Author: Vardiafrica

South Africa secured a place in the knockout rounds of the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history after edging South Korea 1-0 in their final Group A fixture. A second-half strike from Thapelo Maseko proved decisive at the Estadio Monterrey in Guadalupe, Mexico, as Bafana Bafana clinched second place in the group and booked a historic place in the Round of 32. The result marked a remarkable turnaround for Hugo Broos’ side, who began their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Mexico. South Africa responded by collecting the points needed to keep their World Cup dream alive and…

A fresh wave of relief and homecoming unfolded at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday night as another batch of Nigerians evacuated from South Africa arrived on home soil, marking the latest phase of a government-backed repatriation effort aimed at bringing stranded citizens back safely. A statement by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on Thursday noted that they arrived at about 8:50 PM on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 The Commission described the evacuation exercise, approved by President Bola Tinubu, as part of the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to the safety and welfare of Nigerian citizens abroad. The first…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo) and Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL), has commenced a 12-month Human Capacity Development (HCD) programme aimed at equipping young Nigerians with critical competencies required to support supply base operations within the oil and gas industry. The programme, which kicked off on Tuesday, at the LADOL free zone, Apapa, Lagos, will train 12 beneficiaries through a structured combination of classroom learning and practical industry exposure in specialised areas that support logistics, trade, procurement, and supply chain operations. Speaking at the ceremony, the Executive…

The flag-off ceremony for the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), TotalEnergies, and PIDWAL Nigerian Content Human Capital Development (NC-HCD) project for provision of drillship for the multibillion-dollar Egina Project took place in Port Harcourt on Tuesday with 34 maritime cadets set for 12 months of training in seafaring. The training, to be provided by Stoilic Group, a leading indigenous maritime, energy, oil and gas solutions provider, covers sea time and certificate of competency (COC). Sea time is for graduates needing practical onboard exposure before advancing their maritime career. It involves pre-embarkation training and 12-month placement on board ocean-going…

Facebook is relaunching Creator Studio as a standalone AI-powered companion app designed to help creators grow on the platform, the company announced on Wednesday. The tech giant is unveiling the Creator Studio while simultaneously redesigning its in-app creator tools and splitting its Professional Dashboard into two distinct products for creators and businesses. It described the new Creator Studio as an AI-first experience that personalises strategy, surfaces daily priorities, and helps creators manage community engagement, all from a dedicated space separate from the main Facebook app. Facebook said it is currently working with a small community of creators to build and…

The leadership of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the NLNG Ltd have reaffirmed recommitment to deepen the existing close collaboration between the agencies, towards enhancing in-country value addition from operations of the gas processing and marketing company, for the benefit of the Nigerian economy. This renewed commitment was made on Wednesday when the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Engr. Adeleye Falade paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe at the Board’s liaison office in Lagos. Speaking during the visit, Falade said the company remains focused on deepening…

The Senate on Wednesday passed the bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria. The upper chamber approved the bill after considering the report of its Committee on the Review of the Constitution, presented by Barau Jibrin, its chairman. The bill’s clauses were considered at the Committee of the Whole before its final passage. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the passage of the bill after more than two-thirds of the senators voted in support via a manual voting process in which they raised their hands. The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, led the debate on the bill before lawmakers proceeded…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is set to commence the issuance of the Nigerian Content Trainers Registration Certificate (NCTRC), as part of its commitment to strengthening local competencies and promoting professional standards within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The initiative was unveiled on Tuesday during a sensitization workshop held with members of the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria (OGTAN) in Lagos. Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, Infrastructure and Capacity Building Directorate, Barr Sheba Olugbenga, said the NCTRC was developed to establish a…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has officially sworn in four new senators representing Rivers, Nasarawa, Enugu, and Ondo following recent INEC bye-elections. The President of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday officially administered the oath of office to four newly elected senators. The lawmakers secured their seats during the recent bye-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill vacancies across four senatorial districts. The newly inaugurated lawmakers are: Senator Olaka Nwogu (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) – Rivers South East Senator Envulu Anza (All Progressives Congress, APC) – Nasarawa North Senator Ikeje Asogwu (All Progressive Congress/APC) –…

President Bola Tinubu has written to the Senate, seeking the confirmation of the immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Sunday Fashina, as a non-career ambassador/high commissioner-designate. The request was conveyed in a letter read during Wednesday’s plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who subsequently referred the nomination to the Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening and further legislative action. In the correspondence, Tinubu said the nomination was made in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and urged lawmakers to expedite consideration of the request. The letter…