Author: The North Journals

DOUALA, Cameroon A rare show of unity among conservation groups has yielded a major breakthrough in the fight to save the Cross River Gorilla, the world’s most endangered gorilla subspecies, as fewer than 300 individuals remain scattered across forest fragments along the Nigeria–Cameroon border. At a three-day knowledge exchange workshop held in Douala from February 25 to 27, nine conservation organisations came together to form what experts describe as a long-overdue coordinated front against the species’ imminent extinction. Convened by the African Conservation Foundation and funded through Conservation Connect, the workshop — titled Knowledge Exchange on Community Forests in the…

By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal A sweeping 27-year analysis of presidential movements across Nigeria has revealed stark regional disparities in federal engagement, with a handful of states receiving disproportionate attention while others remain largely overlooked. The study, conducted by the Digital Data Clinic, examined presidential travel records from 1999 through April 2026, uncovering patterns that analysts say reflect a mix of economic priorities, political calculations, and personal affiliations. Lagos, Kano, Katsina Dominate Presidential Itineraries At the center of the findings is Lagos State, which recorded a striking 217 presidential visits—more than any other state in the federation. The commercial hub is…

By Aminu Adamu There is a village in Zamfara State where the people no longer sleep. They take turns keeping watch through the night, each one holding whatever crude weapon they can find, because by the time the police arrive, it is always too late. The bandits who raid their community come well-armed. They arrive on motorcycles, carrying AK-pattern assault rifles and sometimes rocket-propelled grenade launchers. They are not improvising. They are supplied. This is not an isolated story from the fringes of Nigeria. It is the daily reality for millions of Nigerians stretched across the northwest, northeast, and Middle…

By Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah At a busy primary health centre in Dutse Alhaji, Bwari Area Council of Abuja, six-months pregnant Mrs. Precious Innocent sits quietly among other expectant mothers. Her story reflects a subtle but powerful transformation unfolding in Nigeria’s maternal healthcare system. Her concern began at her first antenatal visit. “When I did the test here for the first time, they told me that my blood was a little bit low. The nurses advised me to keep taking my drugs and eat more vegetables,” she recalled. Soon after enrolling for antenatal care, she was introduced to Multiple Micronutrient Supplements, known…

By Ishioma Appiah-Yeboah  Glaucoma is steadily emerging as a major public-health crisis in Nigeria, silently depriving millions of people of their sight while many remain unaware of the disease until it reaches an advanced and irreversible stage. Medical experts are increasingly warning that the condition, which damages the optic nerve and leads to permanent blindness, is one of the most under-recognised yet urgent health threats facing the country today. Speaking during the commemoration of World Glaucoma Day, glaucoma specialist Dr. Magdalene Ajani called for urgent, coordinated national action. She cautioned that millions of Nigerians may already be living with the…

By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal On the southwestern coast of Seychelles, the turquoise waters no longer whisper leisure. They warn. What appears to tourists as a postcard-perfect shoreline on Mahé is, for residents, a frontline in a quiet but relentless battle against coastal erosion. Here, the high-tide mark is no longer a natural boundary. It is an advancing threat. Across West Africa, from the Bight of Benin to the Gambian coast, experts say the unfolding reality in Seychelles may hold urgent lessons for a region facing similar environmental pressures. The Disappearing Shoreline In coastal communities such as Anse Royale and Beau…

By Radia Issah An outreach team from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (CSIR – FORIG) has taken its climate change awareness campaign to Ramseyer Technical Institute in the Ashanti region, aiming to equip students with knowledge on environmental protection and the dangers of illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey. The initiative, organised under the CSIR-FORIG environmental outreach programme, forms part of efforts to promote sustainable environmental practices at the grassroots level. It was led by the Head of the Forest and Climate Change Division at the Forestry Research Institute of…

By Radia Issah Tamale, Ghana In a decisive move to confront the growing threat of climate extremes, researchers, civil society organisations, government officials, and farmers have convened in northern Ghana’s regional capital, Tamale, to chart practical solutions to recurring floods and droughts devastating vulnerable communities. The gathering, which brought together about 38 stakeholders, formed part of the second phase of the Pan-African and Transdisciplinary Lens in the Margins: Tackling the Risks of Extreme Events (PALM-TREEs) project. The initiative focuses on developing inclusive strategies to address climate risks, particularly among marginalised populations disproportionately affected by environmental shocks. Participants at the workshop…

A new digital platform designed to strengthen peacebuilding coordination and improve access to peace-related data has been introduced under the initiative known as the Nigeria Peace Web (NPW), according to a policy brief released in March 2026. The platform, developed by researchers including George Biesmans, Dr. Timipere F. Allison, Dr. Saheed B. Owonikoko, and Distinct I. Obuzor, seeks to address what experts describe as a critical gap in how peacebuilding activities are documented and analysed across Nigeria. Bridging the Peace Data Gap According to the policy brief, while Nigeria has developed relatively strong systems for documenting violent conflicts and security…

Professor Chris Kwaja is a son of the Plateau and global citizen whose mind has travelled the world in search of answers to the very problems our communities face today. As a Professor of International Relations and Strategic Studies at the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, his voice has echoed in some of the most respected global policy rooms. From Accra to Washington, Dakar to Geneva, Addis Ababa to Abidjan where the future of peace, security, democracy, and development in Africa is debated and shaped. For over two decades he has sat among global experts…