A fledgling locally made fashion brand, ORALUGO has been unveiled in Lagos to the delight of the fashion enthusiasts and its first ever store opened to customers in Victoria Island, Lagos. The ambitious clothing line has also promised to embark on a rapid expansion across the nation.

ORALUGO was launched recently at its first store on Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island Lagos as fashion and style lovers and influencers paid tribute to the innovative designs on display.

ORALUGO that started as a pastime during the COVID lockdown was formally commenced as a business in 2021 and it has grown to become one of the main ready-to-wear designers in Nigeria.

Speaking about the journey into the fashion world, the chief executive officer of ORALUGO, Adaora Okpalugo said, “I was inspired to go into fashion during the COVID-19 lockdown. This has seemingly fast tracked my entrance into the fashion industry because everything was stalled at the time.”


Adaora, who is also lawyer, believed that her flair for fashion and styles would catapult ORALUGO to a greater height because those who have patronaged her have testified of the quality and finesse of ORALUGO.


She said, “I have decided to go into the fashion business because of my love for the woman’s body and passion for fashion. I love anything about women and fashion, I love watching models, I love reading fashion magazines, and stylish celebrities as well. These things have inspired me and that is the reason I came up with the fashion brand, ORALUGO”.

At ORALUGO, quality is our keyword and it stands out from other fashion brands. “My sense for quality fashion wear is second to none and that cannot be compromised” adding that “I love quality. We intend to give quality service to our customers and we are ready to go hard on that to make sure our customers get full quality satisfaction from her store.”

Speaking on the global fashion arena, Adaora feels fashion has grown globally, and it has evolved over the years especially in Nigeria.

So, Nigeria fashion designers have evolved too and have grown to compete on the global stage. “I feel like a baby because the ORALUGO fashion brand was actually two years old in June therefore, I have a lot of young designers that have inspired me and a lot of old ones as well. So, as fashion is growing everyday most especially in Nigeria, it’s getting broader, it is getting more complicated, getting more fun, people are beginning to wear their freedom, whatever they want to wear without minding the rules, not minding the Nigerian mentality boundaries of passion.”

Adaora, who believed the next phase of the brand depends on God’s direction, said that though this is the first store, I believe that ORALUGO would grow with time. We intend to go international; we intend to open more stores in Nigeria,” she added.

In the next five to ten years, she believed the brand would have grown globally, open more branches, earn recognitions, make more money through more sales and expansion.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/12/16/oralugo-unveils-first-ever-fashion-store-in-lagos/

In the vibrant and dynamic realm of Nigerian entertainment, a subtle, yet transformative movement is gaining momentum. Amidst the vibrant melodies of Afrobeats and the captivating narratives of Nollywood productions, a new cool medium is emerging, capturing the hearts and minds of listeners across the country – podcasts.


The allure of podcasts among younger generations stems from their desire to venture beyond the confines of conventional and controlled media channels. Podcasts provide a platform for independent voices, diverse perspectives, and niche content that might not be as readily available or prioritized in mainstream corporate media.

The rise of podcasting in Nigeria is being driven by a number of factors, including the increasing availability of smartphones and internet access, as well as the growing popularity of streaming services like Spotify. Delving into Spotify’s Wrapped data for 2023, we embark on a journey to uncover the captivating world of podcasting in Nigeria. This sonic expedition reveals how Nigerian listeners are tuning in, turning up, and diving into the realm of podcasts; seeking not just entertainment but also thought-provoking political, motivational and religious conversations.

According to Spotify Wrapped 2023 on local podcast listenership in Nigeria, Apostle Joshua Selman’s Podcast, Koinonia with Apostle Joshua Selman , The HonestBunch Podcast, I Said What I Said, and Koinonia experience with Apostle Joshua Selman rank as the top five most streamed podcasts in Nigeria, and the top five most exported Nigerian podcasts. It’s no surprise that these podcasts standout because beyond the fact that they resonate with the younger demographic in Nigeria, they also connect through themes that align with the diverse culture, lifestyle and essence of Nigerians. Whether you are inclined to explore your spirituality, delve into the latest trends, dissect social issues, or even share unfiltered opinions, these podcasts present a relatable experience.


“Spotify’s unwavering support for the local podcasting community is deeply rooted in our appreciation for the richness and diversity of voices and stories that it brings to the forefront,” says Ncebakazi Manzi, Spotify’s Podcast Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa.

In light of the deeply rooted religious beliefs within the nation, it follows that Apostle Joshua Selman has secured three positions within the top five most-listened-to podcasts in Nigeria with his podcasts – Apostle Joshua Selman, Koinonia with Apostle Joshua Selman and Koinonia experience with Apostle Joshua Selman. He gained substantial attention on various social media platforms as clips from his sermons circulated widely, resonating with a significant audience. Apostle Joshua Selman is the founder and Senior Pastor at Eternity Network International, based in Abuja, Nigeria. Beyond his widespread popularity, his standout episode of the year on Spotify is “The Ministry of Prayer and the Word.” This particular episode has not only contributed to his overall podcast success but has also marked a significant moment in the hearts and minds of the audience, making it a memorable highlight of his podcasting journey.

The Honest Bunch podcast has rapidly ascended to become one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing podcasts, currently claiming the third spot on Spotify’s top five most-listened-to podcasts in the country. With a focus on addressing issues affecting millennials and Gen Z in a candid and humorous manner, the show distinguishes itself by its uninhibited approach. The podcast is helmed by four hosts—Nedu Ani, Chukwudi Ezugwu (Husband Material), Ezinne Jane Ugorji, and Toun Cole — who infuse the show with their distinct personalities. Beyond the dynamic hosting quartet, a diverse array of notable guests is regularly featured. These guests are invited to share their perspectives on topics tailored to their unique experiences, interests, or personalities.

Notably, The Honest Bunch podcast has made headlines for their willingness to tackle contentious subjects head-on has become a hallmark of the show, contributing to its widespread popularity and status as a prominent player in the podcasting landscape

Conversely, “I Said What I Said” podcast hosted by Feyikemi Abudu, popularly known as ‘FK,’ and Jola “Jollz” Adeye, takes listeners into personalized virtual conversations that are relatable, engaging and similar to the usual tête-à-tête with close friends. Imagine having a conversation with close buddies after a long day at work – that’s the vibe “I Said What I Said exudes to its listeners. Each episode delves into discussions encompassing societal norms, culture, relationships, and current affairs. FK and Jollz are well-known for their bold and unfiltered conversations, presenting their opinions with sharp wit, making it the fourth streamed podcast in Nigeria.

In their engaging podcast, FK and Jollz interview some of Nigeria’s most intriguing minds, discussing the challenges of navigating life as young women and offering valuable advice as Agony Aunts to their listeners. Their presence on Spotify has been remarkable, not only securing a spot among the top five most-listened-to podcasts but also earning them recognition as Breakout Creators of 2023.

Spotify has also recognised them as one of the Breakout Creators of 2023, with their standout episodes of the year including “The Secrets, Lies, and Embarrassment” episode and the humor-filled “Hahaha” episode.

Although some podcasts may not have clinched a spot in the top 10 rankings, their ability to attract considerable attention and consistently deliver engaging content has earned them recognition as Breakout Creators of 2023, while some others found a place on the Most Anticipated Launch list of the year. This acknowledgment underscores their significant impact, foreshadowing a sustained surge in popularity and influence within the podcasting landscape in the months to come.

For Breakout creators of the year, we have notable podcasts such as- I said what I said , The Honest Bunch Podcast, So Nigerian, Tea with Tay, Loose Talk, Menisms and Toke Moments. While for Most Anticipated launch, podcasts like, Bahd and Boujee, The Teju Baby face deep dive, Zero Conditions podcast, Loosetalk, String and locs and Dearly Ebele have all earned a spot on the list.

As Nigerian music continues to gain international recognition, there is optimism that local podcasts can also make a significant impact both on the continent and the global stage.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/12/12/nigerian-voices-on-the-rise-spotify-spotlight-homegrown-podcasters/

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has suspended charges on cash deposits above the regulatory limits of N500,000 for individuals and N3,000,000 for corporate account holders.


The new directive is coming against the backdrop of growing cash scarcity and empty ATMs across the country.

Also, the CBN stated that the suspension of the deposit charges will last till April 30 next year.

Recall that from September 2019, CBN began to charge bank customers making cash deposits and withdrawals. It said the objective was to reduce cash in use.


The charges were 3% processing fees for withdrawals and 2% processing fees for lodgments of amounts above N500,000 for individuals.


For corporate accounts, the Deposits Money Banks (DMBs) would charge 5% processing fees for withdrawals and 3% processing fees for lodgments of amounts above N3,000,000.

Also, in 2022, CBN directed that over-the-counter cash withdrawals by individuals do not exceed N100,000 per week. For corporate entities the limit was N500,000.

New directives
However, CBN has reversed the directive on deposits in a circular to dated December 11, 2023. It was titled, ‘Re-Processing Fees on Cash Deposit’ by Ag. Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Dr. Adetona Adedeji.

It read: “Please recall the processing charges imposed on cash deposits above N500,000 for Individuals and N3,000,000 for corporates as contained in the “Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial Institutions and NonBank Financial institutions’ issued on December 20, 2019, under reference FPR/DIR/GEN/CIR/07/042.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/12/11/cbn-suspends-charges-on-large-cash-deposits/

In a major step towards boosting Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity and attaining energy security (self-sufficiency), Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals plant has purchased 1 million barrels of Agbami crude grade from Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO), one of the largest trading companies in Nigeria as well as globally, trading over 8 million barrels of crude oil per day.

The STASCO cargo contained 1 million barrels from Agbami and sailed to Dangote Refinery’s Single Point Mooring (SPM) where it was discharged into the refinery’s crude oil tanks.

The maiden 1 million barrels, which represent the first phase of the 6 million barrels of crude oil to be supplied to Dangote Petroleum Refinery by a range of suppliers, should sustain the initial 350,000 barrels per day to be processed by the facility. The next four cargoes will be supplied by the NNPC in two to three weeks and the final of the six cargoes will be supplied by ExxonMobil.

This supply will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and LPG before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

This latest development will play a pivotal role in alleviating the fuel supply challenges faced by Nigeria as well as the West African countries.

Designed for 100% Nigerian crude with the flexibility to process other crudes, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil as well as crude from other countries.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery can meet 100% of the Nigeria’s requirement of all refined products, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and also have surplus of each of these products for export.

The refinery was built to take crude through its two SPMs located 25 kilometres from the shore and to discharge petroleum products through three separate SPMs. In addition, the refinery has the capacity to load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck loading gantries.

Dangote Refinery has a self-sufficient marine facility with the ability to handle the largest vessel globally available. In addition, all products from the refinery will conform to Euro V specifications.

The refinery is designed to comply with US EPA, European emission norms, and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms as well as African Refiners and Distribution Association (ARDA) standards.

President of Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote stated: “We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. Our focus over the coming months is to ramp up the refinery to its full capacity. I look forward to the next significant milestone when we deliver the first batch of products to the Nigerian market.”

Country Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor stated: “We welcome the startup of a refinery that is designed to produce gasoline, diesel, and low-sulphur fuels for Nigeria and across West Africa and are happy to be enabling it.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/12/11/dangote-refinery-receives-one-million-barrels-of-crude-cargo/

Returning to Paris next May for its second edition, Invest in African Energy (IAE) 2024 is an exclusive forum designed to foster collaboration between European investors and African energy markets.


Organized by Energy Capital & Power (ECP) with the support of the African Energy Chamber (AEC), the forum offers delegates two days of engagement with industry experts and policymakers from across Europe and Africa, creating a unique platform to accelerate sustainable energy solutions and pave the way for mutually beneficial partnerships. Below are the top five reasons to attend IAE 2024.

Network with Leading Industry Stakeholders

The IAE 2024 forum serves as an opportunity for European and African delegates to collaborate and discover new avenues for investment, with European parties accessing Africa’s most promising projects and African parties accessing foreign sources of capital and technology. Delegates can connect with top energy investors, executives from operators, IOCs, NOCs and Independents as well as government officials, industry innovators and financiers to expand their professional network.

Take Advantage of Key Partnerships


There has never been greater interest in Africa’s energy prospects, as Europe seeks alternative energy supplies following sanctioned Russian gas and global superpowers compete for Africa’s critical minerals to fuel the energy transition. European interest in Africa has been particularly strong in the fields of natural gas, renewables and hydrogen through initiatives like the Just Energy Transition Partnership and EU-Africa Green Energy Initiative. IAE 2024 helps firms and investors take advantage of intergovernmental partnerships to explore and tap into potential business growth opportunities.

Access Upcoming Projects

A key component of the forum is unparalleled access to upcoming projects and their specifications in Africa’s energy hotspots, focusing primarily on renewables, hydrogen, power generation and transmission, grid innovation, energy efficiency and energy storage solutions. As African markets seek technical and financial support for these industry-changing projects, stay ahead of the curve by attending IAE 2024 and keeping apprised of the latest Requests for Proposals, tenders, market trends, policies and regulations shaping the sector.

Utilize B2B Matchmaking Services

IAE 2024 will offer B2B and investor matchmaking services, aligning interested investors and service providers with project owners, operators and regulators. This is the sole event that unites players across Africa’s entire energy supply chain and facilitates one-on-one meetings, enabling participants to build new relationships and lead their own networking agendas. Utilizing the combined networks of ECP and the AEC, this service identifies and connects companies and individuals with common business interests, with a view to exchanging services, expertise and technology.

Share Your Expertise

The forum welcomes specialists, analysts, researchers and thought leaders across energy, trade, finance, policy and academic disciplines. As Africa seeks technical partners to carry out a wide range of projects, IAE 2024 serves as the ideal platform to bring together a wealth of knowledge and insights across sectors. Contribute to the advancement of the energy sector in Africa by bringing new perspectives and innovative solutions to Paris next May.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/12/06/5-reasons-to-attend-invest-in-african-energy-2024/

THEO by Lisa, a pioneer in revolutionizing young minds through digital education, has announced a transformative initiative aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for children in Africa.

This programme seeks to reshape how young children access education by distributing THEO digital tablets with innovative technology that enables all children access to education resources without internet access across various locations in Africa.


The distribution of THEO digital tablets targets young students in basic primary classes, aiming to enhance academic performance and digital literacy for a smoother transition to junior secondary school. To access more information about Theo by Lisa visit www.theo.lisacademy.net


Founder/CEO, ‘Theo By Lisa’, Dammy Feyide stated that Theo is a revolutionary digital learning platform for children aged 9 to 15, integrates cutting-edge technology with a comprehensive curriculum.


Developed by CEO of THEO by Lisa, the platform fosters curiosity, creativity, and active participation. It offers a diverse curriculum, interactive content with videos and quizzes, progress tracking for teachers and parents, customization based on learning styles, offline accessibility, and resources for common entrance exams.


According to her, “We invite generous individuals, organizations, and advocates to join us in supporting THEO’s mission to enhance young learning across Africa. Your contributions and donations will play a vital role in empowering the next generation through innovative digital education. Together, let’s make a lasting impact on the educational landscape for children in need.”

Feyide expressed enthusiasm about THEO Tablets, stating, “We are committed to leveraging technology to empower the next generation, especially young children, with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.” THEO by Lisa remains dedicated to using technology to empower and prepare the next generation for success.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/12/01/theo-by-lisa-unveils-visionary-digital-learning-tool-across-africa/

Zenith Bank Plc has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the French Government to establish a subsidiary of Zenith Bank Plc in France.

The MoU, which was signed by the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR, and the French Minister for Trade, Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad, Mr. Olivier Becht on Friday, November 24, 2023, will enable Zenith Bank, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Zenith Bank (UK) Limited, to seek and secure the requisite regulatory approval from the Autorite’ de Controle Prudentiel et de Resolution (ACPR) to establish a strategic presence in France.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR, said, “It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to Nigeria and Zenith Bank. I am indeed very delighted about the signing of this MoU with France. For me, it is an honour to do this on behalf of the bank, and we look forward to securing the licence and starting operations in early 2024”. He thanked the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Emmanuelle Blatmann and her colleagues at the French Embassy in Nigeria for their efforts towards improving French-Nigerian business relations.

Also speaking during the ceremony, the French Minister for Trade, Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad, Mr. Olivier Becht, said: “I want to thank you very much for your decision to open a branch of Zenith Bank in Paris. We are thrilled to welcome in France Zenith Bank’s first office inside the European Union. For us, that’s a very good signal, and it is undoubtedly a demonstration of mutual confidence. No doubt also that your vision on international finance guided you to decide to open this branch and this decision in many respects can also be regarded as a milestone in French-Nigerian economic relations and an illustration of our friendship”. He noted that the government of President Macron had adopted a pro-business agenda in order to make France more attractive by undertaking several reforms in labour law, simplifying a lot of procedures and cutting business taxes, corporate taxes and production taxes by more than 25 billion Euros, adding that “we hope that the opening of the branch of Zenith Bank in France will also be an occasion to boost the French-Nigerian business in order to have more French companies investing in Nigeria and also to have more Nigerian companies investing in France”.


Zenith Bank has continued to distinguish itself in the Nigerian financial services industry through superior service offerings, unique customer experience and sound financial indices. The bank remains a clear leader in the digital space, with several firsts in deploying innovative products and solutions and an assortment of alternative channels that ensure convenience, speed, and safety of transactions. Zenith Bank also has subsidiaries in Ghana, Zenith Bank (Ghana) Limited; Sierra Leone, Zenith Bank (Sierra Leone) Limited; The Gambia, Zenith Bank (Gambia) Limited. The Bank also has a Representative Office in The People’s Republic of China.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/29/zenith-bank-signs-mou-with-the-french-government-to-establish-a-subsidiary-in-france/

The Institute of Brands Management of Nigeria, IBMN, a professional membership organisation for brand management and brand experts will be holding Nigeria Brands week in December 15, 2023.


The event which is themed: “Positioning Nigerian Brands in the Contemporary Global Market; issues, challenges and strategies” will be holding at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Conference Center, LCCI, Alausa Ikeja, Lagos.

The top-notch event will be featuring the Nigeria Brands Summit, NABELA (National Brands Excellence & Leadership Award ), Made in Nigeria Brands Exhibition, Nigeria Brands CEO Awards and the Conferment of Honourary Fellowship and Induction all in December 15, 2023.



Speaking about the weeklong event, Editor in Chief, Desmond Esorougwe said the Nigeria Brand Summit is a High-Level Brands Thought Leadership event designed to solve contemporary Brands problems that Brands Custodians face in today’s challenging business world.’

‘NBS is a Think Thank gathering of Great Minds who build Successful Brands. The 2023 edition will focus on positioning Nigeria Brands to the global market: Issues, Challenges and Strategies,” he said.


According to him, the National Brand Excellence and Leadership Award (NABELA) is the celebration of proudly made in Nigeria products and services which aims at rewarding and recognizing brands that adopt brand building mechanism to grow their business, ”NABELA rewards manufacturing excellence and innovation of products and brands made in Nigeria. Nigeria brands heritage is the focus of this award,” said Esorougwe.

Made in Nigeria Brands Exhibition 2023 is aimed at promotiong Nigeria Brands in a marketplace. It is a platform meant to showcase brands and products of companies in Nigeria, a marketplace that provides maximum explosive to brands week. “Participating at the exhibition can take your brands straight to the target market and demonstrate your level of support and commitment to brand management system,” the organisers.

The Nigeria Brands CEO Awards which will be part of the weeklong event is a celebration of brands CEOs who have made effort and commitment to brand building and visibility. It is also meant to recognise, reward and encourage brands CEOs in Nigeria.

It’s worthy of note that, the governoring council of the institute of brand management of Nigeria will be extending the opportunity for honorary fellowship awards to some selected Nigerians who have shown practical leadership experiences.

Special guests at the event includes: Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Executive Governor, Lagos, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, Hon. Minister of state FCT, Mr. Adewale Oyerinde, Director General, NECA, Dr. Tayo Adeloju, CEO, Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mr. John Uwajumogu, SA to the President on Ind. Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Temitope Popoola, CEO, Nigeria Stock Exchange, Dr. Chinyere Almona, DG, LCCI.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/28/institute-of-brands-management-to-hold-nigeria-brands-week/

In a splendid display, Zenith Bank heralded the Christmas and Yuletide seasons with the Light-Up of Ajose Adeogun Street and Roundabout, Victoria Island, Lagos over the weekend.


BrandSpur Nigeria reports that the Zenith Light-Up ceremony was performed by the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu.

This year’s Light Up Ceremony, the 17th of its kind, is a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative by Zenith Bank. The Christmas decoration is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of the bank to herald the Yuletide season through the beautification and transformation of the entire stretch of Ajose Adeogun Street (home to Zenith Bank’s Corporate Headquarters) and Roundabout into a resplendent spectacle – which has come to be recognised as an iconic tourist attraction, attracting people from all walks of life who visit with their families and friends to take pictures and make videos of the beautiful spectacle, especially at night and enjoy the ambience of the street and season.

Speaking during the ceremony, Dr. Onyeagwu expressed his delight in heralding the 2023 Yuletide season by lighting up the iconic Ajose Adeogun Street and Roundabout. He urged everyone to imbibe the message and spirit of Christmas, which is about peace, love, forgiveness and respect for humanity and prayed for peace in every home, business and country. In his words, “Today, as we turn on the Christmas light with the wife of our Founder and Chairman, Mrs. Kay Ovia, in our midst, we hope with this, we activate the spirit of Christmas in the minds of everyone. We pray that the ambience of the light brings warmth, love, joy, fulfilment, and hope to every one of us. We pray that our country will experience peace. We pray that our joy will be full in this season of joy. So, in the spirit of the Yuletide season, Zenith Bank is also demonstrating that we want to use this to continue communicating and connecting with the community.”


He lauded the efforts of Quantum Markets, who have been responsible for the annual decorations, for their outstandingly creative and beautiful work. According to him, “It is an amazing evening! First and foremost, we need to thank Quantum Markets for the incredible work they are doing. You know, every year, the theme, the style and the ambience look completely different, and today, in a few minutes, we are going to be turning on the light, and you are going to see that it is nothing compared to what you have seen anywhere in the world. I have had the privilege of seeing Christmas light in so many cities across the world, and I say without any sense of contradiction that none compares with what we have in Lagos, Nigeria.”

The bank’s sustainability and CSR initiatives are hinged on the belief that today’s business performance is not all about the financial numbers – the bank believes that an institution’s social investments, contributions to inclusive economic growth and development as well as improvements in the condition of the physical environment, all constitute a balanced scorecard.

Through its CSR initiatives, Zenith Bank has embodied the overarching objective of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which provide a framework for addressing the major challenges confronting society. Its social investments are targeted at health, education, women and youth empowerment, sports development and public infrastructure enhancement. Overall, Zenith Bank’s total CSR investment in 2022 was NGN1.67 billion, representing 0.75% of its Profit After Tax (PAT).

The bank remains committed to furthering the economic, cultural and social development of host communities, particularly through community-based initiatives and philanthropy. As a good corporate citizen, it continues to deliver projects that have long-term social and economic benefits for the communities because it believes that its business is only as strong as its host communities.

To demonstrate its commitment to creating and expanding opportunities, the bank regularly makes donations towards setting up ultramodern ICT centres in several educational institutions and cities across the country. It also supports various developmental projects and healthcare delivery causes in Nigeria and contributes to the development of sports in Nigeria through its sponsorship of the Zenith Women Basketball League, Zenith Bank Delta State Principals’ Cup, and Zenith Bank Delta State Headmasters’ Cup, amongst others.

In recognition of its contributions and social investments to its host communities and the society at large, the bank was recognised as the “Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria” in the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards and “Most Responsible Organization in Africa” at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/28/zenith-bank-lights-up-ajose-adeogun-street-with-christmas-decorations/

Pan African Towers (PAT), a leading digital infrastructure company based in Nigeria, has announced a strategic investment from Development Partners International (DPI), a premier investment firm focused on Africa, and Verod Capital (Verod), one of the continent’s leading investment management firms.

DPI and Verod are investing in PAT to fuel its continued growth and will work with management to build on the company’s recent achievements and reaffirm its position as Nigeria’s largest homegrown digital infrastructure provider.

Established in Nigeria in 2017 to capitalise on the growing demand for wireless communications across Africa, PAT has emerged as a prominent telecommunications and tower infrastructure provider in Nigeria, playing an indispensable role in the nationwide expansion of mobile communications. Since founding, PAT has built a successful business model centred around establishing tailored, long-term contracts with blue-chip customers, including Nigeria’s leading mobile network operators (MNOs) and internet service providers (ISPs). The success and strong performance of the company to date has further accelerated under the leadership of Chief Executive Azeez Amida, who has a strong track record of executing successful growth strategies in emerging market telecommunications.

Nigeria is an attractive market for digital infrastructure in Africa. Underpinned by its strong demographics, it is Africa’s leading telecommunications market by number of mobile subscribers (208m) and contributed c.13% of national GDP in 2021 compared to 8% in 2015. As of December 2021, there were 41,120 towers in Nigeria mostly supporting third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) technology across the country. However, according to Nigeria’s Ministry of Communications, the country needs between 70,000 to 80,000 towers to enable proper quality and coverage for 4G and 5G technology, creating a supply gap of more than 30,000 towers. This investment will enable PAT to capitalise on this opportunity and help close this gap, providing world-class digital infrastructure to support Africa’s economic development.

Azeez Amida, CEO of Pan African Towers, said: “As a proud Nigerian-founded and run business, Pan African Towers is on a mission to accelerate the Nigerian market and support the growth of the mobile telecommunications sector in the country. We also have a clear strategic vision to grow the business sustainably, including actively reducing the carbon footprint of our network to uphold best-in-class ESG practices. We are excited to partner with DPI and Verod and will leverage their sector experience and market expertise to help us achieve these goals. The evolution of Nigeria’s mobile and wireless industry presents significant opportunities for our business, and we look forward to being a part of this next chapter of growth.”


PAT’s experienced management team will work closely with DPI and Verod to accelerate its strategic plan, leveraging their expertise in areas such as market entry, operational efficiency, and talent management. With the support of both investors, PAT will deepen relationships with existing partners, expand its customer base, and grow its footprint of towers to reach new parts of the country where mobile and wireless penetration remains low. PAT will also benefit from DPI’s experience in scaling towers companies, as the first institutional investor in Eaton Towers, another of Africa’s leading telecoms businesses it exited in 2019.

Adefolarin Ogunsanya, Partner at DPI, said: “Pan African Towers is an exciting homegrown business with significant potential and is uniquely positioned to benefit from the opportunity presented by Nigeria’s digital innovation boom. We are incredibly excited to partner with PAT’s management team to help crystallize the Company’s vision of becoming Nigeria’s digital infrastructure provider of choice and look forward to sharing our deep knowledge and experience of Africa’s towers industry and the Nigerian market to help achieve this.”



Daniel Adeoye, Principal and Head of Investments at Verod Capital, said: “The Nigerian demographic is currently experiencing a surge in data consumption and related services, driven by a generation of tech-savvy digital natives that are unparalleled. The ‘Verod Consumer Spend Index’ indicates that telecommunication expenses are increasing significantly, providing a tailwind for tower companies like PAT. Verod is delighted to support PAT’s management with ample capital and value-creation expertise to navigate this period of growth.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/28/verod-capital-partner-to-back-management-of-pan-african-towers/

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Projects (SERAP) has urged the World Bank to initiate an investigation into the loans acquired by the 36 state governors in Nigeria.


The group, expressing concerns over the escalating debt profile of the states, called for an immediate suspension of further loans until the governors provide a transparent account of how previous loans were utilised.

In a letter addressed to the President of the World Bank, Ajay Banga, SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, claimed that the states had mismanaged and diverted public funds, making it imprudent to continue granting them loans.



The group highlighted the need for the World Bank to deploy its legal powers by sending independent monitors to scrutinise the spending of loans acquired by the states.


SERAP said that providing financial assistance to states facing credible allegations of fund mismanagement could imply complicity in such actions.

‘’The World Bank and its partners cannot continue to give loans and other funding to these states where there are credible allegations of mismanagement or diversion of public funds.

‘’We are concerned that there is a significant risk of mismanagement or diversion of funds linked to the bank’s investments in many of the country’s 36 states. It is neither appropriate nor responsible lending to give loans to these states only for the loans to be misspent,” the statement read.

The group drew attention to the total public debt portfolio of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, amounting to N9.17tn, as reported by Nigeria’s Debt Management Office.

The Federal Government’s public debt portfolio was noted to be N78.2tn.

The World Bank was urged to demand a commitment from the governors to address allegations of fund mismanagement in their states.

SERAP insisted that the bank should ensure that loans and funding would not be diverted to support the opulent lifestyles of politicians.

The group threatened legal action against the World Bank if it failed to probe the governors and implement the recommendations outlined in the letter.

SERAP pointed out the bank’s legal responsibility to uphold compliance with the Nigerian Constitution and domestic laws, emphasising the need for justice against suspected perpetrators of financial mismanagement.

As of now, the World Bank has not issued a public response to SERAP’s demands.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/27/probe-loans-to-nigerian-governors-serap-tells-world-bank/

MultiChoice, Africa’s leading entertainment company, took a bold step to address the rising challenges of piracy by hosting an anti-piracy roundtable event tagged ‘Piracy Untells Our Stories’.


BrandSpur Nigeria reports that the aim of the event is to foster collaboration among key stakeholders, develop strategies and proffer solutions in the ongoing battle against content theft and how it impacts industries, resulting in loss of revenue and jobs.

The event, which was held on November 22, in Lagos, facilitated in-depth discussions, knowledge sharing, and the formulation of effective countermeasures to combat piracy in the digital age.

Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels at MultiChoice West Africa, Dr Busola Tejumola emphasized the need to host such an event where the objective is to exchange knowledge, encourage collaboration between industry players, discuss and develop initiatives to raise public awareness about the consequences of piracy and the importance of supporting legitimate content as piracy is a shared problem.


Piracy Untells Our Stories: MultiChoice Hosts Anti-Piracy Roundtable Event
“As we navigate the complex landscape of digital content distribution, it is imperative that we unite against the common threat of piracy. Piracy takes away all that a producer has worked for. Our event signifies a commitment to collaborative efforts, where industry leaders come together to share insights, develop strategies, and fortify our defences against content theft. I urge everyone to join the fight against piracy. Together, we can ensure a vibrant and sustainable future for the creative industry,” she said.

During the panel discussion, Victor Okhai, President, Directors Guild of Nigeria, stated that proper communication is key in the fight against piracy. “The biggest challenge with fighting piracy is that we do not communicate in the language that the common man understands. I think the messaging from the Nigerian Copyright Commission and concerned bodies have to be tailored to the audience,” he said.

Legal Practitioner and Intellectual Property Expert, Obafemi Agaba, reiterated that understanding the danger of piracy is a key strategy in the fight against piracy. “We need to let people understand the danger piracy causes to talent. MultiChoice and other relevant parties need to advocate for funding of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) in the fight against piracy.

Other members of the panel include Charles Amudipe, Deputy Director, Operations, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) Lagos; and Chinenye Nworah, Producer of Slum King.

MultiChoice, recently, earned the prestigious Promax Awards 2023 for its pioneering campaign, Piracy Untells Our Stories and has invested over $85 million in local content in the last two decades, creating opportunities for young creators to earn a living from their work, an investment the company states is under threat due to the negative effect of piracy.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/27/piracy-untells-our-stories-multichoice-hosts-anti-piracy-roundtable-event/

The Third Edition of the Zenith Bank Tech Fair, themed “Future Forward 3.0”, which was held on November 23-24, 2023, at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos has concluded.

From the over 500 contestants that participated in the Zenith Hackathon (Zecathon), Sync, a team collaboration and workflow management platform that provides synergy, enables project management, task planning, messaging, payments, scheduling and people operations, emerged as the overall winner, taking home the grand prize of N20 million. This is in addition to a mentorship programme with Seedstars, a company dedicated to implementing high-quality capacity-building programmes for entrepreneurs in emerging markets.

The first runner-up, Skill Up With Kahdsole (SUWK), a social-tech startup that provides an end-to-end platform for learning technical and vocational skills to empower young people, won N15 million and a mentorship programme with Seedstars, while the second runner-up, Tribapay, a payment processing gateway that allows for cross-border payments and transactions in Nigeria and Ghana, won N10 million as well as a mentorship programme with Seedstars. Other finalists who took home N2 million each include Edupoint, Joovlin, Frootify, Izesan Limited, Natal Cares, Plychain.io, and Niteon.

In his welcome address at the Zenith Bank flagship Tech Fair, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, expressed his excitement for this year’s Hackathon, stating that it was indeed the high point of the overall event. According to him, “We have deliberately kept the best for the last.

The high point of today’s event is the Hackathon. This is where we have the opportunity to see the immense creativity and talent in our youth as they come up with different innovative ideas.” He added that “the good thing about the Hackathon is that the pitches you see presented are completely different from the ones we have seen before and we intend to make it far more elaborate as we hope that as we go into the future, we should be able to bring back winners where they can tell the audience their journey and how they have progressed so far.”

The two-day Tech Fair which was described as a huge success by participants, featured presentations on the leading technological innovations that cut across different aspects of life, such as Artificial Intelligence, Contactless Payments, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, FinTech, Data Analytics, Financial Intelligence, and communication technologies, with the keynote address,” “Artificial Intelligence – Application & Bias “, delivered by Chris Lu, the renowned IT Specialist, business strategist and Managing Director for Huawei Technologies, Nigeria.

The event also featured a welcome address by Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, Group Managing Director of Zenith Bank Plc and Chairman of Body of Banks’ CEOs, Nigeria, and a goodwill messages by the Honourable Minister of Communication, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani and Dr. Doris Anite, Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment (represented by Dr. Femi Adeluyi, National Coordinator for the National Talent Programme). Other eminent IT practitioners from top global brands who also made presentations include Demola Sanusi, Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services; Temitope Aladenusi, Partner & Leader Cybersecurity, Deloitte; Andrew Uaboi, Vice President/Cluster Head, Visa West Africa; Dr. Blaise Ijebor, Director of Risk Management, CBN; Keelan Singh, Head, UiPath EMEA Banking and Financial Services; Shweta Juneja, Partner, McKinsey Digital; Wole Odeleye, Financial Services Technology Lead, Microsoft; Ope Ajayi, Founder & CEO, Cinemax; Elo Umeh, and Managing Director of Terragon.

The fair featured two panel sessions. The first panel, which examined “The next frontier: Digital Wallets, Contactless payments and BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later)”, had Chris Lu as the host, with five discussants, including Fey Wong, Country Director, Palmpay; Premier Oiwoh, Managing Director, NIBSS; Vincent Ogbunude, Managing Director, Verve; Ebehijie Momoh, Country Manager, MasterCard, and Managing Director of Network International, Adelola Agbebiyi.

The second panel explored the theme “The intersection of Fintech, eCommerce and SMEs – Collaboration for growth”. It was hosted by John Obidi and had five discussants, including Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, Chief Executive Officer, Konga; Tunde Kehinde, Managing Director, Lydia; Stan Martins, Regional Director, Meta; John Obaro, Chief Executive Officer, Systemspecs, and Seyi Banigbe, Founder of Bland2Glam.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/24/zenith-tech-fair-concludes-with-hackathon-winners-receiving-significant-cash-award/

Informa Markets, the world’s leading event organiser, revealed today the launch of its event series —The West Africa Healthcare, Lab, and Pharma Week, set to take place in April 2024 at the Landmark Centre in Lagos, Nigeria.

The week-long event series will feature three major global platforms: Medic West Africa, Medlab West Africa, and Pharmaconex West Africa, with each event aimed at highlighting the recent technological innovations and advancements within these crucial sectors.

“The launch of The West Africa Healthcare, Lab, & Pharma Week is a significant milestone for Informa Markets and a testament to our commitment to supporting the growth and development of the healthcare, medical laboratory, and pharmaceutical sectors in the West African region,” said Amogh Wadwalkar, Exhibition Manager, at the media briefing. “The week-long series of events will bring together the largest gathering of the West African healthcare, lab, and pharma communities to engage in meaningful discussions, explore innovative solutions, and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the region’s economy and beyond.”


The West Africa Healthcare, Lab, & Pharma Week will kick off with the annual Medic West Africa exhibition and congress, which will return for its eleventh edition from April 17 – 19, 2024. This flagship event will span 4 halls at the Landmark Centre and host 6,000+ healthcare professionals and stakeholders from the region, and feature 200+ exhibitors from 32+ countries showcasing the latest healthcare innovations and solutions on display. In parallel to the exhibition, Medic West Africa will host six strategic conferences that aim to support healthcare stakeholders with worldwide healthcare management thinking and experience while creating a forum for regional networking.

Following Medic West Africa, Medlab West Africa will officially launch as a standalone event from 22 – 24 April 2024 at Landmark Centre. Medlab West Africa is an extension of the global Medlab event series which spans over 20+ years with shows in the Middle East, Asia, and East Africa. Medlab West Africa will host 3,500+ visitors and feature 150+ exhibitors from 30+ countries. The event will also feature six high-level accredited conferences for the medical laboratory community.


In co-location with Medlab West Africa, Pharmaconex West Africa will officially launch into the West African region, providing a comprehensive platform for the pharmaceutical community. Pharmaconex is a premier pharmaceutical exhibition that is associated with CPHI Global, the world’s largest pharmaceutical platform. Pharmaconex West Africa is set to host 2,000+ visitors and feature 100+ exhibitors from across the entire pharmaceutical value chain. Simultaneously, Pharmaconex West Africa will present a range of conferences and technical seminars, providing stakeholders with an opportunity to broaden their knowledge and stay abreast of the latest industry trends and best practices.

Ramy El Feky, Content Manager, Informa Markets, also stated: “Informa Markets has a long and successful history of bringing together the region’s healthcare industry, and we are excited to expand our offerings with the standalone launch of Medlab West Africa, and the official launch of Pharmaconex West Africa. This is a critical step forward in supporting the development of the region’s healthcare, medical laboratory, and pharmaceutical sectors. By bringing together industry leaders and professionals, we are fostering collaboration and innovation that will ultimately improve patient care across West Africa”.



The West Africa Healthcare, Lab, & Pharma Week is well-supported by government officials, industry professionals, medical associations, and many more. In his remarks, Dr Donald Ofili, Director & Deputy Registrar, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, praised Informa Markets for this initiative which will drive the transformation of regional healthcare across critical sectors.

He said, “The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria is collaborating with Informa Markets to host Medlab West Africa in 2024 because this is an initiative seeking to unlock the immeasurable potential of the medical laboratory sector. Considering the state of the health sector in Nigeria, it is imperative to fashion a new direction to enable the sector to grow sustainably. This is the time to bring in new ideas in terms of advocacy, research, and exhibitions, which is what Medlab West Africa 2024 will achieve. It will be very impactful in terms of connecting with the right stakeholders to ensure there is the right environment in place for professionals and businesses”.



In addition to the press conference, Informa Markets convened an exclusive roundtable event, fostering direct engagement with key stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector. Industry leaders from the pharmaceutical industry, regulators and government officials, and pharmaceutical association representatives convened to shape the future of the industry in Nigeria. This exclusive gathering facilitated one-on-one conversations and fostered a collaborative environment for charting a course for the advancement of the sector.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/24/nigeria-set-to-host-west-africa-healthcare-lab-pharma-week-in-april-2024/

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited(NNPCL) has revealed its plans to inaugurate a $2.8bn Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano gas pipeline in December.


BrandSpur Nigeria reports that this development was made known to the public by the Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Limited, Oritsemiyiwa Eyesan, who revealed that the $2.8bn project was being constructed by Oilserve Limited.

Eyesan disclosed this at the 41st Nigeria Association of Petroleum Explorationists 2023 expo in Lagos on Tuesday, during the Management Session themed “Energy Infrastructure Development, Financing & Monetisation Strategies in Nigeria: Reducing the Risks of Entry.”

Eyesan, while delivering her address, noted that the efforts put in by the company to ensure that the project is delivered in December are proof that the company is committed to Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan.


According to her, Nigerians will be seeing a huge difference in the way the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) operates henceforth because the company is ready to drive more investments into the oil and gas sector, one of which is the AKK gas pipeline that will be commissioned in December.

Eyesan’s assurance is coming after the Minister of State, Gas, Ekperikpe Ekpo, in October at the Pai River crossing session in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, announced that the 614km project would be completed by July next year.

The Executive Vice President, Upstream, NNPC Limited, also revealed that investors were on standby to invest in the gas pipeline project, noting that the investors wanted an investment that would yield returns immediately.

She, however, noted that insecurity was one of the reasons for the delay in the completion of the project.

Eyesan, therefore, called on the government to address the issue of security challenges in the country and also come up with ways to stabilize the naira.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/15/nnpcl-to-inaugurate-akk-gas-pipeline-december/

Accugas Limited, the midstream subsidiary of Savannah Energy PLC, the British independent energy company focused around the delivery of Projects that Matter, is pleased to announce that it has granted full university education scholarships to 50 students from Akwa Ibom State through the Savannah Energy Education and Internship Training (“SEE-IT”) programme.

The 50 students, who were selected through a rigorous screening process led by university professors, were presented with the scholarships during the SEE-IT 2023 Annual Teachers/Scholarship Awards held recently in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The SEE-IT scholarship packages cover full tuition, accommodation, textbook and living costs for the duration of the beneficiaries’ university education in Nigeria.

The SEE-IT programme is a collaboration between Accugas and the Inoyo Toro Foundation, a non-profit educational foundation based in Akwa Ibom State to enhance access to quality education in Akwa Ibom State.

The programme also presented awards to 19 secondary school teachers, three principals and five mentors of secondary school teachers, who have positively impacted their pupils in Akwa Ibom State public secondary schools. The awards covered five subjects namely, Biology, Chemistry, English, Mathematics and Physics.

Pade Durotoye, Managing Director, Savannah, Nigeria said:


Education is an important part of Savannah’s sustainability strategy, where our first pillar focuses on promoting socio-economic prosperity within the countries in which we operate. As a company, we have invested over US$1bn in Nigeria, especially in the South East, to deliver Projects that Matter. We are delighted and proud to be able to impact so many lives and I am particularly pleased that we are offering full university education scholarships to the 50 students until they graduate. We plan to add more students to the SEE-IT scholarship programme every year as we see this as an important investment in one of our country’s greatest future resources, the young people around us. What we are hoping to do, in partnership with the Inoyo Toro Foundation, is to support our society to deliver excellence in education, accessible not only to those who can afford the high fees in private institutions, but also to those in our public schools.”

His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno, Governor of Akwa Ibom State (represented by Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet, Honourable Commissioner for Education, Akwa Ibom State) said:

“This annual event has become a reference point in our Public-Private Partnership arrangements in the education sector of the state. It has registered impressive records since its inception, particularly in areas of scholarship awards to these loving students and the recognition of the immense contributions of hard-working teachers and principals of public secondary schools in the state. Your demonstration to launch a fully funded scholarship award to accommodate 50 students of Akwa Ibom State origin, admitted into public or private universities in Nigeria, as well as a conferment of excellence awards on teachers who excelled in the teaching of Biology, Chemistry, English Language, Mathematics and Physics, deserves commendation. I hereby urge other world-class individuals and organisations to rise to the challenge and emulate the laudable gesture of Savannah Energy, in collaboration with Inoyo Toro Foundation, by investing in the education of our children, who represent the future of our state and our country.”


SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/16/accugas-announces-award-of-university-scholarships-to-50-students-from-akwa-ibom-state/

In its commitment to expand across the West African sub-region and eventually the entire continent, Brandcom Awards, Nigeria’s most prestigious recognition platform in Integrated Marketing Communications has broken new ground by extending its reach to include the vibrant Ghanaian market.


The annual award which is aimed at celebrating the exploits and achievements of brands, agencies, and notable players that have gone the extra mile in making a great impact in the industry was held at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday, 4th of November 2023.

Speaking on the expansion, the convener of Brandcom Awards and Publisher of Brand Communicator, Joshua Ajayi said “At Brandcom Awards, we created a grand vision, and we have never relented in expanding the frontiers of this great Vision. This year, we have expanded the scope of our awards into the West African sub-region. This great continental journey that begins with this edition will see us consolidate massively in the coming years. We welcome all our international guests and winners to Lagos Nigeria.”

Access Bank Ghana, Unilever Ghana, Godrej Ghana, and GB Foods Ghana were some of the Ghanaian companies awarded at the event.


The Convener spoke further, “For more than half a decade, we have matched our vision with action, in elevating the Prestige, Integrity, and Credibility of the Marketing Communications Industry in line with our tagline.


“This responsibility of promoting excellence in the industry has firmly rested on our shoulders over the years, revealing the fact that we are absolutely committed to encouraging and supporting excellence and quality performance.”

Some outstanding brands like Access Bank, Flour Mills of Nigeria, SBC brands, CWAY brands, and others were awarded at the event

The event also witnessed the induction of three outstanding achievers in diverse areas of branding and Communications into the Brandcom Hall of Fame. They are Jimi Awosika, Vice Chairman, Troyka Holdings; Wale Adenuga, Founder of Wale Adenuga Productions(WAP) and Bola Akingbade, Former Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria.

These three great personalities have now joined the exclusive list of communication giants such as Biodun Shobanjo, Udeme Ufot, Seni Adetu, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Ayo Oluwatosin, Sir Steve Omojafor, Mrs Iquo Ukoh and other who were previously inducted into the Brandcom Awards Hall of Fame.

There was a special segment recognising the contributions of young and dynamic individuals within the IMC industry tagged top 35 under 35 marketing professionals. According to the Convener, “This year, we took the nudge in the nomination process higher. Our team of assessors followed a data-driven evaluation process that was designed to be consistent and objective, scoring each player dispassionately.”

Also, some outstanding CEOs were awarded at the event, they include Steve Babaeko, CEO of X3M Ideas; Isreal Jaiye Opayemi, MD/Chief Strategist of Chains Reaction; Gbenga Victor Afolabi, Founder of Eko Innovation Centre among others.

Other notable industry leaders present at the event were Mrs. Iquo Ukoh, Former Head of Marketing at Nestle Nigeria; Dr. Lekan Fadolapo, Director-General, Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON); Idorenyen Enang, President of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN); Lampe Omoyele, Managing Director/CEO, Nitro 121; and Segun McMedal, Former Lagos State NIPR Chairman; among others.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/12/brandcom-awards-set-for-continental-expansion-recognises-unilever-access-gb-foods-in-ghana/

Sahara Group Foundation, the Personal and Corporate Social Impact vehicle of Sahara Group, has reaffirmed its dedication to healthcare improvement by donating state-of-the-art medical equipment to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital in Edo State, Nigeria.


The donation is a fulfilment of Sahara Group’s pledge to give medical equipment provided by Sahara Group Foundation to shore up response operations at the ThisDay Dome COVID-19 Isolation and Treatment Centre in Abuja, a 360-bed facility that became the model for other isolation centres in Nigeria.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the isolation centre was decommissioned.



The Sahara Group Foundation formulated a strategy to distribute the medical equipment to healthcare institutions across the nation, with the aim of ramping up healthcare access and availability of ultra-modern equipment in tertiary health institutions.


In collaboration with Asharami Energy, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital was selected as one of the recipients of the medical equipment and supplies.


The equipment, including dialysis machine, automatic dialysis chair, suction units, monitors, oxygen tanks, medical bed, manual ICU medical beds and drip stand among others was officially handed over to the hospital management in a ceremony held at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital on November 6, 2023.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Ejiro Gray, Director, Sahara Group Foundation, emphasised the Foundation’s commitment to making a difference globally across the energy value chain by providing innovative and sustainable initiatives that enhance the value of living for individuals in its host communities.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/13/sahara-group-foundation-donates-health-equipment-to-ubth/

Fearless Energy Drink, the number one energy drink in Nigeria, is celebrating its recent recognition at the BrandCom Awards 2023, where it was awarded the “Most Outstanding Energy Drink in Consumer Engagement.”

The event was hosted by Brand Communicator, one of Africa’s most esteemed brands and marketing publications, and took place at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, on the 4th of November, 2023.

This accolade follows closely on the heels of Fearless Energy Drink’s recent triumph at the African Brands Congress, where it was honoured with the title of “Africa’s Most Preferred Non-alcoholic Energy Drink.” This continued success highlights the brand’s dedication to delivering excellence and ensuring consumer satisfaction.

Fearless Energy Drink’s success in the “Most Outstanding Energy Drink in Consumer Engagement” category underscores its exceptional performance during the review period from 2022 to 2023. The brand has consistently demonstrated its unwavering commitment to actively and effectively engaging with consumers, fostering deep and enduring connections that go beyond the product itself.


This award is the highest recognition achievement given to the energy drink brand that has excelled in actively and effectively engaging with consumers. The awards evaluate various aspects, including marketing campaigns, presence on social media, customer feedback and satisfaction, sustainability initiatives, community involvement, and innovative strategies that enhance the brand’s connection with consumers.


Kanyinsola Sangowawa, the brand manager of Fearless Energy Drink, emphasizes the brand’s commitment to prioritizing consumers. “We actively listen to their feedback, offer personalised experiences, provide exceptional customer service, maintain transparency, and celebrate significant customer milestones, all of which form the foundation of our customer-centric approach. Consistency is pivotal in cultivating robust customer relationships and fostering brand loyalty.”

Fearless Energy Drink continues to strive for excellence in delivering an exceptional experience to its consumers, and this award serves as a testament to the brand’s unwavering commitment to consumer engagement and satisfaction.



SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/13/fearless-energy-drink-continues-its-winning-streak-with-brandcom-awards-2023-recognition/

In continuation of its commitment to empower the girl child in select public secondary schools, Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s Best Digital Bank this week stormed the city of Kano, Abuja and Kogi to donate hundreds of school bags, uniforms, sandals, books and other educational items to indigent students.

Over the course of five days, officials of the Bank visited the Government Girls Secondary School, Kundila, Kano; the Junior Secondary School, Maitama, the Government Secondary School, Garki, both in Abuja; and the Fortune Schools International, Lokoja, Kogi State where they inspired the children to go give their best in school and not give up despite life challenges.

Speaking on the Bank’s commitment and its huge investment in the programme, Mr. Osazuwa Igbinoba, Polaris Bank’s Group Head, North 1 & Abuja, who represented the Bank at both presetation events, said that the programme was one of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) interventions, and noted that over time, it has partnered with several NGOs on the project.


“This project is the Girl Child Education initiative. The aim of the Bank is to support the Girl Child in Nigeria by empowering them. In the last few years, we have partnered with the Evolve Charity, and we have been able to distribute educational materials all over the country.

“Polaris Bank is also a member of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative working with UNESCO to sustain education in third world countries. According to available research, Nigeria has about 10 million out of school children, of which six million of them are girls. So, for us as an organisation, we thought of how we can contribute our own quota towards reducing the number of out-of-school children, and that’s how we came about partnering on this project with Evolve Charity. And our aim is to empower 50,000 children in five years and that’s why we are here”, Igbinoba said.


He disclosed that the programme, is in its third year, and has seen the distribution of vital educational items in schools in Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Kogi.

The Vice Principal Administration of Government Secondary School, Garki, Mrs. Onuoha Goodluck, thanked Polaris Bank for the donations, saying that it would help the children in many ways.

“Many of our children come from poor homes, where feeding is a problem, and paying school fees is even a bigger challenge for their parents”, she said. “Some of them are always ashamed to even bring out their school bags because of the state they are in. Now, with this initiative, you will see them in a different light from next week in their new bags, new school uniforms and new sandals. We thank Polaris Bank for this and for doing it yearly because they were here last year, and we saw the impact. May God bless you all.”

One of the beneficiaries, Fatima Kabir, a JSS3 student of Government Secondary School, Garki, said the gesture by Polaris Bank would aid her in her aim to become a lawyer in the future.

“I want to thank Polaris Bank because these school materials will assist me in my dream to become a lawyer and fight for justice for other girls,” said Kabir. “I know I can do it even though it will be hard, but with God and the support of others, it is possible.”

At the Government Girls Senior Secondary School in Kundila, Kano, the Polaris Bank team was welcomed by hundreds of excited students and teachers. They were happy to receive the items and cheered loudly when the beneficiaries were called out.

The Principal of the school, Aisha Shehu Yakasai, described the gesture from Polaris Bank as “timely and wonderful”.

“Our girls here struggle with getting to and from school because their parents have little money. Many carry their books in their hands and wear old uniforms, so these items are timely and wonderful. We are most grateful for this donation,” she said.

Speaking in the same vein, the Principal, Fortune Schools International, Lokoja, Kogi State, Mrs. Abu Omanyo Esther said “Our school benefited from this initiative last year and we are so elated to be among the beneficiaries again this year. The impact of providing these educational materials for this kids cannot be over-emphasised as without them, learning can become an uphill task. With a reported six million girl children out of school in Nigeria, all hands must be on deck to remedy the situation and this is why we thank Polaris Bank for this initiative”.

The Polaris Bank, Evolve Charity Girl Child Education school essential items presentation project train will be in Rivers and Imo states in the coming days.

Polaris Bank is digital-forward Bank dedicated to forging a customer-focused future through innovative partnerships that reshape individuals, businesses and communities.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/07/csr-polaris-bank-empowers-school-girls-in-abuja-kano-kogi/

MainOne, an Equinix Company, West Africa’s leading connectivity and data center solutions provider announces the launch of their expanded open access, carrier-neutral, Uptime Tier III standards Data Center, AB1.2, in VITIB, Grand Bassam, Cote d’Ivoire, in November 2023.

From the landing of its submarine cable to the launch of the initial data center in 2019, MainOne, An Equinix Company, has consistently delivered world-class connectivity, colocation, and interconnection services to support the technological requirements of customers in Cote d’Ivoire. This expansion aims to further empower digital transformation, foster innovation, and support the ever-increasing demand for data processing, storage, and connectivity in Cote d’Ivoire and Francophone West Africa.

Etienne Kouadio Doh, MainOne’s Country Manager in Cote D’Ivoire, proffers his view on the anticipated launch of the new data center by explaining that, “With this launch of our new data center in Cote d’Ivoire, we are entering an exciting phase of transformation for businesses as it delivers a great opportunity to welcome more customers into our rich digital ecosystem, interconnected to the major digital players in the region and delivering 100% uptime connectivity to internet. We expect this state-of-the-art facility to become a catalyst for digital innovation, providing a robust infrastructure for enterprises to thrive, and further reinforcing Cote d’Ivoire as the digital hub for the Francophone West African region.”

This expansion serves as an opportunity to accommodate more customers in Cote d’Ivoire, providing them with a bouquet of enterprise-grade digital solutions with access to global services and internet exchanges, including the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) hosted at the data center. This state-of-the-art infrastructure will deliver advanced security systems, cutting-edge technologies, global certifications, in-country expert support and the region’s largest interconnected ecosystem to guarantee peak performance. Following the company’s acquisition by Equinix, customers will also gain access to over 240 data centers in 32 countries across the world through secure and dedicated interconnection services at our data center via the Equinix platform.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/06/mainone-expands-data-center-footprint-in-cote-divoire/

The President Tinubu-led Federal Government held a crucial meeting with refinery owners on Wednesday to discuss concerns over the inadequate supply of crude oil for local refiners.


To enhance refining capacity, the government emphasised the necessity of meeting local crude demand. They also emphasised the readiness of the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery, which depends on a consistent supply of crude.

Gbenga Komolafe, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), an organisation under the Federal Government, disclosed these facts at the meeting with domestic refinery owners in Abuja.



“Good enough, we have Africa’s largest refinery, the Dangote refinery. It is now operational.


“We’ve received a request from the refinery to guarantee feedstock to the 650,000 barrels refinery, and we believe that as a nation, it will be a shame if we cannot meet the feedstock of the refinery.”


The major goal of the meeting was to work together to address the feedstock demands of domestic refineries and to make Nigeria a net exporter of refined petroleum products. The country is now a net exporter of unrefined crude oil.

Komolafe further said that the NUPRC had contacted crude oil companies, requesting information on the volumes of committed and uncommitted crude oil in various locations.

Nonetheless, several manufacturers have failed to comply with this rule. The information obtained will help the commission determine whether the non-committed quantities can currently meet the requirements for domestic feedstock.

Domestic crude oil refining would boost the pricing of refined petroleum products, according to Komolafe, thereby reducing the financial burden of fuel subsidies.

Despite having significant crude oil reserves, Nigeria has been a net importer of refined goods.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/11/02/crude-supply-fg-addresses-challenges-for-refineries/

The Isale Eko Descendants’ Union has extended warm congratulations to the esteemed Lagos community and beyond on the occasion of the 80th birthday of His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos.


In a press statement signed by its Chairman, Adeniji Kazeem, SAN, the IDU also announced the donation of medical supplies to the Iga Idungaran Community Health Centre to mark the birthday of the revered monarch.

The Union said the significant milestone is a testament to a lifetime of service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to their beloved community.


Born on October 29, 1943, HRM Oba Akiolu is a distinguished alumnus of Ansar-Ud-Deen Grammar School, Surulere, and a graduate of law from the University of Lagos. With a remarkable 32-year career in the Nigeria Police Force, he ascended to the position of Assistant Inspector-General of Police in 1999. His glorious journey led him to be crowned as the 21st Oba of Lagos on May 24, 2003, succeeding the late Oba Adeyinka Oyekan, who reigned from 1965 to March 1, 2003.


The IDU said Oba Akiolu’s legacy is deeply interwoven with the history and identity of Lagos, saying his reign has been marked by wisdom, grace, and a profound dedication to the well-being of his subjects. The group insisted that under His Majesty’s leadership, Lagos has witnessed remarkable growth and development, and the city continues to thrive as a centre of commerce, culture, and tradition.

The group said Oba Akiolu is celebrated for his benevolence, candour, and bravery, stressing further that the monarch’s impact on the lives and well-being of the people of Lagos and Nigeria is profound.

IDU added that the retired Assistant Inspector General of Police should also be celebrated for his modernization efforts at the palace, which include the construction of a guest house, library, and health centre, adding that the Iga Idunganran Health Centre, funded entirely by the Oba, provides free healthcare services to the community.

“He has also been instrumental in securing employment opportunities for numerous Lagos indigenes within the Lagos State, Federal Government, and private organizations. Additionally, he has been at the forefront of the return of properties belonging to Lagos indigenes, including the iconic Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, from the Federal Government.

“Our revered monarch has been a resolute and effective leader, ensuring peace and harmony in his domain through timely and astute guidance to his subjects and governmental bodies. Oba Akiolu’s reign has witnessed the progress of his subjects in all aspects of human life, including the attainment of the highest offices in the nation.

“As the traditional custodian of our heritage, Oba Akiolu has been a source of inspiration and guidance to Isale Eko and the wider Lagos community. His commitment to preserving our cultural heritage while also promoting progress and modernization is a testament to his visionary leadership.

K’ade pe lori,

ki bata pe lese

Ki ase pe lenu

Omo obalufon,

Omo erin jogun ola,

Omo Oba ado kenme, bini arokun tayo,

Omo oba ologunkutere asa logun,

Orisha ni e be ,

e ma be kutere,

Orisha a gba obi,

kutere a gba odindin ori eni,

omo atupa idunganran,

Igba odun odun kan ni oooooo Olowo Eko Baba Fuad

We wish His Royal Majesty, many more years of purposeful leadership as the Oba of Lagos, filled with good health and tranquillity,” Kazeem said

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/30/isale-eko-descendants-donates-medical-supplies-to-commemorate-oba-akiolus-80th-birthday/

Three outstanding achievers in diverse areas of branding and Communication are set to be inducted into 2023 Brandcom Awards’ Hall of Fame.

The three living legends are Jimi Awosika, Vice Chairman, Troyka Holdings; Wale Adenuga, Founder of Wale Adenuga Productions(WAP) and Bola Akingbade, Former Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria.

The Induction ceremony will be part of the 2023 Brandcom Awards night holding at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on the 4th of November, 2023. Outstanding brands, agencies, and marketing communications professionals would also be honoured at this event.

According to Joshua Ajayi, Convener of Brandcom Awards and publisher of Brand Communicator, “It has been our culture to celebrate and showcase excellence at our awards night each year based on our mantra of Prestige, Integrity, and Credibility and we are poised to take things higher this year.

“Inducting these outstanding giants who grew this industry, into the Brandcom Hall of Fame is our own little way of celebrating them. These individuals have impacted the growth of this dynamic industry in no small way,” he noted.


As Vice Chairman of the Troyka Group, Mr. Jimi Awosika is still very much in active service working with three huge companies namely: Insight Redefini , Optimum Exposures, and Halogen Security Company, among others.

His professional career started with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation where he worked as a Sub-Editor. By 1977, It was the challenge of advertising that attracted Jimi Awosika to Grant Advertising where he started out as an Account Executive.

Today, he has over 4 decades of experience in advertising and marketing communications and is recognized in the industry as a premium practitioner, who has handled top-notch brands and has contributed papers and practical demonstrations to the education of younger generations of industry professionals.

Akingbade who turned 70 recently is the former Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Nigeria. He is an amalgam of knowledge in diverse areas of commercial growth and brand-building of fast-moving consumer goods.

Akingbade has turned many sleepy brands into market leaders. He challenges conventional frameworks and has championed many award-winning campaigns that got MTN several laurels when he was the CMO.

Wale Adenuga is a veteran cartoonist, producer, and entertainment entrepreneur. His popular television station and production outfit, WAP has churned out many popular series like Binta and Friends, and Super Story, among others.

As a premium media player, he has built many brands in his three or four decades as an active player in the businesses of branding, entertainment, creativity, and media management.

After the induction, the three would join the exclusive list of communication giants such as Biodun Shobanjo, Chairman, Troyka Group, Udeme Ufot, Group Managing Director of SO&U; Seni Adetu, former Managing Director/CEO, Guinness Nigeria and Founder/GCEO, First Primus West Africa Limited; Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, Group Managing Director, CMC Connect Burson Cohn & Wolfe; Ayo Oluwatosin, Group Managing Director, Rosabel Group, Sir Steve Omojafor, Mrs. Iquo Ukoh, and others previously inducted into the Brandcom Awards Hall of Fame.
Brandcom Awards is an annual event that celebrates the exploits and achievements of brands, agencies, and notable players that have gone the extra mile in making great impact in the industry.

The award is also designed as the most credible and prestigious platform that recognizes, and rewards inspiring agencies, brands, and individuals in the marketing and communications industry in Nigeria.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/30/awosika-adenuga-akingbade-to-be-inducted-into-brandcom-awards-hall-of-fame/

Cadbury Nigeria Plc, a leading Nigeria’s FMCG company, has recorded a pre-tax profit of N4.30 billion in the third quarter of 2023, a 533.4% surge year-on-year from the N678.4 million recorded in Q3 2022.

This was revealed in the company’s financial statements for the period ending September 30, 2023. According to the organization, the revenue for the third quarter of 2023 was N23.59 billion, marking a significant 60.9% increase compared to the same period in 2022.

The company recorded revenue of N59.2 billion, during the 9 months ending September 30, 2023, and a 39% increase year-on-year from the N42.5 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2022.

However, the company recorded pre-tax losses of N10.24 billion during the nine months, a 355% decline from the figure recorded in the corresponding quarter in 2023.
Golden Penny Chicken Flavour 300 x 290

With an operating profit of N3.58 billion, the company recorded an operating margin of 58.9% in Q3 2023, an increase of 4048 basis points from the 18.4% recorded in the corresponding quarter in 2022.


The company’s pre-tax profit in Q3 2023 contributed to paring the huge pre-tax losses the company accumulated in the second quarter of the year.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/30/cadbury-nigeria-plc-records-n4-3-billion-profit/

Bearish sentiments were sustained on the Nigerian Exchange Limited as the market reacted to the Supreme Court’s judgment regarding the 2023 general elections cases leading to a loss of N67bn off its market capitalisation.


This marked a second consecutive day of negative trading on the local bourse.

Dragging the market cap was depreciation recorded in the share values of MTN Nigeria (-0.40 per cent), Flour Mills (-3.23 per cent), Stanbic IBTC (3.21), Computer Warehouse Group (-9.94 per cent, Fidelity Bank (-1.82 per cent) and 24 others.



The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which upheld the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 2023 election.


The All-Share index dipped by -0.18 per cent compared to its previous day’s -0.02 per cent decline. The index closed the day at 67,084.95 points while the market cap settled at N36.856tn.


Market Breadth which is the measure of investors’ sentiments was negative at 0.41x compared to its previous market breadth of 1.28x as 29 stocks depreciated against 12 gainers.

Transaction volume declined from 329.66 million to 267.65 million units of shares valued at N5.1bn which were traded 5,205 deals. The number of stocks that traded during the day’s session stood at 117.

Across monitored sectoral boards, the negative sentiment prevailed, with two out of five sectors closing in the red, two remaining muted, and only one sector experiencing gains. The Banking and Insurance indexes suffered the most setback, declining by 0.33 per cent and 1.82 per cent, respectively, driven by sell-offs in Stanbic, Prestige, Cornerstone Insurance, GTCO and Zenith Bank. However, the Consumer Goods sector grew by 0.12 per cent thanks to Nestle and Transcorp while the Industrial Goods and Oil & Gas indexes exhibited lull performances.

Some of the top gainers at the close of Thursday trading include McNichols whose shares appreciated by 8.93 per cent to close at N0.61, Oando gained 4.07 per cent to close at N8.95, UAC Nigeria’s shares by 6.09 per cent in value to close at N12.20, Chams gained3.65 per cent to close at N1.99, Nestle gained 2.94 per cent to close at N1,050 and Transcorp gained 2.75 per cent to close at N6.35 per unit.

The volume and value drivers of the day’s trading were led majorly by stocks of Fidelity, Chams, Nestle, AccessCorp, UBA and Stanbic.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/27/mtn-flour-mills-others-shave-n67bn-off-ngx-market-cap/

Eleven months after debuting in Nigeria, the number of fifth-generation subscriptions has increased to 1.8 million.

Based on information obtained from the portal of the Nigerian Communications Commission. Data shows that as of August 2023, 0.83 percent of all mobile subscriptions (220.36 million) were on a 5G network.

This amounted to 1.83 million mobile subscriptions when calculated.

The number of 5G subscriptions increased by 537.95% month over month from 286,698.4029 in July 2023 to 1,828,997.8438 in August 2023, despite a 0.079% decline in the nation’s total number of mobile subscriptions.

Only 0.13% (286,698.4029) of all mobile subscriptions (220.54 million) were on a 5G network as of July 2023. subscriptions to 2G.

Airtel Africa lost, and MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications came out on top. About a year later, Airtel Africa would eventually receive its license. MTN Nigeria began offering 5G service commercially in September 2022 in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri. 2022 September.

“5G will change everything,” MTN Nigeria’s Chief Executive Officer Karl Toriola said at the launch.

MTN has since taken the lead in the nation’s 5G rollouts. The company stated that 5.5% of people are now covered by its 5G in its second quarter report for 2023. Despite rollout events in Lagos and Abuja earlier this year, Mafab, which received its 5G license at the same time as MTN, has yet to launch commercially. Given that this is the operator’s first foray into operating mobile networks, concerns have been raised about its readiness for 5G.
Airtel Africa has commercially launched 5G in the nation despite arriving late to the party. The company teamed up with Samsung to release low-cost 5G enabled devices as well in order to increase its chances and penetration.


Nigeria’s 5G journey got underway in 2019 when the NCC announced that it would test the technology there for three months prior to final approval and rollout. There was a demonstration later that year, but the commission did not formally auction its first two 5G spectrums until December 2022.

Femi Oshinlaja, the Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Nigeria, said the following during the launch:



Nevertheless, more Nigerians are anticipated to adopt 4G first, and 5G’s growth won’t start to accelerate until later in the decade. According to a recent report from GSMA, 113 million 5G connections are anticipated in Nigeria and South Africa by 2030. By September 2023, 41% of South Africa’s population would already be covered by 5G.

With MTN’s data traffic increasing by nearly 50% year over year, the GSMA recently stated about Nigeria’s 5G network, “Expanding 5G coverage to additional sites will be important to enhance capacity.” Commercial 5G services were launched by Mafab and Airtel in January 2023 and June 2023, respectively. In addition, Airtel recently declared plans to invest $700 million over several years in its 5G network in Nigeria.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/24/11-months-after-launch-5g-subscriber-hit-1-8-million/

Syndicate Bio, a platform biotech driving genomics and precision medicine initiatives across the world’s most genetically diverse regions, announced today the signing of a pivotal Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] with Nigeria’s leading governmental research institution, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research [NIMR].

This landmark partnership sets the stage for transformative genomic studies in infectious and non-infectious diseases, aiming to deepen understanding of the diseases prevalent in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation while identifying targets for drug discovery.

Launched in 2023 by Founder Dr Abasi Ene-Obong, alongside co-founders Dr Jumi Popoola and Estelle Dogbo, Syndicate Bio is rapidly establishing itself as a critical player in the field of genomics research. Following its recent launch, the company aims to forge large-scale partnerships with governments, pharmaceutical giants, research and academic institutions and other stakeholders. Using genomic technologies, these partnerships will drive change in the local healthcare landscape through precision medicine while simultaneously generating invaluable datasets crucial for advancing drug discovery and development efforts. In line with its commitment to advancing healthcare through innovation, Syndicate Bio will leverage NIMR’s infectious and non-infectious disease capabilities, which include state-of-the-art laboratories and patient clinics, both at NIMR’s premises and across their partner networks.




This collaboration marks a rarity in Africa, where a private and a government-run public institution collaborates intensely for drug discovery. NIMR, established by an Act of Parliament in 1977, has spearheaded many studies as well as secured different levels of local and international grants, firmly establishing itself as a bedrock of medical research in Nigeria. NIMR’s pivotal role extends to developing viable structures for disseminating research findings and providing an enabling environment for health research and training in cooperation with federal and state ministries, universities, as well as national and international partners, such as Syndicate Bio.

In a significant move that endorses ethical and national interest, NIMR will provide robust ethical oversight through its internal ethics body and the National Health Research Ethics Committee [NHREC] in managing the data and samples generated by the research projects.

Speaking on the collaboration, Dr Abasi Ene-Obong, Founder and CEO of Syndicate Bio, said, “After several months operating in stealth mode, today marks a pivotal moment for Syndicate Bio. Our signed MoU with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research enables us to shift from stealth to actionable impact, empowering inclusive advancements in African genomics. This partnership not only validates Syndicate Bio’s strategy of forming ethical and transformative alliances but also lays the groundwork for a future where precision medicine is accessible to everyone, everywhere.”

Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako, Director General and CEO of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, added: “The NIMR’s partnership with the newly launched Syndicate Bio is a testament to what can be achieved when public research institutions and private innovation collaborate. NIMR hopes to bring its rich, robust experience in genomics and infrastructure to bear on the successful implementation of this much-needed collaborative effort. Together, we will harness the genetic diversity prevalent in Nigeria, and translate them into pioneering healthcare solutions tailored for both the local populace and the global community.”



Seeking to go beyond groundbreaking research, Syndicate Bio and NIMR are actively taking steps to bolster Africa’s scientific future. With this partnership, both organizations will launch targeted capacity-building initiatives focused on nurturing emerging scientists in Nigeria in order to equip them with advanced skills in genomics and molecular science. In doing so, the partnership is priming the next generation of scientists for success in a globally competitive field.


Dr Ene-Obong concludes, “Our strategic alliance with NIMR not only sets a new bar for public-private collaboration in drug discovery, it also serves as an urgent summons to invest in Nigeria’s next generation of scientists. Together with NIMR, we will establish a training program for young scientists in Nigeria, aimed at providing theoretical and practical knowledge of molecular biology, genetics and genomic techniques, thereby equipping them to drive Africa’s scientific narrative.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/20/syndicate-bio-signs-mou-partnership-with-nigerian-institute-of-medical-research-nimr/

The Africa Fintech Summit is proud to announce Flutterwave as the Lead Fintech Sponsor for its highly anticipated 10th-edition summit, set to take place in Lusaka, Zambia, on November 2-3, 2023. This partnership marks a significant milestone for both the Africa Fintech Summit and Flutterwave, showcasing their shared commitment to fostering innovation and growth within the African fintech ecosystem.

Flutterwave’s dedication to advancing the fintech industry in Africa has been unwavering, making the company a natural choice as the Lead Fintech Sponsor for this landmark event. Over the years, Flutterwave has consistently demonstrated its support for the summit and the broader African fintech community, contributing to the growth of digital financial services across the continent.

The Africa Fintech Summit, now preparing for its 10th edition, has become a pivotal platform for thought leaders, industry experts, policymakers, and innovators to converge, exchange ideas, and forge partnerships that drive financial inclusion and economic development across Africa. It has consistently provided a stage for discussing the latest trends, opportunities, and challenges in the fintech space.

Flutterwave’s COO, Bode Abifarin, expressed excitement about the partnership, stating, “We are honored to once again be the Lead Fintech Sponsor for the Africa Fintech Summit. The summit has played a crucial role in shaping the fintech landscape on the continent, and we are thrilled to continue our long-standing support. At Flutterwave, we believe in the potential of African fintech to transform lives and drive sustainable economic growth. We are committed to working together with the Africa Fintech Summit to create an even more vibrant ecosystem for fintech innovation in Africa.”

Some of Flutterwave’s recent accomplishments and developments that will be highlighted at the summit include:

1. Expansion into New Markets: Flutterwave continues to expand its presence and strengthen its foothold across Africa, facilitating effortless cross-border transactions for both businesses and individuals. Earlier in the year, Flutterwave secured two additional licenses in Rwanda: Electronic Money Issuer and Remittance Licenses, in addition to its Payment Service Provider license, enabling the company to strengthen its operations in East Africa.


The company recently disclosed that it is on track to expand to India via cross-border remittance partnerships with IndusInd Bank and engineering mobility collaboration with Capgemini.

2. Partnerships with Leading Institutions: Flutterwave has also recently sealed a flurry of partnerships that will either strengthen its capabilities to offer seamless payment solutions or extend its influence into multiple industries. A recent partnership includes a collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to simplify payments for airlines serving sub-Saharan Africa.

Others are the strategic partnership with Audiomack to support more payment modes and empower artists on the platform to monetize their work and collaboration with Token.io to power Pay By Bank transfer capabilities for SMEs on Flutterwave for Business while giving Token.io the opportunity to provide Pay by Bank payment method for businesses in Africa.



3. New and Enhanced Payment Solutions: Flutterwave has remained committed to rolling out solutions that will simplify payments for businesses and individuals in various contexts. The company recently launched Swap in partnership with Wema Bank and Kadavra BDC. Backed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, Swap addresses the challenges individuals and businesses face when they need foreign currency (FX). With the solution, Flutterwave is positioned to redefine the Nigerian FX exchange scene. It’s currently available only in Nigeria and will be rolled out to other African markets later. Flutterwave also rebranded its cross-border remittance solution from $end to Send App to facilitate easier, faster, and more affordable money transfers from people in the diaspora to Africa. The updated solution now allows users in the US and Canada to send money to Africa and access new recipient countries, namely Egypt and Senegal, bringing its coverage to over 34 countries since the launch in 2021.

4. International Recognition: As Africa’s leading payments service provider and most valuable company, Flutterwave has recently gained wider recognition marked by milestones such as the acceptance of Flutterwave CEO Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola into the prestigious Wall Street Journal (WSJ) CEO Council. This followed after the inclusion of Flutterwave CFO Oneal Bhambani into the Wall Street Journal’s CFO Network and further cemented the company’s place as a globally recognized institution.



All these indicate that Flutterwave is a company that is on the rise, and we could not be any more proud to have the payment giant as the lead fintech sponsor for AFTSLusaka2023.



The 10th Africa Fintech Summit promises to be an unforgettable event, bringing together over 600 industry decision-makers to discuss and debate emerging fintech trends, regulatory developments, and opportunities for collaboration. By partnering with Flutterwave, the summit aims to empower attendees to leverage the power of fintech to transform Africa’s financial landscape.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/17/africa-fintech-summit-announces-flutterwave-as-lead-fintech-sponsor/

Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited, a world-class agricultural company, is committed to growing agriculture in Oyo State and providing access to animal protein through its products at Akinyele, Awe and Ogbomosho Farms.

This is evident in Amo Farm’s array of products which consists of the Day-Old Chicks of Layer, Broiler, Noiler and Point of Lay Pullets for affordable protein consumption.

The top-notch Nigerian company, Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited, is poised to create a sustainable source of income for women in Africa through Noiler farming and enhance poultry production in Nigeria through its natnuPreneur Farmer out-grower program for natnudO.


Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, the Group Managing Director of Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery made this assertion during the visit of His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, to Akinyele and Awe farms on Monday, 9th October 2023.


At Akinyele, where the company has its abattoir, Governor Makinde was shown the automated abattoir where chickens are processed, packaged, and branded as ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat natnudO Foods, for sales in the country.

Also, at Awe, His Excellency was taken through the various chicken sites, the hatchery sections with day-old chicks, the egg units, and other parts which he was very impressed with.

The Governor was taken to a parent stock farm for broilers in Awe where he witnessed artificial insemination for female chickens for improved productivity, as one of the innovations of Amo Farm.


He also visited Amo Byng which is the feed mill arm of the group. He was shown the company’s innovation in locally fabricated machinery that could reduce the cost of importation of foreign machines and spare parts thereby reducing the cost of production in the poultry value chain.

After the tour of the facility, Governor Makinde commended the management for its innovative approach to agricultural advancement in Oyo State.

He said the pragmatic approach to making food available in the State and the country aligns with his administration’s stance in agricultural development. He further commended the company’s initiative of providing for over 1.3 million small-holder farmers, majorly consisting of rural women through the Noiler dual-purpose bird. “This has helped in boosting the economy of Oyo State,” he affirmed.

According to Governor Makinde, his administration would like to partner with Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery to further strengthen its drive to make animal protein available, not only in Oyo State but across the country. He promised to improve the electricity supply in the area and construct Akinyele roads to create improved access for agricultural development in the area.


In his remark, Dr. Debo Akande, the Executive Adviser to the Governor on Agribusiness and International Cooperation and Development who was also in the Governor’s entourage, said the company’s investment in agriculture is massive and calls for effective partnership, considering its significant contribution to the State’s development, through agriculture and job creation.

Mrs Itoro Awala-Ale, the Business Development Manager, at Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery, spoke on the natnuPreneur scheme, where farmers are trained, given technical support and access to quality inputs to raise birds that are off taken by natnudO. Through this process, over 6,000 poultry farmers have been trained across the country for market access for the brand.

She said “Governor Makinde’s visit is important to our company, as 70% of our operations are in Oyo State. We have also provided over 2,000 direct jobs to the people of the state, and our impact on other aspects of socioeconomic development in the area has been significant.”

Dr. Oduntan also said that the company has empowered over 1.3 million rural households with the innovative Noiler bird, with an emphasis on women. This has laid a solid foundation that could be multiplied to spread across the whole of the country, and even the rest of Africa.

Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited’s Noiler bird, a genetically improved dual-purpose chicken breed indigenized in Oyo State, is a nutritious and sustainable source of protein. It resembles and tastes like native chicken, but is resistant to diseases, and produces four times more eggs and three times more meat. Like its eggs, the Noiler’s meat contains all essential amino acids and is low in saturated fats and cholesterol.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/13/amo-farm-to-boost-agricultural-development-in-oyo-state/

Research by Kantar has ranked premium Scotch whisky brand Johnnie Walker as one of the top five most valuable UK brands.


According to the report, the latest achievement places Johnnie Walker, a first-time entrant, on the top five, joining the likes of Vodafone, HSBC and Shell. The premium whisky brand rose four places and grew its value to $10.9 billion – an increase of 17% on its 2022 level.

Commenting on the report, Adele Jolliffe, head of brand consultants at Kantar Insights UK, said: “What brands like Johnnie Walker, Dove and Burberry do especially well is fundamentally knowing who they are and what they stand for, while adapting to people’s changing behaviours and attitudes.



“We’ve seen some high-profile rebrands this year like Twitter to X and other businesses might be tempted to try something new as inflation bites, but organisations shouldn’t forget the value of the brand equity they’ve built up. This is absolutely not about standing still, but it is about understanding what consumers like about your brand, and protecting and investing in that.”

Mr. Jolliffe added: “Our data shows that brand – and brand difference in particular – is one of the most powerful tools a business has to justify its pricing. M&S Food is a great example of this. It has one of the strongest pricing power scores in its sector thanks to a consistent focus on shaping its reputation as a retailer with a difference. Ultimately, the future stars of marketing will be the people who really understand this link between pricing and brand building, and who use it to their advantage to drive profitability.”


The Kantar annual report combines carefully analyzed financial data with extensive brand equity research. A brand must originally have been created in the UK and be owned by an enterprise listed on the London Stock Exchange, or a recognised stock exchange, in order to qualify for inclusion.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2023/10/13/johnnie-walker-ranks-5th-most-valuable-uk-brand/