Author: Vardiafrica

Africa has everything it takes to become a “renewable superpower”, United Nations head Antonio Guterres said on Aug 21, as he called for greater investment in green energy across the resource-rich continent. Mr Guterres spoke at a three-day development conference in Japan attended by African leaders, where Tokyo is offering itself as an alternative to China as African nations reel from a debt crisis exacerbated by Western aid cuts, conflict and climate change. “We must mobilise finance and technology, so that Africa’s natural wealth benefits African people, we must build a thriving renewables and manufacturing base across the continent,” he…

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee has summoned 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) to appear before it over an outstanding debt of N2.6 trillion owed to the federation account. The resolution was reached on Wednesday during an investigative hearing chaired by Representative Bamidele Salam, following a review of the 2021 Auditor General’s report. The session featured an appearance by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) PLC, Johnson Akinnawo, who disclosed the scale of the liabilities According to NBET documents submitted to the Committee, as of September 30, 2020, the 11 Discos collectively owe N2.6…

The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has commenced a review of remuneration packages for political, public and judicial office holders across the country. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by the Head, Information and Public Relations Unit of the RMAFC, Mrs Maryam Yusuf. The Chairman of the Remuneration and Monetisation Committee, RMAFC, Mr Mohammed Usman, disclosed this at a retreat organised by the commission in Kano. Usman said that the importance of the assignment was for the growth of Nigeria’s governance structure. According to him, the review is aimed at harmonising reports in the bid to…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has faulted the approval of licences for new private universities by the Federal Government. The union, while recalling the recent seven-year moratorium announced by the government, questioned the rationale behind the new licences if access to university education in the country was not a problem. “ASUU also watched in awe as the Federal Government announced the seven-year moratorium; they proceeded to announce the establishment of nine new private universities. “If we agree that access is no longer an issue, why is the NUC giving more licenses to private universities? While ASUU acknowledges the…

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has announced plans to discontinue the disbursement of upkeep loans during school holidays. Beneficiaries of the student loan scheme, who currently receive a monthly ₦20,000 disbursement in addition to loans paid directly to institutions, will now only receive upkeep loans during active academic sessions. “In line with this directive, students shall only be entitled to upkeep loans for their current academic session. Upon the conclusion of an institution’s academic year, upkeep payments for that session shall automatically cease. Consequently, students who transition into a new academic year will no longer receive upkeep disbursements for the…

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday called for reforms at the United Nations (UN) to give Africa permanent representation on the security council. Speaking at the plenary session on peace and stability during the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, Tinubu argued that Africa deserves two permanent seats with full privileges. The President said the continent also deserves additional non-permanent seats in line with the Ezulwini consensus and Sirte declaration. “It is the view of Nigeria that Africa’s quest for fair and equitable representation in the UN Security Council is a just and fair demand,” Tinubu…

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered a temporary freezing of four accounts in Jaiz Bank linked to the former Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over alleged fraud. Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and argued by its lawyer, Ogechi Ujam. Although the EFCC had urged the court to freeze the accounts for 60 days to enable it to conclude the ongoing investigation, Justice Nwite limited the tenure of the order to 30 days, which…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has said that the 2027 presidential ambition of former Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, is de@d on arrival as Amaechi would be the last person considered for the party’s ticket. Speaking in an interview on Channels Television monitored in Abuja on Tuesday night, August 19, Wike also claimed that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Babachir Lawal, is angry with President Bola Tinubu because he was not chosen as vice president. Wike said Lawal visited him in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, alongside a former Speaker of the House of…

China is on the verge of unveiling a groundbreaking humanoid robot designed to achieve pregnancy by hosting a fully functioning artificial womb. This pioneering work by Kaiwa Technology in Guangzhou is slated for a 2026 debut. Dr. Zhang Qifeng, the project lead, announced at the World Robot Conference in Beijing that the scientific foundation is already robust, with the next phase focusing on integrating the technology into a robot for interactive pregnancy. This project builds upon existing advancements in ex-utero gestation. The concept of an artificial womb itself is not entirely novel; it is a sophisticated machine that replicates the uterus’s…

In a historic step toward regional integration, Burundi and Tanzania have officially launched the construction of a cross-border standard gauge railway line. The project, which will stretch 282 kilometers from Uvinza in Tanzania to Musongati in Burundi, is valued at $2.154 billion and represents one of the most ambitious infrastructure undertakings in East Africa. The groundbreaking ceremony, attended by President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi and Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, marked more than just the start of a railway line. It signaled a shared vision for economic growth, stronger trade ties, and improved connectivity between the two neighbors. For landlocked…