El Clasico: Real Madrid, Barcelona Set For Their Second Bout of the Laliga Season

The first LaLiga Santander El Clasico of 2018/19 was a hugely significant moment for both clubs involved, but a lot has changed since Barcelona’s 5-1 victory over Real Madrid last October.

How Ariana Grande Became Most Followed Woman on Instagram

Ariana Grande has surpassed Selena Gomez to become the most followed woman on Instagram, notching over 146 million followers.

Jumia, Xiaomi partner to Drive Smartphone Penetration in Africa

Jumia, Africa’s leading e-commerce platform, has signed an important partnership with technology leader Xiaomi at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, giving millions of users in Africa easy access to Xiaomi products.

#Balanceforbetter: Getting gender right

International Women’s Day is a week away, and if the past few years are any indication, we should be seeing a slew of brand campaigns to drive conversations about what ‘progress’ looks like.

Coca Cola Extends Its Limca Product Line With Cola Brand

Coca-Cola Nigeria has announced the launch of Limca Cola, a new variant introduced to expand the footprint of the Limca brand.

Wema Bank Hackaholics Open For Entry, Set March 12 as Deadline for Submission

In line with its continuous support for the application of technology to society’s problems, Wema Bank plans to unveil its very own hackathon tagged – ‘Hackaholics.’

Hackathons are tech projects which bring together software developers and other digital creators to design solutions for everyday challenges. Every successful hackathon harvests new and impactful solutions that will drive business ideas and scale the heights of technology in today’s world.

South African operator rain and Nokia launch country's first 5G network

South African operator rain and Nokia today announced the launch of the country's first commercial-ready 5G network in Cape Town, following the deployment of the first 5G site last November. The achievement supports rain's goal to introduce 5G services at the earliest possible time in line with South Africa's vision to ensure a seamless information infrastructure by 2030 for an inclusive knowledge economy.

Visa and PayMate Team Up to Expand Regional B2B Payments

Visa and PayMate, a leader in India’s Business-to-Business (B2B) payments landscape, announced an expanded collaboration to provide Visa’s issuing financial institution clients in the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) region with access to PayMate’s proprietary payment platform for their corporate customers’ payments needs.

Cisco Meraki Simplifies IT Solutions for MSMEs

Cisco Meraki, the global leader in cloud managed IT solutions, has announced its offerings to help Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria simplify IT. With many organizations today dealing with the challenges of lack of funding for advanced digital solutions and a lack of IT specialists to manage those solutions, Meraki provides a simplified path to powerful technology.

L-R: Steven Kewley, EMEAR Commercial Regional Manager, Cisco; Olakunle Oloruntimehin, General Manager, Nigeria and West African Countries, Cisco; and Nick Malherbe, Territory Manager for Nigeria, Ghana East and Sub-Saharan Africa at a press conference held to launch Cisco Meraki.

The company announced these offerings at a round table held at the Cisco Office, Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, February 26, 2019.

MainOne, Facebook building terrestrial fiber infrastructure in Edo and Ogun States

Two of Nigeria’s fastest growing states, Ogun State and Edo State will soon have access to faster internet with the provision of terrestrial fiber infrastructure (approximately 750 km) in the states.

Nokia expands its participation in Facebook's connectivity's initiatives as an Express Wi-Fi Technology Partner

Nokia yesterday announced at MWC 2019 that it is joining Facebook's Express Wi-Fi Technology Partner ecosystem, expanding its participation in Facebook Connectivity's initiatives. The Nokia AirScale Wi-Fi platform will be available to CSPs and ISPs that are participating in Facebook's Express Wi-Fi initiative, enabling them to provide quality internet access to customers in emerging markets. First deployments are expected to occur in 2019.

iSON to Groom Next Set of Nigerian Female Football Stars

... As it Inaugurates First Female Football Team

iSON BPO, Africa’s leading customer experience provider with presence in 14 countries in Africa, has inaugurated the first iSON female football team in Nigeria - Abeokuta centre. . The initiative serves as a discovery platform in which talents are groomed. It is also designed to groom the future Nigerian Female Football Stars.

P&G restates commitment to gender balance with its #WeSeeEqual Summit

Procter & Gamble (P&G) recently announced a new commitment around a number of initiatives that will aim to promote gender equality across the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) region.

El Clasico: World Football’s Truly Global Game

The biggest club game in world football is a truly global spectacle, not only off the pitch but on it too: players from 16 different countries feature in the Real Madrid and Barcelona squads set to face off on Saturday.

#MWC19: Bharti Airtel to trial Nokia's 5G-ready fronthaul solution

Nokia announced that Bharti Airtel will trial its homogenous fronthaul solution which can support 4G, 5G and enterprise services through a common platform. This trial is part of Bharti Airtel's strategy to make its network future ready to meet the growing demand for high speed data driven by the digital revolution in India.

Ecobank Foundation supports African Film Industry

The Ecobank Foundation is delighted to honour the African film portraying the most positive image of the continent, at the prestigious 2019 Festival Panafricain du Cinéma et de la Télévision Ougadougou (FESPACO).

17 African startups compete with other contestants for Seedstars Global Winner

...Winners to be announced in Lausanne, Switzerland on April 2-5

Winners will emerge at the sixth edition of the annual Seedstars Summit in Lausanne, Switzerland on April 2-5, 2019 organised by Seedstars World.

Indomie launches My Indomie My Recipe campaign

Dufil Prima Foods, makers of Indomie Instant Noodles, has launched Indomie cooking competition to deepen the conversation surrounding cooking among young couples.

Promasidor Supports over 60 Families of Children with Disabilities

Promasidor Nigeria Limited has provided succour to more than 60 parents of children with disabilities through its low-interest microcredit scheme christened We Too Can Grow in advancement of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy.

Manchester United, Marriott International announce Global Marketing Partnership

Marriott International and Manchester United today announced a multi-year marketing partnership, giving the 120 million members of the Marriott Bonvoy travel programme exclusive opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime Manchester United football experiences - including the chance to become the club’s Stadium Announcer or Kit Manager for the day.

Barcelona to be Tested at Sevilla as Battles Heighten in LaLiga Santander

LaLiga Santander leaders Barcelona face another tough test this weekend, as minds focus on the battles to qualify for Europe and avoid relegation.

Mark Kramer, Mamadou Biteye, Others Headline 2019 Africa Shared Value Summit in Nairobi

Plans are in top gear for the 2019 Africa Shared Value Summit which will hold in Nairobi, Kenya. Among the keynote speakers this year is American co-author of the seminal Harvard Business Review article 'Creating Shared Value', co-founder and managing director of FSG, and a director of the US-based Shared Value Initiative, Mark Kramer.

Domino Excites Customers With Smallie Pizza

...Package Comes in Six New Flavours

They say good things come in small packages but this one is on whole new vibe with such cheesy delicious goodness in a cute mini box! Say hello to the new 6-inch revolution in town, called the Domino’s Smallie Pizza! Believe us when we say you haven’t seen anything like this before in Nigeria, as Domino’s Pizza keeps breaking new grounds. What’s even more amazing? It costs just N550 only.

“Make Investment in Infrastructure, Digital Economy Utmost Priority, If Voted In”, Jumia CEO Tells Presidential, NA Candidates

The Chief Executive Officer of Jumia Nigeria, Mrs Juliet Anammah has called on all the presidential candidates and those vying for the National Assembly seats in the 2019 general elections to prioritize making significant investment in infrastructure development as well
as promote bills that will foster the country’s digital economy, if voted in.

Heritage Bank debuts ‘HB LAB’ tech start-ups to boost economic growth

…As winner gets $25, 000 grant, other benefits

Heritage Bank Plc, Nigeria’s most innovative banking service provider, adopts a focused approach that removes barriers and galvanizes the critical sector of the economy around a bold growth agenda with the launching of its innovation accelerator programme tagged, “HB LAB”.

Dentsu Aegis Network Acquires Creative Agency, BJL

Dentsu Aegis Network has swallowed BJL, the Manchester-based creative agency, in a bid to boost its capabilities in the north of England.

Travelstart Nigeria commences Based on Logistics Campaign to ease costs of travel

In line with its avowed commitment to providing very cheap flights, seamless and excellent service, Travelstart, Africa’s leading online travel agency has unveiled the Based on Logistics Campaign.

#MWC19: Nokia expands Anyhaul transport portfolio with 25 Gbps speeds

In advance of Mobile World Congress, Nokia today announces a raft of enhancements to its Anyhaul transport portfolio that help operators prepare their networks for 5G by delivering throughput speeds of up to 25 Gbps to base stations. The launches span microwave, optical, IP and broadband technologies within a carrier Software Defined Networking (SDN) transport architecture. This simplifies the integration of transport with cloud-based radio access and core networks, thereby enabling an automated end-to-end 5G network slicing and service provisioning system.

Emirates Re-inforces Commitment to Nigeria services

….Introduces daily flight to Abuja services 

Emirates has announced adjustments to its operational schedules in 2019 to minimise the impact of the closure of Dubai International Airport’s Southern Runway in April and May 2019, and to respond to global travel demand trends.

mSurvey Secures Proparco Investment

mSurvey​, Africa’s Integrated Customer Experience company connecting businesses to their customers in real-time, has announced follow-on investment by​ private sector financing institution​ ​Proparco​. This follows mSurvey’s Series A investment led by Africa focused venture firm ​TLcom Capital​ with investment from ​Social Capital​,  Kapor Capital​, ​Golden Palm​, and Richard Owen co-creator of globally recognised customer loyalty  metric, the Net Promoter Score (NPS).

Coca-Cola volume sales on nose dive in Nigeria

The Cola market has again witnessed unprecedented decline as Coca-Cola HBC the parent company and bottler of The Coca-Cola company in Nigeria revealed its sales volume in Africa’s largest economy has continued to nose-dive in a highly competitive environment.

Nigerian Breweries Earns N324 Billion And Declares N19 Billion Profit For 2018

Nigerian Breweries Plc has announced a profit after tax of N19.4 billion for the 2018 Financial Year. According to the audited financial results released to The Nigerian Stock Exchange, the Company also made a Revenue of N324.4 billion during the period.

PZ Cussons Expands Chemistry Challenge Pan Nigeria

The 2019 PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge (PZCCC) has been expanded pan Nigeria to accommodate chemistry students in the competition in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Guild of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria condemn INEC over postponement

The umbrella body of Nigerian bloggers, Guild Of Professional  Bloggers  Of Nigeria (GPBN) has condemned the Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) for postponing the Presidential elections scheduled for Saturday 16th February 2019.

Visa Announces Fintech Fast-Track Program in Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa

Visa Inc. today announced it is expanding its Fintech Fast-Track Program in the Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) region as part of its efforts in developing the next generation of digital payment solutions. Already rolled out in Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific, the program provides innovative fintechs with a faster and easier integration process with VisaNet, Visa’s global network, in addition to a suite of tailored digital solutions and growth capabilities.

Young, African and entrepreneurial? Apply for the US$100,000 Anzisha Prize

The Anzisha Prize program which is a partnership between African Leadership Academy and Mastercard Foundation has just launched the call for 2019 applications. The prize is looking for Africa's most innovative social and business entrepreneurs between the ages of 15 and 22.

Alhaji siraj Bah, 2018 Anzisha Prize first runner up

Young entrepreneurs who apply will have the opportunity to win a share of US$100,000, connect to a global network of leaders and receive business consulting support. The grand prize winner will win US$25,000, 1st runner-up will receive US$15,000 and 2nd runner-up will receive US$12,500.

President Yoweri Museveni bans betting in Uganda

Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni has banned sports betting in the country in a bid to tackle the malaise of idleness among the youths in the country.

Pack Chase LaLiga Leaders Barcelona in Weekend of Friendly Reunions and Head to Head Battles

Barcelona will have their eyes on a big three points against visitors R. Valladolid on Saturday night, coming into the game on the back two successive draws in LaLiga Santander.

Launch of the first ever Africa Protected Areas Congress

This year’s Valentine day was marked on Thursday with special African flavour that saw the launch of the first-ever Africa Protected Areas Congress (APAC) at Nairobi National Park’s historic Ivory Burning Site. Kenya’s Principal Secretary - State Department of Tourism and Wildlife, Dr. Margaret Mwakima accompanied by Dr.John Waithaka the Congress Director and Mr. Luther Anukur Regional Director, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), East and Southern Africa presided over the launch.

56,000 Students Participate As Cowbellpedia Maths Competition Examination Holds Nationwide

About 56,000 students jostled to cross the Stage One hurdle as the qualifying examination of the 2019 Cowbellpedia Secondary School Mathematics TV Quiz Show, sponsored by Cowbell, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited,held across designated centres nationwide on Saturday, February 9, 2019.

TVC News Unveils New Studio, Facilities, Adopts New Tagline

TVC News, a member of TVC Communications, on Wednesday, unveiled a new high technology news studio and facilities to increase reach and be the first in breaking news.

Mr Andrew Hanlon, Chief Executive Officer, TVC Communications, at a news conference in Lagos, said that the company had invested heavily in technology to become the home of breaking news for Nigeria.

Nigeria 2019 Elections: Bloggers Guild Asks Politicians, Stakeholders To Play By The Rules

The Guild of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria has urged all stakeholders in the coming elections to play by the rules and ensure free and fair elections nationwide.

LaLiga Derbies Ignite Passion, Emotion and Excitement

…Showcase rich history, tradition and culture of LaLiga derbies

LaLiga derbies are about more than just football, they are about tradition, history, and culture. They are some of the most exciting matches in the world. LaLiga derbies are also some the most fiercely contested rivalries in World football, and a select group of diverse Nigerian media were treated to a vibrant LaLiga Derbies event on February 13th, 2019 at Moist Beach Club, in Oniru Private Beach, Lagos, Nigeria.

How Fintechs Are Closing the Banking Gap

Over 60 million Nigerians are unbanked. This simply means there is a huge banking gap that needs to be bridged. Unfortunately, a large population of the unbanked or underbanked are located in rural areas. In these areas, there are just a handful of financial institutions. This is one of the reasons why Nigeria's apex bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria is encouraging banks to open more branches, especially in rural areas. The question now is for how long? This question arises because there is a dire need to bridge the gap.

Ronaldo Effect: Juventus Eye International Bond Market to Raise €150m

After paying €100m as signing fee for former Real Madrid star and Portuguese striker, Cristiano Ronaldo last year, Juventus is looking to tap the international bond markets for the first time to raise fresh funding.

A Critical Look at China’s One Belt One Road Initiative

China’s growth rate remains impressive, even if on the decline. The country’s continuing economic gains owe much to the Chinese state’s (1) still considerable ability to direct the activity of critical economic enterprises and sectors such as finance, (2) commitment to policies of economic expansion, and (3) flexibility in economic strategy. It appears that China’s leaders view their recently adopted One Belt, One Road Initiative as key to the country’s future economic vitality. However, there are reasons to believe that this strategy is seriously flawed, with working people, including in China, destined to pay a high price for its shortcomings.

Rise and Rise of Sports Marketing: The Story of German Football League

According to Wikipedia, Sports marketing is a subdivision of marketing which focuses both on the promotion of sports events and teams as well as the promotion of other products and services through sporting events and sports teams. It is a service in which the element promoted can be a physical product or a brand name.

Elections Across Africa: Akua Gyekye Highlights Eight Ways Fake News Will be Curbed on Facebook

Akua Gyekye, Public Policy Manager, Africa Elections, has mentioned eight ways to reduce the spread of misinformation, protect election integrity and support civic engagement across the continent.

Here are the highlighted approaches:

Emerging “Post-Digital” World Provides New Opportunities for Businesses - Accenture

...To Deliver Personalized Realities and Experiences

The enterprise is entering a new “post-digital” era, where success will be based on an organization’s ability to master a set of new technologies that can deliver personalized realities and experiences for customers, employees and business partners, according to Accenture Technology Vision 2019, the annual report from Accenture that predicts key technology trends that will redefine businesses over the next three years.

Nigeria’s services sector grows 1.83 % in 2018

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), said the services sector of the economy measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 1.83 per cent in 2018.