Author: Vardiafrica

The Senate on Thursday removed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from her current Committee on Diaspora and replaced her with Senator Aniekan Bassey, who represents Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District. The decision was announced during plenary with no official reason given for the change. Senator Bassey is expected to assume duties immediately. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was appointed chair of the Diaspora and NGOs Committee on February 4, 2025, following her earlier removal as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content. Her latest removal marks another slight reshuffling within the Senate committee leadership. The upper chamber also called on…

The Supreme Court has affirmed the election of Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the governor of Edo State, upholding the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja. A five-man panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal held that the appellants – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the September 2024 election, Asue Ighodalo – could not establish their claims of election non-compliance, unlawful votes, and that Okpebholo was not duly elected. The appeal was dismissed for lacking merit. Thursday’s verdict came about 11 months after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared…

The Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mr Ola Olukayode, has urged the National Assembly to pass the Unexplained Wealth Bill pending since the 9th Assembly. Olukayode made the appeal at the ongoing National Conference on Public Accounts and Fiscal Governance, organised by the Senate and House of Representatives Public Accounts Committees. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the three-day conference is “Fiscal Governance in Nigeria: Charting a New Course for Transparency and Sustainable Development.” He said there were evidences of people living above their means and there was no clear-cut law holding them…

Renowned multinational search engine Google announced an important new update for Gmail that allows users to unsubscribe from emails with just a click. This new major feature aims to tackle overloaded mail inbox, with Gmail automatically sorting emails received through active subscriptions. The new feature Manage Subscriptions tool includes one-click links next to the emails that unsubscribe users from unsolicited mail lists. Google’s director of product management, Chris Doan, wrote in a blog post “It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of subscription emails clogging your inbox.” “With Gmail’s new ‘Manage subscriptions’ feature, you can view and…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, joined nine other First Ladies from around the world Wednesday to address pressing global challenges, including artificial intelligence growth, food security, and youth mental health at the 3rd Annual Global First Ladies Alliance Academy.The high-level gathering at Columbia University brought together current first ladies from Nigeria, Angola, Armenia, Belize, Guatemala, Iceland, Malawi, Mozambique, Panama, and Sierra Leone, along with several former first ladies. Speaking at the academy, Senator Tinubu called for innovative solutions to help vulnerable populations in Nigeria, noting her work through the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) to champion women and youth development.…

The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has announced progress in diplomatic discussions with the United States regarding newly introduced visa procedures for Nigerian nationals. In a statement shared via his official platform, the Minister disclosed that he held a “constructive meeting” with US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard M. Mills Jr., to address the evolving visa framework and mutual concerns around travel documentation and immigration protocols. “I held a constructive meeting with US Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr. today, to discuss the recently introduced visa procedures for Nigerian nationals,” the Minister wrote. Also present at the meeting were the Permanent…

The Senate has mandated a joint committee to investigate the alarming rise of Ponzi schemes across the country, following the collapse of the Crypto Bullion Exchange (CBEX), which has reportedly defrauded investors of over ₦1.3 trillion. The decision followed a motion sponsored by Senator Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East). In a motion, the lawmaker expressed deep concern over the unchecked spread of fraudulent investment schemes, including the infamous MMM Nigeria (2016), MBA Forex (2020), and most recently CBEX, which lured millions of Nigerians with promises of high returns on digital assets. Lawmakers in a debate warned that CBEX’s collapse had devastating…

Two sources confirmed on Wednesday that the refinery in Nigeria, Dangote Petroleum, will build storage tanks in Namibia for at least 1.6 millions barrels of gasoline or diesel to be supplied to southern Africa. This move demonstrates the refinery’s ambition to dominate the fuel supply market in Africa, and beyond. It could reshape energy trade flows and increase access to refined products in southern African countries. Aliko Dangote is Africa’s richest person. He built a $20 billion refinery that produces 650,000 barrels of oil per day. It started operating last year. Since then, it has increased production and sought new…

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has been inaugurated as the Chairman of the Board of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). During the ceremony, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, advised the newly inaugurated chairman and board members to prioritize infrastructure development at the nation’s airports. Keyamo emphasized that modernizing airport infrastructure is essential to bringing Nigeria’s airports up to world-class standards. “This occasion marks not just a change in leadership but also a renewed commitment to the lofty ideals of service, safety, and progress within our aviation sector,” he said.…

Coartem® (artemether-lumefantrine) Baby has been approved by Swissmedic as the first malaria medicine for newborns and young infants. The new treatment, also known as Riamet® Baby in some countries, was developed through an MMV and Novartis collaboration to treat the potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease. Eight African countries also participated in the assessment and are now expected to issue rapid approvals under the Swiss agency’s Marketing Authorization for Global Health Products procedure.1 Novartis plans to introduce the infant-friendly treatment on a largely not-for-profit basis to increase access in areas where malaria is endemic. “Malaria is one of the world’s deadliest diseases, particularly among children. But…