Author: Vardiafrica

The Federal Government announces the introduction of a National Textbook Ranking System for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools across the country as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen quality assurance and standardisation in Nigeria’s education sector. The initiative is designed to address the growing proliferation of textbooks in schools and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant learning materials are approved for classroom use. This was disclosed by the Honourable Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, alongside the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suiwaba Sai’d Ahmad, who stated that under the new system, the Nigerian Educational Research and…

Yousef bin Mohammed Al-Balawi, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Nigeria, has met with Aliko Dangote, chairman of the Dangote Group, to discuss investment opportunities in energy and infrastructure. According to NAN, the meeting, meant to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, was held on Friday at the ambassador’s residence in the diplomatic quarter in Abuja. Speaking during the meeting, the envoy said the engagement reflects growing momentum in Saudi-Nigerian economic relations and a shared commitment to deepen cooperation across key sectors, including energy, industry, and infrastructure. Al-Balawi said the discussions highlighted the evolving economic partnership between both countries, with…

Mali’s junta says that armed militants have staged simultaneous and coordinated attacks at several locations across the country involving multiple groups. On Saturday morning, the army said it was fighting what it described as “terrorists” that had attacked the main army barracks in Bamako and other areas. Explosions and sustained gunfire were heard across the city including near the main ‌military base in Kati just outside the capital. The town is the home of the country’s military ruler, General Assimi Goïta, who first seized power when the army overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar in August 2020. Military officials said fighting was…

President Donald Trump was swiftly escorted off the stage by Secret Service after possible shots were fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, on Saturday. Vice President JD Vance and several members of Trump’s Cabinet who were also in attendance were also rushed out. A source told CNN that Trump is safe, while two sources said Vance is safely out of the dinner. According to an administration official, Cabinet members are OK as well. Several US Secret Service agents yelled, “shots fired” during the event, which is being held at the Washington Hilton, according to pool reports.…

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned indefinite nationwide strike following fresh commitments by the federal government to address key welfare concerns, including the reinstatement of the reviewed Professional Allowance Table (PAT). The decision was reached at an emergency virtual meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC), held Saturday, where members assessed recent high-level interventions by top government officials and critical stakeholders in the health sector. NARD had earlier resolved to embark on a total and indefinite strike over the federal government’s reversal of the reviewed PAT and other lingering welfare issues. However, the NEC…

The award was conferred on Ogbuku at the 2025 Vanguard Personality of the Year Awards at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, in recognition of his transformational leadership and NDDC’s impactful interventions across the Niger Delta region. In his opening remarks at the ceremony, the former Minister of State Petroleum Resources, and Chairman of the occasion, Mr Odein Ajomugobia, said: “Tonight, we gather to recognise individuals and organisations whose contributions have, in different ways, shaped our society and influenced the course of our national life. In a citation for Ogbuku and the NDDC, the Vanguard Award Committee…

Political leaders from the opposition have resolved to present a united front in the 2027 general elections, agreeing to field a single presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The decision was one of the major highlights of a National Summit of Opposition Political Leaders held on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo State, where participants gathered to fashion the way out of the current challenges facing the country. They also warned that Nigeria’s democracy is under increasing strain and requires urgent collective action to safeguard it. The summit, themed “Safeguarding Nigeria’s Democracy: A National…

Speaking at a summit for the Commission’s female directors in Port Harcourt, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, commended the contributions of female directors to the development of Nigeria’s oil-rich region. Ogbuku, who was represented by the Director of Administration and Human Resources, Sir Kelechi Nwelue, emphasised the essential role of women in society, noting that no institution could thrive without their active participation. He encouraged them to remain steadfast in discharging their duties, stressing that the NDDC’s effectiveness was closely tied to their contributions. The Managing Director observed that women constitute about 35 per cent of the Commission’s…

The Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe on Thursday joined the Authority Chief Executive (ACE) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Saidu Mohammed,to visit the Waltersmith modular refinery at Ohaji- Egbema, Imo State. The visit was to inspect the newly completed expansion of the firm’s refining capacity, from 5,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 10,000 bpd. NCDMB invested equity in the Waltersmith Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited’s modular refinery in 2018 and helped catalyze the investment, leading to the commissioning of the first phase of the plant in November 2020. NCDMB also participated in…

President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday evening, directed all the 31 governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure free, fair, and rancour-free primaries across the states, in strict compliance with the Electoral Act. Tinubu said this was necessary to preserve the party’s unity and cohesion. Addressing newsmen in Abuja after a closed-door meeting with the president at State House, Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and his Niger State counterpart, Mohammed Bago, said deliberations focused on measures to forge a stronger and more cohesive party after the party primaries. The governors said the president reaffirmed his support for the…