Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Russia has pledged to deepen its economic partnership with African countries through increased investment technology transfer and capacity building in strategic sectors including energy agriculture artificial intelligence (AI) food security and digital infrastructure. The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Russian Presidential Executive Office Dr Maxim Oreshkin made the commitment at the Russia-Africa Forum Partners Hub meeting in Moscow ahead of the third Russia-Africa Summit scheduled for October 28 and 29.

Oreshkin said Moscow was seeking long-term partnerships to strengthen African economies promote national sovereignty develop local industries and unlock the continent’s economic potential through mutually beneficial projects. He explained that Russia’s proposed cooperation would extend beyond infrastructure construction to include workforce development local manufacturing knowledge transfer and greater participation by African companies in strategic investments.

According to him sustainable economic partnerships must reflect the priorities cultural realities and development aspirations of participating countries rather than rely on externally imposed solutions. He maintained that this approach would enable African countries to build productive capacity strengthen technological expertise and gain greater economic benefits from their natural and human resources. Oreshkin said Russia remained committed to expanding trade and investment relations with Africa despite the challenges arising from Western sanctions against Moscow.

He identified Africa and South Asia as key regions in Russia’s efforts to diversify its international economic relationships expressing confidence that stronger cooperation could open new markets attract investment and help solve shared development challenges. On energy development Oreshkin described access to affordable reliable electricity as fundamental to industrialisation digital transformation and improved living standards. ‘Affordable and reliable energy are the foundation of industrialisation digitisation and a higher quality of life which Russia has’ he said.

He said Russia was prepared to work with African governments and relevant institutions to develop long-term energy strategies tailored to their resources infrastructure and growing electricity demand. He explained that the proposed partnerships would cover conventional energy sources liquefied natural gas hydropower renewable energy and nuclear power with an emphasis on building local expertise and supporting domestic industries.

Oreshkin stressed that energy cooperation should not be limited to delivering standalone infrastructure projects but should also strengthen national institutions develop skilled personnel and create opportunities for local companies. He cited Russia’s involvement in Egypt’s nuclear power development valued at approximately $25 billion as an example of an investment model that includes infrastructure construction workforce training scientific research and related industries including nuclear medicine.

Highlighting Africa’s persistent electricity deficit he noted that about 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lacked access to electricity. He said addressing the challenge would require sustained investment in generation transmission and distribution infrastructure to support industrial development economic growth and access to essential services. Turning to agriculture and food security Oreshkin advocated comprehensive cooperation to increase agricultural productivity improve fisheries and livestock production and strengthen logistics and supply chains.

He said Russia was willing to share agricultural technologies and expertise in crop cultivation livestock management and the application of mineral fertilisers to help African countries increase domestic food production. He added that Russian businesses were also interested in investing in Africa’s agricultural sector through joint ventures and partnerships that would support local production processing and international trade. Beyond helping African countries increase production Oreshkin identified significant opportunities for expanding agricultural exports to the Russian market. He listed fruits nuts vegetables coffee cocoa tea spices vegetable oils oilseeds fish and seafood among products African countries could supply to Russia.

Citing figures from his address he said Russia’s food imports were valued at about $43 billion in 2025 with African countries accounting for about eight per cent of the market. He said the relatively small share indicated opportunities for African producers to increase their presence through improved productivity stronger supply chains and investment partnerships with Russian companies. Oreshkin maintained that Russia was prepared to support balanced agricultural trade arrangements that would provide greater market access for African products while strengthening food security and domestic agricultural industries.

He also identified effective water-resource management as a key component of agricultural development saying Russian technologies could help African countries identify water resources monitor water quality and improve their use for farming and other productive activities. On artificial intelligence and digital technology the Russian official called for partnerships that would enable African countries to develop technological solutions that reflect their languages cultures and historical experiences.

He cited Yandex a Russian technology company and its AI assistant Alice as examples of locally adapted digital technologies capable of responding to specific linguistic and cultural needs. He said similar innovations could be developed across Africa through collaboration among domestic technology companies universities researchers and other specialists. Oreshkin also emphasised digital sovereignty arguing that African countries should strengthen their capacity to manage national data information systems and digital platforms. He warned that excessive reliance on foreign-owned technological platforms could expose countries to economic vulnerabilities including the transfer of valuable data and digital revenues beyond their jurisdictions.

He said Russia was willing to collaborate with African partners to develop domestic digital capabilities improve cybersecurity and train professionals equipped to manage emerging technologies. The Russian official reiterated that knowledge transfer local participation and developing skilled personnel should remain central to cooperation across sectors. However African participants at the meeting stressed that the success of the proposed partnerships would depend largely on their ability to deliver practical benefits particularly in education youth development and institutional capacity building.

Speaking during the discussions the Chancellor of the University of Limpopo and former Chairperson of the African Union Commission Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma urged Russia to place greater emphasis on developing the skills and capabilities of Africa’s young population. She said youth empowerment and capacity building were essential to preparing the continent’s future workforce to participate meaningfully in economic transformation and emerging industries. Dlamini-Zuma maintained that Africa could realise its development ambitions only if young people had relevant knowledge technical expertise and opportunities to contribute to productive economic activities. She therefore called for stronger educational and professional development programmes within the proposed Russia-Africa cooperation framework.

Similarly Kaduna University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Abdullahi Musa called for a clear action plan to translate commitments into measurable development outcomes. Musa argued that education must be central to the partnership particularly to advance cooperation in agriculture artificial intelligence human rights and security. ‘If we are to move forward in terms of agriculture artificial intelligence human rights and security you have to prioritise education’ he said.

He expressed concern that the proposed areas of cooperation did not sufficiently address the role of universities and other educational institutions in driving research innovation and skills development. ‘You have not mentioned the role of education and the part universities can play in line with global development plan’ he added. Musa stressed that meaningful technological cooperation would require sustained collaboration among universities research institutions industries and governments to build the expertise needed to implement agreed projects. He maintained that educational institutions should be directly involved in designing and executing programmes relating to agriculture digital technology security and other development priorities.

The meeting also featured a panel discussion on developing cooperation in the modern era with participants examining new platforms and approaches for strengthening economic and institutional relationships between Russia and African countries. Discussions centred on expanding investment opportunities promoting technology transfer strengthening institutional collaboration and developing practical mechanisms to implement proposed agreements.

While Russia outlined opportunities for deeper engagement across key sectors African participants stressed the need to ensure these partnerships move beyond diplomatic declarations and deliver measurable economic and social benefits. As the third Russia-Africa Summit approaches attention is expected to focus on whether the proposed cooperation can produce concrete investment commitments and strengthen local productive capacity and create sustainable opportunities for Africa’s growing population. The broader challenge for both sides will be to establish partnerships that not only expand trade and investment but also strengthen African institutions develop domestic expertise and support long-term economic transformation.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday declared that his administration is steadily rewriting Nigeria’s decades-long history of economic underperformance insisting that the difficult reforms undertaken since he assumed office are beginning to yield results in economic growth investment inflows manufacturing and diversification.

The President said his administration had begun the difficult task of dismantling longstanding structural barriers that prevented Nigeria from realising its enormous economic potential stressing that the reforms were restoring investor confidence strengthening the country’s economic foundations and creating opportunities for sustainable growth productive employment and shared prosperity.

Speaking at the opening of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima Tinubu maintained that the administration’s decision to undertake far-reaching economic reforms was informed by the understanding that Nigeria could not achieve sustainable prosperity without first addressing the structural weaknesses that had constrained its development for decades.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications Office of the Vice President Stanley Nkwocha Tinubu acknowledged that the reforms began with difficult decisions but insisted that there was no shortcut to economic recovery explaining that stabilising the economy was a necessary foundation for creating jobs attracting investment and improving the livelihoods of Nigerians.

‘Distinguished ladies and gentlemen we came to rewrite the story of a nation that has performed below its potential for far too long. But there is no shortcut to economic growth. This is why we began with a difficult reset. For us rescuing the economy means rescuing livelihoods and transforming the fortunes of young jobseekers farmers manufacturers entrepreneurs and innovators.

‘We cannot harness the immense opportunities offered by our growing population without first stabilising the economy. We must also create the conditions for the public and private sectors to invest expand and generate productive employment’ he said.

The President noted that the summit’s theme ‘Growth That Works: Delivering Jobs Productivity and Shared Prosperity’ reflected his administration’s determination to translate economic reforms into tangible improvements in the living conditions of Nigerians.

According to him the government had initiated reforms to remove structural impediments that had prevented the country’s abundant human and natural resources from producing commensurate economic prosperity.

‘These reforms are restoring confidence strengthening our economic foundations and laying the groundwork for sustainable growth’ Tinubu declared.

Assessing the administration’s economic performance the President cited figures from the National Bureau of Statistics showing that Nigeria’s inflation-adjusted Gross Domestic Product grew by 3.89 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 up from 3.13 per cent in the corresponding period of 2025.

He said the non-oil sector accounted for 96.08 per cent of GDP during the period while manufacturing expanded by 3.29 per cent and the oil sector recorded 2.57 per cent growth describing the figures as evidence of progress in the administration’s economic recovery and diversification efforts.

Tinubu also disclosed that capital importation into Nigeria rose significantly to $10.37 billion in the first quarter of 2026 up 83.83 per cent from the same period last year.

He said the inflows comprising portfolio investments and foreign direct investment demonstrated renewed confidence in the Nigerian economy and the government’s policy direction.

‘In the first quarter of 2026 our capital importation reached $10.37 billion an increase of 83.83% over the corresponding period in 2025. This comprised both portfolio and foreign direct investment. We will therefore continue to ease regulatory burdens strengthen transparency and policy predictability and expand access to finance’ he said.

The President however cautioned that the administration’s economic programme must ultimately be measured beyond favourable economic statistics stressing that growth must translate into better jobs increased productivity and improved living standards.

He observed that creating employment opportunities was only part of the challenge noting that Nigeria must also improve job quality reduce underemployment and fully harness the potential of its largely underutilised workforce.

‘Our pursuit of prosperity demands greater productivity from every worker enterprise and investment. We must judge infrastructure by the economic activity it generates and education by the skills and productivity it delivers.

‘We must judge industrial policy by the competitiveness of our firms and investment incentives by the capital technology exports and jobs they attract’ he stated.

Tinubu explained that the administration’s tax reforms were designed to establish a modern equitable and predictable system that can finance development while giving businesses the certainty needed for long-term investment.

He said the same policy discipline was guiding interventions in critical sectors including electricity agriculture energy and solid minerals.

In the electricity sector the President said the government was restructuring the market to improve power supply and attract investment across generation transmission distribution and alternative energy.

On agriculture he said efforts were intensifying to connect farms with storage facilities processing centres and markets while expanding irrigation mechanisation agricultural financing and rural infrastructure.

He added that the administration was equally determined to transform the solid minerals sector from its traditional dependence on raw material extraction into a competitive industry driven by domestic processing manufacturing and exports.

Tinubu acknowledged that considerable work remained despite the progress recorded expressing confidence that young Nigerians’ creativity and global competitiveness in technology financial services and the creative industries could be harnessed to accelerate national development.

Speaking at the summit United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Amina Mohammed acknowledged the gains recorded under the administration’s economic reforms but urged the government to consolidate and stabilise the progress while effectively managing public expectations.

She also commended the African Development Bank for its emerging development financing architecture particularly its emphasis on programmes capable of producing measurable development outcomes across the continent.

In his presentation the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr. Taiwo Oyedele unveiled the proposed Nigerian Economic Policy Framework describing it as a national economic doctrine intended to guide economic decision-making and establish credible standards for measuring progress.

Oyedele invited members of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and other private sector experts to rigorously scrutinise the proposed framework using facts and evidence to strengthen its provisions.

He identified enterprise development open but fair markets and whole-of-government policy coherence as guiding principles while listing economic stability human capital development and productivity among its major priorities.

Earlier the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf commended the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the business environment noting that the administration’s reforms had fundamentally altered important aspects of the country’s economic structure.

He argued that the priority should now be to stabilise and consolidate the reforms rather than reverse them challenging participants to develop practical solutions that would translate policy consensus into employment creation higher productivity and shared prosperity.

Also speaking BUA Group Chairman and Founder Abdul Samad Rabiu praised Tinubu’s economic reforms saying they were beginning to resolve longstanding difficulties businesses in Nigeria face.

While acknowledging the economic hardship ordinary Nigerians face Rabiu highlighted improvements in access to foreign exchange which he said have brought greater predictability to business operations.

‘For many years one of the greatest challenges facing businesses was access to foreign exchange. You could have all the naira but be unable to obtain the foreign exchange needed to buy raw materials and machinery’ he recalled.

The summit attracted prominent government officials development partners and private sector leaders including Governors Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State and Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Senator Abubakar Bagudu; Minister of Industry Trade and Investment Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Livestock Development Idi Mukhtar Maiha; and Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite.

The 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit focuses on practical strategies to translate economic growth and policy reforms into productive employment greater national competitiveness and shared prosperity for Nigerians.

Actress and filmmaker Wumi Toriola has urged schools and parents to take extra precautions amid the intense heat currently experienced in parts of the country.

Toriola made the call in a post shared via her Instagram page on Monday.

The actress speaking as a concerned mother appealed to schools to put measures in place to protect pupils from the harsh weather.

She also advised parents to increase the amount of water in their children’s water bottles and to remind them to stay hydrated and dress lightly.

She wrote: ‘As a concerned mother I appeal to our schools to take extra precautions during this period of intense heat.

‘And parents increase their water bottles add extra water remind them to hydrate well and dress light.

‘Just a reminder as we enter a new week.’

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has urged African nations to aggressively prioritise investment in research-intensive universities science and technology to unlock sustainable economic growth and achieve true economic sovereignty across the continent.

?Speaking on Sunday during the closing panel of the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa held in Bahir Dar Ethiopia Jonathan warned that Africa can no longer afford to remain a passive consumer of foreign technologies. Instead he argued the continent must position itself as an active producer and exporter of knowledge and innovation.

?Addressing African leaders policymakers and international stakeholders the former president stressed that the continent’s ability to create productive jobs for its rapidly growing youth population hinges on its capacity to translate academic research into viable industrial and commercial ventures.

?Jonathan described research-intensive universities as critical engines of national development highlighting their pivotal role in generating knowledge conducting scientific research and training advanced skills

?’Africa’s transformation and economic sovereignty must be built on African knowledge driven by African ingenuity and sustained by African enterprise’ Jonathan declared during the panel discussion.

?He pointed to Asian and global economic success stories-specifically India Singapore and South Korea-as clear evidence that sustained state investment in scientific and technological infrastructure can transform developing economies into global industrial powerhouses.

?He said African governments must learn from these nations by channelling dedicated funding into science engineering digital technologies and applied research.

He advocated for a stronger formalised synergy between universities government agencies and the private sector.

?He noted that closer ties between higher institutions and industry would ensure research findings directly yield homegrown solutions spur new commercial enterprises and generate employment opportunities tailored to Africa’s unique socio-economic challenges.

?Highlighting the continent’s demographic advantage Jonathan emphasised that Africa’s large youth population is its most valuable resource for long-term transformation. However he cautioned that this potential can only be realised if governments deliberately create the enabling environment for young people to acquire advanced technical skills and pursue entrepreneurial innovation.

?He called on leaders to equip the younger generation with the tools needed not only to participate in the evolving global economy but to influence its direction actively

?The Tana High-Level Forum is an annual platform that brings together African heads of state experts and civil society leaders to address pressing security governance and development challenges facing the continent. Jonathan’s submission firmly placed educational reform and scientific sovereignty at the heart of Africa’s security and economic agenda.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will release the final voter register to political parties on December 15 it was learnt yesterday.

A source said the commission had begun cleaning up the register following feedback from members of the public.

INEC displayed the register at Registration Area Centres (RACs) across the country 92 days before next year’s election in accordance with the Electoral Act.

The law stipulates that the register must be displayed not later than 90 days before the election.

The source said: ‘INEC had pasted the register for claims and objections.’

The source added that the feedback had been substantial.

The source said: ‘The voter register was pasted at the Registration Area Centres for people to check for discrepancies make comments and identify dead voters those who have relocated and possibly detect those who may be underage voters.

‘It was done for seven days. The discrepancies also involved minor mistakes such as those who are male but were recorded as female.

‘INEC conducted its findings made corrections and expunged the names that should not be there.’

The source said some people had continued to complain about the method used to display the register.

While some expected the register to be published on INEC’s website the commission displayed it at the RACs.

The source clarified that ‘not posting it on the INEC website does not invalidate what we have done’.

The source added: ‘Nigerians want perfection. There is no perfect electoral system in the world.’

Following the removal of some names after claims and objections across the country the final register may fall slightly below the 103 million voters announced by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has urged African nations to prioritise investment in research-intensive universities science and technology to unlock sustainable economic growth and achieve true economic sovereignty across the continent.

Jonathan spoke yesterday during the closing panel of the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa held in Bahir Dar Ethiopia.

The former President warned that Africa could no longer afford to remain a passive consumer of foreign technologies. Instead he argued that the continent must position itself as an active producer and exporter of knowledge and innovation.

Addressing African leaders policymakers and international stakeholders Jonathan noted that the continent’s ability to create productive jobs for its rapidly growing youth population depends on its capacity to translate academic research into viable industrial and commercial ventures.

The former President described research-intensive universities as critical engines of national development highlighting their pivotal role in knowledge generation scientific research and advanced skills training.

‘Africa’s transformation and economic sovereignty must be built on African knowledge driven by African ingenuity and sustained by African enterprise’ he said.

Jonathan cited Asian and global economic success stories-specifically citing India Singapore and South Korea-as clear evidence of how sustained state investment in scientific and technological infrastructure can transform developing economies into global industrial powerhouses.

According to him African governments must draw lessons from these nations by channeling dedicated funding into science engineering digital technologies and applied research.

He called for a stronger and formalised synergy among universities government agencies and the private sector.

Establishing closer ties between higher institutions and industry he noted would ensure that research findings directly yield homegrown solutions spur new commercial enterprises and generate employment opportunities tailored to Africa’s unique socio-economic challenges.

Highlighting the continent’s demographic advantage Jonathan stressed that Africa’s large youth population represents its most valuable resource for long-term transformation.

But he cautioned that this potential could only be realised if governments deliberately create the enabling environment for young people to acquire advanced technical skills and pursue entrepreneurial innovation.

He urged African leaders to equip the younger generation with the tools needed not only to participate in the evolving global economy but to actively influence its direction.

The Tana High-Level Forum is an annual platform that brings together African heads of state experts and civil society leaders to address pressing security governance and development challenges facing the continent. Jonathan’s submission firmly placed educational reform and scientific sovereignty at the heart of Africa’s security and economic agenda.

The Federal Government has released N38.93 billion to 166 public tertiary institutions across the country to improve infrastructure and provide better facilities for teaching and learning.

The intervention under the NEEDS Assessment Revitalisation Fund covers 79 universities 46 polytechnics and 41 colleges of education with the money earmarked for approved projects to address critical infrastructure shortages and other identified needs.

The Head of Media at the Federal Ministry of Finance Mrs. Efe Ovuakporie announced this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

She said the funds would enable the beneficiary institutions to begin or continue approved projects designed to improve their facilities and strengthen their capacity to provide quality education.

A breakdown of the disbursement shows that universities received the largest share of N28.5 billion allocated to 79 institutions. The 46 polytechnics are to receive a combined N5.8 billion while 41 colleges of education have been allocated N4.7 billion.

The intervention forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address the funding and infrastructure needs of public universities and implement measures agreed upon with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The agreement contained in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the government and the university lecturers’ union provides a framework for addressing issues affecting public university education.

The latest disbursement is expected to help beneficiary institutions tackle infrastructure deficiencies and improve the facilities available to students and lecturers.

According to the Finance Ministry effective cooperation among the Federal Ministry of Finance the Federal Ministry of Education and the beneficiary institutions is necessary to ensure that the money produces measurable improvements in the education sector.

The government is expected to ensure that the funds are applied to the approved projects so that the intervention delivers the intended benefits to the institutions and their students.

The ministy advised members of the public seeking details of the beneficiary institutions and their individual allocations to visit its official website www.finance.gov.ng.

All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat has said no division senatorial district constituency local government town and village will be left behind under his administration.

He said if elected in next year’s poll he would ensure inclusive governance.

Hamzat spoke when he visited the City Boy Movement Headquarters in Abuja where he had a good conversation about the shared vision for Lagos and the need to strengthen grassroots connections.

He said: ‘I appreciate the City Boy Movement’s energy and commitment to our shared goals. Progress comes from working together listening to different perspectives and staying focused on what matters most to our people.’

Hamzat added: ‘My hope for Lagos is a state where more people have the opportunity to succeed where every community feels the impact of development and where our work as leaders makes a real difference in people’s everyday lives.

‘There is still much to do and we can achieve more when we work together with a common purpose.’

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced that private-sector operators will handle 30 per cent of Nigeria’s Hajj operations in 2027 as part of a three-year phased transition arrangement secured with Saudi authorities.

The development was disclosed at a two-day professional capacity-building programme for licensed Hajj and Umrah tour operators held in Kano and Lagos aimed at strengthening operators’ preparedness regulatory compliance and service delivery ahead of the 2027 pilgrimage.

In a statement on Monday NAHCON’s Head of Information and Publications Division Shafii Sani Mohammed said the initiative was designed to prepare Nigerian operators for changes in the global Hajj industry particularly reforms driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the emerging business-to-business (B2B) model.

The two-day programme known as the Professional Certificate Programme in Hajj/Umrah Operations and Pilgrim Service Management is organised by the Hajj Institute of Nigeria (HIN) in collaboration with the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON) and the Hajj and Umrah Tour Operators Association of Nigeria (HUTON).

Declaring the programme open NAHCON Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ambassador Ismail Abba Yusuf said the training would equip operators with the professional knowledge and skills required to adapt to the evolving international pilgrimage management system.

He explained that the emerging B2B model was expected to shift more responsibility for Hajj pilgrim management to private-sector operators making professional competence accountability and effective regulatory oversight increasingly important.

Yusuf said the three-year transition arrangement would give Nigeria time to strengthen its regulatory framework and prepare licensed operators for their expanded responsibilities.

He urged participants to maintain high professional standards and ensure that commercial interests did not supersede pilgrims’ welfare.

‘The welfare of pilgrims must remain above commercial considerations’ the chairman emphasised reaffirming NAHCON’s commitment to professional certification digital transformation and effective regulation of the Hajj and Umrah industry.

Also speaking the Rector of the Hajj Institute of Nigeria Professor Muhammad Nasirudeen Maiturare described professional training as essential to modern pilgrimage management highlighting the need for operators to develop expertise in corporate governance risk management operational coordination and international service standards.

Maiturare also highlighted the institute’s academic initiatives to strengthen professional capacity in the sector including an MBA in Hajj Operations Management delivered in collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and a National Diploma in Hospitality and Hajj Management developed in partnership with the National Board for Technical Education.

The programme features sessions on professional ethics integrated operations management lessons from the 2026 Hajj leadership conflict resolution pilgrim welfare and collaboration with Saudi service providers.

According to NAHCON the capacity-building initiative is expected to improve operators’ readiness for the 2027 pilgrimage and support efforts to build a professional competitive and pilgrim-centred Hajj and Umrah industry in Nigeria.

The Commission’s phased transition plan places greater responsibility on licensed operators. Their preparedness adherence to regulatory standards and commitment to pilgrims’ welfare are expected to be critical to the successful implementation of the reforms.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has explained why the Federal Government approved the medical evacuation of Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola patient to Switzerland citing diplomatic considerations human rights and compliance with international health regulations as authorities identified a new suspected case linked to the patient.

The NCDC Director-General Dr Jide Idris disclosed on Monday on national television that the new suspected case involved an Uber driver who transported the index patient to an earlier hospital in Abuja before her diagnosis.

The DG said the development followed additional information obtained during contact tracing bringing the number of primary contacts identified in the outbreak to 54.

He said the patient a Swiss national who travelled from Uganda had tested positive for Ebola twice before being evacuated alongside her husband to Switzerland. Her husband however had tested negative.

Idris dismissed suggestions that the patient had been secretly removed from Nigeria explaining that the Swiss Embassy formally requested the evacuation which was approved after consultations with the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.

‘I won’t use the word ‘snuck out’. That’s a no-brainer. It is the first time something like that has happened’ he said.

According to him the government weighed public health risks international obligations and the patient’s rights before approving the transfer.

Authorities also ensured that infection prevention and control measures were maintained throughout the process from the hospital to the aircraft he said adding ‘There is an infection prevention and control guideline starting from the hospital where the patient was taken and that was maintained.

‘This was how the patient was protected.’

He added that the government was satisfied that appropriate arrangements had been made to receive the patient safely in Switzerland.

The NCDC chief maintained that the evacuation did not reflect a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system stressing that the country had competent infectious disease specialists and medical personnel capable of managing Ebola.

He said experts who helped contain the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Lagos had been mobilised to support the current response assess facilities and strengthen infection prevention and control practices.

Idris explained that although Nigerian doctors had stabilised the patient who reportedly developed multiple organ failure clinical improvement did not necessarily mean the virus had been cleared from her body.

‘The patient can remain positive because the virus is still in the blood. There are no drugs to deal with this virus’ he said referring to the absence of an established antiviral treatment specifically targeting the strain responsible for the outbreak.

Meanwhile the NCDC said contact tracing and surveillance remained critical despite evacuating the confirmed case.

Idris said health authorities were monitoring identified contacts for 21 days corresponding to Ebola’s maximum incubation period.

More than 40 contacts were in quarantine facilities in Abuja while six others were under home-based self-quarantine because their assessed risk was low he added.

According to him officials contacted those quarantined at home regularly checking their temperatures in the morning and evening.

He also disclosed that three people who were retested after developing symptoms or showing changes in their clinical condition returned negative results.

The agency clarified that Nigeria had no confirmed active Ebola case after the evacuation but warned that the risk would persist until it had monitored all contacts and investigated potential secondary exposures.

‘We are not out of the woods yet until we are sure that all the contacts have been followed up. Because the index case is out doesn’t mean that we don’t have an active positive case’ Idris said.

He urged anyone with information about possible exposure to contact the nearest public health facility or call the NCDC’s toll-free hotline 6232 which he said was available round the clock.

On the government’s reported plan to provide ?100000 weekly to people in quarantine Idris said support was being considered on compassionate grounds.

Some contacts complained that isolation prevented them from attending to their families and businesses and some threatened to leave quarantine facilities.

He said the government intervened to provide feeding accommodation and other essential support to encourage compliance with public health measures although quarantine facilities are ordinarily the responsibility of state governments.

Idris also said the government approved a ?10 billion intervention fund to strengthen preparedness and control measures for Ebola and other endemic diseases including Lassa fever.

The money would support personal protective equipment laboratory supplies surveillance contact tracing transportation and the rehabilitation of treatment and isolation centres.

Addressing public concerns about transmission he stressed that Ebola was not airborne and spread primarily through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials.

‘Transmission is not airborne. It is by touch by touch contact’ he said urging Nigerians to seek prompt medical attention if they developed symptoms particularly after possible exposure.

He also cautioned against relying on herbal preparations to prevent or cure the disease noting that their effectiveness against Ebola had not been established.

The NCDC chief further rejected suggestions that the outbreak could be used as a political weapon ahead of the 2027 general election.

‘We in the health sector will not use disease issues as a political weapon and there will not be any postponement of the election on the case of Ebola’ he said.

Nigeria’s response remains focused on surveillance contact tracing and preventing further transmission following the imported case.

Idris said authorities had been monitoring international developments including the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and would continue strengthening surveillance at ports of entry as investigations progressed.