₦airaland Forum

The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Abia State have led a number of other southern states as food prices soar to record levels in 2022.

This is according to data from “selected food prices” reports by the National Bureau of Statistics during the period in review.

The reports show that food prices have risen highest in the FCT, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers, and Edo states in 2022. Further analysis showed that the southeastern region has recorded the highest food prices in the country.

Prices of food items observed within this period included staple foods such as rice, beans, yam tuber, tomatoes, agric eggs, bread, beef, among others. Findings by The PUNCH also showed that food prices witnessed significant price increases across the board in the year 2022.

For example, the average price of 1kg of tomato rose on a year-on-year basis by 30.79 per cent from N347.47 in October 2021 to N454.46 in October 2022. Similarly, the average price of a bottle of palm oil increased by 33.22 per cent from N727.21 in October 2021 to N968.76 per cent in October 2022.

Abuja, Abia Lead As Food Prices Soar – Report
This soaring food prices comes just as the NBS disclosed that 62.9 per cent of Nigerians — nearly 133 million people — are multidimensionally poor.

Speaking with The PUNCH, the Lagos chapter Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr Femi Oke said factors such as logistics, increased demand, as well as government’s unwillingness to invest in large scale cultivation of certain agricultural products are the reason behind soaring food prices in the country.

He said, “Diesel and fuel are affecting logistics and transportation. Most of these products are coming from the north. They will factor in their transportation.

“Diesel is almost a thousand naira per litre right now. It will affect food prices, and the Nigerian government is not doing anything about it. Why is the government not doing something strategic to curb grain importation? In the last ten years, if we deliberately invested in grain or wheat, by now we would be producing and not importing. This is what is happening to us. There is no family in Nigeria that does not take grain or wheat. What is the government doing about it?”

Commenting on the reason why food prices have been higher in the southeast, Oke noted that social tensions and frequent farmers-herders clashes have negatively impacted farming activities in the region.

He added, “When you don’t allow your people to go to the farm. With the sit at home, people are afraid to go to the farm.

“Fulani herdsmen, herder-farmers clash is also rampant in the east, coupled with the climatic change, almost all the farmlands have been washed away. This is the reason behind the current food prices.”

On his part, the president of the Premium Bread-Makers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onuorah agreed with the statistics body’s data that bread price had witnessed an increase of 36.68 per cent in 2022.

He said, “The increase could have been worse. It could have been up to 50 per cent. But if we do 50 per cent, you have to balance it.

“If you don’t balance it, you will go out of business. Our own production, our capacity utilisation has dropped by 70 per cent. Before, in my bakery, I was doing 110 bags (flour). Today I’m doing 30, 40 bags. I had 150 workers. Today I have just over 40 workers. I was doing two to three shifts. Today I’m doing one shift.”

In a recent report titled ‘Africa’s Inflation Among Region’s Most Urgent Challenges,’ the International Monetary Fund said Nigeria and its Sub-Saharan counterparts are facing one of the most challenging economic environments in years, marked by a slow recovery from the pandemic, rising food and energy prices, and high levels of public debt.

According to the IMF, with food and energy accounting for half of the household consumption in sub-Saharan Africa, living costs across the region have spiraled. It estimated that 12 percent of the region’s population will face acute food insecurity by the end of this year.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/19/abuja-abia-lead-as-food-prices-soar-report/

Stanbic IBTC Holdings, a member of the Standard Bank Group, made donations of non-food relief items worth 20 million naira to 650 families. The donations were made in support of the Nigerian government’s efforts to provide relief to victims of the recent flood disaster that had affected Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers States.
Dr Demola Sogunle, Chief Executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, stated that the donations were in response to the humanitarian crisis caused by floods in some parts of the country.

The relief items which included mattresses, pillows, mosquito nets, blankets, buckets, and bowls were presented to the representatives of the state governors.

The Chief Executive expressed that Stanbic IBTC commiserates with the people and the governments of Kogi, Anambra, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states on the loss of human lives and properties.

He added, “as an organisation that prides itself on driving corporate social responsibility interventions, we were concerned about the negative impact of the floods on the socio-economic activities in the states. Our aid program was aimed at supporting displaced persons in IDP camps with women and children being the most vulnerable, thus, we provided them with relief goods that will prepare them for their return home.”

The support from Stanbic IBTC support came as the Federal Government had said that the floods had affected over 3 million people.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/20/stanbic-ibtc-donates-to-hundreds-of-families-affected-by-floods-in-affected-states/

Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) imposed limits on weekly cash withdrawals from automatic teller machines (ATMs) by individuals and corporate entities in a bid to boost digital payments.

In a circular, the bank said the highest amount of cash that can be withdrawn per week is N100,000 for individual customers and N500,000 for corporate customers. However, those who intend to take more than that must be ready to part with a 5 per cent processing fee for individuals and a 10 per cent fee for corporates.

The daily maximum withdrawals from a point of sale (PoS) terminal were also set at N20,000 by the apex bank.

On January 9, 2023, the new rule will come into force.

Brand Spur Nigeria understands that its goal is to increase the number of transactions conducted electronically while reducing the amount of physical cash that is used in the economy.

This is not going down well with Nigerians, both bank users and POS operators, who believe it is almost the end of the road for them.

The CBN has said it came up with this policy to increase the use of digital financial transactions, which it believes Nigerians are not embracing despite efforts to encourage them.

Despite this hurdle to cash withdrawals, Nigerians can still withdraw more than the CBN cash limits, only that they must fulfil some requirements listed below.

To take more than the N100,000 and N500,000 caps, a customer must provide a valid means of identification like a national ID, international passport, driver’s license, or permanent voter’s card (PVC).

In addition, the customer would have to provide his/her Bank Verification Number (BVN) and a notarized declaration of the purpose of the cash withdrawal.

Finally, the customer would have to submit written approval from the company’s Managing Director for corporate drawee.

When all these are provided, the bank will process them and obtain the approval of the chief executive for the money to be released to the customer.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/15/how-to-withdraw-above-cbn-cash-limits/

Business owners in Nigeria have begun to devise means to limit the intake of old naira notes following the commencement of new naira noted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) today, Thursday, December 15, 2022.

Brand Spur Nigeria reports that last month, precisely on November 23, President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the newly redesigned N200, N500, and N1,000 banknotes at the State House in Abuja.

The higher denominations of the local currency were redesigned by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) after obtaining approval from President Buhari.

The action, according to the Governor of the central bank, Godwin Emefiele, was taken to have control over the currency in circulation and also to tackle counterfeiting.

The apex bank said it observed that of the N3.2 trillion in circulation, about N2.7 trillion was not in the banking system, indicating over 80 per cent. To address this issue, the Naira was redesigned.

At a briefing in Abuja on October 26, 2022, Emefiele said the old and new notes would remain valid until after January 31, 2023, when the old notes would cease to be legal tender in Nigeria.

At the unveiling of the new banknotes, it was stated that they are embedded with security features that would be difficult to break by counterfeiters.

It is expected that banks will begin to give out the new Naira notes at over-the-counter (OTC) and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

However as the new naira notes is set to get into circulation, business owners across Lagos have expressed worries at the ease of doing business with the recent CBN policies including the cash withdrawal limits and the time frame for the phasing out of the old naira notes.

In a chat with Newsbreak Nigeria, Keshinro Adeola, a POS operator in Ogba axis of Lagos state said she will start devising means to limit her intake of old currency so that she is not faced the stress of having to rush into the bank to make deposits when the new notes go into circulation today.

“I will devise means to limit intake of the soon-to-be-phased-out old currencies, as i don’t want to have difficulties visiting the bank later on,” she said.

On his part Okechukwu a foodstuff seller at Sunday market said despite the fact that he will still be collecting old notes, he’ll rather customers do transfers when they come to buy foodstuff.

“I will start giving customers the option of making transfers so that i do not get to hold too much cash,” he said.

He however said that he will however not refuse old notes until the government set deadline is up.

Adenike Arowolo a cold room operator at Ojodu Berger axis of the state like Okechukwu said she will first sell the option of POS and transfer to customers, making physical cash collection the last option.

“Except you are with the new notes I’d rather customers make payments with POS or cash transfer, not like i will not collect cash, but it will be my last option,” she said.

However, Adeshina Ajose a business analyst explained that business owners will have to face a lot of stress with cash circulation, going with the recent cash withdrawal limit policy and the recently redesigned naira notes.

“While business owners will be limited to a certain amount of cash when the new CBN withdrawal policy goes into effect, they also do not have an option of keeping cash at hand as the deadline for the use of old notes will force them to make deposits at the banks,” the analyst said.

He suggested that the only way for business owners to solve the problem of cash circulation in their business is by targetting new naira notes which might indirectly start making them reject old notes.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/15/business-owners-devise-means-to-limit-intake-of-old-notes-as-new-naira-notes-hit-circulation-today/

Nollywood sensations Toyin Abraham and Destiny Etiko have been unveiled as brand influencers of Quickteller, a leading consumer digital payments platform, powered by Interswitch, in a bid to expand its message of convenient and secure payment to a wider audience.

The unveiling ceremony, which was held at Interswitch’s office on Monday, December 12, 2022, kicked off with the signing of contracts, and had in attendance representatives of the company’s Group Marketing and Corporate and Communications department, who welcomed the actresses into the Quickteller family.

Speaking on the unveiling, Priscilla Iyari, Brand Manager, Quickteller, Interswitch Group, noted that as a brand that takes the business of payment convenience seriously, there is an ever-increasing need to ensure that more Nigerians become aware of the opportunities that abound with Quickteller.

Iyari shared, “We are thrilled to have Toyin Abraham and Destiny Etiko as part of the Quickteller family where we will work together to get their fans and even more people to join our expanding family, while getting more Nigerians to explore the possibilities and benefits that come with being a part of this ‘Everything Is Possible’ community.

“At Quickteller, we are keen on providing Nigerians with an easy life, and we are relentless in our efforts in ensuring that this message reaches a wider pool of Nigerians who seek easier ways to conduct daily transactions and pay their bills.”

Quickteller continues to place high value on payment convenience through its online and mobile payment channel that enables Nigerians to make electricity bills payments, airtime and data top-up, TV cable subscription, buy and rent homes, book flights, among others.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/13/quickteller-unveils-toyin-abraham-destiny-etiko-as-brand-influencers/

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has released the list of 34 primary mortgage banks through which retirement savings account (RSA) holders can access a residential mortgage.


A mortgage is used to purchase or maintain a home, land, or other types of real estate.

The commission made this known during a media retreat organised by the Pension Funds Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) in Lagos over the weekend.

The event was themed ‘Pension: An opportunity to own your own home, an x-ray of the new RSA plan on home ownership’.


Out of the 34 mortgage banks, 19 are in Lagos, seven are in Abuja, two are in Akwa-Ibom, and the rest are in other parts of the country.


The banks are Abbey Mortgage Bank PLC, AG Mortgage Bank PLC, Aso Savings and Loans PLC, Brent Mortgage Bank, Centage Savings and Loans, City Code Savings, Coop Savings and Loans, Delta Trust Mortgage Bank, First Trust Mortgage and FHA Homes Limited.

Others are First Generation Homes, Gateway Mortgage Bank, Global Trust Mortgage, Haggai Mortgage Bank, Imperial Homes, Infinity Trust and Jigawa Savings and Loans Ltd, among others.

PenCom, under its mortgage guidelines, said that the names of mortgage lenders that meet the eligibility criteria of its guidelines would be published on its website on a bi-annual basis or when any new licence is issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

On his part, Ibrahim Kangiwa, head of investment department, PenCom, said participants under the contributory pension scheme (CPS) must have contributed for five years cumulative of employer and employee’s mandatory contributions to be eligible for acquisition of residential mortgage.

In September, PenCom issued guidelines to allow contributors of CPS to access part of their RSAs for payment of equity contributions for a residential mortgage.

It specified that the maximum amount to be withdrawn is 25 per cent of the total mandatory RSA balance as of the date of application, irrespective of the value of equity contribution required by the mortgage lender.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/13/pencom-approves-34-lenders-for-mortgage-scheme-full-list/

For their respective initiatives geared towards bridging the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) gap through impact investment in climate, circularity and the future of sustainability, The Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility Awards (The SEARS CSR Awards Africa), has announced Dangote Group, HIS Towers and BUA Group as the most responsible businesses in Africa at the 16th edition in Lagos recently.
To emerge winners of The Industry Awards 2022, which is also known as Most Responsible Business in Africa category in The SERAS CSR Awards Africa, Dangote Group amass 105 points to emerge in first position, HIS Towers scored 100 points to come second while BUA Group through Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative, (ASR Africa) got 82 points to emerge third in 2022.

Announcing the outcome of the panel of judges, the founder/CEO of The SERAS CSR Awards Africa, Mr. Ken Egbas said that these three organisations outperformed over 26 other organisations in the areas of climate, circularity and approach to the future of sustainability in Africa therefore, they deserve to get gold for doing good.

Speaking to the theme: Climate, Circularity, and the Future of Sustainability: Bridging the SDGs Gap through Impact Investing, the executive director at TruCSR/The SERAS CSR Awards Africa, Mary Ephraim said, “CSR and sustainability have gone through their evolution. From philanthropy (the era of being back) to CSR (the era of giving back) to sustainability (the era of going back), and now to circularity (the era of bringing back.)

“Through these various seasons, prosperity has never been a norm absent in Africa. Despite all the problems we face as a continent, capitalists have remained largely happy. Entrepreneurs have continued to be productive. Our peculiar challenges have given rise to innovation as never seen before. For the first season in our human history, we face an existential threat to our ability to live on this planet,” she said.

Furthermore, she stated that “Before now, the conversations had been about how we could leave a befitting world for our children to inherit. But at the moment, it is how we as parents can live so that our offspring get the opportunity to survive. This is why we chose the theme,” Ephraim added.

Apart from the most responsible business in Africa category, CEO of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu defeated the 2021 winner, MD/CEO of Zenith Bank, Ebenezer Onyeagwu, CEO, NBC Matthieu Seguin and CEO of HIS Towers Nigeria, Mohammad Darwish to win CEO of the Year while Cima Sholotan of HIS Towers, Nigeria emerged Africa Sustainability Professional of the Year.

Other nominees in the Africa Sustainability Professional of the Year category include Caroline Oghuma of Multichoice, Nigeria, Babatunde Dawodu, Nigerian Breweries and Diana Ondoga of Stanbic Bank, Uganda

Other organisations that won laurels at the 16th edition of The SERAS CSR Awards Africa in different categories include Nestle Nigeria that defeated Coca-Cola Company, Nigerian Bottling Company, Dangote Cement and Dangote Sugar to win Best Company in Circular Economy category.

For best in environmental stewardship; IHS Towers emerged winner ahead of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nestle Nigeria, Coca-Cola Company, ABSugar and International Breweries Plc. Again, Nestle Nigeria picked Best Company in Rural Population Integration ahead of International Breweries, FMN, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Airtel and Upfield.

In the Best Company in Poverty Reduction category International Breweries won ahead of Zenith Bank, Dangote Fertilizer, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Dangote Sugar, Bank of Industry and HIS Towers while Coca-Cola Company won Best Company in Promotion of Good Health/Well-Being.

In Best Company in Partnership category, HIS Towers emerged winner, Airtel won in education intervention, Dangote won in reporting and transparency, Zenith Bank won best work-place practice, FMN won in stakeholder engagement and not-for-profit of the year went to Biodun & Ibukunle Foundation.

9mobile emerged winner of Deborah Leipziger Africa Prize for Innovation, Bank of Industry won best company in diversity, equity and inclusion, NASCO picked best company in gender equality/women empowerment, Int’l Breweries won Social Enterprise of the Year.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/12/dangote-ihs-bua-emerged-2022-most-responsible-businesses-in-africa-at-seras/

Africa’s leading pan-African payments company, Cellulant won three prestigious awards at the just concluded National Communications Awards in recognition of its contribution to driving innovation and Ghana’s digitization agenda. The company was also recognised for its leadership in driving online and offline payments with its digital payment platform, Tingg.

The Awards, which celebrate and reward excellent communication and digitalisation companies, teams and professionals, are Ghana’s biggest gathering of the Communications, Digitalisation and Media Community. The Awards are a high-impact development communications programme developed and produced by RAD Communications Limited to champion communications, digitalization, and organizational and national development.

During the Awards Gala held at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana on the 3rd of December 2022, Cellulant won the “Most Innovative Payment Service Provider of the Year”, the Tingg payments platform was recognised among the “Top 20 Innovative Technology Telecom Products in Africa for 2022” and Cellulant’s Country Manager in Ghana, Eric Kortey won the “Outstanding Payment Service Provider Business Leader of the Year”.

Speaking on the recognition, Eric Kortey stated, “As more money flows online and more people use digital finance apps and services, cashless transactions have grown significantly in Ghana during the past two years. Ghana’s mobile money market was worth $92 billion in 2021, and estimates indicate that it could grow to $494 billion by 2027. Cellulant has a significant market opportunity to provide these digital solutions to businesses and their customers. 2022 has been a fantastic year for us in Ghana as we have scaled the business and built an ecosystem that allows businesses to pay and be paid. This award is an ode to the amazing efforts Cellulant’s team makes to integrate digital payments into the fabric of everyday life in Ghana.”

Eric Kortey, Cellulant’s Country Manager in Ghana, has been at the company since 2018 and has led the Ghana business since April 2021. He has led the team in implementing and driving the Group’s strategy decisions within the market. He holds a Master of Science degree in Development Finance from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics with Mathematics from the same university. In May 2022, Kortey was recognized by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) UK for his hard work and professionalism. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICA) in Ghana.

In 2021, Cellulant Ghana was granted a Payments Service Provider License, enabling the business through Tingg to aggregate merchant services, process financial services, acquire merchants, deploy POS systems, and aggregate payments for banks and institutions as well as the general public. Its proximity in-store payments solution, which enables businesses to take payments from any mobile network, is one of its offerings. Jumia, Kikuu, Bolt, Star Oil, Zen Petroleum, Papa’s Pizza, and Telefonika are some of Cellulant’s clients in Ghana.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/08/cellulant-ghana-recognised-as-the-most-innovative-payment-service-provider-in-2022/

To achieve a safer cyber ecosystem, organizations must embrace synergy, information sharing and full disclosures of attacks. This was the consensus opinion of stakeholders and industry experts at the annual Information Security Society of Africa – Nigeria (ISSAN) Cybersecurity Conference in Lagos.


President of FinTech Association of Nigeria (FinTechNGR), Ade Bajomo said to adequately address the rising rate of cyber-attacks, organizations should embrace collaboration and information sharing on cyber breaches. According to him, keeping silence on the part of organizations that had been attacked would not help others, stressing that full disclosure, synergy and information sharing on reported cyber-attacks and how it was managed would guide other organizations to put preventive and counter measures in place. He called on organizations to constantly upgrade their technology to counter cyber-attacks, urging them to have data backup.

The Co-founder/Chief Visionary Officer of Digital Encode, Dr. Adewale Peter Obadare, while expressing his views at the panel session, made case for collaboration amongst stakeholders, noting the need to strike the balance between the investments in people, technology, and processes to fight cyber-attack and fraud. He further stated the need to build cybersecurity intelligence quotient, which will comprise of Augmented Intelligence to check what is happening on the system real time, Anticipatory Intelligence to analyse what could happen, and Assistive Intelligence to determine what needs to be done. He recommended that digitization, digitalization and digital transformation should be addressed.



In a paper titled: Understanding and Addressing Data Privacy in the Banking and Financial Services World, Managing Director, CyberTechNX, Dr. Austine Ohwobete spoke about vendor risk assessment and individual management, while taking a holistic look at the organization’s environment as a means of identifying and curbing cyber threat incidences.

In his welcome address, ISSAN President, Dr. David Isiavwe said the conference was devoted to further expose the new threats and trends in the cyber security space and also offer practical steps on what businesses and individuals need to know and do to check the rising tide of the activities of cyber-criminals. He observed that cyber attackers are getting more sophisticated globally, which is an aftermath of Covid 19 pandemic, stressing that greater awareness must be created to minimize attacks on businesses that may result in losses by various organizations.



Further, Dr. Isiavwe who is also General Manager at Ecobank made case for customer awareness as well as collaboration by all stakeholders. Other speakers at the conference include Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Digital Jewels Limited, Mrs Adedoyin Odunfa; Founder & CEO, Mint FT Innovative, Mr. Similolu Akinnusi; Chief Information Security Officer, First Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Harrison Nnaji and Managing Partner, Technology Advisors LLP, Basil Udotai, Esq; Others are Group Head, Customer Fulfillment Center, UBA, Mr. Prince Ayewoh; Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Financial Services Limited, Mr. Stanley Jacob; Sales Director (Africa), OneSpan Europe, Mr. Nicholas Poire and Field CTO, OneSpan Europe, Mr. Dan Mcloughin.



ISSAN is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection of Nigeria’s cyberspace specifically and the entire cyberspace in Africa, generally.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/09/stakeholders-advocate-synergy-information-sharing-for-safe-cyber-space/

The good people of Ondo State, particularly Akure will not forget the 27th of November in a hurry; this was as the city was agog with the maiden edition of the 2022 Leadership Excellence And Dignity Awards, which held at the Dome International Conference Center.

The award ceremony which was chaired by the Deputy Governor, Honorable Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa was well attended by notable personalities from within and outside the State.

The event kicked off with the presentation of a powerful and inspirational speech by the First Lady of Ondo State, Arabirin Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu. Her Excellency, who was the guest speaker at the event, while speaking on the theme of the day, Rewarding Tenacity, An Example for the Next Generation… urged the young people to avoid shortcut to success. According to her, it is better to endure difficult times and be determined to succeed in their endeavors, by setting goals.

While encouraging the younger generation of Nigerians to set goals for themselves, she acknowledged that the country is blessed with incredible youthful talents, Mrs. Akeredolu charged them to focus on the future rewards of hard-work, rather than seeking shortcuts to success that has short-term gain. Her words: “I stand before you today as a typical example of Nigerian from a humble background who endured all sorts of temptations and distractions to come this far. My background, training, marriage and attainments are all evident products of Tenacity.

“Absence of Tenacity in the younger generation of Nigerians forms part of the problem we battle as a people. “Of the prized value system that the society seems to have lost, delayed gratification ranks high. By delayed gratification, I mean the ability to suspend the desire for immediate gain in favor of later and greater reward. This value, great as it is, has become virtually non-existent, and its absence, a threat”. She concluded.

The highlight of the evening was the celebration of several sons and daughters of Ondo State, who were honored for their contribution towards the development of the Sunshine state. They include, Dr, Tunji Abayomi, Pro Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Adekuoroye Odunnayo, Ondo state born international wrestler, Mrs Olamide Falana, who is the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Gender Matters, Tunji Alapini Jr, ADC to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. Others include Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, Gbenga Olaseeni, MurrayKurves Secret, Seun Alabi, Lijoka Jesu-Demilade, DG PPIMU, Engr. Babajide Akeredolu, bagged the man of the year award, while the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice was also honored as the legal icon of the year; Ceci Supermarket bagged the supermarket of the year in Ondo State, among others.

Lead Awards Convener and Principal Consultant, Abiola Alaba Peters AAP, while giving his closing remarks, thanks all invited guests, awardees and sponsors for their support, he also encourage the awardees to continue to do more for Ondo State, while promising to make the event bigger and better next year, “I want to say a huge thank you the Ondo State Government, through the office of the First Lady and the Deputy Governor for honoring us with their presence. I also want to thank our supporting sponsors, Denki Wire, Cape Town, Alba Royal, Shaunze Lounge, G-Sound and the entire Project Lead Africa team for their huge support, my Project Director, Adebukola Oba, Gbenga Shaba, Jenifer Nwosu, and my family, thank you for been there.”

While current Mr Nigeria International, Odunnayo Ajewole Emmanuel made a Special Guest Appearance, popular Nollywood Actor, Filmmaker, Yomi Fabiyi was the host anchor of the event, as Veteran Nigerian Singer, Jodie entertained the excited guests with her evergreen song, Kuchi-Kuchi.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/09/photo-olympic-bronze-medalist-adekuoroye-akeredolu-titiloye-others-bag-2022-lead-awards/

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has revealed that only Airtel Network Limited has emerged as a sole bidder for its 3.5GHz spectrum band for 5G deployment in the nation.

Based on this, there shall be no auction as Airtel would be assigned one of the available lots of 100 MHz TDD Spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band for the NCC’s reserve price of $273.60 million.

The commission stated this in a statement on Wednesday.

According to it, by the close of business on Monday, December 5, 2022, only two companies had expressed interest in the auction of its 3.5GHz spectrum band, but only one paid its required intention to bid deposit.

The companies were Airtel and Standard Network and Connections Limited.

It said, “However, only Airtel paid the Intention to Bid Deposit as stipulated in the Information Memorandum, whereas, Standard Network sent an email appeal for the deadline to be extended by 12 working days which was not acceptable in view of the auction timetable.

“Having met all the provisions in the IM, Airtel has, therefore, emerged as the sole Bidder. Consequently, there shall be no further bidding and the Commission will proceed to the assignment stage in line with the published Information Memorandum guiding the licensing process.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/08/why-5g-auction-wont-hold-ncc/

Mouka, Nigeria’s award-winning manufacturer of mattresses, pillows, and other bedding products, has clinched the “Most Innovative Bedding & Mattress Brand of the Year” at the Brandcom 2022 Awards, which was held in Lagos recently.
Also, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Dimeji Osingunwa, was honoured with the “Most Outstanding Chief Commercial Officer of the Year” award in the bedding industry at the same event.

The award ceremony was attended by highly placed marketing professionals as well as other industry leaders and held on Friday, 25 November 2022, at the D’Podium International Event Center in Ikeja, Lagos. The event was organised by Brand Communicator, a foremost marketing magazine which recognises brands and top personnel that have excelled in their industry.

Mouka emerged as the winner in its category due to its recognition as the most outstanding bedding brand that has consistently come up with innovative product offerings and marketing campaigns to keep its consumers engaged.

According to the company’s CCO, this is made possible by substantial investment in research and development (R&) as well as the great minds behind the brand. This is how the company has been able to sustain its leadership position and remain relevant despite being in existence since 1959.

Consequently, Osingunwa’s award as the “Most Outstanding Chief Commercial Officer of the Year” was for his immense contribution to Mouka’s growth trajectory and for taking the brand to an enviable height.

Speaking on the double achievement, Mr Joshua Ajayi, Publisher of Brand Communicator Magazine, said the awards are the highest honours reserved for brands that have excelled in their sector and individuals who uphold the highest professional standards in their capacity while delivering excellence, quality, and expertise.

In his remark on the laurels, Mouka’s Managing Director, Femi Fapohunda, lauded Brandcom for the awards, which attest to the company’s market leadership in the industry, with a product portfolio of excellently crafted sleep solutions that keep Nigerians refreshed after a healthy night’s sleep.

He affirmed that Osingunwa ‘s award was merited due to his outstanding performance in ensuring the company’s growth and his leadership skills, which most staff have inculcated for improved productivity.

While commending Brand Communicator for the Brandcom award and his choice as the best CCO in its category, the Chief Commercial Officer of Mouka promised to continue in his stride in making Mouka the most sought-after brand in its sector.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/07/mouka-wins-double-at-brandcom-awards/

Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has appointed Ms. Folasade Coker as the Executive Secretary of the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy.

The initiative is a leadership and mentorship programme of the State Government, with the vision to develop tomorrow’s leaders today for public service and governance in Africa. Folasade was appointed based on her impressive track record and demonstrated success on various leadership assignments.

Folasade has worked across numerous leadership roles in both the public and private sectors, in a career spanning over 30 years to date. She is the Visionaire and Chief Executive Officer of Coker & Castle Nigeria Ltd, a management consulting and coaching firm which she co-founded with Derek Castle in 2003.

She has a wealth of experience in delivering training on communication/interpersonal skills, team building, leadership and management, marketing and providing bespoke solutions.

Folasade’s role as the Executive Secretary of LJLA will include program planning and proactively monitoring its progress, organizational and budget planning. She will be responsible for administering the business affairs of the Leadership Academy. She will also be in charge of the total welfare of the fellows and to achieve their objectives of being part of the fellowship, build an all-round leader mentally, emotionally and physically.

The objective is to support the LJLA vision to develop future leaders by equipping them with the requisite skills to positively influence the Public Service and instill in them the ethics and values of purposeful leadership through direct mentorship and on- the- job training whilst ensuring the efficient management of the Academy in all aspects.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/06/governor-sanwo-olu-appoints-folasade-coker-as-executive-secretary-of-ljla/

Ghana is on the verge of running one of the most digitalized healthcare systems in Africa, with many digital interventions scheduled to be fully nationally on stream by the end of 2024, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has indicated.

According to Dr Bawumia, this has become possible due to the several digital interventions introduced since 2017, as well as the massive infusion of digital technology into existing operations, which has led to greater access to healthcare services as well as revolutionized healthcare delivery.

The Vice President made the disclosure while speaking on “The Role of Digitalization in Modern Healthcare Delivery: Recounting Ghana’s ICT Journey in the Fourth Republic” in Tamale at the launch of the National Health Insurance Authority’s ‘Active Month’ celebrations on Monday, December 5, 2022

“The Government of President Akufo-Addo since January 2017 has been at the forefront of providing improved public service delivery using digital solutions. One key area we have been pursuing aggressively is social and health services delivery to the population.

“The role of digital health solutions in our healthcare sector cannot be overemphasized. Over the last few years, we have embarked on digitalization drive in the health sector as a response to the World Health Organization (WHO) call for member countries to implement digital health interventions in their health systems to improve access to care and well-being for their populations,” he explained.

Digitalization

Outlining some of the digital interventions introduced so far, Dr Bawumia stated:

“Early this year… we launched a digital health solution in the pharmaceutical space, called the National Electronic Pharmacy Platform (NEPP), where clients can use their mobile phones to order their prescriptions to be delivered to them at the comfort of their homes.

“This digital innovation is also meant to check counterfeit or substandard medicines and help eliminate them in our Pharmacies and chemical shops. It will also help the menace of drug abuse. The technology developer is currently engaging the National Health Insurance Authority on the technical and operational feasibility of the platform in the NHIS. We are also enrolling the top 100 pharmacies. Government is very keen on getting the platform fused into the NHIS operations by January next year. This will make Ghana the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to have a nationwide E-pharmacy.

“Government has also introduced flexibility through the Lightwave Health Management Information System (LHIMS) and other technological platforms to manage electronic medical records without the use of printed booklets of patient’s folder and avoid the possibility of patients’ medical records getting lost.

“So far, 147 hospitals have been networked, including the Teaching Hospitals, such as Tamale, Cape Coast, Komfo Anokye, Ho and Korle-Bu, as well as many secondary and primary health facilities, making patient records available to all these facilities without the use of folders. By end of next year, we will have networked about 80% of all hospitals, and by the end of the following year, we will complete the networking of 100% of all our hospitals. This will make us the first country in Africa and one of a few in the world to have such a nationwide system.”

He continued: “Government’s introduction of the Zipline services in 2019 to improve medical supplies has expanded from one distribution hub to six hubs in the remote areas, making Ghana, home to the world’s largest fleet of medical-delivery drones.

“Zipline drones have undertaken 278,936 flights since their inception, making over 12 million deliveries, comprising of 8.63 million lifesaving medical products or medicines, about 1.9 million child immunization vaccine consumables and over 1.9 million COVID-19 vaccines and PPEs. It has also made very significant savings for the nation, both in lives and resources,” he revealed. The Vice President noted that Ghana’s medical drone delivery service is the largest in the world and saving many lives daily.

NHIS

Lauding the management of the National Health Insurance Authority for infusing digitalization into the operations of the NHIS, Vice President Bawumia said the Scheme, since its introduction, has no doubt, contributed to increased utilization of healthcare services, leading to improved health outcomes of the population.

“The NHIS has gone through several reforms over the years to improve its services to the members. On 9th November, 2019, I personally launched the NHIS- Ghana card linkage at the Accra International Conference Centre and today, over 5 million members of the NHIS have been linked to their Ghana Cards to enable them to use the Ghana card to access healthcare since 1st of May, 2020.

“Hopefully, when all members of the scheme are linked to their Ghana Cards, the NHIS card will be phased out and the Ghana Card will be the sole card for accessing healthcare services in the credentialled healthcare facilities.

“Aside this, Government has also embarked on a project, together with the National Identification Authority (NIA), National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Ghana Health Service, and Births and Deaths Registry, to link births and deaths data to the NIA database to give unique identification numbers to all newborn babies starting first quarter of next year.

“The NHIA has implemented electronic medical claims (Claim-IT) to reduce turnaround time for claims preparation and submission and reduce spurious claims and cost to the scheme for increased sustainability.

“Currently, close to 3000 healthcare providers, representing 70% are submitting medical claims electronically. The scale-up of this digital innovation is ongoing. All providers submitting manual claims have been trained and hopefully, the over 5000 credentialed healthcare providers of the scheme will start submitting electronic claims by end of the second quarter of 2023.”

As well, healthcare providers wishing to join the scheme can now apply using an online application system, reducing the turnaround time for processing the applications as well as saving cost of paper applications with copies of accompanying documents such as certificates and travelling cost.

The NHIA is also updating its database with the locations of all facilities by picking the GPS coordinates in line with the Government’s Agenda on address system to ease communication and assessment, according to officials of the Scheme.

The launch in 2018 of the NHIA Electronic receipting platform to enhance social auditing and accountability of revenue collection at NHIA district offices across the country has helped to establish daily premium collection and improve accountability and transparency in revenue mobilization, NHIA officials say. It has also substantially promoted electronic reconciliation of financial account and promoted transparency and efficiency in the financial operations of the scheme.

Highlighting other digital interventions, such as the introduction of a mobile renewal system to enable old members whose cards have expired to conveniently renew their cards using mobile phones, and the launch today of an improved portal dubbed “MyNHIS app” which allows new members to register using the Ghana Card, Dr Bawumia challenged the NHIA to continue to introduce digital innovations in other operational areas of the scheme to improve services for the members.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and its allied agencies are also seriously brainstorming on telemedicine, making it possible for Ghanaians to receive medical advice via their phones and other devices.

This, coupled with the many interventions in the provision of healthcare and the impending roll-out of the National E-Pharmacy platform has truly set Ghana on the path of having one of Africa’s most digitalized healthcare systems, Dr Bawumia declared.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/07/ghana-will-soon-have-one-of-the-most-digitalized-healthcare-systems-in-africa-dr-bawumia/

Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA), the agency saddled with the mandate to regulate advertisement displays in Lagos State, has announced the release of its 2023 mobile advert stickers for branded vehicles in the state.

Managing Director of LASAA, Prince Adedamola Docemo, in a statement in Ikeja yesterday, stated that the new and improved mobile advert e-sticker will be in force effective from the 1st of January 2023, a development that will render the 2022 sticker invalid.

He reiterated that, just like last year, the agency has fully deviated from the yearly tradition of launching the stickers with pomp and would rather focus on improving the efficiency of the new process.

He explained that the new e-sticker, which was introduced last year, has attracted a lot of commendation from stakeholders. He said LASAA has continuously reviewed and improved the mobile advert e-sticker product throughout the year to assess the process and fix all barriers for better and efficient performance.

Prince Docemo disclosed that the 2023 e-sticker continues to experience constant upgrades with a Quick Response (QR) code scanner application, which is readable with a simple smartphone.

He said, “The e-sticker has been enhanced with internal control mechanism, which comes with specialised bar codes and embedded details, including vehicle particulars and serial numbers for authentication.”

He explained that the new e-sticker comes with new improved security features such as anti-counterfeit properties and authentication system against fraud.

Prince Docemo emphasised that the level of security implemented for ease of confirmation has improved the process of compliance for the agency’s clients. He stressed that all branded vehicles state-wide will be effectively captured on a mobile advert database, thereby making the agency’s ability to monitor compliance and enforcement to work efficiently.

He noted that the incidence of fraud has been hugely minimised, adding that non-compliant vehicles will be impounded and grounded. He assured clients that upon registration, the e-stickers will be available to them within 48 hours.

According to him, LASAA continues to monitor the activities of unscrupulous persons parading themselves as staff of the Agency as well as those working to frustrate it’s efforts by selling mobile advert stickers belonging to other States. This act LASAA believes is an attempt to cause confusion and conflict within Lagos territory. He added that LASAA has already taken bold steps to reverse this anomaly.

He, however, assured that LASAA is always a step ahead in ensuring that all vehicles branded with logos and adverts are properly registered in Lagos State. He warned that the agency would arrest those who fail to comply.

He also warned clients and customers who are in the habit of patronising touts to desist from such act because LASAA’s operation is fully automated and any forged registration will be easily detected.

He urged all registered clients to install the LASAA verifier app on their smart devices to verify the status of registration of their branded vehicles.
The LASAA e-sticker Verification App is a reliable platform that allows LASAA field officers or law enforcement agencies to verify the authenticity of brand publications on automobiles in the state.

With the verifier app, all information regarding the organisation or individual name, plate number (where applicable), brand type, vehicle type and branding type will be displayed seamlessly to verify the authenticity of the sticker.

The platform has been developed to ensure that branded automobiles have authorised stickers and to eradicate any occurrence of falsified brand information
Prince Docemo expressed appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his immense support towards the agency’s initiatives while also stressing that clients’ satisfaction is at the heart of the agency’s business.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/06/lasaa-launches-2023-mobile-advert-stickers-for-branded-vehicles/

The Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) has been ratified by 43 African Union member countries, eight of which have started trading under AfCFTA preferential arrangements, yet intra-continental trade remains low.

Africa is a net importer of agricultural products, with import bills estimated at $56 billion dollars, up by 10 billion in just two years since 2020.

“Excessive dependence by many countries on imports of basic commodities such as food and strategic agricultural inputs has exacerbated vulnerabilities due to the impacts of the multiple overlapping shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the responses by some countries to restrict trade,” Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa said on the lack of substantive intra-African trade. “This is not sustainable. It is a trend we must reverse.”



The comments were made at a webinar organised by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s Regional Office for Africa and FAO Markets and Trade Division, hosted by the FAO Virtual Learning Centre for Southern Africa (SFS-VLC), to bring stakeholders together to plot the course for increasing intra-African trade. It is the first in a series of webinars on African trade in the coming months. It comes after FAO and the African Union published a guide for countries on Boosting Intra-African Trade in Agricultural Commodities and Services.

“We are trying to build capacity and bring that value-added to our continent so that we become more self-reliant on food, to have that food security at home,” Poonam Mohun, Head of Non-Tariff Measures Division at the AfCFTA Secretariat, said.

She added that many levels of intervention are needed: government and private sector policies to increase agricultural production and manufacturing levels, increasing value addition through processing, and removing trade barriers so that trade flows smoothly.

John Bee, Executive Board Member of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists Sub-Saharan Africa Section, highlighted the need to implement mutual recognition of product registration. This allows products within economic communities to be recognized across borders, and although the mechanisms are in place in most of Africa’s economic communities, they are not enforced effectively. Mr Bee also highlighted the need to improve the region’s lab testing capacity to enable improved food quality standards.

The key actions highlighted by the meeting included harmonizing standards across the region, making border processes smoother and more gender-equitable, improving access to information and standards for stakeholders all along food systems, improving the feedback loop from the private sector to the AfCFTA Secretariat to further streamline processes, and further involving youth in agrifood systems through more attractive terms of business.

The Director of the FAO Markets and Trade Division, Boubaker Ben Belhassen brought the discussions to a close, highlighting the essential nature of agrifood trade and FAO’s commitment to the implementation and success of the AfCFTA. “I think today’s event has confirmed the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Trade is and will continue to be essential for achieving food security and improving nutrition on the continent. We must be prepared to make it work better for security and nutrition outcomes. It requires huge investment and financing; however, we all recognize that the payoff is also great.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/05/how-boosting-intra-african-agrifood-trade-will-reap-rewards-for-africa/

Giving.NG is partnering with Shoprite Nigeria on “40 Days of Giving” campaign, aimed at inspiring people and organizations to spread kindness and treat it as an everyday thing, rather than a seasonal activity.
Giving.NG, Africa’s first and only free crowdfunding platform, has announced that it will begin a campaign in November to assist less privileged Nigerians and honor organizations and people carrying out exceptional, social impact work nationwide.

The campaign, themed “40 Days of Giving,” is being launched in partnership with Africa’s largest fast-moving consumer goods retailer, Shoprite Nigeria, and is expected to span the Christmas season and into the New Year.

Traditionally, the Christmas season is known to be a season of giving, with statistics showing that most donations are made during this time. Most people use the season to appreciate people who have been there for them all year round or give back to the less privileged. The 40 Days of Giving campaign plans to tap into this existing trend in a way that encourages people to give and creates a chain of giving that goes beyond the festive season.1

Speaking about the campaign, Sterling One Foundation’s CEO, Olapeju Ibekwe explained that this was a much-needed campaign considering how tough the year has been, alongside the huge loss by the recent flood crisis in at least 32 states of the country. In her words;
“This campaign is about getting as many people as possible to join us in lending a helping hand to vulnerable Nigerians while supporting those changemakers who have been on the frontlines doing the same all year round. For each day of the campaign, we want to support at least one person, selected through an online nomination with their next meal, resources to restart their small business or just new clothes. We just want to spread kindness to many people daily.”

The 40 Days of Giving campaign is expected to kick off on November 29, 2022, the last Tuesday of November, is recognized globally as Giving Tuesday and runs until January 7, 2023. As part of the campaign, people can donate money to a fundraiser on the Giving.NG platform or items at designated points, including Shoprite stores nationwide.

Commenting on their partnership to execute this, Shoprite Nigeria’s Head of Marketing, Kunle Abiola stated that the campaign is a laudable initiative that has a lot of potentials to bring change into people’s lives. In his remarks, he said;
“Beyond want the items donated can do for the beneficiaries, we are keen on the hope that these acts of kindness can spread among Nigerians. We are giving our shoppers an opportunity to be part of a very noble initiative and we know they will buy into it.”
With this partnership, shoppers can buy items at any Shoprite store across the country and drop them off at designated points in the store from where they will be collected and redistributed to selected NGOs or given out in-store as a paid-forward gesture to other shoppers. Some of the beneficiaries nominated online will also receive shopping vouchers which they can redeem at any Shoprite store closest to them.

Both brands are also hopeful that they can grant as many wishes as they can from the nominations and requests they will receive, even as they look forward to having Nigerians join them in playing ‘Everyday Santa’ and spreading kindness.

About Giving.ng
Giving.ng is Africa’s first free crowdfunding platform with a focus on projects around health, education, gender equality, food security, and climate action. Established by the Sterling One Foundation, the platform provides finishing grants to organizations and individuals who launch fundraising campaigns on it and access to expert and volunteer support for project implementation. In addition, Giving.ng enables long-term commitment to projects through a recurring donation feature, allowing donors to support certain projects and initiatives with consistent monthly, quarterly, or yearly donations.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/12/02/giving-ng-partners-shoprite-nigeria-on-40-days-of-giving-campaign-2/

Ahead of the 2023 election, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat officially kicked off their re-election campaign slogan tagged ‘A GREATER LAGOS RISING’.

Brand Spur Nigeria reports that the theme ‘A GREATER LAGOS RISING’, was heralded by brand activations which included digital banners, A-Frames, static billboards, digital billboards, gantries and branded BRT buses in strategic locations at 12 midnight.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, who gave an overview of the brand campaign at a media briefing, described the campaign as a thematic continuum of what Sanwo-Olu promised in 2019.

He said: “We promised our people A Greater Lagos. What do we see around us? Abundant evidence of a new city rising from the womb of time. We do not make a false claim of having reached the zenith of our journey. Our contextual usage of the word is as an adjective which suggests an upward swing, an increase and an upward movement. These are the signs Lagosians can see all around the state.

What You Need To Know
“From the social motivational perspective, the idea of rising captures the essentialism of the spirit of thousands of ‘creative and tech rebels’ who call Lagos home, and who are changing the false narratives about Nigeria with music, movies, fashion, sports and technological innovations. They are the heroic souls putting Lagos on the global map. They are the ones helping to announce the rising of our city on distant shores. They are the Made-In-Lagos brands to whom this campaign is also dedicated.

“Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has himself given this dedication the finest expressions in a TV commercial and two theme songs that will be released across traditional and social media platforms in the course of this campaign. All of our campaign assets capture the place of the audacity of the Spirit of Lagos in the rising of the City. The campaign assets are not some forms of self-adulation, but fitting credit to the contributions of Lagosians, especially the youths, to the height Lagos has attained today. This campaign is not about Mr Sanwo-Olu and his team alone, it is a tribute to all our youths who are putting Lagos on the global map. This campaign is a celebration of the collective progress we have made in the last three and half years – against all odds. It is also a vivid reflection of what to expect in the coming days.”

On the choice of colours and font for the campaign, Omotoso added: “Brilliant yellow is associated with the sun. It symbolises energy, youthfulness, enthusiasm, optimism and happiness. It is called an attention-grabbing colour in branding. The brand colour of our campaign comes with a little mix of foggy orange which signifies warmth, transformation, freedom and fun, which are all the hallmarks of the Lagos we see today. These colours are representative of the atmosphere in the city today, despite the fact that Lagos as a state has gone through a furnace of fire, from COVID-19 and the #ENDSARS protest, all during the first term of this administration in office. The black symbolises power, class, prestige and luxury, it evokes a feeling of modernity, all of which you see in Lagos.

“Our campaign theme has been rendered in a font known as Chalkboard. This font captures the unique dynamic spirit of the everyday Lagosian. Rendered in a brush-stroke style, it is clearly drawn by humans, not a machine. It is not the commonplace font often used for political campaigns in this clime. It typifies the animating energy, remarkable audacity and unbroken resilience of our people. These are qualities embedded in the spirit of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy and the cabinet in envisioning the scale of the ongoing transformation projects being delivered across Lagos. These are also the qualities engrained in the DNA of every true Lagosian.

“Let me remind us all of this truth – rising is the proof of doing. Rising moves us from our initial statement of intent, ‘For A Greater Lagos’, to ‘A city that is rising and transforming before our very eyes’. When we say a greater Lagos, we are drawing the attention of citizens to the positive changes taking place all over Lagos. We are making an affirmative statement about the growth of our economy, the breathtaking rebuilding of Lagos and the fresh hope of citizens following the reopening of the economy after COVID-19. A new chapter in the development of our state just flipped open before our eyes, let’s write a new history. Let’s rise to a new phase of our history as we collectively affirm that a greater Lagos is rising.”

The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Committee in Lagos State, Ganiyu Solomon, noted that Sanwo-Olu deserved to be re-elected because he made promises under the THEMES agenda and he every aspect of the THEMES agenda had been touched, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and Endsars disaster.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/30/lagos-2023-sanwo-olu-officially-rebrands-campaign-slogan/

The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank Group has approved $16 million in loan and grant financing to Niger to implement the Financial Sector Deepening and Inclusion Project.

The project will strengthen mobilization of long-term resources for financial service providers and improve financial inclusion of vulnerable populations, particularly women, youth, rural dwellers and micro, small and medium enterprises.

Specifically, the project will contribute to the establishment of a financing mechanism that is conducive to the needs of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through the capitalization of the Financial Inclusion Development Fund and the strengthening of the technical and operational capacities of financial service providers, particularly the decentralized financial systems. This will enable them to develop financial products and services adapted to the needs of the population. All of this, with a view to increasing the resilience of the financial sector and reducing poverty in Niger.

Niger’s Minister of Finance, Ahmat Jidoud said he welcomed “this support from the African Development Bank which will strengthen the technical and financial capacities of financial service providers in Niger, in particular decentralized financial systems, which will make it possible to broaden access to financial services to the greatest number of our citizens, especially those living in rural areas.”

Ahmed Attout, Head of the African Development Bank’s Capital Markets Development Division said: “We are delighted with this collaboration between the African Development Bank Group and Niger. By strengthening the capacity of the Financial Inclusion Development Fund and financial service providers, this project will help diversify the sources of financing for Nigerien small and medium-sized enterprises and increase financial inclusion in Niger.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/30/african-development-fund-provides-16-million-to-support-financial-sector-deepening-and-inclusion/

Rail passengers in the United Kingdom will go on strike before and after Christmas under the auspices of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT).
According to RMT’s announcement on Tuesday, more than 40,000 union members are expected to participate in the strike.

The strike will last four days, on the 13th, 14th, 16th, and 17th of December, as well as the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th of January.

According to the BBC, services have been disrupted in recent months as a result of the ongoing dispute over pay, working conditions, and job security.
The RMT, on the other hand, said the latest strike action would send a “clear message” that workers want a better deal.

The union also announced an overtime ban from December 18 to January 2, implying that the union will be on strike for four weeks in total.

In a statement, the RMT’s general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Our message to the public is, we are sorry to inconvenience you, but we urge you to direct your anger and frustration at the government and railway employers during this latest phase of action.”

Network Rail’s chief negotiator Tim Shoveller said: “No one can deny the precarious financial hole in which the railway finds itself.

“Striking makes that hole bigger and the task of finding a resolution ever more difficult.”

The RMT union has already held eight days of strikes since June, which have caused widespread disruption. But the union has said salaries should increase to reflect the rising cost of living.

Claire Smith, a hotelier from Blackpool, said the strikes would be “very disruptive” to the hotel trade in the Lancashire seaside resort.

“So we’re put in a very difficult position by this,” Ms Smith added. “December is a very busy period for us. It’s our last bite of the apple, and then we hibernate probably until Easter.”

“Of course, we have huge sympathy for the strikers, and just wish they would do more negotiating round the table,” she added.

However, the prime minister’s spokesman criticised unions involved in the strikes, saying: “They are damaging the economy, stopping hard-working people from getting to work, to reaching hospital appointments, to going to school.

“I think everyone is well aware of the serious financial challenges the rail industry faces following the pandemic and the need for reform.”


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/27/uks-rail-workers-to-begin-strike-before-after-christmas/

Leading mobility platform, Bolt, rewarded two drivers operating on the platform with brand new cars in the recently concluded Driver’s League Challenge. The 3rd edition of the competition, held for eight weeks, rewarded drivers in Nigeria with prizes worth an overall value of N20 million, including brand-new cars and various home appliances.
Launched in 2020 in recognition and appreciation for service excellence, Bolt Driver’s League Challenge celebrates top-performing drivers on the platform. In addition, it showcases Bolt’s commitment to advancing and easing mobility in Nigeria while supporting drivers with extra earning opportunities.

Congratulating the drivers, the Regional Manager for Bolt in West Africa, Ireoluwa Obatoki, said, “We congratulate the winners of this year’s challenge and appreciate their dedication and loyalty to Bolt and its riders. Bolt recognises and cherishes the essential role drivers have played in expanding our brand in Nigeria and ensuring the continued sustenance of our operations. Through our Driver’s League Challenge, we are building a community of drivers dedicated to delivering the utmost service quality. We use this as an opportunity to celebrate their hard work and efforts throughout the year. We remain committed to the welfare of our drivers and promise to continue introducing initiatives that will improve their overall experience.”

he 2022 Bolt Driver’s League competition was divided into the Premier League and Championship League, which catered to existing drivers on the platform, and the Rookie League, dedicated to new drivers. Drivers were evaluated by unique criteria, including finished trips, online hours and maintaining a high driver score at the end of the eight-week campaign. Eligible participants were given goals in the form of rides finished and ratings by riders to qualify to win tokens towards the prizes. Drivers who had accumulated enough tokens were entered into a raffle draw which determined the winners. The challenge recorded outstanding participation nationwide and saw Ajibade Ademola from Lagos, and Kazeem Shehu from Abuja emerge victorious in their respective categories.

Expressing his excitement at winning the Premier League and being awarded as the Overall Top Driver in Lagos, Mr Ajibade Ademola graciously thanked Bolt for the initiative, “When I got the call that I had won, I was so happy that I shouted and called my family to celebrate. I thank Bolt from the bottom of my heart; only God can reward them for this. This is the first time in my life I am the owner of a brand-new car, so I am very grateful. My birthday is in four days, so this is the best gift I could receive from anyone.”

Mr Kazeem Shehu, who triumphed in the Championship League, also appreciated Bolt, saying, “I appreciate and thank Bolt for their work and this reward. My vision in life has always been to become a transporter and open a company of such. I want to help others as Bolt helped me, who just joined their platform four months ago. This win has proved that destiny can only be delayed but not denied. My appreciation to Bolt is not just because of the car, but because Bolt has allowed me to be my own boss”.

Since its yearly driver reward campaign in 2020, Bolt has rewarded drivers with brand-new cars worth over N50,000,000, over N1,000,000 worth of fuel vouchers, household appliances, gift hampers and other gifts worth millions of naira to participating drivers.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/24/bolt-awards-brand-new-cars-to-winners-of-driver-league-challenge/

There are tons of influential factors in the FX market where from one of the primary are legislative frameworks for the market. Stable regulations help to ensure that the market develops in a healthy and sustainable way. Without these regulations, it would be very easy for unscrupulous individuals to take advantage of investors and manipulate the market for their own gain.

Having stable and set rules also makes it easier for people to understand Forex trading. This can help encourage more people to get involved in the market, which can lead to more liquidity and better prices for everyone involved. It also helps create trust between investors and brokers, which is essential for long-term success in this industry. Overall, it is clear that stable regulation is vital for developing the Forex market in any country. By having a well-regulated environment, all participants can trade with confidence knowing that there are protections in place against unfair practices.

Even though it is important, African countries still are not stable with it. It has been months since the FX market complains about losses because of a lack of regulation. But according to the latest news, the conditions are still unstable, which ruins the development of the African FX market. Down below we will have a deeper discussion about this topic.

African FX Traders Faced A Lack Of Education
Knowledge of the market is essential. This includes understanding how currency values fluctuate and being able to identify opportunities to buy or sell currencies at advantageous prices.

The same goes for when there are not very convenient conditions for regulations of the FX market. If the trader does not have the practical experience and good theoretical knowledge, the trader will not be able to take advantage of this unstable market and place positions that way which will be profitable. This problem is quite familiar to African Forex traders. Even though the market is pretty vast and busy, transaction amounts are very high, and more and more traders want to join the market, many people lose their investments because of a lack of knowledge. Yes, regulations are not set, but most traders as well as brokerages do not know how to minimize negative influences when there is such a kind of atmosphere on the market.

There are a number of ways to gain a good understanding of Forex trading, including taking courses, reading books and articles about trading strategies, and practicing with demo accounts. All this is easy to reach if the trader uses a correct and safe educational platform. There are many out there and one of the most popular is the Axiory website. This platform can be very helpful for those who do not know how to maintain their investments when regulations or other risks appear on the market. There are several affordable courses that teach people risk management and tricky strategies. So enhancing such a type of knowledge will be quite helpful for African Forex traders.

Why Regulations Are Not Stable Yet
The African Forex market is still not stable and is faced with changeable lows for Forex brokers or traders. This is because the regulatory environment in Africa is still evolving and there are a number of factors that contribute to this instability.

One of the main reasons why regulations in the African Forex market are not yet stable is because the continent has a very diverse range of countries, each with its own unique set of laws and regulations. Another reason why regulations in the African Forex market are not yet stable is that there has been a lack of coordination between different regulators on the continent. This has led to inconsistencies and confusion about what rules apply where, which makes it difficult for businesses to operate smoothly across borders.

Finally, another reason why regulations in the African Forex market are not yet stable is that many countries on the continent have weak institutions and governance structures. This means that there may be little enforcement of existing regulations, or even if enforcement does exist, it may be ineffective due to corruption or other factors.

The starting step to solving the problem is to focus on transparency. The main regulators such as FSCA must increase the level of monitoring of FX brokerages and platforms. Additionally, there should be greater oversight of trading activity to ensure that all participants are following the rules.

Regulators also can create a centralized exchange to make it easier to manage. This would allow for better price discovery and make it easier to monitor activity in the market. It would also make it simpler to enforce regulations since there would only be one platform to oversee.

Ultimately, solving the problem of instability in the African Forex market will require a combination of measures such as these. By taking steps to increase transparency and improve regulation, they can create a more stable environment where investors can feel confident about putting their money into Africa’s future growth potential.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/22/african-fx-traders-still-lose-money-because-of-lack-of-regulations/

In response to the discovery of a new attack that compromises victims’ VPN (Virtual Private Network) accounts to compromise messaging app, Telegram, the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT) has advised users to adopt two-factor authentication to protect their Telegram accounts and to not download unknown Advanced IP Scanner Software.

Ukrainian cyber experts discovered the attack, which uses Vidar Malware (Vidar Stealer) to steal Telegram session data, which in the absence of configured two-factor authentication and a passcode, allows unauthorized access to the victim’s telegram account and corporate account or network.

The malware, which exploits unauthorized access to users’ Telegram accounts and corporate accounts to steal data, targets platforms across iOS, Android, Linux, Mac and Windows Operating Systems.

“The Ukrainian CERT alleged that a Somnia Ransomware was created to be used on Telegram that tricks users to download an installer that mimics ‘Advanced IP Scanner’ software, which contains Vidar Malware. The installer infects the system with the Vidar stealer, which steals the victim’s Telegram session data to take control of their account.

“The threat actors abuse the victim’s Telegram account in some unspecified manner to steal VPN connection data (authentication and certificates). If the VPN account is not protected by two-factor authentication passcode, the hackers use it to gain unauthorized access to the victim’s employer’s corporate network”, the alert and advisory states.

“Once inside, the intruders conduct reconnaissance work using tools like Netscan, Rclone, Anydesk, and Ngrok, to perform various surveillance and remote access activities, and then deploy a Cobalt Strike beacon, exfiltrating data using the Rclone program,” the report stated.

The CSIRT is the telecom sector’s cyber security incidence centre set up by the NCC to focus on incidents in the telecom sector and as they may affect telecom consumers and citizens at large.

The CSIRT also works collaboratively with ngCERT, established by the Federal Government to reduce the volume of future computer risk incidents by preparing, protecting, and securing Nigerian cyberspace to forestall attacks and problems or related events.


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/24/telegram-ncc-raises-alarm-over-fresh-malware-threats/

Egbin Power Plc has received the Utility Power Generation Company of the Year at the 2022 Afrisafe HSE Awards, a prestigious Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) industry award held to honour outstanding individuals, corporate organizations and laudable initiatives in the safety industry across Africa.
The event, the most prestigious HSE awards in Africa, was attended by notable personalities, professionals, entrepreneurs, HSE certification companies, training institutions, regulators and safety solution providers among other bodies in the industry across the continent.

According to the organizers, the award is in recognition of the various proactive and preventive measures implemented by the GenCo, which has positively impacted on the company’s safety culture.

Receiving the award, Mokhtar Bounour, Chief Executive Officer, Egbin Power Plc, thanked the organizers for the recognition. He also commended the employees of the company for implementing and observing high safety standards at work while dedicating the award to the entire team.

” We are honoured to have received this prestigious award for the Best Company in HSE in the Power Generation and Utility Sector. At Egbin, our mission is bringing energy to life responsibly and we cannot do that without taking into consideration that Safety is first. We remain committed to taking the lead in ensuring the safety of our employees and contractors as a responsible and safety-conscious organization”, he said.

Egbin Power, a subsidiary of Sahara Group, promotes green energy and environmental sustainability through partnerships with a focus on clean energy and sustainable environment.

In a similar vein, the Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group, Kola Adesina (MFR) also bagged the AfriSafe Legend Award in recognition of the Group’s efforts to maintain the highest level of safety standard in its operations, in a bid to ensure a safe working environment.

On behalf of the Sahara Group, Adesina expressed delight in receiving the award and commended the organizers of the Awards for the diligent effort put into promoting safety practices and initiatives.

Chairman of AfriSafe Award, Dr. Afe Mayowa, in his address described the winners as worthy people who deserve respect for their numerous contributions toward the advancement of the industry, noting that they were nominated by leading voices in the safety industry and members of the general public who are privy to their exemplary contributions to the profession.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/19/egbin-power-bags-safety-excellence-award-of-the-year/

Mouka, the leading manufacturer of mattresses, pillows, and other bedding products, has rewarded the best graduating students from all faculties of the prestigious Elizade University, in Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, with cash grants of One Hundred Thousand Naira each, at the sixth and seventh convocation ceremony of the institution, held on Friday, 21 October 2022.


The initiative, Mouka’s Award of Excellence programme, was flagged off in 2020 and is part of the company’s CSR pillar Skills For Life and is aimed at supporting the students as they step into their next phase of life. In celebration of excellence, Mouka rewards the top students in each faculty and educates them about prioritising quality sleep while striving for distinction academically or professionally.

Through this scheme and other initiatives, the company has continued to raise awareness for the role of quality sleep in academic excellence. In addition, Mouka has crafted affordable sleep solutions such as Comfy and Flora mattresses which are available in bunk-bed and single-bed sizes for students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions to support quality sleep.


For younger children, the award-winning company also designed the Dreamtime mattress, which is covered with a water-resistant yet breathable fabric that prevents fluids from slipping into the product’s core. It also has a soft cover that keeps the child’s body cool and comfortable through the night, so they can wake up refreshed to stay alert at school.

Speaking about the award, Mouka’s Senior Brand Manager, Akeem Audu, said initiatives such as this would encourage students to strive for academic excellence, which has an even greater impact on the country as a whole.

In light of this, the Vice-Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Olukayode Amund, who was excited about Mouka’s goodwill, lauded the company for the cash grants that would help motivate the students and support them in life after school.

The beneficiaries in the 2020/2021 academic session comprise Emecho Tejiri Sophia, a student of the Department of Biological Sciences/Microbiology from the Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences; Johnson Peace Oluwaferanmi, Department of Human Resource Management, Faculty of Humanities, Social and Management Sciences; Folorunsho Rachael, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering; and Ogundana Mokunfayo Boluwatife, a Law student from the Faculty of Law.

Those In the 2021/2022 academic session in the seventh convocation include Oluwapelumi Oluwagbofemi, a student of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering; Fowode Oluwakanyinsolami, Faculty of Law; Daramola Oluwanifemi, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Basic and Applied Sciences; as well as Adegbenro Kosemani, Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Humanities, Social and Management Sciences. They all eulogised Mouka for the reward programme, which has received wide commendation.


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/18/photos-mouka-rewards-best-graduating-students-of-elizade-university/

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele has issued a statement concerning the institution’s policy to introduce redesigned naira notes by the 15th of December 2022.


This he said is as a result of continuous rise in the inability of banks to control the circulation of Nigeria’s naira notes, which poses as incompetence on the side of the banking sector as well as causative factor to why the naira keeps decreasing in value. Mr. Emeliefe mentioned that, amongst the many other reasons behind this new policy, the mass hoarding of banknotes by members of the public and an increasing shortage of banknotes that are standard and clean, which has heightened the ease in the production of counterfeit currencies in the country are notable reasons for this development.

Although this new policy has been revolted by some top personalities in the country including the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, saying that she and the ministry is not aware of any plan by the CBN to redesign new banknotes and also complained that it is ill-timed, however the President has given his support for the plan. This move by the CBN has been viewed by many to be political, while the institution and others are seeing it from an economical point of view. But the CBN has said that the redesign only applies to denotations like the 200, 500 and 1000 naira note respectively. The banknotes (old ones) in circulation now are expected to be submitted to the banks on or before the 31th of January, 2023 as after this date, it will be treated as expired currency.

Political Implications of Redesigning the Naira Notes.

Just as the 2023 general election is around the corner, this new policy of the CBN seems to be politically motivated. But on the other hand, certain financial and political analysts have come out to say that this move would disrupt the plan of some political party to use cash stored in different individual vaults in the country to buy votes. Statistics of the bank has it that over 80% of the nation’s currency are stored in private vaults by corrupt politicians who are involved in one crime or the other and who wouldn’t be able to defend the source of such huge funds if brought to the bank. This group applauds the CBN for coming up with such a strong plan at such a strategic season in the country when new leaders are selected. This policy, if successful, is likely to guarantee a bribery-free election by 2023, where voters and agencies would not be offered money to vote a candidates into power.

Economic Implication of The New Naira Note.

For the banking sector, which has reportedly lost control of over 80% of the money in circulation, it will help them regain it. Mr. Emefiele said that, as at September 2022, the CBN had released 3.23trillion naira and 2.73trillion is said to be outside the bank vault. This development is a negative one on the banking sector as it weakens her monetary policy. If control is regained it will go a long way to help curb the inflation rate which is currently over 20%. Although, between the time of launching the new note which is 15th of December and the expiry date for the old one, after 31th of January, there is likely going to be a lot of money in circulation when those who hoard money will be forced to spend them on purchasing and some would also exchange theirs to foreign currency. When this happens the naira is likely to fall the most, but however, with time when the CBN takes back control of the money in circulation, the economy will smile again. Some persons have also expressed concerns on the cost of printing this new currency, going by what it cost them to print the ones printed in 2020. Questions have been asked if this is really a good time to do this, considering the various crises surrounding the nation’s economy, including debt crisis, poor revenue, underfunded government projects, etc.

On the side of average, alarm has also been raised, concerning the effect of this on the price of commodities in the market especially now that the festive period is around the corner. People are worried and pleading that adjustments be made or other measures taken to achieve the same thing other than totally clearing the old currency within such a short time and notice.

In conclusion, there is a need to grow and stabilize the nation’s economy and the even distribution of money, properly monitored by our Central Bank, would play a significant role in achieving this. A policy is to make the life of the people and not worsen it. There is need for the CBN to take into consideration the plea of the average Nigerian for this new innovation, although Nigerians have over the years grown hard-skin to circumstances and if swallowing one more pill of suffering during this short time would guarantee a better future, we might as well take it in with a smiling face.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/17/economic-imlpications-of-the-introduction-of-the-new-naira-notes-in-nigeria/

Nigerian banks’ assets gained N10tn between August 2021 and August 2022 to hit N66.76tn, the latest figures from the Central Bank of Nigeria have revealed.

The CBN disclosed in the personal statement of a member of the Monetary Policy Committee, Kingsley Obiora, that the banking sector remained resilient amid economic challenges.

It stated, “Despite these headwinds, the banking system remained sound, safe and resilient amid slowing economic growth. Total assets of the banking industry showed an increase of N10.72tn or 19.13 per cent from N56.04tn per cent in August 2021 to N66.76tn in August 2022, driven by balances with CBN/banks, investments, and credit expansion to the real sector.

“As a result, the total flow of credit to the economy increased from N22.62tn in August 2021 to N28.12tn, representing an increase of 24.3 per cent to the key sectors of the economy, including oil and gas, manufacturing, general, governments and commerce.”

Also, he stated, lending to individuals and households increased from N1.85tn in Q2, 2020 to N2.5tn in Q2, 2022.

He said the industry non-performing loan ratio was 4.8 per cent at the end of August 2022 compared with 6.0 per cent at the end of August 2021, which was below the prudential maximum of 5.0 per cent.

The decline in NPLs was attributable to write-offs, restructuring of facilities, Global Standing Instruction and sound credit risk management by banks.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/16/nigerian-banks-assets-rise-by-n10tn-hit-n66tn-in-a-year/

State-of-the-art insights, metrics, and performance data to be made available to worldwide audiences. Graphics to provide a better experience and understanding of the game. The project led by FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger.

During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, FIFA will share the most modern insights, metrics and performance data in tournament history with the worldwide TV and online audience, together with the participating teams and their players. Developed by the FIFA High Performance team and led by FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, the enhanced football intelligence service will offer new and exciting metrics to enrich the coverage and analysis of every game at the FIFA World Cup 2022™.

Every match will have its own unique set of in-match and post-match enhanced football intelligence visuals presented as augmented reality and traditional graphics. These new statistics break down each area of the game into fine detail and provide operational definitions and multiple video examples to clearly define each action. This will enable an analysis not only of what happens on the ball, but also the movements and interactions around and off the ball for teams and players when they are both in and out of possession.

Using this data, FIFA will be able to conduct longitudinal post-match analysis to understand how the game is evolving over time as well as developmental analysis to better comprehend what it takes to progress from junior to senior level in both the men’s and women’s games.

“We would like to share our vision of using football data analytics combined with technical expert interpretation to create a new football intelligence, allowing everyone to better understand the game,” says Wenger. “Enhanced football intelligence will be our blueprint for how we analyse football in the future. When we discover new insights, we want to share them with the world of football. With our online FIFA Training Centre , we have a fantastic vehicle to do so. My team will continue to provide new and insightful football analysis content to help share new understanding of the game combined with performance data, video examples and technical explanations.”

The FIFA High Performance team comprises football analysts, data scientists and data engineers, and has developed innovative technology to provide ground-breaking metrics and insights. At the FIFA World Cup 2022, 11 new metrics will be introduced:

Possession control
Ball recovery time
Line breaks
Defensive line height and team length
Final third entries
Forced turnovers
Pressure on the ball
Expected goals
Team shape
Receptions behind midfield and defensive lines
Phases of play

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/14/fifa-to-introduce-enhanced-football-intelligence-at-fifa-world-cup-2022/

Nigerian music superstar, Burna Boy, has been crowned the “Best African Act” at the “MTV EMAs” 2022. Announced during the pre-award ceremony, the recognition saw Burna edge other nominees including Ayra Starr (Nigeria), Black Sherif (Ghana), Musa Keys (South Africa) and Zuchu (Tanzania) following a widely successful 2022.


Taylor Swift was the queen of the night earning four awards at the “MTV EMAs” 2022 held at the PSD Bank Dome in Düsseldorf, Germany. Taylor Swift took top awards including “Best Artist,” “Best Video,” “Best Pop” and “Best Longform Video” for “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version).” Nicki Minaj was awarded “Best Song” for “Super Freaky Girl,” and “Best Hip Hop,” while Harry Styles won “Best Live.”

Hosted by Rita Ora and Taika Waititi, the live global music celebration featured electrifying performances from chart-topping artists and honoured fan favorites across 20 categories. The show also featured a moving performance by Ukrainian Band Kalush Orchestra with a powerful display of support for Ukraine.



Show host Rita Ora won “Best Look ‘Personal Style’”, while “Video for Good” went to Sam Smith feat. Kim Petras for “Unholy.”



The “Best Collaboration” award went to David Guetta and Bebe Rexha for “I’m Good (Blue)” while Guetta also nabbed “Best Electronic,” and new EMA category “Best Metaverse Performance” went to BLACKPINK The Virtual PUBG Mobile.



On a night that saw EMA hosts Rita Ora and Taikia Waititi bring the fashion and the fun with unforgettable looks and show moments, David Guetta and Bebe Rexha opened the performances with their hit song “I’m Good (Blue)”, with Guetta DJing from a massive riser and Rexha swinging onto the stage. Stormzy performed his ballad “Fire Babe” for the first time on TV, creating an intimate show moment with kinetic lighting and special guest vocalist, Debbie.



SPINALL, Äyanna and Nasty C closed the night performing “Power” flanked by roller skaters with tracking devices that made the lights on the stage form funky patterns.



This year’s “MTV EMA Generation Change Award” honourees are three resilient Ukrainian women – Lina Deshvar, Anna Kutova and Anfisa Yakovina – who are fighting for the care and rights of those impacted by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. Their work includes providing shelter for refugees, evacuating and caring for families raising children, adolescents and young people with disabilities, providing art and group therapy for women and families who have been separated from their families and more. The recipients were honoured during the MTV EMA Red Carpet show which was broadcast live on MTV globally and streamed on MTVEMA.com.

FULL LIST OF “MTV EMA” 2022 WINNERS:

Best African Act – Burna Boy
Best Song – Nicki Minaj – Super Freaky Girl
Best Video – Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)
Best Artist – Taylor Swift
Best Collaboration – David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – I’m Good (Blue)
Best Live – Harry Styles
Best Pop – Taylor Swift
Best New – SEVENTEEN
Best K-Pop – Lisa
Best Latin- Anitta
Best Electronic – David Guetta
Best Hip Hop – Nicki Minaj
Best Rock – Muse
Best Alternative – Gorillaz
Best R&B – Chlӧe
Best Longform – Taylor Swift – All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)
Video For Good – Sam Smith Unholy (ft. Kim Petras)
Biggest Fans – BTS
Best Push – SEVENTEEN
Best Metaverse Performance – BLACKPINK The Virtual PUBG Mobile
Best Look ‘Personal Style’ – Rita Ora
Generation Change – Lina Deshvar, Anna Kutova and Anfisa Yakovina
Best Asia Act – TOMORROW X TOGETHER
Best Australian Act – G Flip
Best Brazilian Act – Manu Gavassi
Best Canadain Act – Johnny Orlando
Best Caribbean Act – Daddy Yankee
Best French Act – Amir
Best German Act – Badmómzjay
Best Hungarian Act – Carson Coma
Best India Act – Armaan Malik
Best Italian Act – Pinguini Tattici Nucleari
Best Israel Act – Noa Kirel
Best Latam-North Act – Kenia Os
Best Latam-South Act – Tini
Best Latam-Central Act – Danny Ocean
Best Dutch Act – Goldband
Best New Zealand Act – Lorde
Best Nordic Act – Sigrid
Best Polish Act – Ralph Kaminski
Best Portuguese Act – Bárbara Bandeira
Best Spanish Act – Bad Gyal
Best Swiss Act – Loredana
Best UK & Ireland Act – Harry Styles
Best US Act – Billie Eilish

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/14/burna-boy-wins-best-african-act-at-the-mtv-emas-2022/

$100 million dollars may seem like a huge amount of money to some, but it’s pocket change to Jeff Bezos. That shouldn’t take away from his recent gesture to Dolly Parton, though.

As part of his yearly initative, the Amazon boss awarded the singer with his Courage and Charities Award. He was full of praise for Parton, describing her as somebody who “leads with heart”.

As indicated by Bezos’ girlfriend Lauren Sánchez, who handed over the award to Parton on the night, the award “recognizes leaders who aim high, find solutions, and always do it with civility.”
Parton is well recognized for her charitable work. Her most high-profile project is the Dollywood Foundation, which was created in April 1988 which began by offering scholarships to high school students. Its main goal is support young people through education. Bezos praised all “she’s done for kids, literacy, and so many other things.”

Parton won’t be able to use the funds personally, she will be able to send them to her chosen charity.

After accepting the award, Parton explained the motives behind her charitable work: “When people are in a position to help, you should help. I know that I’ve always said, I try to put my money where my heart is. And I think you do the same thing. I will do my best to do good things with this money”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/15/jeff-bezos-awards-dolly-parton-100-million-dollars/

Thousands of residents in Ijede, Egbin and Ipakan communities have benefitted from a health outreach organised by Egbin Power Plc, which offered free a three-day medical outreach as part of its continuous effort towards promoting quality health and sustainability in communities where it operates.
Egbin Power Plc, the largest power generation company in Nigeria, said the free medical check-up was organized to reinforce its commitment to the wellbeing of members in the host communities including youths, women, children, and aged people by providing access to periodic healthcare screening, to promote sound health.

The three-day medical outreach, which drew commendations from beneficiaries in the host communities, offered cardiovascular check-up, diabetes screening, dental care and medications to beneficiaries who were attended to by healthcare professionals.

Head of Corporate Communications and Branding, Egbin Power Plc. Felix Ofulue, said the company is committed to driving sustainability, people empowerment and promoting the welfare of members of its host communities in line with its CSR intervention programme.

“Our CSR initiatives are devoted to benefitting and improving the quality of life within the community. This initiative started in 2019 in our host communities and thousands of residents of these communities have benefitted. We are quite pleased with the turn out this year,” said Ofulue as he reflected on the outcome of the exercise.

The Leader of the facilitating Health team and Managing Director of Cecy Health Consult, Dr. Yomi Jaiye commended Egbin Power Plc for making it a point of duty to promote wellness in its host communities consistently over the years.

He revealed that the 35-man medical team that conducted the outreach comprised medical officers, family physicians, internal medicine specialists, Dentists, Cardiologists, Nurses and Pharmacists.

As a form of sustainability, a number of beneficiaries who had elevated issues of hypertension and diabetes were presented with Blood Pressure machines, Glucometer to check their blood sugar level and weighing scales.

One of the beneficiaries of the free health programme, Alasela Akinyemi acknowledged the positivity the programme has brought to the community. “I came here because I have been having body aches and immediately, I got here, the doctors attended to me. They even attended to the older people on time, and I want to appreciate the company for bringing this kind of programme to our doorstep because I didn’t pay any money for these medications.”

While commending the company, the Chairman of Ijede Community Development Committee (CDC) Rotimi Owolawi, said initiatives such as this go a long way to engender quality health and life for aged people, youths, women and children who may not have access to periodic medical check-up. “We commend the company for directing attention to the host communities and we express appreciation to the Management”.

The Leader and Baale of Ipakan Community, Chief Mustapha Lasisi, also thanked the Power Generation company for giving back to the community. “This gesture is in no small measure taking care of the prevailing health problems of some members of our community. Since 2019, the company has been carrying out this commendable initiative and to us, it is a good development, and we really appreciate their effort”.

Similarly, the Odofin of Ijede, High Chief Babatunde Ogunmuyiwa, commended the company for the impactful initiative. According to him, “Like the previous year, they are providing cardiovascular care, dental care among other treatments and we are quite appreciative of this. It is part of the CSR interventions which they have been doing and we hope they will continue to do more of this”.

Also speaking, the Medical Officer of Health in Ijede LCDA, Dr. Tajudeen Saheed, commended Egbin Power Plc for the laudable initiative. “Even though we have primary and secondary health centres within the LCDA, it is important to note that this initiative of the power company is free and accessible to all. We are blessed in the LCDA to have such an impactful program, which will further help provide the needed health care to residents of the host communities”.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/10/host-communities-laud-egbin-power-as-over-4000-benefit-from-medical-outreach/

Ghana’s inflation figure jumped to a 40.4 percent high in October compared to 37.2 percent last month.

This was revealed in a statement by Ghana Government Statistician, Mr Samuel Annim, on Wednesday.

By implication, the figure will impact the pressure on the country’s central bank to continue increasing borrowing costs, already at a five-year high.

The figure exceeded the median expectation of 39.5%. Nigeria’s inflation figure will be released next week.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/11/10/ghanas-inflation-hits-40-4-in-october-2022/