Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Ministry of Education has launched a nationwide Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) program and called for the registration of vocational centres to enhance industry-relevant skill development in Nigeria. The announcement was made in a press statement by Boriowo Folasade, Director, Press & Public Relations, Ministry of Education. As part of the initiative, the Ministry, through the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), has called on Skill Training Centres (STCs), Vocational Enterprise Institutions (VEIs), and Mastercraft Persons (MCPs) to register for accreditation, which will enable them to access government funding for training candidates. “As part of its…

The Federal Government has announced plans to establish Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion centres and refuelling stations in 20 federal tertiary institutions across Nigeria. The initiative, led by the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF) in collaboration with Femadec Energy, aims to promote clean energy adoption and reduce transportation costs for students and lecturers. The announcement was conveyed in a statement posted on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the Presidency of Nigeria on Monday. “In alignment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to affordable, clean, and sustainable energy, the Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund (MDGIF), in…

As part of measures to ensure food security in the country, Nigeria and Brazil have signed the commercial phase of the $1.1 billion Green Imperative Project (GIP) to boost agriculture productivity and enhance private-sector investment in Nigeria. GIP, the largest agricultural project in Africa which priotises the development of sustainable, low-carbon agriculture, aims to develop structural conditions to boost food production in Nigeria in an efficient and competitive manner. The MoU for the $1.1 billion GIP 1 was signed in 2018, while the $4.3 billion phase 2 of the project and the $2.5 billion JBS were signed in Brazil during…

NNPC Limited has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that funds allocated under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) are effectively utilized to deliver meaningful development in host communities. This pledge was made during a stakeholder engagement session held with the KEFFESO Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), a cluster of host communities comprising Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish Town, Ekeni, Sangana, Opu Okumbiri, Okumbiribeleu, and Oginibiri in Bayelsa State, under the NNPC Limited/FIRST Exploration & Petroleum Development Company (FIRST E&P) JV, at the weekend. Speaking at the engagement session which held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the Chief…

The leadership of the House of Representatives, on Monday, joined President Bola Tinubu to break fast at Aso Rock, pledging their support to the President and donating N705m, being half of their salaries, to government’s humanitarian efforts. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, thanked President Tinubu for the invitation to break fast with him and for always showing respect and concern for the House of Representatives. “As we all know, the month of Ramadan entails many things, one of them is reflection; where were you before, where are you now and where do you want to be?…

Africa’s foremost Industrialist and President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has disclosed his plan to build in Ogun State, a multi-billion-dollar Seaport, which will be the largest in Nigeria. He also said two new lines with a capacity of 6.0 million metric tons per annum, (Mta), for the Dangote Cement plant is being constructed at Itori, also in Ogun State. Addressing the Ogun State Executive Council led by the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun during a courtesy visit, to the Governor in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Dangote said he has decided to return and invest in Ogun State…

Pursuant to sustainable transportation in Nigeria, leading indigenous investor, Coscharis Motors has announced the addition of Joylong Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to its vehicle brands portfolio. The automobile company said the rationale for this latest addition is to create viable ownership solutions for fleet and individual customers, both in the Public and Private sectors respectively, towards reducing budget for petrol and general vehicle maintenance within the warranty period and beyond. The firm noted that the launch of the CNG buses also highlights the company’s commitment to its vision of remaining timeless in its relevance, especially given the Government’s new…

Two months after suspending flight operations due to a tyre burst incident involving one of its aircraft at the Mallam Amunu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, Max Air is set to resume flight operations. A statement by the airline’s management said that the carrier would resume flight services on March 21, 2025. When the airline was suspending operations in January, it has said that it would close domestic operations for three months. With this, the airline was expected to resume in April. The airline said that its resumption was due to a successful operational evaluation, adding that this strategic pause…

Ethiopian Airlines has signed a landmark agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to develop Africa’s largest airport—the Bishoftu International Airport in Ethiopia. The ambitious $7.8 billion project aims to dramatically scale up Ethiopia’s aviation capacity, to handle 60 million passengers annually by 2040, up from the current 17 million. Mr. Mesfin Tasew, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines Group, and Mrs. Nnenna Nwabufo, Vice President for Regional Development, Integration, and Strategy at AfDB, signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU). The new airport will be constructed in Abusera, near Bishoftu, in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide welcomed the deal,…

The Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Sweetcrude Limited, publishers of SweetcrudeReports, is pleased to announce the launch of the ‘Champions of Nigerian Content Awards’. This prestigious awards ceremony aims to recognize and celebrate individuals and companies that have made significant contributions to the development of Nigerian content in the oil and gas industry. Awards Ceremony Details The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at the NCDMB’s world-class conference hall, situated at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, beginning at 6 pm prompt. The event will hold at the sidelines of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF),scheduled for May 20-22, 2025. Selection Criteria Unlike other awards in the Nigeria…