Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has increased the pump price of petrol to N945 per litre in Abuja and N915 per litre in Lagos, signalling a fresh round of price hikes across the downstream oil sector. The new rates, which took effect on Monday, represent a N35 and N45 increase from the previous prices of N910 and N870 per litre in Abuja and Lagos, respectively. This latest adjustment follows the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s recent hike in its ex-depot petrol price from N825 to N880 per litre, a move that has triggered broader market responses. Private fuel marketers have…

The Federal Government has recapitalised the Bank of Agriculture with N1.5 trillion and invested over N200 billion in agricultural interventions to boost food security and empower farmers across Nigeria. This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, during a high-level engagement at the weekend, which featured bilateral talks, technical briefings, and an inspection of Nigeria’s national mechanization fleet at the National Agricultural Seed Council in Sheda, Abuja. Kyari reaffirmed Nigeria’s determination to lead the transformation of food systems across the West African region, describing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a State of Emergency on…

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has reportedly rejected what it describes as unwarranted interference by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in its internal affairs, declaring the government agency lacks the constitutional power to regulate its meetings such as the National Executive Committee, NEC, sessions, unless such meetings involve the election of party officers or candidates. This position was made clear during a media interactive session held on Sunday, at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, where the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, addressed journalists on key developments ahead of its 100th NEC meeting scheduled for June 30, 2025.…

U.S. President Donald Trump has raised the possibility of regime change in Iran and defended his statement that U.S. airstrikes over the weekend “totally obliterated” Iranian nuclear enrichment sites — a claim he insists is accurate, even as damage assessments continue. In a social media post late Sunday night, June 22, Trump stated the sites — hit with GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles on Saturday night — suffered “monumental damage,” adding: “The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” Trump further stated that if Iranian leaders failed to “make Iran great again,” regime change could…

The President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, has emerged as the new Chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government as Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu’s two-term leadership of the bloc comes to an end. President Tinubu handed over the mantle of leadership to President Bio at the 67th Ordinary Session of the Authority held in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. This was contrary to earlier speculations that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal was elected during a private meeting held prior to the commencement of the session. President Bio, in his inaugural speech, promised to prioritise four key areas,…

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, says the Commission will organise a retreat and agricultural summit for the Niger Delta region in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s agrarian programme. The NDDC Chief Executive Officer, who announced this during the inauguration of the Renewed Hope Multi-Purpose Training Centre in Otuokpoti, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, stated that the retreat would be put together in conjunction with the state governments in the Niger Delta region. Ogbuku stated that the NDDC was determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal…

As international concern mounts over escalating tensions in the Middle East, China and the United Kingdom have issued sharply contrasting responses to the United States’ recent military strikes on Iran. On Sunday, June 22, U.S. warplanes bombed three of Iran’s nuclear sites, Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, following orders from President Donald Trump. The strikes marked a significant escalation in Washington’s involvement in the region’s complex power dynamics, prompting swift reactions from global leaders British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Iran’s nuclear programme as “a grave threat to international security” and defended the U.S. operation as an attempt to neutralise that…

Director-General of the World Trade Organization, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has called on West African countries to shift from working in silos to building stronger regional value chains that can attract investors, boost local production, and support job creation.Speaking at the West Africa Economic Summit in Abuja, she said small and medium enterprises (SMEs), manufacturers, and youth-led businesses would benefit from a more united ECOWAS approach to economic development.“Working individually won’t get us far,” she said. “But if we build cross-border value chains in key sectors like pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, and digital services, we’ll unlock scale, investment, and more opportunities for…

The Nigerian Leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered security agencies to double their efforts in routing remnants of the Boko Haram , condemning the insurgent group on recent resort to soft targets as diversionary tactic. The President gave the directive on Sunday in a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga on suicide bombing in konduga, Borno State, over the weekend. President Tinubu who expressed anguish over the Konduga suicide attack mourned those who lost their lives, describing the attack as cowardly. The President condoled with the Government and people of Borno State over the incident and directed…

The U.S. Department of State has begun evacuating residents from Israel following President Trump’s decision to strike Iran’s three main nuclear facilities. In anticipation of a potential Iranian counterattack, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged American citizens in the country to evacuate. “The Department of State has initiated assisted departure flights from Israel,” Huckabee said. “With airspace largely closed, the challenges are significant. If you have the option, TAKE IT.” Israeli airline El Al announced on Saturday that starting Monday, they would be offering 50 seats on flights departing from Tel Aviv to eight destinations, including New York and…