Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government has inaugurated the 2026 oil and gas licensing round, offering 40 blocks across land, shallow water, and deepwater terrains to local and foreign investors. Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, Commission Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), announced the round in Abuja at the commission’s fifth anniversary. Eyesan said it had the approval of President Bola Tinubu, who is also Minister of Petroleum Resources. She said the bidding process would require investors to disclose their beneficial owners, while the commission would publish the full evaluation results. “The measures are meant to help Nigeria compete for capital in a…

The Senate has postponed its two-day National Security Summit scheduled for October 12 and 13, 2026, following the fatal crash of a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) ATR-42 aircraft in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje local government area of Ondo State. The crash, which occurred on Monday, was initially reported to have claimed 25 officers and seven crew members, bringing the reported number of fatalities to 32. But the NAF authorities yesterday clarified that there were five crew members and 20 passengers. The Senate said the summit would be deferred until further notice in honour of the victims and in solidarity…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has now hit 103 million following the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and final biometric cleanup. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders Meeting held by the commission at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja on Tuesday. Amupitan said the three phases of the CVR exercise recorded 10,772,421 new registrations following the conclusion of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) exercise. According to him, the 103 million voters now makes Nigeria the largest democracy…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has been admitted as a full institutional member of the World Association of PPP Units and Professionals, WAPPP, a Geneva-based global body for Public-Private Partnerships, strengthening its drive for public-private collaborations, investments and sustainable development across the Niger Delta. In a joint statement, WAPPP President Ziad-Alexandre Hayek and NDDC Managing Director Dr Samuel Ogbuku noted that full membership makes NDDC one of the few Nigerian public agencies and one of only about 40 PPP Units globally to belong to the exclusive network of over 300 PPP professionals from 60 countries. Hayek said: “On behalf…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as the head of the Nigerian delegation to the Nigeria-Ethiopia Nutrition Leadership Exchange Forum, which holds from October 7 to 9, 2026. On arrival in Addis Ababa, he was received by the Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Ambassador Nasir Aminu; Minister in the Mission, Mr. Nura Aliyu; Senior Counsellor, Mr. Onovo Emmanuel Isaac; the Defense Attaché, Wing Commander Gabriel Batubo, and other senior Ethiopian government officials. He was invited to attend the Pearl Exchange Forum by the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Temesgen Tiruneh,…

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers State Governor, and leaders of the SIMplified Movement, the governor’s support group, in an apparent effort to close ranks ahead of the 2027 general elections. Wike and leaders of the Rainbow Coalition met Fubara and his supporters, including some former local government council chairmen who formed the backbone of his grassroots support base, at the governor’s residence in Port Harcourt. Details of the meeting were not immediately available to the media. However, reports that emerged on social media hours later suggested…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will track illegal campaign spending and sanction political parties, candidates and agents involved in violence, hate speech and vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general election. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the warning on Monday in Abuja at a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with the commission. Amupitan said the commission was working with relevant government agencies to monitor campaign finances and curb the influence of money on the electoral process. He said the commission was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of…

President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria has reduced its dependence on crude oil revenue and will expand the use of natural gas to drive industrial growth, electricity supply and energy access, while holding oil companies accountable for investment commitments. Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the fifth anniversary of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu said petroleum resources must support a broader economy, with agriculture, manufacturing, digital and creative industries increasingly central to the government’s diversification agenda “We have already reduced our dependence on oil revenue, and we intend to go further,” he…

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has activated an immediate Search and Rescue operation following an aircraft accident in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State. The incident, involving an ATR-42 aircraft, occurred on the 5th of October while the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. The NAF says its Search and Rescue operations are being conducted in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies. The Nigerian Air Force says it is committed to ensuring the success of the ongoing rescue efforts, with operations continuing at the accident site. The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information,…

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has met with the INTERPOL Secretary-General, Valdecy Urquiza, in Lyon, France, as part of efforts to deepen international police cooperation and strengthen Nigeria’s response to transnational crime. In a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, on Monday, the Nigeria Police Force said Disu paid his maiden official visit as Inspector-General of Police to the INTERPOL General Secretariat in Lyon on October 5, 2026. During the visit, Disu met with Urquiza and other senior officials of the organisation, with discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in cybercrime, counter-terrorism, financial crime,…