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Healthcare officials in Kaduna State laud Zipline Services
Healthcare officers in Kaduna and its environs have observed great improvements in medical services since Zipline commenced commercial flight delivery of medical supplies to health facilities in the state via drones.
Zipline made its first commercial delivery in Kaduna on August 15, 2022. Since then, the center has made more than 13,507 commercial deliveries containing more than 224,778 vaccine doses including 154,305 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, 1,159,176 units of medical products and 407,889 units of consumables to facilities in Gimi-Tasha, Crossing HC, Kargi, Gedage, Kaibi, Tumbau, Karre, Garun Kurama, Tashan Tsamiya, Kaware amongst others.
“Before Zipline, facilities providing basic healthcare programs had to travel far to get drugs for registered clients when there was a shortage,” says Idris Isa, the Director-In-Charge of the Karreh Primary Health Center.
“It was often a challenge to replenish deliveries, which always took longer than expected. But since we started working with Zipline,
“We can just place orders, and they deliver them in record time. The difference is clear, and the supply has been incredible to save more lives.”
Isa adds that Zipline deliveries have helped healthcare workers improve patient care. Since working with Zipline, he has noticed better outcomes for patients being treated for hypertension, pneumonia, measles, HIV, cholera, meningitis, yellow fever, malaria, tuberculosis and pregnancy complications.
Part of the reason Zipline improved outcomes, Isa says, is because instant access to medical supplies allowed staff to treat patients at the health center rather than referring them elsewhere.
He observed that the previous rate of referrals was a major deterrent for people to visit the health facility.
He also commended Zipline and the government for introducing the technology that has saved lives, especially in areas where healthcare access remains a challenge.
Health officials say essential drug delivery to various health facilities in the state has improved leading to increase in outpatient cases, shortened delay time in access to healthcare etc. This has transformed how medical supplies are delivered to health facilities within the state, impacting those in underserved communities.
Idris Isa is not alone in his assessment of the Zipline support. Wada Yunusa, the Director-In-Charge of Ibada Health Center praised Zipline for the timely delivery of critical medical interventions that has saved many lives, especially in cases of emergency.
According to him, “Zipline delivery to the health center has been fast and efficient. Their timely support is enabling us to deliver on our mandate with ease knowing that even when we need medication in times of emergencies, they will come to the rescue”.
Over the years, Zipline has demonstrated capacity to work with governments and health systems to enable health supply chains to become more efficient.
Commenting on the impact of the service, the Community Lead of Zipline in Kaduna State, Kwasu Kanchok, indicated that the drone delivery system has immensely contributed to the overall health delivery at the facilities we serve. .
“More than 300 health facilities within 80 -100 kilometers from the host local government Kubau to Galadimawa PHC, Kauru LGA to Lere LGA, and the other communities get their essential drugs through Zipline,” Kanchok said. “By the support of the State Government of Kaduna, we are removing most of the access barriers that inhibit health delivery in the area. Health centers do not need to wait days before getting medical supplies. Now, they can get the supplies they need within 30 minutes.”
Ms Catherine Odiase, General Manager of Zipline Nigeria, said, “We remain committed to ensuring that the people of Kaduna can access the care they need at health facilities. And in addition to creating immediate access to medical supplies and providing coherent data to the facilities, we are also contributing to driving down all forms of mortality rates within Kaduna. In addition to Zipline’s technology and team, we have the leadership of the Government of Kaduna State to thank for this successful partnership.
Zipline, the global leader in instant logistics deliveries, has become a household name for immediate transport of medical logistics, with over 500,000 deliveries of medical commodities, over 5-million products delivered and serving over 25 million customers across the globe.
The Kaduna State government believes this partnership is a tremendous opportunity to improve the overall health system and create employment opportunities for the citizens.
MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.
Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.
The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.
Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.
Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.
By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.
Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.
“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.
“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”
MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.
Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.
Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.
The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.
IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.
Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.
According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.
He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.
Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.
According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.
He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.
Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.
IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.
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NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.
The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.
Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.
Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.
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