Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Prime Minister Terrance Michael Drew have agreed to appoint special envoys to advance bilateral engagement, strengthen existing areas of cooperation, and ensure that the partnership yields gains for both nations and the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Prime Minister Drew disclosed this on Thursday while briefing State House Correspondents after a courtesy visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, where both leaders assessed existing bilateral engagements and considered new strategic cooperation. According to him, the move to designate special envoys in Abuja and Basseterre is intended to reinforce institutional follow-through on…

The Federal Government (FG) has introduced a newly developed chicken breed and 57 crop varieties to boost meat availability, enhance food security and improve Nigerians’ nutritional well-being. This was announced in Ibadan on Thursday at the 36th meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries. The meeting, organised by the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), was presided over by the Chairman of the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC), Soji Olufajo. Mr Olufajo explained that the registration and release of the new chicken breed and the 57 high-yield varieties from 14…

The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has submitted a comprehensive framework for the establishment of state police to the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, as part of ongoing efforts to decentralise policing in Nigeria. The framework was presented on Thursday at the National Assembly in Abuja to Senator Jibrin, who also chairs the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution. According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Deputy President of the Senate on Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, the 75-page document was submitted on behalf of the IGP by Professor Olu Ogunsakin,…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a four-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to begin implementing the newly approved salary structure for university lecturers. ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, announced this on Thursday during a public lecture at Sa’adu Zungur University, Yuli Campus, Bauchi. He said the union expects immediate commencement of payment under the revised structure, which was agreed upon after lengthy negotiations. “We have issued a four-day ultimatum from today to the Federal Government to begin the payment of the newly approved salary structure. Failure to comply will attract a strong response from the union,” Piwuna…

An Abuja High Court has discharged former Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, and her former aide, Gloria Odita, from a N2.5 billion fraud charge following a plea bargain reached with the prosecution. Justice Hamza Muazu ordered their discharge after the prosecution formally discontinued the case against them, having secured a plea agreement with parties involved. However, the court proceeded to convict two companies linked to the former minister—Sobora International Limited and Global Offshore and Marine Limited on amended charges. The prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, informed the court that an amended two-count charge had been filed against the firms in…

The Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Aminu Maida has announced the introduction of the Telecoms Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) platform as part of efforts to strengthen digital security and curb telecom-related fraud in Nigeria. The EVC represented by the Executive Commissioner of Stakeholder Management, Rimini Makama at a stakeholders’ consultative forum in Abuja, emphasized the growing importance of mobile phone numbers, also known as Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Numbers (MSISDNs), as critical identifiers for financial transactions, digital authentication, and access to essential services. He noted that the misuse of recycled, churned, swapped, and…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the mandate of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PiCNG) in a new drive to reposition the initiative. The initiative will now be known as the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas and Electric Vehicles (PiCNG & EV). With this approval, PiCNG & EV will lead and coordinate Nigeria’s clean mobility strategy, covering gas-driven vehicles and Electric Vehicles nationwide. The Initiative will continue to drive the deployment of CNG infrastructure, including Mother and Daughter Stations, Integrated Refuelling Units, CNG vehicles and equipment, and nationwide conversion programmes. It will also anchor…

Oluremi Tinubu, Nigeria’s first lady, on Wednesday attended the “Fostering the future together summit” hosted by Melania Trump, her US counterpart, at the White House in Washington, DC. Oluremi was among 45 first ladies, including France’s Brigitte Macron, who attended the event aimed at “expanding access to educational tools” and protecting children in digital environments. Melania introduced an American-made humanoid system, Figure 3, marking the first time such technology was formally presented to international leaders in a diplomatic setting at the White House. “The future of AI is personified – it will be formed in the shape of humans. Very…

The International Olympic Committee said on Thursday only “biological females” will be allowed to compete in women’s events, preventing transgender women from competing. The IOC is re-introducing testing for gender to determine eligibility to take part in women’s events from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics onwards. The move will also rule out many athletes with differences in sexual development (DSD). In a major shift of policy, the IOC is abandoning rules it brought in in 2021 which allowed individual federations to decide their own policy and is instead implementing a policy across all Olympic sports. “Eligibility for any female category…