Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), through its Zonal Coordination Division (ZCD), has reiterated the importance of active community participation in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry as a catalyst for sustainable development, economic inclusion, and shared prosperity. This position was emphasized during a One-Day Sensitization/Enlightenment Workshop on Community Content Guideline organized by the Board on Thursday, June 18, 2026, at Eden Hotel, Eket, Akwa Ibom State. Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) and Co-Chairman of the NCDMB Governing Council, Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo, his representative, Lady Esitmbom Ekperikpe…

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, says that the shift from traditional fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources, particularly natural gas, creates economic opportunities for the Niger Delta region. Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Initiative, Mr Ed Ubong, at the NDDC’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, Ogbuku, said that the Commission was harnessing the Niger Delta region’s abundant natural resources to drive economic growth and sustainable development. The Managing Director stated that the Commission has consistently aligned its programmes with the Renewed Hope Agenda of…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with TotalEnergies and Geoplex Drillteq Limited, on Monday launched the Nigeria Content Human Capital Development (NC-HCD) Training Programme for the Provision of Offshore Cased Hole Logging and Associated Services. The one-year specialised training programme, which kicked off in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is designed to develop indigenous capacity in critical oil and gas service areas and equip Nigerian youths with industry-relevant skills required to enhance local participation and competitiveness within the sector. The programme is being delivered by Arewa Innovative Solutions and will comprise six months of classroom-based learning and…

A day after Argentina’s Lionel Messi became the FIFA World Cup’s all-time leading goalscorer, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo etched his own name into tournament history by becoming the first football player to score in six editions of the competition. The Portugal attacker struck in the sixth minute of his nation’s Group K clash with Uzbekistan, meeting João Cancelo’s cross at the near post to give his side the lead. It was Ronaldo’s ninth goal since making his tournament debut in 2006 and his 144th in total for his country. But he wasn’t done just yet. Capitalising on a fast-breaking counter-attack initiated by Bruno Fernandes, the 41-year-old icon made the most of a…

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced the process of establishing grounds for zero-rated access to educational platforms, an initiative aimed at enabling Nigerian students to access educational content online without data charges. According to a consultative document issued by the NCC on Friday, the move is a direct response to calls for socio-economic growth to address digital inclusion. It becomes imperative at a time when a significant percentage of Nigerian students are unable to afford digital access.  “The Project specifically responds to the call by His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, for telecommunications operators to provide unhindered connectivity access to educational institutions…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted a constitutional amendment bill to the Senate seeking the establishment of state police across Nigeria, in what could become one of the country’s most significant security reforms in recent years.The proposed legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to decentralise policing by allowing individual states to establish and operate their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force. If enacted, the bill would mark a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s internal security framework, which has remained under the exclusive control of the Federal Government since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999. Legislative sources said the bill…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented certificates of return to winners of the by-elections held across six states on Saturday. The elections were held for senatorial offices in Enugu, Nasarawa North, Ondo South, and Rivers South-East and also for the Dawakin kudu/Warsaw federal constituency in Kano State and the Zuru State constituency in Kebbi State. The INEC chairman, Joash Amupitan, was represented by Supervising National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu for Rivers State, who was supervising the presentation of the certificates. In her remarks, Agbamuche-Mbu congratulated the winners and urged them to serve their constituents diligently, saying the most important…

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has prohibited serving officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force from engaging in unauthorised social media activities, including creating videos, live streaming, posting skits and monetising content on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. The directive, contained in an internal circular dated June 22, 2026, warns that officers who violate the order risk severe disciplinary sanctions, including interdiction, salary forfeiture, demotion, dismissal from service and possible criminal prosecution. The circular, referenced SB:4065/IGP.SEC/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/11 and marked “Restricted – For Official Use Only,” was issued from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police…

Europe on Tuesday braced for more extreme weather as a deadly heatwave threatened fresh temperature records in Britain, with trains disrupted and hospitals across the continent preparing for an influx of heat-afflicted patients. The latest heatwave has raised fears of the effects of climate change-supercharged extreme weather on vulnerable people, while forcing the cancellation of outdoor events, causing transport chaos and shuttering schools. It comes just a month after a previous stretch of unseasonably high temperatures scorched western Europe, with scientists warning that the increasingly frequent, lengthy and intense periods of extreme heat are a clear marker of human-driven global…

The Government of the United Kingdom has expressed delight over the just concluded governorship election in Ekiti State, congratulating its winner, Governor Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji. The British High Commission in Abuja, in a statement, congratulated the voters in Ekiti State for their participation in the governorship election and for their commitment to exercise their democratic rights. “We also offer our congratulations to Governor Abiodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his re-election. “We welcome the peaceful and orderly delivery of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other stakeholders. Noting that this was…