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AfDB, Big Win Philanthropy, Dangote Foundation launch ambitious plan to improve child nutrition, fight stunting
Working with Big Win Philanthropy and Aliko Dangote Foundation, the African Development Bank has unveiled a new Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Action Plan that aims at raising investments towards reducing stunting by 40% in African children aged under 5 by 2025.
Africa loses $25 billion per year in costs attributed to child morbidity and mortality, impaired cognitive, physical, and economic development caused by malnutrition. Yet these losses are almost entirely preventable.
The ambitious Action Plan is looking for additional support and commitments from governments for nutrition.
Jennifer Blanke, Vice-President, Agriculture, Human and Social Development at the African Development Bank, stressed the importance of engaging energetically and substantially with the private sector, “if we want to achieve long-lasting results.”
Through the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Action Plan the Bank commits to scale up the proportion of investments that are ‘nutrition-smart’ in agriculture, water, sanitation and hygiene, social and health sectors.
“In terms of human development, nutrition is as important as investments in infrastructure and power in stimulating economic growth. Big Win Philanthropy is thrilled with President Adesina’s leadership in giving greater priority to nutrition and the wider human capital investment agenda,” said Jamie Cooper, Chair and President, Big Win Philanthropy.
“By leveraging investments across five sectors, and encouraging its member countries to do the same, the African Development Bank is achieving ‘double wins’ for every dollar spent: improving lives and generating economic growth.”
Nutrition is inextricably linked to the Bank’s High 5 priorities: nutrition-smart investments could be catalytic for realizing equitable growth agenda.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, said, “We know we cannot do this by ourselves, so it made sense to put money at the African Development Bank to develop this nutrition strategy. We are really happy to see the strategy come together following a two-year journey.”
In 2017, more than a third of the world’s stunted children under the age of five lived in Africa with stunting rates ranging from 35.6% in East Africa to 32.1%, 29.9%, 29.1%, and 17.3% in Central Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa and Northern Africa respectively, according to the Plan, which also revealed that Africa is the only region in the world where the number of stunted children has risen in the past few years.
The Plan will focus on integrating nutrition smart interventions into projects in the Bank’s extensive agriculture pipeline. The Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy executes the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) goals of contributing to elimination of extreme hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. In addition to improved productivity, the Action Plan looks into the potential to nourish Africa, by including commodity value chains that offer broad-based nutrition value, instead of just calories.
This will include leveraging flagship initiatives including Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), the Staple Crop Processing Zones Programme, and Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks.
To realise its human and economic potential, Africa must invest in nutrition – particularly during the 1,000 days between conception and the age of two – as a crucial foundation for productivity later in life, said Oley Dibba-Wadda, the Bank’s Director Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development Department.
“The African continent has the potential to become a powerhouse of productivity in the 21st century but cannot sustain rates of economic growth and at the same time integrate its burgeoning youth population without addressing these high rates of stunting.”
The Bank is strengthening political engagement and building partnerships by enlisting Heads of State, ministers, and eminent leaders as champions to spur and build a high-level political movement and leadership for nutrition, known as the African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN), which was endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Governments of the African Union (AU) at the 30th Ordinary AU Summit, held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 31 January 2018.
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IGP Steps In: FCID to Investigate Death of Man Detained Over N220,000 Debt
The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the death of a 35-year-old man, Jimoh Abdulquadri, who passed away in police custody in the early hours of Friday.
Abdulquadri, who was arrested on December 19, 2024, reportedly died under controversial circumstances, with his family accusing police operatives of subjecting him to brutal treatment during his detention. Reports indicate that the deceased had been detained over an alleged debt of N220,000 owed to an individual identified as Peter.
In response to the incident, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has directed the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) to immediately take over the case. A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed that the IGP also visited Kwara State to meet with the bereaved family.
During the visit, the IGP was received by the Balogun Fulani of Ilorin, Alhaji Sadiq Atiku Fulani, who represented the family. The IGP expressed his condolences and assured them of a thorough investigation.
“The IGP expressed his profound condolences and assured the family that no stone would be left unturned in uncovering the circumstances that led to the tragic incident. He has ordered the FCID to handle the case with utmost diligence and ensure a conclusive and impartial investigation,” the statement read.
The IGP reiterated the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to upholding accountability, professionalism, and respect for human rights. He further called on all stakeholders to remain calm and allow the due process of law to take its course.
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FG Lifts Five-Year Ban on Mining in Zamfara, Eyes Economic Boost
The Federal Government has officially lifted the five-year ban on mining activities in Zamfara State, citing improved security and the potential for economic growth in the mineral-rich region.
The announcement was made on Sunday by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, through his representative, Segun Tomori, during a press briefing in Abuja.
“The Federal Government has lifted the ban on mining exploration activities in Zamfara State, citing significant improvements in the security situation across the state,” the minister said in a statement.
Security Gains and Economic Promise
The ban, imposed in 2019 due to escalating insecurity and illegal mining, was described by Alake as a necessary but temporary measure to protect lives and resources. However, he noted that the ban inadvertently created a vacuum exploited by illegal miners, leading to resource plundering.
Alake praised recent security advancements under the Tinubu administration, highlighting the neutralization of notorious bandit commanders and other strategic wins, including the capture of Halilu Sububu, one of the state’s most wanted criminals.
“The existential threat to lives and properties that led to the 2019 ban has abated. The security operatives’ giant strides have led to a notable reduction in the level of insecurity,” Alake said.
He added that with the restoration of mining activities, Zamfara’s mineral wealth—ranging from gold and lithium to copper—could now be harnessed under strict regulation to contribute significantly to national revenue.
Boosting Regulation and Combating Illegal Mining
The minister emphasized that lifting the ban would pave the way for better regulation and monitoring of mining activities. This, he said, would enable authorities to tackle illegal mining more effectively and ensure Nigeria benefits fully from Zamfara’s mineral resources.
“By reopening this sector, we are prioritizing not only revenue generation but also intelligence gathering to curb illegal mining,” he said.
Addressing Controversies
Alake also addressed concerns surrounding Nigeria’s recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with France, which had sparked controversy. He clarified that the agreement focused solely on capacity building and technical support for the mining sector.
“The high point of the MOU is on training and capacity building for our mining professionals. Similar agreements have been signed with Germany and Australia. Misinformation about ceding control over our mineral resources is uncalled for,” Alake said.
Press as Partners in Progress
Commending the media for their role in promoting reforms in the mining sector, Alake urged continued collaboration to drive transparency and attract foreign investments.
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NNPCL Refutes Shutdown Claims: Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed media reports suggesting that the recently resuscitated old Port Harcourt refinery has been shut down, labeling such claims as baseless and misleading.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, clarified that the refinery, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, is “fully operational.”
The facility resumed operations two months ago after years of inactivity.
“We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false, as the refinery is fully operational, as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC,” Soneye said.
He added that preparations for the day’s loading operation are currently underway, emphasizing that the public should disregard the claims.
“Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip off Nigerians,” Soneye stated.
The old Port Harcourt refinery is part of the country’s efforts to revive its local refining capacity. Three years ago, the Federal Government approved $1.5 billion to rehabilitate the plant, which was initially shut down in 2019 due to operational challenges.
Despite being one of the largest oil producers globally, Nigeria has long relied on fuel imports to meet its domestic needs, swapping crude oil for petrol and other refined products. This dependency, coupled with government subsidies, has strained the nation’s foreign exchange reserves.
The recent return of the Port Harcourt refinery to operation follows the commissioning of the Dangote refinery, which began petrol production in September 2024. These developments are expected to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports and address long-standing issues in the petroleum sector.
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