Business
World Health Day: Let’s Ensure Good Nutrition For Children…
…Because #OurChildrenOurResponsibility
World Health Day (WHD) is celebrated every April 7. This is the day that commemorates the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948. WHD aims to focus on a specific theme relevant to public health each year. This year WHO is focusing global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on wellbeing.
Nutrition plays a very crucial role in ensuring humans are healthy. It is an important part of an individual’s overall health and development right from a very young age. Proper and balanced nutrition is directly linked to improved infant, toddler, child, and maternal health and wellbeing. It offers stronger immunity, lowers the risk of health problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and improves longevity. Also, healthy children are not just physically strong but also mentally sound. Having balanced and healthy nutrition also helps boost their productivity and helps create more opportunities to break the cycle of poverty eventually.
Malnutrition, in any form, poses a significant threat to human health. Not having proper and balanced nutrition can lead to malnutrition. Currently, the world faces two types of malnutrition – undernourishment, and obesity. The former tends to be more prevalent among the economically disadvantaged populations in low and middle-income countries.
Good nutrition in the early stages of life sets the stage for lifelong health. In the words of Anne Mulcahy, “Investing in early childhood nutrition is a surefire strategy. The returns are incredibly high.”
One of the keys to parenting healthy children is providing them with a healthy and nutritious diet..
Key nutrients in supporting optimal growth and development… When a child consumes a balanced diet, they can develop their physical and mental skills in the present and the future. The benefits impacted by nutrition while the child is young are:
- Ensures proper development of the brain, which helps the neurocognitive process
- Improves a child’s physical health and ensures an active social life as the child grows old.
- Supports the immune system to ably fight against various infectious diseases
Key nutrients for brain development… Phospholipids are known to be essential nutrients for brain development. These nutrients are structural components of neurological systems (neural networks), and deficits during early life can impact brain function long-term. Long-chain omega 3s like DHA and ARA and other brain-supportive nutrients may also benefit proper neural network development and enhance visual acuity and cognition.
Key nutrients for physical growth… Proteins are the building blocks of physical growth. Dietary protein requirements are higher in children than in adults because they have faster growth and development rates due to their increased cell turnover. Inadequacy of high-quality dietary proteins can cause stunted growth, poor body composition, and wasting. Calcium and vitamin D play an important role in physical development too. Calcium is the main component of the skeleton, while vitamin D ensures calcium reaches the growing bones.
Key nutrients for supporting immunity… A variety of vitamins and minerals that include micronutrients such as Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium, and Selenium, among others, have vital functions in the human body. Several studies have found that children provided with foods high in these essential micronutrients improve their immune system’s response rate and help them steer clear of various immune system diseases.
Childhood is the most significant period of growth and development, both physically and mentally. Setting the foundation with good nutrition during childhood has a profound impact, even during later life, and helps develop society and the world as a whole.
Multi-nutrient fortified Growing Up Milk such as Peak 456 formulated for children ages four to six is an excellent way to ensure optimal intake of several vitamins and minerals in a child’s daily diet.
On this World Health Day, let’s take a pledge to support WHO’s initiative of #OurPlanetOurHealth by focusing on good nutrition for our children’s health which can help them grow strong and smart.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank), Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced the launch of the Verve Flash Promo, a special initiative rewarding customers with free Verve cards.
The campaign, which commenced on 6 October 2025, and will run until 30 January 2026, is exclusively targeted at FirstBank customers whose ATM cards have expired.
The free cards will be issued daily to 131 customers on a first-come, first-served basis across the Bank’s branches, nationwide. FirstBank’s unwavering commitment to convenience, accessibility, and customer satisfaction.
Speaking on the rewards to FirstBank customers, Chuma Ezirim, the Group Executive, e-Business and Retail Products at FirstBank, said: “The Verve Flash Promo is not just about rewarding customers with free verve debit cards; it is about celebrating our legacy of 131 years of trust, resilience, and innovation in the Nigerian financial services industry. At FirstBank, we remain committed to providing customer-centric solutions that enable secure, seamless, and convenient payment experiences. Partnering with Verve International on these initiatives, including the Verve Good Life promo, underscores our shared vision of deepening financial inclusion while rewarding our loyal customers for their continuous patronage.”
Also commenting, Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Verve International, noted:
“Through strategic collaborations like this with FirstBank, we continue to demonstrate Verve’s commitment to enhancing access to seamless payment solutions for every Nigerian. The Verve Flash Promo not only rewards loyal customers but also reinforces our vision of making everyday transactions more rewarding, secure, and convenient. As we extend the Good Life Promo, we remain steadfast in our goal of deepening financial inclusion while delivering real value to Verve cardholders across the country.”
Meanwhile, the ongoing Verve Good Life promo, designed to reward Verve debit card holders for using their cards at specific merchant points, has been extended to 30 November 2025.
During the period, Verve Card holders enjoy 10% cashback at The Place Restaurant, Quickteller, Buypower, Filmhouse, AlliExpress, Addide Supermarkets, and Chowdeck app every Thursday to Sunday.
Verve cardholders can now enjoy a 10% cashback on the Google Play Store any day of the week throughout the Good Life Promo, which runs until 30 November 2025. Moreso, every transaction made with a Verve card whether on ATMs, POS terminals, or online platforms automatically earns customers a chance to win up to ₦1,000,000.
Nigeria’s leading telecommunications company, Globacom, has announced enhancement of its data bundles to give subscribers more data volume at the same affordable prices.
The upgrade reinforces the company’s commitment to providing superior value and exceptional customer satisfaction.
The upgraded Glo Data Bundles are enhanced versions of the existing daily, weekly, and monthly plans, giving subscribers more data at no additional cost.
These improvements offer users greater freedom and convenience to enjoy their favourite online activities from streaming and gaming to social media, video calls, and more.
For daily users, the ₦100 plan has been upgraded from 105MB to 125MB, giving light internet users even more data to browse, chat, and stream short videos conveniently.
The weekly bundles have also received notable boosts, such as the ₦1,500 plan, which now offers 6GB instead of 5.9GB, enabling subscribers to stay connected longer.
Heavy data consumers will also enjoy remarkable value on the monthly plans. The ₦2,000 bundle now gives 6.25GB, while the ₦10,000 package has been enhanced from 38GB to 42GB, allowing users to do more from video streaming and large file downloads to remote work and virtual meetings.
Students are not left out, as the Campus Booster Plan has been upgraded with higher data allowances, ensuring seamless access to academic resources and social networks while on campus.
Globacom noted that the revised bundles are available to all Glo customers prepaid, postpaid, and hybrid and can be activated by dialing *312#, using the Glo Café app (available on Android and iOS), or visiting hsi.glo.com.
The company added that subscribers can use, share, or gift data through *312# or the Glo Café app. Customers will also continue to receive data usage alerts at 75% and 100% consumption levels to help monitor usage effectively.
Unused data is automatically rolled over upon renewal before expiry or when a new plan is purchased within the grace period (ranging from one to seven days, depending on the plan).
Globacom reaffirmed its commitment to empowering Nigerians with reliable and affordable data access, urging customers to take advantage of the revised data bundles that combine affordability, quality, and more browsing power ensuring every Glo subscriber enjoys more data without paying more.
Fidelity Bank Plc has congratulated Air Peace on the successful launch of its maiden direct flight from Lagos to London Heathrow, describing the milestone as a significant achievement for Nigeria’s aviation sector and a testament to the power of indigenous partnerships.
The commendation was delivered by Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director of Fidelity Bank, during a special event held in Lagos to celebrate the airline’s expansion into the European market.
“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a win for Nigeria,” Onyeali-Ikpe said. “It reflects the strength of home-grown businesses and the impact of strategic financial support in enabling national champions to thrive on the global stage.”
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that Fidelity Bank has played a pivotal role in Air Peace’s growth, providing early financial backing and advisory services that helped the airline become the largest carrier in West Africa. The bank continues to support Air Peace through payment processing and other financial services
The launch of the London route marks a new chapter for Air Peace, which now joins a select group of African airlines operating direct flights to Heathrow.
The development is expected to boost tourism, trade, and connectivity between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the event, Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, expressed gratitude to Fidelity Bank for its unwavering support and reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to excellence and service.
“This partnership has been instrumental in our journey,” Onyema said. “We are proud to fly the Nigerian flag across international skies.”
Industry stakeholders present at the event praised the collaboration between the two companies as a model for sustainable business growth and national development.
