Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, in partnership with the TotalEnergies–Sapetro Consortium, has executed a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) for Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs) 2000 and 2001, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector as the first of such PSC to comprehensively cover both crude oil and natural gas exploration and production. The event, which took place at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, signifies a major milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to harness Nigeria’s vast hydrocarbon resources responsibly and profitably. Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC…

Tens of thousands of foreign students are being contacted directly by the government and told they will be removed from the UK if they overstay their visas. The Home Office launched the new government campaign in response to what it has called an “alarming” spike in the number of international students arriving legally on student visas then claiming asylum when they expire. As part of the campaign, the Home Office has for the first time proactively contacted international students directly by text and email. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC some international students are claiming asylum “even when things…

Eminent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have demanded that the party retain its 2021 convention’s zoning arrangements. This was as they insisted that the position of the National Chairman must remain in the North Central. The leaders loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, met in Abuja on Monday night under the auspices of Eminent Leaders and Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP. They called for the conduct of a fresh South-East Zonal Congress, congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra States, as well as a local government congress in Ekiti State. They also demanded that…

President Bola Tinubu has pledged swift action on agreements signed with Colombia, aimed at deepening bilateral ties in aviation, diplomacy, and other areas. Tinubu spoke while receiving Vice-President Francia Márquez of the Republic of Colombia at the state house in Abuja on Monday. According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said Márquez was accompanied by a delegation of senior government, business, and diplomatic officials from the South American country. He said Tinubu, receiving them, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening international partnerships and aligning its foreign relations with evolving global trends in trade,…

The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), has sworn in the 23 newly elected Local Government Chairmen, hours after they were issued certificate of return by the State Independent Electoral Commission. In his address, Ibas reminded the new chairmen that public office is a sacred trust, not an opportunity for personal enrichment. He charged them to shun self-interest and embrace transparent, accountable, and reform-driven leadership. “This victory is not a prize to be enjoyed. It is a burden to be carried. It is not an entitlement, but a duty. It is not a call to self-interest, but…

The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has presented certificates of return to the 23 chairmen-elect declared winners of the recently concluded local government elections. The presentation took place on Monday at the RSIEC headquarters in Port Harcourt, with supporters and family members of the chairmen-elect in attendance. Officiating the ceremony, RSIEC Chairman, Michael Odey, restated the commission’s commitment to due process and transparency. Some of the chairmen-elect, including Aboiya-a Bob-Fubara of Akuku Toru LGA and Onengiyeofori George of Asari Toru LGA, spoke with Channels Television on how they intend to use the mandate to make meaningful impact at the…

The Federal Government has threatened to disconnect power-generating companies (GenCos) from the national grid if they fail to activate Free Governor Control (FGC) across all generating units, in a move aimed at curbing repeated system collapses and ensuring grid stability. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) issued the warning in Order NERC/2025/094, signed on August 26 by Vice-Chairman Musiliu Oseni and Commissioner for Legal, Licensing & Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye. The directive, which takes effect on September 1, 2025, mandates GenCos to comply with FGC requirements or face sanctions. FGC is a turbine governor control system that allows power plants to…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is delighted to announce that Professor Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and former chairman of NCDMB’s Governing Council, will serve as the Role Model and Guest Speaker at the NCDMB Business Mentorship Lecture Series (BMLS) for Q3 2025. This edition of the BMLS will be held on Monday, September 8, 2025, from 10am via Zoom Webinar and NCDMB’s YouTube channel. The session will be moderated by Richmond Osuji, a leading event compere in the oil and gas industry. Launched in 2019 under Section 67 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, the Business Mentorship Lecture Seriespromote the Act’s…

Sidi Ould Tah has been sworn in as the 9th president of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, succeeding Akinwumi Adesina, whose 10-year tenure ended on Monday. On May 29, Tah, a seasoned economist and development finance expert from Mauritania, secured 76.18 percent of the votes in the election held during the AfDB’s annual meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. At the annual meeting 2025, the newly elected president, in his victory speech, expressed enthusiasm and readiness to begin his presidential duties. Tah emphasised collaboration and hard work as key to addressing challenges, adding that his administration focuses on economic development and social…

A district court in Finland has sentenced Simon Ekpa to six years in prison for terrorism. Ekpa, an agitator for the actualisation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was sentenced on Monday, September 1. In the ruling, the Päijät-Häme court found Ekpa guilty of inciting terrorism and participating in the activities of a terrorist group. Acording to Finnish newspaper Yle, the court said Ekpa had used his “significant social media following” to stoke tensions in Nigeria’s south-east region between August 2021 and November 2024. The district court also noted that Ekpa had supplied certain groups with weapons, explosives, and ammunition “through his network…