₦airaland Forum

Africa Data Centres, part of the Cassava Technologies Group, a pan-African technology group, is pleased to announce building a second data centre in Cape Town, South Africa.

The new 20MW facility will cover 15,000 square meters in eight data halls and is situated on the northern periphery of Cape Town city centre.

According to Tesh Durvasula, Chief Executive Officer of Africa Data Centres, there is a clear pipeline of demand for colocation space that cannot be served from the existing Diep River data centre. “The new Cape Town facility is a critical part of Africa Data Centres expansion drive in the area”.

The site is located in a secure business park that is well served by two major national roads, the N7 and M12, and is in close proximity to Cape Town’s city centre, the V&A Waterfront harbour, Cape Town International Airport, and is within easy reach of Africa Data Centres’ existing Africa Data Centres’ facility in Diep River.

As volumes of data in South Africa grow, so does the demand for the capacity to store and process it. “This is why Africa Data Centres has such ambitious expansion plans in the region. As Africa’s largest and leading network of interconnected, carrier- and cloud-neutral data centre facilities, we are continually working to provide the infrastructure to help companies achieve their digital goals.”

There are several regions experiencing high data centre demand in Africa, and data centre capacity has more than doubled in the past few years. South Africa is leading the charge and is now brimming with new projects.

Moreover, Durvasula says, “Hyper-scaler cloud providers have been eyeing the region for some time, with Amazon opening its first African cloud data centre in South Africa in April 2020. In addition, Google Cloud recently selected Africa Data Centres as the first location for Google Cloud Interconnect in Africa”.

Cape Town is the number two data centre market in South Africa and currently has a connectivity ecosystem made up of several colocation data centres and a wide range of cloud service providers and networks.

Research estimates that the market for data centres in Africa is expected to reach between US$3 billion and US$5 billion in the next four years, growing at a compound annual growth rate of between 12 and 15%, depending on the report.

South Africa remains is the largest data centre market on the continent, with a thriving data centre industry, and has been ranked number 25 globally by Cloudscene based on data centre density.

Over and above bringing digital services to Capetonians, the facility will create a wide range of job opportunities through the provision of digital services and hiring local contractors and workers for the builds, from entry to high-tech level.

The Cape Town build is currently in the initial design phase, with work set to start on site in the last quarter of 2022. Completion is scheduled for the end of 2023.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/15/data-centres-expands-south-african-footprint-with-20mw-facility-in-cape-town/

Lasisi Elenu, Kie Kie, Aproko Doctor, others have all emerged as winners at the second edition of Trendupp Awards, which was held on Sunday, June 12, 2022, at The Monarch Event Centre, Lagos, Nigeria.

The event was hosted by the multi-talented influencer, content creator and TV host Bukunmi Adeaga Ilori fondly known as Kie Kie.

This year’s edition was aimed at recognizing and applauding the outstanding work of influencers, content creators, brands and organisations in Nigeria for their immense contribution to the social media space and encouraging these audacious individuals and organizations.

All sixteen winners across each category were not only presented with their gold statuettes but also received cash prizes of $1000 each, while the winner of the Emerging Force category (the only voting category), ShankComics received a cash prize of $1,500 all courtesy of the event’s headline sponsor Chipper Cash App, one of the world’s leading financial service providers, as the brand’s support to the craft of these leading influencers and content creators in Nigeria.

The most coveted award of the night, the “Force of Influence” was clinched by Mr Macaroni making him the influencer with the highest influence in the Nigerian social media space.

Trendupp Awards 2022: See Full List Of Winners Below;
The Force of Collaboration: Brands that strategically identify and leverage impactful partnerships with content creators/Influencers between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Lush Hair Nigeria
The Force of Comedy Skits: Influencers and content creators who commanded the highest engagement & vitality power in the comedy niche between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Lasisi Elenu (Nosa Afolabi)
The Force of Creative Art (Endowed by MTVBase): Influencers and content creators who commanded the highest engagement & vitality power in the art niches such as painting/drawing, writing, video content production and dancing etc between March 2021 – March 2022.

Winner: Amazing Klef (Okwuchukwu Martins Dominic)
The Force of Food Content: Influencers and Content Creators who have been able to infuse creativity in their content thus commanding engagement in the food niche between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Zeelicious Foods (Winifred Nwania)
The Force of Lifestyle Content (Endowed by Tramango): Influencers and content creators who commanded the highest engagement & vitality power in lifestyle niches such as beauty, travel and fashion between March 2021 – March 2022.

Winner: Akin Faminu
The Force of Online Sensation (Endowed by Dotts Media House): Individuals that have found a way to break through the noise and commanded attention in the social media space between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: James Brown (James Chukwueze Obialor)
The Force of Instagram: Influencers and Content creators with the most engaging content & virality power on Instagram between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Kie Kie (Bukunmi Adeaga-Ilori)
The Force of Social Good: Influencers and content creators who clamoured/spoke up for the social good of the community/country between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Tunde Onakoya
The Force of Tech Content: Influencers and content creators who have found a way to use content in communicating technological leaps and information in easily digestible and laudable ways between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Miss Techy (Tobi Ayeni)
The Force of TikTok: Influencers and Content creators that commanded the highest engagement & virality power on Tiktok between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: R0dn3y (Rodney Odinakachi Umeh)
The Force of Twitter: Influencers and Content Creators that dominated the Twitter platform with meaningful/impactful conversations and threads between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Pamilerin Adegoke
The Force of Virality: Influencer or content creator who mastered the art of making lasting impressions, with content that commands a high number of reposts, likes, shares and talkability between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Enioluwa Adeoluwa
The Force of YouTube: Influencers and Content creators that commanded the highest engagement & virality power on YouTube between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Mark Angel
The Force of Wellness: Influencers and content creators using social platforms to improve the well-being and health of the public in engaging ways between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Aproko Doctor (Nonso Bobby Fidelis Egemba)
Emerging Force (Endowed by Chipper Cash App): Content creators and influencers who are rated as the next big deal in social media between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: ShankComics (Adesokan Emmanuel)
The Force of Influence (Endowed by Pepsi): Influencer or content creator who commanded the highest influence in the Nigerian social media space between March 2021 – March 2022.
Winner: Mr Macaroni (Debo Adedayo)

Trendupp Awards is an initiative of Trendupp, a platform where creatives receive support, publish exclusive content and build direct relationships with their fans across Africa.

The Trendupp Awards is presented by Dotts Media House and powered by Chipper Cash App – one of the world’s leading financial service providers. Also proudly supported by MTV Base, Tramango, Africa Magic, YNaija, Brand Communicator, Vanguard Allure, BellaNaija.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/14/lasisi-elenu-miss-techy-aproko-doctor-others-emerge-winners-at-trendupp-awards-2022/

Based on figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on the country’s Gross Domestic Product, the Nigerian insurance sector grew by 15.68% in the first quarter of the 2022 fiscal period.

“The finance and insurance sector consists of two subsectors, financial institutions and insurance, which accounted for 89.12% and 10.88% of the sector in real terms in Q1, 2022, respectively.”

“As a whole, the sector grew by 32.29 percent in nominal terms (year on year), with financial institutions growing by 34.65 percent and insurance growing by 15.68 percent.”

“The overall rate was 30.14 percentage points higher than in Q1 2021, and 7.36 percentage points higher than the previous quarter.”

Quarter-on-quarter growth was 12.74 percent, according to the report.

In Q1 2022, the sector contributed 3.80 percent of total nominal GDP, up from 3.25 percent the previous year and 3.10 percent the previous quarter.

Growth in this sector was 23.24 percent in real terms, up from 23.70 percent in the first quarter of 2021 and down from 0.90 percent in the previous quarter.

According to the report, Nigeria’s GDP increased by 3.11 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2022, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of sustained positive growth since the recession of 2020, when negative growth rates were recorded in quarters two and three.

The first quarter of 2022 growth rate represents yet another improvement in economic performance. The observed trend since Q4 2020 indicates a gradual return to economic stability.

“However, real GDP grew at -14.66 percent in Q1 2022 compared to Q4 2021, reflecting lower economic activity than the previous quarter.”

“In nominal terms, aggregate GDP stood at N45,317,823.33 million in the quarter under review.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/13/insurance-sector-grew-by-15-68-percent/

The government of Japan through the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) seeks to establish an automotive industry in Nigeria, aimed at strengthening trade bilateral relations between the two countries.

This was revealed, when the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Evelyn Ngige, received the chief representative of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in Nigeria, Mr. Yuzurio Susumu in her office in Abuja.

The permanent secretary appreciated JICA’s collaboration in the review of trade and industrial policies which includes coordination, cooperation and implementation of such policies in Nigeria.

Dr. Ngige urged JICA to leverage on Japan’s trade and industrial policies as a working document in the review of Nigeria’s Trade and Industrial Policies to achieve optimum results.

The permanent secretary further highlighted other areas of collaboration which includes; training of young professionals of the ministry, e-commerce, animation, artificial intelligence and other capacity building programmes stressing that “We need closer engagement with JICA” Ngige.”

Earlier, the chief representative of JICA in Nigeria, Mr. Yuzurio Susumu, stated that the Government of Japan is always ready to collaborate with Nigeria to strengthen trade bilateral relationship between the two countries as his government seeks to establish an automotive industry for Africa, of which Nigeria is the focal point.

Mr. Susumi further stressed that “the world is now moving to a green economy for industrial growth and development and Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind on this global initiative.”

He further explained that other areas of collaborations between the two countries include; trade facilitation, e-commerce, capacity building among others.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/09/japanese-government-expresses-interest-in-nigerias-auto-industry/

Diageo has received planning approval for a major new solar energy farm, which will be located within its Leven packaging site.

The company is set to commence work on the farm, which is being delivered in partnership with E.On and Emtec Energy and will occupy vacant land in the southeast corner of the Leven site. The solar operations will consist of 9,000 panels, covering an area the size of eight football pitches.

Diageo’s new solar farm is expected to be one of the largest of its kind in Scotland, and will produce 4.1 megawatts of electricity while reducing CO2 emissions by around 830 tonnes per year.

Gavin Brogan, operations director at Diageo Leven, said: “It’s fantastic to make this project a reality, creating a more resilient and energy-efficient plant. Working in partnership with E.On and Emtec Energy, the solar array will generate nearly a quarter of our annual energy use and is a fantastic step forward towards meeting our net zero commitments.”

He continued: “Diageo is well-rooted in Leven, and we are committed to playing a positive role in our local community, so we will continue to invest in projects like this one to improve our impact on the environment and future-proof our operations.

We have a number of those projects in the pipeline, including looking into sustainable heating solutions which the solar farm development will help to power.”

The project is scheduled to be completed and generating power by early 2023.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/08/diageo-set-to-construct-solar-energy-farm-in-fife/

Fiber cement board, an innovative building material, is now manufactured in Nigeria by the new material Nigeria limited, a company that is part of the Sinoma/CNBM group, a 500 company with headquarters in Beijing, China.
Mr Jackie Dai Hui, the company’s Managing Director, told journalists during the new product news briefing that New Material Nigeria Limited recently opened its factory in the Kuje area of Abuja, its first outside of China, and is already producing fibre cement boards of global standards.

Hui, when asked about the cost advantages of using fiber cement boards, stated that it saves material and labor costs and reduces project delivery time.

“You save money. For example, this building may take one or two years to complete, but by using our fiber cement board for partitions, you can finish it in three months. You save human resources, cement, and blocks, and most importantly, you protect the environment. “It’s green, and it’s better than block,” he said.

While showing journalists around the factory, he noted that the premises had the most up-to-date industrial safety measures and had passed fire safety tests conducted by the federal fire service. The factory employs 119 Nigerians at various levels and has an installed production capacity of 5 million square meters of fibre cement boards per year. Dai Hui stated

“Yes, we do source locally.” That is why we are confident in our ability to expand and remain in Nigeria. For example, we were able to locate a Kano source for one of our materials, paper pulp, last month. We use Lafarge, Dangote, and Bua cement. The rest are quartz sand and stones that we get locally.”

Nigeria’s housing sector is at least 20 million units short, and experts have proposed several cost-effective solutions to close the gap. Local demand for fiber cement boards in Nigeria has increased due to a greater emphasis on strength, sound, and fireproofing qualities.

This demand is met by the $50 million New Material Nigeria factory. However, Dai Hui stated that this is only the beginning, as another factory is scheduled to open in Lagos in the near future.

Dai Hui expressed a desire to be a part of Nigeria’s export-oriented industrial development and stated that the company plans to use Nigeria as a manufacturing hub for the export of fiber cement boards to the entire West African region.

“With the support of the Nigerian people, we can expand and make Nigeria an exportation hub for the entire ECOWAS,” he said.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/05/chinese-group-opens-50m-fibre-cement-board-factory-in-abuja/

TECNO , a global premium mobile brand, has renewed its beloved SPARK 9 series for Gen Z. Equipped with 32MP super clear selfie shooter and trendy right-angled edge 8.42mm lightweight and slim body, TECNO SPARK 9 Pro brings the users more premium experience to express self-concept and stylish design to let them be on the cutting edge of fashion.


“TECNO has always been committed to make breakthroughs as it’s embedded in our brand spirit #StopAtNothing. This time, we bring the new TECNO SPARK 9 series, hoping to encourage the young generation to freely record and share their thoughts and passions. As a rising innovator in phone camera, TECNO has profoundly improved users’ photography experience. The 32MP HD front camera along with the optimized algorithm of SPARK 9 series enable detailed and clear selfies. Meanwhile, we’ve upgraded the design such as the lighter body to enhance the user experience. We believe that young people worldwide can express themselves more confidently and being their best selves with our latest TECNO SPARK 9 series.” Said Stephen Ha, General Manager of TECNO Mobile.

32MP Super Clear Selfie, Being the Best Self



TECNO SPARK 9 Series bring the fully upgraded front camera to break the boundary for your self-expression via selfie technology. From last generation’s 8MP to the amazing 32MP HD front camera, it allows the young generation to better express themselves in clearer and exceptional textured selfie with excellent details even after zooming in. No matter it’s for your good-looking selfie demonstrating confidence, or for friends gathering and family reunions, the enhanced camera helps you to capture every precious moment and share your life via social media. The renewed selfie experience is powered by the Ultra HD mode, the 4-in-1 sensor chip with intelligent pixel alignment, as well as the F/2.45 front camera aperture with widened fixed focus.



More Stylish and Trendy Look with Upgraded Smartphone Designs



This time, TECNO SPARK 9 series come with a fresh appearance with the industry-popular right-angled edge and the 8.42mm lightly slim body. TECNO SPARK 9 Pro keeps up with the industry trend and fits into the pocket perfectly and effortlessly. And the unique shiny texture mosaic at the back also creates a stylish look, bringing silky touch in hands. It comes with four chic colors – Quantum Black, Burano Blue, Holy White and Hacker Storm. On top of that, the latest series keep the signature lens of TECNO Galaxy dual ring, with the iconic design of futuristic dual-ring triple camera.

1080P FHD+ Dot Notch Screen, Great visual optimization

The Spark 9 Pro brings wider screen and higher resolution with 1080P FHD+ 6.6” Ultra HD large screen at a blazing-fast 90Hz high refresh rate. The optimized screen design enables better visual experience and makes the scrolling smoother and touch feedback more sensitive for mobile entertainment including playing games and watching videos.

Super Night 3.0, Shining you in charming night

Apart from higher pixels, TECNO SPARK 9 Pro have also optimized the Super Night Mode 3.0 with AI Scene Light Detection, Multi-frame Fusion Optimization Algorithm and the cutting-edge Touch-up Restoration Technology. This appropriately brightens your image to make it both clear and natural even shooting in a dark environment. What’s more, the Ring Screen Fill-in Light provides an even, three-dimensional fill-in light for the face even in low light conditions. Plus, the innovative technologies such as AI portrait restoration, the Face Beauty (5.0) Mode, the Intelligent Noise Reduction in RAW domain and the Intelligent All-Scene AF further adds to more clarity and beauty of your face in different scenarios.

50MP High Quality HD Imaging System, Detail Capture Master

The 50MP HD textured image system The latest TECNO SPARK 9 Pro also performs well in its triple rear camera set with the HD imaging system that comprises a 50 MP main camera with F/1.6 Aperture, a 2 MP in-depth sensor as well as an 8W AI Lens to offer a world of clear images through excellent image processing, framing the beautiful details of life.

G85 High-Performance Chip Engine, Delivering Smooth Performance

Equipped with the MediaTek Helio G85 Chip Engine, the new TECNO SPARK 9 Pro continues to deliver impressively smooth performance. As a gaming-grade processor, the MediaTek Helio G85 comes with an Arm Mali-G52 GPU, and the octa-core CPU featuring two powerful Arm Cortex-A75 CPUs to deliver smooth experience for large-scale mobile games and console games.

5000mAh Large Battery (Type-c) , Say goodbye to power shortages

TECNO SPARK 9 Pro (128GB ROM + 4GB RAM memory) boast a massive battery capacity of 5000mAh ultra large battery (Type-c) and 18W Flash Charger. The long-lasting battery life keeps your device powered up even under heavy use.

Last but not least, TECNO SPARK 9 Series uplifts user experience in software with Android 12 HiOS 8.6. The Super Boost 2.0 is dedicated to clean high-frequency apps through data capture and to make your device cleaner and faster. The Language Master delivers excellent translation to enable smooth communications across different languages. Adapting to the preference of the young generation, SPARK 9 series also bring you the fresh customized themes to express your youthfulness.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/03/tecno-introduces-the-latest-spark-9/

HP is announcing new HP Pavilion PCs for Nigerian and other markets this Summer. The new PCs include the HP Pavilion Plus 14-inch Laptop PC and the HP Pavilion x360 14-inch Laptop PC.
Today, 52% of consumers buy a PC to help them succeed in school or work, but more than 30% also buy a PC for entertainment. And many state that their PC cannot keep up with their usage.

That’s why HP created the HP Pavilion Plus 14-inch Laptop PC and the HP Pavilion x360 14-inch Laptop PC. These devices target Gen Z and young millennials seeking devices that allow them to work and play from the home office to the backyard or their favourite holiday location.

The HP Pavilion Plus 14-inch Laptop PC is HP’s thinnest Pavilion laptop ever at 16.5mm in an all-metal chassis. Features include:

Up to 12th gen Intel® Core™ H-series processors, and up to NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 2050 4G discrete graphics to work hard and play hard with OMEN Gaming Hub. Keep the device cool with its two fans and two heat pipes to dramatically improve airflow when gaming, creating, streaming, or multi-tasking.
Stay connected wherever and personalise your performance with HP Network Booster.
Great viewing experiences for web browsing to streaming with its optional OLED display, a first for Pavilion PCs, plus up to 2.8K resolution and a 16:10 aspect ratio.
A variety of colour options to fit your style: Space Blue, Warm Gold, Mineral Silver, Tranquil Pink, and Natural Silver.

The HP Pavilion x360 14-inch Laptop PC features include:

Engineered to rotate 360 degrees so that you can be entertained from any angle you choose.
12th gen Intel® Core™ U-series processors and optional Intel® 5G solution 5000 for faster movie downloads, smoother live streaming, and low latency online for multiplayer gaming.
HP’s first consumer laptop with a manual camera shutter door so you know your camera is private and secure.
Colour options available in space blue, pale rose gold, and natural silver.
Both Pavilions offer amazing capabilities, including:

Control the performance of each device with HP Command Center, with Performance Mode, Balanced Mode, and Power Saver Mode.
Dual speakers with Audio by B&O, so you can immerse yourself in any experience wherever you are.
Create seamlessly with HP Palette pre-installed.
A great video call experience with a 5 MP camera with HP Presence technology, including AI Noise Removal.
Confidence that you are buying a PC from a company that cares about the environment as much as you, offering the world’s most sustainable PC portfolio. Both Pavilions are crafted from recycled metal and ocean-bound plastics and are EPEAT® Gold Certified and ENERGY STAR® rated.
The HP Pavilion Plus 14 is expected to be available from late May, while the HP Pavilion x360 14 is expected to be available this summer.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/02/hp-unveils-new-trendy-pavilion-pcs-for-nigerian-gen-zs-and-young-millennials/

Arla Foods has invested €190 million in the construction of a new milk powder production plant at its Pronsfield dairy facility in Germany.

The Pronsfield dairy site, located in Rhineland-Palatinate, is Arla’s “largest site worldwide” and will include a 51-metre-high drying tower and a new energy centre.

The plant will enable Arla to produce 685 million kilograms of milk that can then be processed into approximately 90,000 tonnes of premium milk powder annually.

Arla’s new facility will manufacture products for B2B business within the food processing industry, including processing milk powder into chocolate or baked goods.

Peder Tuborgh, CEO of Arla Group, said: “I am very pleased to inaugurate this new production facility at our Pronsfeld plant today. Giving as many people as possible access to good, nutritious food every day is one of the biggest challenges we face around the world…As the largest Arla plant in the world with a strong export business, the new production facility gives the Pronsfeld site even greater importance for the growth strategy of our international business.”

Upon construction, the company plans to use the plant to expand its business in international markets such as the Middle East, West Africa and Southeast Asia to meet the growing demand for affordable and nutritious dairy products.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/06/01/arla-foods-invests-e190m-in-pronsfield-milk-production-plant/

Find out what four former judges are saying about the nomination process for the Market Research and Insight Excellence awards. Get advice on how to submit the best nomination possible.

Let’s face it, creating a nomination for an award can be difficult. It’s hard to know the best way to write up the nomination when you are not sure what the judges are going to want.

The Marketing Research and Insight Excellence awards strive to make the nomination process as easy and seamless as possible. But to get an idea of best practices and advice for this awards program and more, we reached out to four former judges for tips on submitting nominations.

How do you write a quality nomination?
Karen Kraft, Johnsonville, said people always think their idea or project was new and different but sometimes they really are not.

“Nominations with tried-and-true methodologies that are positioned as something new and different make me question the quality of the facts being presented in the rest of the nomination,” Kraft said. “A better approach would be to acknowledge up front that while the methodology wasn’t super unique it was applied in a new way or it had breakthrough impact on the end client’s business, etc.”

Tiffany Hays, Fuel and The Focus Room, shared a very similar mistake.

Hays said it’s important to explain the impact your idea, project, new technology, etc., had on the client – internal or external.

Jefferey Wu, Mars Wrigley, on the other hand, had a different idea of what the biggest mistake on a nomination is. He said when the person writing the nomination does not follow the directions, he knows the nomination does not deserve to win.

“It’s a reflection of the organization instead of the individual writer. It’s almost like you use one part of a generic material, just pump it out everywhere for a purpose,” Wu said.

Nominations should be compelling.
Mike Porter, University of St. Thomas, said the nomination needs to clearly explain how the clients’ needs were met.

“Something that clearly and concisely tells the story of what client needs must be met and the alignment of methods and measures to gather information that supports strategic decision-making,” Porter said.

Kraft said that perfection is impossible to achieve but a compelling nomination has these qualities to them:

A clear description of the business problem trying to be solved.
How and why the methodology chosen.
An overview of the methodology that would allow me to be able to describe it back to someone accurately; but not enough to know every single detail (some nominations are too detailed, and some just gloss over what was done). If it’s complex or a unique qualitative technique, pictures and videos really help.
As much as this can be revealed by the business impact.
Testimonial(s) from the end client(s) that illuminate how the project impacted the perception of insights within the business moving forward as well as what they thought of working with the vendor.

Nominations should prove impact.
The answers from the judges were not surprising on this one. For the most part, everyone said either uniqueness or impact on the client was what they looked for.

Although Mike Porter talked more about strategy than uniqueness or impact.

“Ties to strategy supported by the research and methods that align with that strategy,” Porter explained.

Final tips to consider before submitting a nomination
The former judges offered some great thoughts when asked, “What advice, if any, do you have for someone creating a nomination?”

Have someone else review.
“Have someone else who isn’t familiar with the project read your nomination and ask you questions about it. Their questions will likely be similar to what a judge would be thinking and, as judges we can’t ask questions,” said Kraft.

Wu said it could also be helpful to have someone not in marketing research to look at it: “I think that their perspective that’s going to so valuable, because there’s a lot of the business lingo, people are not going to understand.”

Stick to the main message.
“Write your nomination like an executive summary that you’re sending to a time-crunched CEO – they don’t have the time to read a detailed book, they just want the key facts and why should I care,” said Kraft. Kraft also said a person filling out a nomination should see what needs to be in writing and what can be said in a picture or video.

Hays gave a very similar piece of advice, “Use all items [supporting materials] you can submit instead of a bunch of words.”

Hays also said the person writing the nomination needs to focus on the end not the beginning. She said answer questions like, “What difference did you make? Was it global or local impact? Did it change the brand, industry, your company?”

Mike Porter said to only include relevant details in the submission: “Focus on the core of the work and avoid too much minutia about the details, unless relevant to the strategy – i.e., only highlight specific questions if unique and critical to the award-worthy work.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/31/top-tips-for-writing-a-quality-awards-submission/

TECNO  ranked among the top 6 brands on the African continent for the sixth consecutive year, testifying to the staying power of TECNO brand’s leadership in Africa. Established in 2011, the Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands rankings are the most authoritative survey and analysis of African brands and businesses.

TECNO kept its position despite the challenges of the pandemic that saw worldwide supply and demand issues. With Brand Africa’s new rankings, TECNO has once again come out tops, maintaining their position in mid to high-end mobile brand segments in Africa.

TECNO’s investment and commitment to bringing consumer-centric mobile technology to the African continent is exemplary. TECNO brand spokesperson shared that, “We are delighted to continue to receive this honor over the years. We put a lot of effort and continuous deep cultivation in the African market, aiming to provide consumers with reliable products, powerful and innovative mobile technology, all based on an in-depth understanding of the customized needs of African users.”
TECNO’s making its promise to bridge the digital gap through continuous technology and innovation. For example, it was on full display in a webinar entitled “Global Mobile Camera Trends 2022: Innovation Talk” (https:///3GnDgnx), with guest speakers from Counterpoint, TECNO, Samsung Electronics and DXOMARK. Early this year, TECNO also collaborated with BBC Storyworks and created a short film The Future Lens: Looking Ahead With TECNO (https://bbc.in/3N6BObq), to explore the meaning of mobile camera innovation for people’s life. TECNO’s concept phone launch with new Telescopic Macro Lens technology (https:///3z6J6Ia) is another vision for the future of mobile cameras. The objective of ‘Future Lens’ on its camera innovation is to allow users to showcase their uniqueness via visual storytelling, filling their world with diversified beauty through mobile camera innovation.

TECNO keeps demonstrating its global level of technology and innovation with its brand mission of becoming the most admired tech brand in Africa and global emerging markets by continually making breakthroughs in technology innovation. TECNO is deeply committed to its role in the mobile technology field and is dedicated to bringing the innovative and stylish products to its customers.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/29/tecno-ranks-6th-among-2022-africa-best-brands/

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $1.5bn emergency food production facility for 20 million farmers on the continent to avert a looming food crisis brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The funding is meant to assist Africa overcome a shortage of at least 30 million metric tonnes of food due to the disruption of global food supplies caused by the conflict in Europe, especially for wheat, maize and soybeans imported from Russia and the Ukraine.

“African farmers urgently need high-quality seeds and inputs before the planting season begins in May to immediately boost food supplies,” the bank says.

The African Emergency Food Production facility will provide 20 million African smallholder farmers with certified seeds. It will increase access to agricultural fertilisers and enable them to rapidly produce 38 million tonnes of food. This is a $12bn increase in food production in just two years.

African Development Bank Group president Dr Akinwumi Adesina says: “Food aid cannot feed Africa. Africa does not need bowls in hand. Africa needs seeds in the ground, and mechanical harvesters to harvest bountiful food produced locally. Africa will feed itself with pride for there is no dignity in begging for food.”

The facility has benefited from stakeholder consultations, including those with fertiliser producers and separately with African Union agriculture and finance ministers earlier this month.

The ministers agreed to implement reforms to address the systemic hurdles that prevent modern input markets from performing effectively.

The price of wheat has soared in Africa by over 45% since the war in Ukraine began. Fertiliser prices have gone up by 300%, and the continent faces a fertiliser shortage of 2 million metric tonnes. Many African countries have already seen price hikes in bread and other food items. If this deficit is not made up, food production in Africa will decline by at least 20% and the continent could lose over $11bn in food production value.

The African Development Bank’s $1.5bn strategy will lead to the production of 11 million tonnes of wheat; 18 million tonnes of maize; 6 million tonnes of rice; and 2.5 million tonnes of soybeans.

The facility will provide 20 million farmers with certified seeds, fertiliser, and extension services. It will also support market growth and post-harvest management.

The AfDB will provide fertiliser to smallholder farmers across Africa over the next four farming seasons, using its convening influence with major fertiliser manufacturers, loan guarantees, and other financial instruments.

The facility will also create a platform to advocate for critical policy reforms to solve the structural issues that impede farmers from receiving modern inputs. This includes strengthening national institutions overseeing input markets.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/27/afdb-approves-1-5bn-emergency-food-facility/

Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has stated that a comprehensive Diaspora Housing Mortgage Scheme will be launched soon.
According to a statement signed by Gabriel Odu of the Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, NIDCOM, Abuja, the NIDCOM boss stated this when she visited the Management and staff of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in Abuja.

This follows the completion of the final stages of the Diaspora Housing Mortgage Policy by both agencies.

According to Dr. Dabiri-Erewa, Nigeria is the highest Diaspora-remitting country in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over 19 billion dollars in 2021, according to the World Bank, and assisting them to own their own houses is the least of incentives for Nigerians abroad who tirelessly contribute to the country.

This follows the completion of the final stages of the Diaspora Housing Mortgage Policy by both agencies.

According to Dr. Dabiri-Erewa, Nigeria is the highest Diaspora-remitting country in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over 19 billion dollars in 2021, according to the World Bank, and assisting them to own their own houses is the least of incentives for Nigerians abroad who tirelessly contribute to the country.

Furthermore, the NiDCOM boss stated that this move will encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to do more for the country, resulting in a win-win situation.

Furthermore, the NiDCOM boss stated that this move will encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to do more for the country, resulting in a win-win situation.
Dabiri-Erewa went on to say that the Scheme aims to enable Nigerians in Diaspora to open mortgage accounts, participate in the National Housing Fund (NHF) scheme, access loans up to N50 million, and own homes through certified developers, all from the comfort of their homes.

In addition, the NIDCOM Chairman/CEO explained that the package is available to any Nigerian (over the age of 18) living in the Diaspora who has evidence of a regular flow of income and has made contributions for a minimum of one year before being eligible to access the mortgage loan.

Applicants will also apply for the mortgage loan through an accredited Primary Mortgage Bank after contributing for the applicable minimum period.

Following that, applicants will register with the NHF and contribute $150 (for beneficiaries earning $3,000 or less per month) or $200 (for beneficiaries earning $3,001 or more per month) for a minimum of a year.

The package also includes a 30% down payment, a single-digit interest rate of 9%, and a payback period of up to ten years.

Meanwhile, she took the opportunity to congratulate Mr. Madu Hamman, the new FMBN managing director/chief executive, and urged him to build on the impressive achievements of his predecessors. Mr. Madu Hamman agreed that the work to make the Scheme a reality had been completed.

However, he stated that the Scheme would have been launched earlier in the year, citing a change in leadership at the FMBN as a factor.

Mr. Hamman promised that the FMBN Diaspora Housing Mortgage Scheme would be launched in earnest to provide a transparent, seamless platform for Nigerians in Diaspora to invest in and own homes in Nigeria.

The NiDCOM/FMBN Committee has been given until the end of May to complete preparatory work for the launch of the Scheme proposed for London, according to the statement.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/26/diaspora-housing-scheme-to-be-launched-by-nidcom-and-mortgage-bank/

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has increased the Monetary Policy Rate to 13%.
Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, made the announcement this afternoon at the conclusion of the Monetary Policy Committee meeting in Abuja.


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/25/cbn-has-increased-its-monetary-policy-to-13/

The Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON), an association in charge of private and public broadcasters in Nigeria on Tuesday unveiled the logo of the 2022 edition of the ‘Nigerian Broadcasting Awards’.

In his address, Chairman of the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria, John Ugbe stated that the award is aimed at embodying international awards for outstanding achievement in Television and Radio and distinguished achievement and meritorious service in Broadcasting among others.

He added that the award is not limited to members of BON alone but to all broadcasters.

“There are quite a few categories for which awards will be given across radio and television. Categories for this year’s award include Radio station/ Best Television Station of the Year, Best Radio station-/ Best Television- News in English, Best Radio station/ Best Television-“Indigenous language”, Best Radio/ Best Television station-original production “English”, Best Radio/ Best Television station-original production “Indigenous language”, Best Radio/ Best Television Show-English, Best Radio/ Best Television Show- Indigenous language, Newscaster of the Year- Radio/Television, Reporter of the Year -Radio/Television, (12) Presenter of the Year – Radio/Television amongst others.

Ugbe further said, to achieve a successful Awards, BON at its 76th General Assembly approved the composition of the Awards Steering Committee drawn from public and private broadcast media houses. The Steering Committee is headed by Mr Guy Murray-Bruce, President of Silverbird Group.

“BON has also appointed Strategic Outcomes Limited as the Consultant to the Committee.
Today, BON leadership in conjunction with the Steering Committee is unveiling the process for the awards, as well as the logo of The Nigerian Broadcasting Awards.”

According to the Chairman, BON has been involved in efforts geared toward building national unity, sustaining democratic governance, through fair and balanced coverage of electioneering and elections and serving as a midwife between the government and the governed as assigned to it by the constitution of the Federal Republic.

“BON has through its platforms been at the forefront of contributing towards resolution of critical national issues such as insecurity, health, economic and national stability among others.

“The formation of BON came to be as a result of the broadcast media houses in the country, coming together to cover the ALL AFRICA GAMES that was staged in Nigeria in 1973. While the need to make it a formidable organisation was reinforced when Nigeria was given the right to host the Festival of Black Arts and Culture-FESTAC 77. The joint efforts of broadcast stations in the coverage of FESTAC 77, again yielded tremendous success that received international accolades.

“Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) was formally established in 1988 to serve as a coalition of public and private broadcast stations.

“The organization was duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, as the nation’s umbrella of Terrestrial Radio, Television (TV), Direct-To-Home (DTH) Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) and Multimedia Distribution System (MMDS).

“BON is, therefore, an independent, non-governmental association of all private, public, commercial and community electronic media organisations in Nigeria with more than 300 media houses as members.”

What The Nigerian Broadcasting Award Logo Symbolizes
During the official unveiling of the BON award logo, the organizers stated that the statuette, shaped like a woman on the logo speaks to the fertility of ideas because broadcasting is a profession of ideas developed and implemented by fertile minds.

while the raised hands clutching a star symbolize triumph borne of the excellence that the Nigeria Broadcasting Awards seek to recognize, celebrate and reward.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/24/bon-unveils-logo-for-nigerian-broadcasting-award-2022/

In line with its commitment to Nigeria’s socio-economic development, Nigeria’s foremost total beverage company, Guinness Nigeria Plc has empowered 90 women with trade assets and simple business training through the company’s Plan W-empowerment programme.

Forty other individuals received seed capital to start up or scale up their trade through the Orijin-Osun Osogbo partnership empowerment scheme.

Guinness Nigeria’s’ Corporate Relations Director, Mr Rotimi Odusola, explained at a two-day event that climaxed at the Palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo that the empowerment programme is part of the company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives aimed at growing the capacities of the underrepresented in Nigeria, in line with the Organizations Society 2030: Spirit of Progress campaign- a 10-year action plan towards the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Prior to the Osogbo activity, Odusola said that the Plan W-empowerment initiative had been initiated in the South-East and North-West of Nigeria benefiting over 500 women.

“By investing in more women, we hope to have a sustainable impact in the societies and economies where we operate. The Plan W-empowerment programme aligns with our sustainability plan under the three pillars of leadership in alcohol in society, building thriving communities and reducing our environmental impact in the communities where we operate.

“We believe that the programme, empowering these women, will make a significant contribution to the development of thriving communities in Nigeria” Odusola said.

Commenting on the Orijin-Osun Osogbo partnership, Uche Onwudiwe, Marketing Manager, Mainstream Spirit and RTDs said “empowering men and women living in Osogbo is one of the programmes put in place as part of our expansive yearly sponsorship of the Osun Osogbo festival.

Apart from the thrills that Orijin delivers, we have had wonderful support from the palace since the relationship began last year in ensuring that we continue to inspire people to stay true to who they are, their roots, because that is when they can truly be at their best.

Oba Jimoh Abidemi Oyetunji Olanipekun, the Ataoja of Osogbo, expressed gratitude to Guinness for sponsoring the Osun Osogbo festival under the Orijin brand. All of the recipients, according to Oba Oyetunji Olanipekun, should make accountability their watchword and ensure that they use the skills they learned throughout the programme to create and grow their businesses.

The recipients, who came from several councils and wards in Osogbo, were taught skills like bookkeeping and accounting that would help them build their enterprises.

Mrs Bolanle Kaffi, a representative of the Commissioner of Women Affairs and a deputy director in the Ministry, thanked Guinness Nigeria for their support and pledged that the Ministry would continue to provide the necessary guidance and counselling to the beneficiaries.

Mrs Iyabo Subuloye, speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked Guinness Nigeria for supporting the growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Osogbo. She promised that all of the beneficiaries would use the skills they learned in the training to grow and build on the trade assets they received, as well as spend their seed capital judiciously.

It would be recalled that as part of the firm’s diversity and inclusion policy, Diageo, Guinness Nigeria’s parent company, became the first alcoholic beverage corporation to sign up to the United Nations Women Empowerment Principle (UNWEP).

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/23/guinness-nigeria-empowers-women-youths-in-osogbo/

HP Inc. today revealed its newest gaming hardware and software created for gamers everywhere with the thermally innovative OMEN 16 Laptop, accessible Victus 15 Laptop, and a variety of powerful updates to OMEN Gaming Hub to enable elevated gaming experiences for all.
Gaming continues to permeate throughout the globe. Total consumer spending for PC gaming hardware and accessories is up 62% from 2019, highlighting the desire people are having to making PC gaming a bigger part of their lives.


“As people continue to spend more time gaming, they want hardware and software that will allow them to game longer while keeping them immersed,” said Josephine Tan, Global Head and General Manager, Consumer PCs at HP Inc. “These latest additions to HP’s gaming ecosystem give people of all backgrounds – rookie gamers and veterans alike – the tools they need to expand their gaming horizons, now and into the future.”

Seasoned adventurers in gaming crave the latest advancements in hardware and software that allow them to experience today’s titles at the best settings, so they feel truly immersed when they clutch that last-second win or defeat that once impossible boss. This latest addition to the OMEN ecosystem delivers new experiences that go beyond the expected to keep gamers connected, entertained, and excited for what comes next.

Upgrades in the form of an added fifth heat pipe and fourth outflow vent have additionally contributed to a -3% GPU hinge and -14% bottom SSD temperature while also running 5% quieter compared to last gen so gamers can Zen out and stay fully immersed in their favorite titles.


Cooperating with a built-in IR thermopile sensor, OMEN Dynamic Power within OMEN Gaming Hub can precisely detect real-time CPU and GPU capacity and dynamically allocate power between the two. This creates extra headroom and optimises in-game FPS based on current game activity to allow the best experience possible in any game. This technology has contributed up to a 18% performance increase in 3D Mark Time Spy and up to a 36% increase in CPU performance over last year’s model.

Stunning graphics bring the newest titles to life with up to an NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 3070 Ti Laptop GPU and the latest MAX Q technologies or AMD Ryzen™ RX 6650M. Clear levels faster than ever with up to an Intel® Core™ i9-12900H series processor or AMD Ryzen™ 9 6900HX Mobile Processors. Avoid untimely memory bottlenecks with up to 32GB DDR5 4800 MHz and take advantage of speedy access to vital files with up to 2TB PCIe Gen4x4 SSD.

Action on the screen flows brilliantly across the up to QHD 165Hz IPS panel with 3ms response time and 100% sRGB. Experience low blue light with Eyesafe® display certification by TÜVRheinlan and an auto brightness sensor that work to keep eyes fresh during the grandest of adventures. The bright visuals continue on the keyboard with up to per-key RGB lighting with OMEN Gaming Hub Light Studio integration to achieve a look that is on point with any gaming setup theme.

Each gamer has a meaningful origin story that explains their exploration into PC gaming. Victus introduces gamers to an accessible, yet elevated, gaming experience built with OMEN’s DNA. As the younger sibling to the seasoned OMEN brand, Victus aims to help anybody from any background outplay the ordinary in their quest to find out what type of gamer they are.

As the second entrant in the Victus line of laptops, the Victus 15 features three striking colour options in mica silver, performance blue, and ceramic white, all with a standard backlit keyboard printed with the memorable font found on OMEN devices. With outstanding processors and graphics, anyone can multitask between gaming, surfing, editing, and more with features that include:

The 15-inch display features options up to FHD144 Hz and Eyesafe® low-blue light14 while fitting snug atop a design that boasts a 15-inch diagonal footprint for practical everyday portability. Visuals have never moved quicker with graphics powered by up to an NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 3050 Ti Laptop GPU with 2nd generation ray tracing power or AMD Radeon RX 6500M. Lightning-fast speed and responsive gameplay with options up to an Intel® Core™ i7-12700H processor10or AMD Ryzen™ 7 5800H Mobile Processors along with up to 16 GB DDR4-3200 MHz memory.

Wide rear vents add a visual flair on top of enhanced thermal efficiency which is bolstered by four-way airflow and a two-heat pipe design to keep things running cool when the gameplay gets sizzling. With a single SSD up to Gen4 1TB PCIe storage7 gaming and other activities are quick and simple.

Both OMEN 16 and Victus 15 Laptops ship with OMEN Gaming Hub preinstalled to take advantage of powerful internal features such as Performance Mode, Network Booster, and System Vitals to help games run lit. The new Optimizer feature takes this even further by enabling enthusiasts to free up system resources and tweak low-level OS settings to maximise FPS regardless of if theirs PC is OMEN, Vitus, custom built, or other. Additionally, access to other features like, Gallery, Rewards, Oasis Live, and OMEN Light Studio with support for Twinkly lights raises gaming experiences in new and exciting ways.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/21/hp-launches-omen-16/

Jim Ovia, Zenith Bank’s chairman, and Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the lender’s Group Managing Director, have strengthened their grip on the company with a new investment of N285,528,478.

Brand Spur Nigeria reports that their investment comes amid a -3.57 percent drop in Zenith Bank’s year-to-date share value, reflecting a reversal in shareholders’ investment as the capital market’s confidence in the lender remains low – considering its -2.21 percent drop between January 2021 and Monday, May 9, 2022.

With investors wary about Zenith Bank and uncertain development prospects, the investment from Ovia and Onyeagwu could be interpreted as management’s attempt to persuade pessimistic investors to change their minds.


Through his investment company, Quantum Zenity Securities & Investment Limited, Ovia, who holds the largest individual and institutional investments in Zenith Bank, purchased one million shares on Tuesday, May 9.

The shares purchased are valued at N24.35 million. He previously possessed 1.52 billion indirect shares through five firms, including Quantum Zenith, in both 2021 and 2020.

He also owns 3.54 billion direct shares, earning him the title of “Godfather of Nigerian Banking.” When his total ownership is tied to the lender’s closing stock price of N24.25kobo per share, this takes his total investment in Zenith Bank to N122.7 billion.

According to Ripples Nigeria’s study of Onyeagwu’s capital, he has been expanding his investment in Zenith Bank since the end of 2020.

Information from an investigation of his capital market activity, the most recent of which was a purchase of 11.07 million shares on Monday.

He paid N274.45 million for the new shares, bringing his total number of direct shares to 65.06 million as of December 2021. Note that Onyeagwu’s entire direct shareholdings in 2020 were 46.5 million, indicating that the GMD’s investment in Zenith Bank is now worth around N1.8 billion.

Apart from Ovia and Onyeagwu, another executive director, Ahmed Shuaib, joined the buying binge on Monday, buying two million shares to supplement his own investment.

Shuaib is one of Zenith Bank’s top 10 stockholders, with 14.07 million direct shares as of December 2021, prior to his current purchase in the financial institution.

Shuaib’s stock holdings have also grown since the end of 2020, when he had 9.57 million shares. The director currently owns shares in Zenith Bank worth N389.69 million.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/21/jim-ovia-and-ebenezer-onyeagwu-invest-n285-52-million-in-zenith-bank-to-boost-corporate-investment/

Dangote Group says it intends to invest heavily in the steel sector of the economy.
Olakunle Alake, group managing director of Dangote Group, revealed this on Thursday during a panel discussion at the African Finance Corporation (AFC) Infrastructure Solutions Summit in Abuja.

Alake stated that the conglomerate intends to expand into the steel sector of the economy.

He also stated that in a few years, the company will no longer seek foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Right now, we are attempting to finish something.” This, I believe, is the major project, and it is our primary focus right now. We will not go to the Central Bank for foreign exchange for any of our activities in the next couple of years because, at the end of the day, it’s a double situation: you import products, which means you are creating jobs outside Nigeria, and you struggle to get the forex,” Alake said.

“You drill for oil, export it, and do not refine it.” You are simply killing jobs in this manner.

“We have two goals in mind. One, we make certain that we look for items that can be produced locally, as this creates employment and value.

Steel is one of the most important areas for us. You may recall that the government decided that steel was important and established Ajaokuta Steel and Delta Steel. We intend to resurrect this sector in a big way.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/20/dangote-group-we-intend-to-invest-heavily-in-the-steel-sector/

Pan-African multilateral trade finance institution, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Petroleum Producers Organization (APPO) for the creation of a multi-billion-dollar energy bank.

Aimed at scaling up private sector investment in African oil and gas projects, the bank will provide critical financing for new and existing oil and gas projects, as well as energy developments across the entire value chain. Following international oil company divestment and the shift in global investment trends, the bank comes at a particularly critical time for Africa’s energy sector.

The MoU was signed by Mr. Rene Awambeng, Director & Global Head, Client Relations, Afreximbank, and Dr Omar Farouk, Secretary General of APPO, in the presence of H.E. João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, APPO Ministers and African Energy Chamber (AEC) Executive Chairman NJ Ayuk.

While the developed world calls for the end of fossil fuels due to climate change, Africa continues to face the crisis of energy poverty. Over 600 million lack access to electricity and 900 million lack access to clean cooking solutions, leading to stakeholders calling for the rapid expansion of the oil and gas sector, recognizing the role these resources play in making energy poverty history. Despite these calls, global investors are shying away from hydrocarbons, leaving the continent without the investment it needs if it is to capitalize on its resources.

According to the AEC’s Q1 2022 Report, the State of African Energy, from the peak in 2014 at $60 billion, capital expenditure in Africa declined to $22.5 billion in 2020. Despite projected increases to $30 billion in 2020, significant levels of investment are still required, and thus, the role of African financial institutions has been emphasized. Organizations such as the Afreximbank have already made notable progress to drive oil and gas project developments.

At the end of 2020, the Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at $21.5 billion, with shareholder funds amounting to $3.4 billion. Other institutions including the African Development Bank – with an active portfolio of projects upwards of $12 billion – also represent critical providers across the African energy landscape. However, more needs to be done, and if large-scale discoveries such as those made in Namibia and Ivory Coast are to be sufficiently developed, more capital needs to be made available.

Stepping into this picture, the Afreximbank-APPO MoU aims to alleviate these challenges, ensuring the provision of capital for Africa’s upcoming oil and gas projects. Based in Africa, the bank will operate as an independent entity, regulated and led by experienced professionals that know and understand Africa’s energy needs. The proposed bank will not be a substitute for private investment, however, but rather, will serve as a catalyst for Africa-directed investment.

“The African Energy Chamber has been pushing for the creation of an African Energy Bank, one that is African-based and Africa-focused, and I am proud to announce that the Afreximbank and APPO have taken the first steps towards its creation. The bank will be critical for Africa’s energy sector, serving as a catalyst – not a substitute – for private investment in African energy. This is a practical strategy for prosperity and a pragmatic vision that must be embraced by all who want to make energy poverty history and fight climate change,” states NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC, adding that, “Why should our pension funds go to European banks who say they will not finance Africans and call us risky? We need to use that money to finance oil and gas.”

The proposed African Energy Bank will operate in the same way as the APPO-created Africa Energy Investment Corporation – a developmental financial institution created to channel resources towards the development of Africa’s energy sector. In addition to ensuring capital is made available for African oil and gas, the bank will serve as a vessel for mobilizing African-sourced finance. Rather than utilizing international banks for pension funds, the bank will serve as an investment corporation that will channel these funds into African projects, thus, ensuring high returns of investment as well as the development of Africa’s energy sector. The benefits will be two-fold: the funds will help drive oil and gas development while the oil and gas projects will drive socioeconomic growth through the increase in access to energy. Accordingly, the role this bank will play is pivotal.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/18/african-petroleum-producers-organization-appo-sign-mou-for-the-creation-of-a-multi-billion-dollar-energy-bank/

Technogym, the premier world leader in the design of fitness and wellness equipment recently certified fitness trainer and brand ambassador of Technogym Nigeria; Ekemini Ekerette, AKA ‘Kemen’ as the first international master trainer in Nigeria. The training took place in May 2022 in Cesena, Italy.

The guest speaker at the event was Shea Pierre; a professional trainer who has trained over 20,000 epic athletes worldwide. The training also presented the best of Technogym’s global education team together to share industry leading level of knowledge with the world of fitness, health, and wellness. The training had a total of17 Educators and 17 workshops.

Over 200 trainers attended from all over the globe and they delved into product knowledge, best in class fitness principles and wellness techniques. The event also embraced the foundations of wellness, encompassing movement, nutrition and mental fortitude. Participants were also being exposed to the exciting environment of the Technogym village, diverse people, culture and food.

Speaking on the training, BPL CEO, Michael Owolabi said ‘’as an organization, we believe in providing superior solutions and ensuring best in class training for our people. We constantly embrace opportunities that enables our partners to be outstanding in their craft and update their skills. This is what prompted us to ensure that Kemen was part of the Technogym master training event. This brings him to the level of the top trainers from any part of the world and ensures that Technogym customers in Nigeria are exposed to best-in-class fitness techniques.’’

An elated Kemen stated that training experience was a period of intensive learning, sharing, networking, getting to know more about the global trainer community and the wellness business in general. The Technogym Master Trainer event was indeed an experience of a lifetime.

Black Pelican Limited is the sole distributor of Technogym in Nigeria.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/18/kemen-becomes-first-technogym-master-trainer-for-nigeria/

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported on Monday that Nigeria’s food inflation rose to 18.37 percent in April, owing to increases in the prices of staple foods across the country.
According to the NBS’s inflation report, the food inflation rate increased from 17.2 percent in March due to price increases in bread and cereals, food products, potatoes, yam, wine, fish, meat, energy, and oils.

The food sub-index increased by 0.01 percentage point month on month to 2% in April 2022, up from 1.99 percent in March 2022.

Furthermore, the average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending April 2022 over the previous 12-month period is 18.88%, a 0.34 percent point increase from the average annual rate of change recorded in March 2022. (19.21 per cent).

According to the report, “All items less farm produce” or Core inflation, which excludes volatile agricultural produce prices, stood at 14.18 percent in April 2022, up 1.44 percent from 12.74 percent in April 2021.”

On a month-to-month basis, the core sub-index increased to 1.22 percent in April 2022, up 0.24 percent from 0.98 percent in March 2022.

According to the NBS, the highest price increases were seen in gas, liquid fuel, cleaning, repair, and hire of clothing, clothing materials, other articles of clothing, and clothing accessories.

According to the NBS, food inflation was highest in Kogi (22.79 percent), Kwara (21.56 percent), and Ebonyi (21.56 percent) in April 2022. (21.45 percent ).

However, Sokoto (14.85 percent), Kaduna (15.55 percent), and Anambra (16.68 percent) experienced the slowest year-on-year increase in food inflation.

Ekiti (4.03 percent), Taraba (3.68 percent), and Osun (3.04 percent) had the highest month-on-month food inflation in March 2022, while Anambra (0.66 percent), Kogi (1.01 percent), and Bauchi (1.08 percent) had the slowest.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/18/food-inflation-has-reached-18-8-percent-owing-to-increases-in-bread-and-energy-prices/

The US Commerce Secretary Gina M. Raimondo will travel to Durham, North Carolina, to announce the launch of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative, which will invest $45 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to all Americans by the end of the decade.


The initiative will be managed and implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the United States Department of Commerce (NTIA).

“You simply cannot participate in the economy in the twenty-first century if you do not have access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet,” Secretary Raimondo said. “As a result of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, Americans across the country will no longer be hampered by a lack of high-speed internet access.” We will ensure that every American has access to technologies that enable

The programs will construct internet infrastructure, teach digital skills, and provide necessary technology to ensure that everyone in America, including communities of color, rural communities, and older Americans, has the access and skills needed to fully participate in today’s society.

“The resources in President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act will enable us to bring broadband infrastructure to every corner of our country, make service affordable for everyone, and ensure users have the devices and digital skills they require,” said Don Graves, Deputy Secretary of Commerce. “However, we need a whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach to succeed – everyone who has a stake in our connected future should get involved now.”

“Generations before us built interstate highways and brought electricity to rural America,” Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, said. “The task of our generation is to connect all Americans online.” Today, NTIA is launching major new programs to promote Internet access and adoption, ensuring that everyone in America has a chance to thrive in the modern economy.”

To be eligible for the BEAD Program, states and other eligible entities must submit a letter of intent and a budget for planning funds, which will unlock $5 million in planning funds and allow states to begin developing their five-year action plan. Dedicated NTIA staff will provide direct support to each state throughout the process. Each participating state is guaranteed a minimum $100 million allocation, with additional funding determined based on the Federal Communications Commission’s upcoming coverage maps.

The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program will provide grants to eligible entities on a technology-neutral, competitive basis for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle-mile infrastructure. The State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, which was launched today, is the first step in a series of Digital Equity Act steps that will invest $1.5 billion to increase adoption and use, such as digital literacy training, for those who need it the most, including communities of color, rural communities, and older Americans.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/17/u-s-launches-45-billion-internet-for-all/

The Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr Bolaji Owasanoye, has rallied a global action against Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), including a call for a global framework on IFFs similar to corruption.

Mr Owasanoye made this call at a side event of the ongoing hybrid 54th Conference of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) taking place in Dakar, Senegal.

According to a statement issued by the ICPC’s spokesperson, Mrs Azuka Ogugua, the conference would focus on regional efforts to track, recover and return stolen assets from Africa through the IFFs.

She said that the meeting was attended by representatives of member countries of the Economic Community for Africa, heads of anti-corruption agencies and international bodies.

Addressing the meeting virtually, the ICPC boss emphasised the need for a global framework on IFFs as part of a determined commitment to tackle the menace.

“The challenge we found ourselves today is that the rules have always been skewed in favour of those who export capital and against those who import capital. Corruption is a global issue and we have a global framework for corruption.

“The IFFs is also a global issue but does not have a global framework.

“A way out of the problem is to institute a global framework on IFFs which, among others, will address the huge financial losses suffered by African countries,” the ICPC chairman stated.

He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war had complicated the financial resources of African countries, hence the need to tackle the IFFs and stop the further haemorrhage of the financial resources on the continent.

Further to the global framework on IFFs, Owasanoye also proffered legal and policy measures that should be implemented by African countries to address the IFFs risk.

These legal and policy measures, according to the ICPC boss include a review of agreements entered into with Multinational Corporations (MNCs), a review of inimical double taxation agreements.

Others are the enactment of laws, rules or regulations on unexplained wealth orders or lifestyle audits, introduction of civil forfeiture of assets and beneficial ownership standards; and design of a framework for trans-digital transactions.

The ICPC chairman also advocated tougher measures against corrupt state officials who collude with the MNCs against their countries.

“African countries must understand that the MNCs split contracts.

“The juicy parts of the contracts with MNCs are domiciled in their home countries while the non-juicy parts of the contracts are domiciled in Africa.

“We need to deal with the MNCs’ collaboration by government officials who look the other way in international agreements,” he said.

In her remarks, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Mrs Rebecca Grynspan, said the global economy was under enormous stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia–Ukraine war, and climate change.

She noted that IFFs posed a huge challenge to African countries in realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We are aware of the increasing rates which make it more difficult and harder for African countries to access finance.

“The African economies are also feeling the impact of the Russia – Ukraine war and thereby widening the financing gap.

“Africa requires US$2.45 trillion to meet its SDG financing gap. We can close half of the SDG financing gap for Africa if we are able to curb IFFs.

“We, therefore, cannot continue to allow the billions of dollars of IFFs slipping out of Africa every year,” she said.

She added that “The IFFs and Asset Recovery are more critical to Africa today. Both are required by African Countries to achieve the SDGs.”

She emphasised the need for data and collaboration among African institutions like Customs and Central Banks as a necessary condition for tracking the IFFs.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/16/118695/

Hotels Etc, one of America’s largest and most sought-after discount companies with a presence in 141 countries worldwide, is set to open a new international corporate office in Nigeria on October 4, 2022.
Tourism has evolved into one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. This expansion has been fueled by advanced travel technology and a growing holiday culture, and Nigeria is not left behind. The West African behemoth has geographical terrain that includes coastal beaches, mountains, historical sites, wildlife, UNESCO-approved heritage centers1, and diverse culture, all of which Hotels Etc excels in.

Citizens, tourists, and thrill seekers in Nigeria can save up to 75% off public rates on travel, shopping, recreation, health, and other activities when they sign up for.

On our members’ area, you can get great deals not available anywhere else, such as travel, retail discounts, hotels and accommodations, and so on,” said Yetunde Okafor, CEO of Hotels Etc. Nigeria.

Hotels Etc. provides travel, cruise, and entertainment discounts. (In the Nigerian travel and tourism industry, leisure travel typically accounts for the majority of spending. Leisure travel generated approximately 3.6 billion US dollars in 2020). These are the three major sectors that comprise the average Nigerian’s social life. Hotels Etc. is set to simplify the lives of its Nigerian clients while providing value for money by opening a new international corporate office in Nigeria.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/15/premier-discount-company-hotels-and-other-businesses-expand-in-nigeria/

The president of the African Development Bank Group , Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, made a compelling case, on Wednesday, for the United States to back the institution’s $1.5 billion emergency food production plan. The plan seeks to avert a looming food crisis in Africa caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Bank chief, and a panel of witnesses, testified about global food insecurity and persisting impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic before the US Senate subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs. Among others, senators Chris Coons (Delaware), Lyndsey Graham (South Carolina), Dick Durbin (Illinois), Chris Van Hollen (Maryland) and Roy Blunt (Missouri) participated in the hearing.

Senator Coons, Chair of the Senate subcommittee, stressed that the US should move fast and provide sufficient funding. “We should be concerned and even alarmed about the widening food security crisis that this war is causing for hundreds of millions far beyond Eastern Europe,” he said. Senator Graham expressed support for the establishment of a global fund for food security.

Speaking live via videoconference from Accra, Ghana, Adesina said the proposed Africa Emergency Food Production Plan would result in the rapid production of 38 million tons of food across Africa over the next two years. “The African Development Bank, with your support, is prepared to meet this new challenge and others head-on,” he said.

The plan is anchored on the provision of certified seeds of climate-adapted varieties to 20 million African farmers. With the disruption of food supplies arising from the Russia-Ukraine war, Africa faces a shortage of at least 30 million metric tons of food, especially wheat, maize, and soybeans imported from the two countries.

An African Emergency Food Production Plan

Adesina said the African Development Bank would invest $1.3 billion in the plan’s implementation. He called on the US to make up the funding balance. “With US support to reduce the $200 million financing gap – we can ensure the Africa Emergency Food Production Plan’s success,” he said.

The Africa Emergency Food Production Plan is currently before the African Development Bank’s Board of Directors for approval.

Also providing testimony were David Beasley, Executive Director of the World Food Programme and Ms. Tjada D’Oyen McKenna, Chief Executive Officer of non-governmental organization Mercy Corps.

McKenna said, “A perfect storm is leading to heightened global food insecurity, worse, much worse than the previous food crises over the past decade.” She cited the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change as factors sharpening the current food insecurity.

Beasley said food insecurity had already begun to rise sharply before the war. He said 135 million people were acutely food-insecure before the onset of the pandemic. “Covid comes along and that number went from 135 million to 276 million people marching toward starvation.”

Adesina emphasized that the African Development Bank’s food production plan would foster the production of nutritious food rather than simply calories. “One of the things we will be supporting through this emergency food production plan is bio-fortified foods. Sorghum fortified with iron. Nutritional supplementation is important,” he said

The Bank president said the Bank was setting up meetings with international fertilizer companies to discuss ways to ensure that African farmers continued to have access to such inputs. “If we don’t solve the fertilizer problem, we cannot solve the food problem.

According to Adesina, the Africa Emergency Food Production Plan would have a long-term impact on Africa’s food productivity. The initiative will “drive the structural changes in agriculture, to unleash the full potential of Africa to become a breadbasket to the world,” he said.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/16/african-development-bank-group-seeks-us-support-for-1-5-billion-emergency-food-plan-for-africa/

Spider-Man: No Way Home may not have received much attention at the 2022 Oscars, but the Marvel blockbuster has been nominated for seven MTV Movie & TV Awards.
The HBO series Euphoria received the most nominations at the MTV Film and TV Awards, with six, followed by Warner Bros.’ The Batman, which received four.

MTV also revealed the nominees for the Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted, which honors reality television, talk shows, and documentaries.

With four nominations, RuPaul’s Drag Race leads this year’s Unscripted nominees, followed by Selling Sunset and Summer House, each with three. There are now categories for best music documentary, best reality star, best reality romance, and “Best Reality Return” in the Unscripted awards.

While it was previously announced that the Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted would take place the night after the MTV Movie & TV Awards on Monday, June 6, both shows will now take place as a one-night extravaganza on Sunday, June 5 at 8 p.m. live from Barker Hangar.

From now until May, fans can vote for their favorites in 26 gender-neutral categories at vote.mtv.com.

MTV’s Bruce Gillmer, Wendy Plaut, and Vanessa Whitewolf, as well as Den Of Thieves’ Jesse Ignjatovic and Barb Bialkowski, are executive producers for both the MTV Movie & TV Awards and the Movie & TV Awards: Unscripted.

The complete list of this year’s nominees is provided below.



LIST OF ALL 2022 NOMINEES, SCRIPTED:



THE BEST MOVIE

Dune

Scream

The Legend of the Ten Rings and Shang-Chi

Spider-Man: No Return

Adam’s Project

The character of Batman

BEST SHOW Euphoria Inventing Anna Loki Squid Game Ted Lasso Yellowstone

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A MOVIE
Lady Gaga – Gucci
Robert Pattinson – The Batman
Sandra Bullock – The Lost City
Timothée Chalamet – Dune
Spider-Man: No Way Home, starring Tom Holland

VILLAIN OF THE YEAR
Colin Farrell – The Dark Knight
The Lost City – Daniel Radcliffe
James Halloween Kills – Jude Courtney
Willem Dafoe – Spider-Man: No Way Home – Victoria Pedretti

THE BEST KISS
Euphoria by Hunter Schafer and Dominic Fike
Lucien Laviscount and Lily Collins – Emily from Paris
Poopies and the snake – Forever Jackass
Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz as Batman
Spider-Man: No Way Home – Tom Holland and Zendaya

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/12/with-seven-nominations-spider-man-no-way-home-leads-the-mtv-movie-tv-awards/

Today HP Inc. announced new ZBook mobile workstations, the HP ZBook Studio G9 and HP ZBook Fury G9, two new Z displays, a new Thunderbolt G4 Dock, and tools to help accelerate productivity for data scientists. Built for professional creators, the latest Z by HP solutions unlock more power and performance, seamless collaboration, and the ability to create without limitation.

Professionals need the power to create with speed and fluidity, no matter where they are. For the 25% of creative professionals who work on the go reporting they struggle to stay productive and 50% saying they work at home or in a hybrid model, being empowered to do their best work from anywhere is essential. Whether creators are at a desk in the office, in their home workspace, or in a more agile on-the-go setting, they need powerful and flexible technology that accelerates their most demanding workloads and enables seamless collaboration, so that every idea can be brought to life – wherever inspiration strikes.

“Creative professionals want personalised hardware and software experiences that provide them the freedom to pursue their passions and create without their technology or location holding them back,” said Jim Nottingham, general manager and global head, Advanced Compute and Solutions, HP Inc. “Today’s Z by HP announcement blends cutting-edge technology with the versatility of a combined ecosystem to make every creative idea a reality.”

Creative and technical professionals depend on powerful and flexible technology to push the boundaries of their creativity. With 43% of architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) professionals wanting a faster CPU and 30% a faster GPU, today’s creatives want a device that doesn’t interrupt nor impede their workflows. Creatives’ devices need to become a transparent window into their imagination. The new ZBook Fury G9 and ZBook Studio G9 help media and entertainment artists, AECO and product development professionals, and data scientists tackle multiple heavy workflows. Powered by a desktop-class Intel® 55-watt CPU and up to a professional-grade NVIDIA RTX™ A5500 Laptop GPU or AMD Radeon™ Pro GPUs, the ZBook Fury is so powerful it’ll make creators and technical professionals forget it’s a laptop. From 8K video editing to 3D visualisation to machine learning, the new ZBook Fury provides the performance required in today’s most demanding workloads. The ZBook Studio G9 is engineered to deliver fast, frictionless pro-level performance with up to an Intel Core i9 vPro CPU, NVIDIA RTX A5500 or GeForce RTX™ 3080 Ti. Models equipped with NVIDIA RTX and GeForce RTX GPUs are validated by the NVIDIA Studio program. They deliver performance and stabilisation optimisations for the most popular creative applications, plus access to exclusive NVIDIA Studio software: Omniverse, Broadcast, and Canvas. The ZBook Fury G9 and ZBook Studio G9 enable creators to immerse themselves in their work wherever inspiration strikes.

When working through complex workflows like video editing, CAD designs, or analysing large datasets, a dual screen setup can increase productivity by up to 31%. Elevate creative collaboration, share every innovative idea, and amplify the creative canvas across two monitors. The new HP Z24m, now with a conferencing experience, and HP Z24q 23.8″ quad HD displays offer a 90Hz refresh rate to create with unhindered fluidity, exceptional front-of-screen color with factory color calibrated sRGB and P3 calibrated color spaces, plus VESA DisplayHDR 400 for more dynamic visuals and true-to-life color accuracy across both screens. Share every idea with colleagues and clients on the HP Z24m with its integrated conferencing features that include a tiltable 5MP webcam, dual noise-canceling microphones, as well as dual speakers. Plus, enhanced by HP Presence includes Auto Lock and Awake proximity sensor which gives users peace of mind that they’re privacy is protected customised to their credentials. Both the HP Z24m and HP Z24q are four-sided borderless displays to provide an all-around uninterrupted view.

Create faster insights with data

The definition of a professional creator has extended beyond the traditional artist, architect, photographer, animator, and video editor. Just as traditional creators use computing power to create 3D models, architectural designs, video games, and movies, data scientists similarly use computing power to create business insights from data. Select Z by HP data science workstations eliminate some of the most common challenges data scientists face day-to-day by delivering the right tools to turn complex data sets into actionable insights. 42% of data scientists say that configuring their environment takes too much time. Now, with the introduction of the Z by HP Data Science Stack Manager, the world’s first workstation OEM developed graphical user interface for customising data science software available on both Ubuntu and Microsoft WSL2, it becomes even easier for data creators to customise and manage their data science environments specific to each project – further accelerating workflows. This curated and managed software stack takes the guesswork out of creating the optimal data science environment by testing and preloading popular data science tools including select packages from Intel’s oneAPI AI Analytics Toolkit, as well as Pytorch, Python, NVIDIA RAPIDS, and more.

Access the power to create from anywhere

The first step toward combining the best of both Emmy® award-winning remoting software solutions came in December 2021 with the HP Teradici single subscription. Now, Teradici and HP have launched the first beta release of HP Anyware, the enterprise IT software that keeps people and teams productive by providing secure access to their digital workspaces. HP Anyware integrates Teradici CAS and ZCentral Remote Boost features into a single solution that gives companies the flexibility to harness the power of their cloud, data center, edge, OS, or workstation infrastructure to deliver the ultimate user experience to end-user devices (PC, Mac, laptop, tablet, thin and zero clients).

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/12/hp-unveils-new-zbook-mobile-workstations-to-power-todays-professionals-to-create-without-limitation/

MTN says it has yet to reactivate 86% of phone numbers that have requested reconnection, despite the fact that millions of owners have submitted their National Identity Numbers (NIN).

The lines were disabled on April 4 after the federal government ended a lengthy deadline to encourage users to link their lines to their government-issued ID numbers, a measure it says is necessary to combat insecurity.


MTN, which has the most subscribers in the country, said it disconnected 19 million lines in response to the government’s directive. Since then, 8.7 million people have sent in their NINs to be reconnected, but only 1.2 million have been reactivated as of April 25.

“As of April 25, 2022, approximately 8.7 million of those restricted had submitted their NINs.”

He blamed the delay on the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which is in charge of NIN verification.

“As MTN Nigeria, we will continue to engage our affected subscribers while also providing hardware support to the National Identity Management Commission to speed up the verification of NINs submitted,” he said.



MTN stated that the mass disconnection has affected traffic patterns and is expected to reduce service revenue in the long run, though it has taken steps to mitigate the impact.

In 2021, the South African-based company reported N1.7 trillion in revenue. According to the company, 7.8 percent of that came from outgoing voice revenue from subscribers who have yet to be reactivated.

“In terms of how general traffic trends have evolved since the directive’s implementation, we have seen a drop in traffic as a result of our compliance with the directive,” Mr Toriola said.

“However, we are seeing a gradual recovery as affected subscribers are reconnected to resume voice calls.”

“We have deployed over 4,200 points of enrolment across the country to help drive NIN enrolment for subscribers who do not yet have a NIN.” In addition, we have provided multiple channels for our customers to submit their NIN for verification and linkage.”



Millions of people who submitted their NINs after their lines were disconnected in early April have yet to be reconnected across phone networks such as Airtel, Glo, and 9Mobile. The telephone companies, for example

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/11/mtn-has-yet-to-reactivate-7-5-million-phone-lines-despite-receiving-nins-for-weeks/

FoodCo Nigeria Limited, a leading omni-channel retailer, has been named one of Africa’s fastest growing companies in the inaugural FT Annual Africa Fastest Growing Companies ranking for 2022.
FoodCo is Africa’s second fastest growing retail company, according to a list compiled by global financial intelligence media, Financial Times, in collaboration with consumer market and data specialists, Statista. FoodCo is also the only company on the list that operates in Nigeria’s organized retail sector.

Ade Sun-Basorun, Chief Executive Officer of FoodCo, described the award as a victory for the company’s employees, key stakeholders, and Nigeria’s growing modern retail sector.

“We are both excited and honored by this recognition from the Financial Times,” he said. As a proudly Nigerian brand with a rich heritage dating back 40 years, we are overjoyed to have been able to build a sustainable business with the help and loyalty of our stakeholders, which include our employees, customers, investors, and host communities. We are truly grateful for their years of support.”

“We have been passionate about contributing our quota to growing the modern retail sector in Nigeria to make it fit for purpose and adaptable to the needs of today’s increasingly sophisticated consumer.” As a result, this recognition serves as a timely reminder that, while modern retail is small in Nigeria, it is still important.

FoodCo began as a fresh fruits and vegetables store in 1982 and has since evolved into a diversified consumer goods company with interests in retail, quick service restaurants, manufacturing, and entertainment. With 15 locations in Oyo, Lagos, and Ogun States, the company currently operates the largest supermarket chain brand in South-West Nigeria outside of Lagos.

FoodCo was named Retailer of the Year for the second year in a row at the BusinessDay Nigerian Business Leadership Awards (2020 and 2021). It also won the Marketing Edge Brands And Advertising Excellence Awards for 2020 Retailer of the Year. In Nigeria, the company is ranked among the top five supermarket chain brands.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/11/financial-times-named-foodco-africas-second-fastest-growing-retail-company/

54gene, the health technology company advancing African genomics research for improved global health outcomes, has through its non-profit initiative, the African Centre for Translational Genetics (ACTG), completed its first consortium-led publication on over 100,000 Nigerians as commissioned in 2020 at its launch.

The Non-Communicable Diseases Genetic Heritage Study (NCD-GHS) consortium has published a paper in the esteemed journal, Nature Genetics, entitled “Promoting the Genomic Revolution in Africa through the Nigerian 100k Genome Project”.

Through 54gene’s ACTG, the consortium operates as a unique public-private partnership involving leading African scientists guided by a team of global genomic leaders as the Scientific Advisory Board to achieve the mission of the ACTG. The consortium, which is made up of scientists from 54gene, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, and the Center for Genomics Research and Innovation at the National Biotechnology Development Agency as well as researchers from multiple academic institutions in Nigeria and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, is built on a shared vision of positioning African populations to benefit from advances in genomic science.

According to the paper, as of January 2019, approximately 3% of genomic data being used for genome wide association studies (GWAS) came from people of African descent, with this statistic dropping to 1.1% in 2021. The paper details efforts in building an important resource that could significantly enable African populations to benefit from the global efforts at achieving precision medicine for various diseases. This has been achieved through the production of a comprehensive catalog of human genetic variation, examining the characteristics of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in 100,000 adults in Nigeria seeking to understand the genetic basis of the highly prevalent illnesses such as cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, chronic kidney and sickle cell disease, among others. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) kill more than 41 million people every year, accounting for 71% of all deaths globally. The prevalence of NCDs is projected to become higher than that of infectious diseases in Africa by 2030.

The study spans the breadth of the Nigerian population with data gathered from the 6 geopolitical zones in the country and sampling from the majority of the more than200 ethnolinguistic groups, with ethically consulted participants being recruited falling under two categories: disease cases recruited from disease specialist clinics, and community cases which are individuals with initially unknown diseases recruited from communities through household surveys.

54gene Founder and CEO, Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong, said, “Along with our partners, we are proud to be leading the new frontier of African genomics. Precision medicine goes against the one-size-fits-all approach to disease treatment as it is more inclusive, with people treated on their unique genetic makeup. With more than 200 ethnic groups and 500 different languages, Nigeria has one of the most diverse ethnolinguistic concentrations in the world. This pioneering study from the Nigerian population provides an excellent window into the representation of diversity across Africa. With recruitment nearly complete and the commencement of data generation and bioinformatics analysis, we are excited at how this study makes the promise of precision medicine more attainable to Nigerians, Africans and the global population.”

Dr. Segun Fatumo, co-lead NCD-GHS and the first author of the landmark paper said, “I am so proud of what NCD-GHS has achieved in only about two years. In our own eyes, 100K genomes of Africa are emerging from more than 300 diverse ethnic groups in Nigeria. The current lack of genomic diversity has resulted in significant missed scientific and medical opportunities, but NCD-GHS strategic vision to drive new large-scale studies with rich African genome datasets would help fill some gaps. I am deeply honoured to be a co-lead of this initiative. The NCD-GHS’s public-private partnership with 54gene pioneers a model to increase diversity in genomic studies, including capacity building and plan to develop more genomic leaders in Africa.”

Speaking on the publication of the research paper, Colm O’Dushlaine, Vice President, Genomics and Data Science at 54gene, said, “The 100k project supports 54gene’s core mission to equalize precision medicine, by building rich genomic datasets that will be used to generate powerful insights for the benefit of African, and other global populations. African populations are among the most diverse in the world. In the context of genome-wide association scans, more variation – more shots on goal – can help to provide new insights into the etiology of disease and drive novel therapeutic target discovery. The broader strategic objectives of the NCD-GHS are far-reaching. They include a focus on the creation of genomics leaders in Africa, efforts to increase the number of skilled African genomics scientists to help drive new studies and discoveries, initiatives that drive progressive health policy and practice, and the promotion of discourse and thought leadership on ethical, legal and social issues in genomics research and precision medicine. All of these are central to 54gene’s mission and values.”

Aminu Yakubu, VP Research Governance and Ethics, said, “Building on the legacy of the H3Africa project, the capacity building objective of the NCD-GHS in the 100K Genome Project is a strategic undertaking that would catalyse the future we envisage – of Africans with the skillset and knowledge, able to lead genomic insights generation and development to address health challenges faced by Africans over the long haul. It is a people-facing impact creation initiative that puts the social value of the work we do at the center, facilitated through the African Center for Translational Genetics. The focus of one of the NCD-GHS agendas on governance and ethics was deliberate to ensure that we are aligned with existing country-specific and international best practices. Our commitment to also support academic thought leadership on ethics and governance issues in genomics research would allow us to evolve as we learn of better ways to protect the welfare of research participants and ensure fairness in research collaborations.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/10/54gene-completes-initial-phase-of-the-landmark-nigerian-100k-genome-project/

The Visa Merchant Purchase Inquiry or VMPI was introduced to protect owners of businesses from fraudulent chargebacks. This tool saves money in USD, EUR, and other currencies and the reputation of the merchant and influences the positive development of the business. Let us discuss VMPI and other features that can be used for the protection of the eWallet and an online account in Europe.

Visa Merchant Purchase Inquiry (VMPI)
Experts at https://maxpay.com/ are sure that the best way to protect yourself is to implement technical protection against fraudsters. It is important to use security tools for customer transaction verification. To do this, you can connect a payment gateway via the Maxpay account on your website, which meets the requirements of Visa and MasterCard systems.

Therefore, even if an attacker enters the details of a stolen bank card, they will not be able to confirm the payment with a one-time code. This approach not only protects clients’ money but also strengthens your position in the eyes of banks considering a chargeback application. Most often, they make negative decisions on the return of funds if the operation was confirmed by a code from SMS.

Also, try to use Visa Merchant Purchase Inquiry, which is also known as VMPI. The idea of VMPI is to inform you about the chargeback as soon as it happens. Therefore, you can use VMPI and respond to all the issues immediately. Due to VMPI, the amount of chargebacks is decreasing, making the tool more and more popular.

Other Features for Protection
One of the modern tools that can protect your eWallet and money in the online account is VMPI. Still, let us consider a few more options.

Form the right expectations about a product or service
When the client has all the information about configuration, consumer characteristics, conditions for the delivery of goods, or the provision of services, the likelihood of wrong actions and claims on their part is significantly reduced.

Respond promptly to customer requests
By answering user questions, you reduce the likelihood of any misunderstandings. If it comes to a conflict, a quick response is another opportunity to find common ground and resolve the situation without involving banks and payment systems. This approach to working with feedback allows you to detect stumbling blocks in business processes and smooth corners for future customers.

Respond to chargeback requests from banks
This is your chance to defend your point of view and provide evidence that you have fulfilled your obligations to the customer. They can be acts of work performed, records from CRM systems, and track numbers of delivered parcels. An active and reasonable position can tilt the decision of banks and the payment system in your favor.

It is important to remember that you can always ask for help from the employees of the issuing bank or representatives of the payment gateway through which the operation was carried out. For example, when you open a Maxpay account, it offers assistance if you have received a request for a chargeback and strive to prove your innocence together.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2022/05/09/how-to-protect-yourself-from-unwanted-chargeback/