African ICT experts to address opportunities in interconnection, peering and traffic exchange in September

The Internet Society will stage its annual Africa Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF) in Tanzania for the first time. The organisation has partnered with the Tanzania Internet Service Providers Association (TISPA) to hold the seventh annual AfPIF in the country’s capital, Dar es Salaam, 30 August- 1 September, 2016.

Serving as a platform to expand Internet infrastructure and services across Africa, the event will bring together key players to address the opportunities in interconnection, peering and traffic exchange on the continent.

The forum seeks to build cross-border interconnection opportunities and facilitate discussions on African Internet infrastructure challenges, including terrestrial capacity, development of national and regional Internet Exchange Points (IXP) and local content.

“Internet connectivity in Africa has increased over the last few years delivering access to close to a third of the population on the continent. Improving interconnection and traffic exchange has become even more important today as an increasing number of Africans rely on the Internet in their daily lives,” explained Dawit Bekele, Regional Director for Africa of the Internet Society.

“Since we first launched this event six years ago, we have seen a notable increase in investments and initiatives that have led to improvements in the extent and quality of national and regional interconnection. This has been possible thanks to the connections people make at AfPIF. The forum has in particular enabled Africans to collaborate and work together towards the development of the Internet infrastructure on the continent,” he added.

HURRAY!!! Jumia Kenya Clocks 3

Jumia is celebrating its third anniversary with attractive discounts for its customers between 5th and 7th April.

Jumia opened its Kenyan operations in March 2013 with a paltry workforce of four employees in an apartment office. Three years later, the company employs hundreds of talent and has a strong presence across major towns and cities in Kenya besides being a formidable voice in the industry.

“It is exciting to see the impact our business has had in the country. We are grateful to our customers for making us the leading online retailer and to our employees for their dedication and hard work. We have come a long way in three years and are optimistic the years ahead can only offer more.” Parinaz Firozi, MD, Jumia Kenya.

Dubbed Jumia Birthday Party, the sale is tailored to enjoin customers in the celebration which will feature discounts of up-to 80% on televisions, mobile phones, home appliances and fashion among others which will only be available between 5th and 7th April.

How to recover the contacts of your stolen phone with ease

If you have lived a day in Nigeria, you must have experienced the agony of your phone suddenly developing wings. The frantic search through your pocket, bag and a complete overhaul of your house in a bid to find that tiny, little device that connects you to the rest of the world to no avail can take the excitement out of a sunny day, especially if this automatically means you lose all your phone contacts.

However, thanks to Android, you can now recover up-to-date contacts from their cloud service, even if you do not backup as often as you should. How? Jovago.com, Africa’s No 1 hotel booking portal guides you on how to accomplish this.

Sync your contacts

Before you can recover your contacts from your android phone, ensure that you sync your contacts. This will enable you to access your contacts with your email even if your phone is stolen. 

Visit www.google.com/contacts

After the website buffers, enter your Gmail username and password. You must use the Gmail account you used for your android smartphone. Like magic, you will find all your contacts.

Restore and download

You can restore your contacts to the last synced version. This is why your phone should be intermittently online. You will not lose any contacts as long as you sync your phone regularly. You can export all the numbers to your desktop. With the aid of a USB cord, you can transfer the contacts to your phone. 

Survey provides glimpse into the world of young entrepreneurs in Africa

The Entrepreneurship Survey is based on an emailed questionnaire answered by a selection of young entrepreneurs within the 15 to 25 age group, and located across the African continent. The survey focused on five areas of operating a business, namely growth, sales and marketing, human resources, funding and support.

It is hoped that stakeholders, such as policy makers, support organisations, and entrepreneurs will benefit from these insights. Survey respondents overwhelmingly stated that access to finance is their main barrier to growth, with 48% highlighting it as the biggest obstacle to expanding their companies. Only 27% of young entrepreneurs received any form of outside investment, with family members (59%) and grants (52%) being the major sources of funding accessible.

Despite challenges faced, 84 of entrepreneurs reported employing others, underscoring the employment creation potential of youth businesses. However, a large proportion of respondents (41%), described the level of support available to enable and scale young entrepreneurs in their countries as “poor” and “very poor”. This suggests that significant work remains to make it easier for young business people to succeed.

Anzisha Prize (www.AnzishaPrize.org) applications are currently open for young entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 and 22 to compete for a share of $100,000 in prize money and receive access to support and networks to scale their businesses. Applications will close on 15 April 2016. The Anzisha Prize is offered in partnership between The MasterCard Foundation and African Leadership Academy.

GLENDORA & FEDEX RED STAR EXPRESS PARTNER OVER DISTRIBUTION OF KING’S COLLEGE HISTORY BOOK

The King's College Old Boys' Association Centenary Committee recently signed agreements with Glendora International Limited and FedEx Red Star Express, to distribute copies of the history of King’s College, titled ‘Floreat Collegium 100 Years of King’s College, Lagos’. This contract took place recently in Lagos.

The Contract permits Glendora to handle the sales and distribution of the books, while FedEx Red Star Express handles the delivery of the books to interested buyers nationwide.

This means the books are now available at all Glendora Bookshops at Jazzhole,168 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Ikeja City Mall, MM2 & Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.  Arrangements have also been concluded with FedEx Red Star Express to provide information and distribute copies of the book through all 165 outlets nationwide.

According to Chairman Centenary Publication, Prince Tola Sotinwa, “The book is of deep historical value not only to past and present staff and students of King’s College, but to all Nigerians. So significant have the achievements of the College been throughout its existence, that in 2009, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), thought it fit to celebrate the Centenary of King’s College, Lagos. The celebration was flagged off at the UNESCO’s 34th General Assembly held in Paris, France in 2007 and was the first time a secondary school in Africa would be so honoured. In affirmation of the primacy of place of the institution, the 100th Foundation Day Lecture was delivered at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Campus of the College by the then Director General of UNESCO, Mr. Koichiro Matsuura”.

LAMUDI RELEASES ANNUAL RESEARCH REPORT ON EMERGING REAL ESTATE MARKETS

House-hunting is moving online in the emerging markets as property-seekers embrace the internet as a tool for finding their dream home, according to a new report from global real estate portal Lamudi Nigeria.

Lamudi, the real estate classifieds marketplace focusing on the emerging markets, this week released its second annual research report. The 2015 real estate market report provides expert insights into the future of real estate in countries including Mexico, the Philippines, Pakistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

The report found that the house-hunting process is shifting online in emerging markets, with both property-seekers and real estate agents reporting increasing use of online tools including real estate portals and social media within the sector. While using property portals is a common practice in developed markets, it is a relatively new phenomenon in emerging markets where internet penetration remains low but rising fast.

Lamudi’s 2015 real estate market report found that in the Philippines, a dramatic increase in Internet penetration has had a profound effect on local businesses, including those in the real estate industry. A survey of local brokers revealed that 91 percent of all professionals observed a significant increase in online inquiries. In addition, 59 percent of those surveyed cited online listings platforms as their channel of choice to advertise properties.

Similar trends have been observed in Pakistan where a survey of local house-hunters revealed that 85 percent of respondents believed the role of the Internet in house-hunting has increased. Likewise, in Sri Lanka, a customer survey showed that 75 percent of property-seekers believed the internet has dramatically transformed the way people find a homes to buy or rent. In Indonesia, onsite data reveals that online property searching is driven by people between age 25 and 34, which is the primary age bracket for first-time home buyers.

Airtel commissions new Service Centre at Circle Mall, Lekki

Leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has commissioned a new service centre located at the Circle Mall, Jakande Round-about, Lekki Expressway, Lagos aimed at bringing its services closer to its customers most especially those located in the Lekki area of Lagos.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, while commissioning the office noted the telco’s commitment towards offering innovative products and services to its customers hence its consistent efforts at increasing of its service footprints across Nigerians.

“With our aggressive retail expansion and investment in customer service centres, we can make bold to say that our customer-centricity, which has consistently earned us the Best Customer Service Operator over the years is not a fluke, but a reality we would never compromise.

“Today, as we increase our footprints in Lagos, we bring with it our rich history and culture of delivering great service experience to the delight of our customers, especially those within this community and the environs. As we open the doors of this outlet to the public today, customers will experience a world class touch that will help optimize our rich range of unique offerings and services in data, voice, bill payment, query resolution and general enquiries. I implore you to spread the good news to friends, family and loved ones,” Ogunsanya said.

PHOTO: Alcatel Rewards Promo Winners

From Left, Gbenga Adegboye, Sales Manager, Alcatel Nigeria, Samuel Adekanmbi, Aisha Ikhonede and Felix Amanfoye, Head of Operations, Purch Limited at the presentation of prizes to winners of the Alcatel retail promo in Lagos yesterday.

TOTAL NIGERIA, MURTALA MUHAMMED FOUNDATION PARTNER TO EMPOWER WOMEN, YOUNG GRADUATES ON SOLAR TECHNOLOGY MARKETING

Women who have been identified as string peer influencers, young graduates, especially those posted to remote Northern Nigerian states to serve under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and trusted Community leaders have been earmarked for membership of the Awango Resellers Club (ARC), an initiative by Total Nigeria in partnership with the Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF) to empower the people in isolated areas in need of special intervention using Solar technologies.

This is part of the implementation of the Last Mile strategy designed to expand the last mile distribution channel in isolated areas where the core target market for Awango by Total resides.

As part of the implementation strategy, a revolving loan scheme will also be provided to members where Solar Lamps worth N75, 000 to N100,000 is given on credit to ARC members to be refunded in four to five months.  In addition to the support of the Total Nigeria Sales Team, other supports include re-sellers manual, flyers, and other marketing supports that will be provided to create awareness and stimulate demands.

Total Nigeria is partnering with Murtala Muhammed Foundation (MMF), an indigenous non-profit Organisation dedicated to the socio-economic development of Africa to manage the development and technical support of ARC in the Northern Region of Nigeria.

Experts Share Incisive Case-Studies At 2016 African Experiential Marketing Summit in Lagos

The ninth edition of African Experiential Marketing Summit with the theme ‘The University of Brand Experiences’ was held recently in Lagos. The event had in attendance many international experiential marketing experts who presented papers and shared quality experiences and case-studies.

The speakers include Dan Hanover, Founder and Editor of Event Marketer magazine, published in the United States of America, Noukuthula Radebe, Marketing Manager at Yellowwood Brand Architects and Carol Abade, Chief Executive Officer, EXP Group amongst others.

Presenting his paper on the theme of the event, besides thrilling the audience with emotional driven experiential marketing case studies, Dan Hanover revealed that “Experiential marketing can be used successfully to build relationships, raise awareness, increase loyalty, establish relevance, encourage interaction and product trial, create memories, stimulate positive word of mouth, change the mind of dissatisfied customers, create product desire, verify the target audience and increase return on marketing investment”.

The celebrated ‘Marketing Magician’ who is the world leading provider of experiential content also said “Africa is gradually accepting the model of social media and experiential marketing. Africa consumers have progressed over the last five years and are becoming digital natives using all the forces put in place to evolve quickly over the next couple of years not only to a population super power but a brand super power.”

Carol Abade on her own path explained that “Experiential marketing is about enabling personal connections between brands and consumers by creating real life experience worth sharing. These experiences combine digital and real world connections to create stronger memories and emotional bonds between brand and consumers.’

How Ignorance, Porous borders Supplant Nigeria’s Local Tomato Paste Industry

A recent undercover survey has revealed that Nigeria’s porous borders and the poor capacity of Nigerian consumers to differentiate between quality and substandard tomatoes paste products are the biggest factors challenging the success of Nigeria’s indigenous tomato paste industry.

A recent visit to the border town of Seme and Cotonou in Benin republic revealed that there are huge warehouses heaped with imported tomatoes brands like Super Mum, Leya, Toma, Ginu, Bonjour, Fam Stew and many others. All the 12 warehouses visited eagerly offered to deliver in Nigeria any quantity of any brand chosen within two days if seventy percent down payment is made. A top distributor in Cotonou, Fedinand Ababio showed us packed consignments he claimed would be delivered to Nigeria that night.

With Nigeria’s economy dominated by substandard and cheap tomato paste smuggled across the borders, tested local brands like vitali, Ric-Giko and Sonia are left to fight for the life of their local firms.

Another survey has equally revealed that the yardstick used by most consumers to pick their preferred tomato brand is the level of “thickness” and “redness” of the paste. In a chat with 22 housewives and caterers in three different areas of Lagos, all those who had preferred brands used this erroneous yardstick in making their choice.

First Real-Estate Listings Site In Oyo State Launches

In an attempt to bridge the gap between properties seekers and authenticated real estate agents in Oyo State, the first online real estate marketplace in the state www.konnectapt.com was launched on Saturday, March 26th.

According to the Media Manager, Tunde Babalola, KonnectApt.com was initiated as a result of the yearns of the people to have convinent, reliable and secured option of advertising their properties in this era of information and communication technology which is rapidly growing the state.

"Properties can be advertised both by individual consumers and real estate agents. However, only screened and approved agents secure a ‘trusted partner’ status, allowing users to verify whom they deal with", he said.

While commenting on the issue of security, "In order to ensure that scams are prevented, we make sure that our that we reiterated it in our policy that payment must be either physically or online until you are pleased with the property and have the legal framework done".

5 Ways to ‘Enjoy’ Lagos Traffic

Lagos and traffic cannot be separated especially as the state marches towards becoming a mega city. Ironically, each time the traffic recedes, you will discover the cause of the gridlock to be as strange as a commercial driver picking passengers on the road or two people parked in the middle of the road shouting at the top of their voices for no major reason. This is the story of Lagos’ traffic… and these notorious roadblocks do not appear to be going away anytime soon.

However, while others groan, you can actually flip the coin and enjoy this situation! Jovago.com, Africa’s No 1 hotel booking portal shares tips on how you can achieve this.

Take Pleasure in comical scenes
There are so many hilarious things that happen on Lagos roads that you cannot help but laughing. You have the conductor shouting at his passengers to board his bus with their change, a tout forcefully collecting money from the commercial buses which sometimes leads to a fight, and two people trying to outwit one another in a shouting match.  There are so many witty dramas that happen in traffic.

Drive alongside a lady

Women have a special effect on men that even best scientists are yet to decipher. So, when you are leaving for home, go with either your wife or your girlfriend. Both of you will keep yourselves company. It is even better if you have a crowd in your car. You exchange banters, talk about office issues and deal with any traffic problems. This can be fun.

Uganda To Host The Africa Tax Symposium In May

The Africa Tax Symposium is an annual authoritative event, drawing together tax professionals from all over the continent. The aim of the Symposium is to analyse the most pertinent international tax issues of the day and to place them within the African context. This is reflected in the signature theme, Trends in International Taxation: An African Perspective.

Building on the success of the inaugural Symposium, this year’s event will focus on today’s burning tax issues, such as the post-BEPS landscape, aggressive tax planning, transfer pricing and challenges impacting particular industries and transactions. These topics will be brought to life by a rich selection of renowned tax experts. The Symposium presents a wide range of speakers (http://www.apo.af/qagRP4) from tax practice, industry, revenue authorities and academia. This compelling mix is enriched even further by IBFD’s top experts on Africa.

The Africa Tax Symposium is an initiative of IBFD’s Centre for Studies in African Taxation (CSAT), a think tank devoted to the study and development of African taxation. Through the Symposium, CSAT aims to contribute to deeper and more analytical knowledge of international tax across the continent. CSAT also sponsors research into areas of tax policy relevant to particular sectors in Africa. One way of effecting this is by means of “CSAT scholarships,” under which qualifying researchers receive sponsorship for pertinent research work. CSAT has just concluded arrangements for several such scholarships and full details will be unveiled during the Symposium.

Johannesburg to host Selling to the CIO workshop

South Africa's city, Johannesburg will see the return of the highly rated Selling to the CIO seminar. The seminar which is to be held at Henley Business School on 29 - 30 June 2016, will see sales professionals gain vital insights on how to successfully engage with CIOs.

Selling to CIOs is not easy. According to Mark Hall Founder & General Manager CIO Executive Council: “The repeated issue every year—what keeps CIOs up at night—is the sales and marketing practices of technology vendors. It’s a cat and mouse game. It’s not efficient for buyers; it’s not efficient for sellers. The whole relationship is problematic.”

CIOs are extremely busy and they are inundated with technical sales calls. Nonetheless, those who make a good living selling to CIOs have learned that there are ways to sell to CIOs that are truly effective. This intensive 2 day seminar is designed to provide good solid practical strategies for selling to CIOs that will help you and your company meet your CIO selling objectives. If your organization wants to become more effective at selling to CIOs, then this seminar is a must attend for your sales team.

This intensive 2-day workshop is aimed at Vendor CEO’s, Business Development Directors, Business Development Managers, Sales Directors, Consultants, Sales Managers, Key Account Managers, Heads of new business and anyone who is responsible for selling technology solutions.

Redeemer’s University Agog for Akingbade’s Lecture

The Redeemer’s University, Ede, State of Osun, is said to be agog at the prospect of Mr. Bola Akingbade visiting the campus to speak to the students and the entire university community on the subject of university branding.

Bola Akingbade is billed to deliver a Bespoke paper on Building a World Class University: the Role of Brand Management. The conference which holds on Tuesday, March 29, 2016, is expected to be attended by about 2000 students and the entire university community.

Mr. Akingbade would be sharing his rich and enduring marketing communications knowledge and experience with students of Redeemer’s University (RUN) as they mark their BrandiQ Club Day at The University Auditorium, Ede, Sate of Osun.

Already, there is a high level of excitement within the entire academic community since the announcement that this strategic marketing egghead would be presenting the main paper during the RUN BrandiQ Club Day. Students from neighbouring universities and polytechnics have been invited in huge numbers to grace the occasion. The Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University Prof Debo Adeyewa and the registrar,Bola Oloketuyi  will play hosts to the select personalities across all spheres of life invited to the unique occasion.

The guest speaker, Bola Akingbade is one of Nigeria’s most respected brand strategist with vast marketing experience. His experience cuts across local and international marketing assignments mostly in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FCMG). He is a former Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria. While serving this Telco giant, Akingbade deployed his wealth of experience to create seamless strategic marketing models to boost the firm’s profitability.

Ringier Africa Deals Group Acquires Nigerian Online Shopping Platform DealDey

Ringier Africa Deals Group, a newly-founded joint venture between Swiss Ringier Africa AG and South African Silvertree Internet Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Wednesday announces it has acquired one of Nigeria’s biggest online shopping platforms, DealDey.

The acquisition represents an expansion of Ringier Africa’s portfolio beyond publishing and digital marketing in Nigeria and Silvertree’s first e-commerce investment in the country. It sees the two companies invest significantly in Nigeria’s fast-growing multi-billion dollar e-commerce sector as part of their partnership in the Ringier Africa Deals Group.

DealDey, the online deals e-commerce platform, was launched in 2011 by serial entrepreneur Simdul Shagaya together with Investment AB Kinnevik. With over 1 million users, 15,000 active merchants and 20,000 verified listed businesses, DealDey is the largest online deals business in the region. In addition to its core platform, DealDey today also comprises of the couponing platform Promohub (http://promohub.ng) and discovery platform Lyf (http://lyf.ng), both forming part of the acquisition.

DealDey Co-CEOs Kehinde Oriola & Etop Ikpe say: "The DealDey team is excited about joining forces with the newly-formed Ringier Africa Deals Group. It offers great opportunities as DealDey brings a wealth of experience in technology, merchant management and consumer behaviour in Nigeria - and we will be leveraging the Ringier Africa portfolio in marketing, classifieds and media as well as Silvertree’s e-commerce expertise towards supporting the sustainable growth of the group."

Kehinde Oriola will continue as the CEO of DealDey as part of RADG, while Etop Ikpe will be moving on to new ventures. As acting CEO of RADG, Damien Bonnabel, current Head of e-Commerce for Ringier Africa and General Manager of Ringier Kenya, will be working with the  management of DealDey and the group’s other companies.

Abuja joins the growing list of smart African cities to offer Uber

Federal Capital Territory, Abuja has becomes the 400th city to in Uber’s growing global network. With the launch of Uber, an innovative technology platform, Abuja joins the list of smart transportation hubs in Africa. Following the success of Uber in many other cities, Uber is excited to launch its ride-sharing platform to the people of Abuja.

Uber’s innovative platform connects drivers with riders in real time, at the touch of a button. Whether you’re going to work or going out with friends, Uber provides an affordable, safe and reliable way to get across the city.  Abuja is a place where entrepreneurs are born, it is a growing city in the heart of Nigeria. This is a reason why Uber loves Abuja - its people, energy, innovation and beauty really speak for itself.

Ebi Atawodi, General Manager for Uber Lagos said: “We’re really excited to be launch Uber in Abuja. Uber gives the people of Abuja an affordable, easy and flexible choice to move around the city safely and reliably.

“For those who don’t know, Uber moves around millions of global citizens every day offering affordable and reliable rides at the touch of a button. By offering a friendly and reliable complement to existing transport options, we can help improve urban mobility in Abuja, reduce traffic congestion and the environmental impact of vehicles at the same time.”

Ebi Atawodi added: “Uber is part of a broader evolution in transportation, it is a new and exciting platform that is changing the way we travel and shaping the future of cities across the world. Abuja is a progressive, forward-thinking city that has a need for safe, reliable and efficient transportation and we are so excited to be launching here.” 

HERITAGE BANK PARTNERS NYPF TO LAUNCH N500M GRANT TO BOOST YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS

Heritage Bank Limited has upped the ante of its support for entrepreneurship and education in the country by launching a N500 million Young Entrepreneurs and Students (YES) Grant on Tuesday in Lagos.

The initiative, which is in partnership with the Nigerian Youth Professional Forum (NYPF), will, according to the bank, support students and young entrepreneurs toward socio-economic freedom.

The Heritage Bank Managing Director, Ifie Sekibo, in his remarks at the occasion explained that the bank’s support for the programme arises from the fact that the initiative aligns with the vision of the bank which is to help create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations. 

The Managing Director, who was represented by Obioma Emenike, Group Head, Market Strategy, added that the bank will also support the project in terms of training the beneficiaries, disbursement of the grant as well as in the monitoring and evaluation of the project’s milestones as agreed with the beneficiaries. “We have been playing strongly in the education and Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME) sectors of the economy. This project syncs with our mission and vision as a bank. The age bracket of 18 to 40years for the beneficiaries also aligns with our corporate goal, just like the key sectors which include agriculture, ICT and creative industry, identified for the project are pivotal for economic growth” he said.

The NYPF, according to its Chairman, Moses Siasia, is a non-governmental organization conceived by a group of young professionals with the mission to promote innovative ideas for socio-economic development.

Siasia disclosed that the programme is geared toward assisting both aspiring and existing young entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses, and ultimately create jobs and distribute wealth in the economy.

Oral B celebrates World Oral Health Day

The Oral-Care brand of Procter & Gamble, Oral-B, commemorated World Oral Health Day on Tuesday the 22nd of March, in its continued commitment to improve oral health in the county and making great dental care easily accessible to more Nigerians. With the theme of the World Oral Health Day titled “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body”, Oral B is set to take oral hygiene in Nigeria to a new level and substantially increase the overall public awareness of oral health.

Attendees at the event were also given a demonstration of the Oral B Mobile Dental Clinic. The program serves both as a platform for quick education as well as immediate dental care. Oral-B's mission remains: helping all Nigerians have stronger and healthier teeth, hence its promise of: “Healthier, Stronger Teeth in One Week”.

Positioned as the National Oral Health Ambassador since 2014, Oral B has taken a bold step to reintroduce the mobile dental clinic program in order to be proactive and also fill a crucial gap in the Nigerian health care sector and especially in the aspect of dental care.  The breakthrough trial program of the Oral B Mobile Dental Clinic will be of great benefit to millions of Nigerians.

According to P&G’s Oral Care Brand Manager for Sub Sahara Africa, Aliza Leferink, the general focus of the World Oral Health Day 2016 is on prevention to help Nigerians achieve significantly healthier lives starting from oral care. She emphasized that "this is very apt as the focal point of this year’s World Oral Health Day celebration is Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body. The Mobile Dental Clinic initiative is meant to underline this need as well as give Nigerian consumers a fast track to effective and long lasting dental care.

"The Mobile Dental Clinic Program provides free oral care education and dental health checks to patients who lack the means or dental insurance or any realistic way to pay for dental treatment. In addition, we aim at educating Nigerians to have stronger and healthier teeth through the campaign ‘Healthier, Stronger Teeth in One Week’. We feel strongly that a more proactive way of amplifying an improved health care is through the Mobile Dental Clinic Program”.

DStv Deepens Customer Engagement with New Twitter Handle

In an effort to ensure customers derive satisfaction from its products and services, MultiChoice Nigeria recently rolled out a new DStv feedback and query resolution platform on popular online social networking service, Twitter.

The twitter handle @DStvNgCare joins the list of customer care initiatives of the company including the DStv Eazy Self Service online platform.

“We reviewed our engagement on social media specifically on Twitter and realized that our subscribers wanted faster, quicker responses to their queries”, said Caroline Oghuma, Public Relations Manager, DStv on the reason behind the company’s decision to set up another twitter account separate from its major one.

“The DStv Nigeria Care twitter handle was created to enable our customer care team better track subscribers’ queries and respond to specific content demand so that our subscribers have improved customer support”, she concluded.

Subscribers can tweet their queries at the handle @DStvNgCare Mondays to Fridays from 8am to 9pm; Saturdays from 9am to 6pm and on Sundays from 12pm to 5pm.

NGO organizes charity art exhibition

Ovie Brume Foundation, dedicated to creating an enabling environment for young people to reach their goals and give back to the community organized a charity art exhibition to raise funds for the continuation of their programs in Ikoyi Lagos recently.



The art exhibition tagged: The Genesis showcased the works of award winning contemporary artists such as Abraham Uyovisere, Akinola Ebenezer, Bimbo Adenugba, George Edozie, Gerald Chukwuma, Joshua Nmesirionye, Kunle Adegborioye, Osagie Rafael Aimufia, Segun Aiyesan and Wallace John.

 

 

The Chair, Board of Trustees of the Ovie Brume Foundation, Mrs. Evelyn Oputu highlighted the importance of art in the society “every culture develops some form of art, which gives identity and purpose to its inhabitants through mutually understood symbols and serves as a means by which values are passed from one generation to the next. Art thus plays an integral role in how a nation’s cultural identity is defined and perpetuated”.

She further emphasized the importance of supporting the artistic process and encouraging budding artists while stating that arts has always been an integral part of the Foundation’s activities through their weekly art classes and funding of several Fine art scholarships.

Kaymu.com.ng announces Top Search And Purchase Trends of Q1 2016

It’s the first quarter of the year and the results of the most searched and purchased items compiled by the Kaymu Business Intelligence and SEO teams are out. The Android Tablet with a Detachable Keyboard tops the list as the most purchased item and Tecno Mobile gets the top spot for the most popular search.

“Most buyers search for generic fashion items like women’s clothes, shoes, as well as popular tech gadgets like iPhone 6 or Android tablets and naturally this is correlated with what they end up purchasing,” commented Idris Muhammed, Head of Business Intelligence at kaymu.com.ng. “We made sure we exhausted every data available at our disposal to compile this list and it can be seen that most online shoppers have one thing in common: the desire to have the best shopping experience without leaving their comfort zones”.

The Kaymu BI and SEO teams’ top 10 list for Most Searched Items in Q1 2016;

    Tecno Mobile: Tecno phones top our search for the 1st quarter of 2016. Tecno phones have managed to gain popularity amongst people looking to buy affordable Android phones with unique features that end users enjoy. With fingerprint sensor phones, low light camera phones with LED flash, pre installed music player app, Tecno phones have remained cost-effective and of high quality which is the major reason they are sought after.

    iPhone 6: With Over 61 million iPhones sold worldwide and with no signs of sales slowing down, it is no surprise that the iPhone 6 is at the 2nd position on our list. With geo-tagging, face and smile detection, fingerprint sensor, active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic, iOS 8 pre-installed (upgradable to iOS9.3) and ion-strengthened glass, iPhone 6 is definitely worth having.

Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission positions PH Chamber for foreign investment

Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC has positioned Port Harcourt chamber of commerce for valuable collaborations, saying it will facilitate submission of viable and bankable project profiles of PHCCIMA members for matchmaking with foreign investors. Similarly it has requested database of credible and serious businesses in Rivers State to ensure they benefit from support and incentives of the commission.

This was made known when the President of Port Harcourt chamber of commerce, Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji led a business delegation to the office of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission in Abuja, as part of his administration’s continued effort to open new vistas and frontiers that will help realize set objectives and meet the needs and aspirations of the Chamber membership.

 Speaking during the visit, Dr. Membere-Otaji had congratulated the Ag. Executive Secretary of the Commission, Ms. Ladi Katagum on her appointment, stating that the visit to NIPC by the PHCCIMA business delegation was in response to the national call for diversification of the economy occasioned by the current national economic depression, brought about by the sudden collapse of oil revenue affecting not just PHCCIMA members but others doing business in the oil and gas sector.

Hear him: “PHCCIMA as a Chamber have come to identify with the clarion call for diversification, hence we are here seeking collaborations with NIPC on how to harness opportunities to diversify members businesses and uplift them to the next level of increased business activity and volume”.

ICD signs MoU with China-Africa Development Fund to boost investment in Africa

At the side lines of the landmark China-OIC Forum 2016 in Beijing, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), the private sector arm of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group and China-Africa Development Fund (CADFund), a Beijing-based private equity firm focusing on Africa.

The MoU envisages to enhance trade and investment opportunities in 19 African countries through co-financing and co-investments, with the aim of promoting inclusive growth and financial inclusion. Research collaboration and capacity-building programs that are tailored and demand-driven will also be conducted to better serve target markets. In addition, efforts will be focused on boosting support for African small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), widely recognized as an important economic driver and key contributor to sustainable GDP growth.
The MoU was signed by Mr. Khaled Al Aboodi, the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ICD, and Mr. Shi Jiyang, Chief Executive Officer and President of CADFund.

During the signing ceremony, Mr. Khaled Al-Aboodi commented: “ICD and CADfund are founded on similar principles and mandate. We share the vision of promoting trade, foreign direct investment and inclusive economic growth on a continent which is full of potential. By joining hands, we can better combine our expertise and commitment to achieve greater economic prosperity for the benefit of all. Additionally, as we focus on the SME sector, we hope to unleash entrepreneurial energy and help attract private investment in ideas that are new, inspiring, and useful.”

Using customer service as a differentiator in today’s challenging environment

As consumers and businesses are urged to tighten their belts in light of slowed economic growth, customer service experience is set to become an increasingly important differentiator for local businesses, and one of the main factors that will influence decisions regarding which supplier to purchase products and services from.
 

This is according to Fatima Sullivan, Vice President of Customer Services for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), who says that research shows consumers are willing to spend more for better customer service and with those companies that they believe provide excellent customer service. “In an environment where alternatives are rife, customer experience is rapidly becoming one of the most important elements of a business’ success. While price will always be important in the mind of the consumer, this becomes less so if a business offers first class customer service to support the product or service.”

It is for this reason that DHL invests so heavily in a customer-centric culture, says Sullivan. “The customer needs to be the key focus in all activities, whether it is improvements in delivery times or query resolution processes. A good customer service department should understand the link between the way customers are managed and handled, and the company’s bottom line.”

Findings from the Economist Intelligence Unit: Creating a seamless customer experience report revealed that almost 75% of consumers will stop doing business with a company following bad customer service and that more than half will complain to friends and family about their experience. 

Top 5 business apps for every Nigerian entrepreneur

Being an entrepreneur in Nigeria is an enormous responsibility. You attend business meetings, send out business proposals and coordinate your daily activities. With all these tasks, it is near impossible to keep track of your day-to-day affairs. Thankfully, there are now smartphone apps for this purpose. Jovago.com, Africa's No 1 hotel booking portal identifies some of these apps.

Contactually

Contactually helps you  keep tabs of your all your contacts. From clients to customers, colleagues, and employees. It can find important relationships, follow-up, and complete more tasks and track business results.  It can also sync with other communication  apps like Facebook and Twitter.

Trello  

If you want to organize anything with anyone, then Trello is the app for that. It is free, flexible and easy to use. The main strength of the app is that it manages visual platforms and is great for design teams. You can post comments, upload files from your PC, Google drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Any document you drop in Trello will be available at a glance. It is like a pool for all your business files.

Business Card Reader

Few business savvy persons consider business cards as relevant in today's business world. Meanwhile, other people who still consider them important. Business Card Reader can scan a business card and save the details in your phone contact list.

Terragon Group backs IEEE OAU in growing the local digital ecosystem at SPAC 2016 Conference

Over 300 students from Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Covenant University and the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, recently gathered for the 2016 edition of Students’ Professional Awareness Conference (SPAC) organized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE), Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter.

The Conference supported by Terragon Group, Africa’s leading mobile focused digital company, through its NextGen initiative, themed ‘The Complete Professional,’ was a two-day event designed to showcase the pool of talents within the digital ecosystem as well as help them boost their soft skills going into real life work experiences.

Terragon Group’s NextGen initiative is a mentorship and coaching platform aimed at growing the skills and knowledge in the younger generation and rising talents within the technology space. The program will give students the opportunity to practice what they have learnt theoretically and in their classrooms, and get them to bring those learnings to real-life experiences to test their theories. 

From L-R: Fadekemi Fowowe, Head, Talent & Office Resources, Terragon Group; Ogbogu Chukwufumnanya; Omidiora Samuel; Ayodeji Balogun, Chief Technology Officer, Terragon Group; Wisdom Ikezugwo, Representative, iLab Robotics Club; Jumoke Ademodi, Representative, Intel Student Partners, OAU Ile-Ife; at the Terragon Group's NextGen Certificate of Innovation presentation to SPAC 2016 Exhibitors

The SPAC event was preceded by a project exhibition on Day 1 tagged ‘Finding the Within’ featuring twenty innovative projects by participating students, with the exhibitors being rewarded with a NextGen ‘Certificate of Innovation. Day 2 of the Conference featured talk sessions by notable and experienced professionals who brought students up‐to‐date with the current trends in technology, encouraging them to turn their innovation into sustainable businesses, as well as how they can take full advantage of what their future careers hold.

Prominent guest speakers at the event include Mr. Folorunso Aliu, Chief Executive Officer, ITECO; Dr. Kayode Ayodele, Head of Department, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile‐Ife, and Mr. Ayodeji Balogun, Chief Technology Officer, Terragon Group, among others.

Investors in Data Centers in Africa Heading to Monaco for First Ever Summit

Invest in Data Center Africa -collocated at Datacloud Europe – will meet at the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco on 8th June 2016 to discuss current and future investment in Africa data centers, connectivity via subsea cables and dark fiber, energy supply, cloud, IT investment, risk and the availability of funding.

The program will feature a host of inspiring top level speakers from both investor organizations and operating companies in Africa and internationally.

International consulting company BroadGroup, who research and produce Datacloud, will provide a Market Assessment and Outlook for the Africa data centre landscape.

“Africa infrastructure is a growth story for the next decade,” commented Philip Low, Managing Director of BroadGroup. “We are seeing the emergence of carrier neutral data centres, and importantly IP peering exchanges that will spur hosting and cloud growth over the next 24 months in several countries. But the summit hopes to create more investor led opportunities as well as assess the risk and prospects.”

PHOTO: NB Plc Emerges Most Compliant Firm on Nigerian Stock Exchange

From L-R: Mr. Mark Rutten, Finance Director, NB Plc; Mr. Oscar Onyeama, Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange presenting The NSE 2015 CEO’s Award for the Most Compliant Listed Firm on The Nigerian Stock Exchange to Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, MD/CEO, NB Plc; Mr. Haruna Jalo- Waziri,  Executive Director, Capital Markets Division and Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB Plc.

Redeemer’s Marks BrandiQ Day as Akingbade Speaks on Varsity Branding

 One of Nigeria’s leading brands and marketing expert, Bola Akingbade will, on Tuesday, March 22, 2016, speak to about 2000 University students on the topic, Building a World Class University: the Role of Brand Management.

Mr. Akingbade would be sharing his rich and enduring marketing communications knowledge and experience with students of Redeemer’s University (RUN) as they mark their BrandiQ Club Day at The University Auditorium, Ede, State of Osun.

Mr. Bola Akingbade

Already, there is a high level of excitement within the entire academic community since the announcement that this strategic marketing egghead would be presenting the main paper during the RUN BrandiQ Club Day. Students from neighbouring universities and polytechnics have been invited in huge numbers to grace the occasion. The Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University Prof Debo Adeyewa and the registrar, Bola Oloketuyi will play hosts to the select personalities across all spheres of life invited to the unique occasion.

The guest speaker, Bola Akingbade is one of Nigeria’s most respected brand strategist with vast marketing experience. His experience cuts across local and international marketing assignments mostly in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FCMG). He is a former Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria. While serving this Telco giant, Akingbade deployed his wealth of experience to create seamless strategic marketing models to boost the firm’s profitability.

He also worked with Nigerian Breweries Plc where he rose through the ranks and climaxed as Corporate Affairs Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc in 2004. In 2001, he was at Heineken International, responsible for building the Amstel brand across the African continent.  He also served as the Marketing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc.

Natures Gentle Touch expands to Shoprite Owerri

....as Imo State Governor commissions new Owerri Mall

Recare International, owners of Natures Gentle Touch, a leading personal style brand has announced that customers in Owerri can now purchase any of its hair and scalp solution products at Shoprite supermarket in the newly commissioned Owerri Mall, following the grand opening of the Mall at the weekend.

This, the company says is In line with its promise to provide proven solutions to every hair and scalp problems. “We are really excited about increasing our presence in Owerri, although our products are already available in major stores here, being in Shoprite also allows us reach more customers and allow us meet the growing demand for our products in this market” that’s according to Recare Marketing Manager, Kunmi Balogun.

The grand opening was hosted by the Imo State Governor, Owele Rochas Okorocha who commissioned the mall and declared it open at about 12:45pm. The Governor noted that he was particularly happy with the new development, stating that Imo was indeed better at 40. He expressed optimism that the new mall would bring a variety of options for Imo indigenes at affordable prices while creating jobs.

Also speaking at the sideline of the ceremony, some customers expressed joy at the presence of Nature Gentle Touch products. According to Chioma Agwu, a banker “I used to order the products online and it would be delivered to me within 48 hours, now I can walk into Shoprite and purchase any of the products I need. For me, this is good news she added”. Another customer, Irene Ikenna described the availability of Natures Gentle Touch at Shoprite as “one of the best news of 2016.

The Owerri Mall located at 3, Egbu Road had over 7,000 shoppers visit on the first day of its opening.

MORE MILLIONAIRES EMERGE IN SKYE BANK CALABAR PROMO DRAW

The numbers of customers enjoying the benefits of savings have continued to increase in the Skye Bank “Reach for the Skye” millionaire reward scheme, as three additional lucky winners were added to its list of Millionaires on Thursday in Calabar.

The market activation which held at the Watt Market in Calabar, reiterates the commitment of Skye Bank to empower and satisfy its customers while encouraging savings culture.

Comfort Ekpin who emerged as one of the three millionaires at the promo draw, and learnt of her winning during a phone call, spoke excitedly in surprise, “So, this draw can get to me? I thought you were just rewarding familiar faces, I am so happy and impressed at the same time, that common people like us can benefit from this reward scheme. Thank you, Skye Bank.”

L-R: Admin Officer 1, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Calabar Chapter, Ebri Onen, Regional Manager, South South 2, Skye Bank Plc, Nseobot Willie , Admin Officer 2,  National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Calabar Chapter, Eta Ebikaboere and  Group Head, Retail Banking , Skye Bank Plc ,Nkolika Okoli at the  Bank's “Reach For The Skye”  reward draw held in Watt  Market, Calabar in Cross Rivers  State today, 17th  March , 2016

Speaking of the latest draw, Group Head, Retail Banking, Skye Bank, Nkolika Okoli said there are still opportunities for those in doubt to partake in the promo. She urged more Nigerians to partake in the opportunity offered by Skye Bank, by opening either the Skye Save Plus account or the Skye Ease accounts.

“This is for all categories of Nigerians; everybody can now operate a savings account as all the account opening barriers have been removed. Traders especially have no reason to keep cash in their shops. Even people without any form of formal identification can operate a simple savings account in Skye Bank. To cap it all, we keep your money safely and reward you with cash each month...it's a customer wins all situation!" she added

Validating the scheme, the Cross River Representative, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Ebri Onen said, “I commend Skye Bank on the success of this activation, we, here present are witnesses to the fact that, the draw was unbiased. We are always represented at each monthly draw to offer our profound support for such initiative.”

HERITAGE BANK EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FINANCIAL LITERACY TO ECONOMIC GROWTH

Financial literacy has been described as a strong catalyst to financial inclusion and wealth creation that will aid the nation’s economic growth.

This was the submission of Mary Akpobome,  Executive Director, Heritage Bank Limited, in her opening remarks, at the Financial Literacy Day Programme  organised by the bank at the University of Ilorin Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State last Thursday.

Akpobome, who was represented by Mrs. Moji Niran – Oladunni, Divisional Head, Public Sector, Heritage Bank, explained that the Bank’s Financial Literacy Programme is a platform to help children and young adults establish a positive relationship with money. 

From L – R: Mrs. Kikanwa Akpenyi, Head, Customer Engagement, Heritage Bank Limited; Mrs. Moji  Niran – Oladunni, Divisional Head, Public Sector, Heritage Bank Limited; and Mrs. Silifat Nike Jaiyeola, Principal, University of Ilorin Secondary School, receiving a set of books presented to the school by Heritage Bank as part of the 2016 Financial Literacy Day programme organized by the Bank in Ilorin on Thursday.

The Financial Literacy programme, she added, is a key enabler to the achievement of financial inclusion that will sustain economic growth and development in the country.

“At Heritage Bank, the importance of financial inclusion for the youth cannot be over-emphasized. The youth represents a vital force for socio-economic development and hence, the need to begin to work with young people through educational institutions. As a bank, we are here to grow with you and see you create wealth, preserve and transfer wealth across generations. This must begin with being financially literate,” she said.

iPad Pro Now Available At iStore

The amazing iPad Pro, now available from iStore iKeja, the home of everything Apple.
As the home of everything Apple, iStore is proud to continue its efforts in making the latest Apple products available to customers. iPad Pro, Apple’s most expansive and productive tablet, is now available at iStore.

iPad Pro has a large 12.9-inch Retina display, nearly double the CPU performance of iPad Air 2 and refined MultiTouch technology. With 5.6 million pixels, iPad Pro features the highest-resolution Retina display of any iOS device. The 12.9-inch screen makes everything you do — editing 4K video, designing presentations, running a business — easier, faster and more engaging. iPad Pro has a slim and light design, it’s just 6.9 mm thin and weighs just over 700g. It’s available in silver, gold and space grey from N240 000.

L-R:Sachin Verma, iStore Country Manager; Adebisi Ade-Onojobi, iStore customer and Kolapo Agunloye, iStore Manager during a breakfast presentation of the new iPad Pro in Radison Blu, Victoria Island, Lagos.

iStore will also offer the new range of iPad Pro Apple accessories namely the revolutionary Apple Pencil, Apple Smart Keyboard and Smart Covers. The Apple Pencil uses incredibly sensitive pressure and tilt sensors to instantly recognize when you are pressing harder or shifting its angle. Apple's iPad Pro Smart Keyboard combines an array of new technologies and materials to create a keyboard like no other. It’s a full-size keyboard that’s fully portable, and connects to iPad Pro with the Smart Connector, an innovative new interface that allows for a two-way exchange of power and data. Finally the Smart Cover, which folds into different positions, creates a versatile stand for reading, typing, or watching videos. All accessories are sold separately.

Additionally, when you buy from iStore, you get access to exclusive benefits like free training, free setup, and free technical support as well as have access to the trade-in offer that will allow you to make the most out of your previously loved iPad. Trade in your iPad and use the redeemable value toward a new Apple product.

You can trade in up to 2 devices for even greater savings. To secure your trade-in voucher visit http:// myistore.com.ng/iphone-trade-in/ or visit iStore today for an onsite evaluation. You can get up to ₦40 000 when trading on an iPad Air 2. Now for a limited time only, iStore is offering 25% off any Apple Smart Cover or Apple Smart Case.

New Oxbridge Exco emerges

Following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held recently at Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos, Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria has announced its new Executive Committee.

According to the Club, the newly elected Executive Committee include: President, Mr. Akinfela Akoni; Vice-President, Ms. Nkiru Asika; Vice-President, Mr. Michael Orimobi; Hon. Secretary, Ms. Adeola Egbeyemi; Hon. Treasurer, Mrs. Doyin Nwankwo; Membership Secretary, Ms. Obianuju Idigo and Social Secretary, Mr. Lanre Fatimilehin.  While Professor Bomi Ogedengbe, Mr. Uche Okoli, Mr. Ike Chioke and Mr. Adekunle Adebiyi serve as ex-officio members.

Oxford and Cambridge Club is made up of Nigerians and Nigerian residents who matriculated and graduated at either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. The Club continues to build a reputation for intellectual thought leadership, attracting leaders from the business, diplomatic and academic cadres to its events.

For more information about the Club, visit www.oxbridgenigeria.com

Nigeria’s Innoson vehicle joins Ghana's Kantanka on the list of made in African cars

Less than 3 years after the introduction of the automotive policy in Nigeria, the country has officially joined the ranks of others like Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya and is now recognized as a producer of affordable internationally acceptable automobiles.

In 2015 Africa was estimated to have bought 2 million new cars in 2015. Although less than 40% were manufactured locally, the purchase of Nigeria’s Innoson cars, SUVs and buses was reportedly part of this number.

Survey distributed by Carmudi Nigeria asking car buyers about their preference for made in Nigeria cars concluded that the challenge facing the sale of locally manufactured cars in Nigeria may be as a result of limited or lack of information about the vehicles as well as trust in the brand.

The survey showed that 45% of car buyers don’t know details about the various locally made cars available in Nigeria, 25% didn’t know enough to make a buying decision, 15% know about the brands and features but still hesitate when it comes to purchasing one mainly due to trust and 15% would like to buy or already drive made in Nigerian cars.

6 crazy things that only happens in Nigerian football

Nigeria is a football crazy country. Whenever the Super eagles is playing in any of its fortresses in Lagos, Abuja, Kano or Port Harcourt, the stadium is always filled out. The fans are vociferous, the media coverage is massive while the anticipation is over the roof. Despite this, there some hilarious but crazy things that happen in Nigerian football. Jovago.com, Africa's No 1 hotel booking portal shares  some of these things. 

Nigerian fans booing their team
Playing poorly in a match will earn the players boos from their fans. In fact, the fans will start supporting the opposing team. This usually happens when the Nigerian team is losing. Ironic? Unknown to these fans, they are 'killing' the morale of the players. Showing support for your team whether they are winning or not is the hallmark of true fans.

Non-payment of salaries
The non-payment of salaries is a serious problem Nigeria football has grappled with from time immemorial. Successive administrators of The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) have made it their mission to owe local coaches. Perhaps, all the gaffers who have led the various national teams are still being owed one way or the other. Meanwhile, when the NFF employ a foreign coach, he gets his salary and bonuses as at when due. But why do they treat Nigerian coaches this way?

Preference for the Premier league

Have you heard of Mountain of Fire Ministry (MFM) football club? Do you know they are in the Nigeria Premier Football league (NPFL) and they play stylish football? Many Nigerians do not know this. But if you ask these fans, who is topping the English Premier league, the response is spontaneous. The NPFL season is on. You can watch MFM FC at the Agege stadium or Ikorodu United at the Onikan Stadium. Good football will be on display.

MoneyGram and GT Bank Launch MoneyGram Receive Service into Nigeria’s $21 Billion Annual Remittance Market

MoneyGram and GT Bank, one of the leading retail banks in Nigeria, have announced the launch of MoneyGram’s receive services across the GT Bank network. This service will be available through MoneyGram’s cash to account service.

Customers in Nigeria can now receive money from friends and family in 129 countries directly into their personal GT Bank accounts within minutes. These funds can be accessed as customers would normally do on all deposits into their accounts either in person, online or through an ATM. 

MoneyGram CEO Alex Holmes and GT Bank general manager, operations division, Tayo Asupoto made the announcement during a signing ceremony at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lagos. 

“Remittances are crucial to Nigeria’s economy. Nigerians living abroad sent more than $21 billion back into the country in 2015,” said Holmes.  “MoneyGram’s account deposit service makes it easy and convenient for both the sender and the receiver to transfer and receive funds. We are pleased to work with GT Bank and we are proud to be connected to almost 1.5 billion bank accounts in five of the world's largest remittance receive markets — Nigeria, China, India, Mexico and the Philippines.”

Social Issues Put Under the Spotlight from New African Blogger Awards Categories

The third annual African Blogger Awards competition that opened for entries in mid-February has announced three new categories for social and digital influencers across the African continent.

The new categories – opened in association with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – aim to raise awareness of social issues that affect the continent. The new categories are: Women and Girls’ Empowerment, public Health and social Issues and Active Citizenship.

The three new categories will raise awareness of bloggers, YouTubers, Instagrammers, Facebook and Twitter account holders who are passionate about reporting stories about women and girls’ empowerment, public health and social issues. For the first time, they have the opportunity to gain recognition for the essential work they do in highlighting important issues.

“Influencers are story tellers as much as journalists are, and often have access to stories that are missed in the mainstream media because of geographical limitations or staffing constraints in big media,” says Murray Legg, co-founder of the African Blogger Awards. “They are able to spread news about critical issues to the audiences that they’ve built. The three new categories recognise the importance of their reporting.”

World Consumer Rights Day: e-commerce is the African consumer's best ally

The World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated every year on March 15th since 1983. It marks the day the US President John F. Kennedy, outlined the definition of consumers rights during a declaration made in 1962: the right to be informed, the right to security and the right to be heard.

From 1962 to today, things have evolved, especially in Africa where in recent years online platforms have transformed consumers habits (in Africa and the Middle East, the number of online shoppers was 93.6 million in 2013, around 7.1% of the population, half the world average of 15.2%. However, this number will grow to 170.6 million in 2018, with a growth rate of 82% well above the global average of 50%, according to a report by IPEMED).

With the rapid penetration of mobile which fosters an easier and quicker access to the internet (9 out of 10 Internet users use mobile in Africa and the Middle East - Emarketer), e-commerce has become a boon for millions of African consumers who have adopted it and benefit daily from the undeniable advantages that it brings: transparency and online price comparison, variety of  choice, lower prices through greater competition, accessible after-sale service, original products.

Two evocative examples of the ongoing transformations are Jumia, the online supermarket present in 11 countries of the continent selling fashion items, household appliances, high-tech etc. and hellofood, the marketplace for online food ordering and delivery, leader in 10 African countries. Jumia and hellofood take their success (around 2000 orders per day on average for the first and over 300 for the second in Côte d'Ivoire) from continuously implementing effective local strategies with consumers’ expectations, innovation and simplicity at the center.

PUMPMAKERS launches world’s first platform for DIY Solar Pumps in Africa

PUMPMAKERS from Austria have launched the Pumpmakers Platform, a virtual marketplace that helps people help themselves by providing individuals, local companies, NGO's and volunteers with free access to the easy-to-use Do-It-Yourself Solar Pump and a global network to implement projects for everyone where there is a need of water.

This helps reduce the global water shortage, strengthens the local economy, creates jobs and prevents migration from rural areas. Pumpmakers have successfully installed DIY Solar Pumps in Africa and Europe since 2012. A single pump system provides up to 1.000 people a day with clean drinking water. Building on the success of these first projects, new PUMPMAKERS projects are following suit in Somalia, Morocco, Zambia, Cameroon and Tanzania.

Free registration for individuals, companies, organizations or volunteers.

PUMPMAKERS are expanding the PUMPMAKERS PLATFORM globally with new projects and project partners in the African region. To this effect, entrepreneurs, local companies, NGOs and simply individuals requiring water every day may register themselves free of charge on the PUMPMAKERS PLATFORM, and present their company, organization or project to a global community.

Why African Retailers Need To Focus Their Effort On Operational Efficiency

Africa’s economy has seen modest growth in the wake of falling commodity prices, slowing revenues and volatile currencies. The moderation in growth impacts a range of industries and sectors, including retail and consumer products that must contend with rising costs, and a fall in prices.

Despite the decline in growth, the long-term outlook remains positive. The economic growth predicted for 2016 and beyond in some African countries and the growth expected in Africa’s consumer market provides major opportunities for retail and consumer companies looking to the future. These are some of the highlights from a report released by PwC on Tuesday.

“As Africa has risen to prominence as an investment destination over the past several years, so the role of retail and consumer goods has taken on greater significance,” says Anton Hugo, Retail and Consumer Industry Leader, PwC Africa. “Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains one of the fastest growing regions in the world and the successful expansion of a number of global and African retailers and consumer goods companies across the region speaks to the opportunities that exist.”

“However, Africa’s fortunes are very much tied to those of the global economy. Pressure on emerging market currencies coupled with a decline in oil and other commodity prices has seen pressure on government revenues and the ability of governments to increase social expenditure and wages in the public sector. African retailers will need to focus their efforts on operational efficiency and managing the effect on their operations of volatile currencies,” adds Edafe Erhie, PwC Partner in Nigeria.