember Plateau? The same thing.

‘The parties, because they did the wrong thing, they thought they could now steal through the candidates.

‘And the law was very clear. Once you do that kind of thing, you cannot benefit from it. You are benefiting from it if you are able to substitute a candidate,’ he said.

According to him, depending on when the commission concludes its review, some political parties may be unable to field candidates for some elective positions.

‘So, what it means is that, you know,… when we looked at the law, and… taking a decision, some parties may not be able to field even governorship candidates, or all the candidates, all the way to the Houses of Assembly, if their names are not on the party register, they were not members of the party, as at the time that they contested for those tickets,’ Haruna said.

Haruna explained that delay in pronouncement was due to need to obtain Certified True Copy (CTC) of judgment and legal advice, noting that forged judgments had been presented in past.

‘You can’t be too careful with these things because even when you see copies and they tell you it’s CTC, it may be forged. We’ve seen instances where people have even gone, have audacity to forge a Supreme Court judgment. So we have to be very careful,’ he said.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, had earlier on Tuesday disclosed that 112 formal complaints on unlawful withdrawal and substitution were investigated and resolved except those pending in court, adding that commission received CTC of Supreme Court judgment on Tuesday morning.

Under revised timetable, INEC fixed presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Party primaries were scheduled to hold between April 23 and May 30, 2026, while submission of candidate nominations is from June 27 to July 11, 2026.

A suspected Ebola case that became Kenya’s first confirmed infection travelled through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda before arriving in Nairobi, where the patient later died, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has disclosed.

The Director-General of Africa CDC, Dr Jean Kaseya, who made the disclosure at a virtual press briefing on continental Ebola preparedness and response, said the development underscored the urgent need for stronger cross-border surveillance, information-sharing and preparedness across Africa.

Kaseya said the patient had moved through several locations in the DRC before crossing into Uganda on October 1 through the Kasindi border. From Uganda, the patient travelled to Kampala and Entebbe before departing Entebbe Airport on October 3.

The patient arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, at about 1:10 p.m. on October 3 aboard JumboJet flight 8523 and was taken directly to Nairobi Hospital by a family member.

According to Kaseya, the patient presented with fever, sore throat, muscle pain and bleeding from injection sites, with bleeding later reported around the jaw.

Healthcare workers became suspicious of Ebola because of the symptoms and the patient’s travel history. A sample was collected and sent to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), where it tested positive on October 5.

The patient died at about 11:30 p.m. the same day, while a safe and dignified burial was conducted on October 6.

Kaseya said the DRC, Uganda and Kenya were working together to reconstruct the patient’s movements and identify people who may have been exposed.

He stressed, however, that Kenya was not yet experiencing an Ebola outbreak, describing the situation as an imported case.

‘It becomes an outbreak when we start seeing local transmission,’ he said.

Following confirmation of the case, Kenya activated its Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and national Ebola response plan, while a national task force led by the Ministry of Health began contact identification and follow-up.

Kaseya said Kenya had invested in Ebola preparedness for more than three months following the outbreak in the DRC, with Africa CDC supporting simulation exercises as well as biosafety and biosecurity training.

He said those investments had enabled the country to detect and respond rapidly to the imported case.

Meanwhile, the Ebola outbreak in the DRC has continued to expand, with more than 8,700 cases reported, including over 4,200 confirmed cases and more than 4,200 deaths.

Kaseya described it as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded and the largest Ebola outbreak in the DRC, stating that 266 healthcare workers had been infected, with 50 deaths recorded among them.

The outbreak, which began in mid-May with eight cases and four deaths across three health zones, has now spread to 64 health zones in seven provinces.

Kaseya said recent declines in reported cases should be interpreted cautiously because insecurity and community resistance had affected response operations and data collection.

He called for secure humanitarian corridors and ceasefires in affected areas to enable Africa CDC, the World Health Organisation and other partners to intensify response activities.

He also disclosed that about 70 per cent of deaths reported in the latest week occurred in communities rather than health facilities, stressing the need for stronger community engagement, awareness and active case-finding.

Kaseya said contact follow-up was being reported at about 82 per cent, but warned that the figure might not accurately reflect the situation because of uncertainties around the number of contacts being identified.

He said the number of contacts per Ebola case had risen from fewer than 10 at the beginning of the outbreak to about 24 currently, while effective contact tracing remained around 40 per cent, far below the 95 per cent target.

On vaccines and treatment, Kaseya said 654 volunteers had been recruited for a therapeutic trial involving monoclonal antibody treatment for severe Ebola cases.

He added that 437 people had been recruited for an interim analysis of obelisvir as post-exposure prophylaxis among contacts.

About 70,000 doses of Ervebo had been allocated to the DRC, while more than 7,700 healthcare and frontline workers had been vaccinated under the approved protocol.

Kaseya said vaccine and therapeutic trials involving ChAdOx and Moderna were also advancing in Uganda and other countries.

He said funding pledges following the G20 meeting had reached about $2.9 billion to support the DRC response and preparedness in neighbouring countries, adding that some bilateral funding could support Kenya’s response.

Kaseya further urged travellers to disclose symptoms and possible exposure to Ebola at points of entry, warning against using antipyretic drugs to suppress fever before travelling.

He said early presentation for treatment was associated with better outcomes, while delays could worsen the chances of survival.

The Africa CDC chief also commended Kenya for rapidly diagnosing and publicly declaring the case, saying transparency was essential to protecting neighbouring countries.

He urged the public to rely on official information and reject conspiracy theories surrounding the declaration of the case.

Kaseya said the patient’s movement across three countries demonstrated why African countries must strengthen surveillance, screening and information-sharing at borders to prevent imported infections from becoming sustained local transmission.

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has commended the Oyo Sugar and Derivatives Industries Limited (OSDL) for the development of the N1.64 billion sugar factory in Iseyin, Oyo State.

NSDC noted that the 300 tonnes-per-day (TCD) greenfield sugar mill is developed under the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), representing one of the few new sugar factories to emerge from the plan’s Backward Integration Programme.

In a statement by the Executive Secretary, Karma Bakrin, the factory has reached commissioning and test-running stage, ‘a milestone that brings to fruition over a decade of financial, technical and institutional support by the council.

‘The council commends the promoters and farming communities of Iseyin, Oyo State, for taking this project from a cooperative farming venture to an operational factory,’ it stated.

‘The Council funded the procurement of the factory’s core 300 TCD sugar mill at a cost of approximately ?1.64 billion and, as development progressed, provided additional funding for cane development and operational support – bringing its total financial commitment to approximately ?2.2 billion.’

In the statement, Bakrin said the Oyo State Government contributed an estimated ?850 million in equity funding towards the completion of outstanding works.

‘That this factory now stands ready for commissioning is the result of sustained commitment – by the Council, by the Oyo State Government and by the promoters themselves. Our work does not end here. The NSDC will remain engaged as OSDL moves into full-scale commercial production, and we expect this project to serve as proof that Nigeria’s sugar sector can be built on locally grown cane,’ the statement noted.

The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (Pi-CNG and EV) has said the Federal Government has introduced a transport palliative to cushion the burden of high transportation costs on university students.

The Executive Chairman of Pi-CNG and EV, Ismaeel Ahmed, disclosed this on Thursday during an awareness campaign on the initiative at Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

Ahmed, who was represented by the Manager, Investor Relations, Pi-CNG and EV, Louisa Afu, said the initiative, known as Compressed Natural Gas – Special Palliative Relief on University Transportation (CNG-SPROUT), was designed to provide affordable and eco-friendly transportation for students.

He said the initiative was in line with the mandate of President Bola Tinubu to promote cleaner and more affordable mobility across the country.

‘We are not just here to talk about clean mobility but, most importantly, to bring affordable transportation closer to you.

‘Transportation is an important part of everyday life for students and staff of universities, and when the cost of transportation is high, it affects everyone.

‘This is one of the reasons why Project SPROUT was developed, in alignment with Mr President’s mandate,’ he said.

Ahmed said the project was a university-focused clean and affordable mobility programme being implemented through a partnership involving FEMADEC Energy, MDGIF and Pi-CNG and EV.

He said the programme would provide affordable transportation solutions through the establishment of CNG refuelling stations, vehicle conversion centres and the phased deployment of CNG-powered buses and tricycles to participating institutions.

According to him, the initiative is aimed at making transportation within and around university campuses more accessible and affordable.

He added that another component of the project was to incorporate CNG conversion training into the university curriculum to equip students with relevant technical skills.

Earlier, the Dean of Student Affairs, BUK, Prof. Mukhtar Ibrahim-Bunza, commended the Federal Government for introducing the initiative.

Ibrahim-Bunza said the programme would provide much-needed relief to students by reducing the burden of transportation costs.

He assured that the university would judiciously utilise the facilities provided under the initiative.

The Rivers State Government has urged youths across the state to take advantage of the ongoing Nigerian Army recruitment exercise to build careers in the military and contribute to national development.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Dagogo Wokoma, made the call during an interactive meeting between representatives of the Nigerian Army, traditional rulers and youth leaders from the 23 local government areas of the state on Friday.

Wokoma said joining the military offered young people opportunities to acquire valuable skills, advance their education and prepare for positions of greater responsibility.

He noted that the future strength and effectiveness of the military depended largely on the quality of young men and women recruited into its ranks.

‘Today’s recruits and junior officers are the senior commanders and leaders of tomorrow. Young people who join the military have the opportunity to build impactful careers that positively affect their families, communities and the nation,’ he said.

Also speaking, the leader of the sensitisation team from the Army Headquarters, Abuja, Brigadier-General B. U. Ugbaji, urged Rivers youths to participate in the recruitment exercise and contribute to the development of the country.

Ugbaji said President Bola Tinubu had mandated the recruitment of 28,000 personnel, stressing the need for eligible youths in Rivers State to take advantage of the opportunity to ensure that the state’s recruitment quota was fully utilised.

He expressed concern over the declining representation of the region in the military, warning that failure to participate in the exercise could further reduce its presence in the institution.

‘As important as other vocations are, it is important that we take our place in the affairs of the state. The quota from this region is reducing. In the future, we may not have representatives,’ he stated.

The Army officer urged interested candidates to meet the required qualifications and apply for the ongoing 92 Regular Recruit Intake for tradesmen and non-tradesmen and women.

He added that the military offered opportunities for educational advancement and career progression to personnel who joined its ranks.

Responding on behalf of traditional rulers, the Gbenemene and Kasimene of Ancient Bangh Kingdom VIII, HRM King Suanu T. U. Baridam, pledged that monarchs would return to their respective communities to sensitise youths about the recruitment exercise.

The meeting also provided an opportunity for youth representatives from the 23 local government areas to seek clarification on the recruitment process.

The online application for the exercise closes on October 21, 2026, while interested candidates have been advised to apply through the Nigerian Army’s official recruitment portal, recruitment.army.mil.ng.

The Federal Government has warned that poor sleep poses serious risks to public health and road safety, calling for increased investment in sleep medicine, specialist training, diagnostic facilities and research across Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Kachollom Daju, gave the warning in a goodwill address delivered on his behalf by the Deputy Director, Clinical Services and Diagnostics, Dr Adebayo Olufemi, at the inaugural annual meeting and scientific conference of the African Sleep Medicine Network in Abuja.

Daju said sleep health could no longer be treated as a peripheral issue because of its links to non-communicable diseases, mental health, maternal and child health, occupational health and road safety.

He identified obstructive sleep apnoea, insomnia, narcolepsy and circadian rhythm disorders among the conditions requiring greater attention from policymakers, healthcare professionals and researchers.

According to him, untreated sleep disorders have consequences beyond individual patients, contributing to road crashes, impaired learning among children and reduced productivity.

‘Sleep health therefore cuts across non-communicable diseases, mental health, maternal and child health, occupational health and road safety,’ he said.

Daju described sleep medicine as an emerging field in Africa and called for research that reflects the realities of African populations, environments and living conditions.

He listed noise, overcrowding, heat, shift work and economic stress among the factors that can interfere with healthy sleep.

‘We cannot plan well for what we have not measured,’ he said, stressing the need for reliable data on the prevalence and impact of sleep disorders in Nigeria and across Africa.

The Permanent Secretary called for stronger sleep laboratories and diagnostic facilities, increased specialist training and wider public awareness of sleep health.

He said research evidence would help the government determine the services, guidelines and training required to manage sleep disorders effectively at tertiary and other levels of healthcare.

Daju also urged greater collaboration among clinicians, researchers, policymakers and professional bodies to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in sleep medicine.

‘The knowledge shared at this Congress can help us to understand the burden of sleep disorders in Nigeria and across Africa and to decide what services, guidelines and training are needed in our tertiary hospitals and at other levels of care,’ he said.

He urged Nigerians to recognise sleep as an essential component of healthy living, alongside proper nutrition, exercise and avoidance of tobacco.

Daju described public education on sleep health as a potentially low-cost, high-impact intervention that could complement efforts to prevent and control non-communicable diseases and promote mental well-being.

Also speaking, the FCT Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, pledged that the Federal Capital Territory Administration would integrate sleep health awareness into its non-communicable disease programme.

Fasawe, who was represented by the Director of Clinical Services and Diagnostics, Dr Osayande Osagie, said the initiative was part of efforts to address the growing burden of lifestyle-related and chronic diseases in the territory.

She said the administration would encourage healthcare professionals to screen patients for sleep disorders and support partnerships aimed at establishing sleep laboratories and expanding training opportunities in hospitals across the FCT.

Fasawe said poor sleep was associated with several conditions placing significant pressure on the health system, including hypertension, diabetes, stroke, heart failure, obesity, anxiety and depression.

She also highlighted the wider consequences of undiagnosed sleep disorders, noting that a sleep-deprived driver could cause a road crash, while a child with undiagnosed sleep apnoea could suffer poor academic performance.

She further noted that sleep-disordered breathing could have serious implications for pregnant women, including its association with complications such as pre-eclampsia.

The Mandate Secretary expressed concern that, despite the health consequences of sleep disorders, sleep medicine remained under-recognised in medical education, clinical practice and health training across Africa.

The President of the Nigerian Sleep Society and the Nigerian Society of Neurological Sciences, Prof. Morenike Komolafe, called for stronger continental collaboration, research and mentorship to advance sleep medicine and give Africa a stronger voice in global sleep health.

Komolafe said the inauguration of the African Sleep Medicine Network marked a significant milestone in efforts to bring African professionals together to address the continent’s sleep-health challenges and strengthen its contribution to global scientific discourse.

She said African countries had for years lacked a strong collective voice on the global sleep-health stage, making the establishment of the network particularly significant.

According to her, a multidisciplinary approach was essential because sleep health cuts across several areas of healthcare and requires expertise beyond medicine alone.

Komolafe also called for greater investment in research involving African populations, noting that evidence from the continent remained insufficient to fully understand and address its unique sleep-health challenges.

The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the 2026 African Sleep Medicine Network Conference, Prof. Kolawole Mosaku, called for stronger coordination among health professionals, researchers and other stakeholders to advance sleep health across Africa.

Mosaku said the conference was designed to promote knowledge-sharing, professional development and collaboration while translating scientific evidence into practical approaches for improving sleep health and healthcare delivery.