馃嚦馃嚞NigeriaWest Africa
Nigerian Minister seeks stronger Nigeria-EU ties to combat poverty and enhance humanitarian response
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, has called for enhanced collaboration between Nigeria and the European Union to improve humanitarian response and support vulnerable populations. During high-level meetings in Brussels, Belgium, Doro engaged with Members of the European Parliament, Leire Paj铆n and Hana Jalloul Muro, and senior EU officials to discuss humanitarian financing, social protection, and poverty reduction. The Minister urged governments and development partners to move from fragmented interventions to coordinated, efficient, and results-driven systems. He presented Nigeria鈥檚 One Humanitarian鈥揙ne Poverty Response System, a national framework designed to integrate humanitarian assistance, social protection, and poverty reduction. Doro highlighted Nigeria鈥檚 humanitarian challenges, including insecurity, internal displacement, food insecurity, and climate-related shocks affecting millions. He acknowledged the Federal Government鈥檚 efforts under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu鈥檚 Renewed Hope Agenda but stressed that the scale of current humanitarian needs requires sustained collaboration. The Minister advocated for increased investment in durable solutions for internally displaced persons, including skills development, livelihood support, social inclusion, and community resilience programs. He also sought greater technical assistance, institutional capacity building, knowledge exchange, and strategic partnerships to support the implement
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadThe Enugu State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association NMA has condemned the arrest of Emeritus Professor Martin Aghaji, an internationally acclaimed cardiothoracic surgeon, from his Enugu residence on July 3, 2026. In a communiqu茅 issued after an emergency meeting, the NMA stated that security agencies have not officially communicated the reasons for his arrest. The association, through its Chairman Dr. Sunday Okafor and General Secretary Dr. Chima Edoga, has engaged with the Office of the Security Adviser to the Enugu State Governor, the Department of State Services, and the Nigeria Police Force to ascertain the circumstances. The NMA emphasized that while it recognizes the constitutional duties of law enforcement, due process and human dignity must be respected. The association has informed its national leadership and is working to protect Professor Aghaji's constitutional rights, including access to family, legal representation, and medical care. An emergency general meeting of NMA members is planned to discuss further actions. The Enugu State Police Command, through its spokesperson SP Daniel Ndukwe, has denied involvement in the arrest, stating they did not make such an arrest and do not have Professor Aghaji in their custody.
FIFA has cleared United States forward Folarin Balogun to play in the country's FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium. Balogun had received a red card and an automatic one-match suspension in the USA's Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he scored the winning goal. However, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee reversed the suspension ahead of Monday's knockout fixture in Seattle, determining that the disciplinary measure's implementation should be suspended. This decision was made despite the United States Soccer Federation having no formal appeal avenue under FIFA regulations. The incident was contentious because the Video Assistant Referee intervened, prompting Brazilian referee Raphael Claus to review the challenge, even though Balogun was not initially cautioned. The U.S. Soccer Federation welcomed the decision, stating their focus is on the match against Belgium. Balogun is the United States' leading scorer in the tournament with three goals. FIFA's decision aligns with Chapter 4, Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which allows a judicial body to suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. Balogun's availability is expected to boost the United States as they aim for a quarter-final spot.
Must ReadThe Nigeria Customs Service has enhanced its collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank Afreximbank to accelerate intra-African trade and address barriers to the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA. This renewed partnership was affirmed during a visit by Dr. George Elombi, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, to Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi at the Customs headquarters in Abuja. The discussions focused on expanding trade facilitation initiatives, harmonizing customs procedures, strengthening regional transit systems, and developing mechanisms for more efficient cross-border trade. Adeniyi emphasized that the partnership is built on the belief that Africa's prosperity will be driven by trade among African countries. He noted that the collaboration would support Afreximbank's regional transit initiatives, accelerate the development of one-stop border posts, and promote global best practices in customs administration. Elombi commended the Customs Service for its leadership in regional integration, stating that Afreximbank is committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen trade facilitation and accelerate AfCFTA implementation. The meeting also reviewed the successful collaboration during the Customs Partnership for African Cooperation in Trade in November 2025. Separately, Adeniyi identified the lack of interoperable customs systems as a major challenge to AfCFTA implementation. This was discussed during the signing