Nigeria: Why UN plastic treaty matters by Remmy Nweke

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The global push for a UN plastic treaty has profound implications for Nigeria. REMMY NWEKE in this WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet details how the nation’s pervasive plastic waste threatens food security and livelihoods, while arguing that this global crossroads presents a golden opportunity for Nigeria to embrace a circular economy and build a more sustainable future.

Look around any Nigerian city or village, and you will see a constant presence: plastic. From sachet water bags to discarded food wrappers, this waste has become a familiar, and damaging feature of our landscape.

Nigeria’s clean energy future sails into view with new LPG vessel - NaijaAgroNet

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Nigeria’s commitment to providing clean and sustainable energy solutions for both itself and the African continent has been bolstered by the commissioning of a new 40,000 cubic meters (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel, the MT Iyaloja (Lagos), reports NaijaAgroNet.

This state-of-the-art, dual-fuel carrier was launched in Ulsan, South Korea, marking a significant step in the nation's energy transition.

New blueprint for Nigeria's nutrition future - NaijaAgroNet

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In a landmark meeting that reaffirmed a decade of partnership and a shared vision for a healthier Nigeria, key stakeholders gathered at the 2025 Gates Foundation Partner Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting in Abuja. 

The forum, which brought together leaders in health, agriculture, and government, concluded with a renewed commitment to tackling the nation’s multifaceted challenges, with nutrition at the forefront.

Nigeria's Alarming Malnutrition Crisis: Why Death Toll Exceeds War-Torn Palestine by Elvis Eromosele - NaijaAgroNet

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At the end of July 2025, the world was shocked to learn that 169 people, including 93 children, had died of malnutrition in Palestine since the outbreak of the devastating war with Israel. For context, the war has gone on actively for close to two years. Tragic and painful as this figure is, it is utterly dwarfed by a chilling statistic from Nigeria: over 652 children have died from malnutrition in Katsina State alone, and that’s just in the first half of 2025.

This jarring incongruity provokes a bleak and sobering question: How can a nation not technically in war end up outpacing a war zone in deaths due to hunger and malnutrition?

GMOs: Game-changer for Nigeria's food security? Asks Remmy Nweke

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REMMY NWEKE in a new edition of WeekendSalvo@NaijaAgroNet, explores the potential of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and asked if it’s a game-changer for Nigeria's food security.

Preamble: 

In the ongoing conversation about Nigeria's agricultural future, experts are increasingly highlighting genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as a valuable tool to address some of the most pressing global challenges. 

Taxes, royalties: Shell Nigeria paid $1.09bn in 2023 - NaijaAgroNet

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The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) received in taxes and royalties the total sum of $1.09 billion, about N2,707,310,000,000.00 trillion, as at December 2023 through the operations of The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company of Nigeria Ltd (SNEPCo.) in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Sources close the Shell Nigeria, disclosed that the figures, recently published in the 2023 Shell Briefing Notes, showed that SPDC paid $442 million, while SNEPCo remitted $649 million.

Food security: How tech can tackle challenges in Nigeria - NaijaAgroNet

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Nigeria's agricultural sector has long been a significant contributor to national growth, with the potential to further reduce poverty. This sector, encompassing crop production, livestock, forestry, and fishing, has the potential to hold export opportunities and can strategically become the engine for economic prosperity, given Nigeria's large population.

Undoubtedly, agriculture remains a top contributor to Nigeria's GDP. Statistics show it contributed around 23.69% in 2022, ranking behind the industry (30.78%) and services (22.04%) sectors. However, the sector's contribution has declined.

Why we launched Nigeria food security strategy says Stevens - NaijaAgroNet

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The Consul-General of the United States of America (USA) to Nigeria, Mr. Will Stevens has given some reasons why they recently launched the Nigeria food security strategy, reports NaijaAgroNet.

“Last month, alongside our partners in the Nigerian agricultural value chain, we launched the U.S. government’s Global Food Security Strategy Country Plan for Nigeria that aims to boost agriculture productivity and drive agriculture-led economic growth,” he declared.

Flood Control in Nigeria: McEnies wins deal with FCDO, UK Met Office - NaijaAgroNet

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McEnies Global Communications has achieved a new feat with the sealing a contract with UK Met Office to develop improved communications practices on weather information and work out meaningful communication strategies to mitigate against perennial flooding in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The project which is being sponsored by UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will bring together several relevant government agencies, like Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), etc while also engaging in some desk-based research and consultations.

Zinox, partners to invest $250m on renewable energy in Nigeria - NaijaAgroNet

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Africa’s leading integrated technology group, the ZINOX Technologies Limited, has unveiled a plan to invest over $250,000,000 after years of research, test running of durable and cost efficient multifaceted renewable energy solutions for Africa particularly Nigeria, with leading renewable energy companies in China, UK, South Africa and Dubai as partners.

For 23 years, Zinox has pioneered innovative technologies and boasts of an enviable track record of efficient delivery of critical tech solutions in Nigeria and various African countries. 

Nigeria unfair to farmers says OBJ – NaijaAgroNet

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The former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has lamented that Nigeria has been unfair to farmers in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Delivering a keynote address at the Agribusiness Investors’ Network organised by the Innovative Youth in Agriculture (I-Youth) in partnership with International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Mastercard Foundation in Lagos on Sunday, Obasanjo called on researchers, financial institutions and government have all conspired to victimize those who are in the business of farming.

Antrax outbreak: FMARD raises alarm on ponmo consumption in Nigeria - NaijaAgroNet

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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has raised alarm over the consumption of cow skin, also known as ponmo, and bush meat, over suspected Anthrax disease out break, reports NaijaAgronet.

A press statement available to NaijaAgronet on Monday, June 12, personally endorsed by the Permanent Secretary, FMARD, Ernest Umakhihe, the alarm has become imperative due to the outbreak of the anthrax disease in neighbouring countries in the West African subregion.

Nigeria: NLNG partner LCCI to promote food security sustainable - NaijaAgroNet

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Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), in partnership with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), on Wednesday presented the joint-winning works of The Nigeria Prize for Science (2022) to industry players in an effort to push agricultural innovations that can positively impact food security in the country.

The presentation of the winning works, Gains in Grain Yield of Released Maize (Zea Mays L.) Cultivars under Drought and Well-Watered Conditions by Dr Muhydideen Oyekunle and Professor Shehu Ado; and Development of Process Plant for Plantain Flour by Professor Sesan Peter Ayodeji and Dr Emmanuel Olatunji Olutomilola was made at an interactive business forum.

Revealed: Two factors central to successful fortified rice in Nigeria - NaijaAgroNet

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Two factors have been revealed as central to the successful introduction of fortified rice in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This revelation was based on latest study tagged “Towards the adoption of rice fortification in Nigeria: Landscape Analysis Report” made available to NaijaAgroNet by the the World Food Programme and Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Nigeria.

Nigeria: Stakeholders urged to collaborate on early warning mechanisms - NaijaAgroNet

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Nigerian stakeholders have been urged to collaborate on early warning and response mechanisms, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Office for Strategic Preparedness and Resilience (OSPRE), a center for the coordination of early warning and response mechanisms in Nigeria gave this charge at the end of a two-day inaugural summit and technical workshop in Abuja.

Post-3rd Biennial Review: AAAN boss tasks Nigeria on infrastructure development - NaijaAgroNet

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The Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), Ms Ene Obi, has called for improved infrastructure investment to pave way for adequate and timely movement of agriculture produce nationwide, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking at the National Dialogue & Dissemination on Nigeria’s Performance at the 3rd Biennial Review Exercise on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development (CAADP), on Wednesday at Hawthorn Suites, Abuja in her welcome address, Ene, said, improved investment on infrastructure has become imperative especially in the agriculture sector to reduce number of wastages and increase preservations.

Nigeria’s solid minerals can kick-start boom in mining industry - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, has declared that Nigeria has sufficient mineral resources to kick-start a boom in the mining industry, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Making this disclosure at the weekend during the opening ceremony of the recently held Fourth Edition of the Nigeria Mining Week in Oyo, Adegbite said also that this is achievable with the right investments and the right atmosphere.

“The documented stock of minerals that could be found in Nigeria is sufficient to kick-start a boom in the mining industry in Nigeria, with the right investments and the right atmosphere,” he said.

To address this, he said the Federal Government intends to partner with a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the industry to deepen the reforms to foster a conducive ecosystem for private sector investment.

The event, which brought together key players, policy makers and investors in the mining industry as well as finance experts from about 20 countries and the governors of Kebbi and Nasarawa States. 

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

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One man's meal, 163 children’s death per month - NaijaAgroNet

ExclusiveFeature@NaijaAgroNet:

Arrival of every child in a family is always joyful. REMMY NWEKE in this report postulates that one man’s meal that costs N3.5m of tax-payers money, could actually save 163 children from death monthly, if nation’s resources are prioritized.

Malnutrition @FCT:

Still reminiscing on what one saw at the recent site visit to Kwalu Primary Health Care (PHC) Centre within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, with a good number of malnourished children not less than 50 in that centre and considering that, this PHC may not be very far away from where the Federal Government is feeding one man monthly with the sum of N3.5 million, while over 2000 children under 5 die daily as a result of malnutrition, becomes unthinkable.

Frankly, travelling from Lagos to FCT, Abuja, about 11 hours 42 minutes by road and some 756.8 kilometres (km) via Sagamu-Benin Expressway, one would simply not envisage that there are some malnourished children near the seat of power in the most populous black nation, Nigeria.

The N3.5m gab and CMAM:

Recall that the Federal Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, a fortnight ago revealed to the Nigerian media that the whooping sum of N3.5m is used monthly to feed the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

So, penultimate Wednesday, November 7, precisely, the Information Minister since inception of the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, told media including leading Internet TV, OakTv in a viral video that the government was spending N3.5 million monthly to feed Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the Shi’ia sect leader who has been in detention since December 2015. The paradox in the above is the revelation of using N3.5m to feed a one-man detainee and just nearby community of Kwali there are some 50 malnourished children and some 2,000 die nationwide daily.

According to the 2017 Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) sighted by NaijaAgroNet, experts at the UNICEF in collaboration with the Federal Government alluded that it would cost N21,350 only about $61 to cure a child suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in the non-emergency states of the country. On the other hand, it will cost N36,750 only, about $105, to cure a child suffering from SAM in emergency states like the North East (NE) geopolitical zone of Nigeria, consisting of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe.

What is SAM?

Experts at National Institutes of Health defined Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) as extremely low weight-for-height, and estimated to affect between 500,000 and 1,000,000 million children under age five in Nigeria every year, thus contributing to as many as 100,000 deaths per year. They also underlined the causes of malnutrition in Nigeria to include poverty, inadequate food production, inadequate food intake, ignorance and uneven distribution of food, poor food preservation techniques, improper preparation of foods, food restrictions and taboos, and poor sanitation.

Arithmetically, what this entails, according to NaijaAgroNet findings is that at the non-emergency states, N3.5m would be able to feed and obviously cure some 163.93 children monthly at the rate of N21,350, which amounts to N3,499,905.5. And for children suffering from SAM in the six aforementioned emergency states, at least 95.23 children will be saved at the cost of N36,750 with a round up figure of N3,499,702.5 every month. Per-adventure N3.5m is shared among 30 days on average of a month, will indicate N116,666 is spent daily. This figure when matched with N21,350 will save about 5.4 children on daily average.

This figure when juxtaposed with the number of months since Malam Ibrahim El-Zakzaky was arrested and detained by the state in December 2015, following initial clampdown on his members by soldiers despite court ruling to release him; indicates that he has spent 34 months in detention till October 30. When 34 months is multiplied by N3.5m leaves NaijaAgroNet correspondent with N119,000,000 (One Hundred and Nineteen Million Naira).

How to save 3,328 SAM children in North East:

Conversely, dividing N119,000,000 with the cost of N36,750 anticipated to save children suffering from Severe Acute Malnourished (SAM), Nigeria should have saved some 3,238 children in the six emergency states of North East, while the same amount could have saved some 5,573 in some 30 states including FCT that are categories as non-emergency states within the period under review of 34 months.

A communiqué issued from a recent 3-day media training cum field visit from October 29th to November 1st, 2018 in Abuja on the theme “The Journalists’ Role in Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in Allocation and Use of Health/Nutrition Funds in Nigeria” hosted by Civil Society Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) under the Partnership for Improving Nigeria Nutrition Systems (PINNS) project, decried the daily 145 maternal death as a result of malnutrition, recognising nutrition as multi sectoral issue admonishing all hands to be on deck so as to tackle the menace.

At the training, Mr. Dare Oguntade took on “The Nigerian Malnutrition Situation with Focus on PINNS project”; Communications Officer at CSSUNN, Lilian Ajah-mong, highlighted challenges in nutrition reporting; Project Manager at CSSUNN, Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo harped on ‘Nutrition Funding’ and Akin Jimoh of DevCom, facilitated ‘Communicating Nutrition Stories for Change.’

The communique endorsed by Mr. Salihu Mohammed Alkali and Mrs Priscilla Dennis on behalf of participants, pointed out that the first 1000 days of life from the time of conception to a child’s second birth day is not prioritized yet, adding that governments at all levels, have not been making adequate budgetary allocation, approval, timely release and cash backing.

Wake-up for stakeholders:

They also lamented that where budgets are allocated and released, implementation tend to focus more on the curative measures than preventive, citing an instance that a malnourished child when immunized does not absorb or utilize the immunization. Noting though there is low reportage of nutrition-related issues in Nigeria, experts reportedly attributed 53 per cent of deaths from child killer diseases as directly related to malnutrition.

This, they said, underscored the fact that most mothers at the Primary Health Care (PHC) centres, especially at Kwali, were not practicing Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF), decrying lack of men involvement and support towards EBF.

They agreed that stakeholders including but not limited to the government, media, CSOs, care givers, donor agencies need to place emphasis on preventive than curative measures, stressing that government and policymakers, for instance, should be held accountable for their commitments on issues bordering on nutrition especially for children and mothers of child-bearing age, while media practitioners were urged to be consistent in their reportage on nutrition and holding government accountable by getting enough information aimed at addressing nutrition issues, in order to place nutrition at the front burner and influence policy decisions thereof for improved nutrition interventions.

Mainstreaming nutrition:

Advocacy for policies to mainstream nutrition into agriculture as well as sensitizing women on the need to exclusively breastfeed their children in the first six (6) months of life, without addition of water was brought to fore, even as mothers were encouraged to continue to breastfeed their children for two years in addition to adequate complementary feeding.

Participants, according to the Mr. Alkali and Mrs. Dennis were encouraged to explore key components of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so as to bring to the fore requisite solutions to the plights of women, children and other vulnerable groups within the Nigerian society. They insisted that government should scale up and sustain existing interventions on nutrition, while media should intensify campaign towards behavioral change, especially for men to support EBF for a better family life eventually.

Purdah:

Purdah, according to online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, is the practice in certain Muslim and Hindu societies of screening women from men or strangers, especially by means of a curtain and often described as “a state of seclusion or secrecy.”

Hannatu Musa, a mother, says Purdah has not been helpful as they women are kept at home and rely heavily on what their husbands bring home which may not necessarily be nutritional mix and varies at various stages of growth, both for mother and child.

Also, a mother of 10-month girl twins, 20-year-old Habibat Abubakar, told NaijaAgroNet that though married to a driver, she treks from Kwaku PHC before they were referred to Kwali, which is a distance and said she was encouraged to visit the hospital by her community leaders. Her twins, she said were underweight at birth and before they were brought to PHC Kwali. As said by her, she breastfeeds her twins, but grandmother gives water afterwards, within the first 1000 days of life.

From Kwaku to Kwali, she said, is about 1:30 minutes trek to receive medicare, but added that she has been coming to PHC weekly and every medicare is free except when she has to take transport, confirming she attended antenatal too.

For Marawiya Isiaka, a mother of 2-year old baby who did not know her age, but could be below 25, told NaijaAgroNet, that her husband cares less about them and she has been coming to PHC Kwali without requisite attention for over a week. This was also brought to the attention of the chief nutritionist supervising the Kwali PHC and she immediately received medicare. The supervisor argued that her case like any other one beyond the PHC are referred to the General Hospital, but in the case of Mrs Isiaka before the visit could end, she was seen attended to with a smile.

Wrap-up:

As the election year approaches, its crucial for stakeholders to ensure that nutrition becomes a political agenda, to include the prioritization of health related issues based on importance of food security and nutritional health; one highlight also will be ensuring that government votes at least 50 per cent of what they spend on managing crisis like the one associated to the Malam Ibrahim El-Zakzaky’s detention as revealed, some 3,238 children in the emergency states of North East, and some 5,573 in some 30 states including FCT from non-emergency states should have been saved from death in 34 months, with an average vote of N3.5 monthly.

The underlined causes of malnutrition in Nigeria comprising poverty, inadequate food production, inadequate food intake, ignorance and uneven distribution of food, poor food preservation techniques, improper preparation of foods, food restrictions and taboos, and poor sanitation, cannot be wished away.

Still imagine a Nigerian society, if 163 children could be saved from Severe Acute Malnutrition per month in non-emergency states, at the cost of N21,350 per child per month and at least 95.23 children at the cost of N36,750 from emergency states saved respectively, of course, the story will change including reduction drastically in the numbers of children at risk of death daily.

And by reversing this trend of one man's meal costing Nigeria 163 children’s death per month, we should have been positioned to see the importance of quality of life in our children improve significantly, having in mind what Caryn Elaine Johnson alias Whoopi Goldberg, a black literary icon and actress said, “... when our children are happy, then we are better as human beings.”

The time to start thinking in that direction is now.

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Pix: Lai Mohammed flanked by two children's pictures from PHC Kwali, FCT.

Improve nutrition funding in Nigeria says CS-SUNN - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS—SUNN), has urged the three tiers of government in the country to make certain adequate budgetary allocations on nutrition activities, reports NaijaAgroNet.

A communiqué issued at end of a 3-day workshop , the Civil Society Organisation (CSO) called on government to ensure adequate and prompt release of the nutrition budgets in order to facilitate necessary provisions for the treatment of drugs for the handling of malnutrition issues ravaging children under 5 years old.

The workshop with the theme; "the journalists' role in ensuring transparency and accountability in allocation and use of health/ nutrition funds in Nigeria", was aimed at building the capacity of media practitioners in reporting issues of nutrition

Endorsed by Salihu Mohammed Alkali and Priscilla Dennis, chairman and secretary of the Communique Committee, respectively, described as unacceptable, the record of over 2000 of children under 5 dying daily as a result of cases of malnutrition.

Participants also decried the daily 145 maternal death as a result of malnutrition, recognising nutrition as multi sectoral issue admonishing all hands on deck to be able to tackle the menace.

Participants noted that preventing malnutrition is better and more cost effective than curing the problem, regretting that any malnourished child will be resistant to immunisation.

They further urged media to promptly and adequately report malnutrition cases in order to effectively tackle the problem.

The workshop was organised by CS-- SUNN in collaboration with Partnership for Improving Nigeria Nutrition Systems, PINNS.

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Agriculture alone can't revive Nigeria's economy, but innovation - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr. Olusola Teniola, has said that mere agricultural revolution cannot revive Nigeria's economy, but innovation reports NaijaAgroNet.

He, therefore called for use of an economy build on innovative technologies which he said, will thrive much better than the old concept of mere agriculture, reports 

Contributing to the discussion at the 2018 WorldStage Economic Summit on the theme “New Sources of Economic Strength to Make the future Happen,” at the Event Centre of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Mr. Teniola maintained that the development of the economy through the old concept of agriculture will not take the country far.

As said by him, for a culture of technology as demonstrated in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, it has become obvious for the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education in the schools.

This, he stressed will aid Nigeria to compete favourably in any area, “it must be up to date in innovation and technology.”

Equally speaking at the event, Mr Soji Adeleye, Chief Executive of Alfe City Institution, underlined the absence of leadership in the country which had resulted to the lack of progress.

For meaningful progress to be achieved, he said the leadership has to be aware of their responsibility to the society, not to just occupy space.

In her contribution, Mrs Oluyinka Omojolaibi, Senior Research Economist, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) was also underlined the importance of government to formulate and implement policies that can move the economy forward.

She said government needed to do more in the area of the provision of infrastructure, machineries, cheap loans for the economy to be productive and competitive.

She said that would be crucial so that made in Nigeria products can be competitive in the local and international market.

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Pix: ATCON president, Teniola