Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Tinubu has formally written to the Senate, seeking approval for a $516.3 million foreign syndicated loan to support the construction of the Sokoto–Badagry highway. In a communication read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, President Tinubu requested a resolution in line with Sections 16 and 21 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2011, to enable the Federal Government to secure the financing for Sections 1, Phase 1A, and 1B of the project. The loan facility is to be arranged through Deutsche Bank AG President Tinubu explained that the superhighway project is a flagship…

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, with a mandate to tackle the country’s massive housing deficit, revive abandoned housing schemes, and restore order to urban planning—especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The confirmation followed an extensive screening session on the floor of the upper chamber, during which lawmakers subjected the nominee to questions on housing policy, financing, urban development, and even national security. Moving the motion for confirmation, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), urged the chamber to approve President Bola Tinubu’s request in…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations of unlawfully accessing the telephone conversation of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. El-Rufai was brought before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday on a five-count amended charge bordering on alleged unlawful interception and related offences. At the commencement of proceedings, the prosecution informed the court that the initial three-count charge had been amended to five counts. Consequently, the presiding judge, Joyce Abdulmalik, struck out the earlier charges. The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) pleaded not guilty to…

The federal government, states and local government councils shared a total of N2.036 trillion as Federation Account revenue for March 2026. The figure was disclosed on Wednesday in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bala Mokwa. According to the statement, the total distributable revenue comprised N1.320 trillion in statutory revenue, N515.391 billion from value-added tax (VAT), and N200 billion as augmentation. A communiqué from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) indicated that gross statutory revenue rose to N1.699 trillion in March, up by N137.914 billion from the N1.561 trillion recorded…

President Bola Tinubu has approved debt relief for airline operators to cushion the impact of the rising operational costs in Nigeria’s aviation sector. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with airline operators and stakeholders following the looming threat of a nationwide strike over the sharp hike in Jet A1 fuel prices. Keyamo said the first request the operators presented to President Bola Tinubu, which the president has agreed to consider and grant, is “a generous discount” on debts owed by airlines to aviation agencies such as the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency…

The Presidency has clarified that the former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, and the former Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not dismissed. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that Edun tendered his resignation on health grounds before President Bola Tinubu announced his replacement on Tuesday. Onanuga also stated that Dangiwa similarly resigned from the Federal Executive Council and expressed gratitude to the President for the opportunity to serve. Following…

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has resigned as the Minister of Power to focus on his ambition to contest the governorship of Oyo State. His resignation, contained in a letter dated April 22, 2026 and addressed to President Bola Tinubu, takes effect from April 30, 2026. The letter was submitted through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and framed as a formal exit to allow for a smooth transition in office. In the correspondence, Adelabu said he was stepping down with what he described as “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude,” adding…

President Bola Tinubu met with former President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday at the State House in Abuja. The agenda of the meeting has not been made public by the presidency. The last time Jonathan met with Tinubu was in November 2025 after his return from Guinea-Bissau. The former president was in Guinea-Bissau as head of the West African Elders Forum Election Observation Mission to monitor the country’s presidential and legislative elections. His delegation was still carrying out its assignment when soldiers seized power, took control of key institutions, suspended the electoral process and announced that they would administer the state “until further notice”. The political tension sparked public…

Chelsea have sacked head coach Liam Rosenior after 106 days in charge of the club. Rosenior signed a five-and-a-half-year deal after arriving from French club Strasbourg, also owned by Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. But he managed just 11 wins in 23 matches across all competitions and Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat at Brighton was Chelsea’s fifth consecutive league defeat without scoring, the club’s worst scoreless run since 1912. Rosenior described the performance as “indefensible” and “unacceptable” after facing angry chants from Chelsea’s travelling supporters on the south coast. The defeat led to the Blues slipping to seventh in the Premier League, seven points behind Liverpool who occupy the…

The Federal Government on Wednesday arraigned six military officers, including retired senior personnel, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 13-count charge over an alleged failed coup plot aimed at overthrowing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. Court documents show that the charges include treason, terrorism, and conspiracy to wage war against the state. The defendants are accused of planning to storm the Presidential Villa, seize power, and topple the government. The arraignment is currently ongoing before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, with the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi,…