NFM Weekly Digest: Women Advocating Change and Other Stories We Covered This Week
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
As Nigeria marked 66 years of independence, women were still fighting for safety in their homes and communities, the right to inherit family property, and access to healthcare. This week, we reported on domestic violence, the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Abuja, and the struggles women continue to face long after surviving serious health conditions. We also covered women with disabilities demanding a more accessible electoral process, Shalom Rayhamen’s success with Lagos Life, Senator Idiat Adebule’s re-election endorsement, and Anne Carson’s Nobel Prize in Literature. From women pushing for change to those making their mark in technology, politics, and literature, these were some of the stories we reported this week.
- Nigerian Leaders Call for Resilience, Unity and Women’s Power as Nation Celebrates Independence
As Nigeria marked its 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1, 2026, leaders’ voices cut through with clarity, warmth, and an unapologetic focus on the nation’s strength. From Aso Rock to the World Trade Organisation headquarters, leaders in power delivered messages centred on resilience, national unity, and the indispensable role of women, children, and families in building the country they want to see.
- Domestic Violence in Nigeria: The Growing Crisis Behind Closed Doors
Domestic violence remains a serious human rights and public health concern in Nigeria, with women and children bearing a significant share of its impact. While physical assault is often the most visible form of abuse, violence within homes can also take the form of sexual coercion, emotional and psychological abuse, financial control, intimidation and other controlling behaviours.
- At 66, Nigerian Women Still Fight for Land, Home and Inheritance, Says Prof. Joy Ezeilo
Sixty-six years after independence, Nigerian women are still being locked out of their fathers’ houses with the justification that it’s a family matter. That was the weight of the message from Prof. Ezeilo Ngozi Joy, founding Executive Director of the Women Aid Collective (WACOL), who spoke at a WACOL press conference in Enugu marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence anniversary.
- BOFIM Launches Osun Election Report, Demands Accessible Electoral Process for Women with Disabilities
The BO Foundation for Inclusive Media (BOFIM) launched a report documenting the experiences of women with disabilities during the 2026 Osun governorship election, with speakers at the virtual event calling for accessibility to be built into the electoral process long before election day. The report, titled “Access to Information and Participation in the 2026 Osun Governorship Election: Experiences, Findings and Recommendations,” was launched during a Zoom event on Thursday, October 1, under BOFIM’s Her Voice, Her Vote: Digital Inclusion of Women with Disabilities in Osun’s 2026 Elections Project.
- NHIA Urges Nigerian Women to Prioritise Early Breast Cancer Detection
As Nigeria joins the global observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the National Health Insurance Authority has urged women to pay greater attention to their breast health and seek medical attention early when they notice unusual changes. The call came alongside measures by the Authority to reduce the financial burden of cancer treatment for eligible insured patients. Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Nigerian women and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the country.
- Nigerian Man, Zayyanu Halilu, Arrested for Allegedly Raping 12-Year-Old Girl in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested Zayyanu Halilu for raping a 12-year-old girl inside a parked vehicle at Airport Bridge Taxi Park, Abuja. The girl was found to be about three months pregnant.
- Lagos Life Surges Past 3m Players in Days, as Creator Faces Familiar Tech-Bro Undermining
Nigerian software engineer Shalom Rayhamen has turned a late-night coding session into one of the fastest-growing digital phenomena in recent Nigerian tech history. Her browser-based multiplayer life-simulation game, Lagos Life, launched on October 1, 2026, and within six days has attracted more than 3.3 million players, tens of millions of visits, and concurrent online peaks exceeding 100,000–160,000 users.
- Nollywood Stars Unite Against Fake Products
Veteran Nollywood actress Ngozi Ezeonu has issued a passionate public plea urging manufacturers and sellers of counterfeit drugs, baby formula, and other products to stop endangering lives for profit. In a video shared on her Instagram account around 6 October 2026, she highlighted the rising cases of kidney and liver ailments among young people, linking many of them to the widespread circulation of fake medicines and food items.
- Lagos West Youths Endorse Senator Idiat Adebule for Re-Election
Young people drawn from the 28 local government areas and local council development areas of Lagos West Senatorial District have given a strong endorsement to Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule (Ph.D) for her re-election bid.
- After Years of VVF Condition, Women in Kaduna Receive Vocational Skills Empowerment
Fifty-eight women resident in Kaduna who underwent successful treatment for Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF) have completed a rehabilitation and skills acquisition programme. The Kaduna State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development organised their graduation ceremony in collaboration with development partners.
- Canadian Poet Anne Carson Wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature
Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson has been awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature by the Swedish Academy. The Swedish Academy announced her achievement on Thursday, October 8, 2026.
