🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Nigeria better equipped for pandemics after COVID-19 investments, says NACA
via Punch Nigeria10 min read
The National Agency for the Control of AIDS NACA announced that Nigeria is now better prepared to handle future disease outbreaks. This improved readiness stems from strategic investments made between 2021 and 2025 under the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism. According to NACA, these interventions have resulted in stronger disease surveillance systems, enhanced laboratory networks, improved emergency response mechanisms, and a more resilient health infrastructure. The Director-General of NACA, Dr. Temitope Ilori, stated that these investments are now integrated into Nigeria’s broader health security framework, extending beyond just pandemic response. The COVID-19 Response Mechanism also supported Nigeria's efforts to mitigate the pandemic's impact while strengthening critical health system components and safeguarding progress against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. A national close-out meeting, held in collaboration with the Global Fund and implementing partners, reviewed the achievements and lessons learned from these investments. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of sustaining these gains and leveraging lessons learned to build a more resilient health system for all Nigerians.
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Despite remarkable goalkeeping performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, former Super Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama's achievements at the tournament are still considered unmatched among African goalkeepers. His legacy was highlighted after Curaçao's Eloy Room made 15 saves against Ecuador, surpassing Peru's Ramón Quiroga's 1978 record of 13 saves in a single match. While Ghana's Richard Kingson holds the African single-match record with nine saves in 2006, Enyeama's sustained excellence across tournaments sets him apart. In the 2010 World Cup, Enyeama delivered a standout performance against Argentina, making six saves, four of which were against Lionel Messi, earning him Man of the Match honors despite a 1-0 loss. He continued this form in the 2014 World Cup, making 21 saves across four matches and securing clean sheets against Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina, helping Nigeria reach the round of 16. Only Kingson's 22 saves in 2010 surpass Enyeama's total for an African goalkeeper in a single World Cup. Other notable African goalkeepers like Morocco's Yassine Bounou, Cameroon's Thomas N’Kono, and Senegal's Tony Sylva have not matched Enyeama's consistency over multiple tournaments. The article also mentions current impressive performances from Cape Verde's Josimar Dias and the United States' Matt Freese, but concludes that Enyeama's World Cup legacy continues to be the benchmark for African football.
Must ReadNyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has voiced his displeasure regarding the Super Eagles' inability to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Speaking during the commissioning of the Gwagwalada–Kuje Dual Carriageway, Phase 1, in Abuja, Wike addressed former Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo, urging him to convey the message to the national team that Nigerians are unhappy with their absence from the global tournament. Wike noted that he observed countries he had never heard of before qualifying for the World Cup, while Nigeria did not. Nigeria failed to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico after a challenging qualifying campaign where they did not win any of their first four matches. Despite managerial changes and winning four of their remaining six games, the team lost their ticket on penalties against DR Congo in the African playoffs. This marks Nigeria's second consecutive World Cup miss, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where they were eliminated by Ghana on the away-goals rule. The Super Eagles have participated in six World Cups, reaching the Round of 16 three times, and their recent failures have drawn criticism from football stakeholders and supporters.
Femi Thomas, a board member of Nigeria’s Cycling Federation, has declared Team Nigeria's performance at the seventh Tour D’Afrique a success. He stated that the outing will enhance Nigeria's global cycling standing. The team recently returned to the country after completing the cross-border expedition, which concluded at the ECOWAS Headquarters in Lagos. The 2026 edition, themed 'Riding Against Climate Change: A 1,110km Journey with Zero CO₂ Emissions,' took place from June 12 to June 19. Fifty cyclists from various Nigerian states and clubs formed Team Nigeria. The tour commemorated World Bicycle Day and also celebrated Nigeria’s Democracy Day, ECOWAS at 51, and the One Africa agenda, while promoting sustainable transport. Thomas, a former athlete, highlighted the invaluable experience gained by all participants, especially first-timers. He added that the tour directly supports three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Team Nigeria’s participation was a collaborative effort between FT Cycle Care, the Cycling Federation of Nigeria, and the Velo NG Community. Stakeholders believe the successful ECOWAS leg of the tour has further solidified Nigeria's role in climate action and regional integration through sport.