Author: Vardiafrica

France returned its last two military bases to Senegalese forces Thursday morning amid a wave of anti-French sentiment in West Africa. General Mbaye Cissé and Chief of the French command in Africa, Pascal Ianni, oversaw the official handover ceremony in Dakar, which marks the end of France’s 65-year presence in Senegal. “This is an important turning point in the rich and long military history between our two countries.” General Cissé said in his speech during the event. He noted that the French and Senegalese armies had “defined new objectives” to “give new meaning to the security partnership” between the two…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is taking steps to support its beneficiaries beyond just providing financial assistance by developing a centralised job portal that will connect students with employment opportunities in Nigeria and abroad. The portal will aggregate job listings from both the public and private sectors, as well as international employers interested in hiring Nigerians. The Managing Director and Chief Executive of NELFUND, Akintunde Sawyerr, revealed this during a briefing with newsmen on Thursday, as part of activities marking the first year anniversary of the Fund in Nigeria. Advertisement He noted that the initiative is part of the…

President Tinubu has renamed University of Maiduguri as Muhammadu Buhari University to honour his late predecessor. Tinubu announced the honour on Thursday at the session of tributes of the special federal executive council (FEC) meeting convened for the late former president. In an emotional tribute, the president described Buhari as “a good man, a decent man, an honourable man,” acknowledging that while no leader is perfect, the former president embodied values that will not be forgotten. “His record will be debated, as all legacies are, but the character he brought to public life, the moral force he carried, and the…

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has attributed the high number of uncompleted projects of the Commission to previous leadership instability.        Speaking during an interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily programme, Ogbuku said that one of the challenges of the NDDC in the past 25 years was the high turnover of leadership, noting, “In the past 25 years, NDDC has had 16 Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers, which caused instability in the system.” The NDDC boss noted that the Commission was determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government…

In a solemn gathering at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, led an expanded Federal Executive Council (FEC) session to honour the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away on July 13, 2025, in a London hospital The special session, attended by National Assembly leaders, judiciary members, and representatives of Buhari’s family, served as a platform to reflect on the legacy of a leader Tinubu described as “a patriot, a soldier, a statesman” whose life was defined by “duty, honour, and a deep commitment to the unity and progress of our nation.” In his…

The ruling Labour Party pledged to lower the age from 18 ahead of winning power last year. It is among several planned changes to the democratic system. Some argue Britain’s democracy is “in crisis”, in particular due to low turnout. The voting age change is contentious, however, with critics previously arguing it is self-serving as newly-enfranchised teenagers are seen as more likely to support centre-left Labour. “I think it’s really important that 16- and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes, so (they) pay in,” Prime…

The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has vowed to end Nigeria’s dependence on fish importation by aggressively boosting local fish production. Speaking on Wednesday at a high-level consultative meeting with fisheries cooperative groups in Abuja, the Minister outlined a bold vision aimed at transforming the nation’s aquaculture sector into a powerhouse of food security, employment, and export competitiveness. Declaring that “Nigeria must chart a new course towards self-sufficiency in fish production,” Oyetola emphasised that the Federal Government is fully committed to supporting the fisheries and aquaculture subsector through policy, technical support, and financial inclusion.“We will scale…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has resigned his membership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect In a letter dated July 14, 2025, and addressed to the Chairman of the PDP, Jada 1 Ward, Jada Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State, Atiku stated that his resignation is due to irreconcilable differences that have emerged within the former ruling party. He noted that he found it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the party has taken, which, according to him, diverges from the foundational principles it stood for. The letter reads, “I am writing to formally resign my…

Nigeria’s mining industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation, driven by targeted local content policies from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). These policies, showcased at the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit in Abuja, are now being hailed as a blueprint for industrial growth across Africa. At the heart of the reforms is the Board’s strategic intervention in the barite value chain — a mineral critical to oil and gas drilling. Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Felix Ogbe, outlined how the agency has spent more than a decade building domestic capacity, from certifying reserves in six states to…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced plans to appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, which on Wednesday acquitted and discharged former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, of alleged ₦6.9 billion fraud. In a statement posted via its official X handle, the Commission said it is reviewing the ruling delivered by Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke and is already briefing its legal team in preparation for an appeal. “Sequel to the judgement of Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, acquitting and discharging a…