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Federal Medical Centre Doctor Wins the Maiden Edition of the Shalina Rising Star Award
Personnel of Federal Medical Center, Owo, Ondo State, Dr. Adebayo Olaolu has emerged the winner of the maiden edition of Shalina Rising Star Award, a unique platform for Nigerian resident doctors to showcase their clinical talents organized by a leading multinational pharmaceutical company in Nigeria, Shalina Healthcare. Dr. Olaolu won the contest at the grand finale of the event which took place in Lagos on Tuesday.
Speaking after receiving a cash prize of one million naira, an award plaque and a certificate of participation, Olaolu while appreciating the organizer and sponsor of the event, Shalina Healthcare, said; “it is a thing of joy to see a company thinking in this direction in the face of the global economic challenges. And it is more significant that this idea is to encourage professionalism and learning in the medical profession. I thank Shalina Healthcare and pray for more prospects for the company.”
Also commending the efforts of Shalina Healthcare at the event, the Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Lagos State Chapter, Dr. Adetunji Adenekan said, “this is unprecedented in the history of Nigerian medical profession, and I would like to give kudos to the organizers of the event. I thank you for what you are doing, it is very encouraging and I want to assure you that the NMA is ready to partner with you.”
In the same vein, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Isaya Godiya, who was represented by the National Editor of the association, Dr. Omoniyi Ayooluwa expressed the gratitude of the association to the organizers of the event and congratulate the participants saying, ” this is a very good way of rewarding excellence in our profession. We are very impressed in what we are seeing here today. We thank the organizer for providing this great platform for learning and education. We also congratulate our members who are participants in this contest, we are very proud of you all. It is a fact that you are all winners here today.,”
In his own remarks, one of the special guests of honour at the event, Dr. Sixtus Ozuomba, Chairman, Society for Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON), Lagos State Chapter, also thanked the organizer of the event and promised the support of his association while another special guest at the event, Dr. Ibironke Shodende, President of Medical Women’s Association, Lagos State Chapter commended the organizers and in the same regard, promised the support of the association. “This is fantastic programme, with this, Shalina Healthcare is breaking new grounds, it is very inspiring, very insightful and very motivating. Please continue with this and you are not to do it alone, we are with you.” She said.
Earlier, welcoming the guests and participants to the event, the, Vice President / Head, Shalina West Africa, Arun Raj, said the idea of Rising Star was not just to give back to the people, but also to straighten the medical profession. ” It provides an opportunity for medical professionals to sharpen their analytical skills and also provides a forum that offers guiding tips to upcoming specialists from senior experts.” He said.
Pharm Folorunso Alaran, the Head of Corporate Marketing at Shalina Healthcare and the lead organizer of the Shalina Rising Stars Award explained that ‘it is a great feat getting this done. The Shalina Rising Star Award is one of the many value-added initiatives by Shalina Healthcare designed to drive her corporate purpose of ensuring quality healthcare delivery to all Africans. Many of these initiatives are currently on-going”
The Shalina Rising Stars Award is a programme for Nigerian resident doctors, where interested participants would present unique medical case reports. This first edition received over sixty (60) entries across the Nigerian six geopolitical zones from resident doctors across various institutions such as Federal Medical Centers, Teaching Hospitals, Specialists Hospitals among others, which were carefully assessed by some appointed renowned specialists. Twelve (12) entries made it to the grand final…
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
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More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
The project ends decades search for investors, boosts Nigeria’s blue economy
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Nigeria’s maritime sector is set for a major transformation following a landmark agreement involving the world’s largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which has secured a 45-year concession to build, manage and operate a modern container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos.
The project, to be developed in partnership with Nigerdock, marks one of the most significant private sector investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in recent decades and is expected to strengthen the country’s role as a major maritime gateway in West and Central Africa.
For Nigeria, the agreement brings to close decades of efforts to attract large-scale investors to develop Snake Island Port, a strategically located maritime asset in Lagos.
Long-standing concession history
Snake Island’s maritime facilities date back several decades. In 1992, the Federal Government granted a 99-year concession for the island’s port and industrial facilities to Nigerdock, a major maritime engineering and logistics company.
Nigerdock was later privatised and is currently operated by the Jagal Group owned by Nigerian industrialist Maher Jarmakani.
Over the years, the Island Container Terminal fell into disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation and modernization to meet modern global shipping standards.
The new partnership with MSC is expected to transform the port into a state-of-the-art container handling facility capable of attracting larger vessels and increasing Nigeria’s cargo throughput capacity.
Buhari administration approved the project.
The investment framework for the Snake Island development was approved in May 2023 by the Federal Executive Council under then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The approval authorised total private investment of approximately $974.1 million for the project under a Public-Private Partnership structure, including the 45-year concession period.
At the same time, the Federal Government also approved two other major maritime infrastructure projects:
• Development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, Ondo State, with $1.48 billion in private investment and a 50-year concession.
• Expansion and development of the Burutu Sea Port in Delta State, involving $1.2 billion in private investment and a 40-year concession.
These projects form part of Nigeria’s broader effort to develop its blue economy and expand maritime trade capacity.
Construction partners
Engineering and construction of the Snake Island container terminal will be handled by:
• ITB Nigeria Limited
• DEME Group
ITB Nigeria Limited is part of the Chagoury Group and owned by the Chagoury family, while DEME Group is a globally recognised Belgian marine engineering and dredging company with extensive experience in port construction.
MSC profile
Founded in 1970 by Italian shipping entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, MSC has grown from a single cargo vessel into the largest container shipping company in the world.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the company operates in more than 155 countries and serves over 500 ports worldwide, with a fleet of roughly 900 container ships and over 200,000 employees globally.
The MSC Group also operates major logistics and maritime businesses including inland logistics through Medlog, cruise tourism through MSC Cruises, and port terminal operations across several continents.
According to Forbes, the estimated net worth of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte is about $43.9 billion as of February 2026, placing him among the world’s richest shipping magnates. The company remains privately owned by the Aponte family, with both founders holding equal ownership stakes.
Management comments
Speaking on the development, MSC Group President Diego Aponte said the company is committed to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and across Africa.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Nigeria through this important infrastructure project. The Snake Island terminal will enhance service delivery and improve port efficiency for our customers and partners in the region,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nigerdock, Maher Jarmakani, described the agreement as a major milestone for the Nigerian maritime sector.
“We are delighted to partner with MSC in developing a world-class container terminal that will enhance Nigeria’s logistics capabilities and support economic growth,” he said.
Economic impact
Industry analysts say the project could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy by expanding cargo handling capacity, reducing congestion at Lagos ports and attracting additional international shipping traffic.
The development is also expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across maritime operations, logistics, transport services and port-related commercial activities.
Infrastructure expansion
Beyond the port development, plans are also underway for Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, linking Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island through Snake Island and connecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor through Badagry.
The tunnel project is expected to significantly improve freight movement and road connectivity between Lagos ports and national transport networks.
Strategic milestone
With the entry of MSC into the Snake Island development, industry observers say Nigeria is taking a significant step toward modernizing its maritime infrastructure and positioning itself as a regional hub for global shipping and trade.
For a project that has waited for decades for major international investors, the Snake Island concession represents a turning point in Nigeria’s port development strategy and a strong signal of global confidence in the country’s maritime future.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
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