Author: Vardiafrica

President Donald Trump has finally signed legislation ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, hours after the House of Representatives voted to restart disrupted food assistance, pay hundreds of thousands of federal workers and revive a hobbled air-traffic control system. The Republican-controlled chamber passed the package by a vote of 222-209, with Trump’s support largely keeping his party together in the face of vehement opposition from House Democrats, who are angry that a long standoff launched by their Senate colleagues failed to secure a deal to extend federal health insurance subsidies. Trump’s signature on the bill, which cleared the…

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the nation will overcome its current economic challenges. Tinubu, who spoke at the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) Conference in Abuja, said that poverty would not be Nigeria’s milestone. “We may be poor; poverty is not going to be our milestone. We are going to come out of it,” he said. The President explained that though the reforms his administration had undertaken were challenging, they were designed to place Nigeria’s economy on a strong and enduring footing. “On our part, this administration remains committed to securing our nation, sustaining economic stability, and…

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has announced January 5, 2026, as the final deadline for all digital lending platforms and intermediaries in Nigeria to comply fully with the Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025. The Regulations, which took effect on July 21, 2025, were established under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018. They aim to enhance fairness, transparency, and accountability within Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital lending market. To guide operators in achieving compliance, the FCCPC has released an accompanying document the Guidelines on the Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending…

Ukraine’s energy and justice ministers have resigned in the wake of a major investigation into corruption in the country’s energy sector. President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk and Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko’s removal on Wednesday. On Monday anti-corruption bodies accused several people of orchestrating a embezzlement scheme in the energy sector worth about $100m (£76m), including at the national nuclear operator Enerhoatom. Some of those implicated in the scandal are – or have been – close associates of Zelensky’s. The allegation is that Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and other key ministers and officials received payments from contractors…

The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, has said that the Federal Government will always protect officers of the Nigerian armed forces on official duty. He stated this at a press briefing to commence activities for the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the National Defence College, Abuja, on Wednesday. “At the ministry and indeed the armed forces, we will always protect our officers on lawful duty. “Rest assured that any officer on lawful duty will be protected. I will not allow anything to happen to any officer doing his job and doing his job credibly well,” Abubakar said. His comment…

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has asked the Court of Appeal, Abuja, to stay further proceedings in his trial by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja According to the court documents filed, Kanu is praying the appeal court to stop Justice Omotosho from delivering judgment on his case on November 20, 2025, as scheduled, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal against the high court’s decision in the case. Kanu premised his application on the grounds that, in spite of the jurisdictional questions raised before the Federal High Court,…

The Senate has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to raise N1.15 trillion from the domestic debt market to cover the unfunded portion of the 2025 budget deficit. The approval followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt during plenary on Wednesday. The committee noted that the 2025 Appropriation Act provides for a total expenditure of N59.99 trillion, representing an increase of N5.25 trillion over the N54.74 trillion initially proposed by the Executive. This expansion created a total budget deficit of N14.10 trillion. Of this, N12.95 trillion had already been approved for borrowing, leaving…

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, adjourned the alleged money laundering trial of former Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi until Jan. 29 for continuation of trial. Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter to allow the EFCC’s 7th prosecution witness (PW-7), Olomotame Egoro, who was being led in evidence by its lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, to conclude his testimony. When the matter was called for continuation of trial, Pinheiro sought to tender some documents marked as Exhibits 33 (1–11) and 34, while leading the witness in evidence. But counsel who appeared for former governor, Abdullahi Yahaya, SAN, interjected. He…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally presented Certificates of Return to Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, and his deputy, Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, confirming their re-election for a second term in office. The certificates were handed to the duo on Tuesday in Awka by the Supervising National Commissioner for the Anambra governorship election, Kenneth Ikeagu, two days after the Commission declared them winners of the November 8, 2025 poll. Speaking during the presentation, Ikeagu said the exercise was in line with Section 72(1) of the Electoral Act (2022) which mandates INEC to issue certificates of return within 14 days…

President Bola Tinubu on Monday received official security and development briefings about four of the six geo-political zones in the country from his Community Engagement team. This is just as a senior presidential aide disclosed that historical mistrust, land-grabbing, banditry, and illegal mining are the biggest drivers of violence across nation’s North Central region. The Presidential Community Engagement Team was created to drive grassroots mobilisation and provide real-time feedback to the Presidency on policy implementation across the federation. Monday’s briefing, therefore, formed part of routine consultations with the President. Briefing newsmen after the closed-door engagement with President Tinubu at the…