Author: Vardiafrica

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, on Sunday received members of the reconciliation committee of the rainbow coalition at the government house in Port Harcourt. The committee, which is backed by Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was led by Magnus Abe, chairman of the board of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The rainbow coalition is a cross-party political alliance in Rivers state, spearheaded by Wike to unite politicians across party lines in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. The reconciliation committee was established after Wike declared an end to the protracted political feud with Fubara. The…

The Nigeria Immigration Service is deploying a dedicated Passport Intervention Team to the United Kingdom to facilitate the processing and issuance of pending, new and renewal passport applications for Nigerians in the country. In a statement, the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, says the intervention, directed by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, is scheduled to commence on August 10, 2026, in collaboration with the Nigerian High Commission in the UK. The statement says the team will visit designated cities across the United Kingdom to conduct passport enrolment and processing. The exercise is open to applicants with pending applications,…

A series of military airstrikes conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) around the Lake Chad region has severely wounded a prominent commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and neutralised four terrorists, including one of the group’s long-serving fishing tax collectors. Field assessment showed that Ba Ari Hisbah, identified as a prominent head of the ISWAP Police Wing operating in the Lake Chad area, sustained severe injuries to both legs following an airstrike conducted by the Air Component near Arege on Wednesday, August 5. According to sources cited by counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the…

Aliko Dangote met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at his office in Canada to discuss investment partnerships between Canada and Africa, in a meeting the Dangote Group described as focused on opportunities inside Canada. The stated agenda was the direction less commonly reported. According to the group, the discussions covered expanding investment opportunities in Canada and how the Dangote Group, alongside other African investors, might contribute to Canadian economic growth. The two also discussed Canada’s Africa Strategy and two-way trade flows. No investment figure, sector, agreement or timeline was disclosed. “Strategic partnerships between Africa and Canada have immense potential to…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the 19 presidential candidates announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 election to publicly declare their assets and liabilities ahead of the poll. SERAP also called on the candidates to disclose the assets and liabilities of their spouses and, where applicable, their unmarried children under the age of 18, as well as the legitimate sources of their significant assets. The organisation urged all presidential candidates to publicly and unequivocally reject vote-buying and electoral bribery before and during the elections, and to instruct their parties, campaign organisations, agents…

The NDDC Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has urged public and private organisations to invest in the Niger Delta Region as it is now conducive and safe. Speaking during the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026 in Asaba, Delta State, Ogbuku described the oil-rich region as richly endowed and a haven for investors. The NDDC boss acknowledged the efforts of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, stating that the Renewed Hope Agenda has transformed the Niger Delta region into a peaceful and viable environment for investment. He commended the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon.…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says it is partnering with private sector organisations in the Niger Delta region to train women to harness their skills, talents, and local resources to create wealth and build sustainable livelihoods. Speaking during an empowerment programme commemorating the 2026 International Women’s Day in Asaba, Delta State, the Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, challenged women to take practical steps towards economic independence through dedication and continuous learning to grow their businesses. Ebie, who was represented by his Special Assistant, Dr. Godwin Edozie, advised the women to take the training seriously, noting…

The Nigeria Labour Congress and federal government workers have demanded an urgent review of the national minimum wage, insisting that the current ₦70,000 is no longer sustainable. They made the demand, following the bold steps taken by several states across the country, to increase the minimum wage of their workers above the N70,000 benchmark, in response to the prevailing economic realities. The labour unions and workers who spoke to the  News Agency of Nigeria in separate interviews contended that, in the face of galloping inflation and rising costs of food, transportation, housing, and other essential services, the N70,000 minimum wage could no…

US President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders intended to restrict birthright citizenship in the United States, after the Supreme Court ruled in June that his previous efforts were unconstitutional. The president signed two executive orders on Thursday, August 6, including one that expands the existing definitions of non-citizens whose children are not eligible for birthright citizenship. The second order bans so-called birth tourism, the practice of pregnant mothers coming to the US to give birth so that their babies will be citizens. “This should have happened years ago, but we’re taking care of it now,” Trump said from…

Nigeria and Canada have signed an expanded Air Transport Agreement that will, for the first time, permit direct scheduled air services between the two countries. The landmark agreement, aimed at strengthening bilateral aviation relations and expanding economic cooperation between the two countries, was signed on behalf of Nigeria by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, who was represented by the Director of Air Transport Management in the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Mohammed Ahmed Tijjani. He joined Canada’s Chief Air Negotiator for Global Affairs Canada, Ms Shendra Melia, at the Canadian High Commission…