Author: Vardiafrica

As global calls for transition to cleaner energy fuels continue to grow, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) Ltd. Mele Kyari has said the Final Investment Decision (FID) on the $25bn Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project will be taken in December 2024. Kyari revealed this while speaking during a Leadership Dialogue Session at the ongoing CERAWeek Conference in Houston, United States on Tuesday. According to him, the NMGP which is at an advanced stage, will create a pipeline that will pass through thirteen African countries to Europe, adding that the FID for the $25bn…

A bill seeking to grant five-month leave to persons who lose their spouse has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives. Sponsored by Honourable Saidu Abdullahi, the bill seeks to enable the widow or widower mourn the deceased spouse and make immediate arrangements for the challenges ahead. Honourable Saidu argues that there is a need for consideration of the bill on cultural and religious grounds. Abdullahi said the bill is designed to place Nigeria among the top countries in the world in terms of workers welfare as the law exist in many countries. According to him, research findings had…

Justice James Omotoso of the Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant an ex-parte motion filed by the deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, seeking an interim order to stop the impeachment process by the state’s House of Assembly. In the suit, Shaibu sought an order of the court restricting the third to fifth defendants from commencing any process by holding proceedings or setting up any panel of investigation for his removal, pending the hearing of a motion on notice. He also sought an interim injunction restraining the defendants, whether by themselves or their agents, from interfering…

Zenith Bank has appointed Adaora Umeoji as its new group managing director and chief executive officer (GMD/CEO). The bank disclosed this on Tuesday, in a corporate filing on the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), signed by Michael Osilima, its secretary. According to the financial institution, Umeoji’s appointment will take effect from June 1, 2024. Umeoji’s appointment makes her the first female to take up the position, Zenith Bank said. Financial firm said she will replace Ebenezer Onyeagwu whose five-year tenure as GMD/CEO elapses on May 31 this year. Prior to Umeoji’s appointment as CEO, according to the bank’s corporate filing, she…

In what was his first public appearance since reports of his death started spreading online, United Kingdom’s King Charles III hosted Korean War veterans at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. The royal family said this in a post on social media. “This morning, the King met veterans of the Korean War at Buckingham Palace to mark 70 years since the signing of the armistice which ended the conflict,” the royal family said in the post. The UK embassy in Russia had to publish a statement on Monday after reports about the 75-year-old’s death from cancer appeared online, saying that “reports about…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio says those involved in the killing of soldiers in the Okuama community in Bomadi LGA of Delta, may be mercenaries. On March 14, some armed men attacked and killed 17 personnel of the Nigerian army during a peace mission to the community. Speaking on Tuesday during a debate on two merged motions, Akpabio said the nation is not at war and called for peace to be restored in the community. “We condemn this dastardly act. It portends danger for the entire society. Every single culprit involved must be brought out to face the full wrath of the law,”…

Global temperatures “smashed” heat records last year, as heatwaves stalked oceans and glaciers suffered record ice loss, the United Nations said Tuesday — warning 2024 was likely to be even hotter. The annual State of the Climate report by the UN weather and climate agency confirmed preliminary data showing 2023 was by far the hottest year ever recorded. And last year capped off “the warmest 10-year period on record”, the World Meteorological Organization said, with even hotter temperatures expected. “There is a high probability that 2024 will again break the record of 2023”, WMO climate monitoring chief Omar Baddour told reporters.…

Sheriff Oborevwori, the Delta State Governor, on Tuesday assured that innocent citizens of Okuama and Okoloba communities will be protected from attacks by Soldiers on reprisal actions against the killing of 15 military personnel, while on a peace mission.Major events that defined Tinubu’s 100 days in office Oborevwori states this while speaking with State House Journalists, after leading community leaders to meet with President Bola Tinubu, at one State House, Abuja. Sheriff who also revealed that the state has been enjoying peace since last year, however commended all security agencies, for their efforts to restore peace. According to him, ”…

Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta, has met with President Bola Tinubu over the killing of soldiers in Okuama community, Bomadi LGA of the state. Oborevwori met with Tinubu at the presidential villa on Tuesday. Last Thursday, 17 military personnel — comprising a lieutenant colonel, two majors, one captain, and 13 soldiers — were killed while on a “peacekeeping mission” in Okuama. The Delta state and federal governments had condemned the incident while promising that perpetrators would face the wrath of the law. Some hours after the incident, several houses in the community were reportedly razed. In a statement on Monday, the Nigeria Army said the…

Senate on Tuesday, increased the 2024 Federal Capital Territory budget to about ₦1.3trn after the bill scaled third reading. This is over ₦135bn increase from the proposed ₦1.1trn for the year 2024 fiscal year. Presenting the breakdown, Chairman of the Senate Committee, Sen. Mohammed Ibrahim representing Yobe South, stated that- ₦140bN is for personnel cost, about ₦374bn is for overhead cost, while the balance of ₦768bn is earmarked for capital projects for the 2024 financial year. While leading the debate last week, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, said the appropriation bill took into cognisance the FCT administration’s revenue and expenditure forecasts which…