Author: Vardiafrica

Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima yesterday launched the Accelerated Senior Secondary School Education Programme (ASSEP) initiated by the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) in collaboration with the Vice President Office to reduce the number of post-primary dropouts due to the decline in secondary school enrollment in the subregion which stands at 15 percent, one of the lowest in the country. The managing director/CEO of the commission, Alh Mohammed Alkali said the Stabilisation and Development Master Plan (NERSDMP) developed by the North East Development Commission and its diverse partners consists of pillars that support human capital development in the subregion which caters…

Governor Siminalayi Fubara believes his administration has recorded giant strides in infrastructure since its inception about a year ago. Fubara made the remark on Saturday in Ngo Town at the inauguration of the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road project, Andoni Local Government Area. While he did not mention any past administration, Fubara said since coming on board, his government has done well in the execution of projects, promising to do more for residents of the oil-rich state. “Like I said the other day, we just started. We started about three or four months ago but I am very…

The Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said that with the plan the Dangote Refinery has in place, Nigeria will not need to import premium motor spirit (PMS) by next month. Dangote said that the refinery, which has already started supplying diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria, has the capacity to meet the diesel and petrol needs of West Africa and the aviation fuel demand of the entire African continent. The richest man in Africa spoke as a panelist at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali on Friday. “Right now, Nigeria has no cause to import…

President Bola Tinubu has called for synergy and stronger coordinated action to address economic frailties within African nations. President Tinubu made the call at the State House on Friday during the presentation of Letters of Credence by newly-appointed ambassadors to Nigeria. The ambassadors who presented their credentials were Ambassador Edouard Nduwimana, Burundi Ambassador to Nigeria; Ambassador Mersole Mellejor, Philippines Ambassador to Nigeria, and the High Commissioner of Kenya to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina In separate meetings with each ambassador, President Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria values the warm and brotherly relations with their respective countries and remains a steadfast partner in promoting…

The Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has granted the request of the defence team to recall the first prosecution witness in the trial of a former governor of the Central Bank (CBN) Godwin Emefiele over allegations of abuse of office Justice Rahman Oshodi granted the request at the instance of counsel to Emefiele’s co-defendant Kazeem Gbadamosi (SAN). Gbadamosi had notified the judge of his application dated May 6 and sought the indulgence of the court to recall the first prosecution witness Monday Osazuwa. On April 12, Osazuwa, a staff of the CBN had narrated in court how the former…

The North-East Governors’ Forum has expressed concern over the neglect of the North-East in the allocation of federal government capital projects, particularly the poor state of road and railway infrastructure along the economic corridors that link the zone to the rest of the country The forum called on the federal government to prioritize the reconstruction of these critical infrastructure projects. It also noted with dismay the prolonged power blackout experienced by the zone and the nonchalant attitude of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in addressing the issue. In response, the forum resolved to set up a regional solar power…

The student loan application portal will open on May 24, 2024, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) said on Thursday. “The management of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) led by its Managing Director, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr are thrilled to announce the 24th of May, 2024 as the official date for the opening of the portal for student loan applications,” NELFUND spokesman Nasir Ayitogo said NELFUND said “through the portal, students can now access loans to pursue their academic aspirations without financial constraints. “The portal provides a user-friendly interface for students to submit their loan applications conveniently,” the statement further read.…

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed a total of N1,149.816 trillion which came in as revenue in January 2024 to the federal government, states, and local government areas. The allocation, shared during the May 2024 FAAC meeting comprised distributable statutory revenue of N284.716 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N466.457 billion, electronic money transfer levy revenue of N18.024 billion, and exchange difference revenue of N438.884 billion. This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting for April 2024, a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations…

Vice President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government has performed well in its fiscal responsibilities and management, as the administration maintains transparency in financial dealings. He cited the recent ranking by global credit rating agency, Fitch, which upgraded Nigeria’s credit outlook to positive, describing it as a reflection of increasing confidence in the nation’s economy. Senator Shettima spoke on Thursday during the 141st meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, according to a statement by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha. “There is no doubt that this government has demonstrated transparency in its…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, received the visiting President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, on Thursday. DAILY POST reports that Faye is in Nigeria on an official visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Wike welcomed the Senegalese President on his arrival at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on behalf of President Tinubu. The FCT Minister conferred on him the honorary citizenship of Abuja with the presentation of the symbolic key to the city. According to the minister, the key conferred on the Senegalese President all the rights and privileges of a…