Author: Vardiafrica

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), says Nigeria needs to shift its focus from stabilisation to job creation and attracting global investments. Okonjo-Iweala spoke on Wednesday during a fireside chat at the Nigeria House during the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. “As you said, some good reforms are being pursued right now. I think they need to yield into job creation,” she said. “This is what I also said to His Excellency, Mr President, that we have to move from stabilisation to creating jobs because that’s where we are lacking.” The WTO director-general said the…

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has promised that his administration, in collaboration with security agencies, will ensure the safe and speedy return of all those who were abducted in Kurmin Wali village last Sunday. The governor who made the pledge on Wednesday when he led a large delegation of senior government officials and heads of security agencies to commiserate with the people of Kurmin Wali, said that he will not rest on his oars until all the abducted persons are returned home safely. “In the last two days, we have been collaborating with the relevant security agencies, both the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has handed over N1.28 billion from Sujimoto Luxury Construction Ltd to Enugu State Government. This followed the investigations by the anti-graft agency into the alleged diversion of funds meant for the construction of Smart Green Schools across the state. The restitution was made through a combination of bank drafts and cheques, according to a statement issued by Governor Peter Mbah’s media office on Wednesday. Presenting the cheques, the EFCC Zonal Director in Enugu, Daniel Ise, said the recovery was in fulfilment of the Commission’s statutory mandate to trace, recover, and return public funds…

Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci has earned her third Guinness World Records (GWR) title after Guinness officially recognised her for achieving the largest serving of rice, in addition to her previous jollof rice milestone. The recognition followed a review of Baci’s record attempt with food brand Gino in Lagos, Nigeria. The feat was achieved on September 12, 2025, in Victoria Island, where Baci and Gino prepared a massive 8,780 kilograms of rice. While the team initially set out to break the record for the largest serving of Nigerian style jollof rice, Guinness later confirmed that the same attempt also qualified…

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has imposed a total fine of $100,000 on the Algerian Football Federation following disciplinary breaches during their quarter-final clash with Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, BSNSports.com.ng reports. Super Eagles emerged victorious in the keenly contested encounter, a result that sparked unrest from the Algerian camp after the final whistle. CAF’s Disciplinary Board found Algeria guilty of several violations, including misconduct by players and officials, as well as crowd-related offences. According to the breakdown released by CAF, the sanctions include: $5,000 for players’ misconduct that led to multiple bookings $25,000 for the…

The Nigerian Government, reaffirming its commitment to free technical education and skills development, has announced the commencement of applications for admission into tuition-free Federal Technical Colleges across the country, aimed at enhancing skills development. The announcement was made by the Federal Ministry of Education following the approval of the initiative by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa. A statement by the Director of Press of the ministry, Boriowo Folashade, noted that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s broader strategy to expand access to quality technical and vocational education and to equip young Nigerians with practical, employable and…

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, has commenced a phased implementation of enforcement measures in respect of Digital Money Lending, DML, operators. A statement released on Wednesday by its spokesperson, Ondaje Ijagwu, said the enforcement is targeted at those who did not regularise their status in accordance with the Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, 2025 (DEON Regulations). The Commission had fixed Monday, 5 January 2026, as the deadline for compliance. Speaking on the commencement of enforcement measures, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr. Tunji Bello, stated that the actions…

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has criticised security agencies over their response to the recent abduction of worshippers in Kurmin Wali community, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State. In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja and signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN expressed concern over what it described as poor public communication by the security agencies. The association said the early response lacked sensitivity and thoroughness, noting that dismissing reports of the incident before proper verification caused confusion and further eroded public confidence in the authorities. CAN’s reaction followed hours after the Nigeria Police Force…

The federal high court in Abuja has ruled that the Nenadi Usman-led national caretaker committee of the Labour Party (LP) is the authentic leadership of the party. Peter Lifu, the presiding judge, on Wednesday, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the Usman-led wing of the party. The judge reaffirmed the verdict of the supreme court that voided the order of the court of appeal. Lifu ruled that evidence before the court shows that the tenure of Julius Abure, the LP national chairman, has elapsed. The suit was filed by Usman, a former minister of finance. Abure and…

Nigeria’s police have now confirmed that a group of worshippers was kidnapped from three churches in a remote part of the northern Kaduna state, after previously denying it. More than two days after the raid on the Kurmin Wali village, police on Tuesday night said that an earlier statement denying the attack had been “widely misinterpreted”. Local residents told the BBC that 177 worshippers had been abducted but that 11 later escaped. Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin did not give any numbers but said subsequent checks by operational units and intelligence sources had confirmed the abduction. He said security forces had…