Author: Vardiafrica

For African nations to successfully transform their abundant hydrocarbon resources into shared prosperity for their citizens and economic development, they have to make local content policies and effective implementation the cornerstone of their energy future, the Executive Secretary Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe has advised. He made the recommendation on Tuesday at the 4th edition of African Petroleum Producers Organisation (APPO) conference and exhibition on local content in Africa, holding in Brazzaville, Congo. The event is dedicated to advancing local content implementation and energy development in Africa, and is attended by industry stakeholder across the…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, administered the oath of office to Dr Bernard Doro and Dr Kingsley Udeh as ministers, officially inducting them into the Federal Executive Council, FEC The ceremony took place at 1:52 p.m. inside the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, a few minutes before the commencement of the FEC meeting, the first since July 2025. The swearing-in on Thursday, restores cabinet representation for Plateau and Enugu States, both of which had been without ministerial presence in the past few weeks. Recall that Doro was nominated by Tinubu on October 21 to replace Prof Nentawe Yilwatda,…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has commended TotalEnergies and PIDWAL for their commitment to Nigerian Content development and for the successful completion of the Human Capacity Development (HCD) training under the “Provision of Drillship for the Egina Project.” The closeout ceremony was held on Tuesday at Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The one-year programme, implemented under NCDMB’s HCD framework, provided intensive training in Sea-Time operations, Certificate of Competency (COC) preparation, and Hydraulic Mechanics/Technician development. It aimed to develop skilled Nigerians capable of making meaningful contributions to the nation’s maritime and oil and gas industries. Representing the Executive Secretary…

FIFA’s decision to appoint a South African officiating team for Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup playoff first leg against Gabon has sparked outrage among Nigerian football fans and officials, who have questioned the neutrality of the move. According to a FIFA letter dated 3 November 2025, South Africa’s Tom Abongile will serve as the centre referee, with Zakhele Siwela as assistant referee and Akhona Makalima handling Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties. The referee assessor for the match, which will take place on 13 November at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, will come from Benin Republic. A senior Nigeria…

Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya has promised to restore order in the country gripped by post-election violence, as he was sworn in for an eighth consecutive term in office. In his inaugural address, the world’s oldest president offered condolences to victims of the protests and blamed those he called “irresponsible politicians” for the unrest. “I can assure you, order will reign,” he promised, saying it was pointless to plunge the country into crisis. Following allegations of fraud during last month’s election, Biya described the electoral process as satisfactory and praised the electoral body Elecam. The nonagenarian won 54% of the…

The Senate has confirmed Dr. Kingsley Ude, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from Enugu State, as a Minister of the Federal Republic. His confirmation followed a screening session held on the Senate floor on Thursday. Born in 1978, Ude previously served as the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Enugu State. During his screening, senators posed a series of questions touching on both national and international issues. Senator Abdul Ningi asked the nominee to share his opinion on the ongoing Trump threat, seeking his perspective on possible solutions. The question sparked a brief uproar in the chamber, as…

Some members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are holding a peaceful protest at the United States Embassy in Abuja. The protesters are seeking the support of the international community to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy and prevent the country from sliding toward a one-party system. They are also submitting protest letters at the US Embassy, the European Union complex, and the Ministry of Justice. The demonstrators carried placards with messages urging the international community and the Ministry of Justice to intervene and protect Nigeria’s democracy and the judiciary. The protesters allege a drift toward a one-party state, claiming that the ruling…

Yu Dunhai, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria, says China will continue to support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism. Dunhai made the comment in a statement published via X on Thursday after a meeting with Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s national security adviser (NSA). The Chinese ambassador said the Asian country “firmly supports” the Nigerian government in its developmental plans that “fits Nigeria’s national realities”. Dunhai said China opposes the interference of any country in the internal affairs of Nigeria “under the pretext of religion and human rights”. “As a comprehensive strategic partner of Nigeria, China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people…

U.S. President Donald Trump has again threatened military action against Nigeria in a video broadcast, ordering U.S. defence officials to prepare contingency options and warning that Washington could cut off all aid if Abuja does not stop what he described as the “k!lling of Christians.” In the recorded address the president said in full: “If the Nigerian government continues to allow the kill!ngs of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria. We are going to do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about. G#ns are blazing to completely wipe out…

A bill seeking to establish legal and policy frameworks for Nigeria’s transition from petrol-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) has scaled second reading at the senate. Orji Uzor Kalu. sponsor of the bill. said the proposal aims to reduce carbon emissions, promote local manufacturing, and position Nigeria to benefit from the global shift towards clean mobility. Kalu said the transport sector accounts for about 20 to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Nigeria, adding that the country risks falling behind other African economies that have begun large-scale electric mobility adoption. “This bill seeks to create a comprehensive legal and…