Author: Vardiafrica

Meta is introducing Teen Accounts to Facebook and Messenger. The feature, which automatically enrolls young users into an app experience with built-in protections, will be available on these platforms in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Canada before expanding to additional regions in the future. Teen Accounts first rolled out to Instagram last September after Instagram and other popular social networks were grilled by U.S. lawmakers for not doing enough to protect teens. As part of Tuesday’s announcement, Meta said it’s bringing new built-in protections for Teen Accounts on Instagram. With the expansion to Facebook and Messenger, teens will automatically be placed into an experience…

Niger’s junta has adopted Hausa as the national language in the place of French in a further break from Paris, its former colonial master. Since overthrowing civilian president Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, Niger’s military rulers have severed relations with France, kicking out French soldiers and renaming streets and monuments that bore French names. “The national language is Hausa” and “the working languages are English and French”, said a new charter published in a special edition of the official journal on March 31. Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso — all former French colonies now ruled by juntas — have quit the…

Eleven governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court, challenging the powers of President Bola Tinubu to suspend the elected Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, or declare a state of emergency in the state. The suit, filed on Tuesday through the Attorneys-General of their respective states, marks a significant constitutional face-off between the federal and state governments over the limits of presidential powers in Nigeria’s democratic structure. The governors who are plaintiffs in the case are from Adamawa, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Plateau, Delta, Taraba, Zamfara,…

Poised for a 70 per cent mark in Nigerian Content in the oil and gas industry by 2027, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Monday teamed up with Nigeria’s leading global brand in gas liquefaction, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited, to broaden the scope for participation of community vendors in the industry value chain. At a workshop themed “NLNG Community Vendors Capacity Development Programme,” attended by no fewer than 90 contractors drawn from oil- and gas-producing communities, the full gamut of industry operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream as well as opportunities was spotlighted by…

The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, says the Commission will establish a sports institute to coinsolidate the gains of the Niger Delta Sports Festival and enhance sports development in the Niger Delta region. Ogbuku announced this during the closing ceremony of the maiden Niger Delta Sports Festival organised by the NDDC at the Uyo Township Stadium, Akwa Ibom State. He noted that the sports fiesta brought together thousands of young athletes from across the nine Niger Delta states to compete in a wide range of sporting activities, aimed at fostering regional unity and discovering the next generation of…

The Rivers State Government has announced the appointment of Administrators for the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state The decision, approved by the Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, also includes the reconstitution of some Boards of Agencies, Commissions, and Parastatals that had earlier been suspended. According to the statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibibia Worika, the appointments are to take effect from Monday, April 7, 2025. Mr Okroiyobi Animiete Abua/OdualMr Goodluck M. Ihenacho Ahoada EastMr Promise Jacob Ahoada WestDr Tamunotonye Peters. Akuku ToruSurveyor Atajit Francis AndoniBarrister Ibiapuve Charles Asari ToruMr…

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has issued a stern warning to Nigerians, urging them to desist from paying ransom to terrorists, kidnappers, and criminal gangs. He said the Nigerian government is intensifying efforts to dismantle criminal networks across the country. Ribadu made the remarks on Tuesday in Kaduna State while receiving a fresh batch of over 60 kidnap victims, including a deputy director in the civil service and a relative of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah. The victims, who had been held in captivity for over a month, were reportedly rescued following a series of coordinated military operations…

The Nigerian Communications Commission has proposed 12-month grace period for subscribers to reclaim unused airtime on deactivated lines. The proposal was disclosed during a virtual stakeholder engagement forum held in Abuja on Tuesday. The Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner for Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama, said the initiative is part of efforts to balance consumer rights with operational realities in the telecommunications sector. Maida said the telecommunications industry has played a significant role in driving economic growth, financial inclusion, and digital transformation in Nigeria. According to him, the prevalence of…

Air Peace, Nigeria’s leading airline, is proud to announce the implementation of a new boarding arrangement aimed at delivering an even more seamless, convenient, and professional travel experience for all passengers. Under the new structure, boarding will now be prioritized in the following order: military personnel, passengers with wheelchairs or special needs, and business class passengers. This initiative reflects Air Peace’s ongoing commitment to elevating service standards and fostering a new culture of care, respect, professionalism and efficiency. “At Air Peace, we understand that time and comfort matter deeply to our passengers,” said Dr. Allen Onyema, Chairman/CEO, Air Peace Limited.…

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday in Kaduna State performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Phase I of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ). The SAPZ is part of a larger national programme, with Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Cross River, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) among states in the first phase of the project. Aimed at transforming Nigeria’s agriculture through innovation, private-sector investment, and strategic public partnerships, the zones are designed to create agro-industrial hubs that integrate farmers with processors, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand rural economic opportunities. Addressing dignitaries and stakeholders at the vast…