Author: Vardiafrica

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…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reduced the pump price of petrol at its retail stations, with prices dropping to ₦895 per litre in Abuja and ₦865 per litre in Lagos, signalling intensified competition in the deregulated downstream market This reduction follows a similar move by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which lowered its ex-depot price of petrol from ₦840 to ₦820 per litre on July 8. The latest adjustment marks the second drop in two weeks by the privately owned refinery, which had initially brought its price down from ₦880 to ₦840 per litre. Retail stations operated by NNPC…

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, a past presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday visited the home of former President Buhari in Daura to express their condolences to the family. Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari passed on in the most expensive private hospital in London, the United Kingdom. The Katsina-born politician served as a military Head of State and as a democratically elected Nigerian President from 2015 to 2023. During the time he was president, Buhari spent at least 225 days away from Nigeria on medical trips, and it remains unclear what ailment he was being…

In a major legal victory for former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday discharged and acquitted him of all charges in a protracted trial involving alleged theft and money laundering totalling N6.9 billion. Delivering a decisive ruling, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke upheld Fayose’s no-case submission, stating that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) failed to provide sufficient evidence to warrant calling on the former governor to enter a defence. “The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses lacked probative value and were riddled with inconsistencies. The court cannot rely on such evidence to establish a…

Meta says it has made substantial headway in its fight against content theft and spam on Facebook, cracking down on unoriginal content while increasing visibility for genuine creators. This latest development, which began earlier this year, is part of what Meta calls a “long-term initiative” to improve user experience and give rightful visibility to genuine creators. In the first half of 2025 alone, the company penalised approximately 500,000 accounts linked to spam behaviour or fake engagement. Offenders faced reduced distribution of their content, demotion of their comments, and were barred from monetisation programmes. Meta also deactivated about 10 million fake profiles that were impersonating…

Russia’s military launched a fresh wave of air attacks on Ukraine between late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Ukrainian officials said, defying U.S. President Trump’s calls for Moscow to agree to a ceasefire deal. The attacks killed one woman and wounded more than two dozen people across multiple regions. A missile strike cut power and water supplies in Kryvyi Rih, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, authorities said. The bombardment followed U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose new sanctions unless Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a peace settlement within the next 50 days. Ukrainian and Russian officials last met for…