Water & Accountability: Niger’s water utility NDE faces a Court of Accounts probe after audit findings flagged bacteriological contamination above WHO limits, erratic chlorine dosing, leaks from an aging network, and procurement/management concerns—raising fresh pressure for safer drinking water. Education & Skills: Nigeria’s IDEAS-TVET kicks off a six-month training for 2,549 youths in Abuja and Niger State with World Bank support, aiming to modernize technical colleges and push market-ready vocational and digital skills. STEM & Labs: A West Africa-wide report warns that students are drifting away from science and physics tracks, with Niger among countries seeing shrinking STEM interest—worsening the region’s engineer and researcher pipeline. Security Funding: Experts warn the Multinational Joint Task Force around Lake Chad is running short of money as violence rises, with Nigeria carrying much of the cost and Niger suspending participation. Health Regulation: Niger State re-seals a private clinic in Mokwa after inspections found missing equipment, weak infection control, poor waste management, and no functional lab. Energy & Mining Diplomacy: Niger and Russia move to accelerate joint energy and mining projects ahead of the Russia-Africa summit, with nuclear civilian cooperation on the agenda. Regional Wildlife: Chad’s hooded vultures are near extinction, with new survey work pointing to poisoning and illegal hunting as key threats.