Author: Vardiafrica

Following a motion of urgent public importance, the House of Representatives has passed a resolution calling for the suspension of the increase in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transaction charges and the stoppage of free ATM withdrawals for customers from other banks in Nigeria. The motion moved by a member, Marcus Onobun, drew the attention of the House to a circular by the Central Bank of Nigeria to that effect. Lawmakers were worried that this would impose additional financial burdens on Nigerians. The House asked the CBN to suspend the policy pending proper engagement with the relevant committees on banking, finance,…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed an agreement worth $11.18 million to enhance rice production across the region. ECOWAS made the announcement in a video posted on its social media platforms on Tuesday. Speaking after the signing ceremony in Abuja, Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS commission, highlighted the significance of the partnership in achieving self-sufficiency in rice production across West African nations. “This not the first time or the only response we have received from the African Development Bank, you would recall, African Development Bank is working with us on…

The Supreme Court has dismissed the legal challenge filed by Hon. Agboola Alfred Ajayi, the former Ondo State Deputy Governor and Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in the November 16, 2024, election. Ajayi had sought to nullify the election of Deputy Governor Dr. Olayide Owolabi Adelami over alleged discrepancies in his name change, while also challenging the legitimacy of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa and the All Progressives Congress (APC). In its ruling, the court held that the appellants lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to pursue the case, making the appeal unsustainable. It also ruled that the case was statute-barred,…

The house of representatives has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to direct internet service providers in the country to block all websites hosting obscene and pornographic contents with immediate effect.  The resolution was passed on Tuesday following a motion sponsored by Dalhatu Tafoki, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Katsina state. Moving the motion, Tafoki argued that cyber pornography was becoming a global problem and that Nigeria had not taken adequate steps to address it. He described Nigeria as a “highly religious country” where major faiths prohibit nudity and obscenity. The legislator said several countries across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East had…

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA)  has gotten approval to establish a renewable asset management company that will sustain its interventions. The Managing Director of REA, Mr Abba Aliyu said this at the signing of a collaborative agreement with some Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCOs) in Abuja on Monday. According to Aliyu, the company is expected to have mega assets, including infrastructure close to 500 million dollars deployed to universities. ”This company will warehouse these assets and REA will leverage on the assets to raise close to N1 trillion, so that we will continue to intervene even if there is no availability…

President Bola Tinubu said Monday in Abuja that human capital flight can be reversed by improving the economy, developing bottom-up policies that address needs, and deepening citizens’ collective sense of ownership. President Tinubu, who inaugurated the Planning Committee for the National Youth Conference at the State House, assured that the ongoing economic reforms were designed to strengthen the economy for the prosperity of Nigerian youths, who constitute more than 60 per cent of the population. “I want to reassure you that you are the hope of this country, and everything hangs on you. Every decision that I have taken is…

President Bola Tinubu, on Monday night in Abuja, called on political leaders in the country to channel more resources and policies toward catering to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. The President, who hosted governors, members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Service Chiefs, and some selected Heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to break the Ramadan fast at the State House, urged leaders to be selfless and work for the people’s benefit. “I thank you all for responding to this invitation. You honoured it out of respect, not because you don’t have enough to eat or share”,…

The leadership of Heritage Energy & Oil Services Limited and its joint venture partners recently visited the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and received assurances of support for their operations on oil mining lease (OML) 30. The meeting held at NCDMB’s Lagos liaison office, and the oil company visited with their JV Partners, Shoreline Natural Resources, and NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL). Heritage is the operator of OML 30 on behalf of Shoreline/NEPCL JV, and the discussions focused on the short, medium, and long term plans around their asset. The…

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tony Okocha, has given Governor Siminalayi Fubara an ultimatum to either resign or face impeachment. Speaking at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday, Okocha condemned the governor’s recent invitation to pro-Wike members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, describing it as a “Greek gift.” Fubara had extended an invitation to the legislators following a Supreme Court ruling, aiming to resolve the prolonged political crisis in the state. In a statement released on Sunday and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, key…

The immediate-past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufa’i, has resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress and defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP). In a statement he issued on Monday, El-Rufai expressed his disappointment with the APC’s leadership style, accusing the leadership of the party of straying from the progressive ideals of its founding members He disclosed that he had expressed concerns both privately and publicly over the party’s trajectory in the past two years but found no willingness among the current leadership to address the issues. The former governor said, “Developments in the last two years on the…