₦airaland Forum

is still too early, but it's virtually impossible to sideline him.

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The size of Nigeria’s population inevitably saddles it with a huge food bill. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the country’s over 28.9 million households expended circa N15.67 trillion on food in 2009/10 alone.

By 2012, Nigeria imported food worth N2.3 trillion, though the minister of agriculture said the amount spent on food import dropped by N0.91 billion early this year.

As expenditure on food continues to grow, the five classes of food in Nigeria – milk and milk products; meats and fish; nuts, beans, cereals and grains; roots, starchy fruits, and tubers, and fruits/vegetables – have received the unalloyed attention of manufacturers, market research analysts, retailers, etc.

Packaged food and drinks have been at the core of these enquires. This is also true of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

As expected, this emphasis is partially driven by a desire to profit more from the enormous resources Nigerians commit to consumption across social divides. Most of the researches have focused on the best way to price, package, distribute, and the changing tastes and preferences of consumers. We at the BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit (BRIU) have made some enquiries.


What is really changing?

In the developing world, as is the case with Nigeria, a number of factors traditionally influence the choice of food and drinks, chief among which are, price and religious orientation (in one of our mixed method surveys, a respondent indicated that the words HALA should be labeled on Beef Sausage Rolls to indicate that only beef was used in making them).

But apart from these traditional factors, our research shows that, such factors as ‘perceived long-term health implications’ of consuming particular food (especially package food and drinks influence consumption patterns.

We also discovered through several surveys that there is the craving for more natural consumables across the population. So even if food is manufactured, consumers stick to brands which pride themselves as being natural.

The growing trend

Currently in the developed world, there is a conscious shift towards safer food. For instance, in the United States, Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative is all about healthy eating, and there are many such initiatives.

Our research further shows that more Nigerians, especially those in the middle-class and the elite, care about nutritional labels on processed food, healthy eating, and the impact of fat, cholesterol, sodas and sugary drinks on their health and wellbeing. Therefore, they tend to buy with this in mind.

In a nationwide survey we conducted in 2012, we asked respondents the question – “Do you examine the nutritional labels of processed food/drinks?” Sixty-eight percent of them said “yes,” which indicates that perhaps, more than half of Nigerian are conscious about the health implications of the content of what they eat or drink.

But that is not all; we asked the same respondents if they “understand the content of the food labels,” and half of them said they understand in part, while 36 percent said they fully understand. Only 14 percent of them said they do not understand at all.

Another survey, which we conducted to determine preferences for non-alcoholic beverages, showed that there is overwhelming distaste for sugary sodas. We discovered that there is clear preference for low-sugar brands, across age and gender. In terms of proportions, a higher percentage of older citizens prefers low-sugar brands or variants (even though they are sceptical about the sweeteners used to sweeten them) compared to the younger class.

Almost half, 42 percent, of those we sampled across the states, prefer low-sugar variants, even though they are generally more expensive. As expected, they cited health reasons as the primary basis of their choice.

One point that was made clear to us is that Nigeria might be steadily inching towards a society of more discerning consumers.

Winning strategies for a changing market

We believe that discerning food and drink manufacturers, restaurateurs, advertisers and vendors can use this information to their advantage. Firstly, manufacturers who will get more market share must bow to this aspiration of consumers by making products more natural.

More than this, advertisers and PR companies must work to communicate these changes to consumers. Some brands have worked on this already.

Brands like Nestle’s Pure Life Premium drinking water, Amstel Malt, Power Vegetable Oil, the products of Fumman Agricultural Product Industries, among many others, have a clear history of using some or all of these insights we have pointed out. But the extent to which their advertising strategy has communicated with the man on the street is another question.

Generally, we believe that adverts that play up health benefits of manufactured food and underscore how natural they are compared with their competitors will determine who controls the market in the future. Restaurateurs can also deploy this strategy.

The consumer is becoming more discerning; therefore the manufacturer and PR companies should be steps ahead.



http://businessdayonline.com/2014/07/winning-in-nigerias-evolving-food-market

bloodykiller: vomos you are smelling

Don't edit my comments

NgeneUkwenu: I may be or may be not , i dont really know my gender!

[s]

SLIDEwaxie: sorry to kill ur joy, 'they were in the PDP before'

But tht being noted, I'm of the conclusion dt these people only needed money by making such yeye announcement. They knew PDP will start chasing them around with cash to come back!!!

Mess!!!!!

[/s]

PDP does not chase with money, river state voters will do the chasing come feb 2015.

Eldavido1: I think so...He was the only one then that defected to the APC

I thought they all left with Ameachi. No probs, we will collect our seats in 2015.

Were they in the PDP all this time?

At every turn this man pours unspeakable shame on his political agitators. Fresh air till 2019

Africa has surpassed the Middle East as the oil-and-gas producing region that attracts the second-highest number of the best-paid staff, international advisory firm Von Essen Group said.

Africa accounts for 13 percent of advertised roles that pay more than $170,000 for oil and gas experts, second only to Europe, London-based Von Essen said in an e-mailed statement.

“Africa has become increasingly attractive to international exploration companies and investors as it has become easier to access oil reserves,” said Lydia Marref, a partner at Von Essen. “The continent has made great strides in becoming more business friendly.”

The world’s fourth-largest oil-producing region, Africa accounted for 10 percent of global crude output in 2013, led by Nigeria and Angola.

World oil demand will climb 1.5 percent to a record 94.1 million barrels a day in 2015, as growth in emerging economies compensates for a contraction in developed nations, according to the International Energy Agency.

Europe attracts 41 percent of the best-paying advertised roles for North Sea oil production and expanding exploration in the UK, Poland and Romania for shale gas, said Von Essen, which provides tax advisory services for international contractors.

The Middle East lures 12 percent of jobseekers paid more than $170,000, followed by North and Central America with 11 percent.



http://businessdayonline.com/2014/07/africa-beats-middle-east-to-be-no-2-in-top-paid-oil-jobs

torkaka: 40yrs of what exactly?

I thought you called this land your country?

torkaka: I won't sit and watch your principal turn my country to a hell hole

Do you really have choice!!!!! NO. You had 40yrs. Now hold your peace.

torkaka: And you sir are on the stairway to heaven, only remember the stairway lies on a burning bridge and on it all that glitters is not gold

Torkaka, sit and watch. You will definitely learn something.

torkaka: Really? They are those that will argue that bombings as a political tool started on 1st october 2011 under the veiled instruction of Jonathan and since then, its one bomb after the other, remember Dokpesi was accused then due to the camp he belonged! Where may I ask is Dokpesi now?
Let's not even go to Modu sherrif!!

Like the niger delta where thugs were armed for political reasons and later got out of hand and turned to militants so is it with the bombers who have now gotten out of hands and turned to terrorist!!

Its no secret Jonathan introduced the politics of bombing blackmail against IBB the same way he now accuses Buhari!

Evil in this land landed when the internationally acclaimed clueless one became C-in-C

Come back with something to talk about, after we retire the gov of Nasarawa state. You are on the highway to hell, your only exit is repentance. Your 40yrs of destruction is over, deal with it. Nigeria must be free from blood suckers like you and your mass murdering party. You really have no choice in this matter.

torkaka: We open our loud mouths because history tells us that evil prevails when good men keep quiet.

Jonathan and your like might have a field day now calling it "politics" but the wise look beyond their noses!!

Your principal is destroying every and all democratic structures at the alter of 2015 elections forgetting that the sit he occupies does not permanently belong to him. Tomorrow a mad man will occupy that sit, and by that time all structures meant to checkmate him (the mad man) wouldn't be there courtesy of Jonathan, maybe then will you jonathians understand the hole which your principal has dug us into!

If Nasarawa falls in a couple of weeks using legitimate means, so be it! But let it not fall through back hand tactics, for as we use power to our advantage now, let us also give a thought to when power falls into the hands of our enemies regardless of how long it takes, for these actions might not affect us now but surely there will tell on our genrations!!

Unfortunately, you and your party are the evil tormenting this land. We owe it to all unborn generations to destroy you, once and for all. We are determined to do just that. Just sit and watch.

You only make me laugh. I know how you feel, politically bruised,morally defeated, emotionally exhausted, reduced to a side show in Nigeria. With all your acclaimed sophistication, the clueless ijaw has sent you all running for safety. After three years of reading and listening to your gang, nothing surprises me. But be rest assured, you have been tamed in this land. All you have left, is opening your loud mouths and filling the air with gibberish.Nasarawa is going to fall in a couple of weeks and you can open another convoluted thread explaining to us, why you failed there too. There is no crying in politics, that's a lesson we going to force feed to you.

torkaka: Not surprising, Jonathians are not known for their intelligence!

A man that cannot hold a simple debate without getting personal, is questioning another's intelligence? You APC kids never learn.

torkaka: But Nyako has his head high, he didn't withdraw his letter (which was a condition) neither did he apologise to anyone to save his skin! And also, he didn't go about offering money to the assembly to save himself! He took it all like the soldier he is (with pride I must add)

Jonathan, because of desperation is lighting fires around himself! It will consume him in due time!! The very whip he uses now with impunity will be used against him and his interest!!

I don't engage in convoluted conjecture. See you in Feb 2015.

torkaka: You do understand your quote right?

"Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts. Perharps the fear of a loss of power" . . . .John Steinbeck

Nyako has just proved to all that he is not afraid to lose power, can we confidently say the same about Jonathan??

Let me end this back and forth with you by asking you to bring your A game to the polls in feb 2015. As for Jonathan, I was hoping after 5 years of underestimating him, you people might have learnt a thing or two. Nyako did not lose power. Nyako lost his pride. That was worth more to him than all the power on earth.

torkaka: The office of the governor is a democratic structure, likewise the house of assembly!!

I repeat, Jonathan will not be president forever and when power leaves him, then will he know the damage he has done (and is still doing)

"All things are subject to interpretation, whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power not truth" . . . . . .Friedrich Nietzsche

You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.
Friedrich Nietzsche

torkaka: Don't worry my friend, every dog has its day.
Corruption strives in Nigeria because we encourage it and so will trampling on democratic structures!!

I agree with you, Nigeria is not the the Nigeria of 20years ago, and so will it not be the Nigeria of 10years to come where total disregard of the laws of the land will be the order of the day!!

Is clear we both have different definitions for the word democratic structures and a very different understanding of disregarding the law. Nevertheless, there are courts opened in this great land for any party seeking to enforce their fundamental human right.

torkaka: You do know that fedora hat man is not going to be president forever? And you do know that those you hate so much (hausa/fulani) will one day be president again?

Even if fedora man survives 2015, 2019 is not far off and the precedence he is setting now will one day come to hunt us all!!!

Support illegality now and remember not to cry foul when the tables are turned!!

Anybody can be president after 2019., you might piss and soil your pants when you hear hausa/fulani, we don't, make no mistake about it. This is not the Nigeria of 20 years ago not even the Nigeria of 10 years ago.. The sooner most of you accept this fact, the better.

Crying over spilled milk. Game over, as Nassarwa is the next to fall. You people call dance your ajasco as long you want.

HNosegbe: And "getting the PDP ticket" is the problem I have in mind. How will he beat the likes of Ifeanyi Okowa or Victor Ochei?

Utomi coming out to declare, will change the dynamics of the race . Okowa chances might even be less, than any candidate from delta north. The man has too many political hurdles to cross. Ochei is the sleeping surprise. Okowa won round one by removing him as speaker, but ochei is very well liked around the state. I will give Utomi the advantage today in a primary, as long as it is free and fair.

To all PDP members from delta north, well played.

Utomi has done the unthinkable. What a great political move, let the race begin. The big heart state is about to experience issues based politics.

I cannot help myself,I have to scream fresh air

The manufacturing sector is now the major driver of economic growth in Nigeria, the latest economic report by Renaissance Capital, reveals.

According to the report, with Nigeria’s rebased Gross Domestic Product,(GDP) the manufacturing sector is currently growing faster than the telecommunications, oil and gas and agricultural sectors.

The report, titled, “Nigeria’s GDP: Bigger but slower – Manufacturing is the engine of growth,” was released on Monday.

The report further strengthens recent figures by the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, which showed that there was an increase in manufacturing capacity utilisation from 46.3 per cent recorded in the first half of 2013 to 52.7 per cent in the 2nd half of 2013.

Notably, the Rencap report stated that the manufacturing sector recorded 22 per cent growth in 2013, as against the 14 per cent it recorded in 2012, noting that the growth was largely driven by the textile, cement and food sub-sectors, among others.

The growth recorded by the manufacturing sector within the period under review, it said, accounted for one third of the total growth in the economy.

The report said, “Manufacturing is growing strongly, despite power deficit. The manufacturing sector is a much bigger, faster-growing sector under the new series (nine per cent of GDP as against the four per cent previously). In 2013, it recorded substantial growth of 22 per cent (as against 14 per cent in 2012), comprising one-third of total growth. Food, beverage and tobacco producers account for half of the manufacturing sector. The sub-sector’s growth accelerated to 12 per cent in 2013, against 7 per cent in 2012.

“An analysis of the growth drivers shows that telecoms is a maturing and slower-growing sector. The growth sectors are manufacturing (particularly food, cement and textile producers) and real estate.”

The report further revealed that the cement sub-sector, which accounts for about one per cent of the country’s GDP, recorded phenomenal growth in 2013, as it posted a 39 per cent growth as against the 14 per cent recorded in 2012.

It stated, “Several of the smaller manufacturing sub-sectors are growing even faster than food producers. Cement, which only comprises one per cent of GDP, grew by a sizeable 39 per cent in 2013, up from a strong 14 per cent in 2012.

“Nigeria’s large population of upwardly mobile consumers, particularly in the south-west, coupled with investments in power, implies the strong growth of manufacturers, including food producers and breweries, is sustainable.”

Conversely, the report revealed that in 2013, the oil and gas sector experienced a decline in growth as the sector contracted by 13 per cent, while trade and real estate sectors overtook agricultural and financial services to emerge as the top three growth drivers of the Nigerian economy.

“The trade and real estate sectors trumped agriculture and financial services in 2013, to become among the top three growth drivers, together with manufacturing. The decline in agriculture’s growth contribution in 2013 was partly due to the 3Q12 floods. The upside is a smaller agriculture sector (23 per cent, as against 36 per cent) that reduces the economy’s exposure to it,” the Rencap report said.

[b]According to analysts, the level of capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector is an index of the health of the sector. When it is low, it indicates poor growth and vice-versa. The Rencap report therefore reflects the improving health of the Nigerian manufacturing sector just as the rising capacity utilisation has shown.

Manufacturers in Nigeria had attributed the remarkable increase recorded in capacity utilisation within the last year to favourable government policies, especially with respect to industry, trade and investment.

Olusegun Aganga,the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, reacting on the new research findings, said the analyses, done by the reputed Renaissance Capital, corroborated the fact that the manufacturing sector was being transformed under the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“It is a good thing that the manufacturing sector is breathing well under this administration. Figures are there as proof. All we need do now is further improve the situation through consistency in policy as we continue to work hard towards continuously improving Nigeria’s non-oil revenue,” Aganga noted.[/b]


http://businessdayonline.com/2014/07/manufacturing-sector-now-major-nigerias-economic-driver-says-rencap

idumuose: My brother,failure ia an orphan

They are just shocked to their marrows, how quickly they fell. This people actually thought, they were going to win a presidential election in this country.

It is remarkable, how Nigerians across all walks of life turned their backs on this evil called APC.

After receiving several political uppercuts from PDP in last 2 months, our supporters of APC almajiris have returned to what they do best. Cry about tomorrow, something, they can never control. What did this same baga say a couple of months ago about Jonathan and PDP. Douchebag, you are sore loser, PDP is determined to keep you and your cohorts in political ICU till eternity.