Author: Vardiafrica

 President Bola Tinubu on Thursday inaugurated the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project, a 37km project expected to reduce travel time and improve transportation and logistics in the state.  The President also witnessed the signing of the contract for Phase 2 of the LRMT Red Line project by the Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Engr. Abimbola Akinajo, and the Chairman of CCECC Nigeria Limited, Jason Zhang. The President, before departing for a state visit to Qatar, embarked on an inaugural train ride from the Ikeja station to the Agege station,…

In the quest for a stable power supply across the country, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, met with the Forum of Commissioners of Energy in Nigeria, comprising 23 states. This was even as the minister stated that the move was aimed at addressing the root cause of the electricity challenge in the country. While addressing the forum of energy commissioners, Adelabu said that with the efforts put in place, Nigerians will soon start experiencing regular power supply. “We are poised to address the root cause of the electricity challenge. We have done enough diagnostics, we know the cause of…

Russia will introduce a six-month ban on petrol exports from March 1 to ensure it has enough fuel to meet domestic demand, the government said Thursday. Despite being the world’s third largest oil producer, Russia has suffered sporadic fuel shortages since last summer amid high demand and repair works on refineries. Wholesale gasoline prices have risen since the start of the year, a problem exacerbated by repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries. “Restrictions on petrol exports are introduced for six months, from 1 March to 31 August,” the government said in a statement Thursday. It said the move was…

The Senate, on Thursday, directed the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force to recruit a minimum of 10 candidates from each of the 774 local government councils in Nigeria. The directive, according to the Upper Chamber, should form part of its annual recruitment processes. The resolution was reached as a result of a motion moved by Sen. Emmanuel, Udende Memga representing Benue North East, on the need for the Police Service Commission and the Nigeria Police Force, to adhere to the Federal Character Principle in the recruitment of constables in the Nigerian Police Force. The Upper Chamber also…

Senate on Thursday, February 29, confirmed four out of five nominees as members of the Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Nigeria. At a sitting on Thursday, February 29, 2024, the Upper Chamber said the approval was under sections 6(1), (2) (d) and 10 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007. The confirmation follows the submission and consideration of a report by the Chairman of the Committee on Banking, Insurance & Other Financial Institutions, Sen. Adetokunbo Abiru representing Lagos East. Initially, the candidates billed to appear before the Upper Chamber were Robert Agbede, Ado Yakubu Wanka, Professor…

In its latest move to resolve challenges around power supply in the country, the Federal Government said it has bought over a total of 10 mobile power stations. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu revealed this on Wednesday, February 28, when he met with the Forum of Commissioners of Energy in Nigeria, in a bid to strengthen collaboration between the Federal and State governments towards achieving regular power supply. In a press statement signed by the Special Adviser, Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Ministry of Power, Bolaji Tunji on Thursday, February 29, said while addressing the forum which had 23…

Telecommunications company MTN Nigeria has explained that the network outage experienced by its subscribers for the major part of Wednesday was caused by “multiple fibre cuts”. MTN boasts of 87,038,768 subscribers as of December 2023, according to data by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), representing 38.79% of the total market share, the highest in the country by any licensed Mobile Network Operator (MNO). The 87 million subscribers of the MNO experienced difficulty making and receiving calls for hours on Wednesday, fuelling rumours that the NCC had made do its threat that all telcos bar subscribers not linked to the National…

 Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has issued a directive to telecom service providers to bar subscribers who have failed to link their phone numbers to their National Identification Numbers (NIN) on or before February 28, 2024. The Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Aminu Maida, who gave the directive through the Director of Public Affairs, Ruben Mouka, at the 45th Kaduna International Trade Fair on Wednesday, insisted that as matter of critical national security, telecom consumers must link their NIN to their SIM cards. He insisted that the February 28th deadline given to telecom operators to bar subscribers who failed to…

President Bola Tinubu says his administration is working to ensure that Nigeria is reformed for greater efficiency with a particular emphasis on systematically inculcating fairness and equity in all aspects of the national life. ”Nigeria will survive the current economic challenges. There is light at the end of the tunnel. I requested the job, and I am not complaining about it. I take full responsibility,” the President told Addressing Afenifere leaders at the residence of Pa Reuben Fasoranti in Akure, Ondo State, on Wednesday. He also emphasised his commitment to leading Nigeria towards economic and social prosperity. ”We are meeting our…

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima has inaugurated the newly constituted board of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) with a call on the new management to introduce innovations in hajj operations in Nigeria. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media and Communications, Office of the President, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima spoke during the inauguration of the new board at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday. He said the Vice President urged members to synergize and bring fresh perspectives to the operations of the commission. According to Shettima, serving on the NAHCON board is…