Author: Vardiafrica

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has linked banditry in Nigeria to the indiscriminate consumption of alcohol The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mojisola Adeyeye, stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday. Adeyeye, a professor, explained that the substance was dangerous to organs in the human body, including the brain, kidneys and liver. She said that the sale of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles was approved decades ago but became uncontrollable, prompting NAFDAC to ensure that alcohol sold in less than 200ml…

Tunji Disu, inspector-general of police (IGP), has asked Nigerians to exercise restraint when exercising their rights to record police officers on official duty. Disu spoke on Tuesday when Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), accompanied by members of the association’s executive committee, visited him at the force headquarters in Abuja. The IGP said police operatives were “jostled” by the court judgement that ruled that Nigerians can record police officers conducting stop-and-search operations in public spaces. Disu said following the judgement, Nigerians had started recording police officers everywhere, including at restaurants. The IGP said the trend is demoralising to police…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has strengthened its regulatory focus on combating terrorism financing by designating it a current supervisory priority, a move aimed at safeguarding the country’s financial system from exploitation by illicit actors.In a statement on Tuesday, the apex bank said the enhanced supervisory attention will focus on key areas including terrorism financing risk management, transaction monitoring, implementation of targeted financial sanctions, and the reporting of suspicious transactions linked to terrorism financing activities.The CBN said the initiative forms part of its broader commitment to maintaining the integrity of Nigeria’s financial sector and ensuring compliance with anti-money laundering,…

APM Terminals has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of the proposed Badagry Deep-Seaport, as Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr Adegboyega Oyetola, led a Federal Government delegation to Denmark to strengthen maritime cooperation and attract further investment into the country’s port infrastructure. The MoU, signed in Copenhagen on Monday, 7 September 2026, marks a significant step towards the development of the greenfield port project, which is expected to provide additional deepwater capacity, accommodate larger container vessels and create new transshipment opportunities for Nigeria and the wider West African market. A statement by the minister’s…

A Train-the-Trainer Programme on Industry-relevant Technical Skills, Digital Technologies and Competency-based Teaching Methodologies for Vocational and Technical Teachers got underway in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Monday with 88 teachers enrolled and in attendance. The five-day programme, sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, is designed to equip the teachers with contemporary technical insights, digital tools, and competency-based instructional methods. The participants are expected to transition from traditional theory-heavy teaching to practical, outcome-driven methodologies that would position them to mould a generation of professionals ready to lead in industrial…

The ECOWAS Commission convened the Fourteenth Session of the Convergence Council by videoconference on September 7, 2026, to review progress towards the establishment of the ECOWAS Single Currency, The ECO, targeted for launch in 2027. The Session considered the report of the 68th Meeting of the Committee of Governors (CoG) of the Central Banks of ECOWAS Member States, held on 4 September 2026. The CoG meeting followed the 3rd Joint Meeting of the Technical Committee on Macroeconomic Policies of the ECOWAS Commission and the Technical Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA), held from…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) will host the fifth edition of its Book Reading Programme on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, featuring writer, journalist, public policy analyst and strategic communicator, Paul C. Nwabuikwu. This edition will focus on Nwabuikwu’s recently published book, The Pain and the Promise: Insights and Fragments on Nigeria and People, Public and Personal. The book brings together writings spanning more than three decades and reflects the author’s broad engagement with Nigeria, its people, politics, economics, public policy and the changing character of society. The book reading programme is part of NCDMB’s sustained effort to…

Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, on Tuesday, visited Bin-Per community in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State to commiserate with residents following the recent attack that claimed more than 26 lives. Obi, who was accompanied by members of his team, visited the community to sympathise with families who lost loved ones and identify with residents still grappling with the impact of the devastating incident. Addressing residents during the visit, Obi urged the people to remain strong and united, while calling on governments at all levels to take decisive action to protect lives and property.“The…

The Federal Ministry of Education has announced the full automation of academic certificate evaluation and authentication, eliminating the need for applicants to visit the Ministry physically. The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, said the initiative is a major step in the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Under the new system, applicants can complete the entire credential evaluation and authentication process online through the Ministry’s dedicated platform. The reform is designed to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, accelerate processing, improve transparency and provide more convenient services to Nigerians and…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned politicians and political parties against using abusive, intemperate or inflammatory language in their campaigns ahead of the 2027 general election, saying offenders risk heavy fines and possible imprisonment under the Electoral Act 2026. The Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, in a telephone interview, said campaign rhetoric crosses the legal threshold into electoral intimidation the moment it moves beyond robust partisan debate or policy critique and enters the realm of coercion, hate speech or the threat of harm. “Under the Nigerian legal framework, rhetoric becomes punishable intimidation when…