Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has called for increased involvement of border communities in securing Nigeria’s borders in addition to the use of digital technology, biometric identity systems and intelligence sharing to tackle emerging security threats. The Comptroller-General of the NIS, Kemi Nandap, made the call on Monday in Lagos at the 2026 conference of the African Borderlands Research Network (ABORNE). The conference, themed “The Connected Borderlands: Socio-Cultural Integration and the Centrality of Policy, Research, and Security,” brought together scholars, policymakers, border management practitioners and development partners to examine border security, migration and cross-border relations in Africa. Nandap said changing…

Nigeria is targeting up to $21bn in investment and peak production of about 175,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the Bonga Southwest/Aparo deepwater project as the Federal Government moves to unlock one of the country’s largest new offshore developments. The project took a major step towards Final Investment Decision (FID) on Monday following the execution of addenda to the OML 118 Production Sharing Contract (PSC) and Dispute Settlement Agreement (DSA) between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and the OML 118 contractor parties. The contractor parties comprise Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Esso Exploration and…

THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC on Friday said iit has uncovered another fraudulent agency domiciled in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF ICPC gave the name of the fake agency as National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office promoted by one Prince George Buchi Nwabueze. Consequently, President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate suspension of three Permanent Secretaries with immediate effect. Chairman of the ICPC, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents on Friday at the presidential Villa, Abuja. According to…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) are investigating the utilisation of the N12 billion Federal Government intervention fund released to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to settle outstanding players’ wages, bonuses and other national-team obligations. The development was disclosed by the NFF in a letter dated August 18, 2026, responding to a Freedom of Information request seeking financial records and utilisation logs relating to the intervention fund. In the letter, reference number NFF/LEG/10/1/879, signed by Onoja Joshua, Esq., on behalf of the NFF General Secretary, the federation said…

President Bola Tinubu is meeting with  Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State at the State House, Abuja.  Adeleke arrived at the Presidential Villa on Thursday evening and was driven straight to the forecourt before heading to the first floor for a closed-door meeting with the president. The meeting is coming less than a week after Adeleke secured re-election for a second term in the Osun State governorship election held on Saturday, August 15, 2026. Osun  governor’s meeting with Tinubu is attracting considerable political interest, coming at a time when political realignments are intensifying ahead of the 2027 general election.  Although the purpose of…

Vice President Kashim Shettima and Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, on Thursday commissioned the newly constructed 33.5-kilometre Elele-Egbeda-Omoku dual carriageway, a project described as a major boost to transportation, security and economic activities in the state.The road, which traverses Ikwerre, Emohua and Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Areas, provides a strategic link between several communities and is expected to ease the movement of people, goods and services across the affected areas. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Shettima described the project as a demonstration of the commitment of the Rivers State Government to expanding the nation’s road infrastructure and creating an enabling…

Senator Rochas Okorocha has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the publication of the name of Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Imo West Senatorial District election scheduled for 2027. The applicant, who is also a two-term governor of Imo State, posed five questions for determination. He wants the court to determine whether INEC was not bound by the reports of its officers who monitored the APC primary conducted on May 18 for the nomination of its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District in the 2027 general…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved infrastructure projects worth about N540 billion to transform the National Hospital, Abuja, into a quaternary healthcare institution and establish a new cancer research and treatment centre. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting. Pate said the National Hospital, established about 25 years ago, had not received the level of investment in infrastructure and equipment required to fulfil its original vision. He said the latest approvals followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to improve healthcare infrastructure and equipment across…

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was launching a major new campaign to target Iran’s economy, threatening “tremendous” punishment on any country that helps or does business with the Islamic republic. The intensified economic pressure campaign comes as the war nears its sixth month with no immediate diplomatic or military off-ramp in sight. Trump is also facing renewed domestic political scrutiny over the war with November elections quickly approaching. “Today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.…

Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, has unveiled a N500 million endowment fund for victims of election violence across the state. The governor announced the endowment fund on Thursday when he received his certificate of return at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following his victory in the August 15 governorship election in the state. Adeleke, who contested on the platform of Accord, defeated Bola Oyebamiji, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate; Najeem Salaam, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flagbearer; and 13 other candidates in the keenly contested election. The governor polled 511,067 votes to defeat Oyebamiji, who secured 444,815…