Author: Vardiafrica

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it will track illegal campaign spending and sanction political parties, candidates and agents involved in violence, hate speech and vote-buying ahead of the 2027 general election. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, gave the warning on Monday in Abuja at a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with the commission. Amupitan said the commission was working with relevant government agencies to monitor campaign finances and curb the influence of money on the electoral process. He said the commission was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of…

President Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria has reduced its dependence on crude oil revenue and will expand the use of natural gas to drive industrial growth, electricity supply and energy access, while holding oil companies accountable for investment commitments. Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the fifth anniversary of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu said petroleum resources must support a broader economy, with agriculture, manufacturing, digital and creative industries increasingly central to the government’s diversification agenda “We have already reduced our dependence on oil revenue, and we intend to go further,” he…

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has activated an immediate Search and Rescue operation following an aircraft accident in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State. The incident, involving an ATR-42 aircraft, occurred on the 5th of October while the aircraft was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos. The NAF says its Search and Rescue operations are being conducted in coordination with relevant authorities and emergency response agencies. The Nigerian Air Force says it is committed to ensuring the success of the ongoing rescue efforts, with operations continuing at the accident site. The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information,…

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has met with the INTERPOL Secretary-General, Valdecy Urquiza, in Lyon, France, as part of efforts to deepen international police cooperation and strengthen Nigeria’s response to transnational crime. In a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, on Monday, the Nigeria Police Force said Disu paid his maiden official visit as Inspector-General of Police to the INTERPOL General Secretariat in Lyon on October 5, 2026. During the visit, Disu met with Urquiza and other senior officials of the organisation, with discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in cybercrime, counter-terrorism, financial crime,…

Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima has condoled with the government and people of Niger State over the death of 37 artisanal miners in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The Vice President visited Minna to commiserate with Governor Umaru Bago, traditional rulers and families of the deceased over the tragic incident. Speaking during the visit, Vice President Shettima described the deaths as painful tragedy and a matter of serious concern to the Nigerian Government. He said the incident must not be politicised, stressing that the lives of citizens must be protected regardless of their ethnic,…

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has restated its commitment to inclusive development, especially with regard to Persons Living with Disabilities, PWDs, in Rivers State, to enhance their skills, boost their economic independence and participation in society. Speaking during an empowerment outreach for youths and women living with disabilities in Rivers State, the Director of the NDDC Rivers State Office, Engr. Okezie Ule, represented by Mrs Patience Opuebi, said the Commission recognised the importance of ensuring that persons with disabilities were consciously included in its development interventions in the region. The initiative, organised in Port Harcourt to mark the International…

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) is set to invest an initial $10 billion in the development of the OgunLNG project in Ogun Waterside, Ogun State, as the long-delayed gas project enters a fresh phase of revival. This was as a revered traditional leader and stakeholder, Olori Omoba Otunba Adejare Rewane Adegbenro, has described the proposed $7 billion Gateway Deep Sea Port and Blue Marine Special Economic Zone in Ogun State as a major boost to Nigeria’s maritime and industrial capacity. Speaking to journalists after a meeting with officials of the company led by its Chief Financial Officer,…

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has formally presented the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the new Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, His Majesty King Charles Douglas Mac-Pepple Jaja Jeki VI, urging him to promote peace, unity and inclusiveness in the kingdom. Fubara, who congratulated the monarch on his successful emergence after the selection and coronation processes, charged him to extend a hand of fellowship to other contenders who lost out in the race, saying they should be regarded as comrades whose contributions are necessary for the progress and development of Opobo Kingdom. The governor spoke on Friday…

The Chairman of CSS Global Integrated Farms, Professor John-Kennedy Opara, has said the Federal Government and the World Bank are deepening efforts to equip Nigerian youths with practical, market-ready skills as part of a broader push to expand employment, entrepreneurship and food production. Prof Opara disclosed this on October 1, 2026, in Gora, Nasarawa State, during the commencement of a six-month training programme under the Investment in Digital and Employability Skills (IDEAS) Project, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank. The CSS Chairman, represented by the farm’s Training Manager, Victor Umunakwe, said the programme…

Bank of Industry (BoI) has unveiled a fully digital lending portal, MyBOI, to cut barriers to credit and make financing more accessible to Nigerian businesses. The end-to-end lending portal seeks to simplify credit process for Nigerian enterprises and ease access to business finance, shortening the path to credit, and expanding access for productive activity. Managing Director/Chief Executive, BoI, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, said access to finance should not be measured only by the amount of money available to businesses, but also by how efficiently they could navigate the process of obtaining it. Olusi said, “Access to finance is not only about…