Cowbell NASSMAC first stage exam holds in 200 centres

Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk will on March 16, 2013 hold the first stage examination of this year’s Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC) in 200 centres across the country.

Lagos State topped the list with 20 centres, Oyo 10, Delta and Ebonyi seven each, Edo State six, Cross River five, Enugu six, Adamawa five and Abuja three among others.

According to the Commercial Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kachi Onubogu made known that the examination would hold in 200 centres in all the states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and would commence at 10am prompt.

He the competition was opened to all students between 10 – 18 years of age in JSS3 and SS2, in all government approved schools in Nigeria.

“The competition is open to all students between 10 – 18 years of age in JSS3 and SSS2 attending full time secondary education in government approved schools in Nigeria and the best three students in both categories, i.e. junior and senior will be required to represent each school for this year’s edition. Schools who intend to participate can obtain forms from our website, or our headquarters or via our website.”

Onubogu said, “The forms must be properly filled, stamped and signed by the school principal and must be presented by the student to the officials at the examination centre on the examination day. We would ensure that students, teachers and schools are properly tutored on the mode of entry through our partners in the ministries of education, educational stakeholders and in the media.”

He explained that students with the highest scores in junior and secondary categories would make it to the second and final stage examination after which the national prize winners would emerge.

According to Onubogu, the best three students in each category at the state level will receive N25, 000, N20, 000 and N15, 000 respectively, aside other branded gift items like school bags, T-shirts, pens, notebooks and certificate of recognition for their outstanding performances at the first stage examination.

Diamond Advocates Capacity Building in Nigerian oil and gas industry

To entrench a culture of sound corporate governance practices in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, there has to be a consistent investment in capacity building across board in companies operating in the sector.

Mr. Samuel Egube, Director, Corporate Banking, Diamond Bank Plc gave this advice at the recently concluded Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference (NOG 13) held in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Diamond Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading commercial banks was the platinum sponsor of the conference.

Egube who presented a paper titled “Domestic & International Funding for Energy Projects in Nigeria (Current Realities/ Charting the Way Forward)” told the distinguished audience that there was need to invest in future growth through structured capitalisation of profit as well as the need to periodically create windows for additional investment through additional equity and other forms of capital investment into the business.

Left: Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke and Director, Corporate Banking, Diamond Bank, Samuel Egube at the Bank’s stand at the recently concluded Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference (NOG 13) held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

The banker also highlighted the need to constantly deepen the integrity of business processes through ISO Certification and by bench-marking them against other forms of international best practices.

He also stressed the need for investment in long-term technical and professional training, capacity building for operators in the industry and regulators, adding that the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCMDB) could introduce mandatory capacity development programmes for top and medium level management of indigenous oil companies while IOCs and other production companies use these benchmarks for contract grading.

Egube also reiterated the need for insistence on ISO certification of internal processes as a pre- condition for specific contracts.

Diamond Bank has played a major investment role in the Nigerian oil and gas industry over the years. Some of its landmark energy transactions include Neconde Energy Limited $94 million reserve base lending for asset acquisition and field development, Caroil Drilling $110 million acquisition of three land and swamp rigs and the facilitation of the financing of field development for Orient Petroleum Limited and the construction of a new refinery to the value of $100 million. The bank was part of the consortium of banks that won the Project Finance Magazine's Deals of the Year Awards for the
financing of last year’s NNPC /ExxonMobil RDP.

Airtel unveils BlackBerry Z10 in Nigeria

Airtel Nigeria has become the first operator in Nigeria to launch the latest BlackBerry Z10 smartphone that has enhanced features designed to work in long time evolution. Airtel unveiled the BBZ10, during a dinner  at the Ikoyi Club 1938, on 24 February 2013.

Dignitaries from various fields witnessed the Blackberry Z10 unveil by Airtel. They included Dr Aderemi Desalu, commissioner for sports, who represented Lagos State governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, as well as key officers of Ikoyi Club 1938.

Olu Akanmu, chief marketing officer of Airtel Nigeria, said the unveil was in line with Airtel Nigeria's drive for innovation and driving positive changes in the Nigerian telecoms industry.

According to Akanmu, "The launch of Blackberry Z10 on the Airtel Network is significant as customers would take advantage of its largest 3.75G network and the most robust data network in the country".

Also speaking at the event, he highlighted Ariel's milestones in recent times such as Airtel being the first Telecoms Operator in Nigeria to complete LTE (Long Term Evolution) trial in Lagos and other major cities in the country.

He added that Airtel is the first Nigerian operator to introduced HD (High Definition) voice service in the country, and has bagged several awards ranging from the Most Cost Efficient Network, Network with the Best Quality, and Best Telecoms of the Year among many others.

He further stated that the new Blackberry Z10 is positioned as a premium handheld device with the capacity to hold the interest of high net worth individuals, fashionable youths, and self-actualised individuals in all spheres of life.

MTV Base to Unveil 'The Official Naija Top 10'

Music channel, MTV Base has announced its plan to unveil 'The Official Naija Top 10'. The initiative will be a weekly music chart countdown that will air on MTV Base starting 12 March 2013.

According to firm, The Official Naija Top 10 will be based on a wide range of sources, including radio airplay, digital downloads and industry insights, and is designed to play a similar role to the Billboard charts in the USA.

The Official Naija Top 10 has been specially created by MTV Base in conjunction with an elite panel of Nigerian broadcasters, music specialists and tastemakers including DJ Jimmy Jatt, Cool FM's DJ Xclusive, DJ Humility and Big Time (Rhythm FM), DJ Case and Toolz (The Beat FM) and Osagie Alonge (The NET NG).

Jimmy Jatt will join Ehis on the first episode of the show and subsequent weeks will see Ehis joined by other well-known celebrities and/or members of the chart selection panel, as they take us behind the scenes for exclusive music news and insider knowledge as well as the hottest tracks and artists Nigeria has to offer.

Each week, 'The Official Naija Top 10' will be published in Nigerian Entertainment Today. 'The Official Naija Top 10' will be fronted by MTV Base's brand new Nigerian VJ Ehis (@SpecialSlim), winner of the MTV Base VJ Search - Nigeria earlier this  year.

Cowbell Football Academy eyes foreign consultant

Cowbell Football Academy (CFA) is partnering with Mr. Sunny Izevbigie, an American-based coach and former Super Eagles player as a consultant on overseas career development for the players.

Mr. Dudu Orumen, Rector of the CFA disclosed this during a training session of the academy at the Mainbowl of the  National Stadium in Lagos recently.

He said beside the development of the players for football, the academy is also interested in their educational development. Orumen went through memory lane to explain how Mr. Izevbigie got a scholarship to study at the Harvard University in the  United States America (US) after Nigeria won the All African Games in 1973.

Already, one of the CFA players, Tony Amolo has a scholarship to study in an American University.

In an interview, Izevbigie said there was so much training that they could be done for children right from the age of five,  adding that is when South American and European players develop their playing skills.

He said something is missing both technically and administratively in African football. On the technical side, he said of  exposure is affecting African players while on the administrative side it is better to tolerate an indisciplined player to get  result than to drop him from play.

Izevbigie admitted that because of the exposure of African footballers to European football, Africa has grown so much compared to what it was in the 1970s.

adidas Takes Running to the Next Level with the Energy BOOST

adidas Energy Running

At a global launch event recently, adidas introduced a new way to run by unveiling its latest running innovation Energy Boost. Part of a new adidas segment called Energy Running, the shoe features BOOST™, a revolutionary cushioning technology which provides the highest energy return in the running industry.

“adidas helps make athletes better. With our new Boost foam, we are addressing a fundamental insight: everyone wants more energy.  Whether you're running a marathon, training for an upcoming season or just trying to get back in shape, our revolutionary Boost cushioning foam provides the highest energy return in any running products,” says Eric Liedtke, Head of Sport Performance, “Energy Boost will reset the running industry and pave the way for all future performance footwear.”

BOOST™ combines performance benefits that have been contradictory in the past: soft cushioning and responsiveness work together at last to give runners a running experience unlike any other.

“Energy is one of the most important elements for any athlete. Often people only think about speed, but energy is the secret weapon that can set you apart from the competition.  An added boost of energy is what allows you to push yourself ahead of everyone else to cross that finish line first, especially in a sprint when every millisecond counts,” says Yohan Blake, the current 100m World Champion who joined adidas at the launch of Energy Boost.

Symantec Announces New Strategy

In order to continue delivering value to customers in the future, Symantec Corp. has announced a new strategy that will streamline and simplifythe company so it can deliver significantly improved performance for customers and partners.

“Symantec’s strategy is clear: We want to enable people, businesses and countries to focus their energies and time on achieving their aspirations, instead of being consumed with how to keep their digital lives safe and protected,” said Steve Bennett, Symantec president and chief executive officer. “This is a story about more focus and better execution by Symantec to make things better and easier for our customers and partners.Our path is straightforward: Offer better products and services tailor made for customers, and make it easier for them to research, shop, buy,use, and get the help and support they need.
Symantec’s goal is to continue to improve its existing products and services, and at the same time develop new, innovative products and services that solve important unmet or underserved needs. Over time customers will have more and better choices that will continue to meet their evolving needs and deliver better value. Symantec is focusing on 10key areas that combine existing products and services into new, innovative and comprehensive solutions that meet multiple customer needs with integrated and higher value offerings. The overall development process is estimated to take six to 24 months depending on the specific offering.

These future offerings are intended to align with meeting three key customer needs:  Making it simple to be productive and protected at home and work; keeping businesses safe and compliant; and keeping business information and applications up and running.As such, Symantec is focusing on and considering the development of offerings in the following core areas:  Mobile Workforce Productivity, Norton Protection, Norton Cloud, Information Security Services, Identity/Content-Aware Security Gateway, Data Center Security, Business Continuity, Integrated Backup, Cloud-Based Information Management, and Object Storage Platform.

“Customers will still be able to pick and choose the solutions they want to use, but from a broader menu of innovative products with higher value,” Bennett said.

Emirates Skywards Members Soar to New Heights with Platinum Tier

Emirates Skywards, the award-winning frequent flyer programme of Emirates Airline, today announced a significant enhancement to its offering with the introduction of ‘Platinum’, a new tier which sits above Blue, Silver and Gold.  The Platinum tier has been developed to enhance the travel experience for frequent travellers and to offer additional benefits to members who have earned over 150,000 Miles.

"This is a significant development for Emirates Skywards.  The new tier is designed to show our most valued customers how important they are to Emirates and to offer greater recognition and benefits to those who choose to fly with us on such a frequent basis.  The additional benefits have been introduced to add an even higher level of comfort, flexibility and convenience for our Platinum members.

"On top of our superior product, world-class service and fast expanding network in six continents with 18 new destinations opened in the last 15 months and two new destinations, Algiers and Haneda, to be added soon,  the new Emirates Skywards Platinum tier  is definitely another reason to make Emirates the airline of choice.” said Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President, Passenger Sales Worldwide.

For the first time, Platinum members will receive exclusive benefits usually reserved for First Class passengers, including First Class check-in, baggage delivery and access to the First Class lounges in Dubai with a guest. They can continue to use all Emirates Lounges around the world, also with a guest, and they will receive 20kgs of additional baggage, regardless of their class of travel. 

To enable Platinum members to share their benefits with the rest of their family, a Gold ‘Partner’ card has been introduced, which means that family members can enjoy Gold privileges even when travelling separately. Platinum members will be guaranteed an Economy Class or Business Class commercial seat at Flex fares and receive access to an Economy Class or Business  Class ‘Last Seat’ Flex reward.

Gold Emirates Skywards members who are eligible for Platinum status will be automatically upgraded to the new tier and will start receiving benefits from 1 April 2013.  To qualify for Platinum status, members need to earn 150,000 or more tier Miles within a rolling 12-13 month period, compared to the existing qualification criteria of 50,000 Miles for Gold members.  Based on current figures, it is estimated that the top five per cent of Emirates Skywards’ Gold tier will be eligible for Platinum status. Skywards has 8.6 million members worldwide.

Emirates Skywards continues to develop its programme across all membership tiers with recent enhancements to its reward offerings including partnerships with Alaska Airlines, JetBlue and easyJet, TAP and more in the pipeline for 2013.

Fayrouz Refreshes Darey’s Love... Like a Movie

(L-R) Winner of the Fayrouz ticket to the love like a movie concert, Ishola Daniel, Senior Brand Manager Fayrouz, Nnenna Hemeson-Ifeibigh and the mother of the winner, Opeyemi Ishola at the concert sponsored by Fayrouz.

 As part of the drive to combine its uniqueness and quality to give consumers the best of  experience, Fayrouz a premiumsoft drink from the  stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc synergised its brand attributes with the just concluded Darey Art Alade’ s Love… like a movie concert held at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos. The premium soft drink served as the cocktail drink for the celebrities that graced the exciting event. The unique synergy – to the applause of the audience - brought the uniqueness of the brand and the concert to the fore.

Described as the combination of best of music, art, drama and theatre performance,the concert which had the presence of the international fashion icon and co-host of the concert, Kim Kardashian as well as the Nigeria’s top hip hop artists, Nollywood front liners and other notable corporate executivesdid not disappoint.

(L-R) Winner of the Fayrouz ticket to the love like a movie concert, Ishola Daniel, Senior Brand Manager Fayrouz, Nnenna Hemeson-Ifeibigh and the mother of the winner, Opeyemi Ishola at the concert sponsored by Fayrouz.

Speaking at the event, Mr Walter Drenth,Marketing Director Nigerian Breweries Plc, disclosed that Fayrouz is a premium and stylish soft drinkthat often looks out for opportunities to treat its consumers to exciting experiences.“We thought itworthwhile to partner with Darey on this event which is premium, stylish and extra ordinary - values which are associated with Fayrouz. The show has brought a new dimension to the music and entertainment industry in Nigeria. It is a marriage of two different and unconventional brands which has offered maximum satisfaction to consumers and guests”.

In her comments, Nnenna Ifeibigh-Hemeson, Senior Brand Manager Fayrouz and Climax, said Nigerian Breweries plc as a corporate brand and Fayrouz, as a product brand, does not get involved in anything that is not unique and impacting.“Fayrouz is different, original and unique; it’s in a class of its own. The same goes for the concert that combines Circque duSoleil theatrics and music to present a different kind of experience in this part of the World, it sharesgreat attributes and values with the Fayrouz brand that was why we decided to partner Darey on the show. It is indeed a lifelong experience and we are excited to have been part of it”.

She added that the event also provided theplatform to share the brand’s new innovation with consumers through the introduction of Fayrouz cocktail to offer them a different kind of experience and taste of the brand in another unique way.

To ensure that its consumers are not left out, the brand provided consumers the opportunity to witness the show live with platinum tickets to the concert which were won through a live radio show on UNILAG FM. The winners commended the brand for giving them an exciting and premium experience.

Commenting on the show, the producer, Darey Art Alade, disclosed that they were able to make a new statement that offers music lovers the best of music, art, drama and dance with live performances.He thanked his friends who made appearances;2face, 9ice,Iyanya, Timi Dakolo, Praiz, Waje and others who combined with Circque du Soleilan extreme theatre. “These are guys using sand to draw what I am singing. Our normal concept is just to come on stage, either lip-synching or jumping up and down with dancers when the CD you would release starts playing; what we have been able to bring to the fore is different and unique.”. He added.

Pictures: Guinness Nigeria Plc commissioned a Water of Life project donated to Agoi Ibami in Cross River State

L-R: Clan Head, Agoi Ibami community, HRH Charles Iku Ujong , Deputy Head of Public Policy, Diageo Africa, Miss Mojisola Akpata, Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, Hon. Sam Oju Former Security Adviser to Cross River State Government, Barrister Bassey Okim during the commissioning of Water of life project donated by Guinness Nigeria Plc to the Agoi Ibami community in Cross River State recently.

L-R: Deputy Head of Public Policy, Diageo Africa, Miss Mojisola Akpata, Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, Hon. Sam Oju and Former Security Adviser to Cross River State Government, Barrister Bassey Okim during the commissioning of Water of life project donated by Guinness Nigeria Plc to the Agoi Ibami community in Cross River State recently.

Deputy Head of Public Policy, Diageo Africa, Miss Mojisola Akpata unveiling the plaque during the commissioning of Water of life project donated by Guinness Nigeria Plc to the Agoi Ibami community in Cross River State recently.

Auto–parts dealer wins Salary4Life

When Kelechi Ikechukwu Kalu, an auto-parts trader at the popular Ladipo Market in Mushin, Lagos got a phone call that he has won a princely sum of N24 million from Diamond Bank Plc, his first reaction was to regard the call as a bait from a fraud, and in a stern voice packed with all the force of his small frame, he had told the man on the phone to look elsewhere as he wasn't the get rich quick type.

When the caller was persistent however, he confided in Matthew, a friend, whose shop was next door and upon persuasion from the latter, had gone to the Ladipo branch of the bank to confirm what the 'mysterious' caller who introduced himself simply as Nonso, had told him. There, it was confirmed to him that his fortunes had indeed changed, as he has won the salary-for-life, in the January 2013 draw of the Diamond SavingsXtra reward scheme, now in its fifth season.

In that category, which is the highest haul, Kalu would on a monthly basis receive a N100,000 salary from the bank for 20 years. Kalu could not believe his luck. Yet he took the news with a pinch of salt and could hardly join in the wild jubilation with which his friend Matthew received the news. Such was his shock at the sudden transformation of his status that he came to the bank in his greasy work cloth. Only his bosom friend escorted him.

Asked how he felt after receiving his cheque from the bank last Friday, Kalu said, "I am happy. I couldn't believe it when I received the news, I am speechless, I thank God and I thank Diamond Bank."
Kalu becomes the second trader in the market to win the highest jackpot. The first was Mr. Sunday Omili, who has been receiving N100,000 salary from the bank since August last year.

Kalu was not the only customer whose status changed on Friday, 8 February 2013. The Ladipo branch of the bank also had another winner, Mr. Chinedu Venatus Ibekame, an auto spare parts trader at the market who won N250,000 in the weekly draws category.

The Business Manager of the Ladipo Branch, Mr. Nonso Anyaegbuna who was the official that notified Kalu of his good fortune described the SavingsXtra account as a unique account for individuals wishing to build up their savings.

He said, "It is an interest-yielding savings account which allows the deposit of both cash and other banks’ cheques. In addition, SavingsXtra account holders get a debit card and a cheque book, which can be used to withdraw from their accounts at any Diamond branch. It is a simple and straightforward savings account that comes with a low minimum opening and operating amount of N5, 000 with free access to all electronic banking channels.”

Pampers Builds Capability of Paediatricians in Nigeria; to Sponsor 7 Pediatric Doctors

Pampers, one of the leading brands of Procter & Gamble, announced that it will sponsor 7 Nigerian pediatric doctors to the United States of America (USA) for observer-ship and research scholar programs. This was announced at a press conference today in Enugu as part of the 44th Annual conference of the Paediatric association of Nigeria.

The program; called the Nurturing Childrens Development program is a partnership between Pampers and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) with an objective of contributing towards improvement in the healthy development of infants and children worldwide.

The program, fully funded by Pampers, consists of 2 month observerships and a 9 month research scholarship at the prestigious Cincinnati Childrens Hospital Medical Centre- one of the top pediatric hospitals and child health research institutions in the United States which has produced some of the most renowned pediatric research scientists, including Dr. Albert Sabin, discoverer of the oral polio vaccine.

Of the 7 paediatricians to benefit from the NCD program, six would benefit from the ‘Observership scholarships’ while one would take part in the research program. The programs would enable these doctors travel to Cincinnati to share knowledge on medical advances and administrative innovations at the Cincinnati Children’s and other hospital institutions in the surrounding area.

The beneficiaries of this program would be selected from hospitals across Nigeria through collaboration between Procter and Gamble and the Paediatric Association of Nigeria; PAN. The program which commenced in 2012 has so far seen 3 pediatricians’ leave to experience the observership programme and 1 research scholarship experience the 9 month research scholarship programme.

Dr. Dorothy Esangbedo, the President of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria, while speaking at the press
conference announcing the programme today said that the capacity building programme by Procter and
Gamble is very intuitive as it provides mid-career pediatric scholars to experience world class standard
and replicate what has been learnt into the Nigerian system. Esangbedo thanked PnG and urged other
corporate bodies to emulate the company.

Dr. Ekanem Ekure, the pioneer observer pediatrician from the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)
commenting on her experience thanked the Pampers brand of the Procter & Gamble Company for giving
her this exposure opportunity. Further she stated that” due to the training I received in the Cincinnati
Childrens Hospital Medical Centre, my skills in pediatric echocardiography have improved greatly, and no
child requiring pediatric echocardiography leaves the hospital to look for this service. They are all attended
to here.”

Fayrouz Partners Darey On Love… Like a Movie

Fayrouz the unique premium soft drink from the stable of Nigerian Breweries , is partnering with  Africa’s king of R/B Darey Art Alade to give music lovers the ultimate experience this Valentine with theatrical expressions of love. The special Valentine concert titled “Love…Like a Movie” will hold on February 17, 2013 at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites Victoria Island, Lagos.

Mrs. Nnenna Ifebigh-Hemeson, Senior Brand Manager Fayrouz said the partnership is anchored on the fact that the idea of music combined with theatrics is a novelty. “We want our consumers and Nigerians in general; to enjoy this year’s valentine in a very unique way just like Fayrouz is a unique soft drink in a special class of its own. It will be a day to remember for a long time to come”.  

Darey Art Alade

According to her “Fayrouz is the sparkling malt based premium soft drink that is refreshingly different, with natural ingredients, fruity flavours and golden colour also making it an original mixer for cocktails which will be served at the event ensuring the night will be classy, innovative, and unconventionally fun.

 This specially-designed event, Love…Like a Movie is also the maiden episode in the “Darey Presents...” series that is produced by Soul Muzik Records.

According to the singer/songwriter, Darey Art Alade, “We intend to create a magical experience that will stay with our fans for a lifetime. This concert is definitely one to watch out for as it is one of the very few concerts that will have a full display of exciting performances with theatric interpretation of powerful emotions, music, traditionally inspired dance/acrobatic performances and so many more.”

Headlined by award winning artiste, Darey, with support from his protégés, international returnees Mo’Eazy and Zaina, the event will feature ‘cirque du soleil’ type performances, the best theatrical performances ever witnessed in Nigerian concert history. Some of the biggest names in Nigeria as well as international artistes and celebrities are expected to join him for the spectacular love concert.

Darey Art Alade, an apostle of love, with the biggest theme of his art revolving around love has over time warmed his way into the hearts of many in and outside Nigeria with his exceptional vocal skills and charisma.

Adidas Brand Comes to Nigeria

adidas, the global sports brand, has opened two stores in Nigeria through its Strategic Retail Partner, Mopheth Sport Nigeria Ltd, during the last quarter of 2012. The move demonstrates adidas’ intention to strengthen the brand in the vibrant Western African country.

“Although we have always had a strong presence in Nigeria through the sponsorship of the Super Eagles, our product offering has been limited. As part of our growth into Africa, we have identified a well-established retail partner who is responsible for the rollout of adidas monobranded stores in Nigeria,” says Astrud Meintjes, the Senior Business Development Manager at adidas South Africa.

The adidas brand entered the Nigerian market, when Mopheth opened the first adidas store in Lagos’ Ikeja City Mall in October 2012.This has been followed up, by the opening of a second store in the nation’s capital, Abuja, in December 2012. Both offer the latest in adidas products including footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and kids in the following categories: football, running, basketball, training and Originals.

adidas retail partner, Mr Adekunle Oyegade, says he is excited by the partnership with a well- known global brand like adidas and sees it as a way of strengthening his already strong business in Nigeria. “adidas brings the Nigerian customer a wide variety of world class product for both the sports and style enthusiasts. This partnership also means we are able to communicate the brand concepts and styles that were previously not accessible to our customers,” he says.

Mubarak Adebowale, a 15 year-old midfielder from Lagos, was in high spirits when asked about his role. Interviewed before the game, between Nigeria and Zambia , which took place in Nelspruit, South Africa on 25 January 2013, he said

“I am very excited and extremely happy! I can’t wait to tell everybody about my trip to South Africa. I hope to meet some of the greatest players in African soccer. I have told everyone to tune in and record my match to watch me walk onto the field. I am going to feel very proud of myself on that day. Nigeria will win,” he says.

Visa to sponsor BT Africa West Africa Expo and Conference in Nigeria

Visa, global electronic payments company, has announced its partnership with Future Group and its Nigeria-based partners Tradeblazers Limited, to sponsor the BT Africa West Africa Expo and Conference in Nigeria. In its third year, and in association with Future Group’s Business Traveller Africa magazine, the conference will be held at the Federal Palace Hotel & Casino in Lagos from 20-21 March 2013.

Through this partnership Visa aims to consolidate its position in the travel industry throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ade Ashaye, Country Manager for Visa in West Africa, said: “Visa plays an active role in travel and tourism and its research in the tourism industry provides key insights into the trends. We believe that continued engagement in the industry is important and are therefore delighted to partner with one of Africa’s premier business travel publications to host this event. The Expo and Conference brings together the industry heavyweights with the sole aim of unlocking Africa’s trade and tourism potential.”

Visa has an office in Lagos, which has been instrumental in reshaping the payment landscape in West Africa with the introduction of several products, including the Visa Corporate card, for enabling secure and convenient cashless transactions within the region.

Expected attendees, delegates and panelists include representatives of airlines, air charter companies, hotels and hotel groups, financial institutions, travel management companies and car rental brands.

“This corporate travel indaba serves as a great opportunity for all those with a vested interest in West African business travel to come together under one roof,” said Dylan Rogers, Editor of Business Traveller Africa magazine.

ORAL B Commends the Federal Ministry of Health on National Oral Care Policy

In fulfilment of its mission of promoting Oral health in Nigeria, Oral B has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Health on the launch of the first ever National Oral Health care policy in Nigeria.

The formal event which took place at the Transcorp Hilton hotel in Abuja was planned strategically as part of the celebration of the 2nd National Oral Health care week and saw the launch of the policy as well as the inauguration of the Senate President; Dr. David Mark GCON as the National Oral Health Champion.

In his goodwill message at the conference, the Managing Director of Procter & Gamble in West Africa, Mr. Manoj Kumar, represented by Mrs. Tope Iluyemi, the Global Government Relations Leader for Sub- Saharan Africa lauded the initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health to launch the Oral Health Care policy.

He also congratulated the Senate President Dr David Mark on his inauguration as the National Oral Health care champion, stating further that “P&G brands touch and improve the lives of 4.6 billion consumers in the world daily and the partnership of Oral B and the Federal Ministry of Health on the Oral Care policy launch was a reflection of P&G’s commitment to the touch and improve the oral health of Nigerians.”

In its own remark on the the Oral Health Care policy, the Senate President, David Mark, said that the policy will certainly make oral healthcare accessible and affordable for Nigerians. Also speaking at the event, the Honourable Minister for Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, stated that “the goal of the Oral health policy was to achieve optimal health for Nigerians through sustainable awareness creation, strategic research and coordination of oral health activities.”

Heritage Bank Pays SGBN Customers At Account Valid Centres

One significant highpoint of the account validation exercise kicked off by Heritage Banking Company on Tuesday 29 January for Customers of the defunct Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN) is the immediate issuance of payment cheques to customers whose accounts are successfully validated.

Investigations conducted across some designated centres showed that the exercise is in two parts namely verification of accounts and instant issuance of payment cheques for those who prefer to collect the balances in their accounts. Owners of successfully validated accounts also have the option of retaining such with the new Heritage Bank which is set to begin operations before the first quarter of the year ends.

At the AIB plaza centre in Lagos, an official who asked not to be named stated that the management of the new Heritage Bank has put everything in place to ensure that all SGBN customers who turn up for the month-long exercise go back satisfied.

In her words, “Management has made adequate arrangement for everybody and we have the financial strength to pay everybody if the need arises”.

On the modality for account validation, the official said Savings account holders are expected to come with means of identification such as driver’s licence, passport or national identity card, as well as their cash withdrawal forms and deposit slips. For Current and Corporate accounts, account holders are expected to present their chequebooks or cheque stumps.

 “The process is simple, hassle-free and technology-driven to ensure that customers that turn up do not have to wait endlessly. We just call up the customer’s number from our server base at the head office. Once this appears, the customer’s picture is taken and stored and the form is passed on to the Validation officer through the control officer, for the account to be verified, including the balance in such account. Once this is done, the customer is referred to the cashiers who instantly write cheques for those that want their account balance paid”, the official explained.

Microsoft Unveils the 4Afrika Initiative

Microsoft Corporation has unveiled the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, a new effort through which the company will actively engage in Africa's economic development to improve its global competitiveness.

The Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative is built on the dual beliefs that technology can accelerate growth for Africa, and Africa can also accelerate technology for the world. The goal is to empower every African who has a great idea for a business or an application and to turn that idea into a reality which in turn can help their community, their country, or even the continent at large.

According to a statement on the site, "it is a multi-year initiative that represents our increased commitment to Africa as we celebrate 20 years of doing business on the continent. The world has recognized the promise of Africa, and Microsoft wants to invest in that promise. As we look forward to our next 20 years, we wanted to explore new ways to link the growth of our business with initiatives that accelerate growth for the continent. To do this, we are focusing on three critical areas – World-class skills, Access and Innovation".

Norton Delivers Protection for Windows 8, Social Networking and Scams

Norton by Symantec released the latest versions of its award-winning core security products, Norton Internet Security and Norton AntiVirus, which are fully-compatible with the newly released Windows 8 operating system. 

With five patented layers of protection, stronger social networking defenses, anti-scam capabilities, and improved cloud-enabled features, the latest Norton products set new benchmarks for protection and performance. In addition, the latest releases are Windows 8 compatible and engineered to make Windows 8 safer and faster compared with running Windows Defender on Windows 8.

According to third-party testing, when paired with Norton, Windows 8 is 50 percent faster 1 and 20 percent safer than with Windows Defender. In addition, testing showed that Norton was able to correctly detect and block all the threats that Windows Defender failed to recognize.

“According to this year’s Norton Cybercrime Report, one in 10 social network users said they’d fallen victim to a scam or fake link on social network platforms. Today, consumers are living nearly every aspect of their lives online and often putting personal information at risk,” said Janice Chaffin, Group President, Consumer Business Unit, Symantec.

The latest Norton products are engineered to be safer, optimized for speed and performance, and simpler to use. In third-party testing, the new products ranked first in both protection and performance among a field of competitors. 

FedEx Named Among FORTUNE Magazine’s 2013 “Best Companies to Work For”

Federal Express (FedEx Corp)., parent company of Red Star Express Plc has once again been named in the FORTUNE magazine’s list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in the United States. The world’s largest transport company was named by Fortune partners after extensive employee survey was carried out by Great Place to Work Institute.

Chairman and CEO of FedEx Corp. Frederick W. Smith, in his response said “this recognition is made possible by the spirit and dedication of FedEx’s more than 300,000 hard-working team members around the world. We are pleased to be recognized by FORTUNE magazine as an employer of choice, and all of us are committed to continuing our history of service to our customers and our communities.”

FedEx has made the prestigious list 11 of the past 14 years and was named to the Best Companies to Work For Hall of Fame in 2005.  The company also has been consistently ranked in FORTUNE’s Global Most Admired Companies and America’s Most Admired Companies lists since 2002 and 2001, respectively.

The Managing Director of Red Star Express Mr Sule Bichi, equally expressed satisfaction at the announcement. According to him, “FedEx has a very strong pedigree in the industry globally and it is not surprising that it could gain such recognition. We are always excited of fact that we have such huge heritage as the Nigerian licensee of the company. The company will continue to put in place programs that support our strong employee culture and global best practice”.

Two-thirds of a company’s score is based on the results of the Institute’s Trust Index survey, which is sent to a random sample of employees from each company.  The survey asks questions related to their attitudes about the management’s credibility, job satisfaction and camaraderie.  The other third of the scoring is based on the company’s responses to the Institute’s Culture Audit, which includes detailed questions about pay and benefit programs and a series of open-ended questions about hiring, communication and diversity.

Promasidor Commence Cowbell NASSMAC 2013

Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell milk, has commence the 2013 edition of the Cowbell National Secondary Schools Mathematics Competition (NASSMAC). Currently in its 13th edition, NASSMAC is a competition aimed at demystifying mathematics as a subject and also to awaken the consciousness and interest in mathematics among secondary school students in Nigeria.

Addressing the press at the official flag-off of the 2013 edition of the competition held in Lagos yesterday, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Promasidor Nigeria, Chief Keith Richards said that Promasidor is  pleased that NASSMAC has continued to inspire brilliancy in schools.

“We are delighted that NASSMAC has continued to impact lives of students across the nation. Our commitment over the years to NASSMAC has seen this nation-building initiative grow from a small school competition in Lagos in 1998 to a national competition with great reputation in the education industry.”

Keith added that NASSMAC 2013 which also marks 20th year anniversary for Promasidor Nigeria Limited in Nigeria promises to be exciting as the number of entries have been increased to three students in both junior and senior categories and teachers who have relentlessly stayed committed to NASSMAC will also be celebrated.

Moreover, the first stage examination is billed to hold on Saturday, March 16th 2013 in 200 centres across Nigeria. Emerging students with the highest scores in Junior and Secondary categories will make it to the second and final stage examination after which the national prize winner shall emerge.

According to Onubogu, the best three students in each category at the state level will receive N25, 000, N20, 000 and N15, 000 respectively, aside other branded gift items like School Bags, T-shirts, pens, notebooks and certificate of recognition for their outstanding performances at the first stage examination.

Mr. Olusegun Koleoso, Brand Development Manager of Promasidor unveiled the communication materials of the competition.

YouTube plans to Introduce Pay-for Video

YouTube is planning to introduce paid subscriptions for some individual channels, and this will start a whole new era in the history of the global video sharing community in particular, and online video in general. With this move.

YouTube aims to attract more professional content makers as well as advertisers and refined audience to make the video platform a stronger rival of television. The first paid subscriptions are said to be launched in the second quarter of this year.

Ad Age reports that “YouTube has reached out to a small group of channel producers and asked them to submit applications to create channels that users would have to pay to access.” To be able to view the content on such channels, the audience will be asked to pay between $1 and $5 a month, according to insiders. Most probably, YouTube will charge not only for viewing episodes but also for content libraries and access to live streaming, pay-per-view, and will also ask to pay for watching self-help or financial advice shows.

Presently, YouTube only makes money from advertising revenue. The site was a well known money pit for owners Google and has only recently started paying its own way.

The introduction of paid subscriptions has been described as a logical step for the platform, which is the major video-sharing website in the world now.

Singer Alicia Keys Joins BlackBerry As Global Creative Director

American music diva, Alicia Keys is now an official partner to BlackBerry, acting as Global Creative Director. Working closely with app developers, content creators, retailers, carriers and entertainers, Keys will be an active member of the BlackBerry community.

Image source: http://blogs.blackberry.com 

According to a press release from her official site, the singer's duties will include working "closely with app developers, content creators, retailers, carriers, and the entertainment community to further shape and enhance the BlackBerry 10 platform, and inspire creative use through its remarkable capabilities and functionality."

“Alicia Keys has come to BlackBerry because she believes in the product and technology, and subscribes to our overriding philosophy to ‘Keep Moving’: to empower people through mobile computing and communications,” said BlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Heins. “We are excited she will be bringing to us her enormous capabilities, as well as a vast network of relationships in the entertainment, social media and business communities, to help shape our brand and grow our business.”

From music to books, to film, to apps, Keys will lead the charge of enhancing entertainment consumption and distribution, through the power of BlackBerry 10.

Keys said she also hopes to work with fellow artists and other partners to build BlackBerry's business. Her announcement came after RIM announced it was changing its name to BlackBerry.

GTBank Introduces Social Banking

Foremost Nigerian financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank plc has once again raised the service bar for Nigerian banks with the unveil of its ‘Social Banking’ service on Facebook. The new offering which is the first of its kind by any Nigerian Bank allows GTBank Social Account holders transfer money, purchase airtime, pay bills, and confirm their account balance on Facebook.

Speaking about the innovation, Managing Director/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank plc; Mr Segun Agbaje said the Bank is committed to ensure its stakeholders can perform financial transactions at their convenience and would continue to introduce safe and novel alternative channels for them to do so. Mr. Agbaje further confirmed that the Social Account is different from having a regular GTBank account as it enables people perform banking activities like money transfers, airtime purchases and bills payments while on Facebook.

Guaranty Trust Bank plc has been at the forefront of industry innovations within the Nigerian financial services sector. The Bank was the first to see social media as a viable means to reach its stakeholders and presently has over 950,000 Facebook fans; the largest for any African bank.

The Bank’s other recent introductions include GTBank Mobile Money, a highly secure application that allows customers and non GTBank customers perform transfers and payments from their mobile phones, a ‘FastTrack’ banking system that allows customers withdraw money within the Bank’s branches using their debit cards, the GTCrea8 eSavers virtual account for undergraduates and the GTBank e-Account for salary earners, which enables them conduct all their banking activities without having to visit a physical bank branch.

In addition, the Bank’s internet banking platform is one of the most robust in the industry. The channel supports a wide array of transactions such as bills payments, own and third party transfers and foreign exchange transfers to any bank account in the world. The Bank’s alternative banking channels were recently given a Payment Card Industry Standards Council (PCISSC) certification, implying that the channels meet acceptable technical and operational requirements to prevent credit card fraud, hacking and other security vulnerabilities.

Samsung Commences Drive for Galaxy Grand preorder, Unveils 2013 Brand Ambassadors

Samsung Electronics West Africa, has announced a brand new member in its Galaxy line-up with Samsung Galaxy Grand. The 5-inch display, smart dual-SIM Galaxy Grand combines the features of Samsung’s game-changing Galaxy S III and the revolutionary Galaxy Note II, which were released by the manufacturing giant last year.

According to company, the Galaxy Grand is revolutionary not only in terms of the great Smartphone experience that it will provide but also in terms of its value proposition.

L-R: Kim, Kate Henshaw and- Banky W

The tech company also unveiled its 2013 brand ambassadors for its Mobile Division.  Movie industry icon Kate Henshaw and star musician, Banky W,  will be working together to raise awareness for Samsung mobile products and ultimately contribute to making Samsung phones the preferred brand in the West Africa sub-region. Henshaw was officially unveiled as brand ambassador at a media breakfast meeting organized by Samsung.

Speaking at the unveiling, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim said that Henshaw and Banky W represent the values that Samsung has stood for over the years. "The Samsung brand stands for qualities of innovation, change, discovery, self-expression and excellence in performance. And these very same qualities are epitomized by Banky W and Kate Henshaw, whose quality and depth of work as well as versatility as artistes have endeared them to Nigerians today. We are indeed very proud and privileged to have them as our Brand Ambassadors."

He described its signing of Kate Henshaw as an opportunity for Samsung to reach out to its customers through Nigeria’s movie industry.

Samsung Galaxy Grand has gone up for preorder on various online stores in Nigeria, ahead of its release next month. Consumers who take advantage of the preorder campaign are entitled to a free limited edition flip cover of the device, autographed by Banky W, while those who redeem their order before Valentine’s Day stand a chance to win a ticket to the official unveiling of the device on February 15, 2013. The opportunity to spend a weekend at Oriental Hotel and also enjoy dinner with the brand ambassadors is also open to consumers who preorder the device.

Promasidor Flags Off New Loya Milk Promo

Loya Milk, a brand from the stable of Promasidor Nigeria Limited has launched a new consumers’ promo tagged ‘It’s What’s Inside That Matters.’ The new promo which will run from February 1st to May 31st was unveiled at a press briefing in Lagos which was attended by many dignitaries including Loya Milk brand Ambassador, Don Jazzy.

L-R: Commercial Director, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Kachi Onubogu, Loya Milk Brand Ambassador, Don Jazzy, and Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria, Chief Keith Richards at the launch of the ‘It’s What Inside That Matters’ Loya Milk promo on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Commercial Director of Promasidor Nigeria, Mr Kachi Onubogu stated that the promo was a way of rewarding loyal consumers of the brand.

“The Loya ‘It’s What’s Inside That Matters’ promo has been designed to reward our loyal consumers who have brought us thus far. Today, we are unveiling another fantastic activity to reward and excite our consumers all over Nigeria as we give out millions of cash and 12 brand new cars over the space of four months from 1st February to 31st May.’

Commercial Director, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Kachi Onubogu, Loya Milk Brand Ambassador, Don Jazzy, and Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria, Chief Keith Richards at the launch of the ‘It’s What Inside That Matters’ Loya Milk promo on Wednesday, January 30, 2013 in Lagos.

Explaining the promo mechanics Onubogu said there will be no draws; all the prizes will be won instantly.

“Our Lucky consumers have to look inside any Loya 400g or 900g promotional pack to find their coupon or sticker with a unique code. It could be an instant cash prize of N1,000; N2,000; N10,000; or N20,000 which can be redeemed at any branch of Zenith Bank nationwide . It could also be the star prize of a brand new car. We will be giving out three brand new cars (Hyundai i10AT) every month to lucky consumers redeemable here in our office.”

In his address of welcome, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Chief Keith Richards said Loya Milk has risen to be Nigeria’s fastest growing brand. “Since its re-launch in 2010, Loya Milk has gained the hearts of its target audience and has risen to be Nigeria’s fastest growing brand. This has been made possible by the immense support we receive from our media and trade partners. ”

It would be recalled that Don Jazzy whose real name is Michael Collins Ajereh was recently named the brand ambassador of Loya Milk in Lagos.

Diamond Bank Opens New Branch at Babcock University

Diamond Bank Plc, a leading commercial bank in Nigeria and the African continent, has opened a new branch at Babcock University, Ilishan, Ogun State.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Dr. Alex Otti said they were quite happy to be in the university community and assured existing and prospective customers that the bank would continue to render efficient services that it is noted for.

Vice-Chancellor, Babcock University, Professor Makinde Olukayode; Member, Governing Council Babcock University, Dr Deji Adeleke; GMD/ CEO Diamond Bank Plc, Dr. Alex Otti and Chairman, Governing Council Babcock University, Dr. Leke Owolabi during the inauguration of a new Diamond Bank branch in the university in Ilishan, Ogun State recently.

Dr. Otti said they were also in the university community to support businesses, remarking that "We are probably the only bank that lends money to small businesses and this branch will not be an exception. For members of the university community you can access loans here even when you don't have collateral once we look at your proposal and find that it is viable, we will give you money."

"Our position in Diamond Bank is that if we insist that everybody must provide security then we must willingly or unwillingly zone out majority, about 90 per cent of the population and if our business is to empower people, then we cannot zone out 90 per cent of the population," the GMD/CEO remarked.

The vice-chancellor asked the bank to proffer a solution for parents who encountered difficulties while paying their wards’school fees through electronic means. He also enjoined the bank to look at ways of financing the dreams of staff of the university, especially in the areas of building their houses, purchasing cars and financing their children’s education in a bid to make for continuity.

"I believed Diamond Bank has what it takes to give us the best services here," Professor Olukayode commented. The event was graced by senior officials of the bank, members of the governing council of the university, administrative staff of the university, representatives of staff union as well as representatives of the students union amongst others.

Sony Inaugurates New State-of-the-Art Authorized Service Centre in Nigeria

Sony Middle East and Africa has inaugurated a new state-of-the-art Sony-authorized Service Centre, Redington Isolo. The new Sony authorized service centre, located in Afprint Industrial Estate, reinforces Sony’s commitment to provide the best after-sales support to its valued customers in Nigeria.

(L-R) Head Customer Relations Sony, Ugoh Anyanwu, Director Sales, Middle East, and Africa,  Mukaida Shinya and the  Vice President Services, Middle East and Africa, Redington Sethu Raman  at the opening of news Sony Service Centre in Lagos recently.

 Speaking about the newly inaugurated service centre, Shinya Mukaida, Director, Area Management, Sony Middle East and Africa said: "This is a proud day for the entire team here in Nigeria. Customers will benefit from the services, support and added convenience that we can offer with an enhanced network of Sony-authorized service centers across the country. These kinds of intensive and specialized services mean that our customers will receive the best support without any compromise in turnaround times."

The opening of the Sony-authorized, Redington Isolo service centre continues Sony’s long term strategic investment program in infrastructure resources. Through this strategy, Sony has increased the network of service centers in the region providing consumers with quality after sales service and support. The new service centre is supported by a network of five authorized service centers and with two collection counters located at convenient locations across the entire country.

The Sony-authorized Service Centre – Redington Isolo is a state-of-the-art service centre offering international standards of after-sales service. Trained by Sony engineers, the service centre staff are highly qualified to address customer complaints and queries. The equipment used for diagnostics and repair are also the latest available and technologically advanced.

The service centre is equipped to repair and restore a wide range of Sony products like BRAVIA LCD/LED TVs, Handycam camcorders, VAIO notebook computers, Cyber-shot digital still cameras and Network Walkman portable music devices.

Other Sony service centre in Nigeria include Sony Centre Victoria Island Lagos, Sony Centre Port Harcourt, 202 ABA Road Water Lines Junction., Sony centre Ikaja opposite KFC Lagos, Sony Centre Palms Shopping Centre Lagos, Sony Centre Surulere Adeniran Ogunsanya Shopping Mall Lagos, Sony Collection center, opposite Access Bank Alaba, Sony Centre MMA1A Airport Lagos and Sony Centre MMA2 Lacal Airport.

Schools Commend Ribena-Tetra Pak Recycling Project

The Ribena-Tetra Pak joint recycle project tagged “Drink it, Flatten it & Bin it” campaign has continued to receive commendations from educators in Lagos State. The recycling project which kicked off recently has rapidly reached a high level of acceptance with both pupils and their teachers because of the practical lessons that the project brings to fore.

Mrs. Ogundipe Love, who is the Head Teacher of Dansol Nursery and Primary School – one of the schools participating in the project, said, “the Ribena-Tetra Pak ‘Drink it, Flatten it & Bin it’ project is a very laudable campaign because in Nigeria, we lack the culture of recycling where everything we use, we just throw away even when we can still make something useful from it.”

In capturing the impact of the project on the pupils of Vicsum Schools, Mrs M. O. Soyemi, said, “the children are very excited about the Ribena-Tetra Pak ‘Drink it, Flatten it & Bin it’ program. They are really looking forward to flattening and binning as many packs as possible. They are also working on ideas for the art and craft aspect of the project. it is our joy to be part of a program that is having such positive impact on the future generation”.

The Brand Manager of Ribena, Mr. Olawale Akanbi shades more light on the objective of project by saying, “The ‘drink it flatten it and bin it’ Campaign is of considerable significance to both GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nig. Plc and Tetra Pak (West Africa) Limited, as corporate organisations. We are looking beyond today. We are focusing on the future. We see the present young generation becoming more environment conscious.”

Twenty schools are participating in the Ribena-Tetra Pak ”Drink it, Flatten it & Bin it“ Recycling Campaign which is a pilot project executed only in Lagos State. Pupils of the schools are expected to flatten and bin their Ribena packs after drinking the content, in special branded bins that have been stationed in all the school. All the collected packs will be recycled into furniture which will be donated to less privileged schools in the Dust Bin Estate in Ajegule, Lagos.

Cowbell Football Academy receives APFAN membership

Cowbell Football Academy (CFA) has received certificate of membership from the Association of Proprietors of Football Academies of Nigeria (APFAN). The academy was conferred with the certificate at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Lagos recently.

Mr. Godwin Dudu-Orumen, the Rector of CFA who received the certificate on behalf of the academy from the National President, of APFAN, Dr. Francis Akinremi was also conferred with the position of the Coordinator, APFAN - South West Zone in recognition of his impact and exemplary work in the academy.

(L-R) Technical Director, Mr. Solomon Adesina,  National President, Dr. Francis Akinremi both of Association of Proprietors of Football Academies of Nigeria (APFAN), presenting Certificate of Membership of the association to Rector, Cowbell Football Academy, Mr. Godwin Dudu- Orumen while Public Relations Officer, APFAN Mr. Kamiludeem Banjoh looks on at the National Institute of Sports (NIS), National Stadium, Surulere in Lagos recently.

 Commenting, Mr. Andrew Enahoro, Head Legal and Public Relations of Promasidor Nigeria Limited said Promasidor is very excited and hopes to see the Cowbell Football Academy soar to greater heights.

“It is a thing of joy to see something we started small, grow. We are very excited about the membership and we are very hopeful and positive that CFA will grow to greater heights. The Cowbell Football Academy is our baby and who wouldn’t be excited when his child grows. We try to emphasize little things where we can take care of children, we have always had the grassroots football initiative, where we identify young talents, get them off the streets and get them to learn about football and sport not because we have some ulterior motive but because we don’t want to be exposed to all sort of vices or be used for criminal offences and all sorts.”

Cowbell Football Academy was launched in 2012 as a corporate social responsibility programme by Promasidor Nigeria with the aim of building and developing youths in the nation through sport. The academy is committed to preparing young footballers, between ages 3 – 18 years to shine as stars in the future. It’s a result of diligent scouting and years of rigorous work to forge a team that will play together as a unit and will do the nation and our continent proud.

Promasidor Nigeria has continued to inspire young people and support sports annually in different capacity across the country: from schools inter-house sports, fun and excitement of its annual Animal Games for primary schools, iTry Rugby camp for kids, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) volleyball tournament and annual ParaSoccer Tournament for the physically challenged.