Rumours

Hmmmm

BlueBrothers:
Goos one TVC

BlueBrothers:
Goos one TVC

Uber everywhere

mccben4:
that's is how its supposed to be not like Lagos govt collecting money for waste disposal

i agree to an extent

Good platform

Thank you for the update

ok

Good one

The Lagos State Government has ordered owners of buildings erected on drainage alignments and channels in several upscale areas to vacate their properties or face forceful demolition.

Some of the affected areas include:

1. Dolphin Estate,

2. Osborne Foreshore Estate,

3. Lekki,

4. Osapa London,

5. Ikota,

6. Ogombo and

7. Ikoyi.

The announcement given by the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, comes as the aftermath of devastating floods that put several lives in danger and wrecked severe damage on properties in the state a few weeks ago.

However, this step coming several weeks after the damage caused by the floods raises questions about the issue of regulation of construction in the state.

Several of the affected buildings have been erected for years, with no one bothering to ascertain their compliance with existing regulations. Instead, Governor Ambode came out to blame the low tax compliance level for government’s inability to control the situation.

While the orders, if followed thoroughly, might solve the issue of flooding, it only goes on to increase fears about the likelihood of other disasters happening due to delayed government action.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/flooding-lagos-govt-marks-7-highbrow-estates-for-demolition/

Maps give clarity.

A quick recap.


Yaba, a town in Lagos Nigeria, has been billed to become “Nigeria’s Silicon Valley” — the primary tech startup cluster for Nigeria. This status culminated in Mark Zuckerberg’s visit to Yaba.

Mark Essien, founder of Hotels.ng recently raised the observation that a number of companies like Konga and Andela had moved out of Yaba and raised the alarm that something needs to be done or else the “Yaba is Nigeria’s Silicon Valley” dream would fizzle away.

As a result, I can sense some “panic” about Yaba “failing” and there has been an assembly of stakeholders that want to work to ensure Yaba does not “fail”.

This post is my position after thinking about it for a bit.

—

I’ll start with a question:

If all the software startups in Yaba today had a “blank cheque” to choose any place in Lagos to have an office and it would be given to them free for the next 5 years, where will they choose?

Yaba? VI? Ikoyi? Lekki? Ikeja?

Would Yaba rank 1? 2? 3? 4? 5?

Let’s sweeten the offer. In addition to having a blank cheque to chose an office anywhere in Lagos, all employees of the company will be guaranteed free accommodation a maximum of 30 mins from the office.

Where would Yaba rank now?

What would happen to Yaba if this offer is expanded across Nigeria? Africa?

To be the best tech cluster, you have to be the best place to live and work for the most talented of people. At least the best place in a geographical area or region.

Why?

That’s where the best people and companies will gravitate to eventually.

Today in Lagos or Nigeria, is Yaba that place?

I don’t think so.

A good counter argument could be “Why not make Yaba become what we want it to be?”

My response to that:

Does Yaba have what it takes to be THE place for tech entrepreneurship in Lagos or Nigeria? Should it?

What Does Yaba Have; To Give?

Nemo dat quod non habet — You Cannot Give What You Do Not Have.
I quite like that the title of this post “what does Yaba have to give” is polysemic — open to multiple interpretations. What does Yaba have to give could mean what is Yaba’s capacity and at the same time, what shouldYaba’s capacity be.

The size of Yaba is at best 18 km² while that of Lagos itself is 3,577 km²

In comparison, San Francisco is 121.4 km² and San Francisco is just one of the cities that make up the San Francisco — Silicon Valley amalgamation (Bay Area) which is about 18,000 km², which is one of the tech clusters/cities in the United States.

[San Francisco wasn’t even part of the original Silicon Valley. The talent merely gravitated to the nearest best city to live]

Is it feasible for the new “industry” of a “megacity” like Lagos or a massive country like Nigeria to focus on developing 17km² as THE tech cluster?

What will happen when 300 companies move into Yaba? When Yaba is the only place with loads of fibre and consistent electricity? Will any of the present residents be able to afford it?

Can Yaba even afford to absorb 500 companies? 10,000 employees?

Here is a summary reality as I see it; people will at present move to where they aspire to as they become more successful. If by a stroke of luck, Yaba becomes better than VI or Ikoyi then 85% of the startups in Yaba presently, will not be able to afford Yaba.

In fact, at the current rate without displacing anywhere, Yaba will soon become out of the reach of the average young company. It’s the reality of demand and supply.

We need to start thinking beyond Yaba.

This means including other towns in Lagos as part of one Lagos tech area that needs development and concurrently working with other cities and towns in Nigeria to be credible alternatives for tech clusters.

What Does Yaba Have To Give?

I no longer buy the idea that Yaba is failing just because people are moving out after getting to a particular size or success. I don’t even buy that Yaba is failing at all. What has been achieved in Yaba championed by Bosun and the folks at CcHub is impressive. However, it is important we do not lose sight of the bigger picture of developing Nigeria through technology.

Here’s an excerpt from a blogpost by the folks at Basecamp (formerly 37Signals)

It’s ok for software to be “temporary.” Everything else is temporary, why not software? You probably don’t use the same computer you did 5 years ago. You probably don’t live in the same apartment or have the same car either. And you may be in a different relationship too. Why are software companies afraid if people grow out of things after awhile?
It’s ok for startups to outgrow Yaba. It is ok for there to be alternatives.

What I think Yaba should focus on is to be the best in what it can be considering the reality as I have outlined above. Yaba can focus on perhaps being the best place to start out in Lagos? Nigeria? Africa? It can be a model that should be imitated across board. It doesn’t have to be the only one. It shouldn’t be the only one.

[BTW, why is Yaba always being treated differently from the rest of Lagos? Even Surulere that fuses with Yaba is seen as different. Shouldn’t the startup companies and components in Lagos (Ikeja, VI, Lekki, Ikoyi etc) be part of the same structure at a minimum? I think they should]

It is important to point out the need of concurrent development of our various aspiring tech clusters, because I see a number of people in Lagos being dismissive or at worst, not being encouraging to the burgeoning technology ecosystems in Port Harcourt, Enugu, Jos, Kaduna, Abuja etc. Because “we have not finished with Yaba yet”.

I disagree with that approach.

The reality is this, Yaba’s “competition” for attracting Nigeria’s talent isn’t in Nigeria. Nigeria’s competition in attracting and retaining talent isn’t on the continent.

With an amount less than the cost of a Master’s degree in the UK/US/Canada, Africa’s best technical brains have France available to them not to talk about the other western countries using sweeteners to attract the continent’s best in the name of Startup Visa. Why should they stay in Africa talk less Yaba? That should be the bigger picture to be addressed.

As I said in a previous post, to be the best company, you have to position yourself globally and be able to attract the best.

The same goes for our techosystem if it wants to be the best.

To conclude, my primary suggestion suggestion is: the Yaba Manifestoshould be modified to at least, encompass the Nigerian techosystem as a whole. And the aim should be in working to give multiple places in Nigeria the chance to compete, to at least, be the best place to live and work on the continent.

Because it is beyond Yaba.


SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/what-does-yaba-have-to-give/

Unilever’s 3% organic sales growth was slightly below analyst projections for the second quarter, but the company handily beat expectations on earnings and margin thanks to lower agency and production costs. Still, the world’s second biggest ad spender plans to step up new-product launches and media in the second half.


Here are five key takeaways from today’s earnings announcement by the marketer of Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s and Seventh Generation.

Marketing cuts are coming faster than others. Unilever in April said a third of its three-year $7 billion cost-cutting plan would come from marketing and overhead. In the first half, however, nearly a third of the cutbacks came just from marketing, and half from marketing and overhead combined. Overhead cuts included a 13% reduction in middle and senior managers, which meant fewer people to greenlight new ads.

Agencies and production spending are taking a big hit. Absolute spending on agency fees fell 17% in the first half, thanks partly to making fewer ads and keeping them running longer until they stop working, said Chief Financial Officer Graeme Pitkethly on an investor conference call.

Production costs are falling thanks to several tactics. TV production spending fell 14% in the first half. That’s not just from fewer ads. Pitkethly said Unilever is also saving money by offshoring production to places like South Africa, bucking prior company and industry trends by using more, rather than fewer, production companies, and doing more digital production in-house.

Lower marketing spending boosted profit. Unilever’s first-half operating margin fell 1.8 percentage points, better than analyst expectations, thanks to a 1.3-point reduction in marketing. That comes after a 0.5-point margin improvement last year was fueled by 0.4 points from marketing. CEO Paul Polman said on an investor call Thursday that marketing cuts aren’t to blame for sluggish volume growth, which he blamed primarily on hiking prices in emerging markets to compensate for currency devaluations.

Media spending will bounce back. Despite all those agency and production cuts, marketing spending – at least on media – will rebound in the second half, which will get around 60% of Unilever’s new-product launches for the year. Pitkethly said overall marketing spending will be “about flat” as a share of sales for the full year, suggesting a second-half increase on par with the $350 million first-half decrease. Since pressure on agency and production fees remains, that means a big hike in media.

Even there, Unilever is cutting back selectively, such as digital spending in Southeast Asia, where it “oversaturated” consumers, Pitkethly said. And in a media call, Polman said, “We don’t see anything we’re worried about in terms of competitive media spend” on a country-by-country basis.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/unilever-cuts-agency-fees-and-production-costs-but-a-media-surge-looms/

The sole representative of the Toyota brand in Nigeria, Toyota (Nigeria) Limited, has been honoured with the Outstanding Auto Brand of the Year for the performance of its vehicles in the Nigerian market. The award was presented to the company at the Marketing Edge Awards held recently in Lagos.


In a statement after the ceremony, the management of the company said the award further testified to the superior quality of the Japanese brand and justified the several awards it had been earning annually at other related ceremonies. To emerge the winner, the brand beat keen competitors on durability, elegance/comfortability, fuel economy, aesthetics, variety (of models), distribution network/availability and perceived Nigerian-ness.
Toyota also excelled in customer experience after-sales, ease of maintenance/driving pleasure and customer loyalty.

The statement noted that Toyota remains the number one brand in the automobile market in Nigeria, consistently maintaining the position for over 10 years. The feat, it further claimed, was attained only by the unrelenting commitment of the management and staff, to continuously better standards for customer satisfaction and after-sales service delivery.

Toyota said, “The formidable after-sales delivery of the company is hinged on our thoroughbred technicians that receive training both internationally and locally to remain relevant, competent and outstanding in the ever-evolving world of technology.

“Toyota’s pledge is to continuously better their products and services through innovative products, thereby cultivating a lifetime relationship with customers and enlisting their trust in the brand.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/toyota-wins-outstanding-auto-brand-of-the-year-award/

tripleY:
Uber Everywhere

That song

Yeah it is

ok

delishpot:
Maybe I should join the sesame seed gang. I can do logistics for export.

Good move .

Good report

Lagos is a bustling state in the south western region of Nigeria.

It’s a popular state in the country and widely known as the “city of hustlers”, the “city of action” or more formally as the “center of excellence”.
Lagos is the go-to state for a lot of Nigerians to make their lofty dreams come true, but as exciting as the state is, there are a couple of unusual things about it.

Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares five unusual things about Lagos.

The rush to board a bus
Especially during the early morning rush on most weekdays, the struggle of Lagosians to board a public bus is one usual thing that might be quite difficult to comprehend. The rush presents itself as a war-like scenario with people ready to engage in a fierce battle with one another for a coveted seat in the bus, regardless of the collateral damage. Some of these people don’t even mind risking their own lives or physical well being as they are quick to jump in front of moving buses in the process of the struggle.

The consequence of change scarcity
Lagos is one of the few places, especially when boarding buses, that you have to be very mindful of the value of the currency you are carrying. You might have more than enough money to cover your transport expenses, but if the value is too high it can attract the same insult and aggression that not having enough money might attract. It is indeed strange. The best thing is to do what you can to have the exact currency value you need for your transport expenses or something relatively near it. The bus conductors that collect these transport fares can get unrealistically aggressive if that’s not the case.

The driving
It seems most drivers that ply Lagos roads are auditioning for some kind of African Fast and Furious spin-off because their unreasonable, illogical and sometimes straight up dangerous approach to driving remains a marvel to many. There is a popular and widely believed saying that ‘once you can drive successfully in Lagos, you can drive anywhere’; and there is nothing closer to the truth than this saying.

The professional beggars
Lagos doesn’t have conventional beggars, there seems to be beggars of all types and forms roaming the Lagos streets. From the well-dressed phonetic speaking young man that will walk up to you with tales of being stranded, to the scruffy looking woman that frequents the same spot for over a year begging for a dying child on admission in the hospital, you’ll soon realize that Lagos has it all. Sometimes, it seems like these ‘professional’ beggars disregard the fact that God has graciously given us all common sense and we all can make use of this common sense to put two and two together and realize when certain things about their emotional and heart-wrenching tales don’t check out.

The law enforcement agents
Well, the law enforcement agents are not actually the unusual ones but their attitudes most definitely are. Law enforcement agents readily board public vehicles without paying, turning a blind eye to the traffic rules broken by these drivers. On alighting from the bus a few moment later, the same law enforcement agents are seen zealously booking other public vehicle drivers for breaking the same traffic rules they just turned a blind eye to. The police, army, navy, air force, Man O War and LASTMA are all beneficiaries of this free transport.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/five-unusual-things-about-lagos-jumia-travel/

interesting

ok

See strategy, Emotional pleaaa

booked.

1. RETURN TO REALITY


Planning for tomorrow but making sales today

Car brands, which a year ago peered into a crystal ball in search of a future about mobility, looked closer to home and responded to the immediate needs of consumers, many of whom bought large, gas-consuming SUVs, even as they proclaimed their concern about climate change. Similarly, the oil and gas brands continued drilling, while shifting to gas and renewables. Both cars, and oil and gas brands operate in the same tension: sustaining a business based on supplying customer needs today, while anticipating, and helping to create, the world that customers say they want to live in tomorrow. And both industries require long-term strategic planning, heavy forward investment, and complicated bets that rely on consumer research, climate science, and unknowable geopolitical factors.

2. TAKING A STAND

Geopolitical upheaval leaves no place to hide

Until last year, most brands could avoid cultural discord. The surprise outcomes of the UK Brexit vote and the US election made avoidance more difficult. Because people in the UK, US, and elsewhere were evenly split, brands potentially risked pleasing half of their customers and alienating the other half. Niche brands that shared the values of their customers had less of a dilemma. Mass brands with clearly articulated purpose and values had more permission to speak out. Even then, however, it was safer to frame a point of view in a larger societal context, rather than in divisive politics. Brands across categories could not ignore the power of people to express themselves in the voting booth—or at the cash register. Even oil and gas brands, which typically communicate primarily to a narrow group of influencers, thought more about their consumer-facing brands and the power of consumers to influence public policy.

3. PURPOSE

Faster value growth depends on Purpose

Geopolitical discord, and the question of whether brands needed to take a stand, made Purpose more important. Consumers, especially young people, expected brands to have a clear Purpose, often a higher Purpose about not only improving consumers’ lives, but even improving the world—or at least not harming it. Purpose needed to be the foundation for future growth, not a retrofitted explanation for past growth. BrandZ™ Vital Signs, a new brand health assessment tool, found that Brand Purpose serves as the foundation for four other Vital Signs: Innovation, Communication, Brand Experience, and Love. Brand with a clear Brand Purpose (seen as making lives better) grew three times faster in value, on average, over the past 12 years.

4. COLLABORATION

Brands combine competencies

The emergence of technologies such as the Internet of Things and autonomous cars accelerated collaboration between business-to-business and business-to-consumer technology brands. Car and technology brands linked to improve connectivity, using smartphone data to personalize cars with adjustments to seats, steering wheels, and entertainment systems. Sometimes category disruption or brand ambition required more than collaboration, as when e-commerce giant Alibaba partnered with Bailian Group, a Chinese retailer that operates over 5,000 stores. After many collaborations to build up its e-commerce strength, Walmart, with over 11,000 physical stores, took the next step and acquired the e-commerce startup Jet.com.

5. CITY CENTRIC

Mutual interests define markets

Global and local combined in a new way. As evidenced by the Brexit vote and the US national elections, political opinions that divide nations also reveal cross-national affinities. Similarly, when shopping for products or services in categories as diverse as apparel, banks, beer, cars, and insurance, young people living in Brooklyn, Shanghai, or the Shoreditch section of London share more in common with each other than they do with people living in rural areas of their own countries. These cross-national affinities represent large potential brand opportunities. Brands looked at their markets through this new demographic lens.

6. CONSOLIDATION/ FRAGMENTATION

Categories defy laws of physics

Opposite market forces pulled on categories that consolidated at the same time they fragmented. In beer, AB InBev and SABMiller combined, while more craft beers appeared. In insurance, Ace purchased Chubb at the same time that new InsurTech brands proliferated. In oil and gas, Shell digested recently acquired BG, but smaller operations developed fracking technology to drive down the threshold for profitability, which was critical with historically low oil prices.

7. PREMIUM/ LUXURY

Commoditization drives brands to premiumization

Brands shifted to the premium—even luxury—end of the market to avoid category commoditization and build margin. Beer and personal care brands introduced premium products globally. Mass brands in the car category featured safety and entertainment technology that a few years ago would have been available only in luxury models. In 2017, luxury brands comprise over half the BrandZ™ Car Top 10 ranking, compared with just over a third in 2006. During those 12 years, the proportion of luxury brands in the Personal Care Top 15 shifted from around a third to almost half. Even luxury became more luxurious. Hermès, one of the most exclusive luxury brands, increased 18 percent in value year-on-year, significantly surpassing overall 4 percent category growth.

8. NEW/OLD

Young pursue retro as antidote to modern

At the same time young people sought the newest, fastest app, they also expressed a need to slow things down. As young people listened to digital music with earbuds, they bought more vinyl records. While taking photos with smartphones, millennials desired a cool vintage SLR camera. Craft beer and craft cola represented this retro style. Clothing from the 90s was “in.” And high-top sneakers were popular. Adidas increased in value 58 percent, more than any other brand, in part because its classic sneakers were perfectly on-trend.

9. LOYALTY

Brands seek sellable moments

Proliferation of choice, price promotion, and the entrance of niche disruptor brands are among the reasons that loyalty was difficult to cultivate. In addition, loyalty was not always fashionable. For self-expression, apparel customers preferred to mix and match, curating a personal style rather than wearing the same brand or designer head to toe. Similarly, personal care shoppers looking for the newest products chose from a wide selection of brands. Responding to this purchasing promiscuity, brands tried to reach consumers at the exact right moment to trigger a sale, increasingly on mobile.

10. RETURN OF THE STORE

Interactive and smaller, stores are back in style

E-commerce still rules. Retailers in mature markets continue to close excess real estate. But stores are back. Physical stores—smaller, convenient, interactive, and loaded with technology—became an important expression of brand experience, especially in categories like apparel and luxury. Adidas launched a women’s studio with fitness classes in London. A Lululemon Lab store opened in New York. The online eyeglass brand Warby Parker opened more physical locations. Despite the rise in FinTech, bank branches remained an important way to personalize the consumer relationship and build trust. Shell gas stations continued to become a place for shopping on the way home or for dropping off or picking up parcels. Even Hermès experimented with pop-up stores. And the ultimate confirmation that physical stores are important came from their nemesis, Amazon, which opened a book store and prepared to open Amazon Go, its chain of automatic-checkout grocery stores.


SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/cross-category-trends-10-trends-that-impacted-category-value-change/

Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE / Euronext Paris: PM) today announced its 2017 second-quarter results.


“Our quarterly results were robust with, as expected, sequential improvement in our volume performance, as well as strong currency-neutral net revenue growth of 7% versus last year,” said André Calantzopoulos, Chief Executive Officer.

“IQOS, our flagship smoke-free alternative, continues to perform exceptionally well, supported by further recent successful market launches, notably in Korea. In the quarter, shipments of Marlboro HeatSticks represented over 40% of our total shipments in Japan, where we recorded a national share of 10%. To date, more than 2.9 million adult consumers have already stopped smoking and switched to IQOS.”

In the quarter, PMI’s total shipment volume of cigarettes and heated tobacco units decreased by 5.0%, principally due to: Asia, notably Indonesia, as well Pakistan and the Philippines, reflecting ongoing declines of primarily low-margin cigarette volumes; and EEMA. The net impact of inventory movements in the quarter was immaterial.

PMI’s cigarette volume decreased by 7.5% due to: the EU, principally Germany and Spain, partly offset by France; EEMA, mainly Russia, Saudi Arabia, mainly reflecting the implementation of a new excise tax, Turkey and Ukraine, partly offset by North Africa; and Asia, principally Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and the Philippines. The decline was partly offset by growth in Latin America & Canada, principally Mexico.

The decline in PMI’s cigarette shipment volume was partly offset by higher heated tobacco unit shipment volume of 6.4 billion units, up from 1.2 billion units in the second quarter of 2016, driven by Japan.

Year-to-date, PMI’s total shipment volume of cigarettes and heated tobacco units decreased by 7.1%, or by 6.3% excluding net estimated inventory movements, principally due to: Asia, notably Indonesia, as well as Pakistan and the Philippines, reflecting ongoing declines of primarily low-margin cigarette volumes; and EEMA.

PMI’s cigarette volume decreased by 9.4% due to: the EU, principally Italy and Spain, partly offset by Poland; EEMA, reflecting declines across the Region, notably Russia and Ukraine; Asia, principally Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan and the Philippines; and Latin America & Canada, principally Argentina, Brazil and Canada.

The decline in PMI’s cigarette shipment volume was partly offset by higher heated tobacco unit shipment volume of 10.8 billion units, up from 1.6 billion units in the first six months of 2016, driven by Japan.

Reported diluted earnings per share of $1.14, down by $0.01 or 0.9% versus $1.15 in 2016
Excluding unfavorable currency of $0.11, reported diluted earnings per share up by $0.10 or 8.7% versus $1.15 in 2016 as detailed in the attached Schedule 13
Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $1.14, down by $0.01 or 0.9% versus $1.15 in 2016
Excluding unfavorable currency of $0.11, adjusted diluted earnings per share up by $0.10 or 8.7% versus $1.15 in 2016 as detailed in the attached Schedule 13
Total cigarette and heated tobacco unit shipment volume of 199.9 billion, down by 5.0%
Cigarette shipment volume of 193.5 billion units, down by 7.5%
Heated tobacco unit shipment volume of 6.4 billion units, up from 1.2 billion units in 2016
Reported net revenues of $19.3 billion, up by 1.5%
Net revenues, excluding excise taxes, of $6.9 billion, up by 4.0%
Excluding unfavorable currency of $195 million, net revenues, excluding excise taxes, up by 7.0% as detailed in the attached Schedule 10
Reported operating income of $2.7 billion, down by 1.2%
Operating companies income of $2.8 billion, down by 1.1%
Excluding unfavorable currency of $199 million, operating companies income up by 5.9% as detailed in the attached Schedule 10
Adjusted operating companies income, reflecting the items detailed in the attached Schedule 12, of $2.8 billion, down by 1.1%
Excluding unfavorable currency of $199 million, adjusted operating companies income up by 5.9% as detailed in the attached Schedule 12
2017 Six Months Year-to-Date

Reported diluted earnings per share of $2.17, up by $0.04 or 1.9% versus $2.13 in 2016
Excluding unfavorable currency of $0.11, reported diluted earnings per share up by $0.15 or 7.0% versus $2.13 in 2016 as detailed in the attached Schedule 17
Adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.13 were flat versus 2016
Excluding unfavorable currency of $0.11, adjusted diluted earnings per share up by $0.11 or 5.2% versus $2.13 in 2016 as detailed in the attached Schedule 17
Total cigarette and heated tobacco unit shipment volume of 377.9 billion, down by 7.1%
Cigarette shipment volume of 367.1 billion units, down by 9.4%
Heated tobacco unit shipment volume of 10.8 billion units, up from 1.6 billion units in 2016
Reported net revenues of $35.9 billion, up by 0.1%
Net revenues, excluding excise taxes, of $13.0 billion, up by 2.0%
Excluding unfavorable currency of $315 million, net revenues, excluding excise taxes, up by 4.4% as detailed in the attached Schedule 14
Reported operating income of $5.1 billion, down by 2.1%
Operating companies income of $5.3 billion, down by 1.6%
Excluding unfavorable currency of $211 million, operating companies income up by 2.3% as detailed in the attached Schedule 14
Adjusted operating companies income, reflecting the items detailed in the attached Schedule 16, of $5.3 billion, down by 1.6%
Excluding unfavorable currency of $211 million, adjusted operating companies income up by 2.3% as detailed in the attached Schedule 16
2017 Full-Year Forecast

PMI revises, for currency only, its 2017 full-year reported diluted earnings per share to a range of $4.78 to $4.93, at prevailing exchange rates, versus $4.48 in 2016. Excluding an unfavorable currency impact, at prevailing exchange rates, of approximately $0.14 for the full-year 2017, as well as the favorable tax item of $0.04 recorded in the first quarter of 2017, the forecast range represents a projected increase of approximately 9% to 12% versus adjusted diluted earnings per share of $4.48 in 2016 as detailed in the attached Schedule 20
This forecast anticipates net revenue growth, excluding excise taxes, of over 7%, excluding currency and acquisitions
This forecast does not include any share repurchases in 2017
This forecast excludes the impact of any future acquisitions, unanticipated asset impairment and exit cost charges, future changes in currency exchange rates, and any unusual events. Factors described in the Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements section of this release represent continuing risks to these projections

Click here to download the full report…

https://brandspurng.com/philip-morris-international-inc-pmi-reports-2017-second-quarter-results/

and T-boss the ambassador

Power Inverters are Electronic gadgets that converts energy stored in a battery to AC current that will power your appliances. Their major selling points are their low noise and emission free operations as well as their convenience. This article will guide you on how to buy an inverter for backup power in the home or in the office.


First, Reality Check

The first question to ask yourself is do I actually need an inverter? This question is important because while inverters are alternatives to power generators they are not quite as versatile.

The first challenge for a power inverter is that you need to charge the batteries.

You need electricity to charge the battery of your power inverter and if you live in a country like Nigeria where public power supply is not steady you may not get enough public power supply to charge your battery, which could result in poor performance of the inverter or inability to use the inverter at all.

The ideal person to buy a power inverter is someone who has at least 12 hours of public power supply per day or someone who already has a power generator, but wants a noise free alternative.

For example, I use my power generator during the day (if power supply becomes epileptic, though thankfully in the past couple of weeks power supply have been stable in my area so my generator have been resting for weeks now, though I still warm it up every 10 days) and use my power inverter at night because they operate at low noise and are night-friendly. The generator also charges the inverter battery while it is on.

Now that power has stabilised (up to 12 hours per day) in my area I now use just the power inverter to meet the shortfall in supply.

However, if you are in an area with less than 12 hours of public power supply, it will not make a lot of sense to buy an inverter, except you also have a power generator or you are willing to invest in a solar power system with solar panels.

It is also important to note that a power inverter is more suited for resistive loads like your household and office electronics like TVs, Computers, Printers, lights, etc.

Power Inverters are not best with inductive loads, so if you are going to be operating lots of machines with motors in them, a generator may be better, except you can find an industrial grade inverter.

Inductive loads like Refrigerators, Freezers, and Air conditioners can be powered by an inverter, just make sure you buy an inverter with high enough capacity and capable of handling their high start currents.

For example, the starting current of a refrigerator could be up to 3 times its current in normal operation. S0, a 200w refrigerator requires up to 600w to start. A/Cs are even worse.

Your Power Needs

Once you are sure you need to buy an inverter, the next stage is to calculate your power needs. Simply note the gadgets that you will be operating with the power inverter.

For example, typical load may be 1 TV set, 1 decoder, 1 DVD player, 1 Fan, 1 Laptop, 3 light points.

Then note the power ratings of each of the gadgets. You can find the power rating on the back or side of the gadget. You can also check the manual of the gadget. For example for the load above, the rating could be:

1 TV set (100w)
1 Decoder (20w)
1 DVD Player (20w)
1 Electric Fan (70w)
1 Laptop (20w)
3 energy efficient light points (90w)
Total Load = 320w
The next step is to get a VA equivalent of the power, which if we assume a power factor of 0.8 gives 400 VA (i.e. 320/0.

After calculating your total load, the next step is to derate the power inverter to create some allowance for flexibility and to ensure it does not over work itself.

To derate, just multiply your total load by 2. In the example above 2 x 400 = 800VA. So, you will buy an inverter with a power rating of 800VA or higher like an 800VA Inverter.

You may also decide to multiply by 3 to give more operation allowance for the Power inverter. Note that the aim of derating is to ensure that your inverter does not operate at full-load or near full-load, which will ensure the longevity of the device.

Type of Battery

You don’t just buy an inverter, you also need to buy an inverter battery as that is where the power inverter derives its energy.

The best battery for your inverter is the SMF deep cycle inverter battery. SMF stands for Sealed, Maintenance Free. Though you can use the normal car battery, but they emit poisonous fumes which could have long term impact on your health. This means an SMF battery can be installed indoors making them very convenient.

Another type of battery to use if you do not mind some maintenance is the tubular battery, which are also deep cycle batteries, but require some maintenance.

They require less maintenance compared to car batteries. Tubular batteries are not advisable for installation indoors as they are not completely sealed and could be emitting gases.

deep cycle batteries last longer than regular car batteries because they are optimised for the loading characteristics of power inverters.

They may cost more, but we recommend you buy an SMF deep cycle battery for your power inverter. If you are looking for cost effectiveness and do not mind some maintenance, go the tubular deep cycle battery.

Number of Batteries Required

An inverter is usually rated in this pattern X VA/Y V, where X is the rated power output and Y is the input voltage required.

For example an 800 VA/12 V inverter will give output power of up to 800 VA and require an input voltage of 12V. Similarly, a 1.5 KVA/24V inverter will output 1.5 KVA (1500 VA) and require 24V input.

Since batteries usually come in 12 volts voltage, the 800 VA/12 V will require a minimum of one 12V batteries, while the 1.5KVA/24V inverter will require a minimum of two 12V batteries connected in series.

In the same vein, a 3.5KVA/48V inverter will need a minimum of four 12V batteries. When you buy an inverter, make sure you know the minimum number of battery required.

What Battery Capacity

Batteries come in different capacities. The higher the capacity, the longer a battery can last before getting discharged, given similar loading.

A 200 Ah (Ampere-Hour) battery is recommended though a 100 Ah or 150 Ah battery can be managed.

For example, for our example load above (400VA), a fully charged 200 Ah battery can theoretically deliver 6 hours of power while a fully charged 100 Ah battery can only manage 3 hours.

Note that these are theoretical values, actual values may be less (as we ignored inverter efficiency and our power factor is assumed).

To increase the capacity and use time, you connect more batteries in parallel or reduce the load on the inverter.

For example, connecting two 200 Ah batteries in parallel will result in a theoretical energy capacity of 400 Ah and increase the theoretical use time to 12 hours. Note that to connect batteries in parallel you must account for the input voltage.

So, a 12V input inverter will require one 12V battery in each parallel set, a 24V input inverter will require two 12V batteries in each parallel set, a 48v input inverter will require four 12V batteries in each parallel set and so on.

Hence, a 48v input inverter will require eight 12v batteries for 2 parallel sets and twelve 12V batteries for 3 parallel sets.

Where to Buy Power Inverter

Some inverters come with solar energy support. These inverters enable you connect solar panel(s) to your inverter and tap from the free energy of the Sun. This type of inverter is called a Solar Inverter.

The Solar Panel charges your battery ensuring you have enough energy when needed. Depending on the capacity of the Solar panel, it can charge the battery, while still providing power for your appliances. Solar inverters can also charge your batteries via generators or public power supply.

Note that if you do not buy a solar inverter, you can still upgrade a regular inverter for solar energy by buying a solar charge controller.

If you buy a Solar Inverter, you will not need to buy a solar charge controller separately, since they come with solar charge controller built-in

You will have to buy the solar panels separately. If tapping energy from the sun is important to you, buy a solar inverter outright. However, you can always buy a regular power inverter and upgrade for solar energy anytime you want.

Inverter Installation

Except, you have above average electrical skills, you will need a technician to install your inverter. Thankfully, some retailers and online stores that sell inverters offer options with the installation kit, making installation easier for you or a trained technician.

The installation accessories come from the manufacturer of the inverter which ensures everything works well. When buying an inverter it is always advisable to takeup the installation kit.

The cost of the installation kit may be incorporated in the cost of the inverter or you will have to pay separately for it. Make sure you are present to inspect the installation.

Make sure that the cabling connecting the inverter to the battery is as short as possible. This will reduce energy losses.

It is also important to know that a lot of current moves (it could be double or triple digits) from the battery to the inverter, so make sure everything is properly sealed with no naked wires to prevent electrocution.

Installation cost for inverters ranges from 5,000 to 25,000 Naira depending on the complexity of the system.

Inverter Pricing & Brands

Pricing of inverters for home and office ranges from around 21,000 Naira to 700,000 Naira depending on power output and level of sophistication.

This does not include the battery. A 12V 100 Ah SMF Battery costs around 75,000 Naira, while a 12V 200 Ah SMF battery costs around 125,000 Naira. You will need from one to more than eight depending on your setup.

Want to buy an Inverter? Some popular brands in Nigeria include Sukam, Prag, Innova, Mercury, CyberPower, Luminious, Tripp Lite, Bluegate, etc.

There goes our guide on how to buy a power inverter, if you have more questions or insight :

https://brandspurng.com/how-to-buy-an-inverter-for-backup-power/

INTRODUCTION
Most motorists must have had terrible encounters with some filling stations. Such encounters range from being ripped off by petrol attendants while filling up your tank, or you get to incur some unplanned expenses in repairs as a result of poor quality fuel in some of those filing stations.


HOW DO YOU IDENTITY A FILLING STATION WITH A POTENTIAL THREAT TO YOUR “POCKET”?

Here are some points I have gathered from my experience.
Feel free to add your experience in the comment section. *Please, it should be limited to FUEL QUALITY, and not price hikes.

1. Low patronage.
These days, you’ve got filling stations springing up daily to service a particular neighborhood.
Because of the stiff competitions here and there right now, some filling stations aren’t able to compete.

WHEN YOU DON’T SEE LOTS OF MOTORISTS COMING THERE TO BUY FUEL, THAT’S A FLASH POINT FOR YOU.

That’s to tell you, it’s either the quality of fuel being sold isn’t up to standard (may have been adulterated and/or contaminated, causing engine wahala).

People would patronise filling stations, especially when they know they’d derive maximum benefits (for their car, and perhaps, their pockets too).

2. Complaints from motorists.
A direct source of such complaints would come from commercial drivers more often.
You could incidentally here an angry commercial driver, whose bitter about the economic loss his suffering as a result of breakdown of his car from buying bad fuel. When you get wind of such info, ask questions. Such as, where was the fuel purchased, and what was the name of the station.

3. Beware of filling stations acting as a franchise.
Some of these filling stations do not adhere to the strict standards of their umbrella company as well as that of regulatory bodies. What they seem to be interested in is to make maximum profit at the expense of motorists.

CONCLUSION
With the proliferation of filling stations here and there, it has become imperative to ensure that you patronise stations where you’d have better service delivery, and not where, because of time constraints, decide to buy poor quality fuel, that in the long run would create a deep hole in your pocket(s).

Being vigilante and observant is the key.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/how-to-identify-a-filling-stations-that-sells-poor-quality-fuel/

British Airways (BA) will be introducing a bigger and better Boeing 747 to its London-Lagos route from September.


Mr Kola Olayinka, British Airways commercial manager in Nigeria, said this in a statement released by Nosakhare Emma-Iyamu from Quandrant MSL Group, the agency that handles the airline’s media.

Olayinka said that each of the Lagos Boeing 747 fondly referred to as the ‘Super High J Aircraft’ within the BA’s family would have 14 seats in its first class, 86 in business class, 30 in world traveller plus and 145 in world traveller.

“The new aircraft are larger than the Boeing 777s which the airline currently operates and will add an extra 343 seats a week on the busy route between London and Nigeria’s commercial capital-Lagos.

“The newest aircraft with well refreshed interior, and the state-of-the-art entertainment system, also have a larger Club World cabin with 86 lie-flat beds and choice of the upper deck cabin for our dedicated business class customers,’ Olayinka said.

He said that some of the aircraft had begun flying on popular BA routes to New York, Chicago, Johannesburg, Dubai, Boston, Riyadh, Kuwait, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington DC from London.

Olayinka also noted, “We know customers who fly in these aircraft will appreciate the improved interiors, with their mood lighting, updated seating and the new entertainment system.”

He added that the aircraft were equipped with Panasonic’s next-generation eX3 entertainment system.

He said these would give BA’s customers a choice of over 1,300 hours of entertainment that would include over 130 movies and 400 TV programmes on larger, high-resolution screens, with touch and swipe functionality, giving the system the familiar feel of using a tablet.

“As part of the upgrade, customers in world traveller plus will now have access to a universal power socket at every seat, capable of accepting plugs from the UK, US and Europe.

“In addition, world traveller customers will have their own USB sockets to power phones and tablets,’’ he said.

He said that its seats in the world traveller’s section had been upgraded to ensure customers’ comfort.

He said that flight numbers and schedule would remain the same with BA75 departing Heathrow at 11:30 a.m. and landing in Lagos at 1755p.m.

He said that the return service operates as BA74, would depart Lagos at 22:55p.m., to arrive at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 at 05:25a.m., the following morning.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/british-airways-introduces-new-boeing-747-to-lagos-route/

This scheme makes sense ehn, if only u know.
If u dey work and u no get am, ur benefits r not complete.