General News
Sanwo-Olu, Others Grace Launch of 50-Bed Hospital in Surulere by Avon Medical
Avon Medical, a subsidiary of Heirs Holdings has officially launched an ultramodern hospital facility in Surulere, Lagos.
L-R: Emmanuel Nnorom – Group CEO, Heirs Holdings; Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser on Health to the Lagos State Governor; Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, Group Chairman, Heirs Holdings; Dr. Awele Elumelu, Chairperson, Avon Medical Practice; H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor, Lagos State; Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, CMD, LUTH & Representative of the Minister for Health; Dr. Akinbiyi Oke, CEO, Avon Medical; Professor Emmanuel Akinola Abayomi, Honorable Commissioner for Health, Lagos State; Chidi Okpala, Group Executive Director, Heirs Holdings; at the launch of the Avon Medical ultramodern facility in Lagos on April 14, 2025.
At the historic event, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor, Lagos state, who inaugurated the 50-bed, fully equipped facility, said that Avon Medical has put its name in the sand of time in this industry.
The opening ceremony was attended by top government officials, healthcare professionals, and industry stakeholders.
Also present at the event were Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, Lagos State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi; Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate represented by the Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo.
The new hospital features comprehensive diagnostic services, obstetrics and gynecology (O&G), pediatrics, and neonatal care, and is designed to serve the growing healthcare needs of Lagos residents.
Speaking at the commissioning, Governor Sanwo-Olu praised Avon Medical for its long-standing commitment to improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Sanwo-Olu said: “This is more than just a hospital. It’s a bold statement of what private sector collaboration can do in transforming our healthcare landscape. For one facility to offer full diagnostics, O&G, pediatric, and neonatal care, it shows the level of intentional investment and vision behind Avon Medical.”
The Governor further commended Dr. Awele Elumelu, Chairperson, Avon Medical and co-founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, for her dedication to building sustainable healthcare institutions.
He said: “Dr. Awele Elumelu chose not to be comfortable in her success, but instead to invest in something meaningful something that impacts lives directly.”
“The health sector requires long-term commitment rather than short-term returns. Healthcare is not a sector where profits come quickly. It takes vision, compassion, and a strong sense of purpose.”
“We are building the largest pediatric hospital and the largest mental health facility in Sub-Saharan Africa. Health is wealth, and we’re backing that statement with action and funding. 8–10% of Lagos State’s annual budget is allocated to the health sector.”
Also speaking, Dr. Elumelu, AVON Medical Chairperson said they from the beginning resolved to focus on the problems which include overburdened public hospitals, lack of modern equipment, medical professionals being stretched to their limits, too many people frustrated as they simply couldn’t get medical help in time.
“We could not look away, so we decided to do something about it,” she said.
“That single decision to step in gave birth to Avon Medical and our health insurance company, Avon HMO.
“The first, to provide excellent healthcare services, and the other to ensure that people could actually afford them.
“That combination was deliberate. It was our way of ensuring we were not only building facilities, but we were also creating access to them.”
She said the initiative them from the humble beginnings of operating just a work-site clinic at a single location had grown into a 50-bed hospital network, including a Dialysis Centre, and several worksite clinics.
She said why the decision they took then matter could be seen from the staggering facts about our healthcare system on the Africa continent which has over 20% of the global disease burden yet has access to only 1% of healthcare resources; approximately 48% of Africans lack access to the quality healthcare they need; Only about 3% of global health workers serve our continent; In Nigeria alone, the gap in the number of available and qualified doctors, beds, and equipment reflects a system under pressure; The African healthcare system is the hardest hit by the migration crisis.
She said the challenges were not just mere numbers, but real people, real stories, real lives.
“And far too often, they represent women and children. Which is why this facility matters,” she said.
With the medical facility, she said more women will now receive the maternal care they need to safely bring life into the world.
“It means more children will get timely diagnoses, life-saving treatments, and a better shot at long, healthier lives,” she said.
“ It means more families will have access to quality and affordable healthcare services that they deserve.
“This is what we are building: a healthcare system that leaves no one behind.”
Describing the project as a reflection of “our philosophy—Africapitalism, she said, “The belief that the private sector has a major role to play in our continent’s development.
“The belief that we have a responsibility, not just to generate profit but most importantly, to create a lasting impact, to do well and do good.”
She also made it clear that to solve problems, to improve lives that will transform Africa would not end with the new project.
“ This achievement is not the end. It is only a springboard. Our vision has always been bold: to create a network of health solutions that are not only accessible and affordable, but also world-class,” she said.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a forward-looking strategy that places satellite-enabled mobile connectivity at the heart of the country’s drive to bridge its long-standing coverage gaps.
The draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector for 2025 to 2030 lays out how satellite technologies could help deliver reliable voice and data services to millions of Nigerians who live beyond the reach of conventional mobile networks.
The direction is outlined in the Commission’s draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector covering the period.
The proposed approach highlights non-terrestrial networks as a complement to existing mobile infrastructure, especially in areas where terrain, insecurity, or high costs limit the deployment of base stations.
The NCC said D2D satellite technology, which allows standard mobile phones to connect directly to satellites, is gaining traction globally as a means of delivering voice and data services without reliance on ground towers.
According to the regulator, the technology could help close persistent coverage gaps in rural, riverine, and border communities that remain outside the reach of conventional networks.
It also noted that satellite-backed connectivity could improve network reliability by providing alternative links during fibre cuts, power failures, or other disruptions affecting terrestrial systems.
The Commission added that wider adoption of D2D services could support emergency communications, public safety operations, Internet of Things applications, and services such as smart agriculture in underserved regions.
It also pointed to potential investment opportunities through partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, including more efficient use of shared spectrum resources.
Beyond D2D services, the roadmap places emphasis on Low-Earth Orbit satellites to expand broadband access to remote parts of the country.
It also proposes better utilisation of Geostationary Orbit satellites and the exploration of high-altitude platforms, such as stratospheric balloons, to support mobile backhaul and rural connectivity.
The policy signals come shortly after Airtel Africa announced an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink-powered direct-to-cell services in Nigeria.
The NCC’s roadmap is expected to shape future spectrum allocation, licensing decisions, and technology adoption across the telecommunications sector.
General News
House of Reps Releases Certified Copies of Tax Reform Acts amid Gazette Discrepancy Claims
House of Representatives has released certified true copies of the four tax reform Acts signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, addressing public concerns over alleged discrepancies between legislative versions and circulated gazetted documents.
Tax Reform Acts
House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, disclosed this in a statement, noting that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas directed the immediate publication of the Acts—including endorsement and presidential assent pages—for public verification, in collaboration with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The move followed allegations raised by Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki on the House floor, highlighting inconsistencies between Bills passed by the National Assembly and executive gazetted versions, which he warned could erode legislative integrity and public trust.
Abbas constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee chaired by Rep. Aliyu Betara, with members including Idris Wase, Sada Soli, Adedeji Faleke, Igariwey Iduma, Fred Agbedi and Babajimi Benson, to investigate the alleged alterations, unauthorised circulation and preventive measures.
The committee’s mandate includes probing circumstances around the discrepancies, while Abbas ordered internal verification and public release of certified copies to dispel doubts and safeguard legislative records. Legal experts, tax professionals and civil society had demanded clarification and implementation suspension amid heated debates triggered by Dasuki’s intervention.
The released laws comprise the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; National Revenue Service Establishment Act, 2025; and Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act, 2025, described as foundational to modernising Nigeria’s tax system.
These reforms aim to enhance compliance, curb inefficiencies, eliminate overlaps and bolster fiscal coordination across federal, state and local tiers, following extensive stakeholder consultations, committee reviews and plenary debates under Abbas’s leadership.
Rotimi reassured Nigerians: “The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory. Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway.”
He emphasised that only National Assembly-certified versions hold authority, urging the public, institutions and stakeholders to disregard all other circulating documents as unofficial.
MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has retained the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels following the signing of a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership.
MultiChoice
The new deal, which spans several regions across Africa and Europe, covers the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of selected Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels. It represents a major milestone in the companies’ international collaboration and strengthens content offerings across MultiChoice Group territories.
MultiChoice disclosed that this agreement builds on earlier partnerships concluded in Europe. “It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024,including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ group offers – as well as in Poland in 2025, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels (including TVN 24 and Eurosport) and 4 free-to-air channels (including TVN).”
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice Group will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with some channels offered on an exclusive basis. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa while being distributed non-exclusively in other markets. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique and non-exclusive elsewhere. Other channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, ID and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis.
According to the partners, the deal reinforces CANAL+ Group’s channel portfolio on the continent. “This agreement enables CANAL+ Group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets.”
The agreement is also expected to improve access for CANAL+ Group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium content through HBO Max and selected channels, including globally recognised series and films, further extending the studio’s international reach while consolidating MultiChoice’s content offering in key markets.
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