BrandArena : June 2014

Thursday, 26 June 2014

Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Sends Young Musicians From Its International Music Funds To 2014 Grammy Camp In Los Angeles

As part of its ongoing partnership with The Recording Academy, Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry is pleased to once again invite selected students from its Music Funds in Greater China, the United Kingdom and Japan to participate in the GRAMMY Foundation®'s renowned GRAMMY Camp in Los Angeles, from July 12th to 21st.

The first Gucci Timepieces & Jewelry Music Fund was established in Greater China in 2012 and the model was quickly replicated in the UK and Japan. Each Music Fund operates in conjunction with a leading musical institution in its respective country, with a mission to support talented young musicians by providing scholarships and opportunities for musical development within the framework of an international music exchange program.

This year’s talents – comprising two students from each Music Fund – will be flying to the 10th annual GRAMMY Camp. During the ten days hands-on experience, the selected students, together with peers from all over the USA, will be immersed into the creative and business side of the world of music led by some of the industry’s most distinguished professionals. The week will culminate in a grand finale concert – the GRAMMY Camp ‘Launch Party’ – held at the iconic El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on July 20th. The evening will feature live performances of music written during GRAMMY Camp to an audience of music industry personalities.

The six aspiring artists, Hiu Ching Natalie Lam, Kit Lau Tsz, Kunito Kitai, Yoko Suzuki, Jordan Hadfield and Renato Paris, are all confident to reach one day Grammy level standards and are excited by the challenges of the Grammy Camp. Every day, they will live and breathe music, harmoniously blending schoolwork and socializing around their passion.

GE Pledges to Build Skill and Capacity in Nigeria’s Oil & Gas Industry

Customers of GE Oil and Gas, partners and other stakeholders in the Nigerian Oil & Gas industry today met at GE Garages for an interactive session on the role of Technology in the Nigerian Oil & Gas Industry. GE Garages is GE’s platform to communicate Advanced Manufacturing stories, bringing together both internal and external partners to enable creativity and innovation on a global scale.

L-R Dr. Lazarus Angbazo, CEO, GE Nigeria, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Min of Power and Lorraine Bolsinger, President, CEO GE Distributed Power the Launch of GE Distributed Power in Lagos Recently

Speaking at the event, GE Nigeria Oil & Gas Leader Uzo Nwagwu said as technology continues to play a key role in the development of the Oil and gas industry, there needs to be concerted efforts to build skills and capacity in available local manpower.

According to Uzo Nwagwu, “the core of GE Oil & Gas is technology, and this technology will play a critical role in emerging energy markets. As the Oil & Gas industry continues to explore new sources of production, operations are increasing in complexity thus driving significant demand for better technology in equipment and services”. He explained that GE was investing significantly in the training of engineers and technicians in the use of the ever-evolving technology. All GE Field Service Engineers and technicians are indigenous Nigerians. This is part of GE’s localization strategy in the region.

The GE Nigeria Oil and Gas leader explained that GE delivers expertise to Africa by being a “big business” that acts like a nimble, localized, “small” business. “We do this by combining a deep understanding of local demands, challenges, and opportunities in the energy sector with GE’s global scale and R&D” said Uzo.

This summer, take advantage of great deals with Emirates Holidays and spend some time exploring the sights and sounds of this cosmopolitan city as part of the tour operator’s Dubai Summer Specials promotion.

Starting from just US$999* per adult, the packages include return flights from Lagos on the award-winning Emirates Airline, three-nights’ accommodation with breakfast, return airport to hotel transfers and a copy of the Entertainer Book featuring discounts worth up to AED 8,000 at top restaurants and attractions around the city. Plus as a special incentive for families, for every two full paying adults, children eat, stay and play for FREE!

With daily Emirates’ flights from Lagos, Dubai is not only easily accessible from Nigeria but also a great option for affordable, luxury holidays for families and couples alike. The addition of daily flights from Kano and Abuja from August 1st makes Dubai a must visit destination this summer.

Dubai is home to the world’s tallest building - the Burj Khalifa, the world’s largest mall – The Dubai Mall, and home to a melting pot of people from over 200 nations. Dubai is where east meets west, and tradition blends seamlessly with the modern. Visitors to Dubai can experience both the benefits of a city enriched by multi-cultural influences and the heritage of an Arab nation.

Google has begun removing some search results to comply with a European Union ruling upholding citizens' right to have objectionable personal information about them hidden in search engines.

Several weeks after the May ruling by the European Court of Justice on the so-called "right to be forgotten," the company set up an online interface for users to register their complaints.

"This week we're starting to take action on removals requests that we've received," a Google spokesman, Al Verney said on Thursday. "This is a new process for us. Each request has to be assessed individually and we're working as quickly as possible to get through the queue."

Google received over 41,000 requests over four days after it put up an online form allowing Europeans to request that search results be removed.

The company is not releasing information on what percentage of complaints appear to fall into areas the court specified as potentially objectionable: results that are "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant."

Globacom has announced it has launched an electronic recharge option called E-Top Up in Benin, allowing its subscribers to recharge airtime without using cards.

According to the Head of Glomobile Benin, Mr. Femi Ogunlusi, subscribers wishing to use the electronic airtime recharge option should simply dial *152#. A secret code is subsequently sent to the subscriber’s phone. With this code, the subscriber can top up his credit without disclosing his phone number to the vendor. The anonymity of the subscriber’s number and recharge code is one of the advantages of the new E-Top up service in the Benin Republic telecoms market, Ogunlusi said.

According to him, “the average Beninois is very security-conscious, the privacy of his personal identity, phone number and secrecy of his recharge code is of high importance to him.The Glo E-Top Up is, therefore, special to him because he can recharge electronically with anonymity.”

In addition, the Glo E-Top Up is a “most convenient, stress-free and hassle-free recharging platform for Glo subscribers anytime and from anywhere within Benin Republic.”
Ogunlusi explained that Glomobile Benin introduced the E-Top Up because Globacom, in all its operations, identifies with the peculiar needs of its subscribers and develops products to meet them in ways that guarantee optimum value for money.

As the 23rd African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Summit gets underway in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, ONE.org’s Do Agric petition — which calls on African leaders to recommit to spending at least 10% of national budgets on effective agriculture investments — has gathered more than 2 million signatures of support from African citizens across the continent.

The petition has been hand delivered to a number of Heads of State, including Presidents JakayaKikwete of Tanzania, YayiBoni of Benin, John Mahama of Ghana, MahamadouIssoufou of Niger, and MackySall of Senegal. The petition has also been hand delivered to Vice-President Guy Scott of Zambia, to Prime Ministers Moussa Mara of Mali and BrigiRafini of Niger, as well as to Minister for Agriculture of Nigeria AdesinaAkinwumi, Minister for Agriculture and Food Security of Burkina Faso MahanaZougrana, Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister for the Economy, NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, and South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, SenzeniZokwana.

ONE.org officially launched its “Do Agric, It Pays” campaign on 20 January 2014 along the margins of the 22nd Ordinary Session of the AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in support of the 2014 AU Year of Agriculture. The campaign encourages African governments to keep their 2003 Maputo promise to invest at least 10% of national budgets in agriculture, and makes a case for better strategic policies and transparent public investments that will better support smallholder farmers, especially women, and lift millions of Africans out of poverty.

Hird Yahsat Satellite To Extend Yahclick’s Broadband Internet To Africa

UAE-based satellite operator Yahsat has announced plans to launch its third satellite extending its commercial Ka-band coverage to an additional 17 countries and 600 million users, expanding on Yahsat’s current coverage area across the Middle East, Africa and South West and Central Asia. Scheduled for launch in 2016, Al Yah 3 strengthens Yahsat’s position as the world’s eighth largest operator in terms of revenue and as a leader in innovative satellite solutions.

Through the delivery of affordable broadband via satellite, YahClick supports social and economic development across the continent, connecting previously unserved or underserved communities to the Internet. Al Yah 3 will use advanced technology with a unique design that optimizes cost, capacity, coverage and flexibility to deliver affordable broadband to homes and business across Africa. The service will make internet available to users directly via a small satellite dish or indirectly via internet service providers. It will be available in 17 countries across north and sub-Saharan Africa, adding to YahClick’s current presence in Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and South Sudan.

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, Yahsat Chief Executive Officer, said: “Al Yah 3 marks another milestone for Yahsat, expanding our footprint to new markets, enhancing existing markets and reinforcing our vision to be the global partner of choice for reliable, innovative and affordable satellite solutions. The success of both Y1A and Y1B in providing government, NGO, consumer and corporate services has given us the drive to explore new growth avenues.

“We are confident in our ability to serve the world’s unconnected and under-connected and Al Yah 3 expands our reach in to new African markets, as well as providing a footprint across Brazil, our first entry into South America.”

Dell Workload-Specific and Converged Infrastructure Appliances

Dell has recently introduced a series of new enterprise appliances and integrated systems to drive simplicity and ease of use across the data centre, and help customers achieve quicker business insights and agility. The new workload-specific infrastructure appliances and integrated systems dramatically speed deployment, management and time to results for companies of all sizes.

Dell is teaming up with leading enterprise software companies to integrate and optimise Dell infrastructure and management capabilities, with some of the most widely deployed applications and workloads in enterprises today. Dell is moving quickly to deliver appliances to accelerate the value customers get from their technology by simplifying the deployment and management of large-scale enterprise applications, while at the same time ensuring best-in-class performance, response times, and insights to critical business data.

“Dell is focused on making it easier for businesses to solve their IT challenges so they can spend more time thinking about their customers and less on operations. We do this in part by helping businesses quickly, reliably and cost-effectively stand up tier-1 applications, and the appliances and integrated systems announced today help accelerate the value customers can get from their technology,” said Marius Haas, chief commercial officer and president of enterprise solutions, Dell. “The new solutions we announced a joint partnership with Oracle, Cloudera and Nutanix are first of many new workload-specific solutions Dell will introduce in the coming quarters.”

"Dell Acceleration Appliance for Databases combines industry-leading Dell servers and proven Fusion-io flash memory to maximise data-intensive application performance,” said Fusion-io CEO and Chairman of the Board Shane Robison. “Our technology collaboration enables enterprises to gain business insight from real time information by improving application performance and shortening application response times, ultimately increasing competitive advantage.”

In line with its commitment to share in the passion and aspirations of its customers, most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat Nigeria in association with African Artist’s Foundation (AAF), organisers of LagosPhoto Festival, has announced the 2014 edition of Etisalat Photography Competition themed: ‘Mastering the Selfie.’

Launched in 2010, Lagos-Photo Festival is the first and only international arts festival of photography in Nigeria that aims to establish a community for contemporary photography and unite local and international artists through images that encapsulate individual experiences and identities from across all of Africa.

Defining this year’s theme, Director, Brands & Communications, Etisalat Nigeria, Enitan Denloye said “The art of photography has been entirely transformed with the phenomena of “selfies”. We plan to use this trend to encourage people to capture remarkable scenes from their community and celebrate the beauty of life in a personal and innovative way.”

According to Enitan Denloye, selfies based on specific monthly themes which include fashion, nightlife, architecture and celebrities can be online via the Etisalat Photography Competition website; http://etisalat.com.ng/selfie/. Each month, 20 photos will be shortlisted by a panel of judges and released to the public through the Official LagosPhoto App by Etisalat.

GE Nigeria CEO, Lazarus Angbazo

Customers of GE Oil and Gas, partners and other stakeholders in the Nigerian Oil & Gas industry today met at the GE Garage for an interactive session on the role of technology in the Nigerian Oil & Gas industry. The Garage is an innovation and manufacturing centre where aspiring makers and entrepreneurs can go to develop new skills and learn about advanced manufacturing technologies.

At the event, GE Nigeria Oil & Gas Leader Uzo Nwagwu said that technology continues to play a key role in the development of the Oil and gas industry, and there needs to be concerted efforts to build skills and capacity in available local manpower.

According to Uzo Nwagwu, “The core of GE Oil & Gas is technology, and this technology will play a critical role in emerging energy markets. As the Oil & Gas industry continues to explore new sources of production, operations are increasing in complexity thus driving significant demand for better technology in equipment and services”. GE is investing significantly in the training of engineers and technicians in the use of the ever-evolving technology. About 70% of the GE Oil and Gas Field Service Engineers and technicians in Nigeria are indigenous and we expect to see those numbers grow.

The GE Nigeria Oil and Gas leader explained that GE delivers expertise to Africa by being a “big business” that acts like a nimble, local, “small” business. “We do this by combining a deep understanding of local demands, challenges, and opportunities in the energy sector with GE’s global scale and R&D,” said Uzo.

Microsoft Devices Group expands affordable smartphone portfolio with the Nokia

On Tuesday, Microsoft Devices Group unveiled the Nokia X2, the newest addition to the expanding Nokia X family of affordable smartphones designed to introduce the “next billion” people to the mobile Internet and cloud services.

Nokia X2

The Nokia X2 represents the rapid evolution of the Nokia X family, delivering an enhanced experience across apps, hardware and the user interface. The Nokia X2 offers stunning design, a more visually striking Fastlane, more Microsoft services, and upgraded specifications including a 4.3-inch ClearBlack display and 5MP rear camera with autofocus and flash. At a suggested retail price of just 99 euros, the Nokia X2 is a compelling choice for a new generation of smartphone buyers.

Like the Nokia X, the new Nokia X2 provides access to a world of Android apps and popular Microsoft services, while allowing people to switch between their favorite apps with the Fastlane feature. The Nokia X2 delivers an even more intuitive, smoother user experience powered by a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 200 processor featuring a dual core 1.2Ghz CPU and 1 GB of RAM. The Nokia X2 debuts the next-generation Nokia X Software Platform 2.0 and major enhancements to the user interface.

People can choose between three types of screens to facilitate navigation: the colorful “home” with resizable tiles; Fastlane to access recent apps and future calendar items; and a new Lumia-inspired apps list, from which people can pin items to the home screen. A pull-down notifications tab also allows people to glance at connectivity options as well as actionable items, such as software updates available for download. A new home key and visual multitasking complete the experience.

African Fashion International (AFI) has appointed Communication Services Africa, the media specialist and communication strategist division of Celebrity Services Africa (CSA), to manage the full media and communication roll-out of the annual Spring/Summer sartorial showcase, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Cape Town (MBFWCT) 2014.

AFI is the fashion authority on the African continent and is committed to the promotion, growth and sustainability of South Africa's fashion and textile industries by supporting talented designers and creating world-class platforms that create global opportunities for African ingenuity.

For MBFWCT 2014 - which takes places at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 24-26 July 2014 - CSA will undertake all PR, media accreditation and promotions while further amplifying the media messaging surrounding AFI's development platforms, AFI Fastrack, AFI Next Generation & AFI Fashion Talks.

"We are thrilled to continue to be a part of AFI's mission to create sustainable platforms for established and emerging designers and to help bring the African aesthetic to the world. We look forward to implementing a fresh, exciting campaign for AFI and MBFWCT 2014," says CSA's Division Director of Communications, Davin Phillips.

Alitalia and Etihad Airways yesterday confirmed that they have agreed the principal terms and conditions of a proposed transaction whereby Etihad Airways will acquire a 49 per cent equity stake in Alitalia.

The airlines will now move to finalise the transactional documents, that will include the agreed upon conditions, as soon as possible. The conclusion of the investment is subject to final regulatory approvals.

Novartis convenes 13th annual malaria expert panel with a focus on access to quality antimalarials across Africa

Malaria experts from countries across Africa are meeting today at the 13th annual National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) Best Practice Sharing Workshop. The gathering provides a platform to discuss and share knowledge and experiences, and to drive dialogue around improved health outcomes and access to quality antimalarial treatments for patients in Africa.

For these workshops, Novartis works in collaboration with the Global Fund, World Health Organization, the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network, the Kenya Medical Research Institute-Wellcome Trust, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, US Pharmacopeia, Populations Services International, Ifakara Health Institute, and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.

“These NMCP meetings have led to groundbreaking projects such as the development of SMS for Life to improve antimalarial stock management in rural health facilities,” said Dr. Linus Igwemezie, Head of the Novartis Malaria Initiative (http://www.malaria.novartis.com). “We believe that by bringing together the best minds and leaders in the field, we can help foster new approaches that will help us ensure all patients have access to quality antimalarials and bring us closer to malaria elimination.”

The successful treatment of malaria depends on the public being informed about the risks of the disease, the importance of sleeping under insecticide treated bednets, and having access to health services including appropriate diagnostic tests and quality-assured antimalarial treatments.(3/page v) Unfortunately, in some countries bednet utilization remains a challenge; while sub-standard antimalarials and oral artemisinin monotherapies remain available, primarily through the private sector. These treatments may contain too little or no active ingredient, thereby putting patients’ lives at risk.

DHL’s latest trend report identifies eleven potential Augmented Reality use cases in logistics

DHL, the world’s leading logistics provider, has issued a new study on Augmented Reality in logistics, focusing on possible applications of this emerging trend in the different stages of the supply chain. The trend report illustrates how operations in warehouses, during transportation and last-mile delivery as well as value-added services could be enhanced by computer-generated sensory input such as videos or graphics.

The trend report has been developed by DHL Customer Solutions & Innovation’s Trend Research team as part of an on-going research project into Augmented Reality in logistics. DHL is planning to test some of the derived use cases in proof of concept studies.

Augmented Reality (AR) – a live, direct or indirect, enhanced view of a real-world environment whose elements are augmented by a computer-generated sensory – merges what’s real and what’s computer generated by adding layers of digital information, such as sounds, videos, graphics or GPS data, in the line of vision with the use of a devices, such as glasses or smartphones.

“Recent developments such as heads-up displays on windshields or use of Augmented Reality for vehicle repairs from the automotive sector shows how rapidly this technology is developing and finding its way into industries outside of the IT sector. We believe that the technology also offers significant potential for the logistics industry, and are currently selecting cases for further research,” explains Charles Brewer, Managing Director of DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa.

Dr Nabil, Djibouti Education Minister

The University of Djibouti has implemented a sophisticated software system to help it achieve its ambition to deliver tertiary education to students in countries on the horn of Africa. Sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education, the University of Djibouti e-campus was unveiled at a ceremony attended by the Djiboutian President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh and students from the university.

Dr Nabil Mohamed Ahmed, Minister of Higher Education and Research, said that the Peoplesoft system will entrench global best practices in delivering and managing higher education. “This is the perfect platform upon which to build our continuing investment in the youth of this region, for whom world-class education is essential.” He said that modern technology is a key requirement to advance education in Djibouti and beyond.

“The significance of this implementation lies in the vision of the Djibouti’s President, who recognized that modern technology today is a vehicle for progress,” said Alfonso di Ianni, Oracle Senior Vice President, East Central Europe, Middle East and Africa (http://www.oracle.com). “This implementation has proved that information technology is a very powerful transformational tool for business and government.”

The long-term goal of the university is to provide degree and post-graduate courses to students in surrounding countries, a service the university believes will be supported by the system.

The Nigerian government has increased its spending on ICT tools in its fight against terrorism, especially the Boko Haram sect terrorising the north of the country.

According to the government’s 2014 Appropriation Act, NGN1.6 billion (US$9.8 million) was approved for the establishment of Public Key Infrastructure for Digital Signature Encryption (PKIDSE) for the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), while the government also approved the acquisition of an Enhanced Secured Field Communication System (ESFCS) for NGN3.9 billion (US$23.9 million).

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) will also procure security equipment valued at NGN837 million (US$5.1 million), an Electronic Jamming Against Bomb System (EJABS) worth NGN363.6 million (US$2.2 million) and a Computer Emergency Response (CER) Centre for NGN2 billion (US$12.3 million).

The Digital Forensic Laboratory will cost NGN800 million (US$4.9 million), ONSA Local Area Network (LAN) expansion NGN100 million (US$613,000) and the National Information, Communication and Education Programme (NICEP) II Security Elements – Phase II NGN1.2 billion (US$7.4 million). It also earmarked NGN11 billion (US$67.4 million) for Enhanced and Specialised Security Equipment, Gadgets and Services.

British Airways’ Leaders of Tomorrow Winners Announced

Six students of the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, have been named winners in the British Airways’ Leaders of Tomorrow and will embark on a two-week internship programme to be held in Nigeria and London in July 2014.

The initiative aimed at deepening competencies in the aviation sector, saw Abimbola Caulcrick, a student of Abridged Airframe and Powerplant (AAP-8); Fajemisin Peter Adebola; Adachie Eneojo, both PGD students of Aviation Management; Banigo Michael; Ubong George Itok, both studying Standard Airframe and Powerplant (AP-27); and Ogunranti Olaluwa, a student of Abridged Avionics (AAVO-13), named as winners.

These winners were selected by an independent panel of three judges; aviation writer Wole Shadare, aviation consultant Simon Tumba and petroleum & energy services professional, Tunde Arogunmati.

The internship includes a two-week theoretical and practical training in aviation management in Nigeria and London; visiting BA Training centre in Crane bank as well as the Engineering base in Cardiff. The programme will be concluded with an opportunity to understudy Keith Williams, Chief Executive Officer of British Airways in London, as well as visiting other departments within the company to get firsthand experience of the workings of a global airline.

Adidas’ World Cup marketing drive to net record £1.6bn football revenues

German sportswear company Adidas has reported that it will “definitely” achieve its goal of €2bn ($2.7bn) in football sales this year, with the ongoing Fifa World Cup helping boost demand for products.

Adidas is an official sponsor, supplier and licensee of the national team tournament, which is currently taking place in Brazil. The company is providing kit to nine teams taking part in the tournament, in addition to supplying the official match ball and equipping officials, referees, volunteers and ball kids. In November, Adidas extended its long-term partnership with football’s global governing body until 2030.

“We will definitely achieve our goal of €2bn in sales in the football category in 2014, once again underlining our outstanding position as the clear number one in football globally,” Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer said. “The brand's presence on the field of play and all around the tournament in Brazil as well as the success of our marketing campaign in social media worldwide is clear proof that Adidas is and will remain the leading football brand.”

Adidas expects to sell more than eight million jerseys altogether, which will be significantly more than the six-and-a-half million sold during 2010 when the last edition of the World Cup took place in South Africa. The German national team’s jersey is the most successful so far with record sales of more than two millions units - 500,000 of these being sold outside of Europe. Argentina, Mexico and Colombia national jerseys are also proving popular with sales of one million units each.

Ferdinand team up with EA Sports for UFC launch

Rio Ferdinand has joined EA Sports UFC to launch the first ‘true generation’ sports title on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with the former Manchester United defender uniting with UFC fighter, Brad Pickett, to film an exclusive training camp to drive awareness of the title.

Rio Ferdinard (image source: EA Sports)

Ferdinand, who ended a 12 year stay at Manchester United this summer, launched the content to his combined social media reach of over 10 million consumers over the weekend.

The content, which uses WIREWAX, enables the viewer to engage with interactive titles that appear throughout the content, once the tag is clicked, viewers get an in-depth tutorial on how Rio was taught the UFC move and exclusive in-game content.

VIDEO: Brazil Sends off Zuriel in Style - Next Stop: ETHIOPIA

The World cup soccer nation of Brazil is now hosting the largest single sporting event in the world. Zuriel Oduwole, the 11 year old award winning documentary film maker who arrived in Brazil 12 days ago, wisely chose to theme her current project around Football, and has gained the worlds attention.

Nigerian Fans with Zuriel on African Child Day

Excitingly, she has been received and welcomed by business leaders in Brazil, made a spot feature for Brazilian TV, traveled across 3 Brazilian states, and met fans from half of the 32 nations playing in the FIFA world cup, to make the case for educating the Girl Child, while also shooting her current documentary called Follow The Ball For Education.

She was sent off yesterday in a mini carnival fashion by Brazilian fans at the Sheraton Hotel Rio de Janeiro and has now arrived in her next destination - Ethiopia, as part of the 3 continent, 6 country stop [see video + images with fans/Brazilian TV]. VIDEO: http://youtu.be/A1Z20NPFnkc

Olamide, Reminisce, Others Thrills Fans As Kaymu And Nigezie TV Cheers On The Super Eagles

Nigeria's leading online marketplace Kaymu.com.ng partnered with Nigeria’s first 24hr music station Nigezie TV to host fans and customers to an exclusive viewing of the Nigeria vs Bosnia Herzegovina match with famous afro-pop celebrities Reminisce and Olamide on Saturday June 21st 2014 at Ember Creek Ikoyi, Lagos.

The fun filled outdoor event hosted Nigeria's Afro-pop sensations, Reminisce alongside Bado himself, Olamide as well as other media personalities in the company of Kaymu and Nigezie fans invited to the event to cheer on the Super Eagles.

Fans cheering the Super Eagles

Kaymu and Nigezie brought the world cup to Lagos in an electrifying environment with football lovers showing their support and admiration for the Super Eagles. The fans were rewarded by a 1-0 victory in favor of the Super Eagles as well as the opportunity to socialize with their favorite celebrities.

Rolex Announces Young Laureates of 2014 Global Awards Programme

Five young visionaries from Africa, India, Europe and the Middle East were announced today at London’s leading scientific institution, the Royal Society, as winners of the 2014 Rolex Awards for Enterprise (http://www.rolexawards.com).

Arthur Zang, Rolex Young Laureate 2014

This year’s Young Laureates – aged 30 and under – impress by both their leadership qualities and in their ability to harness technology in an original way to improve the well-being of the community and the environment, as well as to advance scientific knowledge.

The five Young Laureates were chosen by an international Jury of eight eminent experts who reviewed a shortlist from among 1,800 applicants from all over the world. The Laureates will each receive 50,000 Swiss francs to advance their projects. They are:

Arthur Zang, 26, Cameroon – has invented what is believed to be Africa’s first medical tablet, which will allow health-care workers in rural areas to send the results of cardiac tests to heart specialists via a mobile-phone connection.

Olivier Nsengimana, 30, Rwanda – is promoting breeding programmes and the release of Rwanda’s captive, endangered grey crowned-cranes. The iconic bird, a symbol of wealth and longevity in Rwanda, is a victim of its own beauty, and is often kept as a pet.

In what is bound to be a very exciting year for Nigerian consumers, families and dancers, Maltina, the premium non-alcoholic malt drink from the stable of Nigerian Breweries plc has set the stage for season eight of the popular family dance show, Maltina Dance All (MDA). The 2014 edition tagged “The Rhythm of Happiness” will chronicle a new dance style known as Rhythm of Happiness Dance (ROHD).

Renowned for “sharing happiness” and promoting togetherness with friends and loved ones,the MDA is the consumer engagement and experiential marketing platform that the brand deploys to resonate with esteemed consumers and the society in general.

Prior to the commencement of the Press parley, the Atrium of the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos suddenly changed when a group of dancers stormed the stage with unique dance styles to the admiration of the audience. Known as “The MDA All-stars,” the group is made up of past participants of the show from inception to 2013. Their moves caught the attention of movie goers and shoppers instantly as their dancing steps were energetic and highly entertaining.

As attention was riveted on them it was not long before it became apparent that it was a prelude to the popular family dance show, Maltina Dance All (MDA) season eight.

For the second time in a row, Informa Telecoms & Media has named African Press Organization (APO) the official wire service of AfricaCom 2014, Africa's leading telecoms event), held in Cape Town, South Africa, on 11–13 November 2014.

As the official newswire, APO is offering exhibitors of AfricaCom 2014 a 20 percent discount off pan-African news release distribution.

AfricaCom's press releases will be distributed via Africa Wire®, the service for press release wire distribution and monitoring in Africa.

This service reaches over 50,000 journalists, bloggers and social networks, and redistributes content to more than 50 African websites, as well as to Bloomberg Terminal, Thomson Reuters, LexisNexis, Dow Jones Factiva, 250 million mobile subscribers in 30 countries and more.

Used by some of the world's largest technology companies, including Orange, Airtel, Ericsson, Tigo, SkyVision, Symantec, Oracle, Garmin, Gemalto and more, APO Africa Wire® has a potential reach of 600 million people and guarantees the most extensive outreach in Africa, acting as a channel that allows APO's clients to target audiences in all parts of the continent and also the world.

L-R: Marketing & Activations Lead West Africa Reckitt Benckiser, Mrs. Bamigbaiye-ElatuyiOmotola, Consultant Gastroenterologist and Director of Medical Education at Princess Diana of Wales Hospital, United Kingdom, Dr. Asif Naqvi (FRCP), Consultant Gastroenterologist, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital Dr. Sumaila Adamu, Dr. Musa Mohammed Borodo, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Marketing Manager, Healthcare Reckitt Benckiser West Africa, Mr. Qaiser Rashid at the Gaviscon Opinion Leaders of Nigeria’( GOLDEN) Faculty session in Enugu

In its determination to explore new ways of treating Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Gaviscon, from the stables of Reckitt Benckiserin Enugu hosted members of the Golden Faculty to explore new ways of treating the disease. Golden Faculty, a think tank which stands for ‘Gaviscon Opinion Leaders of Nigeria’ brought together eminent medical professionals in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, family medicine, pharmacy and other allied specialties.

With the theme: ‘Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease, Where Are We?’, the eventwas facilitated by a Gastroenterologist of global recognition, Dr. Asif Naqvi (FRCP), Consultant Gastroenterologist and Director of Medical Education at Princess Diana of Wales Hospital, United Kingdom. Dr. Sumaila Adamu, from Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano also made a presentation at the event.

According to experts, heartburn or Acid Reflux occurs when acid, which usually sits within the protected lining of the stomach, escapes back up into the oesophagus (food pipe), and since the oesophagus is not as well protected as the stomach the acid can irritate the lining, causing painful symptoms such as burning sensation, pain (usually behind the breastbone) and a feeling of sickness.

Speaking on the effectiveness of Gaviscon in treating GERD, Dr. Asif Naqvi, stated that Gaviscon is a very effective product such that it has become a home remedy. His words, “Over the years, we have understood exactly how Gaviscon works and why it’s so much effective than other simple antacids. So far, this product has been treated as if it was one of the antacids. The fact is that Gaviscon is not an antacid but a separate product which has got a definite mechanism of action which is very effective.”

PriceCheck and MTN Group, have jointly announced a second co-branded app deal, this time for Nigeria. The deal was made known during the Mondato Summit in Johannesburg, where the PriceCheck app was the runner up of the Mobile Financial Services Innovation of the Year Award.

The CEO of PriceCheck, André de Wet said: "PriceCheck's experience over the past seven years has taught us that search is where everything starts. It is the first step in the decision making process for the end user, the point where influence is the strongest. The partnership with MTN both in South Africa and in Nigeria gives us access to the largest mobile phone market in Africa. Together we own product search. Shopping is no longer somewhere you go, it's something you do - that's the power of mobile."

"We call it everywhere commerce - ecommerce, offline commerce, mobile commerce - all in one place. We're at the forefront of a digital explosion and it won't happen on the web, it will happen in homes and malls and cars, as close and immediate as your phone is right now. Your mobile is going to bring local and relevant search to wherever you want it to be"

Also commenting on the development, MTN Group Chief Commercial Officer, Pieter Verkade, said: "Mobile commerce is on the rise in Africa. The partnership with PriceCheck will not only give our customers a better and richer digital experience, but also empower them to make more informed decisions, while saving time and money on their purchases."

Promasidor Reiterates Commitment To Media Excellence

Promasidor Nigeria Limited has re-iterated its commitment to media excellence through partnership with the world's longest established international media development organisation, Thomson Foundation

Mr. Olivier Thiry, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria who made the assertion in Lagos said the decision hinged on the premise that the media constitute an important sector in any economy because it is the major platform for promoting ideals, ideas and products.

During the call for entry in this year’s Promasidor Quill Awards for journalists, the company had promised that the overall winner will be sent to the London-Based Thomson Foundation for training on multi-media journalism and preparation has now commenced in earnest for the overall winner, Mr Kunle Falayi, to join journalists from other countries for a four-week journalism training course with Thomson Foundation in August.

Speaking in an interview in Lagos, Falayi disclosed that his application for entry visa has been submitted with the British High Commission and expects that within two weeks time, his visa would be ready. He also said that his employers, Punch Nigeria Limited have been supportive as arrangements are being made to grant him leave of absence for the period of his foreign training coming. Thomson Foundation, on its website, also confirmed that arrangements have been made to welcome Falayi to the training programme in London.

Celeb Connect and Sports Connect from Kirusa in partnership with MTN Rwanda, will enable fans to connect with their favorite celebs and to get updates about their favourite soccer clubs and teams respectively.

Using Celeb Connect, celebrities share their thoughts and emotions in their own voice with their fans. Participating stars can call a number, or use smartphones to leave messages. These messages are Using Celeb Connect, celebrities share their thoughts and emotions in their own voice with their fans. Participating stars can call a number, or use smartphones to leave messages. These messages are then delivered immediately to fans, which creates an almost "Voice Twitter" experience. MTN subscribers can see messages, call, and listen to what's happening over the phone, or on the web at #vobolo.com, and can share with their friends on Facebook and Twitter, creating an engaging social media experience.

Further, the fans get an opportunity to speak and engage with the celebrities in multiple ways on-line and off-line.

Sports Connect service will enable MTN Rwanda subscribers to receive daily soccer updates such as team news, pre and post-match analysis and quotes of team managers as well as players. The bulletins are available in English and French languages.

Researchers at Ford Motor Company and H.J. Heinz are investigating the use of tomato fibres in developing sustainable, composite materials for use in vehicle manufacturing. Specifically, dried tomato skins could become the wiring brackets in a Ford vehicle or the storage bin a Ford customer uses to hold coins and other small objects.

Speaking on this development, Plastics Research Technical Specialist for Ford, Ellen Lee explained that research was to explore whether the food processing by-product will be useful as an automotive application. “Our goal is to develop a strong, lightweight material that meets our vehicle requirements, while at the same time reducing our overall environmental impact”, she said.

Nearly two years ago, Ford began collaborating with Heinz, The Coca-Cola Company, Nike Inc. and Procter & Gamble to accelerate development of a 100 percent plant-based plastic to be used to make everything from fabric to packaging and with a lower environmental impact than petroleum-based packaging materials currently in use.

At Heinz, researchers were looking for innovative ways to recycle and repurpose peels, stems and seeds from the more than two million tons of tomatoes the company uses annually to produce its best-selling product: Heinz Ketchup. Leaders at Heinz then turned to Ford.

In a report by Juergen Weiss based on the Gartner 2013 Global CIO survey, it is predicted that by 2015 at least 40% of the currently existing insurance-related, customer-facing mobile applications will be abandoned due to lack of demand. The reason for this low adoption is down to two main facts - that insurers have not designed their applications in a way that makes consumers want to use them and secondly, that consumers are simply not aware when these apps are available.

Nevertheless developing customer-facing mobile applications remains the third most important technology priority for insurers. Rhys Collins, Head of African Operations for SSP, says in Africa this would be second or first priority. There is a definite correlation between the growing download of apps in Europe with wider smartphone adoption.

The percentage of users using a cellphone now far outweighs those using the internet. It is predicted that by 2017, 79% of users will have adopted smartphones as opposed to just 49% in 2013. Users want to interact with service providers via their mobile device wherever possible. This has been driven by the wide adoption of social media.

Collins says this raises three key issues for insurers namely: how insurance customers embrace mobile insurance (the demand view); what insurers should expect from mobile applications (the supply view) and finally, what are the best practices for a better mobile insurance experience.

Dell has announced it will bring its high-end storage capabilities to mid-sized deployments with the creation of a new series of full-featured, enterprise storage arrays. Dell also shared details of its growing software-defined storage (SDS) ecosystem and plans to broaden its portfolio with new Dell converged server and storage appliances.

The new Dell Storage SC4000 Series arrays arrays demonstrate Dell’s continued innovation to bring full-featured, enterprise-class storage to cost-efficient, high-performing, mid-tier solutions. With these new arrays, customers can achieve impressive all-flash performance – costing up to 72 percent less than competing pure flash arrays1 – or a highly cost-efficient combination of high-end flash performance and low-cost disk storage all in one array. The storage array series joins Dell’s customer-driven, enterprise data centre portfolio of purpose-built solutions designed to make IT more efficient and practical.

According to Ololade Olotu, Dell Nigeria Customer Solutions Engineer, “Dell modern storage architecture enables the right data to be in the right place at the right time for the right cost”. This makes Dell storage solution a perfect fit for addressing customer’s need in terms of performance optimization, price performance and cost optimization”.

“As an existing Dell Compellent SC8000 customer, we see the Dell Storage SC4020 as an excellent fit for our remote locations, allowing us to replicate digital media and large documents back to home base.The SC4000 will allow us to get even greater value out of our existing Dell Storage environment with a smaller entry point that offers the same ease of installation, ease of use and enterprise functionality.” Olotu added

eTranzact Slashes Online Payments Charge for Card, ATM & Mobile Expo 2014

At the 14^th edition of the Card, ATM & Mobile Expo 2014 held recently at the Expo Centre, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, eTranzact limited, Nigeria's first award winning multi-application and multi-channel electronic transaction switching and payment processing platform revealed by it decided to slash the price on its webconnectplus service which enables Nigerian businesses to accept payments online.

eTranzact which is partnering with Intermac consulting and several other companies to host this year’s expo themed “Financial Inclusion, a better future for Africa starts here” will be exhibiting some of its numerous products, including its mobile first payments enabler, “PocketMoni”.

The price slash which will cover the period of the expo will be as much as 60% and is aimed at providing an affordable way for Nigerian businesses to accept payments online.

With over 1 trillion naira worth of transactions and over 11 years’ experience processing payments in Africa, eTranzact is strategically positioned to drive the growth of Nigerian businesses.

Valentine Obi, CEO of eTranzact who gave the keynote at the event, said; “In the beginning, we saw a future where the mobile phone will become a major channel for e-payment services, and that future is finally beginning to take shape.

DStv strike CommonWealth Games TV rights

Africa's pay cable TV, DStv has secured the rights to show live broadcast of the 2014 CommonWealth Games to be hosted in Glasgow, Scotland for the delight of both DStv and GOtv subscribers who will have access to all the matches.

According to Mr. Martins Mabutho, Multichoice General Manager of Marketing, there would also be live matches on the Super Sport HD channels on DStv. “Our subscribers will have access to full coverage of the 261 events that will be showcased in17 Sports,” said Mabutho.

The Games which will start on the 23rd July and end on the 2nd of August has a total number of 70 CommonWealth teams in attendance.

SanDisk Participates at Africa’s First Ever DISTREE Conference to Expand Product Footprint

SanDisk, the global leaders in flash memory, will showcase some of its latest products at Africa’s first ever DISTREE in Kenya, which kicks offed on Thursday, June 19, 2014. Africa represents one of the biggest opportunities for the flash giant to broaden its market presence and expand its product and distributor footprint.

“DISTREE Africa will create a platform in the African IT channel for unrivalled opportunity and we are excited to be part of it,” said Sreedhar Sreekumar, regional sales manager, Middle East & Africa. “Africa represents a priority market for SanDisk, with strong growth potential. We will showcase our solid lineup of high-quality products and are confident that we will continue our success in this market. We want to capitalize on opportunities and we are executing strategies to boost growth, explore new channels, and provide products that offer a real benefit to African customers.”

SanDisk will also use DISTREE as a platform to highlight its ‘Buy Only Original’ campaign, which started a year ago to encourage the purchase of authentic SanDisk products.

“With 400 participants from 25 countries taking part in DISTREE Africa it is important for us to engage these partners. We made positive strides in 2013 in establishing the brand in key countries across the continent and will now focus on growing our presence further,” continued Sreekumar.

DISTREE Africa will be held at Kenya’s Safari Park Hotel from 19-21 June.

Lamudi.com launches world-first Android app in Nigeria and 27 other countries

Global real estate portal Lamudi.com has unveiled a world-first Android app for house-hunters, available in Nigeria and 27 emerging markets worldwide.

Lamudi Nigeria currently hosts more than 18,000 property listings from Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and other cities and towns across Nigeria. Globally, the Lamudi ventures collectively list over 400,000 properties from across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, giving international house-hunters a free mobile platform to buy, rent or sell real estate on the go.

The launch of Lamudi’s Android app in Nigeria follows the successful roll out of the company’s iOS app in four countries last week. The iOS app for iphones and ipads will be available in the Nigerian market soon after.

The Lamudi apps are designed to meet the growing demand for mobile internet services in emerging markets. A recent State of the Internet report highlighted the pace of growth for mobile in these regions. Out of 56 million Nigerians going online today, an estimated 20 million access the internet via smartphone devices.

The Android platform is now the dominant mobile platform globally, according to recent figures from Statcounter. More than 52% of smartphones are now running Google’s operating system. Apple’s iOS is the world’s second most common platform, capturing 23% of the global smartphone market.

Over the next 10 years, online retail will continue to gain popularity in both developed and emerging markets and as a result, logistics companies are set to play a key role in providing vital supply chain management solutions that are able to evolve with consumers’ changing shopping habits.

This is one of the key findings in the DHL Global E-Tailing 2025* study, which analyses the role which eCommerce will play in consumer’s live in the year 2025, and how it will influence consumerism, retailing and logistics.

The study explores future scenarios with alternative views of what eCommerce globally could look like for consumers and businesses in the near future, depending of various economic factors. The different future projections are based on a detailed analysis of the most influential factors effecting economies – from energy and raw material prices to technological, political and social factors, to retail and consumption patterns. The four possible scenarios are:

1. Hybrid consumer behavior in convergent worlds of retailing: A strong global economy and stable middle class establishes a true model of “Everywhere Commerce” where smartphones and tablets remain consumers’ constant companions. Interactive displays are ever-present in city streets, serving as interfaces to the virtual world, and the retail sector targets customers through a variety of channels, such as these interactive displays, as well as offers their goods online and in stationary stores, which results in consumers being able to access and purchase products at all times.

Further growth expected in Africa’s hospitality sector in the next five years - PwC report

Despite South Africa’s economy facing headwinds, the hospitality sector is poised for further growth in the next five years in the wake of a number of inbound travellers into the African continent, according to a report issued by PwC.

Nikki Forster, PwC Leader of Hospitality and Gaming, says: “Although South Africa’s economy has weakened, growth in international travel and tourism and rising room rates have bolstered the hospitality sector.”

PwC’s 4th edition of the ‘Hospitality Outlook: 2014-2018’ projects that by the year 2018 the overall occupancy rate across all sectors in South Africa will increase, rising to an estimated 58.4%. Total room revenue is expected to reach R28.7 billion in 2018, a 10.7% compound annual increase from 2013.

“Occupancy rates are expected to increase for hotels over the next five years, overtaking guest houses, bush lodges and guest farms to again become the leading category,” says Forster. Occupancy rates for hotels are projected to increase from 58.9% in 2013 to 71.1% in 2018.

The report features information about hotel accommodation in Nigeria, Mauritius and Kenya. Accommodation sectors in South Africa consist of hotels, guest houses and guest farms, game lodges, caravan sites, camping sites and other overnight accommodation. For the first time the report includes a detailed analysis of the cruise industry in South Africa.

From left: Director, Retail Sales, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Charles Ogunwuyi; Country Manager, Core Group Africa and Authorized Distributor of Apple products in Nigeria, Mr. Sachin Verma; and Head, Devices, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Olayiwola Onafowokan at the official launch of iPhone 5s on the Etisalat network which held at the Etisalat Experience Centre, Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island...recently

Etisalat Nigeria has announced the official launch of the iPhone 5s with 12-month warranty and a trade-in offer that will allow Etisalat customers exchange their iPhone 5s devices for the yet to be released iPhone 6. The iPhone 5s was unveiled at an event at the recently launched Gold Series Etisalat Experience Centre at Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos, on June 16, 2014.

The Director, Retail Sales at Etisalat Nigeria, Charles Ogunwuyi, speaking at the event, described the partnership as a demonstration of the company’s commitment to providing customers with world class telecommunication services.

According to Ogunwuyi, “Our partnership with Apple Inc is a match of two innovative giants. It acknowledges our sustained investment in network infrastructure and capacity to ensure consistent quality of service. There is no doubt that the iPhone 5s will be at its best while running on the Etisalat network.

A delighted Ogunwuyi highlighted that Apple Inc chose to partner with Etisalat Nigeria in acknowledgement of the quality of its network and service offerings that would optimise user experience on the iPhone 5s. He disclosed that the device is available at all Etisalat Experience Centres nationwide.

PayPal Extend To Nigeria, 9 Other Markets

Paypal will be entering into ten new countries this week, including Nigeria. Starting Tuesday, the company will provide its services across Nigeria, along with nine other markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America through online payment alternatives via mobile phones or personal computers.

According to the executive in charge of the EMEA region of PayPal, Rupert Keeley, the payments unit of eBay Inc, said in an interview on Monday the expansion would bring the number of countries it serves to 203.

Starting on Tuesday, consumers in Nigeria, which has 60 million users and has Africa’s largest population, along with nine other markets in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America will be able to make payments through PayPal.

“PayPal has been going through a period of reinvention, refreshing many of its services to make them easier to use on mobile (phones), allowing us to expand into fast-developing markets,” Keeley said.

Once the services go live, customers in the 10 countries with access to the Web and a bank card authorized for Internet transactions will be able to register for a PayPal account and make payments to millions of sites worldwide.

(Middle) Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Olivier Thiry

Promasidor Nigeria Limited has re-iterated its commitment to partner with the world's longest established international media development organisation, Thomson Foundation, for media training. The company described the media as a very important platform for dissemination of information to different target audiences.

Following presentation of awards to winners in this year’s Promasidor Quill Awards for journalists, the company promised that the overall winner, Kunle Falayi, will be sent to the London-Based Thomson Foundation for training on multi-media journalism.

Mr. Olivier Thiry, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria who made the assertion said the decision hinged on the premise that the news media constitute an important sector in any economy whether developed or developing. According to him, the media can help disseminate specific messages to the target audience for optimum results as they provide publicity and exposure for not only news, announcement, event or request – but for group or organisation as well.

For this, Thiry stated that Promasidor is committed to its partnership with Thomson Foundation as he disclosed that Falayi will this August in London join journalists from other countries for training by the Foundation.

With the World Cup going on in Brazil, here is a profile of the 10 most beautiful hotels that the football teams are staying at during the tournament:

1. Nigeria – Vitoria Hotel

Vitória Hotel Campinas Concept is the largest and newest venture network, opened in February 2003. Marco referential quality, the unit has 19 floors and 253 comfortable and modern apartments with wireless internet and audio and video of the latest generation for the convenience of its customers. The structure of the building is designed to optimize natural lighting and reduce heat load. Pool, Spa Serena (with treatments for relaxation, aesthetics), a full gym Victory Fitness are there for the full use of the team.

2. Germany – Toko Village, Porto Seguro

The German national team chose to build their own private training ground and hotel on the coast of Bahia, called Campo Bahia. A unique resort of ultra-modern holiday villas and vacation apartments set against the backdrop of Brazil’s Atlantic coastline. The village also offers leisure activities such as massages and kite surfing, in addition to a communal pool perfect for ultimate relaxation.

3. Brazil – CBF Training Centre at Granja Comary

Host team Brazil will be staying at their usual private training ground, the CBF Training Centre in Granja Comary on the edge of the mountainous Serra dos Orgaos National Park.

Nearby is the Atelier Molinaro Boutique Hotel, an idyllic retreat boasting stunning views of the surrounding mountains. With just 21 suites, this exclusive hotel boasts a swimming pool filled with natural mineral water, a Jacuzzi and sauna, as well as volleyball and football pitches.

Thursday, 26 June 2014

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

Saturday, 21 June 2014