Author: Aishat Ibrahim

Alma Sana Wins Healthcare Innovation Award [2017]

Alma Sana, a health organisation in Nigeria is among the four health organisations from developing countries to receive the Healthcare Innovation Award from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Save the Children for its innovation that reduce mortality among children under five.

Alma Sana

Selected from 171 submissions from 30 countries by a judging panel comprising health experts from across the globe, Alma Sana, Nigeria won $100,000 for stimulating parents’ uptake and demand for their children’s immunizations, one of the world’s most powerful tools for reducing under-five mortality and morbidity, through the practice of the child wearing a simple, bracelet.  The bracelets empower mothers by presenting them with a constant and visual reminder of their baby’s vaccination schedules through symbols embedded in the bracelet, turning their babies’ ‘jewellery’ into a vaccine calendar and check-list. The bracelets were designed with input from mothers and nurses, are waterproof, durable, baby-safe, and intended for parents living on US$1.25 or less a day. As the bracelet’s immunisation reminders are represented through symbols and numbers and not words, this different kind of ‘wearable technology’ is suitable for literate and non-literate parents alike.

Other winners are;

  • Association for Humanitarian Development (AHD) in Pakistanfor their inexpensive and versatile water filter unit, which won the largest share of the Award
  • Sinergias in Colombia, the Hardest-to-Reach award winner for a cross-cultural healthcare delivery model for indigenous populations in the Amazon region
  • ARMMAN in India for their free mobile voice call service providing preventative care information to mothers

With more than five million children dying each year before their fifth birthdays, and many more lacking access to basic healthcare, the fourth annual Healthcare Innovation Award has a special focus on innovations providing healthcare for the hardest-to-reach mothers and children.

Russia and Nigeria Deepen Cooperation in Bilateral Ties [2017]

Russia and Nigeria have taken steps to deepen their cooperation pertaining to the steady development of bilateral ties in political, trade, economic and humanitarian areas.

Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama during an official working visit to Moscow, held diplomatic talks with his counterpart Sergei Lavrov and thereafter, discussed issues pertaining to the steady development of bilateral ties. They concentrated on prospects of cooperation in the nuclear industry, hydrocarbon processing, infrastructure projects and exports of Russian industrial products to Nigeria. They further held an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues, focusing on countering terrorism and extremism, settling crises in Africa, primarily in the Sahara and the Sahel, and fighting pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.

Tellingly, Russian investment in Nigeria covers such areas as energy, iron and steel, and hydrocarbon. Over the years, the diplomatic relationships have also witnessed the establishment of Russia-Nigeria Business Council (RNBC) which oversees economic activities between the two countries. They also plan to step up an uncompromising fight against international terrorism that threatens national security in both countries and, objectively, the security of all countries.

Russia and Nigeria’s two-way trade figure was a modest $350 million in 2013. Authorities in both countries have repeatedly said that it should be many times larger, given that Russia is the biggest market in the former Soviet Union and Nigeria the biggest market in Africa.

The Federal Government of the Republic of Nigeria has, indeed, expressed its support for any Russian genuine and legal investment.

As part of the initiatives to contribute to revamping the Nigerian economy, Nigerians under the auspices of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization in Europe (NIDOE), the Russian Chapter in collaboration with Russia-Nigeria Business Council, Institute of African Studies and Russian ministries and agencies have adopted corporate strategies in identifying and wooing potential Russian businesses and industry directors to invest in Federal Republic of Nigeria.

NPA Partners U.S. Port Of Miami To Enhance Trade & Port Development [2017]

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has collaborated with the Port of Miami, United States (U.S.), to facilitate the development of Nigeria’s ports, as well as strengthen ties to boost trading activities between Nigeria and the U.S.A.

NPA

Managing Director of NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala- Usman disclosed this at a forum with a delegation from the Port of Miami, on a trade mission to Nigeria. She stated that this new relationship will further expand bilateral trade opportunities and enhance the scope for Nigeria and USA to work together more closely to promote a mutually beneficial trade network.

Ms. Hadiza reaffirmed the determination of the federal government to develop the Nigerian ports to handle increased volumes of exports and imports that would result from the implementation of its economic development programmes, adding that that the current efforts between both countries will also accelerate trade and economic relations.

In addition she said,

“We envisage very positive outcomes of this relationship in our operations and results. The anticipation is drawn from the purpose of this trade mission, which is to engage and foster bilateral trade, commercial ties, maritime services and technical exchanges between the of Miami and African ports.

This new relationship will further expand bilateral trade opportunities and enhance the scope for Nigeria and USA to work together more closely to promote a mutually beneficial trade network.”

The trade volume between Nigeria and the United States stood at $5.3 billion as at the last quarter of 2016.