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Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health
Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health
By: Michael Mike
The Ministry of Health has raised the alarm over the changing health challenges in the country, warning that the country is currently dealing with multiple layers of disease at the same time.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the Nuparadigm Health Foundation, which marks a new era of health awareness and n the country, a representative of Ministry of Health, Abraham Emmanuel emphasized the urgent need for prevention, education, and lifestyle interventions to protect public health.
Nuparadigm Health Foundation is a non-governmental organisation committed to raising awareness about non-communicable diseases and the risk factors associated with them. The foundation aims to provide credible health information, educate communities, and encourage healthier lifestyles to prevent the onset of avoidable illnesses.
Emmanuel explained that Nigeria’s health challenges are changing, with the country now dealing with multiple layers of disease at the same time.
He said; “Africa, and Nigeria in particular, is no longer facing only communicable diseases. We are now experiencing a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and some even describe it as a triple burden when pandemics are included.”
He decried that younger Nigerians are increasingly affected, stating that: “Non-communicable diseases are increasing in Nigeria, and the age limit is dropping. Conditions like hypertension, stroke and type 2 diabetes are now affecting people in their 30s.”
Emmanuel noted that lifestyle is the main risk factor. He said: “These are mainly lifestyle-related diseases, which means they can be managed and prevented through increased awareness and better choices.”
He also highlighted alarming national survey findings, warning that many Nigerians are unaware of the silent health threats around them. “The data from our national survey is alarming. Many Nigerians are developing non-communicable diseases without knowing the risk factors, such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use and even second-hand smoke,” he said.
Emmanuel, while lamenting that these risk factors which are often overlooked in daily life, are driving a surge in preventable illnesses, creating a hidden crisis that could overwhelm families and the healthcare system if urgent action is not taken.
On her part, the founder of Nuparadigm Health Foundation, Dr. Omolara Olagunju said her experience as a doctor led her to conclude that hospitals mainly treat disease, while true healthcare lies in daily prevention.
She said: “After about 15 years of medical practice, I realised that we don’t really have healthcare in the true sense. Hospitals are not health care systems; they are more like disease parlours. Real healthcare happens outside the hospital, and you should not have to be sick before you start thinking about how to be healthy.”
She explained that many Nigerians harm their health unknowingly because they lack access to simple, trustworthy information.
Olagunju said: “A lot of people are doing things every day that are damaging to their health, and they don’t even know it. When I tell them, they say, ‘Doctor, I didn’t even know.’ That is why we believe that everyone has a right to essential health information — the kind of information you need to maintain the good health that you already have.”
She also acknowledged the harsh realities of daily life, saying many people sacrifice health in the struggle to survive.
“People tell me they are too busy to come for health checks, and I later realised that their reasons are legitimate. People are trying to make ends meet in Nigeria. But sometimes we are working harder, winning the battle financially, and losing the war because our health is steadily deteriorating in the process.” She noted .
She emphasized that the foundation is designed to take health awareness directly into everyday spaces instead of waiting for hospital visits.
“Instead of waiting for people to come to the hospital, we decided to go to them to their offices, their schools and their social media platforms and share this information as widely as possible, because it may be just one piece of information that makes all the difference.” She said.
She also warned that unhealthy lifestyles learned early are already showing consequences in children.
“We were not born liking sugary drinks; these tastes were learned. Today, I see obese children everywhere, and I ask myself what will happen to these children in 10, 15 or 20 years if we don’t do something drastic now.” She warned .
In his keynote address, Consultant Physician and Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Iseko Iseko said Nigeria invests more in treating illness than in preventing it.
“Over the last two decades in healthcare, most of what we do is secondary prevention treating diseases after they have happened and trying to prevent complications. But primary prevention, which is stopping diseases from happening through education and healthy practices, is where we should be investing more of our energy.” He said
Iseko warned that Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system is under strain from both infectious and lifestyle-related diseases
In his words he said “In Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, we are still dealing with communicable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, but at the same time we are now seeing increasing cases of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. This double burden of disease is putting enormous pressure on our healthcare system.”
He described Nigeria’s low life expectancy as a reflection of widespread preventable illness and weak preventive care.
He said: “A lot of Nigerians are dying prematurely, and Nigeria is now among the countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world. This is not because we lack potential, but because we have failed to prioritize preventive health and protect our population from avoidable diseases”.
Iseko stressed that everyday habits are driving diseases that drain families financially and emotionally, noting that:
“Many of the diseases we see today are lifestyle-driven and preventable. Treating heart failure alone can cost over ₦1.85 million every month, and when you look at conditions like stroke and kidney failure, the cost to families is catastrophic. This is why prevention, early detection and lifestyle change are far better than waiting to treat advanced disease.”
He further warned about lifestyle-related risk factors, stating that: “Sitting too much, smoking, unhealthy diets and alcohol are silently destroying our blood vessels. These are preventable causes of heart disease and stroke.”
Iseko emphasized the financial and health benefits of prevention, stressing that: “The average cost of treating heart failure is not less than ₦1.85 million per month. Treatment is expensive, catastrophic, and it is far better to prevent these diseases than to manage them.”
The event brought together healthcare professionals, government officials, and key stakeholders, emphasizing the urgent need for prevention, education, and lifestyle interventions to protect public health.
Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health
NISER, NiDCOM Advocate Stronger Diaspora Policy to Boost National Development
By: Michael Mike
The Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has called for a more robust and coordinated diaspora policy framework to enhance Nigeria’s development prospects.
This call was made on Tuesday during a high-level validation workshop convened to review findings from a comprehensive diaspora study spanning six continents. The initiative aims to strengthen engagement with Nigerians abroad and maximize their contributions to the country’s economic and social growth.
In her opening remarks, NISER Director-General, Antonia Taiye Simbine, described the Nigerian diaspora as a critical national asset, noting that annual remittances exceed $20 billion—one of the highest in Africa.
She emphasized that beyond financial contributions, diaspora Nigerians bring valuable expertise, innovation, and international networks that can significantly enhance national competitiveness.
Despite these advantages, Simbine pointed to persistent challenges hindering effective engagement, including inconsistent policies, weak institutional coordination, regulatory constraints, and trust gaps between stakeholders.
She stressed that the validation workshop provides an opportunity to refine the study’s recommendations, ensuring they are practical, inclusive, and capable of driving meaningful impact.
Also speaking, NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, urged a strategic shift in how diaspora remittances are utilized. According to her, Nigeria must transition “from remittances for consumption to remittances for investment.”
Dabiri-Erewa highlighted the global competitiveness of Nigerians abroad, noting their contributions across key sectors such as healthcare, technology, and governance. She explained that the study’s findings would help shape a structured roadmap for diaspora engagement, anchored on improved policy coordination, investment-friendly systems, and technology transfer.
She further underscored the need for data-driven policymaking, adding that Nigeria must intentionally transform the challenge of “brain drain” into opportunities for “brain gain” and “brain circulation.”
Contributing to the discussion, representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) emphasized the growing role of diaspora professionals in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system. Speaking on behalf of the association’s president, Dr. Bala Muhammad Audu, Dr. Idris Liman noted that innovations such as locally available in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services—once largely accessed abroad—demonstrate the impact of knowledge transfer from Nigerian experts overseas.
He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to fostering collaboration with diaspora medical professionals to improve healthcare delivery and reduce the need for medical tourism.
Participants at the workshop collectively stressed that sustained and well-coordinated diaspora engagement could be transformative for Nigeria’s development. The validation process is expected to yield refined, evidence-based policy recommendations to guide government efforts in integrating diaspora contributions into national planning.
NISER, NiDCOM Advocate Stronger Diaspora Policy to Boost National Development
UK Launches Creative Fund to Strengthen Nigeria’s Film, Fashion, Music Industries
By: Michael Mike
The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub has unveiled a new Creative Fund aimed at boosting local production capacity across Nigeria’s film, fashion, and music industries.
The initiative, backed by the UK Government, is designed to address critical gaps in technical skills, infrastructure, and access to modern production tools within Nigeria’s creative sector.
The fund aligns with the goals of the UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership (ETIP) Creatives Working Group, launched in 2025, and follows commitments made during Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026.
Speaking on the launch, Director of the Tech Hub, Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, said the initiative represents a shift from policy discussions to practical action.
She noted that while Nigeria’s creative industry already contributes significantly to the economy, more support is needed to enable creatives to produce high-quality work locally rather than outsourcing key technical processes abroad.
Funded under the UK’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by Tech4Dev, the Creative Fund draws on findings from a 2024 study of Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. The research revealed that the sector employs about 4.2 million people and contributes roughly $3 billion annually to the country’s GDP, despite facing structural challenges.
These challenges include limited access to formal financing, heavy reliance on self-taught skills, and the outsourcing of high-value technical work outside Nigeria.
The fund will support projects across film, fashion, and music, particularly those with strong potential for scalability, job creation, and local impact. It will also help cover technical gaps by funding access to specialists such as visual effects artists, sound engineers, and post-production experts, as well as digital tools like content delivery systems and AI-powered production technologies.
Country Manager for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa at Tech4Dev, Abraham Akpan,, emphasized that the initiative prioritizes inclusion by supporting women-led and youth-driven ventures, as well as underrepresented groups in the creative economy.
He added that the fund is intended to ensure Nigeria’s creative growth is backed by sustainable local talent and infrastructure.
Applications for the Creative Fund are currently open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Eligible applicants include creative companies, studios, production houses, fashion enterprises, and music labels with clearly defined technical needs and a commitment to co-investment.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s creative value chain and position the country as a hub for high-quality, locally produced creative content.
UK Launches Creative Fund to Strengthen Nigeria’s Film, Fashion, Music Industries
NESREA Shuts Down 30 Non-Compliant Facilities Over EIA Violations
By: Michael Mike
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), alongside members of the press, carried out an enforcement exercise in Abuja, sealing 30 facilities over non-compliance with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements in the construction sector.
In a speech delivered at the briefing, the Director of Environmental Quality Control, Elijah Udofia, said the affected facilities were found to have violated environmental regulations guiding construction activities, prompting decisive action by the agency.
“These violations were identified through NESREA’s routine inspections and compliance monitoring activities. In addition, these facilities also demonstrated unwillingness to fully comply with regulatory requirements relating to environmental documentation and responsiveness to compliance engagements. Where regulatory communication is clear, time-bound, and evidence-based, failure to respond constitutes a serious breach of compliance obligations and poses risks to both the environment and public health,” he said.
Udofia explained that the construction sector, while vital to national development, poses serious environmental risks when safeguards are ignored, including improper waste management, building on floodplains, uncontrolled emissions, and unsafe handling of materials.
He stressed that NESREA’s actions were in line with its mandate to enforce environmental laws and ensure public safety.
“Environmental compliance is not a choice. The regulations are designed to prevent harm before it occurs and to ensure that construction activities are managed responsibly from the start,” he stated.
He added that the agency moved from engagement to enforcement after the facilities failed to meet compliance requirements or respond adequately to regulatory concerns.
The director outlined the measures taken by NESREA, noting that the enforcement actions were aimed at stopping or curtailing environmentally harmful activities, compelling compliance through regulatory interventions, and ensuring that corrective measures are implemented within stipulated timelines.
“These enforcement steps are consistent with the agency’s powers under the NESREA Act and the National Environmental (Construction Sector) Regulations 2011,” he added.
Sending a strong warning to developers and contractors, Udofia emphasized that environmental documentation is mandatory and must be submitted as required by law. He also urged operators to respond promptly to compliance notices and implement proper environmental safeguards on-site.
“Dust control, waste management, erosion prevention, and safe site practices must be integrated into project execution—not added after problems arise. Compliance is part of project success,” he said.
NESREA also reassured the public that its enforcement actions are based on evidence and due process, not sentiment.
“We will continue to enforce the law fairly and consistently across the country,” Udofia noted.
He further called for cooperation from stakeholders to improve environmental performance across the construction sector.
“While we enforce compliance, we also call on stakeholders to cooperate with NESREA. Communities deserve clean and safe environments, and developers deserve predictable regulatory processes,” he said.
The agency concluded that the enforcement action should serve as a clear warning, reaffirming its commitment to strict enforcement of environmental regulations, especially where violations pose risks to public health and the environment.
NESREA Shuts Down 30 Non-Compliant Facilities Over EIA Violations
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