News
FG Postpones Second Batch of COVID-19 Vaccination
Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 (PSC), on Sunday announced the postponement of the kick off of the second phase of vaccination for COVID-19.
The second phase of the vaccination is to be done using Moderna vaccines doses donated by the American government to intensify battle against the virus.
Mr. Willie Bassey, director Press, PSC, on COVID-19 made this known in a statement issued in Abuja.
The exercise was earlier scheduled to commence on Tuesday, Aug, 10, 2021 at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja.
The PSC announced the second phase of vaccination against the virus having received four million doses of moderna vaccines donated by the United States government through COVAX.
The U.S President, Joe Biden, had in May pledged to share 80 million vaccines with countries around the world to protect the most vulnerable. Of this number, Africa is expected to receive 25 million.
The first shipments to Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ethiopia and now Nigeria have been delivered.
According to Bassey, the exercise was postponed due to some unforeseen circumstances.
The statement reads in part; “This is to announce the postponement of the national flag-off of phase 11 vaccination programme earlier scheduled for Tuesday this week due to unforeseen circumstances.
“A new date will be communicated,” it said.
Following the increasing COVID-19 cases linked to the highly transmissible delta variants, the government confirmed the third wave of the pandemic in the country.
As of Aug. 7, the country has recorded 177,615 coronavirus cases and 2,185 fatalities, data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) shows.
Although the country commenced inoculation of its citizens against COVID-19 in early March, only 3,938,945 eligible persons across 36 states and FCT have so far been vaccinated.
Out of the figure, 2,534,205 people have been vaccinated for the first dose and 1,404,205 have received their second dose of the vaccine.
The Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine with which Nigeria commenced vaccination, is given in double doses.
A person is required to come back for a second shot, some weeks after taking the first jab.
However, following the exhaustion of approximately four million doses of vaccines delivered through the COVAX facility, the government announced the close of vaccination of the first batch.
COVAX is a United Nations-backed effort that promises access to vaccines for up to 20 per cent of participating countries’ populations.
To achieve herd immunity against the virus, the Nigeria government had set an ambitious goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022.
To achieve this, “the vaccine roll-out will be in four phases, starting with health workers, frontline workers, COVID-19 rapid response team, laboratory network, policemen, petrol station workers and strategic leaders,” Dr. Faisal Shuaib, executive director, The National Primary health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), had said.
Shuaib said the second phase would capture older adults aged 50 years and above and those with comorbidities aged between 18 and 49 years of age.
He said; “Phase 3– Those in states/LGAs with high disease burden and who missed phases 1 and 2, and Phase 4 will include other eligible populations as vaccines become available.”
Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has warned local investors and foreign businesses about the activities of fraudsters falsely claiming to represent the company.
The state-owned company said the impostors are reportedly soliciting illegal fees under the guise of arranging meetings with the new NNPC board members, executives, and management.
The disclaimer comes following the change of the NNPCL board.
On April 2, 2025, President Bola Tinubu appointed a new 11-member board with Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Ahmadu Musa Kidano as executive chairman.
In a statement signed on Monday by Olufemi Soneye, chief corporate communications officer, NNPC, t said the practice of soliciting fees is completely unauthorised and unlawful.
NNPCL said, “The general public is advised to beware of individuals and companies falsely claiming to represent NNPC Limited.
” Their tactics include soliciting fees for meetings with the NNPC board of directors, executives, and management staff. These actions are unauthorised and illegal.
“Foreign investors and international business entities are especially urged to remain cautious. If approached, report the incident to the appropriate authorities immediately.”
The company clarified that engagements with its boards or executives must follow official channels in line with company policy.
The oil giant said, “All legitimate engagements with NNPC Limited occur strictly through official channels or business units only.
“For further enquiries, please contact us at contactus@nnpcgroup.com.
“NNPC Limited remains committed to transparency, integrity, and the protection of our stakeholders in all interactions.”
The company called for public cooperation to prevent scammers from defrauding investors.
Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE) has announced that plans to support the country’s farmers with its AgriConnect initiative have kicked off with a pilot scheme launched in Ogun State in southwestern Nigeria.
Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, minister, communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,
Dr ‘Bosun Tijani, minister, communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, last week launched the initiative at the Ogum State Cultural Centre Complex. AgriConnect is described as a transformative programme designed to digitally empower Nigerian farmers through real-time access to agronomic services, weather insights, financial tools and market intelligence.
The pilot scheme is being implemented in partnership with technology vendor Huawei Technologies and operator MTN Nigeria.
AgriConnect will initially benefit over 1,000 farmers, selected from the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS), with over 160,000 registered farmers.
Each beneficiary will receive mobile-data-enabled smart devices, embedded with Huawei’s AI-powered tools and MTN-supported connectivity to enable smarter planting, better risk mitigation and streamlined communication with government data centres.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Tijani noted that AgriConnect highlighted the importance of food security. Referring to a target of cultivating 500,000 hectares of land, he pointed out that innovation would be an important part of the effort.
As the government builds out the framework from this pilot in Ogun State (a leader in cassava production), he said, it aims to scale the AgriConnect model across other states – “ensuring that every farmer, regardless of geography, has the opportunity to benefit from the digital economy”, as he put it.
The AgriConnect initiative reflects an FMCIDE commitment under the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda to promote rural inclusion and leverage Nigeria’s comparative advantage in agriculture.
By fusing AI, connectivity, and human-centred design, the ministry says that AgriConnect stands as a scalable model for advancing food security, driving innovation, and improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers across the country.
Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) has extended its heartfelt congratulations to Steve Babaeko and the entire X3M Ideas team following their remarkable achievement of being ranked 31st on the Financial Times’ prestigious 2025 list of Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies.
This recognition by the Financial Times, in collaboration with global research firm Statista, highlights X3M Ideas’ outstanding performance and resilience in a highly competitive and challenging business landscape.
The agency’s ranking was determined based on its compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2023, verified through independently certified financial data, underscoring the credibility and transparency of the accolade.
Founded by renowned advertising executive Steve Babaeko, X3M Ideas has consistently demonstrated innovation, operational excellence, and creative leadership. The agency’s bold campaigns and commitment to impactful storytelling have not only elevated its profile in Nigeria but have also established its presence across several African markets.
This milestone marks a significant moment for Nigeria’s creative sector, traditionally overshadowed by industries such as fintech and energy in continental rankings.
AAAN President, Lanre Adisa, in a statement, congratulated Babaeko and X3M Ideas on the remarkable recognition. He said: “Steve’s tenure as AAAN President was quite revolutionary. He raised the bar for our association and industry at large. His leadership brought bold ideas to life, executed with brilliance and a deep sense of purpose for the creative community.
“This global acknowledgment is a testament to his enduring impact, not just as a creative force but as a trailblazer on the African continent.”
The Financial Times’ 2025 list features 130 top-performing companies from across Africa, with Nigeria and South Africa accounting for a significant share, reflecting the economic strength and entrepreneurial spirit of the continent’s largest economies.
X3M Ideas’ recognition not only celebrates its own growth but also signals the rising influence of the creative economy in shaping Africa’s future.
This latest accolade adds to a string of recent achievements for X3M Ideas, including being named Independent Network of the Year at the 2025 Pitcher Awards, further cementing the agency’s status as a leader in African creativity and innovation.
AAAN commends Steve Babaeko and the entire X3M Ideas team for their outstanding contribution to the industry and for flying the flag of Nigerian creativity high on the global stage.
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