• Ebola

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the latest Ebola outbreak in the DRC and neighbouring Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern”.

The outbreak, originating in eastern DRC’s Ituri province, which has seen around 246 suspected cases, involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

The variant has no approved vaccine or treatment.

Health authorities said the outbreak poses a high regional risk because infections have already been detected in Uganda, and cases linked to the outbreak have reached Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, and killed 88 people.

The WHO, however, stopped short of declaring a pandemic, saying it did not meet the necessary criteria.

The United Nations agency advised countries against closing borders or restricting trade.

Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, and are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, and bleeding.

Benue: 195,305

1. ⁠Akwa Ibom: 158,201
2. ⁠Lagos: 135,918
3. ⁠Rivers: 90,055
4. ⁠Nasarawa: 65,996
5. ⁠FCT: 62,627
6. ⁠Kaduna: 58,576
7. ⁠Cross River: 57,765
8. ⁠Enugu: 55,478
9. ⁠Delta: 52,475
10. ⁠Taraba: 51,840
11. ⁠Abia: 50,038
12. ⁠Imo: 47,863
13. ⁠Plateau: 46,618
14. ⁠Anambra: 46,602
15. ⁠Adamawa: 42,074
16. ⁠Kano: 41,093
17. ⁠Kogi: 37,301
18. ⁠Oyo: 33,133
19. ⁠Niger: 33,057
20. ⁠Ogun: 31,822
21. ⁠Bauchi: 29,745
22. ⁠Edo: 29,256
23. ⁠Gombe: 28,037
24. ⁠Osun: 25,018
25. ⁠Borno: 24,527
26. ⁠Ondo: 22,455
27. ⁠Kebbi: 20,803
28. ⁠Bayelsa: 19,549
29. ⁠Katsina: 18,682
30. ⁠Ebonyi: 15,474
31. ⁠Kwara: 14,997
32. ⁠Jigawa: 14,302
33. ⁠Zamfara: 13,813
34. ⁠Ekiti: 12,356
35. ⁠Yobe: 10,716
36. ⁠Sokoto: 10,511 Total: 1.70m

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the establishment of an Agro-Industrial Business Hub and Mega Livestock Processing Facility in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, gave the assurance during a high-level strategic meeting involving the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, ABIS Group and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) in Abuja.

The Minister stated that the Ministry would work closely with ABIS Group, LPRES and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth take-off and successful implementation of the project. He explained that the engagement followed Nigeria’s participation in an international training programme on pastoral market access and inclusive contracting models held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to the Minister, the training, organised under the auspices of the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources and the African Pastoral Market Development Platform, provided valuable insights into strengthening livestock value chains, improving market systems and promoting quality assurance mechanisms across Africa.

Leader of the ABIS delegation, Ambassador Emmanuel Usman, commended the Ministry for facilitating the group’s participation in the training programme, which brought together delegates from Somalia, Botswana, Ethiopia and Kenya.

Also speaking, LPRES National Coordinator, Sanusi Abubakar, appreciated the Minister for supporting collaboration and inclusiveness in the livestock sector.

The General Manager of ABIS Group, Mr. Kujo Reigans, highlighted key lessons from the training, including the need for a unified quality assurance system, structured outgrower schemes and improved access to funding opportunities through the Development Bank of Nigeria.

He stated that these measures would enhance efficiency, traceability and competitiveness within Nigeria’s livestock industry.

The ABIS team also raised concerns over visa bottlenecks affecting expatriates working on the Abuja Mega Livestock Processing Facility project, calling for streamlined visa processes to ease project implementation and support the timely delivery of the agro-industrial hub in the FCT.