Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government on Thursday assured Nigerians that all abducted pupils and teachers from a school in Oyo State, and other parts of the country would be safely rescued, declaring that the return of every victim remains a top national priority. Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, gave the assurance during a press briefing in Abuja, where he outlined ongoing efforts by security agencies to secure the release of the victims and combat terrorism and kidnapping across the country. According to the minister, President Bola Tinubu has directed that every lawful instrument available to the Nigerian state be…

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed allegations of irregularities and imposition of candidates in its recently concluded presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly primaries, insisting that all contestants were given a fair opportunity to participate in the democratic process. The party said claims that its primaries were manipulated were either borne out of ignorance of its constitution and guidelines or deliberate attempts by opponents unsettled by the party’s growing popularity across the country. In a statement on Friday and signed by the National Secretary of the party, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, the NDC maintained that its primary…

Nigeria is moving closer to establishing state police, with progress made towards the constitutional framework required to decentralise policing, the Presidency has said. The development follows months of consultations involving the Presidency, the National Assembly, and security authorities aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture. The Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House correspondents after a consultative meeting on state police convened by the Presidency at the State House in Abuja. According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, deliberations on…

The Consulate of Grenada in Nigeria has announced visa-free access for Nigerian passport holders as part of efforts to boost trade, tourism, and investment ties between the two countries. Grenada’s Consul to Nigeria, Ambassador Abidemi Sonoiki, disclosed the development during an interactive session with journalists on Thursday. He said the Caribbean nation has already approved free entry for Nigerians and is awaiting reciprocal action from the Nigerian government through diplomatic channels. “I have a letter from Grenada’s foreign affairs authorities to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Grenada has approved free access for Nigerians, and we expect Nigeria to reciprocate the…

The Rivers State Government has called for the establishment of effective mechanisms to monitor and implement resolutions reached at the 2026 Niger Delta Law and Development Summit. The State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, made this call during the opening ceremony of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Law and Development Summit, 2026, held at the EUI Event Centre in Port Harcourt yesterday. Represented by His Deputy, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, the Governor emphasized that sustainable development can only be achieved through the effective implementation of laws, policies, and good governance. The State Chief Executive commended the NDDC for reviving the…

FIFA has banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into World Cup venues in a last-minute policy change that will force thirsty supporters to pay for bottled water, The Athletic reported on Wednesday. As recently as last month, FIFA’s official stadium code of conduct included a clause which read: “For the avoidance of doubt, empty, transparent, reusable plastic bottles, up to (1 liter in) capacity, may be brought into the Stadium.” However The Athletic reported on Wednesday that those guidelines had now been tweaked to explicitly ban refillable bottles. “For the avoidance of doubt, reusable water bottles may not be…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has approved a special compensation package for eligible Band A electricity customers affected by grid generation constraints that disrupted power supply across the country between February and March 2026. In a public notice issued on Thursday, the Commission announced the release of Directive No. NERC/2026/002 on the Special Compensation of Band A Customers Arising from Grid Generation Constraints.NERC explained that the directive was introduced in response to significant generation shortfalls experienced within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) during the two-month period, which hindered Distribution Companies (DisCos) from delivering their committed service levels to…

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has implored state governments to accelerate business-enabling reforms to unlock the full potential of the $750 million World Bank-assisted State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme. This, he said, has become necessary to attract domestic and global capital, enhance local infrastructure, and drive subnational economic growth. Senator Shettima, who spoke on Tuesday during a stakeholder meeting on optimising the implementation of the SABER programme at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, noted that a fully implemented SABER programme would help create a more predictable and transparent business environment. He also listed other benefits of the…

The First Lady of Nigeria, Oluremi Tinubu has inaugurated the Tinubu Torch Bearers (TTB), the women-led grassroots mobilisation platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. At the Inauguration, the First Lady said the initiative would help promote the Renewed Hope Agenda and strengthen support for President Bola Tinubu’s second-term bid. She noted that the platform, which was designed to represent commitment, patriotism, service, and the collective aspiration for a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria underscores the importance of women to national development. She said; “History has consistently shown that women are the backbone of thriving societies. “ TTB would help…

Some filling stations along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and in other locations across Lagos and Ogun states have reduced petrol prices below N1,300 per litre.This follows a price cut announced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Sunday.The refinery adjusted its ex-depot gantry price of petrol down to N1,250 per litre from N1,275 per litre, while also slashing the price of diesel to N1,700 per litre from N1,800 per litre.According to Dangote officials, the price review reflects a recent decline in global oil prices and reinforces the company’s commitment to making refined products more affordable while providing cost relief to Nigerian consumers…