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Nigeria Develops Diagnostic Kit for COVID-19
Nigeria’s efforts at developing solution to the challenge of non-availability and high cost of coronavirus diagnostic kits have finally paid off with the development of RNASwift Extraction kit.
This was disclosed by Prof. Alex Akpa, director-general of National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), on Thursday during a news briefing held at the conference room of Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja.
He said the RNASwift test kit would not only revolutionalise Africa’s PCR-Based COVID-19 testing, but will also expand the capacity by 50 times at least.
Akpa also said it would equally reduce cost by over 500 per cent as compared to the conventional kit in use.
“This meets the demands of the Test Africa Initiative. The kits will be produced in Nigeria, which is great news considering that it will enable preference to be given to the testing needs of Africa.
“The need for the invention was conceived by the request from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), to test five million farmers and farm hands.
“This was to ensure that our food security chain was not compromised by COVID-19,’’ the D-G said.
According to him, the RNASwift test kit is an indigenous diagnostic test kit designed, developed and validated in Nigeria for the identification of the causal agent, SARS-Cov-2, which causes COVID-19.
He noted that the diagnostic kit is “very accurate and sensitive’’ and competes favourably with conventional and commercially available kits for the diagnosis of COVID-19.
“This is in addition to a careful choice of reagents that are human and environmentally friendly in the development of the protocol for the diagnostic kit.
“In fact, the attributes of the RNASwift kits make it a game changer in the design and production of diagnostic kits for infectious diseases in the face of an epidemic or a pandemic,’’ Akpa said.
He further said that the project was made possible due to the scientific collaboration between the NABDA, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and Nigerian Institute for Medical Research (NIMR).
Prof. Akpa added that the technical support team of University of Sheffield, led by Dr Alison Nwokeoji, also made the project successful.
In his speech at the briefing, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, minister of Science and Technology, recalled that the first index case of COVID-19 was recorded in Nigeria on Feb. 27.
Onu said he had tasked Nigerian scientists to come up with a solution with the sum of N36 million pledge.
The Minister said Nigerians were creative and talented enough to develop home grown solutions to major challenges confronting the country, Africa and the world, with the RNASwift test kit as an example.
“Today, the RNASwift extraction kit developed by Nigerian scientists has capacity in an accurate, sensitive and affordable cost to detect SARS-Cov2, the causative agent of COVID-19.
“With the RNASwift test kit, we are going to test five million farmers, and the new test kit will reduced cost drastically,’’ Onu said.
He hinted that the African Development Bank was interested in it, not only as Test Africa Initiative, but that Nigeria should be the rallying point.
Similarly, he said the other African countries stood to benefit from the test kits due to the low cost.
The minister commended NABDA and said the agency had not only made the Ministry proud but Nigeria as a whole.
Alhaji Sabo Nanono, minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said the test kit invented and developed was very critical to the present situation of insufficient test kits.
He said the FMARD was in the forefront when it came to food security, adding that with the invention and successful validation of the test kit, it was time for Nigerians to look inwards.
“We have talents and we need to develop and build on these talents, we will realise our target of testing five million farmers and Nigerians would be proud of this test kits,’’ Nanono said.
He applauded NABDA for the project, saying the success of the test kit was a milestone recorded in the FMST.
Speaking to newsmen on the sideline of the briefing, Dr Rose Gidado, Scientist and Deputy Director at NABDA, said the day was remarkable and historic for the agency, the ministry as well as Nigerians.
She said the new test kits could test more than 20,000 people a day but if more testing centres were set up, it could go up to 50,000 with automation.
The Scientist added that the need to test more Nigerians was necessary in order to isolate and treat.
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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