Author: Vardiafrica

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, says the Commission is boosting education and bridging the gender gap in science and technology by equipping young girls with the necessary skills to thrive in the modern world. Ogbuku, who spoke during the closing ceremony of the Girl Child Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, STEM competition in Port Harcourt, explained that the initiative was aimed at fostering scientific and technological advancement among young girls in the Niger Delta region. The Managing Director, represented by the NDDC Director of Education, Dr (Mrs) Awele Chukwudifu, emphasised the importance…

Senator Okpebholo gave the commendation during the 67th Anniversary Celebration of the Ayakoro Annual Festival of Relocation at the King Ikiomoye Paul Nathan Square in the Ayakoro community, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. The Governor, who was the Chairman of the occasion, compared the movement of Ayakoro community from their original location to that of the Israelites, noting: “You have moved to a land flowing with milk and honey.” He prayed for the community to continue advancing and progressing, stating, “One day, God will make the son of the Ayakoro community the Governor of Bayelsa State.” In his remarks,…

Zimbabwe’s richest man and only billionaire, Strive Masiyiwa, is making a bold move through his pan-African technology company, Cassava Technologies. The company has announced plans to launch Africa’s first AI factory—an advanced, secure data center powered by NVIDIA AI computing technology. The project is a major step in Cassava’s push to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation. It will give businesses, governments, and researchers access to world-class AI computing, allowing them to develop cutting-edge solutions while keeping data within the continent. Powering Africa’s AI revolution According to the company, the AI factory will integrate NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and AI software using the NVIDIA…

Six vessels carrying about 1.7 million barrels of jet fuel from the Dangote refinery arrived at U.S. ports this month, data from ship-tracking service Kpler showed. Another vessel, Hafnia Andromeda, is set to arrive at the Everglades terminal on March 29 with a load of about 348,000 barrels of jet fuel, the data showed. U.S. jet fuel imports are set to hit a two-year high in March after the refinery pushed barrels to North America. Total U.S. jet fuel imports so far in March stood at around 226,000 bpd, the most since February 2023, the data showed. The development comes…

The Organised Labour has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning that it may be forced to take decisive action that could disrupt national economic activities if the proclamation is not reversed within a reasonable timeframe The threat was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Rivers State Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor; State Chairperson of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ikechukwu Onyefuru; and Chairperson of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Chuku Emecheta. The labour unions raised concerns about the legality, economic impact, and consequences of the federal government’s…

World Athletics has confirmed all female athletes will undergo swab tests to determine if an athlete is biologically female. The global body’s president Sebastian Coe said the decision taken by the World Athletics Council was further evidence his organisation would ‘doggedly’ protect the female category. No timeline for the introduction of pre-clearance testing has been officially set out, but the PA news agency understands World Athletics’ intention is to have the testing in place for athletes wanting to compete in the female category at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. Coe said on Tuesday: ‘It’s important to do it…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has flagged off the distribution of Professional kits to midwives provided by her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative, with a promise to spread this to Nurses generally as soon as possible. She was speaking at the flag off for the South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria held in Asaba, Delta State. The First Lady, who noted that the demands of the health profession goes beyond mere skills and compassion, pointed out that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is moving in the right direction to make healthcare delivery better in the country. She said that…

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate probe into the prison break incident at the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the order on Monday, according to his aide, Babatunde Alao. In a statement, the minister described the incident as unfortunate, and vowed to ensure all fleeing inmates are captured. The minister said his men would leverage the service’s biometrics and deployed technology solutions to capture the escapees. Advertisement Tunji-Ojo also ordered the Acting Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, to visit the facility in Kogi to evaluate the…

US and Russian officials opened talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday on a partial ceasefire in the Ukraine war, a day after delegates from Washington and Kyiv had their own discussions. US President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid end to the three-year war and hopes talks in Riyadh could pave the way for a breakthrough. Both sides have proposed different plans for temporary ceasefires, but cross-border attacks have meanwhile continued unabated. Originally planned to take place simultaneously to enable shuttle diplomacy — with the United States going back and forth between the delegations — the talks are now…

Twelve inmates escaped in an early morning jailbreak at the Federal Correctional Centre in Kotonkarfe, Kogi State, on Monday. Kogi State Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, described the incident as “unfortunate” and assured citizens that the government, working with security agencies, would take steps to prevent a recurrence. According to him, law enforcement agencies have re-arrested one of the escapees. “The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns. “This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the…