General news

• Tinubu approves N3.6bn ITF scheme for tailors, targets 200,000 artisans

  15-07-2026 17:50 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Progress GodfreyABUJA — President Bola Tinubu has approved N3.6 billion for the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Skill-Up Artisans (SUPA) further training programme aimed at supporting tailors and strengthening Nigeria’s informal sector.The Federal Government is targeting about 200,000 artisans for the 2026 edition of the programme, which is designed to improve technical skills, create jobs and boost entrepreneurship among artisans.The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer o
  
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• NCAA, experts clash over 5% air ticket charge

  20-07-2026 05:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Dickson OmobolaStakeholders in the country’s aviation sector have deepened calls for a review of the sharing formula of the five per cent Ticket Sales Charge/Cargo Sales Charge, TSC/CSC, saying the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, required a larger share of the revenue to upgrade air navigation infrastructure.This development comes as the NCAA expressed fears over the issue and warned that any reduction in its statutory allocation could weaken aviation safety oversight a
  
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• Agro exports crash 31% as port delays, pesticides trigger global rejections

  20-07-2026 05:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  ***15 containers of hibiscus rejected in Mexico***48-hour cargo clearance stretches to three weeks in Nigeria
  By Cynthia AloNigeria’s agricultural exports suffered a sharp 31.2 per cent decline in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1’26) as prolonged port delays, excessive pesticide application, outdated chemical preservatives and failure to obtain required phytosanitary certification combined to trigger increasing rejection of the country’s farm produce in international ma
  
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• Superb Spain rule the world, overwhelm Argentina

  20-07-2026 05:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Spain finally broke Argentina’s dogged resistance in extra time to win the men’s World Cup for the second time with a 1-0 victory.The Barcelona winger Ferran Torres scored the only goal of a disjointed game that was almost ruined by Argentina’s deliberate spoiling tactics, which backfired when they were reduced to 10 men for extra time by the late dismissal of Enzo Fernández for two yellow cards. Spain had dominated throughout, having 20 shots to an extraordinary two fr
  
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• Petrol imports rose by 207% in June – NMDPRA

  20-07-2026 05:09 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Obas Esiedesa, AbujaNigeria’s petrol imports surged by 207 per cent in June 2026, reversing earlier gains recorded in domestic refining as local supply declined sharply, according to data from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).An analysis of the authority’s monthly petrol supply data for the first six months of 2026 showed that while domestic refineries remained the major source of supply for most of the period, imports increased signif
  
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• Gunmen abduct pastor’s wife, three children in Borno

  20-07-2026 02:35 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Ndahi Marama, MaiduguriSuspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have abducted the wife of a pastor and his three children in Damasak, headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno State.The victims, whose identities have not been disclosed, were reportedly travelling to Damasak on Saturday when the attackers intercepted their vehicle near Kareto village and forced them to disembark.A source from the community told journalists that the incident occurred around noon, adding that the victi
  
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• Tosin Ajayi and the humanity behind the badge

  20-07-2026 02:31 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Lemmy UghegbePower changes many people. Some become distant. Others become inaccessible. Many begin to measure success by the authority they wield rather than the lives they touch. But every so often, one encounters a public servant whose humanity appears to have survived the weight of office. Such leaders remind us that compassion is not the opposite of strength.
  It is one of its highest expressions.That thought came to mind recently following reports that the Director-General of the Depart
  
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• An editor who never left the guild: Celebrating Aremo Segun Osoba at 87

  20-07-2026 01:57 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By BABA DANTIYEOn 15 July 2026, Chief Aremo Olusegun (Segun) Osoba turned 87. For many Nigerians, the occasion is an opportunity to celebrate an accomplished journalist, former Governor of Ogun State, elder statesman and one of the country’s most respected public figures. For those of us in the Nigerian Guild of Editors, however, it is also a moment to celebrate something even more enduring—a man who, despite attaining the highest levels of public service, never severed his bond wit
  
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• Don’t be fooled, states are not richer, by Dele Sobowale

  20-07-2026 01:53 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Most Nigerians are being fooled right now, as they often are, by the Federal Government; with regard to the monthly allocations to states. Unfortunately, because the hands of many of the State Governors are not clean, they are allowing the FG to blame them unjustly for overall poor performance. Granted, there are a few outstanding performers – Lagos, Abia, Adamawa and Zamfara – but the rest of them have little to show for the increased revenue allocations. The fault is not entirely
  
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• The threat never sleeps: Protecting trust in Africa’s digital economy

  20-07-2026 01:45 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Nkiruka Aimienoho A subtle anomaly. An unpopular call to isolate critical systems. Resistance from every direction. That decision, made years ago with a key stakeholder during a live cybersecurity incident I was managing as a consultant, looked excessive at the time. It turned out to be the difference between a contained event and a ransomware attack that could have crippled operations for weeks. The lesson has never left me: resilience is decided in the moments before certainty ar
  
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• Victor Eburajolo: Mega employer who fought Nigeria’s deliberate de-industrialization, by Owei Lakemfa

  20-07-2026 01:37 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Forty years ago, on July 24, 1986, Victor Ogebyiwa Eburajolo was forty. He was a sought-after expert in the Nigerian industrial complex. A lawyer, business strategist, planning tactician, industrial and labour relations expert. He was then the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Textile Employers. The textile industry had sixty-two companies and over 750,000 workers, not counting those in related employment like the cotton industry. But as he marked his birthday, he foresaw that the country, wh
  
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• How NUPRC is rebuilding confidence in Nigeria’s oil sector

  20-07-2026 01:34 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By YINKA ADETUTUAbout six months after assuming office as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan is pursuing a strategy centred on regulatory certainty, faster decision-making, operational efficiency, and transparent governance. The early signs are reflected in stronger production, renewed investor interest, and growing confidence in the licensing regime.The 2025 licensing round closed with encouraging headline figure
  
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• Senate’s belated rise against “repentant” terrorists

  20-07-2026 01:30 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Senate has finally given voice to a national outrage that has simmered for too long: Nigeria’s policy of rehabilitating and reintegrating so-called repentant Boko Haram fighters without doing them justice. It has outlived whatever limited utility its creators may once have claimed. A programme that begins with surrender and ends with return to the very society these men once terrorised is not a strategy but a gamble with human lives and public trust, as well as a nursery bed for the a
  
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• Forest security, mineral resources and food security

  20-07-2026 01:25 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By YUSUF KOLAWOLEThe sovereignty of any nation is not measured only by the strength of its military or the size of its economy; it is also reflected in its ability to control its territory, protect its natural resources, secure its food systems, and guarantee the safety of its citizens. For Nigeria, a country blessed with vast forests, abundant mineral resources, fertile agricultural land, and strategic geographic importance, the protection of these assets is directly linked to national so
  
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• Malami’s billions for WAEC fees, by Suleiman A. Suleiman

  20-07-2026 01:23 via vanguardngr.com
  
  It is hard to say which of the two major issues in the news last week is most troubling for the average Nigerian. Is it the federal government’s announcement-and subsequent reversal-of an 82 per cent increase in WAEC and NECO registration fees, from N27,500 to N50,000 per candidate beginning in 2027? Or is it the court-ordered forfeiture of properties allegedly worth N212 billion linked to former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami?
  While the two events appear unrelate
  
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• Ballon d’Or 2026 ranking: Yamal emerges favourite after Spain’s World Cup triumph

  20-07-2026 01:14 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Spain’s World Cup triumph has propelled Lamine Yamal to top of the Ballon d’Or 2026 rankings.The Barcelona winger is now regarded as the leading contender for the prestigious individual award after playing a key role in Spain’s successful campaign.Yamal tops the list ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who is ranked second, while England striker Harry Kane occupies third place.Former Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé, who claimed the award in 2025, is
  
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• Benue, APIN partner to drive health insurance coverage, universal healthcare

  20-07-2026 01:04 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Peter Duru, MakurdiThe Benue state government has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving Universal Health Coverage, UHC, through sustainable healthcare financing, even as it urged residents to enrol in the Benue State Health Insurance Scheme, BNSHIS, to guarantee access to affordable and quality healthcare services.The renewed commitment came weekend in Makurdi when APIN Public Health Initiatives donated over 150 flex banners to the Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services to boost p
  
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• Solid Minerals Ministry, NIMC to enhance digital governance, service delivery 

  20-07-2026 01:02 via vanguardngr.com
  
  .credible identity ecosystem’ll strengthen regulation– AlakeBy Gabriel EwepuABUJA – THE Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, weekend, partnered to strengthen digital governance and enhance security and accelerate reforms in the nation’s solid minerals sector.This was made known in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Lara Owoeye-Wise, where the Minister
  
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• Navigating identity and self-worth in the persona of the public administrator

  20-07-2026 01:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By Tunji Olaopa(Being Contribution to TOFAC 2026: An Intellectual Feast on identity Conference, held at the University of Jos, from 7-10 July, 2026)One of the staples of philosophical ruminations that possesses universal significance is the subject of identity. When the philosopher asks, who are you, she is asking for the mapping of the boundaries of what constitutes the self. What does it mean to talk about the self of a person? What constitutes the identity parameters of that self? Is the self
  
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• Group appoints APC chieftain, Ibrahim Megida as Lagos Co-ordinator

  20-07-2026 01:00 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Renewed Initiative For Grassroots Development a nationwide socio-political group has appointed Alhaji Ibrahim Alao Megida a popular APC chieftain and grassroots mobiliser as its Lagos State Co-ordinator.
  The National Secretary Barrister Adegboyega Ibrahim who led the Executive team of the group to a meeting which took place at Hon. Megida’s Campaign Office at Cemetery Street Ebute Metta said the appointment of the veteran grassroots politician to the pivotal post of State Co-ordinator
  
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• Trump, Infantino greeted by boos after World Cup final

  20-07-2026 00:49 via vanguardngr.com
  
  US President Donald Trump and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino were met with resounding boos as they walked onto the pitch Sunday for the presentation ceremony after Spain won the World Cup.During the game, Trump sat next to close friend Infantino, watching Spain defeat holders Argentina 1-0 in front of a star-studded crowd of 80,000 people at the venue outside New York.
  The post Trump, Infantino greeted by boos after World Cup final appeared first on Vanguard News.
  
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• 2026 FIFA World Cup awards: Full list of winners

  20-07-2026 00:41 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The curtain came down on the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Sunday with Spain crowned world champions and the tournament’s award winners also confirmed following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium.La Roja lifted the World Cup trophy for the second time in their history, 16 years after their maiden triumph in South Africa in 2010. Luis de la Fuente’s side also made history by becoming the first World Cup-winning team to concede just one goal
  
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• Mbappe makes World Cup history with back-to-back Golden Boot awards

  20-07-2026 00:25 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Kylian Mbappe has become the first player in history to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Boot twice after finishing as the tournament’s top scorer at the 2026 edition.The France forward scored 10 goals in eight matches to edge Argentina captain Lionel Messi in the race for the award, adding to the Golden Boot he won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with eight goals.Mbappe’s latest triumph makes him the first footballer to claim the Golden Boot at back-to-back World Cups.The 27-year-old a
  
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• Spain makes history after conceding only one goal in 2026 World Cup [Full list]

  20-07-2026 00:19 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Spain’s defense has secured its place among the greatest in FIFA World Cup history after La Roja defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday.Luis de la Fuente’s side completed the tournament having conceded just one goal in seven matches, making Spain the first World Cup-winning team to allow only a single goal throughout an entire tournament.The only goal Spain conceded came against Belgium in the quarter-finals.
  They kept clean sheets in their other six matches, i
  
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• Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 to win 2026 FIFA World Cup

  20-07-2026 00:06 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the game on Sunday as Spain beat 10-man Argentina 1-0 after extra-time to win their second World Cup.The European champions dominated the match at the MetLife Stadium but struggled to find a breakthrough against the streetwise defending champions.Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made a string of saves to deny Spain, but the match changed complexion in second-half stoppage-time when midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a second yellow card after
  
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• All governors divert LG funds, says Adebutu, vows full council autonomy if elected

  19-07-2026 23:29 via vanguardngr.com
  
  By James Ogunnaike, AbeokutaThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, has alleged that governors across Nigeria are diverting local government allocations, declaring that he would grant full financial autonomy to local councils if elected governor in 2027.Adebutu made the remarks during a meeting with the Egba Traditional Council at the Ake Palace in Abeokuta, where he sought the support and blessings of the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun
  
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• Tinubu asks ECOWAS to present united voice against Afro-phobic attacks

  19-07-2026 23:22 via vanguardngr.com
  
  President Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, urged the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to present a united voice against Afro-phobic attacks in South Africa.Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said this during the 69th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of ECOWAS, held in Lungi, Sierra Leone.The President condemned, in the strongest terms, the recent attacks on Nigerian citizens and other Africans in the Republic of South Africa.&rdquo
  
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• Video: Burna Boy, Shakira perform ‘Dai Dai’ at World Cup half-time show

  19-07-2026 22:28 via vanguardngr.com
  
  Nigerian Afrobeats star Burna Boy and Colombian singer Shakira delivered a live performance of Dai Dai, the official song of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, during the tournament’s historic first-ever half-time show at the final between Argentina and Spain on Sunday.
  BURNA BOY AND SHAKIRA PERFORMING “DAI DAI” AT THE WORLD CUP HALFTIMEHIGHEST OF THEM ALLpic.twitter.com/km51MhIr2b— SB YANG (@REALYANG7G) July 19, 2026
  The duo lit up the stage at New York New Jersey Stadium with a
  
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• 2027: Sen Adeola accuses Ogun opposition of pursuing state treasury

  19-07-2026 22:21 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in Ogun, Sen. Solomon Adeola, has accused opposition politicians of pursuing personal interests to access the state’s treasury rather than serving the people.This is contained in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Sunday by his Media Adviser, Kayode Odunaro.Adeola was quoted as making the allegation while addressing the Council of Iyalajes and Babaalajes (Market Leaders) in Remoland at his senatorial office in Ilaro, Yewa South Loc
  
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• Obidient Movement rallies support for Peter Obi, begins mobilisation for 2027

  19-07-2026 22:19 via vanguardngr.com
  
  The Obidient Movement says it has intensified mobilisation of supporters for the presidential bid of Mr Peter Obi, ahead of the 2027 general elections.The movement expressed confidence that its presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), can provide the leadership needed to address Nigeria’s economic and governance challenges.The call was made on Sunday in Abuja during the “FCT Obidient Movement Engagement Forum Towards 2027” tagged “B
  
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