Author: Vardiafrica

Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong has announced his retirement from international football, bringing to an end a distinguished decade with the Super Eagles just weeks before the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in Morocco. Troost-Ekong, 31, confirmed in an emotional statement that his final appearance for Nigeria came in the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff defeat to DR Congo — a loss that ended the country’s qualification hopes. He said in a social media post on Thursday that he is calling time on a career defined by leadership, resilience and unbroken commitment. “Every single time I put on…

President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Christopher Musa, former chief of defence staff (CDS), as the new minister of defence. Musa replaces Mohammed Badaru, who recently resigned on health grounds. The brief ceremony took place at the State House on Thursday — a day after the senate screened and confirmed Musa’s nomination. In a post on X, Tinubu praised the senate for its “expedited confirmation”, adding that Musa’s appointment comes at a “critical juncture” in the lives of Nigerians. “Two days ago, I transmitted the name of General Christopher G. Musa, our immediate past Chief of Defence Staff and a…

President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has called on African entrepreneurs to invest in the continent as a priority. Dangote advised while speaking at the ‘Imo State Economic Summit 2025’ held in the State on Thursday. According to him, local investments will in turn attract foreign investments, adding that foreigners would not feel the need to come to the continent if local investors failed to play their part. “I want to first of all thank President Bola Tinubu for his bold policies, which are already yielding results. He really took some bold economic steps, one of…

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, immediate past sole administrator of Rivers state and former naval chief, as a non-career ambassador. Tinubu also named Ita Enang, the former senator; Chioma Ohakim, former Imo state first lady; and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former minister of interior and former chief of army staff, as non-career ambassadors. Their names were absent from the earlier batch of ambassadorial nominees released by the presidency. Tinubu’s latest nominations were conveyed in a letter read on the floor of the senate by Godswill Akpabio during Thursday’s plenary. In the correspondence, the president urged lawmakers to give the…

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the October 4, 2024 judgment of the Federal High Court that barred the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), popularly known as the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), from stopping vehicles on the road, impounding or confiscating them, or imposing fines on motorists. Delivering judgment on Thursday, December 4, a three-member panel of the appellate court resolved all three issues raised for determination against the appellant, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services. Justice Oyejoju Oyebiola Oyewumi, who read the lead judgment, held that the appeal lacked merit and affirmed the decision of the…

The Senate has completed the screening of the three ambassadorial nominees forwarded to the upper chamber by President Bola Tinubu for confirmation. They are Kayode Are (Ogun State), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State), and Ayodele Oke (Oyo State). The nominees, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Senator Sani Bello (APC, Niger North), were screened by the panel. The committee’s report is expected to be presented at plenary for consideration and possible confirmation in due course. Speaking during the session, Senator Bello disclosed that Ayodele Oke had addressed and cleared all allegations previously raised against him. President…

Tech giant Meta has begun removing minors below 16 years of age in Australia from its platforms Instagram, Threads and Facebook ahead of the country’s world-first youth social media ban. “While we are working hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multilayered process,” a Meta spokesperson said on Thursday. Australia requires 10 major online platforms, also including TikTok and YouTube, to block underage users by December 10, when the new law comes into force. Companies face fines of 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32m) if…

The Senate on Wednesday intensified its probe into the collapse of the Safe School Initiative by summoning key government officials, including Finance Minister Wale Edun, Education Minister Tunji Alausa, and Defence Minister Lt-Gen Christopher Musa (retd.), to explain why the $30m scheme failed to protect Nigerian schoolchildren from relentless attacks. The summons was issued by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe School Initiative, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia North), following the adoption of its work plan during its maiden sitting. Edun and the other officials are to appear before the committee next Tuesday. Conceived in 2014 at…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will confer the Distinguished Award for Excellence in Infrastructure Delivery and Sustainable Regional Growth on the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, on December 7, 2025. A letter signed by the Permanent Secretary (General Services Office) for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, stated that Ogbuku would be honoured at the forthcoming Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) organized by The Best Strategic (TBS) Media in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). According to the Permanent Secretary, the…

The United States has announced new visa restrictions targeting Nigerians accused of undermining religious freedom. A post on X by Marco Rubio, secretary of state, said the restrictions will affect those who “knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom”. He said the visa policy applies to Nigeria and other governments or individuals that persecute people for their religious beliefs. According to the secretary of state, the move was part of the US’ decisive action in response to the “atrocities and violence against Christians” in Nigeria and around the world. Rubio’s comments come a day after…