Author: Vardiafrica

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema won a second term on Tuesday after campaigning on his record of economic recovery, including a major debt restructuring deal. The 64-year-old faces pressure to deliver more jobs and opportunities as critics accuse his government of failing to ease poverty and becoming less tolerant of dissent. After restructuring Zambia’s debt in his first term, Hakainde Hichilema says there is more work to be done in his second and wants to double the size of the economy, create more jobs and expand opportunities for households. The 64-year-old won a second term on Tuesday with roughly 60% of the vote, defeating his main challenger…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is in Ogun State for the official Southwest zonal launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme. A statement by the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, says the programme will commence at Makun, Sagamu, with Governors and first ladies from across the country, alongside other major stakeholders, expected to witness the launch. Akinmade said; “the launch will feature the distribution of food items to support vulnerable households in the state, as part of efforts to strengthen the Nigerian Government’s social intervention initiatives.” The initiative, under the Social…

Five-time Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo is set to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first African musician and first Black African to be recognized on the famed boulevard. Born in Benin, the artist has built an international career spanning more than 40 years and was once dubbed “Africa’s premier diva” by Time magazine. “Angelique Kidjo’s extraordinary artistry and global influence have inspired audiences across generations and continents,” Hollywood Walk of Fame producer Ana Martinez said in a news release. “We are proud to honor her as the first African artist to receive a…

The United Kingdom, on Monday, congratulated Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on his re-election. But it also raised concerns over issues believed to be capable of tainting the credibility of the exercise. UK said the issues included alleged vote-buying, voter interference, accessibility for persons with disabilities and the elderly, as well as overcrowding linked to the limited and slow deployment of BVAS devices during the August 15 governorship election. The British High Commission, in a statement, commended the people of Osun State for their peaceful and active participation in the election. But it urged relevant institutions to learn from…

The European Commission has released €2.3 million in emergency humanitarian funding to Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad to help contain a growing cholera outbreak across West and Central Africa. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja.The funding comes as more than 61,000 cholera cases were reported across the African Region in the first five months of 2026, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to the statement, Nigeria will receive the largest share, with €1.5 million allocated to expand emergency response teams, provide cholera treatment supplies and strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene interventions. It…

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has proposed a maximum 48-hour work week for healthcare personnel, alongside mandatory post-call rest, as part of measures to address burnout, fatigue and excessive workloads in health institutions. The recommendations followed a nationwide assessment involving 6,350 healthcare personnel across the six geopolitical zones, which identified excessive work hours, inadequate rest, and fatigue as major concerns affecting healthcare workers and patient safety. According to a statement by the Publicity and Social Secretary of NARD, Dr Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, the recommendations emerged from deliberations of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s Ministerial Committee on Work…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has publicly destroyed 329,865.585 kilograms of assorted illicit drugs with an estimated street value of Three Hundred and One Billion, Fifty-Eight Million and Seventy-Six Thousand Naira (N301,058,076,000) only in a court-ordered exercise carried out in Lagos. The exercise, conducted pursuant to orders of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, disposed of uncontested concluded cases and abandoned seizures. Of the total consignment, 246,864.535 kilograms were seized by the Lagos Strategic Command of the Agency between April 2025 and May 2026, while 83,001.05 kilograms came from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Tincan and…

Samuel Ogbuku, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) managing director, has implored young people to move beyond consuming artificial intelligence (AI). Ogbuku made the call on Monday at the opening of the NDDC artificial intelligence training and capacity building programme for innovative opportunities in Port Harcourt. The programme, organised by the commission’s department of information technology and innovation, is aimed at equipping young people with skills to participate in the digital economy. Ogbuku, who was represented by Obegha Oworibo, his chief of staff, said the Niger Delta must begin to harness the knowledge, creativity and intelligence of its people as an…

In order to end the incidents of missing  luggage or delays both in domestic and international flights, the Nigeria Civil  Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced the introduction of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across Nigerian airports. The agency said this became necessary because it has received a lot of complaints from passenger about their missing baggage. According to the agency, the automated system will replace the traditional barcode-centric framework, thus granting both airlines and passengers real-time, non-line-of-sight visibility of checked luggage from the point of check-in to final reclaim. This was disclosed by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael…

Airtel Africa and SpaceX’s Starlink have launched a satellite-to-phone service in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking what the companies described as the first commercial deployment of the technology in Africa. The service, commercially launched on Aug. 14, allows eligible Airtel customers to connect compatible smartphones directly to Starlink satellites in areas without conventional mobile coverage. Unlike Starlink’s traditional satellite internet service, the satellite-to-phone technology does not require customers to install a satellite dish. Compatible smartphones connect directly to satellites, which function as mobile network towers in space. The initial service is limited to SMS and selected low-bandwidth applications, including…