According to the World Bank's April 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief, poverty among Nigeria's rural population has reached a critical 75.5%, underscoring growing inequality across the country. This rate is nearly double the urban poverty rate of 41.3%. The report reveals that overall poverty in Nigeria continues to display stark regional disparities. Northern geopolitical zones recorded a 46.5% poverty rate in 2018/19, compared to just 13.5% in southern regions. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 30.9% of Nigerians lived below the international extreme poverty line of $2.15 per day. Economic circumstances have deteriorated since then, with World Bank projections estimating that by…

Synthetic chemicals called phthalates, found in consumer products such as food storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and children’s toys, may have contributed to more than 10% of all global mortality from heart disease in 2018 among men and women ages 55 through 64, a new study found. “Phthalates contribute to inflammation and systemic inflammation in the coronary arteries, which can accelerate existing disease and lead to acute events including mortality,” said senior author Leonardo Trasande, a professor of pediatrics and population health at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. He also is director of NYU Langone’s Division of Environmental…

Nigeria's security crisis deepened this week as armed groups carried out deadly attacks across multiple regions, leaving dozens dead or abducted and highlighting the government's struggle to contain escalating violence. Massacre in Zamfara Mining Village In the latest bloodshed, gunmen killed at least 20 people in a brutal assault on the gold mining village of Gobirawa Chali in Zamfara state, northwestern Nigeria. Witnesses reported that hundreds of attackers opened fire on miners on Thursday, leading to a fierce gunfight. Residents recovered 21 bodies, with many more injured. Amnesty International confirmed the massacre, stating that the assailants went house-to-house during the…

A new report by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) reveals that many Nigerians perceive their country's judicial system as corrupt, difficult to access, and susceptible to political influence. Released on Tuesday in Lagos, the report titled "Voices for Justice: A Civic Lens on Nigeria's Judicial System – Documenting Public Experiences, Opinions, and Reform Demands" represents the fifth edition of HEDA's Leadership Approval Rating series. Executive Secretary Sulaimon Arigbabu presented the findings, which are based on a nationwide survey of 1,357 respondents across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The results highlight significant public dissatisfaction…