Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Tinubu said Monday in Abuja that human capital flight can be reversed by improving the economy, developing bottom-up policies that address needs, and deepening citizens’ collective sense of ownership. President Tinubu, who inaugurated the Planning Committee for the National Youth Conference at the State House, assured that the ongoing economic reforms were designed to strengthen the economy for the prosperity of Nigerian youths, who constitute more than 60 per cent of the population. “I want to reassure you that you are the hope of this country, and everything hangs on you. Every decision that I have taken is…

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday night in Abuja, called on political leaders in the country to channel more resources and policies toward catering to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. The President, who hosted governors, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Service Chiefs, and some selected Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to break the Ramadan fast at the State House, urged leaders to be selfless and work for the people’s benefit. “I thank you all for responding to this invitation. You honoured it out of respect, not because you don’t have enough to eat or share”,…

The leadership of Heritage Energy & Oil Services Limited and its joint venture partners recently visited the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and received assurances of support for their operations on oil mining lease (OML) 30. The meeting held at NCDMB’s Lagos liaison office, and the oil company visited with their JV Partners, Shoreline Natural Resources, and NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL). Heritage is the operator of OML 30 on behalf of Shoreline/NEPCL JV, and the discussions focused on the short, medium, and long term plans around their asset. The…

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has given Governor Siminalayi Fubara an ultimatum to either resign or face impeachment. Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday, Okocha condemned the governor’s recent invitation to pro-Wike members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, describing it as a “Greek gift.” Fubara had extended an invitation to the legislators following a Supreme Court ruling, aiming to resolve the prolonged political crisis in the state. In a statement released on Sunday and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, key…

The immediate-past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufa’i, has resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In a statement he issued on Monday, El-Rufai expressed his disappointment with the APC’s leadership style, accusing the leadership of the party of straying from the progressive ideals of its founding members He disclosed that he had expressed concerns both privately and publicly over the party’s trajectory in the past two years but found no willingness among the current leadership to address the issues. The former governor said, “Developments in the last two years on the…

The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a warrant for the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), to appear before it. The Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly issued the arrest warrant on Monday during plenary, after the expiration of its 72-hour ultimatum for the electoral chief to appear before the House. Enebeli had fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh Local Government (LG) poll in the state following a Supreme Court verdict that annulled the October 5, 2024 local government poll conducted in the state. The Amaewhule-led Assembly had vowed to probe the…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has sealed a deal to acquire 20 per cent equity in a 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery project being established by African Refinery Group Ltd, in partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd).The share purchase agreement for this investment was signed on Thursday, and it will make NCDMB a key partner in the African Refinery Port Harcourt Limited (ARPHL), being co-located with Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited, operated by the NNPC Ltd, in Alesa Eleme, Rivers State .The Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe signed the agreement…

Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to hold talks in the coming days to address the persistent challenges Nigerians face in obtaining visas. The talks aim to resolve concerns over visa restrictions and strengthen diplomatic and economic ties between both nations. The decision was reached during a courtesy visit by Salem Alshamsi,the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, to Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, at the Tafawa Balewa House in Abuja. Many Nigerians, particularly those seeking tourism visas, have faced challenges securing entry into the UAE, despite the long-standing diplomatic and economic ties between both nations.…

former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has paid a visit to former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and renowned cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare in Lagos. El-Rufai’s media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, disclosed the visit in a tweet yesterday. “Malam Nasir @elrufai was in Lagos today to visit Ogbeni @raufaregbesola and Pastor Tunde Bakare,” Adekeye wrote. His visit to Lagos came days after visiting former President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna. Credible sources said El-Rufai had notified Buhari about his next political moves. Daily Trust reports that some of his associates, especially in Kaduna have recently defected to the Social Democratic…

The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government is set to launch mass electric vehicle transportation in North-East Nigeria. This follows the approved of contracts worth nearly $100m (N151.9bn) by the Federal Executive Council to supply electric vehicles and establish charging infrastructure in the region. In a statement on Sunday, Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, recalled that FEC approved the contract for the supply of ten 17-seater electric buses last week. Giving a breakdown of contracts, Onanuga said Bluecrest Integrated Concept Limited was awarded a N2.9bn contract to deliver ten 17-seater electric buses within six months. He said that Messrs Mutual Commitment Company Limited…