Author: Vardiafrica

The Rivers State House of Assembly has passed the ₦1.84 trillion 2026 Appropriations Bill into law, following deliberations by the Committee on Supply, which recommended key adjustments before the bill’s final passage. According to the breakdown presented by the committee, the budget is to be funded through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of ₦487.6 billion, Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) receipts of ₦936.052 billion, an opening and closing balance of ₦48 billion, proposed internal loans of ₦50 billion, and proceeds from the sale of assets amounting to ₦25 billion. Sectoral allocations under the budget include ₦262 billion for agriculture, ₦625.8 billion…

The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the controversial “illegal” Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) has uncovered 58 bank accounts linked to the embattled purported Director-General of the agency, Adeyemi Adeniyi, and uncovered 12 other agencies allegedly operating as fake government agencies. The committee, in its preliminary findings, also declared that the PFIPC was never lawfully established and described Adeniyi’s purported appointment letter as fake. The lawmakers further exonerated the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, over the controversy and commended him for raising the alarm about the activities of the purported agency. The committee said…

The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has announced plans to develop a high-speed rail line linking Lagos to Maiduguri, with trains expected to operate at speeds of up to 360 kilometres per hour. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Olufunso Adebiyi, disclosed the plan on Monday in Abuja at the opening of the 19th National Council on Transportation. Adebiyi said the proposed rail project is part of wider efforts by the Federal Government to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on road transportation and expand the options available to commuters and businesses. “The objective is to give Nigerians the freedom to choose…

Global ride-hailing company Uber has announced its exit from the Nigerian market, effective September 2, 2026, ending 12 years of operations in the country. This was disclosed in a statement and memo shared with riders and customer, the company said it had made the “tough decision” to wind down its operations in the country. According to Uber, the decision followed a thorough review of its business operations in Nigeria. Uber said it had been a privilege to serve Nigerians since launching in Lagos in 2014, connecting customers with independent transportation providers for their daily journeys. “We are writing to share…

Zambia’s President, Hakainde Hichilema has been sworn in for a second five-year term amid a disputed election, following allegations of irregularities and the arrest of his main challenger, Brian Mundubile, on treason charges. Hichilema, 64, was sworn in at the National Heroes Stadium in the capital, Lusaka, after official results showed he won the 13 August presidential election with 60 percent of the vote. Mundubile, who secured 38 percent, rejected the result, alleging that the vote had been manipulated. He was unable to challenge the outcome in court after the courts were sealed off last week on the final day…

The Federal Government has launched the “Hire From Nigeria” Campaign, a national initiative to connect qualified Nigerian professionals, skilled workers, digital experts, creatives and service providers with international employers and clients, enabling them to secure global jobs and service contracts while working from Nigeria. The initiative, aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on job creation, economic diversification and skills development, brings together the Federal Ministries of Education; Industry, Trade and Investment; Information and National Orientation; Labour and Employment; and Foreign Affairs, alongside the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP), Tech4Dev, universities, development partners and private-sector stakeholders. Speaking at…

Fourteen young graduates of engineering and geoscience backgrounds on Thursday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, completed an intensive 12-month Nigerian Content Human Capital Development (NC-HCD) Training Programme of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and TotalEnerges in respect of Provision of Trelleborg Export Hoses and Accessories for Egina Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) Vessel. Structured into classroom-based instruction and hands-on training in the facilities of Fairtex Integrated Services Limited, Elelenwo, Port Harcourt, the programme covered database systems, data analysis, document control, supply chain, technical safety, and project management. The trainees received international certifications for each of the…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, hosted Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara at his Port Harcourt residence on Sunday, in what appeared to be another step towards consolidating the ongoing reconciliation between the two political leaders. The meeting marked the first public engagement between Wike and Fubara since the governor announced he would not seek re-election in the 2027 Rivers State governorship election. Wike was accompanied by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the state, Kingsley Chinda, and the Chairman of the Rainbow Coalition Reconciliation Committee, Magnus Abe. Fubara attended the meeting alongside former APC…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has called for deeper collaboration among African nations to unlock the continent’s enormous local content potential and accelerate economic diversification, industrial growth, and sustainable development across the oil and gas value chain. The position was presented during a strategic engagement in Namibia focused on African Local Content Opportunities and cross-border partnerships. Representing the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, Dr. Abdulmalik Halilu highlighted the importance of leveraging African capabilities, harmonizing local content policies, and fostering strategic partnerships among African businesses to maximize value retention within the continent. Speaking on the…

Argentina great Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, saying it was a decision that “hurt” but “the time has come”. The 39-year-old, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances, making him the country’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. In a statement, Messi said he has given everything to the national side but now has “nothing left to give”. He added: “Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. “I love, have loved, and will always love…