By Shiktra Shalangwa

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria in promoting population management, reproductive health, and gender equality.

The assurance was given during a courtesy visit by the newly appointed UNFPA Resident Representative, Ms Muriel Mafico, to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday.

The UNFPA Resident Representative commended the Ministry for its enduring partnership, describing it as a relationship that has remained strong for over five decades.

The Minister in response welcomed the delegation and praised UNFPA for its ongoing support to Nigeria’s development priorities.

He stated that Nigeria’s ongoing reform initiatives is concentrated on ensuring that resources are directly connected to tangible results.

“Our focus is not just on spending more, but on spending better,” he said, adding, “The ongoing reforms are challenging but are essential steps towards sustainable growth. Development partners like UNFPA play a vital role in helping us strengthen that link between investment and impact.”

He emphasised the importance of designing interventions that align with Nigeria’s cultural and faith-based values.

He stated, “Nigeria is a faith-driven society. Both the Bible and the Quran encourage responsible parenting and family life. When we reflect these values in our approaches, our results are stronger and more sustainable.”

The Minister also invited UNFPA to contribute to the ongoing development of Nigeria’s 2026–2030 National Development Plan, which aligns with the long-term Agenda 2050 framework aimed at creating a more inclusive and empowered economy.

“We are finalising our next five-year plan, and we welcome UNFPA’s input to ensure that human capital development remains at the centre of our national priorities,” he said.

In her response, the UNFPA Resident Representative praised the Minister’s leadership and stated the agency’s willingness to keep supporting Nigeria’s population and development agenda.

“Context matters,” she noted. “We must design programmes that are culturally sensitive and community-owned. Our focus is to ensure that women, girls, and young people are not left behind.”

She further stated that UNFPA remains committed to supporting Nigeria’s reform objectives and the national census exercise, describing it as a vital tool for evidence-based planning.

The Nigerian Government has called on state governments and local communities to take full ownership of the LUMINAH 2030 initiative, which is designed to empower one million underserved girls across the country.

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, stated this on Monday in Abuja at a two-day Stakeholder Engagement with LUMINAH 2030 pilot states.

She said taking the ownership has become as the success of the policy will not be measured in Abuja the nation’s capital but in states and local communities.

The LUMINAH 2030 Initiative is a Nigerian programme launched in March 2025 by the Federal Ministry of Education to economically and educationally empower over one million underserved girls and women by 2030. Key components include providing vocational and STEM education, financial support, leadership training, and establishing safe learning centres.

Ahmad raised concern over persistent gaps in inclusion, learning quality, and gender equity in Nigeria’s education system despite recorded progress in some areas.

“Let every state become a LUMINAH exemplary state. Let every community become a place where girls can learn safely and with dignity,” she said.

After screening a Video on the plight of the underserved, the Minister said “the
engagement is a moment of reflection, renewal, and recommitment to the future of every Nigerian girl.”

“We all saw that emotional video, those girls are our daughters. Girls who wake before dawn to fetch water instead of going to school; girls who walk miles to unsafe classrooms or hawk on the streets when they should be learning. Their cries for learning are not just calls for help; they are calls for justice, dignity, and opportunity,” she explained.

The Minister said “the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda had birthed NESRI, which rests on six priorities, namely: expanding technical and vocational education and training, TVET, strengthening STEMM and innovation, reducing out-of-school children, empowering the girl child, ensuring quality and equitable education, and building robust data and digital systems.’

While acknowledging progress made through programmes such as the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, AGILE, she noted that “too many girls remain out of school, still facing barriers rooted in poverty, insecurity, and harmful traditions.”

“LUMINAH 2030 goes beyond schooling. It tackles the root causes of exclusion by empowering mothers and caregivers to earn and support their children’s education. It is about reshaping mindsets, driving social reorientation, and building intergenerational change,” she said.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Hajia Aisha Garba, said LUMINAH 2030 had been fully integrated into the Commission’s operations and those of the State Universal Basic Education Boards, SUBEBs.

Garba assured Nigerians that the initiative was “not just another programme” but “a national movement to empower over one million underserved Nigerian girls and women with education, vocational skills, and digital literacy by 2030.”

“We have institutionalised this programme by establishing a special unit on Alternative Education for Girls. A dedicated budget line has been created within the UBE matching grant for states to implement key interventions, including alternative high schools for girls, scholarships, accelerated basic education, and empowerment of mothers,” she stated.

Garba said the integration marked a major milestone in Nigeria’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 4, SDG 4, on inclusive and equitable quality education, noting that LUMINAH would initially operate across 12 pilot states, one from each geopolitical zone, before scaling nationally.

She revealed that UBEC had issued clear criteria for selecting beneficiary communities, focusing on areas with high numbers of out-of-school girls, deep poverty levels, and economic vulnerability.

“Our collaboration with SUBEBs is key to sustainability. We are prioritising transparency and accountability in the disbursement of funds and deployment of resources,” she stressed.

Garba assured that UBEC, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education and development partners, would “build a legacy of inclusion, empowerment, and opportunity for every Nigerian girl.”

By Margaret Ebeshi

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has described the forthcoming World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) 2026 as a historic opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its global leadership in communication, diplomacy, and development.

The Minister who was represented by the spokesperson of the Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, at the formal unveiling ceremony of the Forum in Abuja, Nigeria, congratulated the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) for securing the hosting rights of the prestigious global event.

He noted that the selection of Abuja as the venue is a strong recognition of Nigeria’s democratic vibrancy, dynamic economy, and growing influence on the world stage.

He stated that the hosting aligns with the Federal Government’s foreign policy thrust built on the 4Ds Demography, Democracy, Development, and Diaspora.

The Minister emphasised the crucial role of communication in today’s interconnected world, describing it as “the bedrock of mutual understanding, the engine of economic diplomacy, and a vital tool for shaping a future defined not by division but by collaboration and shared progress.”

He added that the WPRF 2026 will provide a unique platform to amplify Africa’s narrative, foster global partnerships, and highlight Nigeria’s excellence in communication and hospitality.

He assured all delegates, partners, and participants of the Ministry’s full commitment to ensuring a seamless, peaceful, and memorable event.

He also emphasised the Ministry’s commitment to collaborate with NIPR and relevant agencies to facilitate smooth visa processing for international participants through Nigeria’s missions abroad, underscoring government’s dedication to delivering a successful forum.

Ambassador Tuggar extended a warm invitation to the global communication community, saying: “Get ready to experience the energy, the warmth, and the promise of Nigeria. Abuja 2026 will be more than just a venue; it will be a crucible for new ideas, a marketplace for innovation, and a celebration of the power of communication to change our world for the better.”

He further expressed confidence that the World Public Relations Forum 2026 in Abuja will not only strengthen Nigeria’s international image but also contribute to shaping a more collaborative and inclusive global communication landscape.

Kamilu Lawal, Katsina

A civil society organisation, Nigeria First Project Initiative, has urged the Presidency and the Nigerian judiciary to disregard agitations by some individuals and groups calling for the release of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

Kanu, who is being arraigned by the Department of State Services on charges bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, illegal possession of firearms and managing an unlawful organisation, among others was first arrested in 2015 and a second time in 2021.

Briefing newsmen at a press conference held in Katsina, the National Coordinator of the group, Comrade Hamza Umar Saulawa, expressed fears that even if released, Kanu will continue to incite violence against the Nigerian state.

“Kanu was granted bail in 2017 but he arrogantly flouted the bail conditions and even jumped bail and fled the country where he continued sending inciting and hateful messages through social media channels.

“These messages led to more killings of security agencies and hundreds of ordinary Nigerian citizens including those of Southeast origin.

“It took the grace of God for the Nigerian government through international collaboration and intelligence sharing to re-arrest Kanu in 2021 and bring him back to Nigeria to face charges of terrorism,” Saulawa said.

READ ALSO: Security Tightened as Protesters Demand Kanu’s Release

He accused Kanu of being behind the continued operations of IPOB despite its proscription and designation as a terrorist organization by the federal government.

While describing Kanu as a divisive figure, Saulawa expressed the fear that “if freed or released on bail, the IPOB leader will continue to promote hate, violence and terrorism and attempt to undermine the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

The group urged the convener of Revolution Now, Mr. Omoloye Sowore, and other individuals and groups to desist from organizing protests to call for the release of Nnamdi Kanu.