Author: Vardiafrica

Abdullahi Bello, the new chair of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), has promised to deliver on the mandate of the agency. Bello was sworn in on Wednesday by President Bola Tinubu during the federal executive council (FEC) meeting. Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony, Abdullahi said the CCB, under his leadership, will work to restore the integrity of the public service. Bello said he will ensure that public officials act with integrity and eschew corruption. “The Code of Conduct Bureau was the first anti-corruption agency in Nigeria and I intend to deliver on the mandate of the bureau,” he said.…

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has identified hoarders of grains as a key factor driving food inflation in Nigeria The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the FCCPC, Tunji Bello, made the assertion during a town hall meeting with key industry players in Kano, the Kano State capital on Wednesday. Speaking to a packed audience at the Afficent Centre, Bello revealed that FCCPC investigators uncovered a disturbing trend where some merchants were stockpiling newly harvested grains to create artificial scarcity, thereby inflating food prices. “Without caring for the consequences of their actions on fellow countrymen and women, some of…

In a bid to disrupt criminal networks and mitigate the impact of internet fraud nationwide, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched a 24-hour Cybercrime Rapid Response Desk on Tuesday, 22 October 2024. The launch, held at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, was officiated by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. It aims to facilitate rapid digital information exchange on internet fraud and ensure an immediate response from the Commission. The service provides local and international phone numbers, enabling the public to reach the EFCC at any time with cybercrime-related concerns, both within Nigeria and globally.…

The Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) will by December of this year launch a non-resident BVN platform to enable Nigerians in diaspora operate their local bank accounts, run their businesses and sort out KYC issues with financial institutions from anywhere in the world. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yemi Cardoso announced this during a parley with members of the Nigerian community on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF meeting in Washington D.C United States. According to Mr. Cardoso, the initiative is part of efforts to ensure that Nigerians irrespective of their location anywhere in…

Months after growing calls for President Bola Tinubu to rejig his cabinet, the former Lagos State governor on Wednesday sacked five of his ministers. He also re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios and appointed seven new ministers for Senate confirmation. The President sacked Uju-Ken Ohanenye as Minister of Women Affairs; Lola Ade-John as Minister of Tourism; Tahir Mamman as Minister of Education; Abdullahi Gwarzo as Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development; and Jamila Ibrahim as Minister of Youth Development. “The appointment of Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National SportsCommission. “The appointment of Sunday Akin Dare as Special…

President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) have scrapped the Niger Delta Ministry, and the Ministry of Sports Development. The decisions were taken on Wednesday at the meeting of the FEC in Abuja, as seen on the X handle of the Special Adviser Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga.There will now be a Ministry of Regional Development to oversee all the Regional Development Commissions, such as the Niger Delta Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission, and the North East Development Commission. The National Sports Commission will take over the role of the…

Oando Plc has pledged its commitment to the aspiration by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to raise crude oil production by an additional 1 million barrels per day. The company joined industry peers at the Nigerian NUPRC’s third anniversary celebration in Abuja, which also served as the launch of the commission’s ‘Project 1 Million Barrels of Oil Per Day’ increment. On October 14, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said Nigeria’s average daily crude oil production dropped to 1.32 million bpd in September 2024, which is below the country’s OPEC quota of 1.5 million bpd. The NUPRC initiative is expected to…

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola on Monday inaugurated new members of the Nigerian Content Research and Development Council (NCRDC). The newly onboarded members are the Executive Secretary, who would serve as Chairman, the Director Research and Development, NCDMB, Mr. Isaac Yalah, who would function as the Alternate Chairman and the General Manager, Research and Development, NCDMB, Mr. Silas Ajimajaye, who would function as the Secretary Other members include representatives from the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS), National Universities Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technology…

The federal government has withdrawn the money laundering charges filed against Tigran Gambaryan, an executive of Binance Holdings Limited. In April, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned Binance, a cryptocurrency firm, and Gambaryan, on allegations of money laundering. Gambaryan has been in detention since February following the clampdown on Binance over alleged manipulation of the Nigerian currency. At the resumption of hearing on Wednesday at the federal high court in Abuja, R U Adaba, the lawyer representing the EFCC, announced the decision of the federal government to withdraw the charges. Adaba said Gambaryan is just an employee of the cryptocurrency…

President Joe Biden has called for Donald Trump to be locked up 14 days before the presidential election.  Biden told New Hampshire Democrats on Tuesday night, October 22, that “we gotta lock him up,” referring to former President Donald Trump, before quickly adding, “Politically lock him up.” He was describing some of Trump’s plans for a second term, when he said, “I know this sounds bizarre – it sounds like if I said this five years ago, you’d lock me up. We gotta lock him up.” During Trump’s 2016 campaign, crowds would chant “Lock her up,” when his then challenger Hillary Clinton was mentioned.…