HP Helps Small Businesses Create Professional-quality Color Prints In-house

The world’s largest technology company,, HP has announced new HP LaserJet printers designed to help small to midsize businesses (SMBs) create professional-quality color documents while increasing productivity and efficiency.

The HP LaserJet Pro 300/400 color printer series includes: LaserJet Pro 300 color M351 printer provides SMBs and home offices with uncompromisingly vibrant color prints, LaserJet Pro 400 color M451 printer adds increased print speeds, allowing businesses to quickly create professional-quality color prints such as marketing collateral.

LaserJet Pro 300/400 color multifunction printer (MFP) series includes two devices with easy-to-use 3.5-inch color touchscreen interfaces, LaserJet Pro 300 color MFP M375 can increase productivity with easy print, scan, copy and fax functionality, and enables businesses to produce high-quality color prints and marketing materials and LaserJet Pro 400 color MFP M475 delivers the same capabilities, while increasing print speeds and output. It also includes standard duplexing and the ability to proactively manage office printing with HP Web Jetadmin.

HP LaserJet Pro 400 color MFP M475 includes all important functionalities: fast, high-quality printing, scanning, copying and faxing – all in one compact device.

According to Robert Dinkelacker, LaserJet Marketing Manager for EMEA: “The HP LaserJet Pro 400 color MFP M475 is a go-to office printer because it’s quick, quiet and gives users the ability to create a full range of colorful marketing materials for their company”. It’s a game-changer, as its amazing print speeds and feature set have increased productivity, while the ability to create external documents in-house saves significant amounts of money that would have otherwise been spent on outside vendors. Its web-connected printing features help to streamline your workflow; create your own marketing materials and share them in the cloud without the need of a PC.”

The HP LaserJet Pro 400 color M451 and the HP LaserJet Pro 300/400 color MFP series are web-connected and support a range of mobile printing solutions such as HP ePrint, HP Wireless Direct and Apple AirPrint, which allows users to print from almost any mobile device and from anywhere their business might take them, allowing them to stay productive on-the-go.

The HP LaserJet Pro 300/400 color MFP series includes support for HP business apps, which allows users to access and print a wide range of web-content directly from the web using the touchscreen display. Model availability for the HP LaserJet Pro 300/400 color printer series and the HP LaserJet Pro 300/400 color MFP series varies by country. For more information about regional availability and pricing, visit HP.com.

ARISE Unveiled Plans for 2012 Magazine Edition

ARISE has unveiled plans for 2012 edition of the major fashion event.
Check out the press release below and see the brand new cover of Issue 14 of ARISE Magazine. Ugandan model Daphine Tony is the cover girl for the “Bright & Beautiful” issue.

A release by the ARISE read: Due to the phenomenal success of the inaugural ARISE Magazine Fashion Week 2011, where 5,000 guests, 51 designers, 81 models, 5 musical acts performed over three days – ARISE is once again proud to announce that it will return to Lagos in March 2012.

The ARISE Magazine Fashion Week 2012 fashion extravaganza will run for an extended period of SIX days from Tuesday 6th to Sunday 11th March 2012.

Once again, ARISE will invite 50 designers to participate in its 2012 Fashion Week show. The much anticipated finale will host the spectacular ARISE Magazine Fashion Awards. The very best of the designers will be invited to participate in the annual ARISE Magazine Fashion Gala at the Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week in September 2012.

At last year’s AMFW 2011 fashion event SEVEN designers:
Lanre Da Silva-Ajayi, Jewel by Lisa, Asibelua, Bunmi Koko, Tsemaye Binitie, Pierre-Antoine Vettorello and KlûK CGDT were given a golden ticket invitation to showcase their designs in September 2011, as part of the Made in Africa by ARISE Magazine Collective at the Avery Fisher Hall, New York.

RIM Names Thorsten Heins CEO Partners SAGIA To Announce Entrepreneurship Academy at the 6th Global Competitiveness Forum

The Board of Directors of BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) has announced that, acting on the recommendation of its Co-Chief Executive Officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the Board, it has unanimously named Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. The Board acted after conducting its own due diligence. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Mike Lazaridis, former Co-Chair and Co-CEO, has become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee. As Vice Chair, he will work closely with Mr. Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide.

Mr. Heins said he looks forward to continuing to work with Mr. Lazaridis, globally recognized as a technology pioneer. He said, “Mike created a whole new way of communicating and I look forward to continuing our close collaboration.”

On the transition to CEO by Mr. Heins, Mr. Lazaridis said, “There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognize the need to pass the baton to new leadership. Jim and I went to the Board and told them that we thought that time was now. With BlackBerry 7 now out, PlayBook 2.0 shipping in February and BlackBerry 10 expected to ship later this year, the company is entering a new phase, and we felt it was time for a new leader to take it through that phase and beyond. Jim, the Board and I all agreed that leader should be Thorsten Heins.”

RIM and SAGIA Announce The BlackBerry Entrepreneurship Academy at the 6th Global Competitiveness Forum with program to support BlackBerry application developers in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Research In Motion Limited (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM), the maker of BlackBerry® smartphones, and the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) today expressed their commitment to form The BlackBerry Entrepreneurship Academy.

The BlackBerry Entrepreneurship Academy, which is to be funded by SAGIA and its sister institutions, Cadre and The Centennial Fund, aims to: Through the academy, RIM will provide training workshops, a support team and consultation to help entrepreneurial Saudi developers with the commercial and technical aspects of developing mobile applications and content.

The press conference to announce the academy took place at the 6th Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF), and was attended by Dr. Abdulaziz al-Mutairi, CEO of The Centennial Fund; Mr. Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief of Marketing and Competitiveness Initiatives, SAGIA; Mr. Patrick Spence, Managing Director for Global Sales and Regional Marketing, RIM; and Mr. Sandeep Saihgal, Managing Director, Middle East, RIM.

Mr. Fahd Hamidaddin, Chief of Marketing and Competitiveness Initiatives, SAGIA commented, “This agreement demonstrates SAGIA’s commitment to support ‘digital entrepreneurship’ and the further development of the mobile application industry in the Kingdom. We see an increasing demand in this region for localized applications and mobile content and this is creating an opportunity for enterprising software developers. The programmes under the BlackBerry Entrepreneurship Academy will significantly increase the number of applications available in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East region and globally, and enable new skills and more job opportunities in the Kingdom.”

Fierce Financial Management for The Year Of The Dragon

The Chinese New Year brings a few superstitions with it. For one, people start cleaning up their homes prior to the New Year’s eve to rid themselves of any lingering bad luck from last year and to get ready to welcome the brand new year.

One good thing is that you can put your broom down and your feet up after that – Chinese tradition has it that cleaning over the New Year means you'll sweep all o

f your good luck out the front door. It’s also said, that if you start the New Year in the red, you'll finish it the same way. But these customs were developed before we had such convenient tools as Visa debit to help manage our money, so as we enter the Year of the Dragon, mix traditional wisdom with some modern know-how from Visa debit to get your finances in order.

The Dragon

2012 is the Year of the Dragon and that's also your Chinese Zodiac sign if you were born in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988 or 2000. The dragon is the symbol of power and wealth but being born in a dragon year is more the financial equivalent of having a strong tail wind. Unless you set your sails right, your dragon status won’t move your financial boat forward. They may be lucky, but people born in the Year of the Dragon still need a good financial management plan if they want to prosper.

The key to spending within your means is to know what your expenses are and to spend less than you make. It sounds simple enough, but so many of us find it hard to stick to! A simple way to start is by creating a realistic budget that you can stick to - whether daily, weekly or monthly – whatever works for you. Now you need to prioritize your outgoings, sorting out the ‘must haves’ from the ‘would likes.’ Do you need that gym membership or could you go for a run? Do you need to have that coffee from a vendor every morning, or could you make your own at home? And be honest with yourself from the start or you’ll only get into difficulties later. Now set yourself goals to achieve throughout the year. You need to think SMART which means setting yourself goals that are: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-related.

• SPECIFIC: Be specific on what you want. Avoid just saying “I want to save money”. Instead say “I want to save money to travel to Bali.”
• MEASURABLE: Give your goal a benchmark. For instance traveling to Bali will cost $2,000 and you have $800 already saved, saving the additional $1,200 gives you a measurable goal to reach. Try to break it down to a more manageable goal of $200 per month.
• ATTAINABLE: Make your goal realistic. Saying you want to travel in Indonesia for six months staying only in five star hotels may not be attainable if you've only got $800 to spend on that holiday. Instead think what is within your means, for example, “I am going to save each month so I can visit Bali for three days and stay in a three star hotel."
• RELEVANT: The goals have to make sense to you. It’s not practical to work toward a goal that doesn’t fit your need. For example, if you are going to Bali for your wedding anniversary, you may not want to be staying in hostels and may want to save more for something a bit special.
• TIMELY: Set a definite target date. Set a date for your trip and work towards it.

Now when you are spending throughout the month, remember your budget and each of your goals. If you use a debit card it is easier to spend within your means since each time you spend, the money is drawn directly from your bank account - you buy now, you pay now. Like cash, except that the transactions on your debit card can also be tracked on your card issuer’s website or over the phone and your monthly account statement will provide full details of your purchases, including merchant name, location, date and amount. Keep track of your receipts, check them against your bank statement and make sure they tally with your budget. It pays to be organized!

Lucky Money

At Chinese New Year celebrations, people wear red clothes, decorate their homes and streets with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes popularly known as 'ang pows'. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. This is a great opportunity to start teaching the younger members of your family about the value of money and how to use it responsibly. But it doesn’t have to be a heavy lecture, keep it simple by asking them questions like “what are you planning to do with your money?”, ”will you save any for that computer game or expensive toy you’ve always wanted?” or even “have you thought about giving it to someone more in need than you?”. You can talk to them about how far that money will go. Perhaps when you next go to the supermarket, talk to them about what their money would buy on the shopping list. Games can be powerful teaching tools, so playing ‘pretend shop’ and games involving money is a good way to teach financial literacy. For slightly older children, you can teach them to live within their means by opening a checking account with a debit card. If they are lucky enough to have an allowance, you can help transfer it into their account and through their bank statements you and your child can keep track of what they have been spending. The benefit of holding a debit card is that they can’t ever spend more than what is in the account and you can use it as a tool to sit them down and plan their expenses with them, helping them to budget efficiently and prepare them for financial independence in the future.

Baby boom

It is said that anyone born in the Year of the Dragon will have natural charisma and will be gifted with power and luck - which is why so many parents will be rushing to have children in 2012. In fact, the obstetrics and gynecology department at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong says that the birth rate increases by five percent in a dragon year and Raffles Women's Centre in Singapore expects the number of babies nationwide to increase by 10 per cent to 20 per cent in 2012.

So for those who are expecting the pitter patter of tiny feet, it’s definitely time to get your finances in order. Rising costs and inflation aren’t making it any cheaper to raise kids. This includes food, clothing, healthcare, tuitions and items such as prams and cots. So use a budget planner and set yourself those SMART goals early on to ensure you don’t get into any financial difficulties down the line. A good way to spread the cost before your baby arrives is to purchase the essentials over several months. Online shopping is the bargain-hunters best friend. Browse websites from the comfort of your own home and with your budget and debit card in hand you can research and compare the best deals on all the baby essentials you need. Look out for merchants offering free home delivery too. But don’t forget to be safe online.

Look for secure websites that have an address that starts with http"s" for secure. You can also look for a padlock icon in the browser that means your payment information is protected. Some websites will also provide further protection with identity authentication services such as Verified by Visa which requires you to enter a password before you can make a purchase. All you need to do is register your card with the bank which issued your card or during the checkout process at a participating website, and then you’re good to go. Whether you have a new arrival on the way, want to save for a family holiday or simply want to ensure you are spending within your means every month, remember: draw up a budget, set some realistic and motivating goals and be a savvy shopper.

So Gong Xi Fa Cai from Visa Debit - may the New Year bring you much health, wealth and happiness!

By Brian McGrory, Head, Consumer Debit Products – Asia Pacific, Central Europe, Middle East and Africa, Visa

Coca Cola Nigeria Puts Media Business Up for Pitch

The number one brand company in the world, Coca Cola in Nigeria has placed its media planning and buying business on pitch putting the incumbent, Universal McCann on its toes as the agency struggles to defend its oldest and perhaps biggest account.

Other agencies in for the account are media agencies Carat Media Perspectives, Capital Media, Starcom Media and Mediashare. The four agencies will be contesting for the account with Universal McCann the agency that has managed the planning and buying for the multi-national advertiser for over a decade.

However, it's not the first time the client is looking out as a couple of attempts were made in the last five years to how things are done elsewhere, outside of their long standing romance with the McCann agency network.

In all of the attempts the search never went beyond credentials presentation and the business has always remained in Universal McCann.

Etisalat Nigeria Clinch Most Impactful Retail Design & Merchandising Award

Etisalat Nigeria, has emerged winner of the ‘Most Impactful Retail Design and Merchandising’ award at the MarketingWorld Awards (MWA) organized by Nigeria’s respected marketing magazine, MarketingWorld recently at the External Ball Room of the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos.

According to Chief Commercial Officer, Etisalat, Nigeria, Mr. Wael Ammar: “This award is a direct reflection of our company values which centers on customer satisfaction, innovation, quality of service and operational efficiency. We are constantly working to improve our service and customer experience in all our operations. This award is yet another testimony to Etisalat’s pioneering status among other operators and the success of our business strategy in meeting customer needs and exceeding their expectations.”

Charles Ogunwuyi the Etisalat Director of Retail Sales, Etisalat Nigeria offers the highest levels of convenience for customers through all of its retail and customer care operations. Some of these include state of the art shops across the country and other mobile point of sales activities interfacing with customers at their various locations. The Etisalat “Experience Centres” are designed with its signature green colors contrasted against a black background to give a clean and crisp look. The nature themed designs which are major components of the Etisalat Experience Centres are also introduced to accentuate the general look and feel of the shops.

These designs and unique features enhance Etisalat’s offerings of the latest products and services in the market and give customers an unparallel retail experience.

MarketingWorld Award aims to highlight brands that deliver a full spectrum of maintaining the highest standard of quality, exemplify creativeness, developing a corporate culture and providing positive benefits that exceeds customers and stakeholders’ expectations.

The award organized in three categories included; Organization Awards, Award for Brand Excellence, and Individual Awards highlighting the importance of each key player in the marketing arena in Nigeria. Up to 25 winning brands were recognized and awarded prizes, plaques and certificates. The MarketingWorld award also boasts of judging panels consisting of top-level industry, professionals specific to the brand, marketing and communication industry.

The ‘Most Impactful Retail Design and Merchandising’ award complements other titles that Etisalat Nigeria has won in just three years of operations in the country. Awards which include ‘Brand of the Year’, ‘Best Telecom Customer Service’ Telecom Innovations Company of the Year, ‘Most Innovative Corporate Social Responsibility Company’, ‘Catalyst for change’ among others.

Etisalat Nigeria with a subscriber base of over 10 million customers is one of the 18 operations of the Etisalat Group that spans across Africa, Middle East and Asia serving over 135 million subscribers; and it is committed to delivering innovative and quality services to its growing subscribers.

P&G Nigeria receives US Corporate Excellence Award

Procter & Gamble’s (P&G) efforts in realizing its purpose of touching and improving the lives of Nigerian consumers was recognized today by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who presented P&G Nigeria with the prestigious U.S. Secretary of State Award for Corporate Excellence (ACE) for 2011. Bob McDonald, President and Chief Executive Officer of Procter & Gamble Company received the award at a ceremony held in Washington D.C. on January 18, 2012.

P&G received one of two awards at the ceremony. One presented to a multinational, and the other presented to ‘small to medium-sized enterprises’ (SME’s).

In her opening statement at the award presentation ceremony, Hilary Clinton, the US Secretary of State said, “We are honoring these two companies because they have had an exceptional impact in giving back to the communities where they do business. They are setting the highest standards for corporate social responsibility. They are showing the world that it is indeed possible to do well by doing good”.

P&G was nominated by the US Embassy in Nigeria as well as Pakistan for this award and was shortlisted in November 2011 amongst 11 companies globally. P&G is the first company to win for programs in two countries i.e. Nigeria and Pakistan.

According to US State Department, P&G Nigeria was recognized for the company’s corporate and brand CSR program under the ‘Live, Learn and Thrive’ platform, to improve local communities’ water supply through education and purification technology; provision for a safe and healthy working environment; supporting the health and well-being of new and expectant mothers and children through mobile clinics; and innovative educational programs for teenage girls.

While talking to the audience at the ceremony, Bob McDonald said, “P&G’s Purpose as a Company is to touch and improve lives, now and for generations to come. Our Purpose guides and inspires everything we do. For 175 years our Purpose has focused us on finding ways to make people’s everyday lives a little better. We improve lives with our brands, with our business growth, with our employee programs and with our social responsibility efforts. When we improve lives, we grow our business and by growing our business we are able to improve even more lives. It is a virtuous cycle and entirely congruent.”

Manoj Kumar, the Managing Director for P&G West Africa joined the ceremony virtually from the US Consulate in Lagos. “P&G Nigeria is honored and humbled by this award that is focused on improving lives” said Kumar. ‘This is the core of our purpose as a company and we are very fortunate to work with strong partners who share this vision – our distributors, agencies, suppliers and non-profit organizations such as Sponsor a Child, Society for Family Health and Adolescent Health and Information Projects (AHIP). Together, these organizations have implemented and are indeed still delivering truly excellent work that brings our purpose to life everyday in Nigeria.”

Since its establishment in Nigeria in 1992, P&G has invested millions of dollars in fixed capital including a Plant in Ibadan, Oyo State where its products Pampers diapers, Ariel detergent, Always sanitary pads, Vicks throat drops and Bonux Detergent are manufactured. Making up over 85% of P&G products sold in Nigeria, these brands have grown to become leading household names in Nigeria.

It has gained significant recognition in Nigeria. Over the past year, the company won the prestigious SERA award for Best Company in Child-Focused CSR 2011, Best Company in Corporate Social Responsibility 2011 awarded by Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria and the Conglomerate Employer of Choice 2011 award by Multi-Talent Heritage.

Foraco Engages Fleishman-Hillard as Communications Agency of Record

Foraco International SA, a leading global provider of diversified drilling services, announced today it has engaged Fleishman-Hillard, one of the world’s leading strategic communications firms, to partner in the development of a communication strategy to communicate relevant company news to key stakeholders.

“Foraco is a company that operates on the founding principles of integrity, innovation, and involvement,” says Daniel Simoncini, Chairman and CEO of Foraco. “We have a long history of high performance, our employees do outstanding work and are an incredibly talented, yet our achievements have not yet been widely shared.

This year marks our 50th anniversary; this is the perfect time to share our achievements and celebrate Foraco’s contributions to the drilling industry.” Foraco was founded in the early 1960’s and has grown both organically and through acquisition by proving itself as an industry leader in drilling for the mining sector.

“We made the decision to engage Fleishman-Hillard not merely to highlight Foraco’s work but to raise awareness of the drilling industry and the intricacies of this business,” says Jean-Pierre Charmensat, Vice-CEO and CFO of Foraco. “The business of drilling is absolutely crucial to a successful mining project, and it’s rewarding work for our employees because they really have the opportunity to demonstrate their highly diverse and sophisticated skill sets.”

Fleishman-Hillard’s mandate will cover Foraco’s key regions and will focus on internal and external communications. The company will be appearing at this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention March 4th to 7th, 2012 where Mr. Simoncini, Mr. Charmensat, and their team will be sharing company news in more depth.

“From pioneering new technology, to providing fresh water for communities in need, to investing in a strong and stable workforce, Foraco is more than just a drilling company,” says Bill Walker, General Manager of Fleishman-Hillard Toronto. “We are excited to help share the rich history, current projects, as well as communicate

Foraco’s plans for the road ahead, and reshape what a drilling company means in the eyes of its stakeholders.”

ABW Event Set To Impact Africa

The first ever ABW CONNECTED inaugural summit coming up in Ethiopia in April 2013 will showcase Africa and its industrial potentials in a very unique way.

ABW CONNECTED is the first initiative of its kind to unite and connect leading African business women from all 54 countries in Africa in the three largest export sectors for women: agribusiness, services and craft/textiles.

With a number of initiatives already underway, ABW Connected will reach millions of African women and make a long-term impact by focusing on three powerful enablers: leadership, technology and trade

African women leaders from across the continent are already sharing their “words of wisdom” through www.wisdomexchangetv.com and their knowledge and learning will continue to be shared in April 2013 at the ABW Connected Summit and beyond.

The latest technology and best practices in mobile, web, social media, renewable energy and financial enablers will be featured at the April 2013 Summit – all of which have the ability to transform these women-led businesses to make a difference to the future of Africa.

The summit will also feature a first time ever continent-wide trade where the “best of the best” from across Africa will gather to showcase their products to an extensive group of international and African buyers who are anxiously awaiting this opportunity. In addition, an evening event held the night prior to the trade expo will showcase eye-catching, bold and unique handcraft creations on the runway, led by Mustard Seed Africa and its handcraft showcase team.

The list of delegates to the summit will include: senior African government officials related to Trade, Gender, Technology and Education; leading African women entrepreneurs; leading Business Women Associations; organized students representatives; international and African trade partner as well as African regional and Global media

Beyond reaching this list of delegates, exciting post-summit activities will reach a vast audience throughout Africa. Both students and business women association representatives who attend the summit will be required to return to their countries providing key learning presentations to wider groups and members. Awards will be presented post summit for the best in-country presentation and largest audiences.

ABW Connected is being developed as a long-term sustainable program with a bi-annual African summit supported by on-line content pre and post summit. Her mission is to unite and transform African women entrepreneurs through our three key powerful enablers; leadership, technology and trade.

Grammy Nominees Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson,Nicki Minaj Others to Perform On The 54TH Annual Grammy Awards

Current GRAMMY nominees Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift are the first performers announced for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast (www.grammy.com).

Image: Grammy
Aldean and Minaj will perform on the GRAMMY telecast for the first time, while Clarkson, Foo Fighters, Mars, and Swift are returning to the GRAMMY stage. The music industry's premier event will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 12, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in high definition and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Networkfrom 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

The show also will be supported on radio worldwide via Westwood One/Dial Global, and covered online at GRAMMY.com and CBS.com, and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/thegrammys. Additional performers, presenters and special segments will be announced soon. For GRAMMY coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy®'s social networks on Twitter and Facebook: www.twitter.com/thegrammys, www.facebook.com/thegrammys.

Minaj has four nods: Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance for "Moment 4 Life" (with Drake), Best Rap Album for Pink Friday, and Album Of The Year (as a featured artist on Rihanna's Loud).

Aldean and Swift are up for three awards each. Aldean has nominations for Best Country Solo Performance for "Dirt Road Anthem," Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Don't You Wanna Stay" (with Kelly Clarkson), and Best Country Album for My Kinda Party. Four-time GRAMMY winner Swift has nods for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for "Mean," and Best Country Album for Speak Now.

Two-time GRAMMY winner Clarkson is nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Don't You Wanna Stay" (with Jason Aldean).

The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by John CossetteProductions and AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, Louis J. Horvitz is director, and David Wild and Ken Ehrlich are the writers.

VConnect Introduce Post Your Requirement Service

VCONNECT Global Services Ltd, has introduced a new interactive service on the web portal tagged Post Your Requirement.

Deepankar Rustagi, General Manager, VConnect Global Service Ltd, the new service was put in place to accelerate convenient and faster connection between consumers and suppliers through the web portal by helping the consumer to get the best of bargaining and right supplier for goods and services free of cost.

He stated that the service offers the consumers the opportunity to source for suppliers and compare prices and make final selection within the comfort of his/her home or office by simply posting the required goods and services on the portal.

He added that the feature enables users to get quotations for goods and services required from different suppliers who are already registered on the web portal, by simply posting the requirement on the website. VConnect then forwards it to relevant suppliers who get back to the user with different quotations thereby providing an opportunity to choose the best.

Mainstreet To Strengthen Customer Satisfaction

Mainstreet Bank has revealed its aim to improve on the quality of its service to a level that would ensure that all its existing and prospective customers derive the necessary satisfaction this year.

According to a recent statement by the nationalized bank said its focus this year would be to design a business refocusing strategy intended to shore up its customer base of 1.5 million while giving existing customers a reason to maintain their loyalty to the bank.

Faith Tuedor-Matthews, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, said: “All customers of Mainstreet Bank should expect a more customer-focused and friendly bank, a listening bank that offers products that are tailored to meet their needs. They should also expect an efficient bank that delivers services seamlessly through its crop of well groomed and friendly staff.”
“The bank’s determined focus on the customer is also seen as a calculated effort to live up to its introductory campaign promise of a new day, a new life and a new beginning which assures all stakeholders of the bank of a new and better service experience.

Since it came into existence in August 2011, Mainstreet Bank has been undergoing a comprehensive restructuring of its operations and business outlook with a view to repositioning the bank as an important stakeholder in the nation’s financial services sector.”

Mainstreet is upgrading its information technology infrastructure to ensure a seamless transaction across all channels and make banking services easy to access to its numerous customers.”

Protegent Released 2012 version in Nigeria

Unistal Systems Pvt. Ltd, a providers of data security products has launched the new version of Protegent360 for laptop and desktop users. The company has announced the enhanced security features in the latest edition, which is essential for contemporary needs.

The product will be sold by Hallmark Solution Warehouse Ltd in Nigeria. As the name suggest Protegent secures your computer from viruses and internet threats and protects your business and data from unauthorized access and theft.

The product also acts as a parenting software tool by providing complete activity details of your child on computer and internet. This feature also provides the complete activity details of any employee in an organization.

It provides a special feature of laptop tracking to laptop users, which enables the user to continuously track the laptop location. If a laptop is lost or stolen, Protegent tracks the laptop location via internet and if not connected, encrypts your important data making it unreadable for others.

P&G, Sponsor A Child Inaugurate Resource Centre in Imo

As part of its corporate social responsibility programme in Nigeria, leading global consumer goods company, Procter and Gamble donated a Learn and Play centre to the children of Eziama community in Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State as part of its Building Futures program - a collaboration between Procter and Gamble (P&G) and a non-profit organisation ‘Sponsor a Child’. The company made the donation to ‘Eziama Motherless Babies Home’ in Eziama Ngor Okpala, Imo State, near Owerri, recently.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Reverend Ambrose Anyanwu, the founder of Eziama Community Charity and the motherless babies’ home thanked P&G and Sponsor A Child for the kind gesture which he described as indeed timely, godly and fitting for their needs and heartbeats. In his words “it is indeed amazing to note that God could spot out wherever we are and send people like you, our sponsors”.

Mrs. Lynda Anyanwu, the executive director of Eziama Community Charity said the resource centres and recreational facilities would raise the standard and quality of children’s learning experience, improve their reading skills, stimulate independent thought and promote their well-being through recreational facilities that enable them to explore, socialise and exercise. “The benefits of playground activity in a world where childhood obesity and associated diseases are on the increase outweigh any concerns about the investment in recreational facilities,” Mrs. Anyanwu said. She commended P&G whose support for the initiative has provided opportunities for the children.

The inauguration of the Eziama Motherless Babies Home brings to 7 the number of orphanages that P&G has donated resource centres and playgrounds to across the country. In addition to 7 fully equipped Learn and Play centres, P&G has donated computers, books and software to start up libraries in 15 orphanages since the Building Futures programme started in 2009. The program has also provided  one-year supplies of P&G products including Pampers diapers, Ariel detergent and PUR purifier of drinking water to 3,500 Children in orphanages across Nigeria.

Ms. Olatoun Williams -the Co-ordinator of Sponsor a Child said “Thanks to Building Futures, at risk children are benefitting from educational resources, conducive study spaces and recreational facilities. Nigerian children have a right to quality education. Our children have a right to associate with one another peacefully and to play”.

She also recognised Building Futures’ role in advancing the Millennium development goals (MDG’s) saying,”Building Futures helps to fulfil Nigeria’s health goals. Goals 4 and 7 – ‘to reduce child mortality’ and ‘to promote environmental sanitation and clean water’ respectively - are advanced by a generous donation of one year’s supply of Ariel, Pampers and PUR. 31 orphanages from 10 states and Abuja FCT have received these wonderful health promoting gifts. Williams concluded saying that “Building Futures is an inspiring example of corporate social responsibility in Nigeria. On behalf of Eziama community charity and Sponsor a Child’s team, I salute Procter and Gamble.”

Building Futures forms part of LLT, P&G’s global social responsibility platform that focuses on the development of children in need, leveraging P&G’s strengths and strong programs to help children ‘Live’ with the provision of preventive health products, technologies and services and education on healthy habits that help them to get off to a healthy start; to ‘Learn’ by providing access to educational facilities, tools and programs that enhance their ability to learn and to ‘Thrive’ by providing access to programs that build self-esteem and skills for life.

Miss Patricia Obozuwa, Head External Relations of Procter and Gamble Nigeria said “This work is all about improving lives. That’s P&G’s purpose as a company. We are very pleased that through partnership with Sponsor a Child we are able to touch the lives of these special children”. 

Airtel Denies Blackberry Services Shutdown Rumours

Following rumors that the Nigerian government had instructed telecom operators to shut down their Blackberry service in the country, the executive director and chief operating officer at Airtel Networks Limited, Deepak Srivastava, released a statement yesterday, 3 January 2012, to dispel the rumour.

According to a statement signed by Deepak Srivastava, Airtel Nigeria’a Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director: “Airtel Networks Limited wishes to inform all its esteemed customers that it has no plan to shut down its Blackberry Services. Also, we have not received any instruction from any quarter to shut down our Blackberry Services. We will continue to offer service to all our customers “.

“indeed, we remain committed to offering innovative services and also empowering more Nigerians to connect with friends, family members and business associates. We encourage you to take advantage of our new Blackberry packages/offers”.     Airtel Networks Limited wishes to inform all its esteemed customers that it has no plan to shut down its Blackberry Services", the statement read.

The company assured that it is very passionate about realising its vision of being the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians and will continue to enrich Nigerians with world-class telecommunications services including Blackberry services.