Author: Vardiafrica

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, is currently holding discussions with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, and members of his delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja. The meeting aims to strengthen bilateral relations between Nigeria and China, with a focus on cooperation in key sectors such as trade, investment, health, technology, and infrastructure development. In his opening remarks, Tuggar reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to fostering a more resilient relationship with China. He also highlighted President Tinubu’s visit to China in September 2024, during which four Memoranda of Understanding were signed, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to the…

The Federal Government has confirmed plans to increase telecoms tariffs but assured Nigerians it won’t be by 100% as requested by operators. The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijan, made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Wednesday. He said the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would come up with modalities for tariff adjustment in the telecoms industry. Tijani said, “We’ve look at a number of things in terms of how to ensure that can meaningfully contribute to the development of Nigeria. “Some of those things include implementing the Executive Order around ensuring that we can…

Key political figures, including former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and allies of ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar, held a private meeting with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party in Abuja on Tuesday. The closed-door meeting, which took place at the SDP national secretariat, has sparked speculations about potential political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Among the notable attendees were Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha an ex-presidential candidate and former Chief Security Officer to the late Gen Sani Abacha and Atiku’s former spokesman, Otunba Segun Showunmi. Although the specific agenda of the meeting was not disclosed, it is being described as part…

The House passed a bill on Tuesday that would target undocumented immigrants charged with nonviolent crimes for deportation, an opening salvo from a Republican majority that has vowed to deliver on President-elect Donald J. Trump’s promised crackdown at the border. The measure, which drew the support of 48 Democrats as well as all Republicans, appears to be on a path to enactment, having garnered bipartisan backing in the Senate, which plans to take it up on Friday. It is named after Laken Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student who was killed last year in Georgia by a migrant who had crossed…

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of  Éric Sékou Chelle as Head Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles. This was reached at its ”meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, 2nd January 2025, the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee had recommended the appointment of the former Coach of the senior men national team of Mali as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles.” ”This recommendation was on Tuesday, 7th January endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee,” the federation’s website revealed His appointment is with immediate effect, and he has the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to earn a ticket…

US President-elect, Donald Trump has repeated his warnings that all hell will break loose in the Middle East if hostages kidnapped by Hamas in the Gaza Strip are not released before his inauguration on January 20. “It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone,” Trump said during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. “All hell will break out. I don’t have to say anymore, but that’s what it is.” Trump also emphasized his strong support for Israel and his commitment to achieving peace in the region, noting that the conflict…

John Mahama has taken the oath of office as Ghana’s new president in a ceremony attended by world leaders. Mahama was sworn in at Black Star Square in Accra, the Ghanaian capital on Tuesday. The new president took over from Nana Akufo-Ado who succeeded him in 2017. Before Mahama’s swearing-in, Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang was inaugurated as the country’s first female vice president. The Chief Justice of Ghana Gertrude Torkornoo administered the oath of office at the event. “Today should mark the opportunity to reset our country,” the 66-year-old new president, wearing the West African country’s national dress, told a jubilant…

Dictator Kim Jong Un has declared that serving hotdogs was an act of treason, The Sun reports, amid the rising popularity of a South Korean dish inspired by the US. People caught selling or cooking hot dogs face the prospect of time in the country’s infamous labour camps, where it has also been decreed that divorcees could also be jailed. As part of the regime’s efforts to quash capitalist culture among citizens, it has forbidden the sale of budae-jjigae – a dish imported from its neighbour South Korea. The spicy Korean-American hotpot includes hot dogs or spam among its ingredients. It was born from meats discarded…

The United States Congress, presided over by Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, has certified Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory ahead of the inauguration slated to hold in two weeks. Reuters reports that the certification of Trump’s victory was done during a plenary session held on Monday. The event was held peacefully and without any disruption like what was witnessed four years ago when a mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in a failed bid to block the certification of then-President Trump’s 2020 loss to Democratic President Joe Biden. In November 2024, SaharaReporters reported how Donald Trump pulled off…

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has confirmed an alleged bomb explosion in an Abuja school. In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Police SP Josephine Adeh, it was revealed that two of the principal suspects died in the explosion while tampering with the improvised explosive device (IED). The statement stated that the Command Bomb Squad revealed that it was an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion, as remnants of the device had been recovered. “The FCT Police Command regrets to inform the public of a tragic incident involving a suspected bomb explosion that occurred on…