City Crime
COVID-19: Nigeria Has Capacity To Combat Public Health Crisis–U.S
The United States Centre for Disease Control (US-CDC) says the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, has shown that Nigeria has the capacity to combat public health crisis.
Dr Mary Boyd, U.S. CDC Nigeria Country Director, disclosed this during an interview with the News News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Tuesday in Abuja.
“Globally, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been largely unprecedented.
“This is despite various epidemiological models predicting poor outcomes for African countries due to weak health systems.
“The models also sited population density, prevailing conflicts, humanitarian crises and the contending burden of other diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
“The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC’s) response and strategy in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other diseases of public health importance such as Lassa fever, Ebola, Yellow Fever and others , has demonstrated the country’s capacity to combat public health crisis.
“This development has been exemplary for the region,” she stated
According to Boyd, 20 years ago, the USCDC was established in Nigeria with a mission to support the National Health Response toward improving the health and well-being of Nigerians.
“We are delighted to be celebrating five years since NCDC’s establishment as a result of our commitment to that mission,” she said.
She noted that the USCDC in Nigeria had been part of the NCDC’s transformational journey, since conception.
“In 2006, the USCDC began providing support to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) on the Avian Influenza Project and in 2008, the NFELTP program with AFENET.
“As you may all know, the Avian Influenza Project, the Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (NFELTP) and the Epidemiology Division of the FMoH, were amalgamated in 2011, to establish the core of NCDC as the National Public Health Institute,” she noted.
Boyd noted that another landmark by the NCDC was the Ebola Virus disease outbreak, adding that the USCDC established a cooperative agreement with NCDC in 2015, to support its establishment as a regional leader in public health space.
“The theme the NCDC chose for this celebration; Reflecting on Five Years of Building an Institution, is ideal during a transition, so as to plan for many more years of success ahead.
“Looking back, the USCDC is proud of several accomplishments through our collaboration.
“To name a few are the enactment of NCDC bill, digitalisation of the country’s surveillance system through the establishment of SORMAS.
“Others are, standardisation of emergency preparedness and response systems at the various sub-national public health emergency operations centers through the IMS structure.
“The advancement in molecular laboratory diagnostic capacity for many diseases among others, as well as providing confidence in the people of Nigeria through providing timely data on COVID-19,” she stated.
According to her, while celebratig the NCDC and its remarkable accomplishment, it is equally important to acknowledge the FMOH and other agencies like National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The USCDC Nigeria Country Director added that their overwhelming collaboration and role in controlling diseases of public health concern could not be understated.
Boyd however, said that the USCDC was keen to advance and sustain the collaborative partnership with the Federal Government, to strengthen strategies to that would prevent, detect and respond to disease threats and promote health security.
NAN reports that the NCDC was celebrating its transformation journey in implementing the five- year strategic plan for national health security, in line with its mandate to lead the preparedness, detection, and response to public health emergencies.
Since August 15, 2016, the agency had witnessed transformational growth from a young parastatal under the FMOH, to a science-based institution, leading the public health response to the largest pandemic in history.
SERAP warned that it would institute legal action if the bill is passed in its current or substantially similar form.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), seeks to compel social media platforms, data controllers and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country.
It also empowers the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to shut down or prohibit the operations of any entity that fails to comply within 30 days.
In a letter dated July 18, 2026, and addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, SERAP said the proposed amendment posed a threat to constitutionally guaranteed rights.
The letter, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare and issued on Sunday, read in part, “Requirements compelling technology companies to establish local offices would increase government leverage over platforms, facilitate political pressure, make censorship demands easier and expose local employees to retaliation.
“The Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and expose millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights.”
SERAP argued that the bill revives previous attempts to regulate social media that attracted widespread public opposition.
“The current Bill revives substantially similar proposals previously introduced by Senator Nwoko, raising renewed concerns that localisation requirements are being used as a vehicle for expanding governmental control over digital platforms and online expression,” it said.
The organisation warned that it would challenge the legislation in court if enacted.
“Should the Bill be enacted into law in its current or substantially similar form, SERAP shall promptly take all appropriate legal actions to challenge its legality in the public interest and to ensure that Nigerians’ fundamental rights are fully protected,” the letter stated.
According to SERAP, the proposed legislation would give the Nigeria Data Protection Commission excessive powers to block digital platforms without adequate procedural safeguards.
“The Bill constitutes a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and increase governmental control over online expression through corporate localisation requirements rather than through transparent and constitutionally permissible regulation,” it said.
The group argued that the bill lacks provisions for prior judicial authorisation, meaningful opportunities for compliance beyond the proposed 30-day period, and safeguards to protect the rights of millions of Nigerians who rely on digital platforms.
SERAP also cited the judgment of the ECOWAS Court of Justice on Nigeria’s suspension of Twitter, arguing that the proposed amendment could produce similar consequences by indirectly excluding social media platforms from operating in the country.
“The Bill also risks recreating the very dangers previously condemned by the ECOWAS Court of Justice. In SERAP and Others v. Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Court held that the suspension of Twitter violated the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom protected under the African Charter.
“Although the present Bill differs from the Twitter suspension in form, it creates the possibility of achieving the same result indirectly by empowering regulators to prohibit digital platforms from operating in Nigeria.
“The National Assembly should not enact legislation capable of producing, through indirect regulatory means, the very restrictions on fundamental rights that regional human rights law prohibits,” the organisation said.
It maintained that while governments have a legitimate interest in regulating digital platforms, such measures must comply with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards.
The organisation further warned that mandatory localisation requirements would increase compliance costs for technology companies, startups, educational institutions and artificial intelligence developers.
“The proposed amendment conflicts directly with the objectives of the Nigeria Startup Act 2022 and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.
“Mandatory localisation requirements substantially increase compliance costs, particularly for startups, open-source projects, educational institutions, research organisations, AI developers and smaller technology companies, while reducing Nigeria’s attractiveness as a destination for innovation and investment.
“No major democratic jurisdiction requires every social media platform to establish a physical office as a blanket precondition for providing services.”
SERAP added, “The National Assembly should immediately reject and withdraw the Bill, as it is manifestly incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
England and Chelsea legend John Terry has expressed disappointment over Nigeria’s absence from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, admitting that the Super Eagles will be sorely missed as the tournament started yesterday Tidesports source reports.
Eric Chelle’s side finished second in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers behind South Africa, who secured one of the automatic qualification spots for the tournament.
The Super Eagles kept their hopes alive by defeating Gabon in the playoff semi-finals but saw their dreams shattered after losing to the Democratic Republic of Congo on penalties in the decisive playoff final.
The defeat condemned Nigeria to a second successive absence from the World Cup, having also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The Nigeria Football Federation later challenged DR Congo’s qualification, alleging the use of ineligible players during the campaign. However, the appeal was dismissed, ending any hopes of a late reprieve.
Nigeria will be a big miss. This is a World Cup for participants who haven’t had the opportunity to play in the tournament. I would have loved to see a top team like Nigeria there because they’ve got some great individuals. They’re a great nation. So, yeah, they fall under that category for me.
“I think they are a big miss because Nigeria probably would have gone further in the competition, but unfortunately, one side’s loss is another’s gain.
“I know Mikel Obi is very upset that they’re not there. It means he can’t do more commentating on the World Cup. That’s why he was upset.”
The 2026 World Cup officially begins with co-hosts Mexico.
The historic clash, set to take place at the iconic Estadio Azteca, rekindles memories of the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which ended 1-1. South Africa took the lead through Siphiwe Tshabalala’s stunning strike before Rafael Márquez salvaged a draw for Mexico with a 79th-minute equaliser.