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Lagos Launches Centralised Mental Health Providers Directory

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Lagos State Government has unveiled the Lagos Community of Mental Health Providers (LCP) Directory, a pioneering digital registry that centralises verified information on all mental health practitioners and organisations across the state.

Lagos Launches Centralised Mental Health Providers Directory

The launch, which took place at the Ministry of Health, Alausa-Ikeja, marks a significant advancement in the state’s efforts to enhance access to mental health services, reduce stigma, and foster collaboration among providers in Nigeria’s most populous city.

Dr Tolu Ajomale, head, Special Projects and Mental Health, Lagos State Ministry of Health,  said the directory marks a “historic and system-shaping milestone” in Lagos State’s commitment to improving access, reducing stigma, and strengthening coordination within its fast-expanding mental-health ecosystem.

He emphasised that, despite Lagos being home to Nigeria’s largest concentration of mental-health practitioners, the absence of a unified, verified information hub has long hindered access and timely help-seeking.

Dr Ajomale explained that the new directory directly addresses these gaps by providing a single, trusted, real-time platform where residents, families, health workers, development partners, and policymakers can identify credible mental-health providers, their locations, areas of expertise, and accessibility.

“This platform replaces confusion with clarity, isolation with collaboration, and misinformation with accountability,” he noted.

The directory, he added, aligns with the Lagos State Mental Health Law (2018), the THEMES+ Agenda, and the Ministry’s broader public health and primary healthcare strengthening strategies.

He described it as a major step toward consolidating the State’s leadership in mental-health reform and ensuring that every Lagosian can find help safely, reliably, and promptly.

According to Dr. Ajomale, the LCP Directory captures both clinical and non-clinical actors, including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, therapists, NGOs, digital health innovators, research institutions, community groups, support networks, and diaspora providers offering virtual services.

This inclusive scope, he said, reflects the State’s commitment to recognising all contributors to mental wellbeing.

He listed improved access to credible resources, enhanced visibility for providers, strengthened referral systems, and support for research, planning, and policy implementation among the platform’s core benefits.

According to him, the directory also establishes a more coordinated environment for partnership, innovation, and mental-health system development.

Dr Ajomale announced that registration is officially open via www.lagosmind.org/providers and www.bit.ly/ileraokan, urging all practitioners and organisations to join the verified network.

He stressed that registration is completely free and subject to a multi-step verification process to ensure safety, accuracy, and compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act.

He further revealed that providers and organisations stand to gain significantly from increased visibility, stronger referral pathways, access to collaboration opportunities, and recognition as part of Lagos State’s official mental-health ecosystem. Periodic updates, training opportunities, and research engagements will also be extended to registered members.

Highlighting the public-health rationale, Dr. Ajomale noted that Lagos, because of its dense population and urban pressures, carries a disproportionate share of Nigeria’s mental-health burden.

Yet, residents often rely on unverified sources, guesswork, or social media for help, putting them at risk of unsafe or inappropriate service referral.

He emphasised that the new directory will help Lagosians navigate crises, locate services based on LGA, cost, specialty, language, or accessibility, and reduce misinformation. “For the first time, Lagosians will have a central, reliable gateway to mental-health care,” he said.

The directory will also support government planning by enabling real-time mapping of workforce distribution, service availability, and emerging gaps in the system.

Dr. Ajomale said the data-driven approach will further strengthen emergency preparedness and mental-health integration into primary healthcare.


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Ebere Melum-Nwogbo is a trained and practicing journalist. She is passionate about ICT and business journalism. She has over a decade experience spanning money and capital market as well as information technology

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EFCC Declares Tejuosho, City Boys Movement’s Women Leader Wanted over “419”

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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC,) has declared Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, a women leader of the City Boys Movement, wanted.

EFCC Declares Tejuosho, City Boys Movement’s Women Leader Wanted over "419"

Halimat Adenike Tejuosho,

A notice issued by the EFCC on Monday via X said Tejuosho has been declared wanted over an alleged case of obtaining money by false pretence.

The notice was signed by Dele Oyewale, head of Media and Publicity for the EFCC.

The anti-graft agency called on members of the public with useful information about her whereabouts to contact any of its offices nationwide.

The Commission also urged the members of the public to reach out via its official phone lines or email, or report to the nearest police station or other security agencies.

Recall that the City Boy Movement recently appointed Tejuosho as the South-West Zonal Women Leader.

According to a statement signed by the Movement, Tejuosho is to provide strategic leadership and coordination for women-focused activities in the zone, driving political mobilization, civic engagement, and advocacy.

 


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Afreximbank to Fund 3 New Refineries in Nigeria

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African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has disclosed plans to finance three additional refineries in Nigeria as part of a broader push to reduce the country’s reliance on imported petroleum products and strengthen local refining capacity.

 Afreximbank to Fund 3 New Refineries in Nigeria

Denys Denya, senior executive vice president of the bank, made the disclosure on Monday during a virtual media briefing focused on the institution’s 2025 financial performance, crisis response initiatives, and long-term industrialisation strategy.

“We are also financing refining on the continent, which will alleviate the importation of refined products. We are not only supporting Dangote; we’re supporting three other refineries in Nigeria,” Denya said.

The briefing, which focused on the bank’s 2025 financial performance, crisis response initiatives, and industrialisation strategy, also featured a question-and-answer session with journalists across Africa.

Denya explained that the push into refining is driven by recent disruptions in global supply chains, particularly linked to tensions in the Middle East, which have raised the cost and complexity of fuel imports for African economies.

According to him, Afreximbank has adopted a dual approach of supporting immediate trade finance needs while investing in long-term productive capacity to reduce structural import dependence.

He said, “For import-dependent economies, the cost of import is very high… so we have taken a proactive approach of engaging with financial institutions on the continent to increase their facilities so they can issue high-value letters of credit.”

The bank’s intervention is backed by a $10bn Gulf Crisis Response Programme, designed to stabilise access to essential imports such as fuel, food, fertilisers, and pharmaceuticals, while also supporting sectors exposed to global shocks.

Denya noted that the facility is already seeing uptake from countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, warning that demand could accelerate if geopolitical tensions persist.

Beyond short-term interventions, the Afreximbank executive stressed that financing refining projects across Nigeria and other African countries remains central to the bank’s long-term strategy of industrialisation and export development.

He said the bank’s support for large-scale industrial projects, including the Dangote Group refinery, reflects its commitment to reducing Africa’s reliance on imported refined products and strengthening regional value chains.

“Our support for industrialists who are making a difference on the continent is testimony to this approach. We will continue to champion projects that reduce Africa’s reliance on imported refined products,” he added.

Denya further disclosed that the bank is financing similar refining projects in Angola as part of a continent-wide push to achieve self-sufficiency in petroleum products.

The shift towards local refining, he explained, is also expected to improve macroeconomic stability by reducing foreign exchange pressures associated with fuel imports.

 


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MTN Powers the Ultimate Youth Link-Up with the Launch of Live It 100 Youth Campaign

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The Gathering on 100 has officially concluded its pilot edition, closing out 100 continuous hours of culture, creativity, and community engagement at the National Stadium, Surulere. At the climax of the five-day immersive youth experience, MTN Nigeria and the gatherers of the event unveiled the defining message of the movement: “Live It 100.”

MTN Powers the Ultimate Youth Link-Up with the Launch of Live It 100 Youth Campaign

The event brought together thousands of young Nigerians in a massive convergence of music, sports, gaming, and creative sessions. From watching the sunrise for four consecutive mornings to actively shaping culture in real-time, attendees experienced a shared journey rooted in endurance and expression.

Operating under a partnership model rather than a traditional corporate sponsorship, MTN stepped back to let the youth lead. The techo embraced the primary narrative that “The Gathering is the fire; MTN is the oxygen”.

Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, said: “The energy we have witnessed here in Surulere over the past 100 hours is proof of the unstoppable spirit of the Nigerian youth. Our strategic intent was to position MTN as the critical engine behind this vibrant youth movement, ensuring the brand is seen as an enabler, not an intruder. The Gathering is the fire; MTN is the oxygen. ‘Live It 100’ is our commitment to powering the platform where the conversation happens. We are giving them the autonomy to lead, while we listen.”

A focal point of the event was the high-stakes Pitchathon segment, which provided a structured arena for startups to showcase working products. Rather than a traditional, heavily branded corporate event, the space felt authentic, unscripted, and transparent, allowing founders to interact directly with expert judges, potential investors, and a live audience.

Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, shared: “The ideas and partnerships formed over these 100 hours show exactly what happens when corporate Nigeria is finally listening to young Nigerians. We recognise that traditional business engagement doesn’t always work for this generation, which is why we empowered the youth to lead. By supporting The Gathering, we are not just celebrating culture; we are fueling the young Nigerian through youth-led innovation and actively investing in their economic potential.”

Beyond business activity, the event recorded consistent engagement across its programming, providing deep insight into the evolving role of youth within Nigeria’s economy. The sustained 100-hour activity highlighted a growing, resilient base of digitally engaged participants who own their lanes and actively create their own opportunities.

As the event closed, MTN reaffirmed their commitment to expanding the platform, ensuring that The Gathering on 100 will continue to evolve as a vital space for both cultural expression and youth-led economic opportunity.


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