Author: Vardiafrica

The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Tinubu’s request to the National Assembly, seeking approval to borrow $347 million under the 2025–2026 borrowing plan. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, read the President’s correspondence on the floor of the Green Chamber during Wednesday’s plenary. According to the President, the loan is necessary due to a rise in the funding needs for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, whose cost increased by $47 million, from $700 million to $747 million. Justifying the loan request, the president said that when the borrowing plan was transmitted to the parliament, the lead…

The Federal Government has elevated flood prevention to the level of a national security priority with the unveiling of a new Anticipatory Action Framework on Floods (AAFF), to shift the country’s disaster management approach from reactive to proactive, coordinated early response. This was as the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) warned that over 100 major roads, including the Okene/Lokoja/Abuja and Birnin Kebbi/Bunza corridors, may face severe flood disruption across 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before August 5. The AAFF, developed by the Anticipatory Action Task Force (AATF), features a blend of scientific and traditional data-gathering methods, early…

Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, has asked Nigerians not to re-elect President Bola Tinubu in 2027. The former Rivers governor spoke while addressing members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition in the state. The former minister also said the country risks collapse if Tinubu secures a second term in office. “We are new members of the ADC, it’s the adopted party of the coalition,” he said. “Most importantly, have your eyes on 2027 and to have your eyes on 2027, please go home and start registration. “We will form a committee that will go from local government to local government,…

Nigeria has become the latest African country to declare an interest in hosting a Formula 1 race, with ex-Premier League player Marvin Sordell fronting the bid. F1 currently hosts a race on every habitable continent apart from Africa, with the last iteration taking place 32 years ago via the 1993 South African Grand Prix at the Kyalami Circuit outside Johannesburg. Yet now, South Africa (with Kyalami and Cape Town vying to host), Rwanda and Morocco have all announced their intention to launch a bid. Now, Nigeria have joined the list, with Opus Race Promotions eyeing a new circuit in the capital of Abuja, alongside a karting track, hotels and…

Tosin Adarabioyo, Chelsea defender, was hosted by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, on Tuesday. The 27-year-old centre-back was a member of the Chelsea team that recently won the restructured FIFA Club World Cup, which was hosted in the US. Adarabioyo was born in London, UK, to parents of Nigerian heritage. During his visit to Nigeria, the footballer will be organising a football tournament in Lagos named the Tosin Adarabioyo Youth Cup. The competition kicks off on July 23 with four teams participating. The participants are 36 Lion FC, Mavilon FC, Seamoriow Football Academy and a team representing the Lagos State…

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe on Tuesday inspected the ongoing training of 305 youths in specialised oil and gas industry skills at the Centre for Marine and Offshore Technology Development (CMOTD), Rivers State University (RSU). Sponsored by the NCDMB, the trainings cover seven technical areas, which include Automation, Instrumentation and Control, Mechanical/Process Piping and System Design/ Pressure Vessel and Heat Exchanges Design (PV-ELITE), Electrical Power Transformer Repairs and Maintenance, and Industrial/Practical Ship Design and Construction. Other specialist areas covered by the training include Oil Well Surveillance and Enhancement Analysis…

Judith also faulted Wike’s claim that she has been indicted in a corruption probe involving the NDDC. She added that the allegation levelled against her by Wike was a “subtle blackmail to score cheap political goals”. Nyesom Wike and Rotimi Amaechi shared a similar political history as former governors of oil-rich Rivers State in the Niger Delta area of the country. Amaechi was in office from May 2007 to May 2015 when he handed over to Wike who was equally in office for eight years. The relationship between both men have since fallen apart and they have been embroiled in…

Donald Trump on Tuesday accused his predecessor Barack Obama of treason and called for his prosecution over a report alleging that officials in the Democrat’s administration manipulated information on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard has sent criminal referrals to the Justice Department related to a report published Friday that asserted the Obama officials had been part of a “treasonous conspiracy.” Gabbard claimed Obama and his team had manufactured intelligence regarding Russian election interference to “lay the groundwork for what was essentially a years-long coup against President Trump.” Her accusations were widely criticized…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has thrown his weight behind Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, over the governor’s insistence on adherence to security protocols for high-profile visitors, including former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi. Speaking on Tuesday during the commissioning of the refurbished New Edo Line Transport Company in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo clarified recent remarks regarding Obi’s visit to the state, stating that they were made purely in the interest of public safety and standard security procedures—not politics. “My job is to protect lives, including those of all Edo people and visitors,” Okpebholo said.…

Former vice-president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has warned that any threat against his former presidential running mate, Peter Obi, is a threat against “all of us”. Atiku stated this in a terse tweet on Tuesday afternoon. He simply wrote: “Let it be known that a threat against Peter Obi or any of us is a threat against ALL of us! -AA” Atiku’s comments come days after the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, warned Obi not to visit the state without security clearance. Okpebholo claimed that the last time Obi visited the state and made a donation of N15…