Author: Vardiafrica

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says he will not again support Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers. Wike spoke on Friday during an interview on Channels Television. “I will never support Fubara again in my political life. I won’t do that. Everyone knows me,” he said. Wike said he laboured and sacrificed for Fubara to become Rivers governor in 2023. He added that the governor could not have won the election in the state without his support. The FCT minister accused Fubara of telling lies against him after he was elected as governor. “I will never support…

The Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has announced the donation of N2 billion to assist those affected by the recent devastating flood in Maiduguri, Borno State capital. Dangote explained that while the Presidential Committee on Flood and Disaster, which he chairs, has committed 1 billion naira, the Dangote Foundation will donate an additional 1 billion naira. “We have a Presidential Committee on Flood and Disaster which I chair. They have already committed about 1 billion, and the Aliko Dangote Foundation will also give another 1 billion. We will definitely give this two billion as early as…

The Borno state government has established a relief fund that will provide urgent assistance to those affected by the recent flooding within Maiduguri and its environs. A statement, Friday, by Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi, disclosed that the government aims to mobilise support from citizens, organisations, and international partners to alleviate the suffering of flood victims and facilitate their recovery “The recent floods have caused significant destruction, displacement of families and damage to vital infrastructure. “Faced with this humanitarian crisis, the Borno state government calls on all individuals and groups to contribute to…

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates one billion followers across all social media platforms, thanking fans for their unwavering support. Football icon Cristiano Ronaldo has reached a monumental milestone, becoming the first athlete to amass 1 billion followers across his social media platforms. The legendary forward took to X (formerly Twitter), to share his excitement and gratitude with his fanbase, marking this achievement as a significant testament to the shared journey between him and his supporters. In his tweet, Ronaldo emphasised that this milestone goes beyond mere numbers. He described it as a reflection of the passion, drive, and love for football that…

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Thursday announced he had dissolved the opposition-dominated parliament and set new legislative elections for November 17. “I have dissolved the National Assembly to ask the sovereign people for the institutional means that would allow me to give substance to the systemic transformation that I promised them,” Faye said on national television. “Today, more than ever, the time has come to open a new phase in our term,” the 44-year-old head of state said. Faye swept to a presidential victory in March 2024 on a promise of radical change for the West African nation. Along…

The United State has called for two new permanent seats on the UN Security Council for African nations, alongside a rotating seat for island states — but insisted they not have a veto. US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, made the call on Thursday while delivering a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations. “I’m announcing the United States supports three additional changes to the Security Council,” she said. According to Thomas-Greenfield, this would include “creating two permanent seats for Africa.” The ambassador explained that “the United States supports creating a new elected seat on the Security Council for…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the MVA-BN vaccine as the first vaccine against mpox to be added to its prequalification list. The prequalification approval is expected to facilitate timely and increased access to this vital product in communities with urgent need, to reduce transmission and help contain the outbreak. WHO’s assessment for prequalification is based on information submitted by the manufacturer, Bavarian Nordic A/S, and review by the European Medicines Agency, the regulatory agency of record for this vaccine. “This first prequalification of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has imposed a fine of ₦1.69bn on Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) for overbilling customer According to NERC, the fine is based on AEDC’s non-compliance with the commission’s previous order on capping estimated billing for electricity consumers. The penalty was contained in documented ‘Order NERC/2024/114’ issued the commission. The fine is part of the commission’s September 2024 Supplementary Order, dated August 30 and signed by Vice Chairman, Musiliu Oseni, and Commissioner, Legal, Licensing and Compliance, Dafe Akpeneye, obtained by Channels Television on NERC’s website on Thursday. After investigating AEDC’s billing practices, NERC identified that the…

President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the National Bureau of Statistics’s new report which states that Nigeria recorded another trade surplus in the second quarter of 2024, hitting ₦6.95tn. According to the report, the current surplus is 6.60 per cent higher than the ₦6.52tn surplus recorded in the first quarter. In a statement by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu expressed confidence in the reforms his administration is pursuing, and believed they will create a more robust economy that will usher in a new era of prosperity for Nigerians. The NBS report, according to the presidential…

The Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NPDC) on Tuesday at the Nigerian Content Tower (NCT), corporate headquarters of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Yenagoa, tasked organisations in the country to treat personal data as highly sensitive information by instituting appropriate measures to minimise data breaches. Speaking at a one-day Data Protection and Privacy Induction Training for staff of the Board, facilitators drew attention to the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023, which aims “to safeguard the rights of individuals regarding their personal data and establish guidelines for organisations handling such data,” while highlighting multiple vulnerabilities in current data management…