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Combating Obstetric Fistula through global initiatives, local heroes
Features

Combating Obstetric Fistula through global initiatives, local heroes

By Abujah Racheal, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Obstetric fistula, a global affliction disproportionately affecting women in low-resource countries, continues to devastate lives.

According to experts, obstetric fistula, is an abnormal opening between a woman’s genital tract and her urinary tract or rectum.

Primarily striking young, impoverished women lacking adequate medical care, the condition manifests in urinary or faecal incontinence, leading to social isolation and rejection.

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 2 million young women live with untreated obstetric fistula in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

While surgical intervention offers hope, research on outcomes remain limited, underscoring the imperative for preventive measures.

For over two decades, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has spearheaded the Global Campaign to End Fistula, operating in 55 countries with a holistic approach encompassing prevention, treatment, survivor reintegration, and advocacy.

Grounded in human rights principles, this initiative strives for equality, participation, and accountability.

According to the National Institutes of Health, in sub-regional analysis, West Africa had the highest successful surgical closure rate for obstetric fistula, with 91.74 per cent of the global total, while Central Africa recorded the lowest rate at 84.04 per cent.

Also, the successful surgical closure rate of Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) with unknown urinary incontinence status varied widely across African countries, ranging from 63 per cent in Eretria to 100 per cent in Liberia and Nigeria.

The pooled estimated rate of successful closure of VVF with unknown incontinence status from 55 articles is 86.31 per cent.

In spite of the progress, achieving the 2030 goal of eliminating fistula requires intensified efforts.

In Tanzania, obstetric fistula remains a poignant reality, with approximately 3,000 cases annually.

Yet, stories of resilience emerge, exemplified by survivors like Mrs Anastasia Beni-Majasho, at 29 years old, developed obstetric fistula during a difficult childbirth after losing her second child.

Beni-Majasho faced social stigma and isolation until she discovered the Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania (CCBRT), providing holistic fistula treatment and support services.

Through surgical intervention, counseling, rehabilitation, and skills training, she embarked on a journey toward recovery and empowerment, benefiting from a supportive community of healthcare providers and fellow survivors.

Another inspiring story is that of Mrs Sofia Mwema, who sought solace at CCBRT after enduring 19 years of social isolation due to obstetric fistula.

Through comprehensive care, including surgery, counseling, and skills training, she regained physical health, confidence, and purpose, becoming a beacon of hope for her community.

For 70-year-old “Mama”, who shares her daily struggle to overcome the suffering caused by injuries sustained during childbirth, the determination is to ensure that no woman is left behind.

She recalled how the only child she gave birth to caused her severe injuries, resulting in incontinence, and later died.

This left her ostracised by her husband and community. However, surgery provided the only cure that restored her confidence from obstetric fistula.

CCBRT, led by CEO Dr Brenda Msangi, has transitioned from a community-focused NGO to Tanzania’s leading provider of disability and rehabilitation services.

Msangi emphasised safe childbirth as a fundamental right, ensuring CCBRT facilities were accessible and staff are trained to offer compassionate care to all expectant mothers.

Highlighting the distressing statistic of an 85 per cent fatality rate for babies during obstructed labour, she said that CCBRT offered hope by providing free childbirth services to alleviate anxieties.

She dispelled misconceptions surrounding fistula, adding that it is a medical condition, not a curse.

“Through a comprehensive approach including eye surgery, prosthetic limbs, and physical therapy, CCBRT transforms lives daily.

“The organisation addresses prevalent myths, financial constraints, and cultural barriers hindering women from seeking help for fistula, offering education, free surgery, and transportation assistance through a network of community ambassadors,” she said.

She commended Tanzania’s progress in maternal healthcare under President Samia Hassan’s leadership, highlighting CCBRT’s community outreach programs like the Mabinti Centre, empowering fistula survivors through skill-building and economic independence.

With continued support, she believed these programmes could significantly enhance the lives of women across Tanzania.

Tanzania’s approach to combating obstetric fistula offers valuable lessons for other countries.

The emphasis on community-based rehabilitation and holistic care, as demonstrated by CCBRT, highlights the importance of addressing not only the medical aspects of fistula but also the social, psychological, and economic dimensions.

NAN Health correspondent and Mrs Anastasia Beni-Majasho, at the CCBRT in Tanzania.

By providing comprehensive support services, including counseling, skills training, and reintegration support, Tanzania demonstrates how a multi-dimensional approach can enhance the well-being and dignity of fistula survivors.

Furthermore, Tanzania’s commitment to promoting safe childbirth as a human right, as advocated by Msangi, underscores the importance of ensuring universal access to quality maternal and obstetric care.

By prioritising accessibility, equity, and compassion in healthcare delivery, Tanzania sets a precedent for other countries striving to improve maternal health outcomes and prevent obstetric fistula.

Meanwhile, Nigeria grapples with a significant burden of obstetric fistula, with an estimated 400,000 to 800,000 affected women and inadequate surgical capacity exacerbating the backlog of untreated cases.

According to Dr Fatima Ahmed, an obstetrician, addressing this challenge demands a comprehensive response, encompassing political commitment, evidence-based policies, preventive initiatives, and robust healthcare infrastructure,

Ahmed said that Nigeria’s efforts to end obstetric fistula included implementing a National Strategic Framework for elimination, capacity building for healthcare workers, community outreach programmes , collaboration with NGOs, and legislation and policy reforms targeting factors contributing to fistula.

She said that by investing in healthcare infrastructure, engaging communities, and advocating for women’s rights, Nigeria aimed to prevent fistula and improve maternal healthcare nationwide.

She added that other African countries can learn from Nigeria’s experiences by adopting national strategies tailored to their contexts, investing in healthcare infrastructure, and engaging communities through awareness campaigns.

The obstetrician recommended educational programmes, enacting and enforcing laws and policies to protect women’s rights, and fostering partnerships and collaboration between governments, NGOs, and international agencies.

In spite of the notable rate of successful closure of obstetric fistula in Africa, a considerable proportion of women still experience residual or persistent incontinence.

Experts say successful surgical closure rate of combined VVF and RVF still falls significantly below the recommendation set by WHO.

Dr Na’ima Idris, a Kano-based reproductive health expert, said that implementing a comprehensive package of fistula care through a dedicated fistula facility or a mobile surgical outreach programmes , holds promise in addressing this issue on the continent .

Addressing this challenge will help Africa in its efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal No 3 which entails ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.

Idris said that ensuring increased access to timely and high-quality fistula treatment, along with comprehensive post-operative care, was essential for achieving high success rates and reducing residual incontinence among women with fistulas in Africa.

As the world unites in the fight against obstetric fistula, the voices of survivors like Mama, whose resilience embodies hope, echo with resilience and determination.

Through collective action, advocacy, and investment in healthcare systems, the African continent can pave the way for a future where no woman suffers the indignity of obstetric fistula, where every childbirth is safe, and where every woman receives the care and support she deserves. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

Malaria prevention: Monoclonal antibodies offering additional hope
Health , Features

Malaria prevention: Monoclonal antibodies offering additional hope

 

 

By Vivian Ihechu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

As Nigeria and other African countries  continue to  seek ways to prevent malaria, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are offering a strong  hope.

Dr Kayla Andrews, the  Scientific Programme Leader at  Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (MRI), is giving this assurance.

Andrews spoke about the Institute’s efforts in the clinical development of its monoclonal antibody (mAbs) – the Gates MRI MAM01

According to Andrews, MAM01 is the institute’s prophylactic antibody candidate for prevention of malaria caused by plasmodium falciparum.

“mAbs represents one of the most important medical innovations in modern pharmacology,’’ she says.

Prophylactic means a medicine or course of action used to prevent a disease.

Andrews says due to the limitations of existing control strategies, coupled with the impact malaria has on children in low and middle-income countries, Gates MRI initiated  the development of the monoclonal antibody (mAb).

The scientist says the  “antibody” is under clinical development.

According to Gates MRI Fact Sheet, Malaria is a mosquito-borne illness that has afflicted people around the world for thousands of years.

It is a preventable and treatable disease; yet, in 2022 ,there were an estimated 249 million new malaria cases worldwide and approximately 608,000 deaths in 85 countries.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 94 per cent of malaria cases and 95 per cent of malaria deaths in 2022.

Children under the age of five years accounted for 80 per cent of all malaria deaths in the region.

For two years, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the fight against malaria, disrupting prevention and treatment services and leading to additional 63,000 malaria deaths and  additional 13 million cases.

 

 

Andrews notes that malaria can be  prevented by avoiding mosquito bites, taking preventive medicines, sleeping under long-lasting insecticide-treated bed nets, and through vector-control interventions, among other means.

“New malaria vaccines have shown to significantly reduce malaria, especially the more severe and deadly, among children.

“However, new and better tools are desperately needed,” she says.

Recently, the World Health Organization recommended that children from five months of age in regions with moderate-to-high plasmodium falciparum malaria transmission should be given the RTS,S/AS01 (MosquirixTM) vaccine to reduce malaria disease burden.

Analysts are, however, worried that  modest efficacy and restricted supply may limit the impact.

While praising successes in efforts at preventing malaria, Andrews believes that a huge sense of urgency is still needed to generate new tools in the fight against malaria.

According to her, Gates MRI is developing the prophylactic mAb in partnership with Atreca, a biotechnology company.

She hopes that “a mAb can provide lengthened protection as compared to small molecules”.

Dr Kayla Andrews

 

She is hopeful  that the monoclonal antibody will complement other established preventive strategies.

“It has been exciting; first, with the rollout of the very first world malaria vaccine, RTS,S/AS01, then the new R21 vaccine.

“We also have, of course, our insecticide-treated nets, the scale of seasonal prevention for children that are at high risk of severe malaria.

“With the effective tools that we have in our arsenal, the monoclonal antibody is a complementary tool in the fight against malaria.’’

Giving an insight into monoclonal antibodies, she explains  that human bodies naturally produce antibodies to fight infections.

According to her, this  happens any time a human being gets infected with any pathogen,  whether COVID or RSV, Ebola or flu.

According to Andrews, for the diseases that immune systems have difficulty overcoming — as with COVID-19 — researchers are developing mAbs which, when injected, will combat  the infection and remain in the body for months to tackle re-infections.

“Monoclonal antibodies usually have fewer off-target effects than small-molecule drugs in most patients. They can be produced on a large scale in bioreactors.

“Monoclonal antibodies are, in most cases, derived from individuals that have developed antibodies to fight against the infection.

“What we tried to do is to select a trial of these antibodies and select the potent antibody – the one that elicits the strongest protections – and we select these really potent antibodies for further optimisation, for development to make them into a product.

“Another way of thinking about it is: a monoclonal antibody is something that is naturally produced, and we will use, try and take the best one that we can find and make it even stronger.

“There is a lot that goes into that, in terms of making sure that it has the efficacy that we want and the duration of protection that we want,’’ she explains.

Andrews says  there are three monoclonal antibodies currently in clinical development for the prevention of plasmodium falciparum malaria infection.

“Two of them are the NIH antibodies, CIS43LS, and the third is our antibody at the Gates MRI, the MAM01.

“Each of these three antibodies targets slightly different epitopes, and they have slightly different targets on where they bind the malaria parasite.

“The MAM01 MRI antibody is being worked on in partnership with Atreca, and it has been  licensed,” she adds.

The scientist discloses that the Gates MRI is currently evaluating the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of MAM01 in a phase 1 first-in-human clinical trial in adults.

“Once the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of MAM01 are established in adults, the goal will be to conduct clinical studies in the most vulnerable population (children older than three months and younger than five years old) to assess the safety and ability of MAM01 to prevent P. falciparum infection.

“We finished the development of this antibody and filed our IND, our investigation of new drug application.

“We are in phase one study now. It is ongoing at the University of Maryland, to show the safety of the antibody in certain doses.

`’The reason for this is that we want to make sure that our antibody is safe and that it is providing protection,” Andrews says.

She emphasises that all tools to fight malaria are complementary.

Addressing the uniqueness of monoclonal antibodies, she says: “ What is unique as compared to a vaccine is that, generally speaking, vaccines require your body to mount an immune response.

“This takes time. This also requires multiple doses of the vaccine.

“For a monoclonal antibody, the idea is that this will be a single touch point with the healthcare system, a single shot that can provide near immediate protection –  near immediate because, if it is IV, it is protection that day, but if it is administered intramuscularly or subcutaneously, then, the time to the maximum concentration in blood takes about  a week.

“This is much shorter than the time that it takes for protection for a vaccine.

“It is  well accepted that there is a gap in interventions for pregnant women; so, this could be a potential use case for a monoclonal antibody,” she says.

Andrews adds that children with anaemia can be a potential use case for a monoclonal antibody.

According to Andrews, while the actual  duration of the monoclonal antibody  protection has not been established, the target is that a single injection prior to the rainy season will be able to give coverage that is beneficial. (NANFeatures) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

*** If used. Please credit the writer and the agency **

Imperatives for Africa-led strategies against terrorism
Features

Imperatives for Africa-led strategies against terrorism

 

By Sumaila Ogbaje, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Nigeria and several African countries are currently grappling with the scourge of terrorism and its consequences.

Over the years, there has been deaths, massive destruction, displacement of millions from their homes, and crippling of economic and social life.

Many communities across the continent also face hunger, starvation, diseases, and homelessness as result of the devastation caused by terrorist groups.

For more than 15 years now the activities of terrorist groups such as Ansaru, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have continued to pose significant threats to lives and economic activities in the Sahel including Nigeria.

Experts have consistently said the present and emerging security threats require effective and comprehensive strategies to address the drivers of the unending conflicts.

They said African countries must pursue robust socio-economic development, ensure good governance, adopt new conflict resolution mechanisms, and strengthen regional and international cooperation.

In a strategic move to address the challenges of terrorism and violent extremism, Nigeria has organised a high-level counter-terrorism meeting involving African countries and key stakeholders from across the world.

The meeting was coordinated by the Office of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (ONSA) with the support of the United Nations Office on Counter-Terrorism.

Key figures in attendance included President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo.

There were representatives of other countries and delegations from the UN, EU, AU, UNECA and civil society organisations.

Tinubu called for the establishment of a regional and continental counter-terrorism centre that will serve as a hub for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building.

He also wants Africa to adopt comprehensive approach to combating terrorism, not only through might, but by addressing the root causes of the scourge, which include poverty, inequality, and social injustice.

The Nigerian president also wants African countries to attack the roots that feed this evil branch — ransom and illegal mining – through which terrorists continuously finance, re-equip, and re-supply their sinister mission.
“Not only does it kidnap people, it kidnaps precious resources.

“Billions upon billions of dollars that legitimate governments should be using to sculpt better societies by providing education, healthcare, and food for its people now go to pay for weapons and response to mayhem.

“Look at the illegal mining that plagues so many of our nations today.

“Those who think illegal mining has no connection with financing terrorism are sorely mistaken.

“The international community has both the moral and legal obligation to help in this cause because it is external finance, not African money, that fuels these illegal operations,” Tinubu emphasised.

He said that the international community must answer to African countries call for justice, peace, and fair play.

“Key to our collective efforts against terrorism is the urgent need for a fully operational Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre,” Tinubu added.

Tinubu challenged the continent to strengthen existing counter-terrorism structures, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) in Abuja.

Others are the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers, and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) in Addis Ababa.

He underscored the importance of a regional standby force that includes tackling terrorism as part of its mandate.

Nigeria has over the years enhanced its counter-terrorism capabilities, enacted Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition law, and established the National Counter Terrorism Centre.

Nigeria has also been working with regional partners to strengthen arms control measures, enhance border security, and disrupt the illicit trafficking networks that fuel terrorism and organised crime.

National Security Adviser, Mr Nuhu Ribadu, also attributed terrorism in Africa to organised crime, foreign terrorist financing and training, poverty, inequality, and prolonged conflicts, among others.

According to him, counterterrorism responses in the continent are being complicated by political instability, governance challenges, ethnic and religious tensions, economic inequality, and poverty.

In spite of these challenges, Ribadu said Nigeria has been dealing decisively with all drivers of violent extremism, including economic and social enablers.

It has enhanced intelligence gathering through inter-agency collaboration and confidence building with citizens, strengthening the judiciary, and funding counter-terrorism efforts.

The UN Deputy Secretary-General, Dr Amina Mohammed, said the continent needs to rebuild its social contract with citizens, and deliver good governance.

Mohammed also said that in tackling the menace of terrorism, Africa should learn lessons on the root causes, mobilise resources to rebuild torn societies, and formulate responses that address conditions that drive conflicts.

One way of doing this, according to her, is to invest massively in the capabilities and aspirations of young people and creating the environment where youths could thrive.

The UN official said this would deter disillusioned young people from joining terrorist groups like ISIS or Boko Haram, who usually dangle prospects of better opportunities to entice young people to their fold.

People have been betrayed by decades of underinvestment, crises and a lack of governance, she said.

“It means building strong democratic institutions and promoting people-centered governments, grounded in human rights and guaranteed access to basic services and inclusive development for all people.”

For Mr Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General, UNOCT, the global community need to support regional initiatives like the Multi National Joint Task Force, to defeat terrorism in Africa.

Voronkov said there should global support to African-led solutions to African challenges.

He said the launch of the UN Joint Appeal for Counter-Terrorism in Africa brought together 16 UN entities in support of 10 new multi-partner initiatives across the continent.

This is to tackle critical areas including border management and countering terrorism, the nexus between terrorism and organised crime, prevent violent extremism, and promote gender equality and human rights.

The fatalities from terrorists activities is alarming and calls for concern.

The Chairperson of African Union Commission (AU), Mousa Mahamat, said an average of eight incidents and 44 fatalities per day are being recorded since 2022 due to terrorism in the continent.

Mahamat said over 7,000 causalities were recorded in 2023 alone, over 4,000 security personnel had been killed by terrorists.

“At the political level, this situation was and is still being exploited to fit into the negative speech for unconstitutional change of government and for the rejection of our principles of democracy and human rights.

“These figures underscore our collective and urgent need to reevaluate our counterterrorism strategies to effectively address our vulnerabilities and shortcomings in the face of this growing phenomenon,” the AU Commission chairperson said.

To silence the guns of terrorists and violent extremists African leaders agreed to confront the underlying causes headlong.

These include inequalities, poor governance, lack of development, violations and abuses of human rights, local conflicts and the proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

The leaders also agreed to an African-led and African-owned approach to countering terrorism, strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation, and encouraging effective counter measures to address the spread of terrorism.

They reaffirmed their collective commitment to strengthening the security of African States in line with the Common African Defence and Security Policy and within the spirit of finding African solutions to Africa’s security challenges. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

Takeaways from Tinubu’s trip to Riyadh, Hague
Features

Takeaways from Tinubu’s trip to Riyadh, Hague

Takeaways from Tinubu’s trip to Riyadh, Hague

By Temitope Ajayi
Since his first trip abroad as President of Nigeria to Paris in June last year, where he joined other world leaders at the New Global Financial Pact Summit convened by President Emmanuel Macron, President Bola Tinubu has undertaken many other important trips where he has drawn global attention to the new realities in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

On those trips, he emerged as the chief salesman of Nigeria and Africa.

Like his previous travels where he had forcefully spoken, with admiration, on behalf of Nigeria or for West Africa as Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Head of States and Government and at the United Nations General Assembly and COP28 in Dubai, President Tinubu has not failed to use the available opportunity to send the right message to the world of the immense possibilities to do great things when the developed nations and global business leaders partner Africa, and Nigeria, in particular in a mutually-beneficial way.

It was the same message of partnership, collaboration, investment opportunity, shared prosperity, and sustainability that he took to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.

Both at The Hague, where he met the Prime Minister, the Royal family and business leaders and in Riyadh, where he participated actively at the Special Meeting of the World Economic Forum, President Tinubu was regal in his carriage and convincing in appeal.

Here are the key takeaways from the trips:

1. Thursday, 25th of April, President Tinubu led the Nigerian delegation to the Nigeria-Netherlands Business and Investment Forum. He used the opportunity to reinforce the more robust economic and diplomatic ties between the two countries.

He used the occasion to sell his Renewed Hope Agenda, harping on the favourable investment climate now in Nigeria and the reforms he has undertaken to promote a stronger and more resilient economy where businesses can thrive.

In his call to action, he invited investors from the Netherlands to come and reap bountifully from any investment they make in Nigeria. During his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte at his official residence, President Tinubu was at his best element as a salesman. He told the PM of the abundant human and natural resources available in Nigeria, especially the energetic, enterprising, and resourceful young people who are breaking barriers and excelling across the world in their various fields.

On his part, the Prime Minister said Dutch investors were ready for a fresh $250 million investment in Nigeria and another $100 million in a waste-to-wealth industrial facility in Lagos State.

2. At a high-level panel discussion at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, President Tinubu held his audience spellbound.

On the same panel, with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, and the Managing Director of International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Geogieva, President Tinubu spoke on the imperatives of building global collaboration and cooperation to deal with some of the problems confronting humanity.

He called on the global community and more prosperous nations to pay more attention to Africa and the Sahel region of West Africa.

He said: “I am glad the world is recognising the need for cooperation and that with the type of population growth that Africa is experiencing, the diversity of its resources must be married with economic opportunity. We must collaborate to achieve that.

“We are encouraging the entire world to pay attention to the Sahel and the other countries around us. As the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, I have wielded the big influence of Nigeria to discourage all unconstitutional changes of government.

”Equally, we have eased the sanctions. We need to trade with one another, not fight each other. It is very necessary and compulsory for us to engender growth, stability, and economic prosperity for our people in West Africa.

“The rest of the world needs to look at the fundamentals of the problem; not just geopolitically, but at the root. Has the world paid attention to the poverty level in the Sahel and the rest of ECOWAS? Have they facilitated the infusion of capital and paid adequate attention to ensuring the exploration of resources and the creation of opportunities presented by the mineral resources available?

“Are we going to play a big-brother role in a talk shop without taking necessary action? We just have to be involved in the promotion and prosperity of that region in order to see peace, stability, and economic growth.”

3. Engagement with Moller-Maersk Delegation: A key highlight of the President’s participation at the WEF in Riyadh was a sideline meeting with Robert Maersk Uggla, Chairman of the Danish shipping and logistics giant, and his team.

The meeting focused on the company’s existing business in Nigeria and the prospect of future new investment to expand port infrastructure in Nigeria to accommodate bigger ships.

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, recently announced a $ 1 billion ports expansion and modernisation programme to take care of dilapidated infrastructure at the Western and Eastern seaports.

President Tinubu welcomed the genuine interest of AP Moller-Maersk in Nigeria and the company’s willingness to make new investments.

He expressed his appreciation to the Chairman for his company’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy over time, assuring him that Nigeria and his government would not take the country’s partners for granted.

-Ajayi is Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity

Beating non-communicable diseases to safeguard African children
Features , General News , Health

Beating non-communicable diseases to safeguard African children

 

 

By Vivian Ihechu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Emeka Ahanonu and Ugo Alilionwu are from the same family. Following frequent hospital admissions in early childhood, they were later diagnosed with sickle cell disease.

Their family, living in a village in the eastern part of Nigeria, did as much as they could to manage their condition.

With time, cost of medication and care became burdensome for the poor family, coupled with the rising cost of living.

Meeting up with medications, hospital appointments, adequate nutrition and observing other conditions necessary to manage the condition became tougher.

Sadly, Ahanonu and Alilionwu passed on within an interval of about four years, at the ages of 11 and 14,  respectively.

In a related development, Chisom Chukwuneke, 17, who was the best candidate in the 2019 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination  in her school, died after a battle with blood cancer.

At her demise, her father, Mr Felix Chukwuneke,  wrote, “As restless and worried as I can be, I promised to do everything humanly possible. We went to South Africa. We were happy at your initial recovery, not knowing the war was just to begin.”

Young Chukwuneke  died in 2020.

Again, Onome Eka’s family got to know she had Type 1 Diabetes when was 12 years old.

Keeping up with her treatment with insulin was an ordeal. It was expensive. Payment was out of the pocket. Getting needed treatment as and when due was difficult. Thus, Eka passed away some months later.

However, Akida Abdul, 10, and Emmanuel Anga,15, of Kondoa District in Tanzania have been able to live with SCD and Type 1 Diabetes respectively, having access to a PEN-Plus clinic in their community.

In spite of their families’ lack of funds for their treatments, the clinic has been able to bridge the gaps in financing, accessibility and other issues that could have limited them from having access to care.

The World Health Organization (WHO) approach to addressing severe Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through an integrated outpatient service at first-level hospitals is called integrated PEN-Plus (package of essential interventions for severe NCDs).

It  aims to mitigate the  burden of severe NCDs among the poorest children and young adults by increasing  accessibility particularly  in  low and middle-income countries.

On Aug. 23, 2022,  the 47 member-states of the WHO/Afro region voted to adopt PEN-Plus strategy to address severe NCDs at first-level referral facilities.

According to WHO, NCDs such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, are increasingly becoming the main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.

NCDs, also known as chronic diseases, are non-transmissible diseases of often long duration. Examples of NCDs include mental health conditions, stroke, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, sickle cell disorder, and chronic lung disease.

They are driven largely by behaviours that usually start during childhood and adolescence. Such behaviours include physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.

However, sometimes, they are genetic or congenital.

The diseases are accountable for 37 per cent of deaths in 2019, rising from 24 per cent in 2000 largely due to weaknesses in the implementation of critical control measures including prevention, diagnosis and care.

In Africa, between 50 per cent and 88 per cent of deaths in seven countries, mostly small island nations, are due to non-communicable diseases, according to the 2022 World Health WHO NCDs Progress Monitor.

Globally, it is estimated that one in two disability-affected lives and one in five deaths among adolescents are caused by NCDs.

In the Africa, the number of people living with diabetes, for example, is expected to reach 47 million by 2045, up from 19 million in 2019.

“The growing burden of NCDs poses a grave threat to the health and lives of millions of people in Africa: over a third of deaths in the region are due to these illnesses.

“What is particularly concerning is that premature deaths from non-communicable diseases are rising among people younger than 70 years,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Moeti, who joined the International Conference on PEN-Plus in Africa (ICPPA2024) virtually, said it was time to prioritise person-centred approach to NCDs.

The four-day conference, from April 23 to  April 25, 2024, had the theme, “Prioritising Person-Centered Approach to Chronic and Severe NCDs – Type 1 Diabetes, Sickle Cell Diseases, and Childhood Heart Diseases.”

It was hosted by the Tanzania Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization African Region (WHO-Afro), in partnership with the HELMSLEY Charitable Trust and NCDI Poverty Network.

The meeting centred around  inequitable access to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care, seeking commitment to advocate increased focus on chronic and severe non-communicable diseases within existing healthcare delivery systems.

Moeti said: “The surge in the number of NCDs on our continent over the past two decades is driven by increasing incidences of risk factors, such as unhealthy diets, reduced mental activity, obesity, and air pollution.”

She urged African governments to step up efforts and embrace the PEN-Plus initiative to ensure that targets would be met.

“Severe NCDs such as Type 1 Diabetes, rheumatic heart disease and sickle cell disease, more frequently affect children and young adults, the majority of Africa’s population.

“Africa must invest more now in addressing NCDs with adequate and sustained resources.

“We are continuing to invest in reducing the high burden of premature mortality from chronic and severe disease within the context of Universal Health Coverage.

“Despite our member-states’ efforts, we have a huge challenge in NCDS in Africa,” she said.

According to the official, data from low-income countries shows that 26 per cent of total health spending is due to NCDs, second only to infectious and parasitic diseases.

“This means it is urgent to give these often-neglected diseases the priority and attention they deserve.’’

She said that the rapid evolution with a higher mortality rate had not been adequately recognised because of inadequate investment and lack of diligence in knowing the diseases.

Also, Elke Wisch, UNICEF Representative in Tanzania, who represented the UN Resident Coordinator in Tanzania, noted that children had become at great risk of NCDs.

“Beyond the general picture of NCDs, we also have severe conditions that pose acute stages in individuals affected by these conditions.

“Diseases such as sickle cell anemia, rheumatic heart diseases and Type 1 Diabetes do not only affect adults but also impact children and adolescents in significant numbers here, in Tanzania, and other countries in Africa.’’

Wisch said that the diseases, if not priority attention, would remain a cause of mortality in children and adolescents.

“The United Nations system is consciously aware of the profound impact that NCDs have on individuals, families and entire societies and nations.

“These diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, pose significant challenges to our healthcare systems and the well-being of our countries.”

Recognising the gravity of the consequences of not addressing NCDs, especially for children and adolescents, Mr James Reid of Helmsley Charitable Trust, suggested ways to address the situation.

He advised that all efforts and investments in addressing NCDs should be focused on integrating NCD care seamlessly into existing health systems.

“The key to achieving UHC lies in expanding primary healthcare, especially in low-resource and humanitarian settings.

“Collaborative, cross-sector strategies, innovative investments and a focus on integrating NCD care into existing health systems are all keys to achieving health for all,’’ he said.

He said that successful models such as PEN-Plus had demonstrated the effectiveness of empowering nurses and mid-level providers to integrate NCD care into the ongoing continuum of primary healthcare.

Through the PEN-Plus initiative, governments in the African region are working on strengthening preventive measures, promoting healthy lifestyles and ensuring access to quality healthcare services at the primary healthcare levels where many people seek healthcare services.

Also, SDG 3.4 calls for all member-states to reduce premature deaths from NCDs by one-third in 2030 through prevention, treatment and promoting mental health and well-being.

However, a number of low- and middle-income countries are not on track to actualising SDG target 3.4 to reduce NCD mortality.

From the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the same indices resonate, with NCDs and other conditions rising and threatening the continent’s vision of achieving and building an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens.

However, as highlighted in the AU Agenda 2063, addressing the menace will also involve addressing these conditions with a multi-faceted approach.

Dr Mohammed Abdulaziz, Head, Division of Disease Control and Prevention, Africa CDC, affirmed that a multi-faceted and integrated approach to solving some of the major health system obstacles in the delivery of NCDs Treatment and Prevention and Control Plan, was needed.

“Our approach must prioritise the individual and families impacted by NCDs.

“We must ensure equitable access to essential medicines and services for everyone for everyone.’’

According to him, as agreed by the AU heads of state, there is need to set up a pool procurement mechanism to strengthen and see if this will help in getting essential medication and access to health products for these high-burden diseases.

Also, he stressed the need for the integration of data which should be collected nationally, through surveillance.

Achieving these goals, he said, also required bridging the funding gap for Africa for the NCDs programmes across the continent.

“We have no choice but to also push for domestic finance. We know that very few of our countries are reaching the 15 per cent mark budget for health, the Abuja declaration.

“If we can show to all what we are doing, that our government should, in putting more funding into health, put more in the area of NCDs, it will be good to help us reach that target’’.

In conclusion, the path ahead toward addressing NCDS requires collaboration, communication, innovation and a human-centred approach.

There is need for increased investment toward prevention, research and care for childhood NCDs, with access to equitable care and support given priority attention, leaving no one behind.

These can be achieved when governments and leaderships are committed to stepping up efforts and embracing initiatives such as the PEN-Plus initiative, to ensure that targets are met.

In so doing, aside adults, African children and adolescents can hope for a brighter future without the scare of living with or sliding into eternity with NCDS, when it could have been prevented or optimally-managed.

At present, 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are at various stages of initiating, implementing or scaling up PEN-Plus.

It is estimated that no fewer than 10,000 people are receiving treatment for severe NCDs in PEN-Plus Clinics across 11 Sub-Saharan countries.

By 2030, the WHO’s goal is for 70 per cent of African region member-tates to have national plans for integrated care, NCD training for health workers, and essential medicines in district hospitals. (NANFeatures)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

*** If used, please credit the writer and the agency **

Navigating the path to sustainable organisational success: insights from Lagos leadership programme
Features

Navigating the path to sustainable organisational success: insights from Lagos leadership programme

By Razak Owolabi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In a world characterized by rapid change and uncertainty, the pursuit of sustainable organizational success has become more than just a lofty aspiration—it has become a strategic imperative.

 

Recognizing this reality, leaders from across industries converged in Lagos for the TEXEM, UK Executive Development Programme titled “Strategies for Sustainable Organisational Success,” led by the esteemed Prof. John Peters.

Peters is a former prisoner of War and Chair of the Association of MBAs that accredits London Business School and Harvard.

Dr Alim Abubakre, Founder of TEXEM also delivered part of the executive development programme.

The two-day programme, organised by TEXEM, UK held on April 24 and 25, was meticulously crafted to equip executives with the tools, insights, and strategies needed to navigate turbulent times and thrive amidst uncertainty.

From building a solid foundation for success to fostering innovation and resilience, the agenda was designed to address the key challenges facing organizations in today’s dynamic business landscape.

Day One commenced with a focus on laying the groundwork for sustainable success.

 

During this TEXEM programme, participants delved into the importance of sustainable success in today’s business environment and explored the transformative power of pressure as a catalyst for innovation.

Through engaging discussions and real-world case studies, they gained valuable insights into leading through crisis and leveraging challenges as opportunities for organisational excellence.

As the day unfolded, the programme fostered opportunities for networking, informal discussions, and collaborative problem-solving—a testament to the interactive and participatory nature of the learning experience.

 

From panel sessions to strategic games, participants were challenged to think critically, collaborate effectively, and apply their newfound knowledge in practical scenarios.

Day Two built upon the foundation laid on the first day, focusing on building a winning culture, innovation, resilience, and risk management.

Participants explored the role of culture and innovation in driving sustainable success and learned to harness the power of organizational culture for strategic advantage.

 

Through immersive activities and group discussions, they developed a deeper understanding of resilience and risk management, equipping them to navigate uncertainty with confidence and poise.

The programme culminated in the presentation of certificates—a symbolic gesture marking the participants’ commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

As they reflected on their journey over the past two days, it was evident that they had not only gained new skills and insights but had also forged meaningful connections with fellow executives.

This ultimately fostered a sense of camaraderie and collaboration that would extend beyond the confines of the programme.

The Executive Development Programme “Strategies for Sustainable Organisational Success” served as a beacon of inspiration and empowerment for leaders committed to driving positive change and achieving enduring success.

 

As participants returned to their respective organizations, they did so armed with a renewed sense of purpose, a deeper understanding of sustainable strategic leadership, and a shared commitment to building a brighter future for their organizations and communities alike.

In the words of TEXEM’s founder, Abubakre, “True success is not measured by what we achieve individually but by the lasting impact we create collectively.

“Together, let us chart a course towards sustainable success—one that empowers, inspires, and transforms lives for generations to come”.

 

In his own comment, Peters said “in the turbulent seas of today’s business landscape, sustainable success is not merely a goal but a necessity.

 

“Through strategic innovation, decisive problem-solving and competent leadership, TEXEM, UK has been able to inspire participants to navigate the waves of uncertainty, transforming crisis into opportunity, and charting a course towards enduring success”.

Testimonials from the participants lauded the rich and thought-provoking content of the programme, among whom is Nafisa Ibrahim, Manager, Internal Audit, NNPC Pension Fund Limited.

 

“It’s been two days of very impactful learning for me. I must say that as an ardent believer in personal and professional development, I have attended a lot of trainings and courses.

“But TEXEM stands out. They deliver this course excellently. One thing that stands out for me is the fact that they assembled very interesting, exceptional and sufficient activities into all of the learnings.

“And with this, I know that it will be very hard for us to forget. It’s all about impact and implementation,” Ibrahim said.

 

Muhammed Gwadabe, President of, the Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigerian, another participant in the programme also spoke.

 

“I’ve learned a lot. I’ve seen where tradition is being converted to modernity… I’ve learned how to keep sustainability.

“I have learned teamwork. I have learned different strategy tools from Marshmallow, from OODA, observation of my opponents, orienting my business, making decisions and acting fast.

 

“I’ve also learned the importance of balancing culture with my organizational objective,” Gwadabe said.

As the sun sets on another successful TEXEM, UK programme, it is time Nigerian leaders look forward to the continued journey of growth, resilience, and transformation that lies ahead. (NANFeatures)

 

**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Pelumi Nubi’s London-to-Lagos journey and West Africa’s border realities
Features

Pelumi Nubi’s London-to-Lagos journey and West Africa’s border realities

By Mark Longyen & Tosin Kolade, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

When travel content creator Pelumi Nubi embarked on her 68-day solo journey from London to Lagos a few months ago, little did anyone anticipate the beauty, excitement, and challenges that would unfold.

She embarked on a journey from London through France, Spain, and Morocco before venturing into the West Sahara Desert.

From there, she continued her expedition through Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Ghana, Togo, Benin, and on the other end arrived in Lagos, Nigeria on April 7.

Pelumi made history as the first black woman to complete a solo drive from the United Kingdom to Nigeria, garnering accolades and recognition worldwide for her remarkable achievement.

Fans greeted her arrival with cheers, having closely followed her journey online.

In recognition of her extraordinary feat, the Lagos State government bestowed upon her a new car, a house, and an ambassadorship for state tourism.

While the journey progressed, the solo trip revealed the beauty, culture, and traditions of all the countries she visited.

However, a major highlight was the difficulty and delay in moving past the West African borders as a British-Nigerian citizen with the required travel documents.

Different passport checks, attitudes of border security officers, and seemingly deliberate delays, were shown on her social media page, Instagram, with millions of viewers.

According to Pelumi, she hopes to use her platform to create an awareness campaign for improving freedom of movement for people in the African region.

Pelumi is not alone in the narrative about the frustrating and agonising road-travelling experiences on the borders of member states by ECOWAS citizens.

Doris Brown, Deputy Secretary-General, Lions Club District 40382, comprising Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, and Togo, who experienced the same, urged Customs and Immigration officers to treat ECOWAS citizens, who cross the sub-regional borders by road with dignity and respect.

Like Pelumi, she said that 29 of the club’s members, while traveling to Togo by road from Liberia through Ivory Coast, and Ghana for their district convention, were subjected to agonizing hours of delays due to relentless searches at checkpoints.

According to her, by the ECOWAS protocols, people should travel freely without taking a visa from member states, as ECOWAS Heads of State have signed the protocols, so people should not be treated “inhumanly as if we came from space.”

“ECOWAS needs to have a second look at the relationship between its member states, especially with the ordinary citizen who embark on a journey by road.

“Each member state needs to ensure security, but as ECOWAS citizens, they should be accorded some respect and dignity.

“These were not part of the dreams of the founding fathers of ECOWAS for the ECOWAS citizens and Africa as a whole. If we cannot be respected at our borders and ensure free movement, what is the reason for having ECOWAS?” Brown queried.

Critics say that in spite of the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of persons and goods, challenges persist regarding the free movement of people and goods in the West African sub-region.

The free trade agreement, brokered by the African Union (AU) and signed in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018, aims to establish a single market for goods and services in Africa, promote the free movement of people, and drive economic growth and development across the continent.

With 54 signatories, the AfCFTA is the largest free trade area by member states after the World Trade Organisation, encompassing over 1.3 billion people and vast geographic regions.

It envisions provisions for visa-free travel, residency rights, and the absence of movement barriers, enhancing economic integration and regional cooperation.

While policymakers see labour movement as crucial to the success of the continental free trade agreement, not all African countries fully support the idea.

Additionally, alongside the AfCFTA agreement and the Kigali Declaration, 30 African nations signed the Protocol on Free Movement of Persons, aiming to establish a visa-free zone within AfCFTA countries.

The ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of goods and people promotes regional integration and economic progress among its member states.

The Protocol on Free Movement, Right to Residency, and Establishment, mandates member-states to allow ECOWAS citizens with valid documents the right of entry into their territories under the provisions of the protocols.

Dr Omar Touray, President of ECOWAS Commission

ECOWAS member states are also required to adopt measures to ensure that ECOWAS citizens enjoy to the full the rights granted in the Protocol.

Dr Matthew Ogali, a researcher from the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, highlighted one of the objectives of ECOWAS as promoting trade and commerce among member countries.

He identified various institutional and non-institutional barriers hindering the free movement of people and goods, such as excessive customs checks and entry restrictions.

According to him, after forty-nine years of existence, ECOWAS has primarily thrived in the informal trade sector, characterised by small-time entrepreneurs conducting business across borders with minimal adherence to established trade policies.

Ogali noted that this informal trade environment has also fostered criminal activities like smuggling and cross-border armed banditry, resulting in significant losses of goods and, at times, lives.

“Despite its resilience over the past forty-nine years, ECOWAS has struggled to translate many of the documents produced by its intellectual community, often seen as scholarly discourse, into practical policy implementations.

“This gap between academic insights and policymaking poses challenges for addressing the region’s problems effectively.

Prof. Charles Ukeje of the Department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, while commenting on Pelumi’s experience at the borders of ECOWAS countries, said her challenges may have been unrelated to any deficiencies in the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of its citizens.

He said: “One would not know whether she was carrying a British passport or a Nigerian/ECOWAS passport during the trip, which would have guaranteed her free movement, or otherwise, within the subregion in line with the ECOWAS protocol.

“Also, we need to know whether the passport she carried had expired or was invalid at the time she was traveling, which may have necessitated scrutiny by security officials at the borders.”

Corroborating Prof. Ukeje’s view, ECOWAS Director, Free Movement of Persons and Immigation, Albert Siaw-Boateng, said that the delay experienced by Pelumi at the points of entry or exit could not be attributed to any weaknesses in the implementation of the protocol.

He said that due to the prevailing security challenges in the region, triggered by terrorism and violent extremism, ECOWAS’ security architecture necessitated thorough checks on travelers by security officials without impeding the free movement of community citizens within the region.

According to him, the protocol also gives room for National Laws to take precedence, hence, there are inconsistencies in the implementation of the protocol by individual member states.

“It is also to be noted that even though all member states have signed up to the Free Movement Protocol, it gives room for National Laws to take precedence.

“In this regard, there are inconsistencies in the implementation of the protocol by Member States.

“So, any delay at the point of entry or exit cannot be attributed to weaknesses in the implementation of the protocol,” he said.

Dr Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, speaking on the Free Movement Protocol recently, noted that: “Free Trade moves with Free Movement of persons and goods.”

Touray said that ECOWAS had been implementing joint border posts, which brought together border officials of two neighboring countries to carry out joint operations, to ease cross-border crossing, which sometimes took cognizance of respective member states’ laws.

“We have built a joint border between Nigeria and Benin at the Seme-Krake border, and between Togo and Ghana at the Noepe-Akanu border. These border posts are now operational.

“There is another border post that has been made operational between Nigeria and Cameroon at the Ekok-Mfun area. This was financed by the African Development Bank,” he said.

The creation of the ECOWAS protocol on the free movement of persons and goods on May 29, 1979, to facilitate a borderless ECOWAS, is a cardinal scheme of the bloc’s integration programme, aimed at moving from an ECOWAS of states to ECOWAS of people.

The Protocol adopts the removal of roadblocks and security checkpoints on intra-ECOWAS international highways, the introduction of a single ECOWAS passport, and a Schengen-type visa for the community’s citizens, among others.

Experts say this has fostered regional integration and development by boosting citizens’ mobility, which has yielded multi-sectoral benefits and contributed to key developments in the ECOWAS subregion.

They emphasise that effective policy implementation and addressing institutional barriers will fully realise the benefits of regional integration in West Africa. (NANFeatures)

If used please credit the writers and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

When stakeholders converged to discuss counter-terrorism measures for Africa
Features

When stakeholders converged to discuss counter-terrorism measures for Africa

By Kayode Adebiyi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Between April 22 and April 23, the Nigerian government hosted a High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting in Abuja with the theme “Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism”.

The summit brought together several presidents across Africa and more than 20 African countries that are successful in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism.

Also in attendance were African regional organisations, international partners, United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities, and 20 African-based civil society organisations.

Organisers said the objective of the summit was to enhance multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation and reshape the international community’s collective response to terrorism in Africa.

They also said the meeting was necessary to emphasise the importance of “African-led and African-owned” solutions to violent extremism and terrorism.

With the support of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the gathering set out to provide a platform to review the nature and severity of the threat of terrorism in Africa.

That platform, participants said, would enable the continent to agree on concrete strategic priorities and measures to address the scourge.

Organisers also aimed at fostering deeper regional collaboration, enhancing the institutional capacity of African countries, and facilitating the exchange of best practices and knowledge to combat the multifaceted threat of terrorism.

In his opening address, President Bola Tinubu reminded the gathering that terrorism gets at the fabric of the tranquil, prosperous and just societies that African leaders seek to build for themselves.

He also emphasised that terror cannot co-exist in the same space as democracy and good governance.

“This violent threat seeks to frighten the farmer from his field, children from their schools, women from the marketplace, and families from their very homes.

“It wants the city dweller to cower and businesses to close. It craves despotism and suppression, not democracy and enlightened society.

“Its goal is to cause such havoc that we doubt our democratic principles, putting societies and governments into such confusion and disarray that we begin fighting among ourselves,” he said.

He, however, said the fight against terrorism requires a comprehensive approach, stating that African countries must address the root causes of extremism, such as poverty, marginalisation, and social injustice.

The president did not just leave his audience with empty rhetoric devoid of meaningful action, as he made some suggestions to the meeting on areas of solution to explore.

He reminded his colleagues as African leaders of the need for a fully operational Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre, stressing that such a centre would serve as a hub for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building.

He also called for strengthening existing counter-terrorism structures, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) in Abuja, and the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers.

President Tinubu also pitched the idea that a Regional Standby Force which includes tackling terrorism as part of its mandate should not be abandoned.

“I am mindful of the funding, legal, and logistical complexities that face the proper establishment of such a force.

“However, with a prudent and clearly defined mandate that accords with the international law and respects national sovereignty such a force can serve as a rapid deployment mechanism.

“The idea is for a regional force capable of swiftly responding to major threats and bolstering the security of our region,” he said.

On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said Africa’s security landscape is challenged by terrorism and violent extremism, evidenced by seven coups between 2020 and 2023.

He also said terrorism in Africa is being driven by factors such as foreign terrorist fighters, organised crime, prolonged conflicts, drug trafficking, illicit arms trade, high youth unemployment, porous borders, and inadequate policing.

He cited political instability, governance challenges, ethnic and religious tensions, economic inequality, and poverty as factors that also significantly contribute to terrorism in the continent.

“In 2023, the world witnessed a 22 per cent increase in terrorism-related deaths, affecting 41 countries. The continent faces threats from diverse terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP in northeast Nigeria, and Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

“The DRC and Mozambique face threats from Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP).

“These groups exploit local vulnerabilities and contribute to ongoing instability, necessitating integrated security strategies that combine military, economic, and regional cooperation efforts,” he said.

The NSA said Nigeria’s efforts to tackle terrorism are reflected in various strategies and the enactment of key laws to back up implementation frameworks.

He mentioned the National Counter Terrorism Strategy, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

He also said the country’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre is leading Nigeria’s coordinated efforts, bolstered by the recent establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

Recall that the NCCSALW just recently retrieved 20,000 small arms and 60,000 units of ammunition in Nigeria.

Ribadu said local communities and other stakeholders play, and should continue to play, crucial roles in countering violent extremism.

He said through partnerships with civil society, youth, and the media, and collaboration with state governments, the federal government is preventing violent extremism, has rehabilitated thousands of terrorism victims and is actively rebuilding affected communities.

Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, UNOCT’s Under-Secretary-General, said at the event that terrorism is a threat to international peace and security, particularly in Africa where its impact is most felt.

He also said that to effectively counter terrorism, African regional organisations have an important role to play.

“Effectively preventing terrorism in Africa necessitates a whole-of-society approach that includes governmental bodies, civil society, academia, and religious institutions.

“Civil society plays a vital role in reaching communities vulnerable to radicalisation. We continue to engage them to address the root causes of violent extremism.

“I am pleased that UNOCT facilitated the participation in today’s meeting of 10 civil society organisations from across Africa,” he said.

At the end of the summit, parties agreed that climate insecurity could exacerbate fragile contexts as well as act as a risk multiplier in combination with other underlying drivers of violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

They emphasized the need to promote the meaningful participation, leadership, and representation of women, youth, victims of terrorist activities and/or people in special situations in decision-making processes related to counter-terrorism.

They also reiterated the promotion of effective “African-led and African-owned” strategies for countering terrorism and violent extremism, among other resolutions. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)

When stakeholders converged to discuss counter-terrorism measures for Africa
Features

When stakeholders converged to discuss counter-terrorism measures for Africa

By Kayode Adebiyi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Between April 22 and April 23, the Nigerian government hosted a High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting in Abuja with the theme “Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism”.

The summit brought together several presidents across Africa and more than 20 African countries that are successful in preventing and countering terrorism and violent extremism.

Also in attendance were African regional organisations, international partners, United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact entities, and 20 African-based civil society organisations.

Organisers said the objective of the summit was to enhance multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation and reshape the international community’s collective response to terrorism in Africa.

They also said the meeting was necessary to emphasise the importance of “African-led and African-owned” solutions to violent extremism and terrorism.

With the support of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), the gathering set out to provide a platform to review the nature and severity of the threat of terrorism in Africa.

That platform, participants said, would enable the continent to agree on concrete strategic priorities and measures to address the scourge.

Organisers also aimed at fostering deeper regional collaboration, enhancing the institutional capacity of African countries, and facilitating the exchange of best practices and knowledge to combat the multifaceted threat of terrorism.

In his opening address, President Bola Tinubu reminded the gathering that terrorism gets at the fabric of the tranquil, prosperous and just societies that African leaders seek to build for themselves.

He also emphasised that terror cannot co-exist in the same space as democracy and good governance.

“This violent threat seeks to frighten the farmer from his field, children from their schools, women from the marketplace, and families from their very homes.

“It wants the city dweller to cower and businesses to close. It craves despotism and suppression, not democracy and enlightened society.

“Its goal is to cause such havoc that we doubt our democratic principles, putting societies and governments into such confusion and disarray that we begin fighting among ourselves,” he said.

He, however, said the fight against terrorism requires a comprehensive approach, stating that African countries must address the root causes of extremism, such as poverty, marginalisation, and social injustice.

The president did not just leave his audience with empty rhetoric devoid of meaningful action, as he made some suggestions to the meeting on areas of solution to explore.

He reminded his colleagues as African leaders of the need for a fully operational Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre, stressing that such a centre would serve as a hub for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building.

He also called for strengthening existing counter-terrorism structures, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) in Abuja, and the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers.

President Tinubu also pitched the idea that a Regional Standby Force which includes tackling terrorism as part of its mandate should not be abandoned.

“I am mindful of the funding, legal, and logistical complexities that face the proper establishment of such a force.

“However, with a prudent and clearly defined mandate that accords with the international law and respects national sovereignty such a force can serve as a rapid deployment mechanism.

“The idea is for a regional force capable of swiftly responding to major threats and bolstering the security of our region,” he said.

On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, said Africa’s security landscape is challenged by terrorism and violent extremism, evidenced by seven coups between 2020 and 2023.

He also said terrorism in Africa is being driven by factors such as foreign terrorist fighters, organised crime, prolonged conflicts, drug trafficking, illicit arms trade, high youth unemployment, porous borders, and inadequate policing.

He cited political instability, governance challenges, ethnic and religious tensions, economic inequality, and poverty as factors that also significantly contribute to terrorism in the continent.

“In 2023, the world witnessed a 22 per cent increase in terrorism-related deaths, affecting 41 countries. The continent faces threats from diverse terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP in northeast Nigeria, and Al-Shabaab in Somalia.

“The DRC and Mozambique face threats from Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP).

“These groups exploit local vulnerabilities and contribute to ongoing instability, necessitating integrated security strategies that combine military, economic, and regional cooperation efforts,” he said.

The NSA said Nigeria’s efforts to tackle terrorism are reflected in various strategies and the enactment of key laws to back up implementation frameworks.

He mentioned the National Counter Terrorism Strategy, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act.

He also said the country’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre is leading Nigeria’s coordinated efforts, bolstered by the recent establishment of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

Recall that the NCCSALW just recently retrieved 20,000 small arms and 60,000 units of ammunition in Nigeria.

Ribadu said local communities and other stakeholders play, and should continue to play, crucial roles in countering violent extremism.

He said through partnerships with civil society, youth, and the media, and collaboration with state governments, the federal government is preventing violent extremism, has rehabilitated thousands of terrorism victims and is actively rebuilding affected communities.

Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, UNOCT’s Under-Secretary-General, said at the event that terrorism is a threat to international peace and security, particularly in Africa where its impact is most felt.

He also said that to effectively counter terrorism, African regional organisations have an important role to play.

“Effectively preventing terrorism in Africa necessitates a whole-of-society approach that includes governmental bodies, civil society, academia, and religious institutions.

“Civil society plays a vital role in reaching communities vulnerable to radicalisation. We continue to engage them to address the root causes of violent extremism.

“I am pleased that UNOCT facilitated the participation in today’s meeting of 10 civil society organisations from across Africa,” he said.

At the end of the summit, parties agreed that climate insecurity could exacerbate fragile contexts as well as act as a risk multiplier in combination with other underlying drivers of violent extremism conducive to terrorism.

They emphasized the need to promote the meaningful participation, leadership, and representation of women, youth, victims of terrorist activities and/or people in special situations in decision-making processes related to counter-terrorism.

They also reiterated the promotion of effective “African-led and African-owned” strategies for countering terrorism and violent extremism, among other resolutions. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria

Curbing the surging scourge of terrorism in Africa
Features

Curbing the surging scourge of terrorism in Africa

By Mark Longyen, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Foreign affairs analysts have postulated that West Africa, and indeed the entire Africa, is facing an existential threat triggered by a surge in terrorism on the continent.

Terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, and banditry, have spiked, assuming an alarming rate, and spreading like wildfire, across Africa.

For instance, the African Center for Strategic Studies, in a recent study, said that terrorist activities in Africa have spiraled out of control by more than 100,000 per cent in the past two decades.

The center posited that in spite of the local and foreign interventions initiated over the years, more than 23,000 people were killed in 2023 by terrorists. This represents a 20 per cent increase in the number of those killed in 2022.

This terrorism threat, experts say, is fueled and exacerbated by three main causes, namely: global terrorism financing, illicit arms trade, and poor governance, with its negative offshoots of corruption, deception, and the adoption of unfair policies. 

Poor governance also manifests in the pollution of the judiciary, electoral manipulation, inadequate policing, ethnic marginalisation, political exclusion, unemployment, poverty, and, above all, insecurity, rendering the country a fertile ground and conducive atmosphere for terrorists to thrive.

African leaders and other stakeholders are, therefore, of a consensus that collaboration, institution building, resource mobilisation, intelligence sharing, and social contracts, are crucial in curbing the marauding scourge.

To tackle this menace, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU) a few days ago in Abuja held an inaugural joint consultation meeting of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) and the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) at the ambassadorial level.

Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS and Chairman of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council, Amb. Musa Nuhu, in his remarks at the event, called for a unified response that should go beyond national boundaries.

“We need to emphasize the critical role and the absolute necessity of collaboration and cooperation in preventing, managing, and resolving these conflicts in our region,” he stressed.

The Gambia’s Permanent Representative to the AU and  Chairperson, AU-PSC, Amb. Jainaba Jagne, said that terrorism, violent extremism, and unconstitutional changes of governments were Africa’s main scourges that must be decimated.

She said that the AU PSC was working very closely with the ECOWAS MSC to address these emerging threats on the continent.

“We need to collaborate, synergise, and work to ensure that we combat all of these scourges on the continent,” she said.

ECOWAS Commissioner, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, said that ECOWAS and AU were determined to rout out the scourge of insecurity.

He described terrorism and unconstitutional changes in government as “the two existential threats facing the continent.”

Amb. Musah disclosed that ECOWAS and the African Union were already working on a clear roadmap and joint action plan on the challenges facing West Africa.

He said that the roadmap entailed producing a framework of action, as well as raising resources together to confront the challenges to meet the exigencies of the moment.

“We have chosen terrorism and unconstitutional changes of government as the main issues to discuss because these are the two existential threats that are facing the West African region today,” he said.

Also, AU’s Commissioner, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Amb. Bankole Adeoye, noted that foreign and local terrorism financing and sponsorship were critical terrorism enablers, adding that, “we must rid the continent of terrorism and silence the guns.”

Adeoye called for effective financial intelligence system that looks at the wider global picture and works with the UN office on counter-terrorism to track terrorists’ funds.

“Once you cut off that lifeline, most of the terrorists will not be able to survive,” Adeoye said.

To underscore the urgency and seriousness, which Africa’s leaders take the continent’s degenerating security situation,  a two-day African high-level counter-terrorism summit was also held in Abuja, just a day before the AU-ECOWAS consultation meeting.

The summit aimed at precipitating “African-led and African-owned” solutions against terrorism and strengthening regional response to terrorism threats.

It also aimed at enhancing regional cooperation and producing a comprehensive framework, as well as curbing the conditions that are conducive to the spread of terrorism.

Speaking at the event, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, called for the establishment and strengthening of an African standby military force.

He explained that the force would curb the menace of terrorism and violent conflicts, as well as deter unconstitutional changes of government.

“Terrorism snaps at the very fabric of the prosperous and just society, which we seek to build for ourselves and our children.

“This violent threat seeks to frighten the farmer from his field, children from their schools, women from the marketplace, and families from their very homes.

“We must, therefore, fight this threat together, combining determined national effort with well-tailored, regional and international collaboration,” Tinubu said.

Also speaking, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, called for urgent collaborative actions to combat terrorism, which he said, had continued to threaten Africa’s peace, security, and development.

He noted that the evolving nature of terrorism in Africa demanded a dynamic and coordinated response that would transcend national borders and individual efforts.

“These groups are exploiting grievances, and vulnerabilities and are manipulating ideologies to spread fear, division, and chaos,” he said.

President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, in his speech, reiterated the need for African states to collaborate, and  mobilise their defense and security forces to collectively, and effectively, curb the threats of terrorism, which he described as “critical.”

In her remarks, UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, stressed the need to strengthen regional cooperation and institution-building to address Africa’s unprecedented threat of terrorism and violent extremism.

She said that the epicenter of terrorism had shifted from the Middle-East and North Africa into Sub-Saharan Africa’s Sahel region, with dire consequences.

According to her, Africa alone currently accounts for almost half of all deaths from terrorism globally.

“Our leaders must ensure that the institutions of the African Union and ECOWAS, who are responsible for driving integration, have the capacity and resources to do so if we are to achieve their mandates,” she said.

Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office on Counter Terrorism, UNOCT, stressed that ECOWAS, AU, and other African regional organisations had a crucial role to play in effectively countering terrorism.

According to him, the success of the United Nations in Africa hinges on the UN’s commitment to support “Africa-led solutions to African challenges.”

He lauded the efforts of the AU and ECOWAS in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism.

“No single actor can resolve today’s threats to peace and security, instead, we need multiple actors working together with solutions grounded with strong national ownership and support of bi-funding partners,” Voronkov said.

AU Commission Chairman, Moussa Mahamat, in his remarks, said the time had come to work out a holistic and all-encompassing continental strategic plan of action to fight terrorism in Africa.

He wondered why elsewhere in the world, coalitions to fight against terrorism were established but similar efforts were not made in even one of Africa’s 5 regions, where terrorists had ravaged human lives, infrastructures, and institutions.

Mahamat then urged the international community to do more in supporting Africa’s fight against terrorism, and asked rhetorically: “Why are our voices not being heard and heeded?”

Amadu Sesay, Africa’s foremost Professor of International Relations, opines that to tackle terrorism in Africa, its leaders must first resolve the Sahel imbroglio.

He said that the way out of the Sahel quagmire was to urgently search for diplomatic solutions that could resolve the dangerous and delicate security situation there, and return Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to the ECOWAS family.

Sesay urged ECOWAS leaders to deploy diplomatic dexterity with the view to returning the Sahel countries to ECOWAS, adding that it was key to any collaborative efforts towards an African standing force that would repel the terrorists from spreading to West Africa’s coastal member states and beyond.

“ECOWAS leaders should look for capable, credible, and competent emissaries, especially within the membership of its Committee of the Wise and Elders, to drive the diplomatic engagements that could provide realistic and practical pathways that are acceptable to all parties, including the three countries,” he told NAN.

Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, pioneer ECOWAS Commission President, and AU’s High Representative for ‘Silencing the Guns in Africa,’ corroborated Sesay’s view.

“I’m aware that Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, is already working actively with the ECOWAS President, Dr Omar Touré, to ensure that every diplomatic step is taken to keep ECOWAS united,” Chambas said.

Diplomatic observers are, however of the view that, notwithstanding the multilateral efforts by African and global leaders to stem the tidal wave of terrorism and violent conflicts sweeping across the continent, they must “walk the talk,” if they must achieve any meaningful success.

They advocate strongly that collaboration, cooperation, financial intelligence-sharing, especially to track terrorism financing and sponsors, institution building, resource mobilisation, good governance, and social contracts, are crucial in curbing the surging scourge of terrorism in Africa. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

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