Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government has granted a waiver on import duties for mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and manufacturing machinery. The development followed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive to key economic officials to design measures to cushion the impact of the ongoing Middle East crisis on Nigerians, particularly amid rising fuel prices. A disclosure contained in an X post on Monday by Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, noted that the move is part of new fiscal measures aimed at easing economic pressure on Nigerians and curbing inflationary pressures. Olusegun said the Tinubu administration approved a broad…

The Kaduna State High Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to April 14, 2026. El-Rufai appeared before the court amid tight security as proceedings continued in a case filed against him and a co-defendant, Amadu Sule, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), involving alleged financial impropriety and abuse of office. During the court session, El-Rufai entered a not-guilty plea to all nine charges brought against him by the ICPC on March 18, 2026. The ICPC, on the other hand, had requested that the…

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has ordered an immediate probe into alleged civilian casualties following an airstrike in Jilli, Borno State. This comes after reports alleging that an airstrike conducted on Saturday, 11 April 2026, may have affected a local market in Jilli, resulting in civilian casualties. According to a statement by the NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the service treats all reports of possible civilian harm with the utmost seriousness and empathy, as the protection of innocent lives remains central to all NAF operations. The statement explained that the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), in line with…

Aliko Dangote is accelerating plans to list shares of his flagship $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals on multiple African stock exchanges, positioning the move as a landmark test for regional capital market integration. The initiative, discussed in high-level meetings with exchange leaders from Nairobi to Johannesburg, aims to deliver one of the biggest equity offerings in African history and shift how the continent finances its most ambitious assets. The strategy centres on a primary listing on the Nigerian Exchange, with coordinated cross-border access for investors across the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the Ghana Stock Exchange, the Ethiopian Securities Exchange, the…

The faction of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has assumed control of the Party’s National Secretariat in Abuja following its reopening by the Nigeria Police Force. Confirming the development in a statement Saturday, the National Working Committee (NWC), led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, through its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, cautioned that it would not tolerate any actions that could cause obstruction, disruption, or breach of peace at the secretariat in the future. But in a swift reaction, the faction led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) described the unsealing of…

The United States and Iran have failed to reach an agreement after 21 hours of high-stakes discussions in Islamabad, Pakistan’s capital. JD Vance, US vice-president, said Tehran refused to accept Washington’s terms during negotiations. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement, and I think that’s bad news for Iran much more than it’s bad news for the United States of America,” Vance said. Vance said Iran chose “not to accept our terms”, adding that the US needs to see a “fundamental commitment” from Tehran not to develop nuclear weapons. “We need to see an affirmative commitment…

Giving the assurance during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Bayelsa State Government House Banquet Hall in Yenagoa, President Tinubu stated that much more would be achieved when the different levels of government work in synergy. The President had earlier inaugurated four projects executed by the Bayelsa State Government. The projects included the 60MW Bayelsa Gas Turbine, the dualised New Yenagoa City Road, the 630-metre Angiama-Oporoma Bridge, and the Sagbama–Ekeremor Road, a project started by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, accompanied by the Executive Director Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, and the Bayelsa…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has successfully concluded a digital skills training programme for 60 youths from the North Central and Southwest zone respectively aimed at bridging critical skill gaps and enhancing their employability and entrepreneurial capabilities. Speaking separately at the closing ceremony held in Abuja and Lagos, NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, stated that the initiative aligns with the Board’s core mandate to develop local capacity, particularly within the oil and gas sector and its related industries. He pointed that the skill enhancement programme for Nigerian youths seeks to prepare them for the challenges…

The Federal Government on Saturday released a list of 48 individuals and groups it said were involved in financing terrorist activities in the country. The list, published by the Nigeria Sanctions Committee (NIGSAC), came barely 24 hours after the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice concluded the ninth phase of the mass trial of over 500 persons linked to the Boko Haram terrorist sect. The four-day trial sessions were conducted by 10 judges of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where a total of 386 convictions were secured by the FG. While the AGF,…

The federal government has ordered the withdrawal of passports from Nigerians who have renounced their citizenship. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, minister of interior, issued the directive to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in a statement signed by Alao Babatunde, his media aide. Tunji-Ojo said the move applies to individuals whose renunciation requests have been approved by the president, adding that such persons are no longer entitled to hold Nigerian passports. The minister cited provisions of the 1999 constitution to justify the directive. “(1) Any citizen of Nigeria of full age who wishes to renounce his Nigerian citizenship shall make a declaration in…