Calabar Women Expo Empowers Business
Mary Colette Ekong, a founder of She Means Business, brings an African Women in Business Expo to Calabar to empower local women with funding, mentorship, and skills. The three-day event runs August 13–15, 2026, with activities at the Calabar Municipality Hall on the 13th and 14th and a grand finale at the Dome on August 15. Grants range from ₦100,000 to ₦500,000, alongside mentoring and access to the She Means Business accelerator and app to help scale ventures across sectors like fashion, technology, beauty, and agriculture.
CRSHA staff urged on service
Speaker Ayambem today directs Cross River State Housing Authority staff in Calabar to uphold diligence and patient handling of inquiries. He urges frontline workers to improve response times, maintain courtesy, and follow due processes to reduce delays in housing permits, land documentation, and allocation matters. The call, delivered during a briefing in Calabar, aims to boost trust and ensure efficient public housing services for Cross River residents. Staff are urged to adopt transparent record-keeping and timely updates to applicants.
Flood Prep Campaign in Biase
The Nigerian Red Cross Society, in partnership with Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), intensifies flood preparedness efforts in Biase Local Government Area, urging residents to heed early warnings and take proactive steps. At a Biase LGA meeting, local officials and community leaders welcomed the drive, with CR-SEMA pledging broader outreach across all 18 LGAs. The campaign will use jingles, billboards, radio, social media, and town criers to reach communities and encourage timely reporting of emerging threats.
NHRC urges FG hate speech
The National Human Rights Commission has urged the Federal Government to decisively tackle rising hate speech and divisive rhetoric ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. Speaking in Abuja, NHRC Executive Secretary Dr Tony Ojukwu, SAN, said the commission must protect human dignity and peaceful elections, cautioning that public figures must avoid inciting violence. A situation room and toll-free line 6472 were announced to help the public report concerns, with Nigerians urged to debate issues without demeaning others.
Nestlé, FG renew safe water
The Federal Government, Nestlé Nigeria and OPS-WASH renew their commitment to improve water quality nationwide with a Training of Trainers workshop on the Water Quality Handbook in Abuja. The initiative aims to extend public understanding of water quality to communities, states, and local governments, ensuring safer water and reduced waterborne diseases. Nestlé’s Water Regeneration Project will continue, delivering hundreds of thousands of litres of water to host communities around Abaji, FCT, and Ogun State, while the nationwide rollout proceeds.
FGN reopens three bonds
The Debt Management Office (DMO) on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria has reopened three FGN bonds valued at about N1.2 trillion for subscription in August. The instruments include a 10-year re-opening maturing 2035, a 15-year re-opening maturing 2038, and a 20-year re-opening maturing 2047, with round-the-year subscriptions open to investors nationwide, including Cross River banks and residents. The move aims to raise long-term funds and bolster market liquidity; investors should consult the DMO and NGX circulars for settlement timelines, minimums, and eligibility details.
Campus talents grow through tour
Biola Aransiola, Brand Manager at Bigi, announced during a media session in Lagos that the Bigi Soundcity On Tour will run across 20 campuses, including the University of Calabar, to help campus talents develop skills for Nigeria’s creative economy. The tour features digital submissions, campus auditions, regional competitions, and a grand finale in Abuja, with cash prizes and mentorship for finalists. Entries involve recording over an instrumental track and are reviewed by Soundcity spotters ahead of campus auditions.
Reps move to tackle lingering oil-gas pollution
The House of Representatives’ Committee on the South-South Development Commission has announced plans to push for a dedicated agency to oversee the shutdown and cleanup of abandoned oil facilities in the Niger Delta, including Cross River communities. The move, supported by lawmakers, seeks to ensure environmental restoration and accountability from oil and gas operators. Cross River residents should expect clearer timelines for decommissioning, environmental remediation, and safer water and farmlands as funds and governance frameworks are put in place.
IPMAN backs Obi in Cr River
The IPMAN Eastern Zonal leadership has endorsed Comrade Robert Obi as the recognised chairman in Cross River State, rejecting a parallel leadership linked to Peter Okim. The stance was conveyed on August 12, 2026, during visits to Cross River security authorities, aimed at preventing unauthorised leaders from levying members and to safeguard tanker operations. IPMAN urged adherence to its electoral procedures and urged authorities to ensure a peaceful, disruption-free distribution of petroleum products across the state.
Cross River approves N963bn budget
The Cross River State House of Assembly has approved an upward revision of the 2026 supplementary appropriation to N963 billion. The approval followed the Finance and Appropriation Committee report presented by Cyril Omini, representing Yakurr II State Constituency, during the assembly sitting on Thursday, August 13, 2026. The increase from N961 billion aims to fund infrastructure projects, unforeseen expenditures, policy initiatives, and macroeconomic adjustments. Governor Bassey Otu’s administration says the measure will boost public service delivery and direct funds toward priority programmes for Cross Riverians.
FG seeks African-led cancer partnerships
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, has urged African nations to boost African-led research and partnerships to prevent, diagnose and treat hepatobiliary cancers. At the Africa Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cancer Consortium (AHPBCC) Conference in Abuja, officials called for stronger cancer registries, funding, and the use of digital health and genomics to tailor interventions for African populations. Nigeria aims to expand the National Cancer Health Fund to cover hepatobiliary cancers and strengthen treatment capacity nationwide, including hospital clinics and research networks in Cross River State.
CRS, UNICAL Deepen Nursing Training
The Cross River State Government and the University of Calabar (UNICAL) reaffirm their commitment to expanding nursing education and improving healthcare delivery. During a courtesy visit to UNICAL, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Offiong Effanga Offiong welcomed the BNSC Affiliation Committee led by the Health Commissioner, Henry Egbe Ayuk, and pledged to re-engage the affiliation process, review curricula, and strengthen staffing. The partnership also emphasizes logistical support for clinical training and student mobility to advance Cross River’s health sector.
Cross River Immigration Collaboration
The Cross River State Special Adviser on Immigration Matters, DCI Ubong Ekpenyong-Nsaumo, pledges stronger collaboration with the Nigeria Immigration Service to improve migration monitoring, security, and refugee protection in Calabar and northern Cross River. On August 14, 2026, she visited the Cross River NIS command and urged officers to document migrants, including irregular migrants, and to boost services in Akamkpa. The visit aims to strengthen coordination and ensure passport access is available closer to northern communities, with improved logistics and resource support forthcoming.
NIPR Congratulates Cobham, Seeks Partnership
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Cross River State Chapter, congratulates the newly appointed Commissioner for Information, Pastor Ekpenyong Cobham, and sends a delegation to strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Information. The visit, led by the Institute’s chairman, emphasizes enhancing public communication and accurately conveying government policies and achievements to Cross River residents. Cobham affirms the Ministry’s readiness to partner with NIPR, aiming to boost information management, professional knowledge sharing, and credible government messaging for the people of Cross River State. The interaction occurs on August 14, 2026, with a focus on practical cooperation and improved governance communication.
Cross River Health Fellows Graduated
The Cross River State Government graduates 18 Nigerian Health Fellows under Cohort 1.0 and formally onboards a new cohort to strengthen grassroots monitoring of healthcare interventions across the state. At the Calabar College of Nursing Sciences Conference Hall on August 14, 2026, the Commissioner for Health highlighted the program’s role in tracking primary healthcare reforms and guiding field deployment by Cohort 2 to local government areas for improved health outcomes.Current date, time, and timezone (ISO): 2026-08-20T22:01:12.393+02:00