Author: Vardiafrica

FIFA Secretary-General Mattias Grafstrom has expressed confidence that Iran will participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite ongoing regional tensions and concerns surrounding visas and entry arrangements. Speaking after a meeting with Mehdi Taj in Istanbul on Saturday, May 16, Grafstrom described the talks as “excellent” and “constructive”. “We’ve had an excellent meeting and constructive meeting together with the Iran football association,” Grafstrom told Reuters. “We’re working closely together and looking very much forward to welcoming them in the FIFA World Cup.” Iran are scheduled to play all three of their Group G matches in the United States during…

President Museveni has endorsed plans for a proposed East African regional refinery championed by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, saying the project aligns with Uganda’s long-standing position against exporting raw materials without value addition. The development happened on Sunday after Museveni met Dangote at Nakasero State Lodge. After the meeting, Museveni said the discussions focused on the proposed refinery and the wider need for regional industrial cooperation. “Today at Nakasero, I met Mr. Aliko Dangote and we discussed the proposed East African regional refinery,” Museveni said The President said Uganda had deliberately delayed crude oil production because government wanted to first…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern. In a statement issued on Saturday, the WHO said the outbreak does not yet meet the threshold for a pandemic emergency under the International Health Regulations. The agency said the declaration followed consultations with authorities in DR Congo and Uganda over the escalating spread of the virus and the risk of cross-border transmission. According to the WHO, as of Saturday, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases, and 80 suspected deaths had been recorded in…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday conducted House of Representatives primary elections across several states ahead of the 2027 general elections, producing a mix of elected and consensus candidates in different federal constituencies. The primaries were initially scheduled for Friday but were later postponed to Saturday by the party. Ahead of the exercise, President Bola Tinubu cautioned party members against infighting and “do-or-die” politics, urging aspirants, delegates and party leaders to conduct themselves peacefully while upholding the principles of internal democracy, fairness and sportsmanship. In Katsina State, Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari, son of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, defeated…

President Bola Tinubu has welcomed aircraft maker Airbus’ proposal to establish maintenance and hangar facilities in Nigeria. President Tinubu also urged the accelerated delivery of attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to strengthen security operations and national development priorities. The President spoke during a meeting with a delegation from the global aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, led by the Head of Regional Business Growth for Africa and the Middle East, Mr. Thierry Cloutet, on the sidelines of the Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda. President Tinubu emphasised Nigeria’s urgent need for modern helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft capable of supporting security operations, logistics and…

At least five persons have been confirmed dead, while 10 others were rescued alive after a three-storey building under construction collapsed on Saturday morning in the Durumi 3 area near Gudu Market in Abuja. The Federal Capital Territory Administration confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Mr Lere Olayinka. According to the statement, emergency responders are still carrying out rescue operations at the site amid fears that more victims may remain trapped beneath the rubble. “At least five persons have been confirmed dead…

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the second-in-command of ISIS globally, was killed during a joint counterterrorism operation carried out by American and Nigerian forces. The announcement was made by Trump on Friday via Truth Social, where he described the mission as a “meticulously planned and very complex operation” executed at his direction by U.S. forces and the Nigerian Armed Forces. The development marks a significant escalation in joint counterterrorism cooperation between Nigeria and the United States as both countries intensify efforts to contain the growing threat posed by ISIS and Al-Qaeda-linked insurgent groups across…

Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari, son of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has defeated Auwal Lawal Musa, son of former DSS Director-General Lawal Musa Daura, to win the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Daura/Sandamu/Mai’Adua Federal Constituency in Katsina State. The APC primary election was conducted peacefully, with stakeholders commending the orderly conduct of the exercise, which was supervised by the constituency APC committee alongside party leaders in line with the party’s internal democracy guidelines. The Returning Officer, Hon. Lawal Garba, who announced and certified the results, said the process followed established electoral procedures. According to the official figures, the…

President Bola Tinubu has said that no one is a citizen if he does not pay taxes to the constituted authority. Tinubu stated this, Friday at the Africa CEO Forum currently taking place in Rwanda. He said nobody wants to pay tax ordinarily but wants to enjoy the infrastructural facility built by the government. “Taxation is not friendly to the wealthy, the middle class, or the poor. Everyone wants development, but the question they don’t answer is how the government pays for it. “Every human being expects development, but the question they don’t answer is, how do you pay for it? You…

The ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a resolution directing member states to take immediate action toward protecting street children, ending child exploitation, and banishing them from the streets in the sub-region. The lawmakers adopted the landmark resolution during the parliament’s ongoing 2026 First Ordinary Session on Thursday in Abuja. They also mandated the parliament’s speaker to transmit the resolution and the joint committee report to the ECOWAS Commission’s president for onward submission to the chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers. The MPs noted that street children, who are usually exposed to the gravest human rights abuses, were among the most…