Author: Vardiafrica

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku has been honoured with the “African Public Service Award” by the Heritage Times in recognition of his transformative leadership and service to the people of the Niger Delta region. The 3rd Edition of the African Heritage Concert and Awards 2025. took place in Marrakesh, Morocco, with notable Nigerian and African leaders in attendance, including the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abba Kabiru Yusuf and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. At the ceremony, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, represented by the NDDC Executive Director of…

The political crisis in Rivers has taken a new turn as a coalition of women groups stormed the streets of Port Harcourt in support of the emergency rule in the oil-rich state. The women who were dressed in white marched from the Garrison Flyover to the Isaac Boro Cark and were seen carrying placards with inscriptions such as “State of Emergency is Constitutional”, “We Don’t Want Fubara,” among others. They were led by a former Commissioner for Social Welfare in Rivers, Ifeyinwa Aguma, who is an ally of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. The protesters threw their weight…

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has expanded the second phase of its contactless biometric passport application system to four additional countries, including the United States, Mexico, Jamaica, and Brazil. In a statement, NIS Public Relations Officer AS Akinlabi confirmed that the system was launched in the United States on Friday, April 11, and commenced on Monday, April 14, in the three other countries. The latest rollout follows the successful introduction of the service in other regions, as the NIS moves to ease passport renewal processes for Nigerians living abroad. Akinlabi stated that the contactless application system is also currently available…

The Rivers State Government has expressed disappointment over the decision of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to relocate its 2025 Annual General Conference from Port Harcourt to Enugu and is demanding a ₦300m from the body. The government described the reasons given by the association for the decision as “misleading, uncharitable, and unbecoming.” In a statement issued on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator of the State, Hector Igbikiowubo, the Rivers State government acknowledged the NBA’s right to choose its preferred venue but faulted the association’s suggestion that the current administration, headed by a Sole…

A former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has visited victims and families of those affected by the recent spate of killings in the Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. In a statement shared via his official X handle on Monday, the 63-year-old expressed sorrow over what he termed “senseless killings,” describing the violence as unacceptable in a country not officially at war. “Yesterday, I travelled from Abuja to Jos, Plateau State, to condole with and show solidarity with Governor Caleb Mutfwang and the people of Plateau State over the recent senseless killings in the Bokkos…

Brice Oligui Nguema, the military general who seized power from long-time ruler Ali Bongo Ondimba in a dramatic 2023 coup, has officially won Gabon’s presidential election by a staggering margin—securing 90.35% of the vote, according to interim results released by the Ministry of Interior. Nguema, who has led the country as transitional president for nearly two years, is now poised to formally cement his authority through the ballot box following his rise to power through the barrel of a gun. “Mr. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has won the presidential election after securing the majority of the votes, with a total…

A U.S. federal judge has ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release investigative records relating to Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stemming from a purported narcotics trafficking investigation in the 1990s. According to PREMIUM TIMES, Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia handed down the order on Tuesday, rejecting the government agencies’ attempts to withhold the documents under the so-called “Glomar response” — a policy allowing agencies to refuse to confirm or deny the existence of records. “The claim that the Glomar responses were necessary to…

The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it has approved $100 million for the establishment of the Nigerian Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank. Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President and Chairman, Board of Directors, AfDB, said this in Abuja on Friday, when he delivered the 14th Convocation Lecture of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the lecture is: “Advancing Africa’s Positioning within Global Development and Geographical Dynamics.” Adesina said the move was to liberate the Nigerian youth financially and provide technical assistance, business development services, equity, quasi-equity and debt financing for businesses…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced that the nation recorded a $6.83 billion balance of payments surplus in 2024, indicating significant economic growth and a turnaround from previous years of deficits.  The apex bank revealed this at the 36th Enugu International Trade Fair on Saturday, April 12, highlighting the positive trajectory of Nigeria’s economy in the global transaction landscape.  According to the bank, the figure marks a decisive rebound from deficits of $3.34 billion in 2023 and $3.32 billion in 2022, respectively. Speaking at the CBN Special Day at the fair, the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mrs.…

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has responded to reports that Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, allegedly dismissed his recent alarm over renewed Boko Haram attacks in the state, calling the minister “naive” about the reality on the ground. Zulum had earlier raised concerns during a security meeting in Maiduguri, saying: “There is a resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Borno State, and there is a need for the Borno State government, the military, as well as paramilitary, to work together in order to avert the looming situation.” His comments drew attention after a publication claimed that the Minister dismissed…