Author: Vardiafrica

Six vessels carrying about 1.7 million barrels of jet fuel from the Dangote refinery arrived at U.S. ports this month, data from ship-tracking service Kpler showed. Another vessel, Hafnia Andromeda, is set to arrive at the Everglades terminal on March 29 with a load of about 348,000 barrels of jet fuel, the data showed. U.S. jet fuel imports are set to hit a two-year high in March after the refinery pushed barrels to North America. Total U.S. jet fuel imports so far in March stood at around 226,000 bpd, the most since February 2023, the data showed. The development comes…

The Organised Labour has strongly condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, warning that it may be forced to take decisive action that could disrupt national economic activities if the proclamation is not reversed within a reasonable timeframe The threat was contained in a statement jointly signed by the Rivers State Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Alex Agwanwor; State Chairperson of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Ikechukwu Onyefuru; and Chairperson of the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), Chuku Emecheta. The labour unions raised concerns about the legality, economic impact, and consequences of the federal government’s…

World Athletics has confirmed all female athletes will undergo swab tests to determine if an athlete is biologically female. The global body’s president Sebastian Coe said the decision taken by the World Athletics Council was further evidence his organisation would ‘doggedly’ protect the female category. No timeline for the introduction of pre-clearance testing has been officially set out, but the PA news agency understands World Athletics’ intention is to have the testing in place for athletes wanting to compete in the female category at the World Championships in Tokyo in September. Coe said on Tuesday: ‘It’s important to do it…

Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu has flagged off the distribution of Professional kits to midwives provided by her pet project, the Renewed Hope Initiative, with a promise to spread this to Nurses generally as soon as possible. She was speaking at the flag off for the South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria held in Asaba, Delta State. The First Lady, who noted that the demands of the health profession goes beyond mere skills and compassion, pointed out that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is moving in the right direction to make healthcare delivery better in the country. She said that…

The Federal Government has ordered the immediate probe into the prison break incident at the Koton Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the order on Monday, according to his aide, Babatunde Alao. In a statement, the minister described the incident as unfortunate, and vowed to ensure all fleeing inmates are captured. The minister said his men would leverage the service’s biometrics and deployed technology solutions to capture the escapees. Advertisement Tunji-Ojo also ordered the Acting Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Sylvester Ndidi, to visit the facility in Kogi to evaluate the…

US and Russian officials opened talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday on a partial ceasefire in the Ukraine war, a day after delegates from Washington and Kyiv had their own discussions. US President Donald Trump is pushing for a rapid end to the three-year war and hopes talks in Riyadh could pave the way for a breakthrough. Both sides have proposed different plans for temporary ceasefires, but cross-border attacks have meanwhile continued unabated. Originally planned to take place simultaneously to enable shuttle diplomacy — with the United States going back and forth between the delegations — the talks are now…

Twelve inmates escaped in an early morning jailbreak at the Federal Correctional Centre in Kotonkarfe, Kogi State, on Monday. Kogi State Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo, described the incident as “unfortunate” and assured citizens that the government, working with security agencies, would take steps to prevent a recurrence. According to him, law enforcement agencies have re-arrested one of the escapees. “The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns. “This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the…

The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with Africa Plus Partners, today flagged off the 125km Benin–Asaba Expressway Project in Edo State, marking a significant milestone in the country’s infrastructure development and a testament to the power of private sector partnership. The groundbreaking ceremony, which took place at the project site in Benin-City, the Edo State Capital, was performed by the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He lauded the financing structure, noting that,This is a legacy project. For private investors to risk their capital, it shows belief in the President’s vision and the…

President Bola Tinubu has affirmed his administration’s resolve to equip Nigerian youths with the required skills to enable them compete effectively as key players on the global stage. The President stated this when he officially launched the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday. He noted that as a peculiar nation with a median age of 17 years, Nigeria is one of the youngest populations in the world. President Tinubu listed areas the government intends to train the young population to include world-class training in digital literacy, technical skills, entrepreneurship, and the…

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria has denied any links to militant groups in the state, warning against fake social media posts. In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Nelson, it said “For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Siminalayi Fubara has no link to any militant group…He would pay any price to secure and sustain peace in the State.” The governor warned purveyors of violence and economic sabotage to steer clear of the state and cautioned bloggers and social media influencers to stop spreading fake reports. Security agencies have been urged…