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Government Launches Agency To Regulate Private Healthcare Services In Niger

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Niger Governor Umar Bago

Government Launches Agency To Regulate Private Healthcare Services In Niger

The Niger State Ministry of Health says it has established the Private Health Facilities Agency (NISPHFA) to promote quality, safety, and regulatory excellence in private healthcare delivery.

The Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NISPHFA, Dr Abdullahi Suleiman, on Saturday in Minna, said the agency would protect patients, improve standards and promote accountability in private healthcare delivery.

Mr Suleiman said the agency’s vision was to become Nigeria’s foremost health regulatory institution, driving a well-regulated, equitable and internationally benchmarked private healthcare sector.
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He explained that the agency was mandated to register, regulate, monitor and evaluate all private health facilities in the state to ensure compliance with established standards.

According to him, the NISPHFA is responsible for licensing private healthcare facilities, setting standards for staffing, infrastructure, equipment and service delivery, conducting inspections, accrediting facilities and enforcing compliance.

The chairman disclosed that the agency had developed registration guidelines covering 20 categories of private health facilities, launched a digital registration portal, and engaged more than 1,000 facilities across the state’s 25 local government areas.

He added that the agency had also established strategic partnerships with security agencies and peer regulators to strengthen enforcement and compliance mechanisms.

Mr Suleiman assured private healthcare providers that the agency would operate as a partner in improving standards rather than as an adversary.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Murtala Bagana, described the agency as a major milestone in the ongoing transformation of the state’s health sector.

Mr Bagana said the agency reflected the ministry’s commitment to building strong institutions capable of safeguarding standards, protecting patients and ensuring access to safe and properly regulated healthcare services.

He said the establishment of the NISPHFA was in line with Governor Umaru Bago’s New Niger Agenda and the Ministry of Health’s THRIVE reform framework, designed to strengthen governance, improve infrastructure, enhance accountability, and expand access to quality healthcare services.

The commissioner noted that sustainable healthcare transformation required effective regulatory institutions capable of assuring quality, enforcing standards and generating reliable data for informed decision-making.

He explained that the NISPHFA was established to address long-standing challenges in the private healthcare sector, including fragmented regulation, inadequate data, and inconsistent enforcement of standards and weak integration of private healthcare providers into the broader health system.

Mr Bagana said the agency would play a strategic role in advancing Universal Health Coverage and strengthening the state’s overall health system.

Governor Bago, who was represented at the event by the Head of Service, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, said the establishment of the agency demonstrated the administration’s commitment to building strong institutions that deliver measurable benefits to citizens.

Niger Governor Umar Bago

Governor Bago

He described the NISPHFA as a practical expression of the New Niger Agenda and commended the Ministry of Health for driving reforms to improve healthcare quality and patient safety.

He noted that the agency’s enabling law, enacted in 2025, positioned Niger among the states pursuing dedicated regulation of private healthcare facilities.

The governor also lauded the agency’s deployment of a technology-driven registration platform and its engagement with private healthcare providers across the state.

He urged the agency’s management and staff to uphold professionalism, transparency and accountability in carrying out their mandate.
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Anthony Joshua Dedicates Comeback Victory To Friends Killed In Ogun Crash

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Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua Dedicates Comeback Victory To Friends Killed In Ogun Crash

Nigerian-British heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua, has dedicated his victory over Kristian Prenga to his late friends and trainers, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, after overcoming two knockdowns to secure a second-round knockout win.
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The bout, watched online, marked Joshua’s first fight since a car crash in Ogun State, Nigeria, in December claimed the lives of Ghami, his strength and conditioning coach, and Ayodele, his personal trainer.

Joshua entered the ring wearing camouflage attire bearing the names of the deceased coaches in their honour.

Speaking after the fight, the former world heavyweight champion described the victory as a tribute to their memory.

“It’s what champions do. We rise, we get knocked down and we stand up and keep going. That’s life.

“It was more than punch power. That was spirit, that was Latz, that was Sina and their families. It still hurts to talk about it. It’s been tough,” he said.

Joshua, who started the contest as the overwhelming favourite, suffered a dramatic opening round after Prenga knocked him down twice within the first three minutes.

However, the British boxer recovered to dominate the contest, eventually stopping the Albanian in the second round to remain on course for a highly anticipated showdown with fellow Briton Tyson Fury.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, praised the former champion’s resilience, describing his performance as remarkable given the personal tragedy he had endured.

“To even step into the ring was astonishing,” Hearn said.

He added that Joshua had used his training camp to remain focused while coping with grief, noting that the fighter had shown exceptional determination after being knocked down twice.

Hearn also confirmed that contracts had been been signed for the long-awaited heavyweight clash between Joshua and Fury, although the date and venue have yet to be announced.

Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua

Fury, who defeated 46-year-old Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, did not attend Joshua’s fight as he returned to the Isle of Man after his bout.

“I respect everything he has achieved, but this is the fight we’ve been calling for and now we’re here.

“I hope the fans will enjoy it.

“I’ve learned that I can’t be stopped, I won’t be denied, and we’re coming.” Joshua added.
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Babachir Lawal: Obi-Kwankwaso Ticket Has 70% Chance Of Winning In 2027 election

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Peter Obi

Babachir Lawal: Obi-Kwankwaso Ticket Has 70% Chance Of Winning In 2027 election

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said a joint presidential ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso has a stronger chance of winning the 2027 presidential election than if both politicians had chosen to contest separately.
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Lawal made the remarks during an interview with Symfoni TV released on Saturday.

According to him, an Obi-Kwankwaso ticket would stand a 70 per cent chance of victory, while he predicted that President Bola Tinubu would have a 50 per cent chance and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar would lose.

“Peter Obi will try to be fair to everybody. Peter Obi will try to do that which is right. Peter Obi, Kwankwaso, take note, I’m pairing them. I’m pairing them. Individually will be disaster, but I’m pairing them.

“So I’ll give them, on my own scale, close to like 70 per cent. Again, Bola, 50. Atiku, zero,” Lawal said.

“Definitely, Atiku will lose. He will, and I pray he loses. I’m not the only one, and he will lose,” he said.

Lawal’s comments come after his fallout with Atiku following his resignation from the African Democratic Congress.

Peter Obi

Obi, Kwankwaso

The former SGF has repeatedly alleged that the ADC presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s candidate was marred by widespread irregularities, claims the party has not officially accepted.
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ICPC: Responsible Data Handling Is Inseparable From Our Anti-Corruption Mandate

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ICPC

ICPC: Responsible Data Handling Is Inseparable From Our Anti-Corruption Mandate

The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, has affirmed that responsible data handling is inseparable from the Commission’s anti-corruption mandate, stressing that public trust depends not only on the Commission’s ability to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences, but also on its capacity to protect personal information entrusted to it.

The Chairman made this known while declaring open a One-Day Sensitization and Awareness Programme on Data Protection and Privacy for officers and staff of the Commission held at the ICPC Headquarters, Abuja.

The programme, themed “Responsible Data Handling: Strengthening Accountability and Preserving Public Trust through Data Protection,” was organised to deepen awareness of responsible data management and strengthen a culture of accountability across the Commission.

Dr. Aliyu, represented by the Director, Legal Services Department, Mr. Henry Emore, noted that the Commission receives, processes, analyses, stores, shares and retains enormous volumes of information in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities, much of which relates to petitioners, suspects, witnesses, complainants, employees, contractors, consultants and members of the public.

According to him, every personal record in the Commission’s custody represents an individual’s dignity, privacy and trust, making it imperative for officers to ensure that such information is handled lawfully, responsibly and securely.

He explained that while data has become one of the most valuable assets in modern governance, enhancing decision-making, service delivery and investigations, its mishandling could expose individuals to harm, compromise investigations, undermine public confidence and damage institutional reputation.

The ICPC Chairman further stated that data protection is no longer the exclusive responsibility of ICT professionals or legal practitioners but has become an essential element of good governance, transparency, accountability and institutional integrity.

Emphasising that responsible data handling is integral to the Commission’s anti-corruption mandate, Dr. Aliyu urged officers to demonstrate integrity in the collection, access, use, disclosure, storage and disposal of personal information, noting that the principles of accountability, fairness, confidentiality and respect for individual rights must guide every aspect of the Commission’s operations.

He disclosed that the Commission has continued to strengthen its internal data protection governance framework through the establishment of the Data Protection and Incident Response Team (DPIRT), comprising officers drawn from various departments and units to identify compliance gaps, promote awareness, improve internal processes, strengthen incident response mechanisms and embed privacy considerations into operational activities.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Commission’s Data Protection Officer, Barr. David Nwaze, described the sensitization programme as a strategic initiative designed to reinforce the understanding that data protection is not merely a legal obligation but a professional responsibility and a shared institutional value.

Barr. Nwaze expressed appreciation to the Chairman and the Management of the Commission for their unwavering support towards advancing ICPC’s data protection compliance journey.

ICPC

ICPC

He urged participants to actively engage in the programme, ask questions, share experiences, and apply the knowledge gained in their daily responsibilities, stressing that protecting personal data is fundamental to safeguarding institutional integrity, preserving public confidence, and strengthening accountability within the Commission.

The event featured two paper presentations titled “Responsible Data Handling: Strengthening Accountability and Preserving Public Trust through Data Protection,” delivered by Mr. Inelegwu Egahi, and “The ICPC–NDPC Collaboration: Leveraging ICPC’s Institutional Mandate to Strengthen Data Protection Compliance in the Public Sector,” presented by a Nigeria Data Protection Commission official, Barr. Babatunde Bamigboye.
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