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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sounded a global alarm over what it calls an ‘alarming new wave’ of nicotine addiction, this time driven by the growing use of e-cigarettes among children.

According to the UN health agency, children are now nine times more likely than adults to vape in countries where data is available. The organisation said tobacco companies are aggressively marketing e-cigarettes as ‘less harmful’ alternatives, while in reality, they are hooking a new generation on nicotine.

More than 100 million people around the world now use e-cigarettes, according to WHO’s first-ever global estimate, which includes at least 86 million adults and 15 million children aged 13 to 15.

‘E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction,’ said Etienne Krug, WHO Director of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention. ‘They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.’

Despite global tobacco use dropping from 1.38 billion users in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024, WHO says the tobacco industry is fighting back with ‘new nicotine products’ targeted at youth audiences through flashy packaging, flavours, and digital marketing.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that governments must move quickly to close regulatory gaps.

‘Millions are stopping or avoiding tobacco use thanks to control efforts,’ he said. ‘But the industry is fighting back with new products that threaten to undo years of progress. Governments must act faster and stronger.’

WHO’s Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, said smoking and vaping-related harms remain severe, noting that smoking kills over seven million people annually, while second-hand smoke claims more than one million lives.

He added that smoking damages ‘every single part of the body’ and described smoking indoors around children as ‘irresponsible and unacceptable.’

The WHO report, released Monday, comes amid renewed debates in several countries over regulating vaping products and protecting minors from targeted marketing.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, on Monday, arraigned an accountant, Oguibe Promise Nkwachukwu, and his firm, Wifamapp Royalty Global Limited, before Justice R.A. Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, over alleged theft of ?200 million belonging to Travelstar Web Logistics Limited.

Nkwachukwu, who served as the company’s accountant, faces a 13-count charge bordering on stealing, contrary to Sections 280(1)(b), (2)(f), and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

According to one of the counts, Nkwachukwu, being the alter ego of Wifamapp Royalty Global Limited, allegedly converted $36,000 belonging to Travelstar Web Logistics Limited to his personal use.

Another count accuses him of dishonestly converting an additional $156,000, both entrusted to him in his capacity as the firm’s accountant.

He pleaded ‘not guilty’ to all charges.

Prosecution counsel, A.A. Usman, subsequently requested a trial date and urged the court to remand the defendant at a correctional centre pending trial.

However, defence counsel, Kelvin C. Uzozie, informed the court of a pending bail application and pleaded that his client be remanded in EFCC custody instead.

After hearing both parties, Justice Oshodi adjourned the case to October 17, 2025, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.

The administration of Senate President Godswill Akpabio has been credited with spearheading a wave of legislative activity and reform initiatives that have, according to his media adviser, transformed the National Assembly into a catalyst for economic stability and national development.

Kenny Okolugbo, Media Consultant to the Senate President, outlined these accomplishments in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday. He stated that the 10th Senate, in just two years, had deliberated and passed over 90 bills, with 52 already assented to by President Bola Tinubu.

Describing this record as ‘unmatched in recent democratic history,’ Okolugbo attributed the Senate’s success to what he termed Akpabio’s ‘distinctive and result-oriented leadership approach.’

He said the legislature had played a central role in recalibrating fiscal policy, bolstering investor confidence, and promoting inclusive governance through well-considered legislative measures.

Among the Senate’s notable contributions, Okolugbo highlighted its interventions in stabilising the naira and tackling inflation, which has reportedly dropped to 20.12 per cent-reflecting a 4.23 per cent decrease over recent months.

‘Progress is being made. We may not have arrived, but the signs are promising,’ he stated.

Key Legislative Highlights

He cited the Student Loan Act as a landmark piece of legislation, providing access to interest-free education loans for underprivileged students-repayable only upon securing employment.

Another major milestone was the passage of the Tax Reform Bill, initially met with resistance but eventually passed to broaden the tax base while offering relief to low-income earners.

The Senate also passed the Minimum Wage Act, which doubled the existing wage rate and exempted minimum wage earners from personal income tax-a move widely praised by labour unions.

To address the issue of uneven development, Okolugbo said the Senate had enacted legislation establishing five Regional Development Commissions across the South-East, South-West, South-South, North-West, and North-Central zones.

‘These commissions aim to decentralise development, ensuring that every region benefits from targeted infrastructure and social investment,’ he added.

Forward Planning and Institutional Stability

Despite delays from the Executive in submitting the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper, the Senate, he noted, had proactively extended the implementation timelines for capital projects in the 2024 and 2025 budgets to avoid halting critical development efforts.

Looking ahead, he revealed that preparations are in motion for a National Security Summit to confront the underlying causes of insecurity nationwide. Meanwhile, revisions to the Electricity Act have been introduced to curtail arbitrary tariff increases and enhance regulatory accountability.

‘We cannot continue paying exorbitant rates for electricity we seldom receive,’ he remarked.

Okolugbo underscored that the Senate’s effectiveness should not be gauged by its confrontations with the Executive, but by its ability to collaborate and produce outcomes that improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

He further praised Senate President Akpabio’s pace and ambition, calling him ‘a man determined to deliver results swiftly.’

‘His track record as Governor of Akwa Ibom still stands tall. That same drive is evident in his leadership of the Senate,’ Okolugbo said.

He also commended Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin for ensuring legislative continuity in Akpabio’s absence, stating that the Senate’s operations have remained seamless and efficient under his coordination.

The sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) industry loves a good photograph. A group of people in bright shirts gather on a beach, collecting bottles into neat bags. The picture travels online, framed as proof of corporate care for the planet. In Nigeria, these companies are often celebrated, and they never tire of vaunting about their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Yet behind these green campaigns lies a harsher truth. The same corporations that present themselves as environmental saviours are among the largest drivers of ecosystem damage and worsening public health.

Plastic waste illustrates the scale of this contradiction. Nigeria is ranked the ninth-highest contributor to global plastic pollution, generating about 2.5 million tonnes every year, according to USAID. Of this, a staggering 88 percent goes unrecycled, threatening ecosystems, marine life, and public health. Lagos alone produces about 870,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, which accounts for 15 percent of the city’s total waste, with more than half reportedly dumped into the Atlantic Ocean. Much of this waste comes from single-use plastics, including the millions of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles churned out by the beverage industry.

Globally, multinational soda companies are consistently ranked among the world’s top plastic polluters. In 2018 alone, out of an estimated 445 billion litres of beverages sold in PET bottles, between 21 and 34 billion bottles entered oceans worldwide, equating to roughly 1.1 million metric tons of beverage-related waste. Beyond pollution, the production, transportation, and disposal of these bottles generate significant carbon footprint, aggravating climate change. Interestingly, rather than confront their outsized role, these companies routinely deflect responsibility, framing the crisis as a matter of consumer ‘littering’ instead of acknowledging their industrial-scale plastic dependency. And while beverage firms in Nigeria may promote recycling initiatives, the reality is that the country’s recycling capacity remains narrowly concentrated and grossly inadequate to confront the scale of its plastic waste.

The government has committed to increasing recycled PET content in bottles from the current 3 percent to 25 percent by 2029, an ambition tied to its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. Nigeria has already adopted EPR through national guidelines, and the soon-to-be-gazetted National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations is expected to expand this framework and make producer responsibility legally binding.

On paper, these rules require beverage and packaging companies to finance waste collection, recycling, and recovery through Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs). In practice, however, recycling facilities remain limited and clustered in a few urban centres, while many producers continue to treat compliance as optional. By contrast, France has enforced EPR since the 1990s and now recycles 67 percent of household packaging and 27 percent of plastics overall, which is clear evidence that robust enforcement, institutional oversight, and sustained infrastructure investment can deliver measurable results. Until Nigeria develops a comparable nationwide system-expanding infrastructure beyond a few cities, integrating the informal recycling economy, and compelling corporations to reduce single-use plastic at source-its recycling promises will remain largely rhetorical.

An equally pressing but often overlooked aspect of industry harm is the health impacts of SSBs. These products are closely linked with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular illnesses, which already account for nearly 29 percent of deaths in Nigeria. The economic burden of these diseases is staggering, with billions of naira channelled annually into healthcare costs for treatment and management.

International evidence shows that robust taxation can reduce SSB consumption. Studies across Asia and Africa report declines ranging from 2.5 percent to 19 percent, alongside product reformulations that lowered sugar content by up to 43.6 percent. One study found that reduced soft drink intake corresponded with up to a 32 percent lower risk of obesity. Yet, Nigeria’s SSB tax remains low at 10 Naira per litre, among the lowest in the world, and faces persistent industry pushback, which continues to limit its public health impact.

The evidence from other countries points to a clear path forward. Where governments have enforced strong pro-public health taxes alongside producer responsibility policies, both environmental and health outcomes have improved. France demonstrates what can be achieved with strict oversight and infrastructure investment, while places like Mexico and South Africa show that taxation can cut consumption and spur product reformulation.

Furthermore, EPR regimes have demonstrably nudged some producers toward lighter, more recyclable, and more reuse-friendly materials, setting the foundation for deeper change in production practice.

These lessons matter for Nigeria, where the twin crises of plastic pollution and diet-related diseases are stretching ecosystems and hospitals to their limits. Without decisive action, the green campaigns of the sugary beverage industry will remain little more than an effective veil and clever advertising, masking continued plastic pollution and worsening public health under the guise of sustainability.

President Bola Tinubu warmly felicitates his long-time ally and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake, on his 69th birthday anniversary.

President Tinubu describes Alake as a dependable ally, a consummate strategist, an outstanding journalist, and an accomplished public servant whose commitment to national development and good governance has remained unwavering over the decades.

The President recalls his long years of friendship and partnership with the celebrant, noting his exceptional public communication and national development service.

President Tinubu commends the Minister’s ongoing efforts to reposition the Solid Minerals sector as a significant revenue earner for Nigeria through policy innovation, investment promotion, and integration of artisanal miners into the formal economy in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘On this special day, I pray that Almighty God will continue to bless Dele with good health, wisdom, and strength.

‘He has remained a committed, loyal, and outstanding ally for several decades. His steadfastness and unyielding commitment to national development and progress stand him out as a patriot.

The president said, ‘I wish him a long life and more years of service to our nation and humanity.’

Nigerian author and controversial media personality, Reno Omokri, has claimed that a woman’s virginity is a gift that should be reserved for ones husband.

Reno on his Instagram page explained that virginity plays an important role in relationships, marriages and the bond of couples.

He went on to add that a woman who marries as a virgin does not need to bring any other thing to the table as that ‘gift’ is the best a man can receive.

‘As long as a woman brings virginity to the table, she does not have to bring anything else physically to that relationship to make it stable. You, as a man, should bring the rest. The best gift your wife can give you is her virginity. Once she enters the marriage with that, that quality adds value to you physically, spiritually and emotionally. The connection between you and her will be almost mystical,’ he stated.

Reno then advised young ladies to practice abstinence, stating that the advise is not, however, exclusive to only females.

‘So, my counsel to young people out there, especially, but not exclusively, to females, is this: Keep your virginity until marriage. Your friends may laugh at you, but that laughter is without mirth. It is what the Lukumi Yoruba call Erin Ika. You can be like them in one minute. But they can never be like you in one million light-years!,’ he added.

Nigeria has been ranked as the country with the lowest life expectancy in the world, according to new data from the United Nations World Population Prospects, PM News has gathered.

The report shows that the average life expectancy in Nigeria is 54.9 years. Nigerian men live an average of 54.3 years, while women live slightly longer at 54.9 years.

This places Nigeria at the bottom of a list of 25 countries with the shortest lifespans – just below Chad (55.2 years), South Sudan, and the Central African Republic (57.7 years).

The UN report adds that 22 out of the 25 countries with the lowest life expectancy are in sub-Saharan Africa, including Lesotho (57.8 years), Somalia (59.0 years), and Mali (60.7 years).

High maternal and infant deaths, poor healthcare access, and insecurity in some regions continue to affect life expectancy in Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the main causes of death globally include cancer, heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, and mental health conditions.

The Federal Ministry of Health has promised to improve public health facilities and expand universal health coverage, but progress has been slow.

However, medical expert Dr. Raymond Kuti disagreed with the UN figures, saying that Nigeria’s life expectancy might actually be higher.

‘The criteria they use are not always accurate. They make it look like Nigerians live shorter lives than they really do,’ he said.

Dr. Kuti acknowledged that diseases affect lifespan but stressed the importance of using reliable data to show the country’s true health situation.

International health agencies continue to call for more investment in healthcare, nutrition, and sanitation to help Nigerians live longer and healthier lives.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has listed interception of 6.3kg of Loud, a potent cannabis strain being smuggled from Thailand to Lagos concealed in bedsheets and dried hibiscus flowers among its recent drug seizures across the country.

Spokesperson for NDLEA, Femi Babafemi who announced this in a statement on Sunday said a total of 290,450 pills of tramadol (250mg) and pregabalin capsules were intercepted in a major drug bust across multiple Nigerian states, including Kano, Lagos, and Kaduna during the week.

Babafemi said a syndicate’s attempt to smuggle cannabis from Thailand to Lagos through courier firms was also foiled by operatives NDLEA operatives working with courier companies

He said in Kano, a joint operation between NDLEA and Customs on Danbatta-Daura Road led to the arrest of 38-year-old Sa’adu Ali.

‘Officers seized 290,450 tramadol pills and pregabalin capsules during the operation.

‘In Lagos, operatives arrested a notorious drug dealer, John Igbe, also known as ‘SammyBless,’ on Admiralty Road, Lekki.’

He was caught with 550 grams of Colorado, a synthetic cannabis strain, packaged in cups.

Babafemi said on the same day, three suspects, Idris Lukman, Fuad Abdulsalam, and Mobolaji James, were arrested in Mushin with 109kg of skunk, 20 bottles of codeine syrup, and 2kg of nitrous oxide.

‘At the Trade Fair Complex in the Alaba area of Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 3,700 bottles of codeine syrup and 550,000 caplets of expired 225mg diclofenac in a separate warehouse raid.’

He said in Kwara, 27,700 pills of tramadol (100mg/225mg) were seized from 25-year-old Salisu Abubakar on Monday, Sept. 29, during a stop-and-search operation in Bode Saadu, Moro Local Government Area.

Babafemi said in Kaduna, one Blessing Ovaka, 50, was arrested with 498.5kg of skunk at Kudandan in Chikun LGA, while 27-year-old Dahiru Salisu was nabbed with 34,180 tramadol capsules on Kaduna-Zaria road.

‘Also on Sept. 29, NDLEA officers raided a location in Isheri, Obafemi Owode LGA, Ogun State, arresting Abubakar Audu with 112kg of skunk and 16 grams of tramadol hidden in the premises.’

The Lagos State government has bestowed a lasting honor on Afrobeats artist Adekunle Almoruf Kosoko by naming a street after him.

The artist who hails from Lagos Island, expressed his excitement for the new honor while thanking God for the blessing.

This recognition and honor celebrates Adekunle Gold’s musical journey and success. The singer took to his Instagram page to share the news. He also shared a picture of his family standing by the landmark.

‘Adekunle Kosoko Street. The city that raised me now carries my name. Thank you Lord for my many blessings,’ he wrote.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved Monday, October 6, 2025, as a work-free day for teachers in the state to celebrate this year’s World Teachers’ Day.

The governor made the announcement on Sunday at the 2025 Teachers’ Day celebration held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta. According to the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Kolawole Odufowokan, the decision reflects Governor Abiodun’s appreciation of the vital role teachers play in nation-building.

Abiodun also announced plans to construct 12 blocks of 900 smart classrooms across four schools in each of the state’s education zones.

The benefiting schools include Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba; Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode; Remo Secondary School, Sagamu; and Yewa College, Ilaro.

The governor further disclosed that 1,000 OgunTeach interns have been absorbed into the State Teaching Service Commission, bringing the total number of absorbed interns to 5,000 since the inception of his administration.

To improve special education, Abiodun approved the renovation of all special schools and an increase in the feeding allowance for pupils in those institutions.

He also promised to pay transport allowances to all public school teachers, in place of the work-free days already granted to other state workers.

Highlighting other education initiatives, the governor mentioned the establishment of the Ogun State Education Intervention Fund, the successful conduct of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) using Optical Mark Reader (OMR) sheets, and the installation of ICT facilities ahead of the Nigeria Learning Passport e-content rollout.

Addressing concerns over the unaccessed 2020 UBEC funds, Abiodun explained that his administration had cleared the backlog from 2014 to 2017 and accessed those funds after paying the required counterpart contributions.

He said the state is currently implementing projects under the 2018 and 2019 UBEC allocations.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving teachers’ welfare and fostering collaboration among educators nationwide.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, made this known during the grand finale of the 2025 World Teachers’ Day celebration and the President’s Teachers and Schools Excellence Awards held in Abuja.

Themed ‘Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession,’ the event underscored the importance of teamwork and peer learning in enhancing teaching quality and learning outcomes.

Alausa emphasized that supporting teachers through peer mentoring, co-teaching, and digital collaboration improves classroom results and professional growth.

He noted that the government is implementing key reforms, including the National Teacher Policy, to strengthen the teaching profession.

He highlighted the roles of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), the National Teachers Institute (NTI), and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in ensuring continuous professional development and adherence to standards.

According to Alausa, ‘Teaching is no longer an individual task but a shared responsibility.

The future of education depends on collaboration, trust, and collective accountability.’

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, added that several initiatives, such as the National Teacher Development Policy (2022), the Digital Literacy and Skills Framework, and the establishment of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), are being implemented to promote innovation and cooperation among teachers.

She stressed that while many educators have worked in isolation, modern teaching requires collaboration to address challenges such as large class sizes, curriculum changes, and digital learning demands.

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Amba, also emphasized the importance of collaboration in improving education quality.

However, he expressed concern over the slow implementation of incentive packages earlier approved for teachers under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Amba urged both federal and state governments to ensure full implementation of these benefits, stressing that teachers’ welfare is central to attracting and retaining qualified educators.

He further called on the Federal Government to revisit the decision to delist the TRCN from public funding, noting that adequate financing is essential for effective regulation and professional development in the teaching sector.

World Teachers’ Day, celebrated annually on October 5, provides an opportunity to honour teachers’ contributions and reflect on the challenges facing the profession, with renewed calls for greater support and investment in education.