Mirian Gom 
Nigeria and Africa’s defining health and development stories for the week of December 8–14, 2025.
EDITOR’S NOTE
This week’s health and development coverage captures a Nigeria grappling with deep structural pressures while pushing incremental reforms across healthcare, sanitation, security, and social protection. From worsening urban waste crises and infectious disease threats to renewed investments in primary healthcare, education, and climate resilience, the stories reflect how daily survival and long-term development remain tightly intertwined.
At the heart of this week’s ranking are reports that expose life-threatening system failures—maternal health costs, brain drain, waste management, and preventable disease outbreaks—alongside policy actions that could either reverse decline or entrench inequality, depending on execution.
Top 10 Stories This Week
UNIBEN Trains 200 Artisans in Federal Skills Programme
While modest in scale, the Federal Government–backed skills programme at the University of Benin highlights steady efforts to strengthen employability, vocational capacity, and economic inclusion. Its long-term development value is clear, but immediate population-wide health impact remains limited….
Nasarawa Funds World’s First Public Relations University
Nasarawa State’s decision to fund a specialised PR university reflects Nigeria’s evolving education landscape and ambition to diversify skills training. However, its indirect link to health and social welfare places it lowers in this week’s ranking…
Katsina Deploys Climate Equipment to Boost Agriculture, Resilience
Katsina’s deployment of climate-smart equipment under the ACReSAL programme strengthens environmental resilience, food security, and rural livelihoods. Though forward-looking, the benefits will unfold gradually over time…
Kaduna Recruits 1,800 Health Workers to Strengthen PHCs
The recruitment of new health workers marks a tangible step toward addressing staffing gaps in primary healthcare. If sustained, it could improve maternal and child health outcomes across Kaduna State…
LSACA Warns Lagosians of HIV, STI Risks During Festivities
Public health warnings issued during the festive season underscore the persistent risks of HIV and STIs amid increased travel and social activity. Awareness is critical, but behaviour change and service access remain the real test…
Unvaccinated Children Drive Nigeria’s Measles Cases – NCDC
The NCDC’s warning reveals how low immunisation coverage continues to fuel preventable outbreaks. The report highlights gaps in routine vaccination, misinformation, and access—posing serious risks to children nationwide…
Nigeria’s Teaching Hospitals Lose Specialists to Fresh Brain Drain
A renewed wave of medical brain drain is hollowing out Nigeria’s teaching hospitals, threatening service quality, training capacity, and patient safety. The story exposes how poor pay, burnout, and insecurity are undermining the health system from within…
Buried Alive by Rubbish: Inside Abuja’s Silent Public Health Emergency
Mounting waste across Abuja’s districts has become a slow-moving public health disaster, fuelling disease, flooding, and environmental degradation. The investigation reveals regulatory lapses and governance failures in the nation’s capital…
Festive Travel Raises Lassa, Meningitis Risks – NCDC Warns
As millions travel for the holidays, the NCDC’s warning on Lassa fever and meningitis highlights seasonal vulnerabilities that could overwhelm fragile health facilities if ignored. The risk spans multiple states and population groups…
Delta to Sanction Health Workers Charging Pregnant Women, Children
Topping this week’s ranking is Delta State’s move to sanction health workers who illegally charge pregnant women and children for free services. The story strikes at the core of maternal and child survival, health equity, and accountability—areas where policy failure often proves fatal. If enforced, the decision could save lives and restore trust in public healthcare, making it the most consequential health and development story of the week…
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
Oluwafunbi Bello 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius