General News
MSD Opens Office in Nigeria
MSD, one of the world’s healthcare leaders, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A., has opened its office in Lagos, to be managed by Kingsley Okeke, a Nigerian, and his team of 18 employees.
The opening of the office in Lagos underscores MSD’s commitment to expand its geographic footprint in Africa and to work closely with local stakeholders to address health challenges in Nigeria and neighboring West African countries such as Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Equatorial Guinea.
The opening of the office in Nigeria is in line with MSD’s new Africa strategy. At the core of this strategy is the strengthening of MSD’s presence within Africa, through the appointment of local health professionals who not only have an understanding of the environment and a respect for local customs, but also the passion to accelerate the public health agenda as defined by the governments.
This includes contributing to creating jobs and transferring technical know-how, as well as the Company’s sustainable commitment to the community in which it operates.
“At MSD, our commitment is to get the right medicines to the right people in the right place, and we will achieve this by focusing on bringing medications and vaccines to Nigeria to address unmet medical needs,” said Kingsley Okeke, Commercial Director, MSD West Africa.
“We have an excellent relationship with the Nigerian government and we have set ourselves the ambitious goal to be the number one health care partner in Nigeria in scaling up access to healthcare services and medicines.”
MSD’s product portfolio aligns well with local needs in Nigeria, where disease patterns are beginning to resemble those of the developed world: cardiovascular disease; asthma; diabetes, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis; as well as family planning and vaccines.
In recognition of World AIDS Day on December 1, MSD also announced today the launch of its innovative antiretroviral (ARV) medicine ATRIPLA® (efavirenz 600mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300mg) in Nigeria. Bringing ATRIPLA® to Nigeria is consistent with MSD’s commitment to register this innovative treatment for HIV broadly. ATRIPLA® is recommended in Nigeria Guidelines for the treatment of HIV.1
“Each of the components in ATRIPLA has been shown to be effective and has a well-established tolerability profile in HIV patients,” said Dr. Ernest Ekong, Director/Head, Department of Clinical Services, Institute for Human Virology of Nigeria (IHVN).
“This one-pill-a-day treatment for HIV is already globally available and represents a simplification of dosing, which is important as patients remain on therapy longer.”
According to facts published by the HIV/AIDS Division of the Federal Ministry of Health in 2011, Nigeria reported its first case of AIDS in 1986 and since then there has been a strong focus from Government and other stakeholders on managing the burden of disease.2 “There are 3.4 million people in Nigeria living with HIV, 1.49 million requiring ARV therapy (1.3 million adults and 212,720 children), only 29.8% of eligible adults and children are on treatment and there is still a huge resource gap towards providing access to comprehensive HIV related services. We are glad to cooperate with MSD closely in the future to alleviate this burden,” said Dr. Patricia, Agaba, Honorary Consultant Family Physician, Department of Family Medicine, Jos University Teaching Hospital Nigeria.
The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc has announced the signing of a chain of contracts with major airlines for the provision of total handling solutions.
In a statement on Tuesday, the company announced the signing of contract renewals with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic, as well as the African operator, RwandAir.
NAHCO also signed fresh contracts with United Nigeria – Regional, Bellagio and Malaikair.
According to the statement, the contracts with Air France and KLM are for three years and will run till 2028, respectively. The duration of the contract with Virgin Atlantic was also put at three years.
The duration for the RwandAir contract is for three years, effective 1 October 2025.
The statement read, “The new contract with United – Regional would be for a period of five years, effective from 1 August 2025. For Bellagio and Malaikair, the contracts are for three and five years, respectively.
“Bellagio Air, Nigeria’s rising star in aviation, is redefining air travel with a blend of luxury, efficiency, and reliability. Headquartered in the vibrant city of Ikeja, Lagos, Bellagio Air is committed to providing world-class service across key domestic and regional routes.”
The Group Executive Director, Commercial and Business Development, NAHCO Plc, Saheed Lasisi, who expressed his delight with the new contracts, said NAHCO is already ready to exceed customers’ expectations.
According to Lasisi, NAHCO’s more than 46 years of unblemished excellent service delivery puts it heads and shoulders above any other service provider in the industry.
“This is what we have been doing for almost half of a century. We will continue to delight our customers and make our stakeholders happy by exceeding expectations in all aspects of our service offerings. We are always willing and ready to do more,” Lasisi added.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NAHCO Plc, Olumuyiwa Olumekun, added that with the new fleet of equipment the company is deploying, service delivery will only be better.
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.
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