MTN Nigeria Partners With Mansard on Business Insurance Service

Through its business section MTN Nigeria has launched a pay-as-you-go business insurance service for its corporate clients across Nigeria on MTN Y’ello Biz. The service is in partnership with Mansard Insurance Plc.

With N300 a week, subscribers of the service enjoy a N1 million Mansard Insurance cover for their businesses and thus experience peace of mind knowing that their goods are protected against sudden and unanticipated losses. To get started, all that new customers need do is to simply text the word BIZ to 770.

Another first from MTN, MTN Y’ello Biz, is coming on the heels of MTN Y’ello Life and MTN Y’ello Health, previously launched insurance services that provide affordable life protection and medical covers respectively to subscribers.

Not Every time Work, Sometimes Travel & Have A Stress-Free Vacation

When you’re going on a vacation, or traveling for recreational purposes, one can only assume that your intention is to relax and take a load off. And even if you happen to be travelling for business purposes, I’m sure you want to rest as much as possible before arriving at your destination and getting to work. Whatever the case, traveling should be stress free and not make you regret deciding to go on a trip or invoke multiple curse on yourself and several other people.

Besides the obvious things like planning ahead, using a packing list, and getting to the airport early, there are some pretty simple things that we often overlook which could actually significantly reduce our stress levels during trips. Jovago.com Africa’s Number 1 Hotel Booking Portal has put together key tips for having a stress-free holiday. These are:

·         Keep your attitude in check. Being rude to security never helps anyone. Things will go a lot smoother if you just follow instructions. If you feel the need to question an instruction, be polite about it. Avoid sarcasm and never raise your voice.

·         If you know you’re choosy about where you seat, and the leg space available, request a seat you’d prefer when booking your ticket. Some airlines might allow pick a preferred seat. Others may require you to pay for preferred seating or extra leg room. If you have some extra money, your comfort is worth it.

·         As often as you can, only travel with a carry-on. This way, you know exactly where your belongings are and you won’t have to worry about it getting lost or arriving days after you. Plus, it’s a lot easier to move across the airport with.

Grammy Awards premiere ceremony to be streamed live at grammy.com on Sunday, Feb. 8, starting at 12:30 p.m. PT

The GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony™  will take place at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, from 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. PT and will be streamed live internationally at GRAMMY.com/live and CBS.com. Attended by nominees and industry VIPs, the star-studded ceremony will be hosted by country music artist and current GRAMMY nominee Hunter Hayes.

To view and download the video announcement featuring Hunter Hayes click here.

The Premiere Ceremony will feature performances by current nominees Angie Fisher, Cheyenne Jackson & Alexandra Silber, Old Crow Medicine Show, Ana Tijoux, and an all-star jazz quartet featuring Nathan East, Robert Glasper, Billy Hart, and Joe Lovano. Presenting the first GRAMMY Awards of the day in approximately 70 categories will be current nominees Rosanne Cash, Gloria Gaynor, Hilary Hahn, Smokie Norful, and John Waters as well as five-time GRAMMY-winning producer Jimmy Jam.

The live stream of the Premiere Ceremony will remain on GRAMMY.com as video on demand for 30 days following the event. Following the ceremony, the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. ET/PT. For GRAMMY coverage, updates and breaking news, please visit The Recording Academy®'s social networks on Facebook and Twitter.

Hayes is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance for "Invisible." Hayes has previously received four GRAMMY nominations.

Promasidor calls for entries for 2015 Quill Awards

(L-R) Mr. Charles Igbinidu, Managing Director, TPT International; Mr Olivier Thiry, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Mr Andrew Enahoro, Head, Legal/Public Relations, Promasidor; and Mr. Festus Tettey, Head, Marketing, Promasidor; at the Media Briefing held on 2015 Promasidor Quill Awards at the Promasidor’s Office in Lagos on Thursday

Promasidor Nigeria Limited, organisers of the prestigious Promasidor Quill Awards for Journalists has called for entries for the 2015 edition of the awards.

Speaking on Thursday at the media briefing held on the annual awards, the company’s Head of Legal/Public Relations, Mr. Andrew Enahoro, reiterated his organisation’s commitment to the Nigerian economy and as such promised that Promasidor will continue to recognise and reward excellence in the journalism profession because of the important role journalists play in the society.

His words: “Promasidor Quill Awards is committed to setting the pace on rewarding journalists based on merit for their work and not as a self-seeking approach to get accolades, but a professional platform of assessment, recognition and reward for outstanding journalistic work”.

(L-R) Mr. Charles Igbinidu, Managing Director, TPT International; Mr Olivier Thiry, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited; Mr Andrew Enahoro, Head, Legal/Public Relations, Promasidor; and Mr. Festus Tettey, Head, Marketing, Promasidor; at the Media Briefing

“We are committed to continue to grow the awards as a professional platform of assessment, recognition and reward for outstanding journalistic work. These awards seek to remind journalists of the importance of their role in society and to society, the need to encourage professionalism and appreciate outstanding work”, he added.

Enahoro also disclosed that, “just like last year, the 2015 edition overall winner will have the opportunity of being at the Thomson Foundation, United Kingdom to hone his/her journalism skills.
He commended members of the media for their interest in the awards while also urging them to submit quality materials within the stipulated period for entries.

Kaymu Partners With LCCI To Train Over 100 SMEs

As part of activities to wrap up its two year anniversary, kaymu.com.ng  , Nigeria’s leading online marketplace  held a training workshop for SMEs in partnership with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI.

Presentation of Certificates by Dele Alimi Director Membership and Trade Promotions LCC and Evangeline Wiles MD of Kaymu

The workshop tagged Kaymu Entrepreneurial Workshop, took place on the 29^th of January at the LCCI Training and Exhibition Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.

According to the Managing Director of Kaymu, Evangeline Wiles,” Kaymu’s partnership with LCCI was founded out of the need to drive e-commerce consciousness amongst entrepreneurs to give them a competitive advantage in the Nigerian market”.

Speaking at the workshop, the Head of Seller Acquisition and Retention, Kaymu , Kayode Adeyinka  stressed the importance of small and medium scale enterprises to leverage on e-commerce. “The average Nigerian is online 70% of the time thereby the smartest decision for every business owner is to tap into the online audience”, he sated as he guided them through the process of setting up their online stores.  

JUMIA Kenya Launches Affiliate Program

Kenya’s leading online retailer JUMIA launched its affiliate program yesterday in a colorful event held at the Nanchang Hotel in Westlands, Nairobi. The event was attended by high profile as well as upcoming trendsetters aimed at imparting knowledge to enable bloggers monetize their content and influence for income.

The two hour presentation that included lessons on how to improve the general outlook of blogs, post adverts, search engine optimization and the use of social media platforms, saw dozens of bloggers and trendsetters signing up for the affiliate program. 

The bloggers will simply promote their favourite products from the JUMIA website, place related ads and content on their platforms and take advantage of up to 11% commissions for sales or referrals they generate.

Parinaz Firozi, MD of JUMIA Kenya said, “The Affiliate program will provide a remarkable and innovative way to monetize online traffic in a complete automated system that will ensure accountability.”

“We aim to build beneficial relationships with our online partners and are inviting bloggers and trendsetters to sign up for an opportunity to make money effortlessly and generate passive income by promoting a brand that is unique and different.”

In June 2014, JUMIA launched its online marketplace a platform that allows entrepreneurs and SME’s to sell their products on the company’s website attracting companies like BATA, Nairobi Sports House, Text Book Centre, Armco and hundreds of entrepreneurs, who continue to sign up for the platform and mint millions. Jumia is optimistic the affiliate program will master the same confidence within the affiliate market players.

Kaluka Wanjala a blogger at Tech Arena said, "Affiliate marketing program from Jumia is the first genuine program I have seen in Kenya or Africa for that matter. It provides bloggers a chance to make money on the side while doing what they love. 

With a maximum commission of up to 11%, you have an opportunity to make enough cash to pay your bills."

Airtel Offers Economic Empowerment To Women

Airtel Nigeria, one of the leading mobile operators has empowered the lives of two women to fulfill their life-long ambitions of being economically independent in the second episode of the Airtel Touching Lives, a social investment project to help the downtrodden which airs today on cable and public television stations.

The telecom company has come to the rescue of Miss Blessing Danladi, a young poet living with her widowed mother Rhoda who is unable to fund her education.  The young girl has turned her love of spoken word into a skill, amazingly beyond her years and circumstance. Airtel has offered Blessing’s mum a means of livelihood so that she can train her daughter and help her realize her dreams of becoming a medical doctor.

Airtel also came to the rescue of Foluso Pamilerin with a motorized wheelchair and finance to help continue with her bead business. Pamilerin was paralyzed from waist down for the past 12 years due to ‘Okada’ motorcycle accident.  Unfortunately for her, she was duped of her life saving by her lover five years ago who abandoned her with a young child.

Pamilerin’s immobility due to a lack of a wheelchair further highlights the odds faced by people living with disabilities and the incompatibility of many of our living conditions to fit in with their situations. A natural born survivor, she has turned her immobility into a small business beading herself a new life and providing training to others, empowering them to survive their own situations to become entrepreneurs.

BET To feature Zuriel Oduwole for Black History Month - Future History Series

As Africa's Most influential Child (according to New Africa Magazine), the Worlds Most Powerful 11 year old (according to New York's Business Insider), and a Future Leader in the making (according to Forbes Magazine), Zuriel Oduwole, has been invited by the worlds biggest Black TV Newtork - BET (Black Entertainment TV), to feature as part of its annual Black History Month events and programs, for 2015.

Zuriel Oduwole

She was sighted for her global leaders relationship development ability (she has interviewed 14 Presidents & Prime Ministers, Aliko Dangote and Jesse Jackson), her child education advocacy [she has spoken to over 3900 children in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania and Mauritius on the need to stay in school], and her unique story and movie making ability [she has made 3 documentaries, the last one has showed on the big screen in 2 movie theater chains, including shows last week in Lagos at the Lekki GDC Mall in Lagos.)

It is for their special segment - "Future of Black History" Series. She released her first creative TV idea for a Pilot show last week, along with her younger siblings

VIDEO: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixuu_e5wgPI

Two other inspirational children have also been invited for the special segment, and include 8 year old Mabou Loiseau, who plays the piano effortlessly, and speaks more than 7 languages fluently, including French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, and just like Zuriel - she too speaks Mandarin [Chinese].

Adidas relaunches Superstar global campaign video featuring David Beckham and Pharrell

David Beckham, Rita Ora, Pharrell Williams and Damian Lillard are not superstars. Or at least, that's what they'll tell you in this dramatic new "#OriginalSuperstars" spot for Adidas.

When the Superstar shoe was first launched by adidas back in 1969, the word 'Superstar' was unambiguous.

"Social media has completely redefined the concepts of self-expression, originality and creativity and throughout 2015, the campaign will question the need for external validation and celebrity worship. The campaign is aimed at inspiring creative courage without the need for external validation, and makes it very clear that whether it's 1969 or 2015, there is no short cut to being a Superstar," says Fabrizia Degli Esposti, adidas Originals Brand Marketing and PR Specialist.

The global campaign launches with a 90 second film, directed by Karim Huu Do and featuring David Beckham, Pharrell Williams, Rita Ora and Damian Lillard, each revealing that being superstar is not what you think it is. For Pharrell, the meaning is clear: "It's not about the number of views, likes or shares". While Rita Ora says, "It's not about walking down red carpets, talking to reporters and waving at fans." Whilst these 'Superstars' have all had different creative journeys, their original motivations from when they started out remain intact. They weren't chasing fame; fame was a by-product of their dedication and hard work.

Data for a 21st century Africa

Data consumption continues to grow at an incredible pace globally. Over 90% of all the data in the world was created in the past two years, and the total amount of data being captured and stored by industry doubles almost year on year. It is expected that by 2020, the amount of digital information in existence will have grown from 3.2 zettabytes today to 40 zettabytes.  Every minute we send 204 million emails, generate 1,8 million Facebook likes, send 278 thousand Tweets and up-load 200 thousand photos to Facebook.

Coupled to this, cellular phones are now even more accessible to the general population than they ever have been, with 17.9% of rural households in South Africa alone accessing the internet from mobile devices and 30.8% of South African households using mobile devices to access the internet, according to Statistics South Africa’s General Household Survey report published in June 2014. 

The sheer size of the African continent, coupled with the fact that Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is rising faster than the rest of the world (Population Reference Bureau predicts that Africa’s population will double to 2.4 billion by 2050) means that there are already several hundred million internet users who are demanding internet performance, and this number will rise at an inconceivable pace.

Peter Greaves, Aurecon’s Expertise leader for Data & ICT Facilities comments: “The impact of this is that telecom operators will have to find better, smarter ways to serve a data-hungry population throughout Africa. Corporations and governments are also becoming aware of the increased need for data centres and the fact that outsourcing these services allows them to focus on their core activities. Concerns about unreliable power and inadequate security can similarly be delegated to a dedicated third party that will guarantee the required uptime and data integrity.”

He adds: “While it’s true that data centres can be remote, countries (especially African countries) need to start looking at more local solutions in order to ensure data sovereignty and efficient network performance.  This demand will drive a significant data centre build-out in both East and West Africa over the next 20 years and now is the time to start reassessing the number of data centres in Africa, where they are located and how we can create scalable solutions to meet future data needs.”

Countdown To Valentine: Top 10 Affordable Romantic Destinations To Spend Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! And as excited as we are about sharing love a whole lot more than I’m hoping we all do every day (because love shouldn’t be reserved solely for the 14th of February), we’re slightly wary about the fact that it’s election day. This may or may not mean many will be faced with the choice of either showing love to the lover or to the country, although I don’t see why you can’t do both.

If you would rather not be here when all the election drama is going down, then a Valentine’s Weekend getaway is exactly what you need! With only a few weeks left to Valentine’s Day, we know that many of you haven’t made any plans yet. Don’t panic! Jovago.com Africa’s largest online booking portal has made you a list of the most affordable yet thrilling places to spend Valentine’s Day with that special someone.

Obudu, Calabar, Nigeria

Deep in coastal southeastern Nigeria lies the great Obudu hills. Wrapped around the multicultural ethnicity of the people of Calabar, the city and the hills are filled with numerous wonders stretching further than the eyes can see. One can explore the modern city untouched by the effects of political unrest, or explore the captivating hills. At only a few minutes by air to Calabar, couples can take a short weekend trip while still enjoying a great valentine experience.

Labadi Beach, Accra, Ghana

Labadi Beach has been known as Ghana’s most beautiful beach for many years. It fosters an atmosphere for romance with the Atlantic Ocean washing over it’s coast, swinging waves back and forth to create a beautiful backdrop for lovers. Every visit to Labadi Beach welcomes you with a concert or performance booming with youthful energy unlike any you’ve experienced elsewhere. The beach is located in the Greater Accra region of Ghana which gives you the opportunity to shop for African food, attires and souvenirs.

Cape Town, South Africa

Tagged as one of the best places in the world to visit, Cape Town, South Africa serves travellers and tourists with expansive views of the Table Mountain. Couples can spend a day at the Cape Town Waterfront taking cruises and tours or just enjoying lunch or tea at one of the best restaurants in South Africa. If you’re one of the classy bunch, set a course for the Cape Winelands to engage in wine tasting adventures only an hour from the city centre. The scenic vineyards allow for an intimate time with that special someone.

Unilever reviews £3bn global media

A spokeswoman for Unilever said: "As has been reported, Unilever is in the process of undertaking a global media review".

The review is a statutory process Unilever embarks on every three years. The current contract ends at the end of 2015 and a decision is expected before then.

Unilever’s current media partners include Mindshare in parts of Europe, including the UK, North America, and Africa, Interpublic’s Initiative in Latin America, some European countries and Russia, and PHD in Asia and the rest of Europe.

Mindshare retained the Western Europe media account in 2012 following the last review.

In addition, PHD handles the global comms planning for personal care, food, drink and homecare brands after picking up the work in the previous pitch. Initiative also has the comms planning business for Persil and Domestos.

The company works with a range of advertising agencies including Bartle Bogle Hegarty, Lowe and Partners and Adam & Eve/DDB.

Unilever global media director Alper Eroglu recently spoke about Unilever's ambition to "think like a startup", via their ideas hothouse The Foundry, which aims to invest in new technologies and ideas.

Hyundai and The Grammy Awards Launch 2015 Grammy Amplifier

Hyundai and The Recording Academy have announced the launch of the third annual GRAMMY Amplifier^® - an innovative, online music initiative aimed at mentoring emerging artists and providing them the opportunity to elevate their careers by showcasing their talent.

Three-time GRAMMY and Brit winner Mark Ronson will serve as the 2015 GRAMMY Amplifier Ambassador alongside this year’s program curators – current 57th GRAMMY nominees The Band Perry and Ziggy Marley, and singer/songwriter Allen Stone. The ambassador and curators will vet talent via online submissions and select the program’s three winners who will individually be awarded one of the following prizes: (1) a studio recording session with a GRAMMY winning producer; (2) filming and starring in their own music video with a noted director; or (3) securing an opening spot for a noted musician and/or at a music festival.

“For the last three years, Hyundai has proven to be an exceptional partner,” said Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer of The Recording Academy. “Together, we’ve created and built a program that discovers and nurtures talent while amplifying our combined commitment to innovation and music celebration.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to continue our dedication not only to the GRAMMYs but to the celebration and support of making music,” said David Matathia, Director, Marketing & Communications, Hyundai Motor America.  “The Amplifier program and our partnership with the GRAMMYs allow Hyundai to celebrate innovation and creativity through a truly unique and inspiring platform.”

Twitter Introduces Group Direct Messages, Mobile Video Experience

Twitter announced last November that it had a number of new features on its roadmap for this year, and today the social network says two of those features are starting to roll out to users.

In a post on Twitter's official blog, product director Jinen Kamdar explained the importance of direct messaging on the social network. Kamdar sees private conversations on Twitter as a perfect complement to the public tweets that can be read on the platform.

"Tweets have been more than 140 characters for some time. The Twitter you experience today is rich and immersive, full of images, gifs, Vines, audio files and videos from some of the world’s most recognizable figures and brands. And starting today, everyone will soon be able to seamlessly capture, edit and share videos right from the Twitter app, too.

"We designed our camera to be simple to use so you can capture and share life’s most interesting moments as they happen. In just a few taps you can add a video to unfolding conversations, share your perspective of a live event, and show your everyday moments instantly, without ever having to leave the app. Viewing and playing videos is just as simple: videos are previewed with a thumbnail and you can play them with just one tap", Kamdar wrote.

The design of Twitter's video camera is made simple to allow users to quickly set it up to capture moments that are most valuable and interesting to them, in videos that can be as long as 30 seconds.

Global Football Transfer Spending Breaks $4bn Barrier

According to figures revealed by a subsidiary of world football’s governing body Fifa Transfer Matching System (TMS), the value of the international players transfer market has broken through the $4bn (€3.2bn) mark for the first time to reach a new high of $4.06bn in 2014.

Payments to agents acting on behalf of clubs have risen on average 27% year on year since 2011, when the total stood at $131m.

The publication showed that transfer activity in the last year also increased, with the number of transactions up from 12,309 transfers in 2013 to a new high of 13,090 in the last 12 months.

 English clubs spent $87m on agents’ fees for international transfers in 2014, a $12m increase on 2013 while the second biggest spender, Spain, bought players for a total of $700m and the third, Germany, for $327m.

The 2014 report also identified a so-called “World Cup effect” where the value of transfers involving players of countries who overachieved increased. Transfers featuring Costa Rica players, for example, reached $10m in 2014 compared with $1m the year before.

The TMS became mandatory on October 1, 2010, and oversees cross-border moves in a bid to clamp down on money laundering and corrupt deals. Therefore its findings do not include domestic transfers.

Nigeria Breweries Restates Commitment To Nigerian Economy, Commissions N18billion New Ultra-Modern

In order to reinforce its firm commitment toward the economic development of Nigeria and its people through direct investment, Nigerian Breweries Plc, foremost brewer of quality brands has commissioned the new ultra-modern Aba Brewery Expansion in Aba, Abia State. The expansion gulped N18 billion.

The event, which was also a reflection of the company’ relationship with the government and people of the State, was attended by the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, represented by Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, the Governor of Abia State Chief Theodore Orji, member of the House of Representative representing Aba North and South, Hon. Uzor Azubuike, Secretary to the State Government, Commissioners, Service Chiefs, Traditional Rulers and key distributors.

(L-R) Chairman Nigerian Breweries Plc, Chief Kola Jamodu, Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, who represented the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan,  Executive Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Chief Theodore Orji and the Managing Director Nigerian Breweries Plc,Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde at the Commissioning of Aba Brewery Expansion in Abia State yesterday, Tuesday.

Speaking at the event, the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, disclosed that, Nigerian Brewery has restated its unshakable resolve to power and support the economic developmental goal of Nigeria with the investment of N18 billion through the expansion of the Aba Brewery. He stated that it is also a clear indication that Nigeria and Abia State is safe for business having created over 279, 000 direct and indirect employment for Nigerians which include 250 farmers.  Eighty Five (85%) per cent of this, he added, is attributed to production. He was represented by the Minister of Trade and Investment Dr. Olusegun Aganga who commissioned the plant on his behalf.

President Jonathan commended the Management of the company for the laudable project, saying this cannot be taken away from what contributed to the listing of the company as one of the top one hundred companies in Nigeria in 2014. “The project is also a reflection of our future as a Nation.” He added.

In his remarks, the Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji, stated that the project shows a perfect partnership between the government and private investors owing to the tangible achievement of his administration in fighting insecurity in the State.

Real Madrid 'to rename stadium the Abu Dhabi Bernabeu'

One of the major am of sports marketing is to secure the funds it needs to continue paying the incredible wages altheletes earn at the highest level, and Madrid seems to have identified an opportunity to keep the Galactico machine ahead.

Coca-Cola and Microsoft had both shown an interest in having their name on the Santiago Bernabeu but the race seems to have been won by the Spanish energy company Cepsa which in turn is owned by the IPIC (International Petroleum Investment Company) which is owned by the Abu Dhabi government.

The Spanish newspaper Diario AS, directors of energy firm Compania Espanola de Petroleos (CEPSA) yesterday disclosed the information during a media.

The move would relate to Real’s signing of a long-term strategic partnership with Abu Dhabi-owned energy group International Petroleum Investment Company in October to aid the redevelopment of the 80,000 capacity ground that has been home to the European champions since 1947.

The latest development comes after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez in November apparently revealed the Santiago Bernabeu would be renamed as either IPIC Bernabeu or CEPSA Bernabeu.

There was no reference to IPIC or its affiliated Spanish firm CEPSA taking on the naming rights when the initial deal was announced in October but speaking at a commercial event, Perez was captured by cameras from television show El Chiringuito de Neox discussing the possible branding. He had said: “We are going to put IPIC Bernabeu or whatever they want ... or CEPSA Bernabeu.”

Sanofi Launches New Insulin Product

Today marks another history as Sanofi Aventis Nigeria  battles to reduce to the barest minimum the diabetes disease in Nigeria as it launches a new Insulin product.

L-R: Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke; President, Union of National African Pediatric Societies and Associations (UNAPSA), Dr. Dorothy Esangbedo; and Head of Medical and Regulatory, Sanofi Nigeria/Ghana, Dr. Inoussa Fiffen at the official launch of a new Insulin product by Sanofi Aventis at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island on Wednesday, 28th January, 2015

L-R: Head public Affairs, Sanofi, Mr. Dimeji Agbolade; Consultant Physician/Endocrinologist, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Babatope Kolawole; Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke; President, Union of National African Pediatric Societies and Asociations (UNAPSA), Dr. Dorothy Esangbedo; and Head of Medical and Regulatory, Sanofi Nigeria/Ghana, Dr. Inoussa Fiffen at the official launch of a new Insulin product by Sanofi Aventis at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island

Call for applications: Cartier seeks Exceptional Entrepreneurs for the 2015 Cartier Women’s Initiative Award

The Cartier Women’s Initiative Award  is a business plan competition aimed at supporting creative, financially sustainable and responsible women-led companies, in all countries and industries.

APPLY now !

The Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards is looking for committed female entrepreneurs heading initiatives with the potential to grow significantly in the years to come. To apply for the 2015 edition, fill out the application form on https://application-form.cartierwomensinitiative.com/

Influential and enterprising women have always inspired the creativity of Cartier.

Joining forces with the Women’s Forum, INSEAD and McKinsey & Company, Cartier created in 2006 the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards, an annual international business plan competition to accompany and guide initiatives by women entrepreneurs.

The Awards will be given this year to six Laureates one by geographical region, who will receive a year of coaching, US$ 20,000 in funding, valuable networking opportunities as well as media exposure. The six world regions are Latin America, North America, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East & North Africa, and Asia-Pacific.

Applications will be accepted until February 27, 2015 at 10am Paris time (CET).

Cyber attacks may get more virulent, Cisco, Kaspersky warn

Cyber enemy are regulating some-more pointed methods to penetrate corporate networks with a aim of hidden critical information or simply causing mayhem. This is according Kaspersky Lab and Cisco, who contend IT confidence experts should adult their diversion in educating users how to sentinel off intensity attackers.

Whether they use Windows or Mac, all users contingency be observant says Kasperky Lab.

According to Kaspersky Lab, no complement can be deliberate wholly secure from  cyber threats; therefore additional collection are indispensable to safeguard online security.

Bethwel Opil, Channel Sales Manager East Africa during Kaspersky Lab, pronounced in an talk that cyber enemy are regulating particular employees’ gadgets as entrance indicate to a corporate networks.

This means notwithstanding their carrying done a outrageous investment in IT confidence solutions, corporates could still tumble plant to cyber enemy if their staff have not been prepared about how to keep safe, he said.

Opil pronounced mobile and online banking could be a subsequent limit for cyber criminals as they pierce to take income and a identities of gullible customers.

The reason since cyber goons would aim these platforms is since of a numbers involved. Millions of Kenyans have adopted mobile and online banking that was not a box a decade ago, says Opil.

Facebook Launches ‘Lite’ App for Users in Emerging Market

After conquering developed markets like the U.S. and Europe, the tech world is eager to expand into the developing world in search of new, untapped populations of potential customers. While that all makes perfect sense in theory, in practice it can lead to challenges.

Its no secret that Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has a desire to improve on the company's penetration in developing market and with this app, the penetration seems to begin.

According to Facebook, this "Facebook Lite" app allows low-cost Android handsets to quickly load Facebook feeds and photos, even when users are on 2G connections.

The app was launched in several countries in both Asia and Africa over the weekend—including Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe.

Features 

• Fast to install — the app is less than 1 MB
• Quick to load
• Efficient with data
• Designed for 2G networks and areas with limited network connectivity

Fuse & TRO Win Nissan UEFA Champions League Experiential Brief

Fuse Sport + Entertainment and TRO have been jointly appointed by Nissan to run the global car manufacturer’s experiential activation at the UEFA Champions League Final in Berlin in June 2015.

The two agencies, who partnered for the competitive pitch, will work together to activate Nissan’s partnership with UEFA Champions League at the UEFA Champions Festival at the Brandenburg Gate, which over 100,000 fans are expected to visit.

“We are delighted to add the development and activation of Nissan’s fan experiential activity at the UCL Final to the suite of activity we are already delivering for Nissan, as part of the brand’s innovative partnership with UEFA Champions League. Partnering with TRO was a natural fit, as not only are they a fellow Omnicom agency with significant Nissan experience, they complement our team’s skillset really with their innovative approach”, said Mark Bullingham, Managing Director EMEA of Fuse Sport + Entertainment.

Fuse Sport + Entertainment, who holds the UK Sponsorship Awards Agency of the Year title, adds this activation to the global management of Nissan’s UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup sponsorship, which they were appointed to manage last year.

Expedia Acquires Travelocity for $280 million

Online travel giant Expedia has acquired its rival Travelocity from its parent company, Sabre Corporation for $280 million.

Before this acquisition, Expedia and Travelocity had a 2013 strategic marketing agreement in which Expedia powered the technology platforms for Travelocity’s US and Canadian websites along with providing Travelocity access to Expedia, Inc.’s supply and customer service program.

Expedia already well known properties like Hotels.com, Hotwire , Egencia, and CarRentals.com among many others.

The company’s latest move brings together two of the market’s largest travel services, but in a way, they were already together. Since 2013, Expedia has powered Travelocity’s US and Canadian websites as well as its customer service program, and it has shared its hotel offerings with the company.

Meanwhile, now that it has let go of Travelocity, Sabre Corp. says it can concentrate on its core business: back-end systems for the sale of airline tickets, hotel rooms, and car rentals.

Aggreko Extends 200 MW Ivory Coast Power Project

Aggreko, the world leader in the provision of temporary power and temperature control services, has announced a three year contract extension to its 200 MW gas-fired power project in Ivory Coast, with an option to extend this by a further two years. The Aggreko plant in the Vridi area of Abidjan provides critical power to Ivory Coast and surrounding countries interconnected to the Ivory Coast grid.

The facility was installed in 2010 with the first phase of the project producing 70 MW. This was later increased to 100 MW in 2011 and again increased in June 2013 to 200 MW. With a booming economy and GDP growth of around 9%, demand for energy has been increasing steadily in recent years. The Aggreko plant injects vital capacity into the local grid, helping keep essential infrastructure and services running, while also ensuring power supplies are maintained to both business and domestic users.

“We are pleased to be extending the Aggreko project which forms an important part of our program of strengthening the energy infrastructure across the country,” commented Amidou Traore, Director General, CI-Energies. “The 200 MW supplied from the Aggreko plant is an important component of our energy generation mix and helps us maintain supply to our customers while we develop our long-term infrastructure programmes.”

Economies across Africa are growing at a phenomenal rate resulting in an increased strain on power generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure. By adding large-scale, fast-track interim power, countries can continue to supply the energy required to sustain economic growth while governments and state utilities work on bringing new generation capacity online.

Lakeshore Cancer Center formally kicks-off operations in Nigeria

The Lakeshore Cancer Center (LCC) has formally launched operations in Nigeria with the Ribbon Cutting ceremony in its state-of-the-art facility in Victoria Island, Lagos, on January 24th, 2015. The Center is solely designed, by a team of global experts on surgical and radiation oncology, for high quality prevention and treatment of cancer.


Affiliated with Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, USA –the oldest cancer center in the world, LCC has been offering skeletal services since July 2014. The RPCI provides training, education and clinical care oversight and research programs to the Center.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director at LCC, Dr. Chumy Nwogu noted that, cancer kills more people globally than malaria, HIV and Tuberculosis (TB) combined, and disproportionately impacts low to middle income countries like Nigeria. He explained that the 2012 data of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, stipulates 102,079 new cancer cases every year and 71,571 cancer deaths annually in Nigeria. “This is probably a marked under-estimation as cancer registration is really poor in Nigeria. Over 70 per cent of patients die despite the fact that we do not capture all of them – over 20 percent of people with cancer are still not captured. This is because many patients usually seek alternative treatments, traditional healers or prayer houses. These numbers are predicted to rise dramatically over the next few years,” Dr. Nwogu disclosed.

The Medical Director, who is a highly respected Cancer Epidemiologist and Thoracic Surgical Oncologist, further stated that, “the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one third of cancers can be prevented, one third cured and one third effectively palliated; hence the great need for education, screening and early detection.”

He said that, LCC is committed to providing cancer patients with tools for early detection, diagnosis and consultation with excellent oncologists without having to travel away from loved ones at home.

Dubai's Marka, UEFA to launch concept store in Abu Dhabi

Uefa has signed a license agreement with the first UAE-listed retail and hospitality company, to build the first ever UEFA Champions League experience concept stores across the Middle East, with the first to open in May 2015.

The first concept store and fast-casual dining destination will open in Yas Mall on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi with plans confirmed for expansion across the Middle East, the company said in a statement.

Khaled Almheiri, vice-chairman of Marka, said: “The UEFA Champions League is the most popular club football competition in the world and enjoys a cult following across the Middle East. The UEFA Champions League Experience will be the ideal destination for all football fans to come and enjoy the best of European football and their favourite teams—under one roof. Marka is delighted to be partnering with UEFA to bring the UEFA Champions League Experience first to the UAE and then to the wider region.”

Inspired by the atmosphere, energy and passion of UEFA Champions League football, the 17,000 square foot destination retail concept will feature combined retail and restaurant offerings.

Fans will be able to purchase merchandise from top teams including Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Chelsea, from dedicated shop-in-shops.

Jovago.com Expands Airline Partnerships To Ghana, Partners With Antrak Air And Starbow Airline

Jovago, www.jovago.com – Africa’s largest online hotel booking platform has signed white label partnerships with two of Ghana’s domestic carriers, Antrak Air and Starbow Airline to provide more accessible hotel booking services to travelling Ghanaians.

Marek Zmyslowski

As the official hotel partners of Antrak Air and Starbow Airline, Jovago.com makes it easier for travellers visiting the Antrak Air website http://www.antrakair.com/  or the Starbow Airline website http://www.flystarbow.com/en to find and book from over 200,000 hotels around the world, available on Jovago.com in a few simple clicks.

Antrak Air says they are very delighted to be partnering with Jovago.com. According to the Marketing Manager, Richard Kyereh “this white label hotel booking solution will ensure that everyone visiting the Antrak Air website to book domestic flights in Ghana can also book their trips easily from the wide selection of hotels available on Jovago.com.

Starbow Airline which launched in 2011 with an inaugural flight to Kumasi, Ghana says that this partnership reinforces their commitment to their customers. The CEO James Eric Antwi in a statement released today says “our commitment is to provide travelling Ghanaians with an efficient, on-time flight system, with this Jovago.com partnership, we take it a step further by also providing easy access for them to book and secure accommodation at their destinations”.

President Jonathan Approves Abimbola Alale as NigComSat MD/CEO

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has approved the appointment of Ms. Abimbola Alale as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NigComSat).

Senator Ayim Pius Ayim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, conveyed the President’s message in a letter confirming her appointment as Managing Director/Chief Executive of the NigComSat for a first term of four years. The letter also wished her the best of luck on her new assignment, according to a statement by the Ministry of Communication Technology.

President Goodluck Jonathan

Alale became the Ag MD/CE of the company in February 2014. Before then, she was the Executive Director, Marketing, a position she held since the inception of the company in 2006.

She holds a postgraduate degree in Space Studies and an MBA from the International Space University in Strasbourg, France and has since undergone several trainings in space technology.

She started her career with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) where she served as NigComSat-1 Project Secretary, a project that gave birth to NIGCOMSAT LTD.

Natures Gentle Touch Redefines Hair and Beauty Care in Nigeria

Personal style brand, Natures Gentle Touch, manufactured by Recare Limited has reassured Nigerian women of its promise to deliver hair care solutions that will keep their hair healthy and beautiful.

Speaking during a media roundtable held recently at the Natures Gentle Touch Hair Institute, Production Manager, Recare Limited, Mr. Daniel Appiah, stated that the company’s product lines are made with natural based ingredients required to give a healthy and beautiful hair. He noted that every product under the brand was created bearing in mind the Nigerian climate condition as well as other factors that could affect the Nigerian woman’s hair.

L-R: Operations Manager, Mr Daniel Anim-Appiah; Public Relations Manager, Mrs Toyin Adepegba and Field Education Manager, Mr Daniel Komlan, all of Recare Limited, during a meet and greet session with the media held at Natures Gentle Touch Hair Institute, Victoria Island on Thursday, January 22nd.

“Our objective is to ensure that every Nigerian woman achieves her beauty goals. Having a hair that is one hundred percent healthy, beautiful and natural is a major part of these goals. We have several products that currently seek to solve various hair challenges which include dry and itchy scalp, dandruff and hair breakage. Our products are tested and trusted by many Nigerian women,” said Appiah.

He added that the company will continue to introduce more products that will help every woman maintain her natural hair and help repair damaged hair.

JUMIA partners with Aramex to launch offline Pick-up points

Kenya’s leading online retailer JUMIA has partnered with Aramex one of the fastest growing courier service company in Kenya to allow its customers to pick up items they purchase on the website from Aramex stores across Nairobi.

Parinaz Firozi, MD, Jumia Kenya said, “Some of our Customers who prefer to have their deliveries made at Aramex stores for pick up can select the closest store during the checkout process and click on ‘ship to this address’ and our customer centric staff will ensure quality service upon pick up.”

The Aramex stores from where customers can pick up their orders include; Thika Road mall, Yala Towers on Nairobi’s Biashara street, Maji House- Ngong Road, Aramex’s head office- Old Mutual building, General Accident house- Ralph Bunche Road and Westlands- outside corner plaza. Jumia charges a KES 200 delivery fee for orders below KES 5,000 within Nairobi however, customers who select Aramex pick-up stations will be exempted from the shipping fees.

Nicholas Mutua, Managing Director Aramex Kenya said, “Most of the customers who come to pick-up products they ordered on JUMIA are happy with the deliveries and efficiency. We are as well delighted to be part of this experience with incredible potential for growth.”

The Recording Academy Announces Official Sponsors For 57th Annual Grammy Awards

The Recording Academy has announced its official marketing partners for this year's 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards.  Aflac, CÎROC Vodka, Degree Women Deodorant & Antiperspirant, Delta Air Lines, Hilton, Hyundai, JBL, MasterCard, Microsoft.

PEOPLE, Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble (COVERGIRL, Crest Whitestrips, Herbal Essences, and Olay), and Westwood One are all supporters of this year's GRAMMY Awards and GRAMMY Week events. Taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Music's Biggest Night will be broadcast live in high-definition and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

"We are again honored to partner with many of the world's most relevant brands," said Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer of The Recording Academy. "Together, we are building innovative marketing programs to amplify excitement and engagement among music fans everywhere for Music's Biggest Night."

Kaymu Celebrates Two Years Anniversary

Kaymu, Nigeria’s leading online marketplace celebrates its second year anniversary with week long activities to include a website update, an entrepreneurship workshop and anniversary sales on its platform.

On January 25th 2013, Kaymu launched in Nigeria and Pakistan simultaneously and has spread rapidly to 34 countries in Africa, Asia and most recently, Europe.The company which started off in Lagos with 5 employees has since grown to establish hubs in 6cities​ in Nigeria employing over 200 individuals.

Kaymu has been at the forefront of driving entrepreneurship in Nigeria, with several initiatives for young entrepreneurs and SMEs. The Kaymu Future Entrepreneurs Program, a training for students on the core values of business​, and the Kaymu Entrepreneurial Workshop​, ​to provide SMEs with skills needed to market competitively in their fields, are two examples these initiatives.

Evangeline Wiles, Managing Director of Kaymu Nigeria, speaking on the anniversary stated, “We started off ​with just ​5 ​people and a vision​. It's been a ​remarkable 2 years​ and ​we are well on the way to ​realizing this vision​.

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We ​would​ like to thank everyone who has contributed in positioning Kaymu as the leading online marketplace in Nigeria- our employees, sellers, buyers, partners, the media and all Nigerians”.

DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa wins a record number of awards in 2014

One of the world’s leading international express services provider, DHL Express has won a record number of external awards for its business in Sub Saharan Africa in 2014 – almost triple that of 2013 – demonstrating the success from its 2014 strategy to create greater service quality and increase employee engagement.

Charles Brewer

In 2014, DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa received a total of 61 awards from external parties such as government bodies, trade associations and the media. The recognition from industry leaders is a testament of the business’ successes in customer service delivery, employee engagement, contribution to corporate social responsibility, as well as its commitment to provide excellent service quality in the region. This is an increase of 178%, up from the 22 awards received in 2013.

Charles Brewer, Managing Director of DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, says that the company’s vision to be The Logistics Company for the World is not just about the strong network and the number of countries or territories DHL is present in, but also how customers and the general public perceive the company.

DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa was named Top Employer 2015 in Africa by the Top Employers Institute for the company’s outstanding employee offerings across the region. This is in addition to six African countries – South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Ghana that were also certified as Top Employers in their local markets.

When looking at the various countries’ awards leader board, Nigeria and South Africa ranked in the majority of the awards with 13 and 12 awards respectively, followed by Kenya (6), Uganda (5) and Zimbabwe (4).

Gucci Names Alessandro Michele as Creative Director

It’s official. Alessandro Michele – Gucci’s head accessories designer – is to become creative director at the Italian megabrand.

Michele takes up the position left vacant by Frida Giannini, the label’s creative director for 11 years. Giannini’s departure, along with that of her partner, chief executive Patrizio di Marco, was announced in December. The pair were due to work until Gucci’s autumn/winter runway show in February, but this month the company confirmed that Giannini had already left.

Alessandro Michele

Giannini’s departure had been linked with falling sales.

Michele joined Gucci in 2002, and became Giannini's deputy in 2011 when he took over the leather goods, shoes, jewelry and home collections. He is also the creative director of Gucci's porcelain brand, Richard Ginori.

While there were rumors that Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci and Saint Laurent's Hedi Slimane were being considered to take the helm, Michele's appointment seemed to become more apparent once he was tasked to produce a brand-new collection for Gucci's menswear show. Given the sincere applause he received after the presentation, it sounds like Michele will do just fine in his new role.

Toyota pledges to raise a million as an official partner of Red Nose Day

Toyota has set itself a target of raising £1 million for Comic Relief as an official partner of Red Nose Day.

It is committed to bringing in as much money as possible to support the work of Comic Relief through events and activities across the country that capture Red Nose Day’s spirit of fun and fund-raising.

Toyota will also be helping boost the total by selling the official 2015 red noses for vehicles, exclusively through its dealership network and its official eBay store.

Money raised for Red Nose Day (Friday 13 March), including sales of vehicle red noses, will be used by Comic Relief to support for projects helping transform the lives of people here in the UK and Africa.

The fund-raising initiative brings together Toyota’s UK businesses, including Toyota GB, Toyota Manufacturing UK, Toyota Financial Services, Toyota Materials Handling, Toyota Logistics and Toyota Centres nationwide, with a combined workforce of more than 10,000 people.

Matt Harrison, President and Managing Director Toyota GB, said: “Red Nose Day achieves the remarkable feat of making people laugh while at the same time helping make a real difference for those people most in need. Toyota is proud to be a part of its inspirational work as an official partner of this year’s Red Nose Day and across the country we will be pulling out all the stops to raise as much money as we can.