Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has declared an indefinite nationwide strike beginning at 12:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, citing what it described as the Federal Government’s plan to halt the implementation of the revised Professional Allowance Table, a key component of agreements reached after its 2025 industrial action. The decision, which threatens to disrupt healthcare services across public hospitals in Nigeria, was reached at the end of the association’s virtual extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held on Saturday. Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, NARD National President, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim, described the development as “unfortunate,” blaming…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will today embark on an official visit to Ogun State, as the Gateway State prepares to witness the inauguration and inspection of a sweeping array of landmark projects—an indication of its bold stride toward infrastructural transformation, economic expansion, and improved service delivery. According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the President’s itinerary reflects a comprehensive showcase of strategic investments cutting across critical sectors. At the forefront of the visit is the inauguration of the Gateway International Airport, Iperu—an ambitious project designed to position Ogun State as a major aviation and logistics hub…

US President Donald Trump is seeking $1.5 trillion in defense spending as part of the White House’s fiscal 2027 budget request, a roughly 40 percent increase from 2026 funding levels. The proposal released Friday, March 3, said a base of $1.1 trillion will be specifically for the Department of Defense, while $350 billion will be requested through Congress’s budget reconciliation process for “critical Administration priorities” like more munitions and defense industrial base expansions. It also mentions the president’s planned “Golden Dome” missile defense system. The funding request, prepared by White House budget chief Russell Vought, comes as the United States…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday assured the people of Plateau State that the federal government will deploy an artificial intelligence-enabled network of over 5,000 digital cameras to help law enforcement agencies combat insecurity in the state. Tinubu made the promise in an address during his visit to Jos, the Plateau State capital, in the aftermath of the March 29 gun attacks that claimed the lives of innocent citizens in the Angwan Rukuba district of Jos North Local Government Area. He commiserated with the government and people of the state, saying, “I promise you that this experience will not repeat itself.”…

Chelsea have announced the biggest pre-tax loss in Premier League history. The £262m deficit for 2024-25 eclipses the £197.5m lost by Manchester City in 2011. It comes despite Chelsea bringing in £490.9m in revenue, which the club says is the second highest total in their history. In 2024-25 the Blues won the Uefa Conference League and Club World Cup, and finished fourth in the Premier League. The club insist they remain compliant with financial regulations such as Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) which allow losses of £105m over three years. Figures used to calculate this are different to the pure pre-tax loss. Chelsea have spent more…

President Bola Tinubu has consoled residents and families of victims of Sunday’s deadly attack in Jos, Plateau State, which left at least 28 people dead and 22 others injured, assuring them that such an incident will not recur. He gave the assurance during his visit to Jos on Thursday, where he interacted with government officials, traditional leaders, and affected families, among others. “To the victims, there is nothing I can give you, whether in billions of naira, but I can console you and promise that this experience will not repeat itself,” Tinubu Speaking directly to the woman seen holding her…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday received Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The visit comes three days after the deadly Palm Sunday attack in Angwan Rukuba district of Jos, which left no fewer than 28 people dead. According to the State House media office, the governor arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 6:45 p.m. The meeting followed an earlier directive by the President summoning the governor for discussions over the worsening security situation in the North-Central state. In the wake of the killings, the Commander-in-Chief had described the attack as barbaric, vowing that…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will no longer accept correspondences from either faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark or Rafiu Bala, following its review of the March 12 court of appeal judgement. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mohammed Kudu, INEC commissioner for information and voter education, said the commission will also refrain from engaging with both groups or monitoring their meetings, congresses, and conventions pending the determination of the case before the federal high court. Kudu said INEC received a letter from the law firm of Suleiman Usman SAN & Co.…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has formally concluded its 24-month banking sector recapitalisation programme, confirming that 33 of the country’s licensed banks have fully satisfied the revised minimum capital requirements introduced in March 2024. The programme, which required Nigerian banks to raise a combined N4.65 trillion in new capital, has been described by the apex bank as one of the most significant structural interventions in the country’s financial history. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the CBN confirmed that all banks operating across Nigeria remain fully operational, with no disruption to customer services at any point during the 24-month…

The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, on Wednesday held a closed-door meeting with members of the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the Government House in Bauchi. The delegation included the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, and the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf. It was learnt that only the three politicians attended the meeting, as other members of the state party executives were excluded. The media was also barred from covering the meeting. Governor Mohammed and Nentawe Yilwatda declined to grant interviews, describing the visit as private. The meeting came a day after the governor…