Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved infrastructure projects worth about N540 billion to transform the National Hospital, Abuja, into a quaternary healthcare institution and establish a new cancer research and treatment centre. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting. Pate said the National Hospital, established about 25 years ago, had not received the level of investment in infrastructure and equipment required to fulfil its original vision. He said the latest approvals followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to improve healthcare infrastructure and equipment across…

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was launching a major new campaign to target Iran’s economy, threatening “tremendous” punishment on any country that helps or does business with the Islamic republic. The intensified economic pressure campaign comes as the war nears its sixth month with no immediate diplomatic or military off-ramp in sight. Trump is also facing renewed domestic political scrutiny over the war with November elections quickly approaching. “Today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.…

Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, has unveiled a N500 million endowment fund for victims of election violence across the state. The governor announced the endowment fund on Thursday when he received his certificate of return at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his victory in the August 15 governorship election in the state. Adeleke, who contested on the platform of Accord, defeated Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate; Najeem Salaam, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flagbearer; and 13 other candidates in the keenly contested election. The governor polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815…

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, effective August 27, 2026 The appointment was announced on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Enitan will succeed Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who is due to retire from the Federal Civil Service after attaining the statutory retirement age of 60. A native of Osun State, Enitan is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education and is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service. He has spent seven years and seven…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a comprehensive forensic investigation into government processes and internal controls following findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that uncovered additional fictitious entities within the system. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, disclosed this on Wednesday after the FEC meeting, saying the investigation would establish how such bodies were able to operate within the government structure. Oyedele said the review would identify weaknesses in existing administrative, accounting and governance systems, while recommending measures to prevent similar occurrences. “The comprehensive forensic investigation would…

President Bola Tinubu has directed that all funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) be channelled to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Tunji Alausa, minister of education, spoke on Wednesday during a press briefing at the State House shortly after the federal executive council (FEC) meeting. Alausa said FEC also approved that all other unclaimed dividends in the Capital Market Trust Fund and Dormant Account Trust Fund be channelled to the student loan scheme in a bid to expand the reach of the fund and strengthen its efficiency. “The president, in his benevolence, has now directed…

Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, has received his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following his victory at the August 15 governorship election held across the state. Adeleke received the certificate on Wednesday at the INEC office in Osogbo, where he pledged to move the state forward by building on his first-term achievements. On Saturday, the governor defeated Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate; Najeem Salaam, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flagbearer; and 13 other candidates in the keenly contested election. The incumbent governor and candidate of Accord polled 511,067 votes to defeat his closest rival,…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved an amendment to the country’s mental health law to decriminalise attempted suicide, moving from prosecution of people in psychological distress to treatment, care and support. Addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, said the proposed amendment to the National Mental Health Act would be transmitted to the National Assembly as an executive Bill. He further explained that the present administration intends to end the application of colonial-era provisions that treat attempted suicide…

Military pensioners were on Wednesday prevented by soldiers from staging a protest at the ministry of defence building in Abuja over “non-implementation of consequential adjustments to their pensions”. The retired military personnel had converged on an open field near the ministry, holding aloft banners with various inscriptions. They were making their way to the ministry’s main gate when soldiers cordoned off the area. Police and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also joined the soldiers in blocking roads around the ministry, with tanks and other security vehicles deployed to prevent the pensioners from accessing the premises. The veterans subsequently moved…

Ahead of the 2027 elections, presidential candidates and national chairmen of major political parties on Tuesday signed the first National Peace Accord in Abuja. The signing ceremony, organised by the National Peace Committee, was held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, with representatives of political parties, electoral officials, security agencies and diplomats in attendance. President Bola Tinubu was represented at the event by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who signed the accord alongside the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda. The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, and the…