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Tinubu Joins World Leaders In Renewed Fight Against Hunger, poverty
The G20 Leaders’ Summit commenced in Rio de Janeiro with a renewed global focus on eradicating hunger and poverty. A key highlight of the summit was the launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, an initiative spearheaded under the presidency of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, addressed the summit’s first session on the theme “Fight Against Hunger and Poverty,” commending Brazil for its leadership in driving this initiative.
“It is an honour to address this gathering of the G20 Leaders’ Summit taking place at this beautiful and historic city of Rio de Janeiro,” President Tinubu began, expressing his gratitude for Nigeria’s inclusion as a guest country under Brazil’s presidency.
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The Nigerian leader lauded Brazil’s bold move, describing it as a “visionary step” in tackling one of the world’s most pressing challenges. “The creation of this Alliance marks a significant milestone in our global efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty, and it also sends a powerful message of solidarity to vulnerable populations around the globe,” Tinubu said.
The Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty aims to foster collaboration between governments, international organizations, and civil society, offering a holistic approach to addressing both immediate needs and structural causes of hunger and poverty.
Nigeria’s Commitment to the Fight Against Hunger
President Tinubu highlighted how the Alliance aligns with Nigeria’s domestic priorities. He referred to his administration’s 8-Point Agenda, introduced in 2023, which prioritizes agriculture, food security, and social investments.
“Priority 3 focused on boosting agriculture to achieve food security, through the development of commodity value chain and the provision of infrastructure support. Priority 6 focuses on education, health and social investment as essential pillars of development,” Tinubu explained.
Nigeria has formally endorsed the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, signaling its dedication to leveraging international cooperation to tackle hunger and poverty. “The endorsement demonstrates our commitment to leveraging international cooperation and resources, to bolster domestic strategies that will deliver inclusive growth and socio-economic development,” President Tinubu stated.
SDG Alignment and International Collaboration
The Nigerian president emphasized how the Alliance reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (eradicating poverty) and SDG 2 (achieving zero hunger).
“By collaborating with international partners, Nigeria aims to leverage best practices, innovative solutions, and financial support to enhance its efforts to combat poverty and hunger,” Tinubu said, reaffirming Nigeria’s position as a key player in global sustainable development efforts.
Looking ahead to the adoption of the Leader’s Declaration, Tinubu reiterated Nigeria’s readiness to work with G20 nations, guest countries, international organizations, and civil society to achieve the shared goal of eradicating hunger and poverty.
The session concluded with world leaders emphasizing the importance of collaborative action to address global inequalities and ensure sustainable development for all.
A Global Call to Action
The launch of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty has set the tone for this year’s G20 summit, reflecting a united commitment to addressing fundamental global challenges. President Tinubu’s address underscored Nigeria’s active role in this mission, with a focus on innovative solutions and international partnerships to build a better future.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has approved the appointment of a new Acting Director of Administration for the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu.
This was contained in a statement in Uburu on Thursday by the DUFUTH’s Public Relations Officer, Agwu N. O.
According to Agwu, the new appointee is Edith Anih, an indigene of Enugu State with relevant working experience, having worked at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, where she was Deputy Director of Administration.
It was gathered that the approval was conveyed in a letter dated April 23, 2025, addressed to the Chief Medical Director.
Prior to her appointment, Anih held the position of Deputy Director of Administration at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu.
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He wrote, “Mrs. Anih Edith Ndidi is a seasoned administrator born on May 22, 1973. She is married and hails from Enugu State, specifically Enugu South Local Government Area.
“She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management. She is also an associate member of the Institute of Health Service Administrators of Nigeria (IHSAN).
“The Management of DUFUTH extends a warm welcome to the new DA and looks forward to collaborating with her as she brings a fresh perspective to the hospital’s administrative leadership.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria is set to launch a forensic audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), in a major move aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, at the ongoing Nigerian Investor Forum, held on the sidelines of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC.
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Edun explained that the upcoming audit, along with recent changes in NNPCL management, is part of a broader effort to reform the state-owned oil company and rebuild trust in Nigeria’s economic institutions.
Addressing top global investors, including representatives from financial giant J.P. Morgan, Edun outlined a series of bold economic reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the measures are already yielding positive results and have laid a strong foundation for future growth.
“Our goal is not just to maintain this momentum, but to accelerate it,” Edun said. “We are targeting seven per cent annual growth, and we believe the policies we have implemented have laid the groundwork to achieve this.”
According to Edun, Nigeria’s economy grew by 3.84% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with an overall annual growth rate of 3.4%.
He described the government’s economic strategy as “unprecedented,” adding that key indicators such as the budget deficit, trade balance, and exchange rate have all shown signs of improvement.
“We said we would do it, and now we have done it. This time, we’re staying the course,” he emphasized.
The minister also highlighted the government’s focus on agriculture as a critical driver of economic growth, saying efforts are underway to close the food supply gap by empowering local producers.
“We aim to close the food supply gap, not by importing more, but by enabling domestic producers to scale and innovate,” he said.
In the area of infrastructure, Edun announced that 90,000km of fibre optic cable has been rolled out to boost internet connectivity, especially for young Nigerians and the tech ecosystem.
Additionally, 4,000km of roads have been earmarked for private sector participation, with the first 1,000km already approved for construction.
In the early hours of Thursday, Kyiv was rocked by a devastating Russian missile and drone attack, described by Ukrainian officials as one of the most brutal strikes on the capital since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia unleashed 70 missiles and 145 drones overnight, targeting several cities across the country.
The barrage on Kyiv left at least nine people dead and over 60 wounded, including six children.
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Air raid sirens blared across the capital around 1:00 a.m., warning residents to seek shelter.
Moments later, loud explosions shattered the night, lighting up the sky and shaking buildings. “Phone calls can be heard from under the rubble — the search will continue until we are confident that we have found everyone,” said Interior Minister Igor Klymenko.
He confirmed that two children remained unaccounted for amid the chaos.
Rescue workers scrambled to pull survivors from under collapsed buildings. Fires broke out across multiple apartment blocks, and damage was reported in at least 13 locations.
In one tragic scene in the Sviatoshinsky district, a woman sat on a foldout chair beside a covered body, gently stroking the arm of a loved one killed in the strike.
Nearby, a bloodied woman clutched her dog as a first responder spoke calmly to her, trying to provide comfort amid the destruction.
Prime Minister Denys Shmygal condemned the assault in stark terms. “Cruise and ballistic missiles, drones, air bombs — Russia is cruelly and cynically firing missiles at Ukrainian cities, killing people while the world is making efforts to establish peace,” he wrote on social media.
The attack came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his call for a ceasefire. “Stopping the killings is the number one task,” Zelensky stated online following a meeting between his aides and Western officials in London.
However, any momentum toward peace appeared to falter. Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to respond to Zelensky’s offer to halt airstrikes on civilian areas and previously dismissed a joint U.S.-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional ceasefire.
“Putin demonstrates through his actions, not words, that he does not respect any peace efforts and only wants to continue the war,” said Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga. Echoing that sentiment, presidential aide Andriy Yermak declared, “Putin shows only a desire to kill.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking hours before the attack, claimed a peace deal with Russia was close.
He blamed Zelensky for stalling negotiations by refusing to accept Moscow’s annexation of Crimea, stating that Ukraine’s position “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field’.”
Meanwhile, Russian forces expanded their offensive to other regions.
In Kharkiv, at least seven missiles struck a densely populated residential district, according to city mayor Igor Terekhov. Russia’s defense ministry also reported downing 87 Ukrainian drones, including 45 over Crimea.
Earlier this month, Russia’s campaign of aerial terror intensified. A missile strike on the city of Sumy killed at least 35 people, while another attack on Zelensky’s hometown, Kryvyi Rih, claimed 19 lives — nine of them children.
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