Author: Vardiafrica

Tanzania has removed Nigerian nationals from its referred visa category, ending the requirement for special clearance before they can obtain a visa. The Tanzania Immigration Services Department announced the development in a notice dated September 25 and shared on its official X handle on Monday. The statement signed by Paul Mselle, chief spokesperson of the Tanzania Immigration Services Department, said the decision followed amendments published in government gazette No. 246 of 2026. “With immediate effect, Nigerian nationals travelling to the United Republic of Tanzania are no longer subject to referred visa restrictions and will follow standard visa application procedures through…

Manchester City arranged “sham contracts” with a number of commercial partners as part of a scheme to disguise secret funding of more than £830m, the Premier League says. The League confirmed that City have been found guilty of all charges related to breaches of Premier League financial rules between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons. An independent commission found that, during that time period, the club arranged the “sham contracts” as well as “relying on sham agreements to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce its costs”. The club continue to deny any wrongdoing and have until 2 October to submit…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) 2026 statutory budget proposal and two bills to the House of Representatives for consideration and legislative action. The President’s requests were contained in three separate letters addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, and the House received them on September 24.In one letter dated August 20, Tinubu forwarded the NDDC’s 2026 Statutory Budget Proposal for the House’s consideration and passage. He said the budget proposal was prepared based on the commission’s revenue and expenditure forecasts and aligned with the Federal Government’s fiscal…

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development has launched the National Youth Data Bank (NYDB), a platform intended to support youth development planning, connect young Nigerians with opportunities and strengthen evidence-based policymaking. The initiative was launched in Abuja on Tuesday under the theme, “Building a Stronger Future for the Nigerian Youth through Data, Opportunity and Inclusion.” Speaking at the launch, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said reliable information was needed to better understand the country’s young population and respond to their needs. “We cannot adequately plan for what we cannot properly see.” Olawande said the Data Bank would provide…

Senate extends 2025 capital budget implementation for three months, citing unfinished projects and delayed payments amid concerns over centralised syste For the fourth time, the Senate on Tuesday extended the implementation period of the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act from September 30 to December 31, 2026, citing the need to prevent the abandonment of ongoing projects and ensure effective utilisation of funds already appropriated and released. The extension followed the passage of the Appropriations Repeal and Enactment Act 2025 Amendment Bill 2026, which was considered and passed through second and third readings on the same day. The measure effectively gives…

Vice President Kashim Shettima has returned to Nigeria after representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, on Monday, noted that the Vice President had departed Abuja on September 20 with the mandate of President Bola Tinubu to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the annual global event. During the visit, VP Shettima delivered President Tinubu’s National Statement at the General Debate, where Nigeria renewed its call for reform…

The National Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to resolve outstanding welfare and professional issues affecting its members, warning that failure to do so could trigger industrial action. The ultimatum is contained in resolutions the association reached at its 46th Annual General Meeting on Sunday in Calabar. The NARD National President, Dr Ogar Emmanuel Idoko, read the resolutions. The resident doctors expressed concern over the slow pace of implementation of agreements reached between the association and the Federal Government, saying prolonged delays had become unacceptable. They demanded immediate action on outstanding issues relating to…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is investigating complaints over restrictions allegedly imposed by some banks on customers seeking to withdraw foreign currency from their domiciliary accounts. Financial Vanguard learnt that the apex bank may intervene on behalf of customers by compelling banks to honour legitimate withdrawal requests from domiciliary accounts and provide foreign currencies as requested by account holders. Several bank customers told Financial Vanguard that different banks had adopted various measures to impose total or partial restrictions on cash withdrawals from their foreign currency accounts. A visit by Financial Vanguard to some banks in Lagos confirmed that the…

The Federal Government has approved the comprehensive modernisation and upgrade of Onne, Rivers, Delta and Calabar ports as part of efforts to expand Nigeria’s maritime capacity and reduce the concentration of cargo traffic around Lagos. Adegboyega Oyetola, minister of Marine and Blue Economy, announced the approval, saying it complements the earlier approval for the modernisation and upgrade of Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos. According to Oyetola, the expansion of the port modernisation programme beyond Lagos is aimed at developing a more balanced, efficient and competitive national port system. “This approval marks another important step in our determination…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has intensified its drive to attract Chinese investment, technology and manufacturing capacity into Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, engaging more than 100 Chinese Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in Chengdu, China. The engagement formed part of the Board’s and oil industry’s participation in the 15th China Shale Oil and Gas Summit, convened from 20 to 23 September 2026 at the Chengdu Century City International Conference Centre. The summit, themed “Empowering Efficient and Green Development via Intelligent Technologies, Innovating to Lead the Shale Oil and Gas Revolution,” provided a platform for NCDMB and representatives…