₦airaland Forum

Dangote Industries Limited and the Government of Togo (GoT) have concluded an agreement to develop and transform Togolese phosphate into phosphate fertilizers for the West African sub-region; in a bid to improve consumption of the product in Africa.

With over two billion tonnes of phosphate reserves, Togo is one of the leading phosphate producers in Africa. By partnering the Dangote Group, the country intends to benefit from the expertise and investment capacity of Africa’s largest industrial group, according to a joint release issued by the Dangote Group and the Communications Department of the Presidency of the Republic of Togo.

With the completion and commissioning of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertilizer complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Dangote Group will be the largest ammonia producer on the African continent, the release noted. Ammonia is an essential ingredient in the transformation of phosphate into fertilizer derived from phosphates. Under the agreement, Togo will provide access to phosphate resources and the Dangote Group will provide access to ammonia and to the Nigerian market.

The project, in line with the second pillar of the Togo National Development Plan, should enable the production of more than 1 million tonnes of fertilizers derived from phosphates once completed. The cost of the investment is estimated at about $2 billion and is expected to create several thousand direct jobs. Mining development work will start before the end of 2019, it added.

On this occasion, Dangote Group also announced the establishment of a cement manufacturing plant with an annual capacity of 1.5 million tonnes in Lomé. This plant will use clinker from Togo and Nigeria and will meet both local and neighbouring countries’ demand, the release noted.

It further added that construction of the Lome plant is billed to start in the first quarter of 2020 and its commissioning scheduled to take place before the end of 2020. The investment is estimated at $60 million and is expected to create 500 direct jobs.

Togolese President, Faure Gnassingbé said,“The structural transformation of our economy is the main objective we have set ourselves in the context of the 2018-2022 NDP. By processing our phosphate we will not only create jobs but we will also be able to provide our farmers with good quality fertilizers at an affordable cost. Having an industrial investor like Alhaji Dangoté shows that our efforts to improve the business climate are paying off. We intend to continue in this dynamic for the well-being of Togolese men and women.”

President/CE Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said, ‘’This partnership is in line with our transformation agenda in creating prosperity and enhancing economic development not only in Togo but also in Africa.  In addition, the Dangote Group is determined in supporting the Government of Togo in its industrialisation strategy aimed at creating jobs for its citizens and making Togo an attractive investment destination.’’

The two investment agreements reinforce Togo’s industrialisation strategy adopted under the 2018-2022 National Development Plan.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/09/dangote-group-togo-partner-to-transform-phosphate-into-fertiliser/

There’s so much focus on the massive cybersecurity and data breach or the malware that holds your computer to ransom. However, it’s also important to keep your guard up against some of the lesser-known attacks out there too.

These threats may not have the same high-level profile as an unfixable iOS bug, but they can still do some serious damage as far as your data and privacy go. Here’s what to look out for, and how to make sure you aren’t caught out.

Dangerous USB sticks

A small USB stick may not look very dangerous, but these portable drives can carry a major threat particularly if they’ve been specially engineered, as some are, to start causing havoc as soon as you plug them in. You should be very wary of connecting a USB drive to your computer if you’re not absolutely sure where it’s from.

Phantom accounts

In this fast-paced, hyper-connected age, it’s all too easy to forget about all the social media, language-learning, job-finding apps and sites that we’ve signed up for. But every account you leave behind gathering dust is another one that could potentially be hacked into. It’s important to take the time to shut down these accounts rather than just uninstalling the associated app from our phones and then forgetting all about them. If any of them should then suffer a data breach, for example, your data won’t be included.

Unreliable browser extensions

The right browser extensions are able to add useful functionality and features to your daily window on the web, but these add-ons need to be vetted like any other piece of software, after all, they have the privilege of being able to see everything you’re doing online if they want to. Pick the wrong browser extension and you could find it selling your browsing data, or harassing you with pop-up advertising that you don’t actually want. Identify safe extensions the same way you would identify safe apps: Look into the background of the developers, check the permissions that they ask for, read up on reviews left by other users, and stick to extensions that are actually useful.

Compromised online quizzes

You’ve probably seen friends and family take quizzes on social media to find out answers to various questions. They may seem like harmless, fun but they can also be used to harvest personal data that you don’t really realize you’re giving away. These quizzes can and have been used to build up more detailed profiles of people and their friends, collecting not just the answers to the quizzes themselves but also other information stored in the linked Facebook accounts. Be wary of anything that requests personal information or personal photos from you, like the recently viral FaceApp app.

Cracked photo uploads

There’s nothing wrong with posting photos to your favourite social media channels but think twice about the information that other people can scrap from any pictures you make public. Particularly the places where you might live and work. While a lot of apps, like Instagram and Facebook, automatically strip out the location data saved with photos, some, like Google Photos, can keep this data embedded in the file after it’s been shared.


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/09/5-cybersecurity-dangers-everyone-should-know-about/

All is set for the commencement of the 2019 edition of Konga Yakata, the much-anticipated Black Africa sales of foremost e-commerce giant, Konga. The massive discount sales kick off on Monday, November 11, 2019; a day which coincides with the globally celebrated Singles Day sales popularized by China’s retail giant, Alibaba.

Equally important, the month-long shopping fiesta will run throughout November and end on Thursday, December 12th, 2019.

Konga Yakata, widely regarded as the biggest sales event in Nigeria’s shopping calendar, starts annually on 11/11. Indeed, the day has become a global shopping festival which has grown steadily to become the largest offline and online shopping day in the world.
Information released by the management of Konga indicates that the company has finalized plans for a bumper Konga Yakata.

“We are ready to deliver the biggest discount sales ever, beginning from Monday, November 11th or 11/11 which also represents the very popular Singles Day sales,” declared Chidalu Ekeh, Head of Marketing at Konga. “Konga Yakata is by far, the biggest discount sale in the annual shopping calendar and this year, we intend to make it even bigger than before.

“We are anticipating a 600% increase in sales recorded in 2018 and this is down to the increased shopping appetite among our customer database, which has grown exponentially. Our retail stores have also grown to cover more locations across Nigeria.

Furthermore, there are more merchants on the Konga platform today, many of whom have increased their product assortment through the soft loans and credit facilities we graciously extended to them,” she disclosed.

On what to expect from the 2019 edition of Konga Yakata, Chidalu affirmed that shoppers are in for a mega sales extravaganza.

“Recall that Singles Day or 11/11 is a globally celebrated shopping fiesta. On Monday which marks the commencement of Konga Yakata, we intend to offer Nigerians a taste of what makes this day so special. Shoppers are guaranteed rock-bottom prices unmatched anywhere else in the market.”

Continuing, she disclosed that: “Konga Yakata is set to feature lots of amazing activities including Flash Sales, Treasure Hunts for the fastest fingers, amazing travel discounts and deals to exotic destinations through Konga Travel, walk-in discounts across all Konga retail stores nationwide and Social Media giveaways.

“Furthermore, there will be a Live sales show on DSTV Channel 369 every Saturday from the 16th of November, until the 7th of December 2019. Most importantly, every Friday throughout Konga Yakata is Black Friday, so you are guaranteed unbeatable prices.”

Among the wide assortment of products across multiple categories on offer will be laptops, desktops and accessories, computing products, mobile phones and tablets, Home & Kitchen appliances, fashion, electronic devices, educational materials, Baby, Kids and Toys as well as Wine, Spirits and other categories, among others.

Meanwhile, Konga has also put in place plans to assure swift delivery and seamless payment throughout the period.

“We have set a target of same-day delivery for the majority of orders we expect to flood in. This is because of the regional warehousing facilities and capabilities we possess and the improved capacity of our in-house logistics arm, Kxpress. In addition, we have rounded off weeks of painstaking work on both our back end and front end to enable us to accommodate the high volume of requests from shoppers from November 11.

“Payments is another area we have brought the Konga efficiency to bear on. Our customers can access a multiplicity of payment options to conclude their payments swiftly. These include through KongaPay, our CBN-licensed e-wallet. Customers can also pay online or via Payment on Delivery (POD) and Pay on Collect.

“From 11/11 till 12/12, you can be rest assured that the place to be is Konga,” she concluded.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/07/konga-yakata-kicks-off-with-global-singles-day-shopping-fiesta/

On this week’s African Voices Changemakers, CNN International meets Nigerian businessman and philanthropist Tony Elumelu. After years in the banking world, Elumelu is using his experience to help those eager to start their own businesses.

Elumelu made his fortune in banking, making his mark in the business world with the merger of the United Bank for Africa. This is just one of the companies in his portfolio. Elumelu also heads an investment company that holds major stakes in power, oil and gas, real estate, and healthcare.

But one of his biggest investments has been in the African business leaders of the future. Elumelu tells CNN that he wants to encourage, “Young African entrepreneurs to succeed and surpass what we have done as African business leaders.”

This drive to see Africans succeed in all forms of business-led Elumelu to launch a bold initiative. He talks about this decision, “And I said okay, let’s commit an amount, let’s commit to a timeframe. And that’s how we came about 100 million dollars, for 10 years. A thousand entrepreneurs every year.”

This commitment was the premise behind what became the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme which launched in 2015. It’s a fellowship that includes 12 weeks of training, mentoring, and $5000 of seed funding. To date, more than seven thousand aspiring entrepreneurs have gone through the programme.

CNN travels with Elumelu to meet some of the entrepreneurs who have become successful after completing the foundation’s programme. One of the businessmen is Ndubuisi Eze who explains his initial business pitch, “I applied with just an idea of using drones to support crop dusting and also gather data on farms and that’s where the magic really started.”

After gaining access to the intra-African trade fair through the Elumelu Foundation, Eze was spotted by a Singaporean minister and now his drone company is up and running in Singapore. Eze describes how his success would not have been possible without the Elumelu Foundation, “Without the Elumelu Foundation Programme there was no way, not a chance for this idea that I had at that time to take off. The programme not only helped the business plan, but it also put us through how to evaluate customer acquisitions, and the business canvas helped you break down where you are going to get your resources.”

Eze now has plans to start his own training programme, and there are many others in a position to give back to their communities after going through Elumelu’s foundation. CNN meets Oduwa Agboneni, who grew her mechanic business thanks to the entrepreneurship programme. She details how she employs local people for her growing business, “We have about twenty people working with us, five of them are interns because we also encourage interns from the university.”

The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Forum is an annual event where participants of the entrepreneurship programme come together to network and engage with business influencers. At the event, Elumelu speaks about the foundation’s future and successes, “We are committed to 10,000 Africans to go through the programme in 10 years. But this is just year five of the entrepreneurship programme and, you know what, we now have over 7,000 entrepreneurs.”

As part of the Entrepreneurship Forum, Elumelu was interviewed by CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. Zakaria asked about Elumelu’s motivations behind the foundation. He explains his inspiration, “I believe the best legacy is the lives that we touch. We have the privilege to do so. It’s not just about my bank balances. I came to this with nothing so it’s about what I worked so hard, I’m using it to help others.”

The Forum also provides Elumelu with an opportunity to address the aspiring entrepreneurs. His message is a significant one, “The future of Africa is firmly and indeed in your hands. The journey for the development and transformation of Africa, it cannot happen without you all.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/08/cnns-african-voices-change-makers-meets-tony-elumelu/

Over half of women around the world still do not use the internet. The first report in the International Telecommunication Union’s new ‘Measuring digital development’ series estimates that 52 percent of women do not use the internet, compared to 42 percent of all men. More men than women use the internet in every region of the world except the Americas, which has near-parity.

The ITU data show that while the digital gender gap has been shrinking in the Commonwealth of the Independent States and Europe, it is growing in Africa, the Arab states and the Asia-Pacific region. It is widest in developing countries, especially the least developed countries, where on average only a fifth of people are online.

In total, 4.1 billion people use the internet around the world, equal to 53.6 percent of the global population, leaving around 3.6 billion offline. Europe is the region with the highest internet use (82.5%), while Africa is the region with the lowest (28.2%).

Over 9 in 10 can access 3G or better

The report also looks at access to mobile services. The ITU data show that 96 percent of the world population lives within reach of a mobile cellular signal and 93 percent within reach of a 3G or higher network, able to provide internet services.

Of the 85 countries that provided data on mobile phone ownership, 61 had a higher proportion of men with mobile phones than women. Of the 24 remaining countries where there is gender parity in mobile phone ownership, or where more women have mobile phones than men, Chile has the highest digital gender gap in favour of women, at 12 percent.

While mobile networks are available in most places to provide internet access, the ITU found that digital skills remain a barrier to increasing internet use, especially in the least developed countries. In 40 out of 84 countries for which data are available, less than half the population had basic computer skills, such as copying a file or sending an e-mail with an attachment.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/07/less-than-half-women-in-world-use-internet-report/

The British global Airline, British Airways has partnered with leading Pan African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc Airways have announced a collaboration to reward loyal customers who are cardholders of the bank.

The promo which will last for six months from November 2019, will see UBA customers getting significant discounts when they purchase their British Airways tickets using their UBA cards.

Specifically, the promo which will allow customers to enjoy between 10% to 15% discount on a ticket bought in for the period of the promo. The collaboration is aimed at increasing customer experience and satisfaction, while non-UBA customers only need to procure a card instantly from any UBA branch to enjoy the service.

The General Manager, Corporate Bank Directorate, UBA, Mr Muyiwa Akinyemi, who expressed delight at the collaboration, noted that the promo between the two organisations was carefully thought out to ensure that loyal customers of the two institutions are duly rewarded while ensuring that they also receive more value for their money.

“UBA is excited to collaborate with one of the foremost Airlines in the world to run a promotion aimed at rewarding our cardholders and premium customers who will enjoy discounted tickets and other ancillary benefits such as loyalty points on the British Airways Executive Club.”

He explained that as a customer-centric institution, UBA is always on the look-out for services and reward schemes that will ultimately benefit the customers, in line with its Customer 1st policy.

It is interesting to note that the 10% to15% discount is exclusive of taxes and customers can use the award-winning LEO (Virtual) banker to book the British Airways tickets and utilise UBA cards to make the payments.

The General Manager for British Airways in West Africa, Mr Kola Olayinka, noted that the airline is pleased to partner with the bank due to its huge customer base and wide branch network, adding that with the partnership, more customers will be able to enjoy the promo.

He said, “British Airways is excited to partner with UBA, Africa’s Global Bank, to create a mind-blowing promotion aimed at raising awareness about this service to be rendered by both institutions.”

Continuing, Kola said, “In addition, the discounts provided by British Airways would reduce the cost of travel and encourage the Bank’s customers to make more foreign trips during the coming Christmas period and also reward their customers and staff as a way of giving them some very tangible savings on their travel budget”  he, however, advised customers of both organisations to book early for Christmas to take full advantage

British Airways is a full-service global airline, offering year-round low fares with an extensive global route network flying to and from centrally-located airports.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/07/british-airways-partners-uba-to-reward-loyal-customers-photos/

Further to the Open Government Partnership principles endorsed by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) has published its Appropriation and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Income and Expenditure Budget proposals for the 2020 fiscal year on its website. The proposals were published within a week of the 2020 FGN Budget proposal being submitted to the National Assembly, in compliance with the directive of the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning for all MDAs to publish their 2020 budget proposals on their websites.

The Appropriation budget is based on the envelope provided to NIPC by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (MITI), while the IGR budget is based on projected fees to be charged by NIPC from its operations. As required by the NIPC Act, the IGR proposals were approved by the Governing Council of NIPC, before they were sent to the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment for final approval on 20 September 2019.
The proposals can be accessed at https://www.nipc.gov.ng/product-category/foi/proactive-disclosures/financial-information/

The management and staff of NIPC continue to work on delivering the NIPC mandate through a more proactive style of investment promotion and remain committed to instituting a culture of proactive disclosure of all required information, better corporate governance, compliance and transparency.

This release was made to advise the general public of the publication of the budget proposals.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/07/nipc-publishes-draft-2020-appropriation-and-igr-budget-proposals/

South Africa’s unemployment rate has gone up by 0.1% to reach 29.1% in the third quarter of 2019, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) announced on Tuesday.

“The unemployment rate for the third quarter of 2019 is 29.1%, having risen by 0.1 of a percentage point from the second quarter,” Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said at the release of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS).

Speaking at a media briefing held at the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) in Pretoria, Maluleke said in the third quarter, there were 6.7 million people that were unemployed, while the working-age population in the household survey was at 38.6 million in the third quarter.

According to the data, over the last 10 years, the unemployment rate has increased by 4.6% between the third quarter of 2009 and the third quarter of 2019.

Meanwhile, the working-age population (16 to 64) increased by 149,000 people between the second and third quarter.

According to the report, labour market rates varied significantly depending on one’s education level.

“Those with less than matric are sitting at 34.4% having decreased by 0.1% and those with matric are sitting with 29.8%. Those who are graduates are sitting at 8.2% and ‘other tertiary’ at 19.1%,” he said.

Youth unemployment
In terms of unemployment and age, those aged 15 to 24 years have the highest unemployment rate.

“The unemployment rate for those aged 15 to 24 remains relatively higher than any other age [group] sitting at 58.2%. When we contrast that with those aged 55 to 64, their unemployment rate is sitting at 9.9%.”

The unemployment rate among the youth was higher, irrespective of educational level. The unemployment rate for graduates aged 15 to 24 was sitting at 33.6%, while those aged 25 to 34 years was 14.3%, and that of graduates aged 35 to 64 was at 3.8%.

“Young people remain vulnerable to labour markets,” said the Statistician-General.

Meanwhile, approximately 3.3 million out of 10.3 million young people aged 15 to 24 were not in employment, education or training (NEET), while the overall NEET rate increased by 1.2% in the third quarter.

Provincially, the Northern Cape at 38.8% recorded the highest rate of young people (15-24) NEET, while approximately 8.2 million out of 20.4 million young people aged 15 to 34 years were NEET.

The overall NEET rate increased by 1.4% year-on-year.

Employment
On employment, the QLFS found that the number of persons employed increased by 62,000 in the third quarter, to 16.4 million quarter-on-quarter.

Trade, construction and agriculture have higher employment shares relative to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The increase was mainly driven by community and social services with 56,000, followed by agriculture and mining with 38,000 each and private households with 35,000.

Declines in employment were recorded in manufacturing (30,000), construction (24,000), trade (21,000) and utilities (18,000).

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/07/unemployment-rises-to-29-1-in-third-quarter/

Innovation is a prized concept across the business world. It’s a word many people use to draw eyeballs and support recruitment activities. But, has anyone ever really stopped to think about what innovation is and how it can drive a business?

Mastercard and Harvard Business Review Analytic Services today unveiled Become 2020, the inaugural edition of an innovation-focused research initiative. Become includes the Business Innovators Index and an associated report, Innovators Become Leaders, which explores the key differentiators that separate the leading innovators from their peers.

“It’s more important than ever for companies of any size to be innovative and creative. It’s our lifeblood,” said Ajay Banga, president and CEO of Mastercard. “This study offers insights and experience from several of the world’s leading thinkers to help others spark the creativity and culture to drive their business.”

Understanding Innovation
Over the past six months, Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (HBRAS) asked more than 1,000 executives how their organizations approach innovation across five key areas – process, human capital, funding, customer experience, and data and technology. Additionally, more than 1,000 global consumers were surveyed to see whether businesses are properly prioritizing what matters most to their customers.

After analyzing the responses, HBRAS developed the Business Innovators Index, with 100 representing the peak of innovative strategy, frameworks and behaviours. The study revealed that while most organizations understand the importance of innovation for growth and success, the majority do not effectively execute on their ideas.

Using the organizations’ self-reported responses to 40 behavioural and attitudinal questions, three groups were identified:

Leaders – possessing the broadest range of innovation capabilities. This group had a mean innovation score of 88
Followers – having capabilities in some innovation pillars. They had a mean innovation score of 66 and represented 42 percent of all respondents
Laggards – lacking a wide range of innovation capabilities. This group had a mean innovation score of 37.

Activating Insights

The report identified several key ways companies can embrace, launch or reinvent their innovation journeys:

Speed Wins: Innovators need to think in quarters and weeks, not years. Nearly all (96 percent) of innovation leaders bring new ideas and solutions to market quickly as opposed to 17 percent of laggards
Data as an Accelerant: Real innovators draw insights from multiple data sources, as business intuition alone does not scale. In fact, 73 percent of leaders draw from both internal and external data sources
Prioritize Now: Innovation can’t be an afterthought. Nearly 90 percent of innovation leaders prioritize their efforts at the highest levels of the company. This helps ensure the right budget and buy-in to feel more than incremental improvements
Culture Counts: Organizations need to empower employees to act like entrepreneurs. Not only does this create a culture willing to accept the risk, but it leads to a broader pipeline of ideas, as seen by 84 percent of innovation leaders
Focus, Focus, Focus: Nearly half of the consumers say that they expect companies to develop new products, services and features to meet their needs. Organizations need to prioritize breakthrough ideas or risk falling behind customer demands

“Throughout life, we are all on a journey to figure out what we can do more and what we can become. One of the reasons we are drawn to innovation is because we want the world tomorrow to be better than the world today,” said David S. Ricketts, innovation fellow at the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard University. “Corporations have driven most of the innovations we’ve seen and Become 2020 draws the roadmap for how organizations should continue to do so in the year ahead –with diversity, accountability and a clear creative vision.”

Master Class from the World’s Leading CEOs
As a special companion piece to the report, Mastercard and HBRAS also developed The CEO’s Innovation Playbook, a look at 50 actions that can spark change, according to 12 of world’s most prestigious chief executives. These executives represent some of today’s leading organizations, including Accion, Bass Pro Shops, Citi, The Coca-Cola Company, IBM, Lyft, PayPal, Ronald McDonald House, Salesforce, ServiceNow, University of Maryland, Baltimore County and Verizon.

“Innovation is at the core of everything that Accion does. In order to meet the financial needs of the three billion people who are left out of, or poorly served by, the global financial system, we must disrupt the status quo,” said Michael Schlein, president and CEO of global nonprofit Accion. “We are constantly rethinking how to harness new trends to create better, faster, cheaper and safer financial services for the underserved. These insights will help us continue to embrace innovation in pursuit of our mission.”

The University of Maryland, Baltimore County President Freeman Hrabowski added, “As a university focused on impact, we’ve found that innovation happens when we take an honest look in the mirror, leverage data to help assess our efforts, and stay focused on our values.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/06/new-study-highlights-five-traits-of-leading-innovators/

Following its massive success in April, the Naija Stand Up Comedy Pop-Up channel will return to television screens across Africa on DStv channel 197 and GOtv channel 29 for one whole month starting Thursday, 7 November at 11 am.

The channel will be a 12-hour block dedicated to 100% Nigerian comedy shows and exclusive performances from the country’s top comedians such as Ali Baba, Basketmouth, Bovi and AY. Viewers are in for a treat as the channel will also showcase a variety of rib-cracking skits and other comedy events in and out of Nigeria.

“We received a lot of great reviews when the channel made its debut in April,” said Martin Mabutho, Chief Customer Officer, MultiChoice Nigeria.

“For the second season, we’ve curated some of the biggest comedy shows out of Naija and packaged them into a 12-hour binge-fest for the viewing pleasure of our customers, at no extra cost,” he said. He added that the pop-up channel will get customers ready for more exciting content lined up for the upcoming festive season.

A roll call of the shows on offer include: Ali Baba’s Spontaneity show (1-9), Lord of the Ribs (2018), AY Live Shows (2016, 2017, 2018), Funny Bone Untamed (2017 and 2018), Elvis Poko 2019, MC Shaggy, Acapella and a host of others. For the full schedules, please check your DStv or GOtv electronic programme guide or log on to www.africamagic.tv.

The Naija Stand-Up Comedy Pop-Up channel will open on Thursday, 7 November at 11 am and run till Saturday, 7 December 2019 on DStv channel 197 and GOtv channel 29. It will be available on all packages on DStv and select packages on GOtv.

Reconnect or upgrade your package to enjoy the comedy fiesta by logging on to DStv or GOtv websites. You can also download the MyDStv and MyGOtv apps, which are available for download for iOS and Android users at no cost.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/05/naija-stand-up-comedy-pop-up-channel-back-on-dstv-and-gotv-this-november/

December in Nigeria is always a big deal! Nigerians get excited about so many things. For some people, it’s the holiday spirit, the break from work or even the trips to their hometowns. But what excites people the most is the music concerts and events that take place all over the country.

Detty December (As it’s popularly called), this year, promises to be mind-blowing as Livespot X, the entertainment division of Livespot360, is set to bring the queen of rap music, Cardi B to Lagos for the Livespot X Festival (LXF).

For the first time in history, the sensational rapper, Cardi B is coming to Africa and Lagos, Nigeria is the place to be on December 7, 2019. The superstar rapper will also be making a stop in Accra, Ghana on the 8th for day two of the festival.

The rapper and media sensation has three albums under her belt, several awards and three records (“Be Careful”, “Ring” and “Bartier Cardi”) that have gone double-platinum in the space of two years. Talk about an impressive career.

Her music and lifestyle have made her a bonafide celebrity and her fans are sure to be wilding when she arrives Lagos. It’s certain that Cardi will thrill her fans with a killer performance of back to back hits.

LFX 2019, promises an experience like no other. The 1-day event is scheduled to have gates open by 5 pm and sources say it’s set to be the biggest show in Africa this year.

Livespot X Festival (LXF) will feature an exciting mix of incredible live performances; music, quality sound, great lighting, illusionists, top DJs, food, drinks, festivities, and immense all-round experience that promises to live up to the expectations accustomed to Livespot360.

So, if you are searching for events to attend this December, look no further, because all roads lead to the Livespot X Festival! Okurrrrrrrrr!!

Tickets are on sale at www.livespotnation.com

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/05/cardi-b-to-make-first-ever-appearance-in-africa-at-livespot-x-festival/

Globacom, the grandmaster of data, has added a total of two million new subscribers in Nigeria in the month of September, according to the current ratings released by the Nigerian Communications Communication (NCC).

In the NCC report for September 2019, Globacom increased its customers by a whopping 1,945,846 new subscribers. With this development, the company’s subscriber base rose from 47,265,628 in August to 49,211,474, making it the second-largest customer base in the industry.

Airtel which had hitherto occupied the second position in the industry now has a subscriber base of 48,909,678 at the end of September, after adding 987,787 new customers. This represents half of the number added by Globacom within the period under review. At the end of the preceding month of August, Airtel had 47,921,891. It is now the third-largest operator in the country behind Globacom.

The NCC statistics showed that it was only Globacom and Airtel that added new subscribers to their networks. Both MTN and 9mobile recorded a decline in active subscriptions for the month.

According to telecom industry sources, Globacom’s record performance in September was propelled by improved service delivery.

Although MTN remained the largest mobile operator in Nigeria, it lost 379,795 subscribers in the month under review. This brought its total subscribers’ figure down to 65,328,104 from the 65,707,899 it recorded in August.

9mobile, the fourth mobile operator, lost 268,159 subscribers in September, going down from 15,602,255 in August to 15,334,096 in September.

NCC said the number of active mobile users in Nigeria has now increased from 176.6 million recorded in August to 178.9 million in September.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/03/glo-adds-two-million-new-subscribers-regains-no-2-position/

Following the Circular to All Banks referenced FMD/DIR/GEN/OGC/14/009 dated October 23, 2019, issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), it has become necessary for the Debt Management Office (DMO) to issue this Notice on Eligible Investors for Securities issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN). 

The general public is hereby advised that Open Market Operation Bills (OMO Bills) are securities issued by the CBN for monetary management purposes. Thus, the Circular in question which excluded some investor categories from investing in OMO Bills is limited to OMO Bills and does not apply to securities issued by the FGN. 

The DMO wishes to assure the general public that there is no restriction on persons who can invest in FGN Securities. Thus, all investors, local and foreign, including individuals, co-operative societies, social clubs, town associations, local corporates, fund/asset managers, pension funds, insurance companies, banks and others are eligible to invest in FGN Securities. 

The DMO offers a wide range of FGN Securities in various tenors to meet the needs of its growing and diverse investor base. The securities whose tenors currently range from 91 Days to 30 Years are Nigerian Treasury Bills (NTB), Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds (FGN Bonds), Federal Government of Nigeria Savings Bond (FGNSB), Sukuk and Green Bonds. 

For further information, please send an email to enquiries@dmo.gov.ng

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/01/dmo-issues-public-notice-on-eligible-investors-in-federal-government-of-nigeria-securities/

Gage Awards, a flagship online initiative designed to annually celebrate and reward individuals, brands and corporates who have done astonishingly well in the digital space is poised to kick-off. The event, scheduled for the first quarter of 2020, promises to reward the very best of the digital world, including businesses & brands, influencers, apps & web developers, entertainers and many more.

Scheduled to hold February 22nd, 2020 at the prestigious Lagos Continental Hotel (former Intercontinental Hotel), the Gage Awards promises a night of celebration filled with memories that would be captured by the web and shared all over the world.

According to the event convener, Johnson Anorh, Gage Awards is the first of its kind in Nigeria and is strategically positioned to be the most coveted prize for excellence in Africa’s digital ecosystem.

“This is a flagship event that would become a yearly tradition. The Gage Awards prides itself on an astute panel that comprises hard-workers and achievers in the industry. Having expressed their willingness to contribute to this history-making project, the experience of the jurors and their transmissible charisma would be brought to bear on the overall perception of the awards.

“The Gage jury includes John Ajayi, Nkemdilim Uwaje Begho, Tajudeen Adepetu, Obi Asika, Amaechi Okobi, Osayi Alile, Kunmi Demuren and Kamil Olufowobi. These are industry leaders in their various capacities who have mostly worked behind the scenes in creating businesses on the social and economic landscape in Nigeria,” he explained.

It was further highlighted that awards would be given in various categories of excellence on the night under 5 key areas which include entertainment, innovation, inspiration, information and business for the 2019 year in review.

The award categories are: social moment of the year, special moment of the year, online news platform of the year, web series of the year, online show of the year, content creator of the year, best data service provider, online person of the year, artiste of the year, entrepreneur of the year, content promoter of the year, best use of digital in financial service, online film/video of the year, banking app of the year, breakout app of the year, online campaign of the year, agency of the year, online comedian of the year, blog of the year, podcast of the year, agency of the year, app of the year and best influencer endorsement.

Anorh also noted that the Gage Awards possessed a long-term potential to put Nigerian web players on the global stage, adding that it would accelerate the pace of innovation and growth in the digital ecosystem by recognising outstanding players in the country’s emerging digital industry.

“The premier digital ceremony is set to identify, highlight and reward activities online that help shape the pace of human development in Africa and especially Nigeria, in innovation, information, inspiration and entertainment.

“With the professional auditing process managed by one of the top 4 Global Management Companies, including PwC, a retinue of high calibre panel of Judges and the beautiful gala night, Gage Awards will become and remain one of the most prestigious awards in Nigeria,” he assured.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/01/gage-awards-set-to-recognise-and-reward-icons-in-nigerias-digital-space/

Ekiti State Government has been recognised as the best-performing state on the domestication of Women Rights Instruments by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

In a letter signed by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, the Federal Government commended the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi for his efforts in the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015.

Ekiti is the first state in the country to have a strengthened and consolidated GBV Law, harmonizing the VAPP Act with existing GBV legislation.

Dame Pauline lauded Dr Fayemi for his visionary leadership in creating an enabling environment for women and girls to access fair justice.

“This is truly commendable as measures put in place such as the sex offenders’ register will serve as a deterrent mechanism,” she said.

In a separate letter, the Minister also recognized the Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, In her personal capacity, for the tremendous supporting role she played in ensuring the state’s performance in women’s rights is unrivalled. The First Lady of Ekiti State is a globally renowned Gender Activist and she chairs the State’s Committee on Gender-Based Violence Prohibition, amongst other women and child rights advocacy programmes she is actively involved in.

The award will be conferred on Governor Fayemi at the annual meeting of the National Council for Women where all gender machinery in the country will converge on the 30th October 2019 in Akure, Ondo State.

The event will also have in attendance all Commissioners for Women Affairs from the 36 states and the FCT.

It could be recalled that Ekiti State hosted the annual meeting of the National Council for Women during the first term of Dr Kayode Fayemi in office.


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/11/01/ekiti-bags-fg-award-as-best-performing-state-on-domestication-of-women-rights-instruments/

Uber introduced Uber Money, a team within Uber working on financial products and technologies that deliver additional value for the Uber community, all at Uber speed.

We’re excited to kick things off with several new features and improvements coming this year:

Real-Time Earnings: Instead of waiting for weekly payments or cashing out through Instant Pay, drivers and couriers will have real-time access to their earnings after every trip through the Uber Debit account.

Uber Debit Account & Uber Debit Card: For drivers in the US, and expanding to more countries soon after, we are updating the no-monthly-fee Uber Debit Account, powered by Green Dot, to integrate seamlessly into the Uber Driver app. We also want to make every dollar earned on Uber go further, which is why the refreshed Uber Debit Card will launch with cashback on gas starting at 3% and up to 6% for the highest tier of Uber Pro drivers.

Uber Wallet: With Uber Wallet, earners and spenders will now be able to easily track their earning and spending history, manage and move their money, and discover new Uber financial products all in one place. The Uber Wallet will start rolling out in the Uber Driver app in the coming weeks, and will soon start rolling out in the Uber and Uber Eats apps as well.

Uber Credit Card: We are also relaunching the Uber Credit Card, our flagship consumer product, in partnership with Barclays. Cardmembers will now receive 5% back in Uber Cash from spending across the Uber platform, including Uber Rides, Uber Eats, and JUMP bikes and scooters. You’ll even get rewarded for hailing an Uber Copter from Manhattan to JFK.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/30/uber-launched-uber-money/

Following a debut in China, Xiaomi has announced four new devices in Nigeria. They are Redmi Note 8 Pro, Note 8, Redmi 8 and Redmi 8A. It follows trends but not a competition in a more way to shoot, 64MP high resolution, slow-motion videos and as well as having a camera with a high way resolution primary sensor as the smartphone comes in various colours.

The new Note 8 comes with a 64 megapixel that captures without using revolution. It’s built with a competition which can take pictures about 2cm far without blurring with an Ultra wide-angle 120 degree. The new smartphone has moved from technology to innovation with a normal lens that tells a lot of detailed stories.

According to the company’s marketing manager, Shoyoye Habeeb, Xaomi is not just a new brand in Nigeria.

“The journey has been about six years. The brand acceptability has been awesome. Xiomi is not just a brand but an innovation. That is exactly what we are selling today. We are launching a series and not just a phone. Today, we are launching Redmi Note 8pro cutting across other models. The idea is that we are trying to make sure that we make innovation for everyone.

“We are offering innovation for high, middle and low ends. We have different camera sensors and not just a value for your money. We have 64 Megapixels, 48 and 12 megapixels. Basically, the idea is that irrespective of what you are paying, we want you to have value for your money and to also have a better experience,” he said.

The entire body and the screen come with 91.4 per cent and a 6.53 Dot Drop Display hence coming with high-resolution display and also has a gorilla 5 glass to protect the screen both front and back. With its latest innovations, it comes with a Type-C connector formed mostly in flagship device and it is fast in charging.

The Redmi Note’s first NFC can be used for cash transaction without using a card, especially in a cashless society. Its design royalty come with 6.53 Dot Drop Display as it can be used for a gadget or for fashion and also designed for gamers.

With MediaTek studio/G90T it helps daily experience as the G90T takes the topmost processor in the Media world with MediaTek Hyper Engine. It does the rating of the processor using a snapdragon 710.

The smartphone comes with 6GB and with 128 GB storage; hence does not require any memory card storage. It has a liquid cool performance with cooling technology. It also has a WiFi antenna having access to any WiFi network. It comes with a bigger battery 45000mAh that can last for two days on standby time. It can also be enjoyed without an earphone while listening to music or any recorded voice on the phone.

Even with all the amazing features, Xiomi comes with a low price of N89, 999, while the smaller GB comes with N82, 999.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/30/xiaomi-launches-redmi-note-8-pro-others-in-nigeria/

In recent years, the cryptocurrency industry has
been growing at a significant pace, offering some
quality projects with real use cases. Moreover, with tokenized sales, these
projects have also the tendency to be used as a direct investment opportunity
for people who is seeking potential projects. In the list below, we will show
several potential projects in the market that have the tendency to create
lucrative returns on investments.

 

BITCOIN

Bitcoin was born in 2008, until May
2010. Bitcoin is known as the first cryptocurrency, the father of all cryptos
with high dominance (68% in October 2019) and is recognized as a digital gold
in cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin is the most popular “currency”
in the world and to be used as the main pair on all the exchanges in the world.
In fact, people like that Bitcoin is not controlled by the government or banks.
Inhabitants can also spend their Bitcoins fairly anonymously. Although all
transactions are recorded, nobody would know which “account number” was yours
unless you told them.

 

However, Bitcoin price is not stable,
on Oct 26th, after 2 hours, Bitcoin price goes up to 30% and then does down 10%
after a few hours.

 

LINA

LINA network is a subsidiary of Smart
Link Swiss, a multinational corporation, headquarters of which are based in
Zurich, Switzerland. It specializes in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data,
and blockchain. The LINA network consists of protocols such as Identity, Supply
chain, Healthcare, and Review, details of which are available on the website.
Unlike traditional crypto offering, where the main focus is raising funds and
development part is left for post-funding, the Lina network offers two
outstanding products i.e. Lina.review and Lina supply chain.

The
solutions provided by LINA Network are:

1.    
LINA REVIEW: The current review system is broken and it is difficult to trust the
authenticity of an online review. LINA Review changes this by ensuring that
only genuine users can make reviews. Once reviews are made, they cannot be
removed by third parties.

2.    
LINA SUPPLYCHAIN: entails supply chain management on the
blockchain platform. The traceability of products at any stage of the supply
chain is one of most important aspects of efficient supply chain operation.
LINA supply chain platform enables transparent and secure way of tracking
information throughout the process from the production process, warehouse,
transportation, packaging, and sale. LINA was launched App Supply Chain in
Propak event in Thailand in June.

3.    
LINA IDENTITY: a blockchain-based digital identity that
ensures a secure and decentralized identity management system. This is already
being tested in countries such as Estonia and China. LINA blockchain solves
issues of the challenge of correctly verifying; lacking of a proper way of data
sharing; costs, data security. Smart contracts also ensure standardization,
enabling mechanism for data input and sharing in a transparent way eliminating
entry of wrong data. A user just needs to download the LINA app on play store
and enter the necessary information.

 

Why LINA?

LINA is already a working product with
LINA review and supply chain already available for download in the play store.
With a working product already in the market, user uptake is faster since the
onboarding process is less strenuous. As for LINA review and supply chain, a
working product means it has already been tested and already working. There is
less friction when users join the platform. This user uptake model has high
network effects and brings about viral adoption. In addition, it is an active
project that is listed on coinmarketcap with current market cap of $19M and
growing.

The
LINA project consists of industry experts, which adds to the credibility, and
that is the reason why more than 40 corporations and governments have trusted
and signed partnerships with LINA in app-tech and also fin-tech.

 

In
2019, Laos Government also signed a contract to deploy digital identity using
LINA blockchain as well establishment of a research institute under the
Ministry of Science and Technology.

 

Moreover,
LINA has become the Platinum partner with GS1 Thailand. GS1 is a not-for-profit organization that develops and
maintains global standards for business communication in the world. The best
known of these standards is the barcode, a symbol printed on products that
can be scanned electronically. GS1 has
114 local member organisations and 1.5 million user companies.

 

In July 2019, LINA has also managed to acquire Gold
partnership with Microsoft, this bilateral co-operation with one of the world’s
leading software tech-organization adds to the credibility of the LINA project
and shows its potential of assisting otherwise industry corporation in their
quest for blockchaim implementation within their business operations.

 

The
LINA Network offers multiple innovative features and has established its
credibility in a short time in the market. Considering its experienced team,
strategic partnerships, innovative features, this project has the potential to
grow, which makes it one of the most potential opportunities in a bear crypto
market of today.

 

TERRA

Terra money is
one of the cryptocurrencies to watch in 2020 because it solves two main
problems that have limited widespread of cryptocurrencies: price volatility and
lack of usage as a medium of exchange.

Terra
has started by recruiting merchants that accept Terra money making it easier
for users to adopt the currency for payments. Already there are 15 e-commerce
services that have signed up such as WooWa Brothers, Pomelo, Tiki and Qoo10
boasting over 40 million customers and 425 billion in annual transaction
volume.


Terraform
labs, the company behind Terra Money, are a highly reputable company in Korea
with a strong interest in Southeast Asia market. The founding team is headed by
Daniel Shin who is founder of TicketMonster, a $3.5 billion e-commerce company
in Korea. The project is also backed by leading crypto companies such as
Binance Labs, OKEx, Huobi Capital, Kakaoventures and Dunamu among others.

 

BNB

Binance
has its own coin, Binance Coin, BNB which is currently the 7th most
valuable coin with a market capitalization of $2.6 billion. Since its launch in
2017, BNB has had a return on investment of >9000% making it one of the best
performing coins in the market. Its daily trade volume exceeds $200M because it
is used not only for trading but as a key medium of transacting on various
Binance related products.

BNB
is being adopted as a means of payment by many online platforms. BNB is used in
various ways including as a means of payment. Some online merchants such as
TravelbyBit in Australia, crypto.com, lifestreaming platform Gifto, Pundi X
among others accept BNB.

 

BNB
powers the whole Binance ecosystem and adoption grow in 2020, BNB is expected
to continue to increase in value. Furthermore, expansion in USA is expected to
take shape in 2020. The USA is a major crypto market and this will increase BNB
usage significantly.

 

IOTEX

It
is estimated that by 2020, half of the new businesses will run
on IoT. IoTeX enables anyone to create their own IoT ecosystems in such a
manner that allows more innovation and growth in an open system rather than a
closed network. It is the foundational layer just like the internet’s TCP/IP
protocol that enables others to build applications on top of it. This means
that IoTeX will be able to capture some of the value while propelling
unprecedented innovation in new ways.


As the IoT industry continues to grow in 2020 IoTeX is strategically positioned to
drive that growth. IoTeX coin will gain significant growth. IoTeX is making
this vision a reality and has already partnered with various industry players.
IoTeX coin is also available on reputable exchanges such as Binance, Bittrex,
and KuCoin among others. It also received strategic investments from investors
such as HashKey Group, a leading tech conglomerate in Hong Kong among others.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/29/5-most-potential-crypto-currencies-in-2020/

In a previous post, I tried to define the word brand. In this one, I want to propose five financial benefits of a strong brand. Most people, I believe, would start with selling more, but given what I wrote in the last post I must start with commanding a higher price point.

1) Higher price

Often ignored or, worse, used as a lever to drive short-term sales volume, I believe that charging a higher price compared to competitors is the true benefit of a strong brand. The profit leverage of being able to increase price and not see a significant decline in volume is huge. When the iPhone can command a $430 premium over the similarly spec’d and rated OnePlus, that differential can fund more research and development, more marketing and more ecosystem.

2) New customers

A brand must gain new customers in order to grow. Additional sales to existing customers rarely result in incremental sales when analyzed over time. There are exceptions, of course, particularly when the brand extends to new needs and occasions but they tend to be few and far between.

3) Lower incentives

If people are predisposed to buy your brand – they are instinctively and deliberatively inclined to buy it – then our evidence suggests that not only will people search less and choose more quickly, they will need less incentivisation. For instance, when I compared how much car brands in the U.S. paid in incentives I found that the top third ranked on perceptions of meaningful difference paid out 45 percent less than the lowest third.

4) Better retention

You cannot grow your brand’s penetration if new customers are offset by the loss of existing ones. In our Mastering Momentum report, we refer to experience as the foundation on which a strong brand is built. Greater customer satisfaction (and greater willingness to forgive) is not just the result of the actual experience but how people’s interpretation of that experience is enhanced by the brand’s communications.

5) Better staff attraction and retention

It is well-documented that people are more attracted to work at well-regarded companies but in the same way that communications can influence the satisfaction of customers, so too it can increase satisfaction among staff. And, just as greater customer satisfaction is reflected in more positive word of mouth, greater staff satisfaction is likely reflected in better customer service and productivity.

So, what do you think? Am I missing anything important? Please share your thoughts.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/29/five-financial-benefits-of-a-strong-brand/

Highlights 

*Revenue decreased by 18.08% to N413.76bn from N505.09bn in Q3 2018

*Profit before tax decreased by 293.46% to N-9.23bn from N4.77bn in Q3 2018

*Profit after Tax increased by 25.66% to N13.07bn from N10.39bn in Q3 2018

*Total Equity increased by 4.4% to N289.33bn from N277.12bn in Q3 2018

Oando Plc announced its unaudited results for the third quarter ended September 2019, which showed that its profit after tax increased by 26 per cent to N13.1 billion, up from the N10.4 billion recorded in the same period of 2018.

However, the oil and gas company’s turnover decreased by 18 per cent to N413.8 billion, compared with the N505.1 billion realised in the same period of 2018.

But its total borrowing decreased by eight per cent to N193.1 billion, from N210.9 billion in the comparable period of 2018, while its production grew by eight per cent to 43,045 boe/day from 40,039 boe/day in year-to-date (YTD) September 2018.

The increase in production, according to a statement from the oil and gas company, was driven by an 11 per cent increase in natural gas production and an eight per cent increase in crude oil production.

“Without a doubt 2019 has been another challenging year for the company, not just in terms of external factors beyond its control but an ongoing conundrum with the regulator.

“Despite this, the company’s results show that a management team that has worked aggressively to maintain a trend of positive results reflected in higher production and profit after tax,” the statement added.

Oando recently announced that the NNPC/NAOC/OANDO Joint Venture (of which Oando Energy Resources, the upstream subsidiary of Oando Plc, holds a 20 per cent working interest), had made a significant gas and condensate find in the deeper sequences of the Obiafu-Obrikom fields in OML 61, onshore Niger Delta.

The preliminary evaluation had indicated that the discovery amounted to about one trillion cubic feet of gas and 60 million barrels of associated condensate in the deep drilled sequences.

The statement added: “the full impact of this discovery will be determined and communicated to the market on the conclusion of the next annual independent reserves and resources evaluation.”


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/29/oando-posts-n13bn-q3-profit-in-q3-2019-results/

Highlights

*Gross Earnings increased by 6.7% to N610.87bn from N572.66bn in Q3 2018

*Profit before Tax increased by 13.7% to N109.49bn from N96.32bn in Q3 2018

*Profit after Tax increased by 4.1% to N78.84bn from N75.72bn in Q3 2018

*Total Equity increased by 0.02% to N660.22bn from N660.07bn in Q3 2018

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) released its condensed unaudited financial statements for the nine-month period ended September. The consolidated report shows that the bank’s gross earnings grew by 7% even as profit for the period slightly increased. See the key breakdown below.

The bank’s condensed gross earnings for the nine-month period stood N610.8 billion, indicating that there was a 7% increase when compared to N572.6 billion during the comparable period in 2018.

Meanwhile, ETI’s group revenue for the period witnessed only a 1% increase at N422.6 billion, compared to N418.6 billion as at September 2018. For more on how gross earnings and revenue differ, check here.

Moving on, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated witnessed a 14% increase in profit before tax as of September 2019. The reported figure is N109.4 billion which is higher than N96.3 billion reported during the comparable period last year.

This stood at N78.8 billion, marking a 4% increase when compared to N75.7 billion reported as at September 2018.

During the period, ETI’s basic and diluted earnings per share attributable to shareholders increased to N5.71 and N5.71 as against N0.83 and N0.82 respectively.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/29/ecobank-posts-n78-84bn-pat-in-q319/

*British Airways is the first UK airline to offer a summer internship programme with a competitive salary

*Carrier is offering world-class opportunities to learn more about data science, analytics and leadership

*Internships cement airline as a leader in emerging talent space with graduate, apprentice, business placement and work experience opportunities also up for grabs



From summer 2020 British Airways will become the first UK airline to offer a paid internship programme to encourage more young people from a range of backgrounds to experience the aviation industry and develop sought-after workplace skills that will ensure they stand out in the ever-competitive graduate market.

The airline is offering ten places across two three-month internship programmes; A Future Leaders Internship, offering real responsibility in areas such as sales strategy and customer service innovation, and a Data Science and Analytics Internship, giving applicants an insight into how British Airways is using data to transform its business.

Data science and analytics interns will be tasked with producing actionable insights and strategic forecasts for the business, from using machine learning models to anticipate opportunities for maintenance to be completed ahead of schedule to identifying how airport teams can get planes away even quicker, so customers arrive on time, every time. The complexity of the airline business means that, for analytics professionals, it is one of the most varied and interesting places they can apply their skills.

Hazel Cochrane, British Airways’ Principal Analytics Consultant, said: “British Airways has unparalleled size, scale and ambition and data scientists at the airline have real influence; our insights are relied upon for delivering the quality customer experiences the airline prides itself on, so it’s a hugely rewarding role. We use the most advanced analytical techniques and interns will be equipped to tackle complex challenges right from day one.”

Internships are just one of many routes into the airline, with work experience, award-winning apprenticeship opportunities and business placements all on offer and British Airways’ popular graduate scheme are still open for applications from the brightest talent.

Ambitious undergraduates keen to find out more and apply for this unique opportunity should visit Source page below.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/28/british-airways-becomes-the-first-uk-airline-to-offer-youngsters-paid-internships-to-help-them-become-the-next-generation-of-aviation-leaders/

-Strong Q3 EBITDA (pre-IFRS 16) increase of 32,7% vs LY

− Operating profit multiplied by 2,7x in Q3 vs LY

− Q3 finance costs drop by 70,6%

− Positive Net income for four consecutive quarters

− Successful divestment from Lafarge South Africa Holdings

− Significant deleveraging with Net financial debt reduction by 79.2%

Lafarge Africa Plc released its report this morning, recording a net sales of N214billion for the nine-month period and N53billion for Q3 ‘2019; a decrease of 25.1% over 2018.

Michel Puchercos, CEO of Lafarge Africa stated: “Our Strategy 2022 « building for growth » in Nigeria is delivering the expected results with strong EBITDA and operating profit improvement, robust net income and operating cash flow development. Our turnaround and cost reduction strategy in Q3 continues to deliver strong margins with improvement in commercial transformation, logistics performance, industrial & energy efficiencies. Our ambition is to continue the acceleration of growth and earnings in Q4.

REGIONAL PERFORMANCE

Lafarge Africa: Over-Proportional Profitability Increase In Q3 2019 Results
Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading Sub-Saharan Africa building materials company is a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim, a world leader in building materials. Listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Lafarge Africa is actively participating in the urbanization and economic growth of Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa.

OUTLOOK 2019

Based on the above trends, with market demand, which is expected to accelerate in Q4 compared to Q3 2019, a stable pricing environment and the successful execution of Strategy 2022, we expect to continue to deliver in Q4 2019.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/28/lafarge-africa-over-proportional-profitability-increase-in-q3-2019-results/

Summary

*Gross Earnings increased by 19.6% to N31.26bn from N26.13bn in Q3 2018

*Profit before Tax increased by 150.2% to N1.61bn from N644.00bn in Q3 2018

*Profit after Tax increased by 146.6% to 1.48bn from N601mln in Q3 2018

*Operating Expenses down by 10% from N15.4 billion to N13.9 billion in Q3 2019

Unity Bank Plc, Nigeria’s 8th largest bank by business locations, leading retail banks with over 200 business offices spread across the country. The bank driven by its vision to be the retail bank of choice for all Nigerians has recently released its 9 months 2019 results to the public. The result revealed a growth in Post-Tax Profit by 147%.

The bank announced a N1.48 billion Post-tax profit in Q3 2019 as opposed to N600 million declared in the same period of 2018. A 26% growth in Fee and Commission Income, 12% growth in Net Interest Income and 10% reduction in Operating Expenses is seen to be responsible for the impressive growth of Unity Bank Q3 2019 results.

The Earning Per Share of Stanbic IBTC Bank also increased by 118% from 8 kobo in September 2018 to 18 kobo per share in September 2019. The Balance Sheet size of Unity Bank Plc also shows impressive growth except for Equity that remains flat for the period.

Total Assets up by 27% from N236 billion in December 2018 to N300 billion in Q3 2019 while the Customer deposits also up by 5% from N242 billion to N254 billion in Q3 2019. Customer loans and advances up by 103% from N43.7 billion in December 2018 to N88.8 billion in September 2019. Also, the total Equity was flat at N243.6 billion to N242.6 billion as at end of September 2019.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/28/unity-bank-declares-n1-48bn-pat-in-q3-2019-results/

Access Bank is set to procure the Transnational Bank Limited of Kenya.

The agreement, which comes exactly seven months after Access Bank successfully consummated a business combination deal with the defunct Diamond Bank would see the bank expand its footprint in Africa.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc, Mr Herbert Wigwe, confirmed the development in a telephone chat with the media yesterday.

He anticipated that the deal would be finalised before the end of next week.

Wigwe said Access Bank would formally notify the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today (Monday).

According to him, the acquisition aligns with Access Bank’s strategic vision.

He said: “We are going to issue a statement on the Nigerian NSE tomorrow (today). Kenya is a big market in Africa, it is a major trade route and major payment corridor.

“This aligns with our strategic vision. We have our own regulatory and board approvals. In Kenya, the bank is going through its own regulatory process. But the deal is imminent, so it could happen this week or next week.”

It was gathered that the Access Bank would acquire 93.57 per cent stake in the Kenyan bank as it seeks to consolidate its presence in the continent.

Access Bank would now join GT Bank and the United Bank for Africa Plc, two other Nigerian banks with a presence in the Kenyan market.

Access Bank Plc at the weekend reported a significantly improved performance for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, reflecting the positive impact of its previous merger with the defunct Diamond Bank. The bank posted a growth of 44 per cent in profit after tax (PAT) to N90.7 billion in 2019, up from N62.9 billion in the corresponding period of 2018.

The breakdown of the performance showed that Access Bank Plc ended the period with net interest income of N210 billion, compared with N123 billion in 2018, while non-fee income rose from N37 billion to N56 billion. Impairment charges stood at N10.611 billion, compared with N8.353 billion in 2018.

Personal expenses went up from N41.4 billion to N54.6 billion, while other operating expenses increased from N82 billion to N121 billion in 2019. Despite the high costs recorded, Access Bank Plc posted a profit before tax of N103 billion in 2019, up from N70.2 billion in 2018, while PAT rose by 44 per cent to N90.7 billion, from N62.9 billion in 2018.

Further analysis of the results showed that its merger with defunct Diamond Bank is yielding fruits as deposits soared from N2.56 trillion to N4.24 trillion, while loans and advances improved from N1.993 trillion. Total assets jumped from N4.942 trillion to N6.58 trillion.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/28/access-bank-nigeria-set-to-purchase-kenyan-bank/

Ondo State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology Pastor Femi Agagu has said that Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu led government would soon employ primary school Teachers and Administrative Officers into the civil service.

This cheering news was made yesterday at the October edition of the monthly APC Okitipupa LG chapter meeting held at Ilutitun City Hall, Ilutitun Osooro.

Agagu said the state government is concerned about the welfare of its citizens particularly APC members as he has shown a clear willingness to tackle the challenges affecting them.

His words ” the Akeredolu led government is very concerned about the welfare of the residents in the state particularly our party members and takes issues that affects them very seriously. APC government both in the state and at the Federal level has demonstrated clear willingness to tackle citizens challenges head-on and have come up with several empowerment schemes to engage the people”.

On employment, Agagu explained that recruitment into the Teaching profession would be a computer-based test, while that of Administrative Officers’ Cadre are for graduate possessing University degree in any of the social sciences or humanities.

He further enjoined party members to wake up and harness these employment opportunities for the benefits of party members.

” To be relevant in the 21st century, there is a need to develop the necessary skills to become a modern Teacher. You need to be computer literate, get new ideas, get fresh ideas ” he counselled.

The commissioner thanked party members for their prayers, support and dedication to both APC and Governor Akeredolu.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/25/ondo-state-government-to-employ-soon-agagu/

1. The state of origin (citizenship) certificate is issued by the relevant LGA claimed by applicants.

2. Until now, different payments are to be made by two different sets of applicants for the certificate. There is N2500 (which comprises N2000 for the LGA issuing the certificate while the (Kwara State Internal Revenue Service) KW-IRS gets N462.50. The balance is for bank charges).

This N2500 is paid to the KW-IRS which then remits N2000 to the appropriate LGA. If you are a civil servant or you have evidence of Personal Income Tax (PIT), all you need to pay to get the certificate of state of origin (citizenship) is just the N2500. No more, no less. Any other charge is not known to the Kwara State Government. Two, there is extra N1500 Personal Income Tax which is collected at the point of collecting the certificate. But this N1500 applies ONLY to applicants whose parents (or themselves) are not civil servants or do not have evidence of payment of their Personal Income Tax.

3. What this (2) means is that there are two categories of applicants for the state of origin (citizenship). The first category pays *just* N2500. That’s because their parents (or they) are either civil servants (with evidence of PAYE) or have evidence of PIT payment. The second category pays N4000 (N2500+1500 PIT). This is because the applicants under this category have neither evidence of PAYE nor that of PIT. So the N1500 is for their PIT.

4. There is a new development, however. Until now, the PIT was being paid at the LGA. But this has changed as the KW-IRS has recently adjusted its website to allow applicants in Category II to pay for their PIT directly to the KW-IRS. This is because the PIT belongs to the KW-IRS under the Kwara State Law. Besides, this measure has been introduced to stop the alleged extortion of applicants who are made to pay extra charges that are not receipted. The state government feels this is unfair to the applicants. No applicant should pay any extra money for the purpose of collecting state of origin (citizenship) certificate in Kwara State.

5. Processing of the certificate still takes place at the LGAs because of the need to verify claims of applicants truly coming from the areas they claim to have come from.

6. The administration of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has NOT added any extra charges to the application fees for the state of origin (citizenship) certificate. All the fees mentioned above are as inherited from the past administration. The only thing that has changed is that the new leadership of KW-IRS is collecting the PIT directly from applicants, instead of the previous arrangement where the LGAs were collecting it. This, as said before, is to eliminate incidents of extra charges as well as ensure that the PIT gets to the KW-IRS as prescribed by the law.

7. Lastly, one other benefit is that everyone pays the same charge for the certificate across the state. Uniform charge of either N2500 or N4000.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/25/quick-facts-about-payment-for-kwara-citizenship-certificate-kwirs/

Residents and businesses in Oshodi, Lagos State, and its environs now have an opportunity to enjoy the excellent financial services offered by First City Monument Bank (FCMB).  This is because the Bank has opened an ultra-modern and full-service branch strategically located at 481, Agege Motor Road, opposite Arena Shopping Complex, at an impressive ceremony on Tuesday, October 22, 2019. 

With this development, customers of FCMB around the axis of Ladipo in Mushin now have another convenient location for their transactions to further enjoy the valued-added offerings which the Bank has been known for since its establishment 36 years ago. 

The opening of the new branch in Oshodi, one of the major business hubs in Lagos, is in line with FCMB’s strategic expansion drive and commitment towards bringing its banking services closer to the doorsteps of more people and businesses while promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria. 

FCMB’s new outlet in Oshodi has been equipped with a unique physical and technological infrastructure that will ensure convenient transactions and sundry financial service delivery to existing and potential customers in a relaxed and tranquil environment. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Executive Director, Business Development of FCMB, Mrs. Bukola Smith, reiterated the Bank’s commitment to strategically grow its network and retail business to positively impact the individual and business aspirations of its ever-increasing customer base and the general public.

According to her: “Though most customers prefer to carry out transactions from wherever they are, using our highly convenient and secure alternative channels, such as our *329# USSD code, enhanced FCMBMobile, FCMBOnline, and ATMs spread across Nigeria, some still prefer human interaction when banking. This additional customer touchpoint will further boost our offerings in line with our core values of Execution, Professionalism, Innovation and Customer-focus (EPIC) in a conducive and convenient environment”.

Mrs. Smith reiterated that FCMB will continue to raise the bar in the way customers are served and the kind of environment under which such services are provided to meet their respective lifestyles. 

Also speaking, the Divisional Head, Service Management & Technology of FCMB, Mr. Oluwakayode Adigun, said, “our Oshodi branch, like other branches of FCMB across Nigeria, brings with it, something special in terms of structure and aesthetics. Part of our commitment to promoting a cleaner and greener environment, is by use of renewable energy and in this new branch, we have adopted solar technology which is a clean energy solution that produces minimal waste. It is non-pollutant and great for the environment”. 

Mr. Adigun, who was represented by the Group Head, Branch Services, Mr. Ademola Idowu, added that “the Branch will also offer excellent customer experience provided by our team of professionals. We are committed to scaling our operation, building the requisite capabilities while deploying the best ways to simplify banking for customers who use our robust technology platform”. 

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Alhaji Idris Muse-Ariyoh, commended FCMB for its giant strides in the financial services industry and immense support to its customers and their well-being.

The Chairman, who was represented by a top official of the Council, Hon. Toyin Smith, stated that “we have heard a lot about the good things this bank is doing all over the place. Now, we have been granted the privilege of experiencing first class financial service at its best for which FCMB is now well known for. As you know, Oshodi is one of the most economically significant areas in Lagos state with about 4million people and businesses. 

We need access to constant and easily accessible financial services in order to go about our individual and collective businesses. So, opening this ultra-modern branch is extremely welcomed. It will surely ease the stress of moving across town in search of these important services. FCMB has proved itself to be one of the major driving force of financial inclusion as initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It is very noteworthy to say that all these have been done in a manner that is both reliable and customer-centric. So, on behalf of the people, institutions and associations present in Oshodi, we say a big thank you to FCMB”.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/24/fcmb-expands-branch-network-opens-ultra-modern-branch-in-oshodi-photos/

The superlative outing by students of Lagos, Ogun and Osun states shot the states to the finals in the on-going Season 5 of the Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics Television Quiz Show sponsored by Cowbell Milk, the flagship brand of Promasidor Nigeria Limited.

In the Junior category of the first semi-final duel in Lagos last weekend, Abdulganiyu Alli, a student of Ota Total Academy, Ota, Ogun State and Ebube Okafor of Saint Francis Catholic Secondary School, Idimu, Lagos outclassed their mates to sail into the finals of the competition.

This feat was at the expense of four other participating students: Mohammed Sirajoof Nigerian Turkish International College, Kaduna, Kaduna State and YakubuYunusa from Nigerian Turkish International College, Damaturu, Yobe State.

Others who could not cross the hurdles include Ayomide Attah, a student of Saint Francis Catholic Secondary School, Egbeda-Idimu, Lagos State and Faithful Unimashi from Saint Annes High School, Calabar, Cross River State.

Alli who scored 115 points to cross the bar, expressed confidence to wear the crown and pray to gain more confidence and momentum in the final

battle. Okafor on his part maintained that he possesses the desire to emerge champion and prayed for God’s grace in the final encounter.

In the Senior category, Oghenero Ologe a student of Zionfield Pinnacle School, Ikorodu, Lagos State garnered 95 points to advance into the finals. He was joined by Hezekiah Olabisi from BiboOluwa Academy, Ilesha, Osun State who scored 90 points.

The feat by the duo shut the door against Jesse Uche-Nwich, the 2018 Junior category champion from Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State and John Areola a student of BiboOluwa Academy, Ilesha, Osun State.

Other who fell by the wayside include Chinoso Emmanuel of Dority International Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State and Philip Awodiya from BiboOluwa Academy, Ilesha Osun State,

Ologe and Olabisi are both hopeful of a spectacular outing in the final and equally prayed to achieve their dreams of winning the ultimate prize.

Not a few observers affirmed that this year’s edition is actually living up to its billing in terms of excitement and reward as promised by the organisers in line with the goal of “nurturing great inventors”.

The quiz show billed to run for 13 weeks, has been on for the past 10 weeks; and divided into nine preliminary stages and three semi-finals before the grand finale in November 2019.

Aside the N2 million grand prizes, Managing Director of Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mr Anders Einarsson disclosed that the winner in each of categories, (Junior and Senior) will enjoy an all-expense paid educational excursion outside the country at the end of the initiative.

In addition, the first and second runners-up in each category will receive N1.5 million and N1 million respectively, while the teachers of the top prize winners will be awarded N500, 000. Those of the first and second runners-up will receive N400, 000 and N300, 000 respectively.

The 2019 edition of Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematic TV Quiz continues this weekend. It will be aired on DSTV Africa Magic Family Channel, AIT Network and other six television stations across the country.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/24/lagos-ogun-osun-romp-into-cowbellpedia-finals/

The Federal Executive Council has approved a change of name for the Ministry of Communications.

Based on the name change, the ministry will henceforth be called the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.

This was made known on Wednesday via a tweet by Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on New Media, Bashir Ahmad.

The new name to be called *”Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy”.


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/24/fec-approves-name-change-for-communications-ministry/

Nigerian States and Federal Debt Stock data as at 30th June 2019 reflected that the country’s total public debt portfolio stood at N25.70trn.

Further disaggregation of Nigeria’s total public debt showed that N8.32trn or 32.38% of the debt was external while N17.38trn or 67.62% of the debt was domestic.

Similarly, total domestic debt was N3.97 trillion with Lagos state accounting for 12.08% of the total domestic debt stock while Yobe State has the least debt stock in this category with a contribution of 0.69% to the total domestic debt stock.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/23/nigerias-total-public-debt-stood-at-n25-70trn-in-q2-2019-says-nbs/