Author: Vardiafrica

President Bola Tinubu yesterday said the removal of fuel subsidy by his administration three years ago saved the country from imminent bankruptcy and laid the foundation for the gradual recovery of the nation’s economy. Tinubu spoke in Ikoyi, Lagos, while hosting state governors who came to celebrate with him the Sallah and the third anniversary of the administration. In attendance were the Governors of Lagos, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Taraba, Niger, Ekiti, Delta, Ondo, Edo, Adamawa, Benue, Enugu, Ogun, and Kogi States, as well as the deputy governors of Borno and Kano. The President acknowledged that the decision to remove…

Speaking during a meeting with Environmental Impact Assessment consultants at the Commission’s headquarters, the Director, Environmental Protection and Control, Mrs Anthonia Akpan, said the Commission had recorded significant progress in resolving long-standing EIA certification issues affecting projects awarded in the 2014, 2016, and 2022 fiscal cycles. Akpan noted that delays in obtaining environmental approvals and certificates from the Federal Ministry of Environment had slowed down project delivery and negatively impacted communities expected to benefit from the projects. She explained that following a formal appeal submitted by the Commission to the Minister of Environment, the Ministry approved waivers and concessions to…

The Economic Community of West African States has made a bold move to accelerate regional economic integration, with a high-level delegation making a working visit to one of Africa’s most powerful business figures — Aliko Dangote — at the Dangote Group headquarters in Lagos. The ECOWAS Commission delegation was led by Commissioner of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Kalilou Sylla, alongside Commissioner of Internal Services, Habib Yaya Bappah, and Gerard Amoi Amangoua, Technical President of the Technical Working Group for the ECOWAS Business Council — signaling just how seriously the regional bloc is taking this initiative. At the heart of the…

The World Health Organization on Friday announced the first recovery of a confirmed Ebola patient in the outbreak raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “The DRC has said that on May 27, a patient recovered and left the hospital and has been discharged into the community,” the WHO’s Anais Legand told reporters. She said it marked the “first” among patients who had been confirmed to have Ebola, but stressed that she expected there had been other recoveries among people who have not yet received laboratory confirmation of test results. “This is the first one” to be discharged from a…

Nigeria’s telecom operators are introducing new transparency tools aimed at addressing long-running complaints from subscribers who believe their mobile data disappears faster than expected. The move follows years of consumer frustration over rapid data depletion, a problem that has repeatedly ranked among the most common complaints received by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). According to industry reports, mobile network operators are now considering the rollout of a “data calculator” system that will allow subscribers to monitor how their internet data is consumed daily across apps, background processes and device activities. The initiative is expected to provide users with clearer visibility…

The African Development Bank Group and the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Wednesday launched the Humanitarian and Resilience Investing (HRI) Roadmap for Africa to channel private investment into Africa’s most fragile economies. The HRI Roadmap for Africa sets out a coordinated, country-led approach to mobilising commercial and catalytic capital in underserved frontier markets and transition states, regions where the investment gap is most acute and the enabling conditions for private investment have historically been weakest. The roadmap’s development responds to a structural paradox at the heart of Africa’s financing challenge: the continent faces an annual development financing gap of…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu says Nigeria is gradually recovering from economic and structural challenges following difficult reforms introduced by his administration over the last three years. In a nationwide address to mark the third anniversary of his administration, President Tinubu acknowledged the hardship Nigerians have endured but assured citizens that their sacrifices were not in vain. The President said his administration inherited severe economic difficulties, including unsustainable fuel subsidies, exchange-rate distortions, rising debt servicing costs, insecurity, and declining public confidence in institutions. According to him, Nigeria spent as much as eighteen point four billion naira daily on petrol subsidy at…

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has ordered the nationwide deployment of personnel and operational assets to ensure a peaceful and secure Eid-el-Kabir celebration across the country. In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, the IGP extended Sallah greetings to Muslims in Nigeria and reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding lives and property during the festive period. He directed Commissioners of Police and Tactical Commanders across all state commands and the Federal Capital Territory to intensify security deployments and adopt proactive policing measures in their areas of responsibility.…

 An intensive three-week empowerment and human capacity development (HCD) programme began at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Training Centre, Effurun, on Monday as 100 youths of Delta Central Senatorial District underwent appropriate formalities for training in scaffolding and rigging. Sponsored by Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central) in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), the programme covers training on equipment handling, installation methods, maintenance practices, safety procedures, and workplace hazard prevention. Each participant is to receive an internationally recognised certificate of competency as well as starter packs, which include important working tools, safety equipment, and other materials…

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the outcome of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary election, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement during the exercise held on Monday. In a post on his X handle on Tuesday ahead of the official announcement of the results, Amaechi said the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party. “Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” he stated. Amaechi, one of the three…