Author: Vardiafrica

The university of Port Harcourt, represented by innovation Team PROTRONICS, and the University of Benin, by Team VHORDE, on Monday at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT), Yenagoa, emerged winners from the South-South region in the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO). The competition is a nationwide engineering, innovation and entrepreneurship competition launched in 2025 by a non-profit organization, Enactus Nigeria, in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). The two teams eclipsed their counterparts from the Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State,…

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) is set to host the 2026 Oil & Gas Midstream & Downstream Stakeholders Summit. The event is scheduled to hold from May 19–20, 2026, at Four Points by Sheraton Lagos, Victoria Island, Lagos. The summit is designed to bring together key decision-makers, government officials, regulators, institutional investors, financiers, operators, and EPC contractors to explore emerging opportunities within Nigeria’s rapidly evolving midstream and downstream sectors. The summit will be hosted by the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe. Against the backdrop of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which continues to strengthen transparency and create a more investor…

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), in collaboration with the Joint Revenue Board (JRB), has announced the implementation of the taxpayer identification (tax ID) system. In a statement on Monday, the agencies said the development is in line with Sections 6, 7 and 8 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, which mandate every taxable person in Nigeria to obtain a tax ID. According to the agencies, the initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen tax administration, enhance transparency, and improve service delivery across the nation’s tax system. “The Tax ID will serve as a single, unified identity for all…

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed airlines, airport operators and other aviation stakeholders to intensify public health surveillance measures following the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. In a circular dated May 18, 2026, the NCAA said the directive became necessary due to growing concerns over the spread of the disease and the critical role of the aviation sector in preventing cross-border transmission. The authority noted that although no confirmed case linked to the outbreak has been recorded in Nigeria, it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has announced a reduction in the price of aviation fuel, also known as jet A1, to N1,650 per litre from N1,750 per litre. In a statement on Tuesday, the refinery said the move is aimed at easing cost pressures on airlines and ensuring an uninterrupted petrol supply across the country. The refinery also introduced a 30-day interest-free credit facility for marketers and airline operators backed by bank guarantees (BG), while transitioning from a dollar-denominated pricing structure to a naira-based model. “This is in addition to a 30-day interest-free credit facility backed by bank guarantees (BG)…

Togo has announced a visa exemption for all African nationals, in a move aimed at advancing continental integration and easing the movement of people across the continent. It joins countries like Rwanda, which has scrapped visa fees for African travellers. In a statement issued on Monday, May 18, the country’s Minister of Security, Colonel Calixte Batossie Madjoulba, said the decision took immediate effect and applies to all citizens of African states holding valid national passports. “The Minister of Security informs the national and international community of the decision taken by the President of the Council to grant, effective today, Monday, May 18,…

A fire outbreak has disrupted activities at the oncology unit of the National Hospital, Abuja, forcing the emergency evacuation of patients and medical personnel from the facility. The incident, believed to have been triggered by an electrical fault, was however swiftly contained before it spread to other sections of the hospital. Patients receiving treatment at the oncology department on Monday, including those undergoing emergency care and chemotherapy sessions, were moved to safer units within the hospital as a precautionary measure. Although the fire was extinguished without casualties, traces of smoke continued to linger around the affected area hours after the…

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has said the deployment of Nigerian troops to the Republic of Benin was aimed at defending democracy, ensuring security, and supporting peaceful electoral processes in the West African sub-region. Shaibu disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference held in Abuja. According to him, the deployment under Operations Atileyin Alaafia 1 and 2 reflects Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening regional security architecture and promoting collective responses to emerging threats across neighbouring countries. “Consequently, we have continued to disrupt criminals’ networks, degrade adversary capabilities and restore…

THE  Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has announced the continuation of coordinated military operations with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) against Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in Nigeria’s North-East, with fresh airstrikes reportedly killing more than 20 militants in the Metele area of Borno State. In a statement on Monday, May 16, the Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, said the strikes were carried out following intelligence on the “convergence and migration” of terrorist fighters within the region. According to the military, the latest operation formed part of sustained offensives aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and denying insurgents safe havens across the…

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of ₦100 million with one surety in like sum. Delivering the ruling, Justice Abdulmalik imposed a series of stringent conditions the defendant must meet before perfecting the bail. The court held that the proposed surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property at the court registry. The surety is also required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level…