Author: Vardiafrica

Harry Kane has been named the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or winner.  The English striker beat Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe to claim his first-ever Ballon d’Or at the Palladium Theatre in London, UK, on Monday. He became the first English player to win the prize since Michael Owen in 2001. The 33-year-old scored 73 goals for both clubs and country in the 2025/26 season. His goals helped Bayern Munich win the German Bundesliga and reach the UEFA Champions League (UCL) semi-finals. He also captained the English national team to the bronze medal at the 2026 World Cup in North America.…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in collaboration with oil and gas stakeholders, has initiated steps to implement recommendations from an industry-wide study on in-country manufacturing of key components. A stakeholders’ meeting was held on Monday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to define practical strategies for implementing the report, aimed at expanding local manufacturing capacity, empowering indigenous enterprises, and reducing reliance on imported components. On July 7, 2022, the NCDMB commissioned a diverse oil industry team to develop a strategy for in-country manufacturing of pumps, valves, flanges, gaskets, bolts and nuts, metering solutions, and instrument fittings, and the…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commissioned the headquarters of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement in Abuja as political mobilisation efforts continue ahead of the 2027 general elections.‎‎The First Lady performed the commissioning on Friday, October 23, 2026, before inspecting the movement’s situation room at the facility.‎‎She was accompanied by several prominent political figures, including Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa; and Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.‎‎Also present was the movement’s convener and grand patron, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, alongside other dignitaries.

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Thursday in Awka, Anambra State declared that the role of the mass media in information dissemination is of strategic importance to the effective implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010, and that capacity building for practitioners is prioritised by the Board.  The General Manager, Corporate Communications Division (CCD) of the NCDMB, Dr. Obinna Ezeobi stated this at a one-day Nigerian Content Media Stakeholders Workshop for editors and journalists in Anambra State. He stated that the Board is interested in building the capacities of journalists because…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, says it is collaborating with the University of Port Harcourt to build the capacity of Niger Deltans by promoting the growth of the creative industry and advancing sustainable development in the region. Speaking during a four-day technical training programme in film production for filmmakers in the Niger Delta region, at the Theatre Arts and Film Studies auditorium, the NDDC Head of New Media, Corporate Affairs Department, Dr Selina Dan-Albert, said the Commission was continually exploring opportunities to empower young people and equip them with relevant skills to thrive in the creative industry. Dan-Albert noted…

Nigeria aims to cut inflation to low single digits before the end of 2027, paving the way for sharply lower interest rates that could lower borrowing costs and support growth, Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele said on Monday. “If you are growing at 4.43% and borrowing at close to 30%, imagine what is possible when you borrow at single-digit rates,” Oyedele said. Nigeria’s headline inflation rate ​‌is stuck at around 15% with the benchmark interest rate at 23%, keeping cost-of-living pressures high just months before a national election. Speaking at the Nigeria economic summit, Oyedele said the government’s reforms were already…

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-rufai to enter his defence if he so desires in his ongoing trial on bugging the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. Justice Abdulmalik made the order shortly after dismissing the no-case submission filed by El-rufai, in response to the prosecution’s case. In her ruling on the no-case submission, the judge held there is sufficient evidence by the prosecution to warrant the court to call on the defendant to enter his defence if he so desires.…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it will make the preliminary register of voters for the 2027 general elections available on its website. The Commissioner disclosed this in a statement on Monday. It stated that it had taken note of the concerns expressed by Nigerians and other stakeholders regarding the desirability of making the register accessible through its online platform in addition to the physical display already conducted. “Accordingly, and in furtherance of its commitment to transparency, accessibility and public confidence in the electoral process, the Commission has decided to make available on its online platform https://display.inecnigeria.org…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has officially issued a public advisory detailing accessible reporting channels for citizens to flag suspected fake, substandard, and unregistered medical products, as well as adverse drug reactions (ADRs). ​As part of its ongoing commitment to public health and consumer safety, NAFDAC is urging members of the public, health professionals, and commercial stakeholders to actively utilize its digital platforms, dedicated hotlines, and web portals to report safety concerns and verify product authenticity. Consumers and healthcare providers who experience or observe unexpected or adverse reactions to medicines, vaccines, or medical devices…

FIFA has approved the appointment of a Normalisation Committee to manage the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) pending fresh elections into its Executive Committee, with the mandate set to end no later than May 31, 2027. The Bureau of the FIFA Council has approved the appointment of a Normalisation Committee to oversee the affairs of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) ahead of fresh elections into the federation’s Executive Committee. The decision was communicated in a letter signed by FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström and addressed to Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme MON, according to the NFF Communications Department. FIFA stated that the committee…