Author: Vardiafrica

The 79th meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a committee chaired by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, to interface with the parties fighting over the office of the National Secretary and report back to the board in a couple of weeks. In a 10 points communique issued at the end of its BoT meeting held at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital and read by the BoT chairman, Senator Adolphous Wabara they resolved as follows: 1. The BoT expresses serious concerns over the unresolved challenges facing the Party especially…

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority consumer protection director Michael Achimugu says the regulator has been compiling “organisational risk profiles” for scheduled operators, including Max Air. This project is “nearing its conclusion”, he says. “However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for a period of three months…to allow for an internal appraisal of its operations by its management,” Achimugu adds. Over the period of suspension the regulator will perform a “thorough safety and economic audit” of Max Air, examining its organisation, procedures, aircraft and personnel, as well as analysing its financial health to assess…

The Federal Government of Nigeria has said it will introduce financial incentives for students learning in technical and vocational schools as part of a broader reform to strengthen the country’s workforce. This was revealed by education minister Tunji Alausa while speaking on Channels television. Alausa outlined a four-step plan aimed at increasing enrolment in vocational institutions and addressing Nigeria’s human capacity gaps. He confirmed that students in these schools would receive financial support, saying, “We would pay students to go to those schools. We’ve modelled how much we’re going to pay them when we roll the programme out.” The reform…

The Federal Government of Nigeria has said it will introduce financial incentives for students learning in technical and vocational schools as part of a broader reform to strengthen the country’s workforce. This was revealed by education minister Tunji Alausa while speaking on Channels television. Alausa outlined a four-step plan aimed at increasing enrolment in vocational institutions and addressing Nigeria’s human capacity gaps. He confirmed that students in these schools would receive financial support, saying, “We would pay students to go to those schools. We’ve modelled how much we’re going to pay them when we roll the programme out.” The reform…

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, in company with senior officials of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) on Tuesday undertook a tour of facilities at Brightwaters Energy Limited, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The tour to the company’s facilities at Choba, Port Harcourt, and Emohua in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State was a follow up to the NCDMB’s boss earlier visit to the company and some pipe coating facilities in May 2024. At that visit he pledged the Board’s support for local service companies, giving them opportunities in the…

West African regional bloc ECOWAS on Wednesday officially recognised the exit of three of its former members Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic which became effective today, January 29, 2025, upon the expiration of a one-year notice period. However, in “the spirit of regional solidarity”, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) asked its member countries to still recognise the national passports of the three exiting countries bearing the ECOWAS logo until further notice. In a statement, ECOWAS Authority also said its doors remain open for more engagements with the three countries and thus requested its member states to:…

President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after Tanzania He had left Nigeria for the East African country to participate in the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Two days later, the presidential aircraft touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at approximately 7:40 PM. He was received by top government officials including the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila among others. The two-day summit is being hosted by the government of Tanzania, the African Union, the African Development Bank…

Their imminent departure from the bloc, alongside Mali, has fractured the region and is leaving the ECOWAS grouping with an uncertain future. The three junta-led countries formally notified ECOWAS of their plan for an “immediate” withdrawal in January 2024, citing the organisation’s excessive dependence on France in particular. Paris has become the common enemy of the three juntas, which now favour partnerships with countries such as Russia, Turkey and Iran. However, ECOWAS required one year’s notice for the departure to be effective — that deadline falls on Wednesday. The three Sahelian countries have teamed up to form a separate confederation…

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has been appointed as the new leader of the South-South Governors Forum. This decision was reached during Tuesday’s forum gathering at the Government House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. A communiqué released after the meeting indicated that the South-South Governors Forum convened to address crucial issues and strategies for the region’s unity and growth. The attending governors affirmed their dedication to cooperative governance, safeguarding the welfare of their citizens, and promoting sustainable development. The newly appointed chairman, Governor Douye Diri, is currently serving his second term as the governor of Bayelsa State. Other governors present…

The Lagos State House of Assembly has revealed plans to address corruption allegations against its former Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, following his return to the House. This was disclosed by the Assembly’s spokesperson, Olukayode Ogundipe, during an exclusive interview at the Assembly complex in Alausa, Ikeja, on Monday. Ogundipe stated, “Once he is physically present, the allegations against him will be addressed. There are reports of significant financial expenditures linked to him, and while we don’t know the source of some records, we will take necessary actions when he joins us.” Responding to inquiries about the possibility of involving the Economic…