Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has submitted responses to all 19 queries raised by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts over discrepancies amounting to N210 trillion in its audited financial statements. The chairman of the committee, Senator Aliyu Wadada, disclosed this on Tuesday, saying the committee had received the company’s written replies and would soon present them for consideration. “I can confirm that NNPCL has answered all 19 questions we asked. What remains now is to lay the responses before the committee for deliberation,” Wadada said. The lawmaker, however, declined to disclose the content of the responses,…

Cristiano Ronaldo has become football’s first billionaire player, according to financial information and media firm Bloomberg. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index,, external which tracks the world’s richest people based on their net worth, has measured the 40-year-old Portugal and Al-Nassr striker’s wealth for the first time. The valuation takes into account career earnings, investments and endorsements and says Ronaldo’s net worth is $1.4bn (£1.04bn). It says he earned more than $550m (£410m) in salary between 2002 and 2023, and breaks down his reported earnings through deals and sponsorship, including a decade-long deal with Nike worth almost $18m (£13.4m) a year. When Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr…

In the pursuit for improved corporate governance, enhanced performance and effective service delivery to the nation and citizens, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Tuesday held a knowledge exchange session, leading to a strong committing to inter-agency collaboration, peer review of operations. The session held at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT), Swali, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, and was attended by select management staff of the NDDC. The Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, spoke through the Director, Corporate Services, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu, and observed the benefit of having…

President Bola Tinubu has sought approval from the House of Representatives to borrow $2.35 billion in external capital to finance part of the 2025 budget deficit and refinance Nigeria’s maturing Eurobonds. Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, and read on the floor of the green chamber on Tuesday. The President also wants the parliament to approve his plan to issue a $500 million debut sovereign sukuk in the International Capital Market (ICM) to fund infrastructure projects and diversify Nigeria’s sources of financing. According to the letter, the external borrowing is…

Uche Nnaji has resigned as the minister of innovation, science, and technology following the allegations of certificate forgery against him. Nnaji has been under fire over allegations that he forged the credentials he submitted to President Bola Tinubu and the senate during his ministerial confirmation. President Tinubu appointed Nnaji in August 2023. An investigation by PREMIUM TIMES revealed Nnaji did not complete his university education and that both the bachelor’s degree and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate he presented to Tinubu, as well as to the offices of the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), the Department of State…

President Bola Tinubu has declined assent to two bills recently passed by the national assembly. The affected bills are the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology Establishment Bill 2025 and the National Library Trust Fund Establishment (Amendment) Bill 2025. The president communicated his decision in two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read at plenary on Tuesday. In the letter concerning the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology Bill, Tinubu said the proposed legislation was “tainted with fundamental defects”. “I convey to the senate my decision to decline assent to the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology Bill 2025,” the…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) on the outgoing Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in recognition of his service and contributions to Nigeria’s democratic process. In a statement released on Tuesday by presidential spokesperson Mr Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu formally accepted the terminal leave of the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and expressed appreciation for his dedicated service to the nation. The President commended Professor Yakubu’s steadfast commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy, particularly through the conduct of credible, free, and…

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, inaugurated the first commercial flight of the Gateway International Airport, Ilishan Remo. The aircraft owned by Valuejet, with registration number 5N-BXS and 90 passengers on board, departed the airport at 10:10 a.m. to Abuja. Speaking at the airport located along the Iperu-Ilisan road in the Ikenne Local Government Area of the State, the governor said the journey to actualize the airport started in 2021 and was part of the vision to provide a well-modeled transport system for the State. He said: “I am glad to be here today to actually witness the…

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has handed over the leadership of the commission to May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will now serve as acting national chairman. Yakubu made the announcement on Tuesday during a meeting with resident electoral commissioners (RECs) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. Agbamuche-Mbu, who represents Delta state on the commission, is the oldest serving national commissioner. She will oversee the affairs of the electoral body pending the appointment of a substantive chairman by President Bola Tinubu. In his brief remarks, Yakubu thanked members of the commission for their cooperation during his tenure and…

The Senate resumed plenary on Tuesday after a 10-week recess, with the Senate President Godswill Akpabio presiding over the session. A notable development at Tuesday’s plenary was the return of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central. She appeared at a Senate plenary for the first time since serving a six-month suspension. In a show of international solidarity, some senators arrived at the chamber dressed in Palestinian colours and attire, advocating for a free Palestine. Senator Akpabio delivered a charge in his opening address, urging lawmakers to recommit themselves to accountability, discipline and purposeful governance. Addressing his colleagues in the…