Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has mandated that all mobile phones be switched off during flight take-off and landing. The development was announced on Tuesday by the Director General of Authority, Capt. Chris Najomo, while addressing stakeholders in a meeting themed “National Civil Aviation Security Committee Meeting” in Abuja. Najomo stated that all passengers must now completely switch off electronic devices during flights, ending the long-standing “flight mode” practice. According to him, the regulation concerning phones and other electronic devices in Nigeria has now been unified, stressing that the widely accepted “flight mode” option will no longer be permitted.…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a landmark subsidy to ease the cost of kidney dialysis for Nigerians.  A statement from presidential aide, Sunday Dare, said with this intervention, the price of each dialysis session has been reduced from N50,000 to just N12,000, bringing relief to thousands of citizens battling kidney-related diseases. Dare mentioned that this subsidy is already being implemented in major federal hospitals across the six geopolitical zones, including: 1. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos 2. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja 3. University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan 4. Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri 5. University of…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has fixed new deadlines for Nigeria’s 2025 university admissions. Public universities must conclude admissions by October 31, 2025, private universities by November 30, 2025, and all other tertiary institutions by December 31, 2025. In a statement after the 2025 Policy Meeting chaired by the Minister of Education, JAMB emphasized that institutions must act within the stipulated timelines. Even if schools are not ready to commence a new academic session, they are required to complete admissions and archive them for record purposes. Why JAMB Introduced the New Schedule JAMB explained that the move is aimed at…

US President Donald Trump is set to welcome Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House on Monday for high-stakes talks as the U.S. president pushes for a possible deal to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. A host of NATO and European leaders are also now gathering in Washington to demonstrate united support for Kyiv. The summit comes just days after Trump’s controversial meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, and six months after an explosive Oval Office encounter between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vice President JD Vance. This new round of negotiations will test whether international pressure can shift…

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Japan to participate in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), scheduled to hold from August 20 to 22 in the City of Yokohama. The President’s aircraft touched down at the Presidential Wing of Haneda International Airport, Tokyo, at 00:50 am on Tuesday, which was still Monday in Nigeria owing to the eight-hour time difference. He was received by Ambassador Hideo Matsubara, the Ambassador in charge of Haneda Airport for TICAD, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and officials of the Nigerian Embassy. President Tinubu departed Abuja on Friday, August 15,…

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has stressed the importance of functional training workshops for its directors as part of efforts to strengthen leadership capacity and enhance institutional performance. Speaking at a two-day training workshop for directors in Port Harcourt, the Commission’s Director of Administration and Human Resources, Mr. Patrick Ekade, said the programme aligns with the vision of the Managing Director and the NDDC Board, who have consistently championed human capital development. “The Managing Director, being a man of vision, saw the need to build the capacity of staff for improved professional delivery. This training is a major step…

President Bola Tinubu has Inaugurated a 40,000 cubic meters (CBM) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel, christened “MT Iyaloja (Lagos),” in Ulsan, South Korea. The new vessel, MT Iyaloja (Lagos), was officially unveiled by President Tinubu’s daughter, Alhaja Folasade Mujidat Tinubu-Ojo, the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria. The ship was named in honour of her late grandmother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, MFR. The vessel, owned by WAGL Energy Limited, a joint venture between NNPC Ltd. and Sahara Group, marks a significant milestone in Africa’s clean energy landscape. Tinubu, represented by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr. Ekperikpe Ekpo, commended WAGL Energy…

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on Monday urged Nigerians to participate in the Continuous Voter Registration, saying the Permanent Voter Card is the most powerful tool for building a new Nigeria. In a post via X, Obi said eligible voters should not underestimate the power of their PVC, which he described as “the voice of the voiceless, the shield of the weak, and the weapon of the poor against injustice and bad leadership.” “The future of our dear nation is in your hands. The greatest strength of democracy is in the voter’s card,” Obi said.…

The United States has commended the federal government and security agencies for the arrest of two leaders of Ansaru, a terror group linked to al-Qaeda. In an X post on Monday, the US mission in Nigeria described the arrest as “a significant step forward in the country’s fight against terrorism and extremism”. “We commend the Nigerian government and security forces on the successful arrest of wanted Ansaru leaders, Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda),” the post reads.“This is a significant step forward in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and extremism.” Last week, Nuhu Ribadu, the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced its Nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections. According to the commission, the exercise began with online pre-registration on Monday, August 18, 2025, through its official portal, cvr.inecnigeria.org. Physical registration will follow on Monday, August 25, and run concurrently with the online process until August 30, 2026. INEC said registration will take place across 811 centres nationwide, including all 774 local government offices, 36 state offices, and the Federal Capital Territory. Centres will open on weekdays from 9am to 3pm. The exercise is open to Nigerians who…