Group Marks Menstrual Hygiene Day in Lagos Next Thursday

By Bliss Okperan The Bill Gates Foundation has selected nine Nigerian health startups, along with 20 others from other parts of Africa, for a $50,000 equity-free grant to boost the healthcare supply chain on the continent. The nine Nigerian small firms were chosen as part of Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative for startups in the healthcare supply chain. The Nigerian companies which make up the second cohort include Famasi, Aimcare, Afia, Drugstore Nigeria, Healthtracka, Octosoft Technologies Limited, Pharmarun, Pharmaserv Health Project Nigeria Ltd, and Wella Health. The cohort includes startups that are building online pharmacies and telemedicine

By Adedapo Adesanya Nigeria has started the introduction of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into its routine immunization system, aiming to reach 7.7 million girls in a drive against the virus that causes nearly all cases of cervical cancer. Girls aged 9–14 years will receive a single dose of the vaccine, which is highly efficacious in preventing infection with HPV types 16 and 18 that are known to cause at least 70 per cent of cervical cancers. In Nigeria, cervical cancer is the third most common cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer deaths among women aged between

By Aduragbemi Omiyale It was a moment of joy that would not be forgotten for a long time for residents of Rivers State on Saturday, September 23, 2023, as the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation distributed some blood pressure monitors to them. The organisation gave out the items to celebrate its 22nd anniversary. Apart from the items distributed, the company also carried out free screenings and high blood medication. It was gathered that almost 400 persons benefitted from the gesture, including the young and old at the La Sien Pavilion, Old GRA Port Harcourt, the state capital. The Chairman of the O.B.

By Adedapo Adesanya The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Muhammad Pate, has said Nigeria could become a hub for vaccine production and distribution in Africa, banking on his experience at GAVI. According to him, this can be achieved with the country’s large population, skilled workforce, and existing pharmaceutical industry. “On local vaccine manufacturing, as you are all aware, until I came back as a Minister, I was going to work with GAVI, an international organisation created in 2000 to improve access to new and underused vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries. And GAVI also

By Modupe Gbadeyanka United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has continued to prove that no matter the storm, it would remain stronger, better and bigger. The lender, in its condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the first nine months of 2017 ended September 30, recorded a grew its profit by 23 percent. Specifically, the profit after tax of the pan-African bank increased to N61 billion in the period under review from N49.5 billion in the corresponding period of 2016, while its profit before income tax stood at N78.3 billion as at September 30, 2017 against N58.8 billion as at

By Modupe Gbadeyanka A business start-up grant has been given to a visually-impaired woman, Mrs Muyibat Babalola, by the lawmaker representing Oluyole Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mrs Tolulope Akande-Sadipe. At an event in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, the congresswoman also cleared the hospital bills of a constituent, Mr Kunle Olanite, who is suffering from Glaucoma, and gave a chest freezer to a mobility-impaired constituent, Mr Tella Ademola. She said the funds given to Mr Olanite for his medical treatment and surgical intervention on a diagnosed glaucoma/retinal damage was borne out of his passion for humanity. According

By Dipo Olowookere The board of Lafarge Africa Plc said the cement firm reported net sales of N213.0 billion in the 2019 financial year compared with the N217.8 billion made in the prior year, indicating about 2.2 percent decline. Also, in the year under review, the cost of sales increased to N157.1 billion from N150.7 billion, while selling and marketing expenses gulped N5.1 billion in contrast to N3.9 billion a year earlier. In the financial statements of the company for the year ended December 31, 2019 released on Monday, it was stated that the management trimmed the administrative costs to

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Diamond Bank has announced the appointment of three outstanding and successful Nigerian individuals as its directors. The new appointees, according to a notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), are Mrs Chizoma Okoli, Mr Chiugo Ndubisi and Mr Rotimi Olayiwola Oyekanmi. While Mrs Okoli and Mr Ndubisi were appointed as Executive Directors, Mr Oyekanmi was announced as an Independent Director. Diamond Bank, in the notice signed by its Legal Adviser, Mrs Nkechi Nwosu, explained that the appointments would be “presented to the shareholders for ratification at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the company.” Mrs Okoli,

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Those suffering from micronutrient deficiency, a condition defined as absence of vital micronutrients, have been advised to inculcate the habit of regular fruit juice intake to solve the health issue. A food and nutrition expert with the Lagos State Government, Mr Olusola Malomo, gave this advice at the August edition of his healthy living dialogue, a programme supported by Chi Limited as part of its ‘no-added sugar’ campaign, which kicked off last year. At the gathering, the renowned dietitian emphasized that the shortage of such nutrients in the body system was as life-threatening as common health challenges,

By Adedapo Adesanya The oil market settled lower on Monday following signs of progress in nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, which could lead to the removal of US sanctions on Iranian oil sales. At the session, the price of the Brent crude went down by 16 cents or 0.17 per cent to $91.53 per barrel, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell by 4 cents or 0.4 per cent to $91.28 per barrel. Crude prices last week rallied for the seventh week on ongoing worries about supply disruptions fueled by extreme cold US weather and

By Dipo Olowookere Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has stepped down two nominees of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) board presently undergoing probe for issues relating to corruption. Spokesman of the Acting President, Mr Laolu Akande, made this disclosure in a series of tweets on Sunday evening. He said though “a basic check showed no court convictions” against the two affected nominees, Maimuna Aliyu and Sa’ad Alanmu, “when weighty petitions come up, this administration will always do the right thing.” In the tweets, Mr Akande said, “We are stepping down two of the new ICPC board

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has listed by introduction, N6,295,000,000 series 1, seven-year, 18.50 per cent fixed rate bond due in 2023 under the N50 billion Wema Funding SPV Plc debt issuance programme. Commenting on the listing, Chief Executive Officer of NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema, noted that, “We are pleased to list the Wema Fund SPV PLC bond, a further affirmation of our unique platform to help businesses access capital. Despite the challenging macro environment, this bold step by Wema Bank is indeed commendable as only businesses that continue to execute on their strategy will be at