₦airaland Forum

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Ferry Services, LAGFERRY, will ferry an average of 480,000 passengers via the waterways as it progresses in its commercial operations due to commence next month in commemoration of 200 days of the Sanwo-Olu led administration.

The Honourable Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde disclosed this today during his working visit to the LAGFERRY office at Mile-2, alongside the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Olawale Musa and other management staff.

He lauded the agency’s efforts and preparations on advancing water transportation including boat tests, and critical assessment of 30 key routes with the aid of drones, promising the Ministry’s support to ensure that the agency remains effective to sustain the safe use of the waterways by citizens.

Oladeinde also stated that the agency will work hand in hand with LAMATA to incorporate the ferry system into the central ticketing and billing system to coordinate the modes of transportation in the State.

The Managing Director, LAGFERRY, Mr Abdoulbaq Ladi-Balogun, while briefing the Commissioner, stated that the agency is working with its counterparts, the Lagos State Waterways Authority, LASWA, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources as well as the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure to rid the water channels of wreckages and debris which are the main causes of mishaps on the waterways.

He revealed that the agency is looking to drive its operations via technology by creating an application that will allow passengers to make online ticket bookings for their trips ahead of time to create ease and reduce loading time.

Ladi-Balogun also mentioned that the agency is keen on commencing commercial boat activities, through its already existing routes, to decongest the roads and ultimately ease movement from one place to another, adding that riverine communities like coconut, Snake Island, Badagry and Ikorodu are clamouring for effective waterways transportation along the axis.

He proferred that goods and vehicles could also be moved off the roads to their various destinations on water through high capacity barges.


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/22/lasg-expands-ferry-capacity-to-accommodate-480000-passengers-on-water/

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, through its social investment vehicle, MTN Foundation, has celebrated 110 Nigerians at gala events in Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Lagos. The celebration is the climax of the third edition of the “What Can We Do Together (WCWDT)” initiative. The celebrated heroes are the individuals who nominated various communities that received interventions.

Dedicated to developing grassroots communities through collaborative efforts, WCWDT provides Nigerians with the opportunity to nominate a community for developmental projects.

Commending the nominators, Senior Manager, Program Implementation, MTN Nigeria, Abasi-Ekong Udobang, said, “The What Can We Do Together initiative reflects our sustained drive to collaborate with Nigerians in executing impactful projects in communities across the country. We believe the nominators are the heroes of this initiative as their noble efforts will go a long way in improving the quality of life for millions of Nigerians.”

“The altruistic gesture from the nominators led to various interventions by MTN Foundation in nominated communities, including the supply of medical equipment to 40 primary health centres with training for the medical staff on the use of the newly supplied equipment. Ten communities received solar-powered boreholes and learning materials (school bags, exercise books, raincoats and pencil cases) were distributed to over 15,000 pupils in 60 public primary schools across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory,” he added.

Speaking at the appreciation event in Abuja organised for nominators from the northern region, the Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT, Senator Yakubu Oseni applauded MTN for the kind gesture. He commended the initiative hoping that the Foundation would execute more ICT projects in subsequent phases.

Since the launch of the first phase of the WCWDT initiative in 2015, 510 communities across 454 local government areas have received diverse interventions from MTN Foundation.  Forty communities have received 500KVA transformers, and 50 650ft boreholes, some of which are solar-powered. Primary health centres in 120 communities received essential medical equipment. In addition, 174 schools received furniture, and household supplies were delivered to 66 orphanages in different communities nationwide.

The MTN Foundation has over the years partnered with both public and private organisations to initiate sustainable development programmes in different focus areas with the aim of making life brighter for Nigerians.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/22/mtn-celebrates-community-heroes-in-lagos-abuja-port-harcourt/

*interest Income decreased by 2.99% to N327.47bn from N337.56bn in Q3 2018
*Profit before Tax increased by 16.92% to N60.03bn from N51.34bn in Q3 2018
*Profit after Tax increased by 28.16% to N51.75bn from N44.89bn in Q3 2018
*Total Equity increased by 14.0% to N604.93bn from N530.65bn in Q3 2018

FBN Holdings Plc said it recorded N439.9bn gross earnings, flat year-on-year, from January to September 2019 from N441.5bn in the corresponding period of 2018.

In a statement on its unaudited results for the nine months ended 30 September 2019, it said its net-interest income was N211.4bn in the period under review, down 4.6 per cent y-o-y from September 2018 figure of N221.5bn.

The group said its non-interest income of N98.8bn rose by six per cent y-o-y from N93.2bn in the corresponding period of last year.

Its operating income fell by 1.4 per cent y-o-y to N310.2bn from N314.7bn; while impairment charge for credit losses of N28.5bn improved by 62.6 per cent y-o-y from N76.2bn in the corresponding period of 2018.

The operating expenses rose by 18.4 per cent y-o-y to N221.7bn, from N187.2bn as of September 2018.

Profit before tax of N60bn in September 2019 rose by 16.9 per cent y-o-y from the corresponding period of 2018 which was N51.3bn.

Its profit after tax rose by 15.3 per cent y-o-y to N51.8bn in Q3 2019, from N44.9bn as of the end of third quarter 2018.

Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director, UK Eke, said, “Our performance in the third quarter reflects the growth trajectory over the first nine months of the year, with significant strides made in transforming the group’s asset quality and diversifying our revenue streams across the board.

“During the third quarter, our NPL declined further to 12.6 per cent as we approach the end of the curve in the resolution of our legacy portfolio and are confident of further reducing this to under 10 per cent by the end of the current financial year.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/22/fbn-holdings-plc-declares-n51-75bn-pat-in-q3-2019-results/

Treasury bills are getting popular among the investing public. They are one of the safest investment options available, generating a decent return. If you’re looking to start investing (or you just want to learn more) but you have no idea what a treasury bill is or how it works, you will find this post very valuable. So, what is a treasury bill?

Treasury bills are short-term sovereign debt instruments, maturing in one year or less, issued by the Federal Government through the Central Bank to provide short-term funding to the government. Think of it as a loan you are providing the Federal Government. The government will then pay you back in 90, 180 or 365 days, depending on the maturity period of your choice. With Treasury bills, however, your interest is paid to you upfront. How? If you loan the government 100k for instance at an interest rate of 10%, you will receive the interest of 10k at the point of subscription. At maturation, you will then receive back your initial investment of 100k, meaning you have invested a total of 100k and received 110k back with an upfront interest of 10k at maturation.

But are treasury bills a profitable investment? To answer this, let’s look at all the factors to consider when purchasing treasury bills. To invest in treasury bills, you must be willing to lock in your funds for the given maturity period. There are sanctions (in form of deductions) if you liquidate (withdraw) before the end of the maturity period you subscribed for. Next, treasury bills are not dirt cheap. Most treasury bills subscriptions begin at 100k, 500k or 1 million nairas. Are you able to lock away this amount for 90, 180 or 365 days? Finally, we consider return rates. In comparison to similar investments, treasury bills frequently perform excellently, returning as high as 17% returns. The funds are risk-free, as they are backed by the full faith of the Federal Government.

Treasury bills are a very stable investment vehicle due to their very low risk and the integrity of the issuer. They provide investors with an opportunity to grow their holdings safely and securely.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/21/all-you-need-to-know-about-treasury-bills-2/

The Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) will hold its extraordinary general meeting on October 24, 2019.

OAAN in a statement signed by its General Secretary, Sola Akinsiku, revealed that the meeting will hold at Sheba Event Place, Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos at 10 am.

The agenda for the meeting, according to Akinsiku, includes: update on new executive council stewardship, the appointment of new members of OAAN Board of Trustees, approval of OAAN standard operating procedure, approval of OAAN cooperative scheme, induction of new members companies amongst others.

It would be recalled that OAAN had its 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 2019 at Abeokuta, Ogun State with the theme: ‘’ The Future of OOH in Nigeria: Debts, Ethics and Best Global Practices” that brought in the Emmanuel Ajufo’s led administration.

OAAN is the association of outdoor advertising practitioners that set out to develop and maintain the standard for Outdoor Advertising in Nigeria. It is also to regulate and control the practice of Outdoor Advertising in conformity with statutory and Industry guidelines.

The association is constantly looking for new ways to ascertain freshness, relevance and creative visibility, working assiduously towards impeccable professionalism by training and re-training members in educative seminars, workshops and refresher courses.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/21/oaan-holds-extraordinary-general-meeting-october-24/

Owning a smartphone comes with as much perks as fears. Yes, you’ve saved up for that new iPhone 11 or Samsung Galaxy note 10. Now, your new worry is how to ensure that you enjoy the phone to the fullest without it getting lost or being stolen. Besides the money you would have lost if your phone gets missing, you would also lose personal files, important photos and other things you would have saved on your phone, so guarding your phone jealously goes without question. Here’s how to ensure your phone does not get stolen.

Use a find my phone app

The same GPS and network connections that help your phone find the best nearby restaurants and the fastest way home can help you find and protect that phone should it go missing. To take advantage of this, you need to install a special free app, which works together with a free service that you can use to locate or erase the phone once it’s gone.

Attach a note

To increase your chances of getting your phone back especially if it’s found by an honest person, simply tape a tiny note on the back of your phone with your e-mail address or a work number. This is more like trying your luck. It may work or not work.

Record your phone’s IMEI number

for a Good Camera - Report

Smartphones have a unique serial number known as an IMEI (International Mobile Station Equipment Identity) or MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier). Unlike other identifying information stored on the phone’s removable SIM card, these numbers are etched into its circuits and difficult to alter. Your cell carrier already has this 15-digit number on file and may be able to use it to put the phone on a missing phone list.

Back up your photos and videos

You can also back up your photos and videos on any cloud of your choice as far as you have access to the internet.  For example, Google allows users to back up all their data on their cloud. Hence, do not forget to do this.

Use a strong screen lock

This is your first and strongest line of defence. Skip the easy 4-digit PIN and instead create a strong password that contains at least 8 characters that include some combination of letters, numbers, and special characters that don’t form recognizable words or phrases.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/21/how-to-protect-your-smartphone-from-being-stolen/

Samsung yesterday unveiled new members of the Galaxy A Series smartphones – the Galaxy A10s, A20s and A30s. These new devices offer upgrades to essential features, made even more powerful with more value for the new smartphones generation.

“As a global technology leader, we are committed to providing meaningful innovations to our consumers. Galaxy A10s, A20s and A30s have been developed for young Africans who are looking for a great display, superior camera, long-lasting battery and fingerprint scanner. It’s a complete package of great looks and top performance,” says David Suh, Managing Director, Samsung Electronics West Africa.

Galaxy A10s – impressive device offers unprecedented value

The new Galaxy A10s comes with a stunning 6.2-inch, HD+ Infinity-V Display. It provides an immersive visual experience to users binge-watching your favourite content. Additionally, addressing the need of today’s always-on generation, the Galaxy A10s is equipped with a powerful 4,000mAh battery that allows uninterrupted streaming, gaming and lives broadcasting.

Galaxy A10s comes with a dual rear camera setup to address the millennials’ need to capture moments on the go. The dual camera of the Galaxy A10s comprises a 13MP primary rear camera with F1.8 aperture and a 2MP depth camera. This allows users to capture beautiful shots where the focus is on the subject and noise from the background is blurred. Additionally, Galaxy A10s sports an 8MP front camera that consistently produces brighter and clearer selfies. The Galaxy A10s is also an excellent multitasker, thanks to the Octa-core processor under the hood. With enhanced security features such as fingerprint scanner and face unlock, the Galaxy A10s offers more peace of mind. The Galaxy A10s is available with 2GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage. There is also support for Micro SD cards up to 512GB.

Galaxy A20s – essential smartphone for the era of life

Galaxy A20s is packed with triple rear camera, 15W fast-charging capability and a striking design to elevate the smartphone experience of young millennials and Gen Z.“Galaxy A20s has been developed to offer the Gen Z consumer a great display, superior triple camera and captivating design with a mirror-like finish. People are increasingly using their smartphones to share live interactions – capturing spontaneous photos, streaming live videos and connecting over shared experiences that are happening right now. Built to drive this evolution, the Galaxy A20s is packed with a compelling user experience for everyday lives.” said Adetunji Taiwo, Head, Information Technology and Mobile (IM) at Samsung Electronics West Africa. “The 8mm slim design in attractive new colours makes the Galaxy A20s all the more appealing,” he added.

Galaxy A20s comes with a stunning 6.5-inch HD+ Infinity-V Display providing an enriching visual experience to users. It is powered by 4000mAh battery with 15W fast charging capability that allows uninterrupted streaming and gaming experience. Galaxy A20s also sports Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. Galaxy A20s comes with great cameras for brilliant pictures. The triple camera of the Galaxy A20s comprises a 13MP primary rear camera with F1.8 aperture, 8MP Ultra-Wide lens and a 5MP depth camera to capture beautiful shots. In addition, Galaxy A20s has an 8MP front camera that produces brighter and clearer selfies. The A20s is an ultimate multitasker owing to Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 Octa-core processor, enabling users to easily juggle with multiple apps. This device sports a sleek 8mm stunning design with a mirror-like finish and comes in three trendy colours – blue, black, and red. Galaxy A20s is available in Nigeria with 3GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage, as well as a rear fingerprint scanner.

Galaxy A30s – upgraded essential features, made even more powerful

The new Galaxy A30s features striking new designs, including a unique geometric pattern and futuristic holographic effect on the back. Available in three new colours, Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush White, and Prism Crush Violet, the sleek Galaxy A30s showcases a stylish look and feel. Paired with a long-lasting 4,000mAh battery with fast charging capability and an AI-based Game Booster, the Galaxy A30s offers the best gaming experiences on-the-go with no worry about power.

The Galaxy A30s comes with triple rear cameras: an improved 25MP main camera, an 8MP Ultra-Wide camera and a new 5MP depth camera. With Live Focus on the 5MP depth camera, you can now apply professional-quality bokeh effects and create more dynamic portraits quickly and effortlessly on your Galaxy A30s, letting you capture the mood of the moment as you experience it. Smart camera tools, including Intelligent Flaw Detector and Scene Optimizer, make snapping the perfect picture on Galaxy A30s easy and convenient. The Galaxy A30s now features an on-screen fingerprint scanner for an easier and more intuitive way of keeping users’ content safe without compromising design. With the Galaxy A30s, you will be seamlessly connected to the Galaxy ecosystem and able to enjoy a full range of services, including Samsung Health, Knox and more.

“Smartphones are a vital part of people’s lives, connecting them, allowing them to share their experiences and engage with the world,” said Adetunji Taiwo. “As the way people use smartphones continues to evolve, we strive to constantly innovate, bringing people the best possible mobile experience. The new Galaxy A10s, A20s, and A30s are a bold step in delivering next-level performance to essential everyday features.”

Samsung Galaxy A10s and A30s are now available whilst the Galaxy A20s will be in Samsung partner stores nationwide from Monday, 28th October 2019.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/18/samsung-presents-galaxy-a10s-a20s-and-a30s-for-new-smartphone-generation/

OPPO leads the fast charge in the 5G era with the launch of 65W SuperVOOC, 30W Wireless VOOC and VOOC 4.0 

Lagos, Nigeria, 16 October 2019: OPPO, the leading global smartphone brand, announced the launch of three new flash charge technologies: 65W SuperVOOC Fast Charge 2.0, 30W Wireless VOOC Flash Charge and VOOC Flash Charge 4.0, reinforcing its leading position in the fast charging space as the mobile industry enters the 5G era.

The SuperVOOC 2.0, which will be debuted in OPPO’s forthcoming Reno Ace smartphone, is the world’s most advanced production charging solution, with the ability to fully charge a 4000mAh battery in just 30 minutes. The SuperVOOC 2.0 not only delivers improved charging performance but also enhanced safety. OPPO has placed five safety protection measures throughout the adapter, wire and handset end to ensure maximum safety during charging.

The 30W Wireless VOOC is one of the best wireless charging technology on the market, enabling wireless VOOC, for the first time, to be on par with wired VOOC in terms of charging speed. VOOC 4.0, which has undergone a full upgrade and will be featured in the OPPO K5, is positioned to be the next-generation Flash Charge solution for all. To enhance safety, OPPO has adopted several hardware designs to avoid overheating, HVDC and a foreign object detection function that ensures charging stops immediately when the charging board detects the intrusion of foreign metal objects.

In addition to the 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 and 30W Wireless VOOC Flash Charge, OPPO has upgraded VOOC Flash Charge to Version 4.0. Featuring a charging experience with end-to-end optimization, VOOC 4.0 is set to become the next generation Flash Charge solution for all.

Ethan Xue, President of OPPO MEA said: “VOOC Flash Charge technology has reshaped the way people view charging and allowed OPPO to bring the ultimate charging experience to more than 145 million users worldwide to date. In the future, OPPO will continue upgrading VOOC, SuperVOOC and Wireless VOOC to meet user needs in various scenarios.”

OPPO aims to provide users with a fast-charging experience that can be used across a wide range of scenarios through the three improved and upgraded charging technologies.

OPPO has filed more than 1,700 patents worldwide since it launched the VOOC technology in 2014, enabling more than 145 million users worldwide to experience Flash Charge on over 30 different devices. OPPO is also actively expanding the VOOC ecosystem through licensing the technology to external partners, with more than 20 companies participating to date.

OPPO is an innovative smartphone brand ranked No 3 in the world according to IHS Markit. As at today, OPPO provides cutting edge smartphones to over 200 million people all over the world.

OPPO operates in more than 40 countries of the world, with 6 research centres worldwide and an international design centre in London. OPPO has more than 40,000 employees are dedicated to creating new experiences and greater value for customers around the world.

OPPO is popular for its stylish smartphone designs, quality photography experience and the status symbol it provides to its users.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/16/oppo-launches-three-new-flash-charge-technologies/

Kaspersky honeypots – networks of virtual copies of various internet-connected devices and applications – have detected 105 million attacks on IoT devices coming from 276,000 unique IP addresses in the first six months of the year. This figure is around nine times more than the number found in H1 2018 when only around 12 million attacks were spotted originating from 69,000 IP addresses. Capitalising on weak security of IoT products, cybercriminals are intensifying their attempts to create and monetise IoT botnets. This and other findings are a part of the ‘IoT: a malware story’ report on honeypot activity in H1 2019.

Cyberattacks on IoT devices are booming, as even though more and more people and organisations are purchasing ‘smart’ (network-connected and interactive) devices, such as routers or DVR security cameras, not everybody considers them worth protecting. Cybercriminals, however, are seeing more and more financial opportunities in exploiting such gadgets. They use networks of infected smart devices to conduct DDoS attacks or as a proxy for other types of malicious actions. To learn more about how such attacks work and how to prevent them, Kaspersky experts set up honeypots – decoy devices used to attract the attention of cybercriminals and analyse their activities.

Based on data analysis collected from honeypots, attacks on IoT devices are usually not sophisticated, but stealth-like, as users might not even notice their devices are being exploited. The malware family behind 39% of attacks – Mirai – is capable of using exploits, meaning that these botnets can slip through old, unpatched vulnerabilities to the device and control it. Another technique is password brute-forcing, which is the chosen method of the second most widespread malware family in the list – Nyadrop. Nyadrop was seen in 38.57% of attacks and often serves as a Mirai downloader. This family has been trending as one of the most active threats for a couple of years now. The third most common botnet threatening smart devices – Gafgyt with 2.12% – also uses brute-forcing.

In addition, the researchers were able to locate the regions that became sources of infection most often in H1 2019. These are China, with 30% of all attacks taking place in this country, Brazil saw 19% and this is followed by Egypt (12%). A year ago, in H1 2018 the situation was different, with Brazil leading with 28%, China being second with 14% and Japan following with 11%.

“As people become more and more surrounded by smart devices, we are witnessing how IoT attacks are intensifying. Judging by the enlarged number of attacks and criminals’ persistency, we can say that IoT is a fruitful area for attackers that use even the most primitive methods, like guessing password and login combinations. This is much easier than most people think: the most common combinations by far are usually “support/support”, followed by “admin/admin”, “default/default”. It’s quite easy to change the default password, so we urge everyone to take this simple step towards securing your smart devices” – said Dan Demeter, a security researcher at Kaspersky.

To keep your devices safe, Kaspersky recommends users:

Install updates for the firmware you use as soon as possible. Once a vulnerability is found, it can be fixed through patches within updates.Always change preinstalled passwords. Use complicated passwords that include both capital and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols if it’s possible.Reboot a device as soon as you think it’s acting strangely. It might help get rid of existing malware, but this doesn’t reduce the risk of getting another infection.Keep access to IoT devices restricted by a local VPN, allowing you to access them from your “home” network, instead of publicly exposing them on the internet.

Kaspersky recommends companies to take the following measures:

Use threat data feeds (www.Kaspersky.co.za) to block network connections originating from malicious network addresses detected by security researchers.Make sure all devices software is up to date. Unpatched devices should be kept in a separate network inaccessible by unauthorised users.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/17/kaspersky-detects-more-than-100-million-attacks-on-smart-devices-in-h1-2019/

A human regardless of the gender, age, economic class, location and occupation experience some changes or situations that his body naturally reacts to – Stress. But how do we manage stress?

According to Wikipedia, stress is an organism’s response to a stressor such as an environmental condition. To human beings, stress is a feeling of physical or emotional tension. It is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand which can come from any event or thought which consequentially makes you feel nervous, angry and ultimately, frustrated.

Stress as much as it sounds negative is a normal part of life. It is one of the things that makes us human. Different ways in which you can experience stress include your environment (people and places), your body, thoughts, and circumstances.

Your body is designed to experience stress, making stress unavoidable. However, there is a need to find your way around managing it.

 Here are 7 effective tips to help you manage stress.

1. Worry less about things you can’t control

When you are faced with unpleasant situations, either at your workplace or at home, accepting that there are events that you cannot control will help reduce the stress on your mind. in reality, there are many things you don’t have control over.

You can’t control your boss’ attitude, you can’t control your colleague’s behaviour towards you and you also can’t control how other people feel about you.

Sometimes, the only thing you can control is your effort and attitude. The more focus you place on things you can control, the more productive, effective and happy you will be.

2. Regular exercise

Any movement that makes your muscles work, causing you to burn calories is a form of exercise. To mention a few, the forms of physical activities that can be termed as exercise include: jogging, running, walking and dancing.

There is no limit to the benefits of being physically active, it may even help you live longer. Other benefits that come with exercise include:

It makes you feel happyIt increases your energy levelReduces the risk of chronic diseasesImproves brain health and memoryAnd more importantly, it reduces stress

Your body can fight stress better when it is fit. So, be sure to exercise regularly!

3. Make time for interests and hobbies

Because of our packed schedules, many of us don’t have time for hobbies. Meanwhile, going through our daily activities for a long period of time without finding time to do the things we actually love is bad. So much that we lose track of time while doing these so-called daily activities which may result in a nervous breakdown.

So, the next time you feel stressed out, find time to do the things you’ve perceived to improve your mood and make you feel happy.

4. Set boundaries appropriately

To maintain a balanced life, it is highly important to set boundaries. The idea is to know and understand your own limit, know what triggers your stress, and what workload you can tolerate.

This is not to encourage laziness or mediocrity but to not be too hard on yourself if you are unable to manage everything perfectly all the time.

Also, try as much as possible to set boundaries on things you should say yes or no to. Avoid taking on more responsibilities thank you can actually handle, just so you can please someone.

Making attempts to navigate a lifestyle that is choked up with activities beyond what your limit will increase stress. However, being able to set healthy boundaries will help you maintain the right balance in your schedules and in your life.

5. Leverage on social support

We all have that set of persons in our lives who spending some time with means forgetting all worries and stress-related issues. that kind of person could be a member of your family, your spouse, a close friend or a neighbour.

It could even be a colleague. It is also important to make friends at work, people you can turn to while at work to relieve stress.

Reaching out for social support could mean you making a call to someone after you’ve had a bad day, finding time to pay them a visit or inviting them to come spend some time at your place.

The problem with some people is that they feel insecure about sharing their difficult situation with others. However, as humans, we naturally feel better when we are able to talk about the issues bothering us. Talking about what is causing you stress is one of the effective ways to manage it.

6. Eat right

You must have heard of this popular quote:

“YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT”.

This means that in order to be healthy and fit, you need to eat well. One thing you should understand is that what you eat can have a great impact on your stress levels.

Most times, we get swallowed up in activities that we skip meals.  What we eat, as proven by studies can have a significant impact on your overall wellbeing. Another saying goes thus:

“EAT TO LIVE, DON’T LIVE TO EAT”.

It is equally important to avoid gluttony. This is because too much weight than what the body can carry will stress the muscles and this can lead to tiredness, laziness, and irritation.

Obviously, malnutrition and gluttony are detrimental to human’s health – which is a determinant of stress level. Do well to watch what you eat.

7. Sleep well

The importance of sleep in human life cannot be overemphasized. Sleep plays a significant role in the mental and physical health of a person. The benefits of a lifestyle with good quality sleep include emotional wellbeing, improved brain functioning, personal safety, and improved daytime performance. When we sleep, our brains get to recharge and our body is able to refresh.

However, when we deprive our bodies of the amount of sleep it requires, we are prone to memory loss, poor judgment, and bad mood. With all the unending benefits of sleep, you can never go wrong relieving stress with timely and quality sleep.

Conclusion

Highlighted above are a few lifestyle choices you can make to manage stress. This can help you to manage situations and maintain a well balanced physical and mental health condition throughout your lifetime.

If by any means, you think you are experiencing overwhelming stress, please seek medical professionals for help.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/17/7-effective-tips-to-help-you-manage-stress/

Danish beer giant Carlsberg has unveiled designs for what it claims is the world’s first paper beer bottle made with sustainable and recyclable wood fibres.

The bottle forms part of Carlsberg’s Together Towards Zero initiative, which includes a commitment to reach zero carbon emissions and a 30% reduction in its “full-value-chain carbon footprint” by 2030.

The brewer has revealed two prototypes for its green fibre bottle. Both are made from sustainably sourced wood fibres and have an “inner barrier” allowing the bottle to hold beer. One uses a thin recycled PET polymer film barrier, while the other has a bio-based PEF polymer film barrier.

Carlsberg initially launched plans for the project back in 2015, working alongside EcoXpac, BillerudKorsnäs and post-doctoral researchers from the Technical University of Denmark. This collaboration has resulted in the creation of paper bottle company Paboco, a joint venture between BillerudKorsnäs and bottle manufacturing specialist ALPLA.

Companies also working with Paboco include Absolut, Coca-Cola and L’Oréal. Last year, Carlsberg invested in a number of other sustainable solutions, including recycled shrink film, greener label ink and Snap Pack, which replaces the plastic packaging around its six-pack cans.

Myriam Shingleton, vice president group development at Carlsberg Group, said: “We continue to innovate across all our packaging formats, and we are pleased with the progress we’ve made on the Green Fibre Bottle so far. While we are not completely there yet, the two prototypes are an important step towards realising our ultimate ambition of bringing this breakthrough to market. Innovation takes time and we will continue to collaborate with leading experts in order to overcome remaining technical challenges, just as we did with our plastic-reducing Snap Pack.”

“The work with our partners since 2015 on the Green Fibre Bottle illustrates that this kind of innovation can happen when we work together. We’re delighted that other like-minded companies have now joined us as part of Paboco’s paper bottle community. Partnerships such as these, ones that are united by a desire to create sustainable innovations, are the best way to bring about real change.”

It follows news that Scottish lager brand Tennent’s has invested £14.2 million in sustainable initiatives including scrapping plastic packaging, using green energy and implementing waste management practices.

From Spring 2020, cans of Tennent’s lager will be packaged in cardboard rather than plastic, with plastic rings and shrink-wrap phased out. This will result in 150 tonnes less plastic produced per year. Tennent’s has become the first brewer to join The UK Plastics Pact, which intends to ban single-use plastic used in packaging by 2021.

Carlsberg spent £20 million on a marketing campaign in the UK this year which admits its flagship beer is “probably not the best in the world”, at the same announcing the roll-out of a new, premium-positioned pilsner that will eventually replace the original lager beer.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/16/carlsberg-unveils-worlds-first-paper-beer-bottle/

You’re bright. You have good ideas, insights, and the ambition to take on more. But you aren’t getting the opportunities you want, and your manager has not been helpful. How do you get noticed by senior leadership without going over your boss’s head?

To help me answer this question, I reached out to two of my most successful clients: Dave MacKeen, CEO of Eliassen Group, a strategic consulting and talent solutions provider with 21 offices across the United States, and Chuck Cohen, Managing Director of Benco Dental, the largest privately-owned dental distributor in the U.S.

Chuck and Dave have decades of leadership experience during which they’ve been on the lookout for “future stars” or “high potentials.” These employees are often identified as hard workers with the drive to make a difference — not only in the company’s success but also in the success of those around them. They go above and beyond their job titles and get noticed because they demonstrate the potential to do great work on a more advanced level.

After putting our collective heads together, Chuck, Dave, and I landed on ten steps you can take to be recognized by senior leadership as one of them. If followed, these actions can help you grow and move toward greater opportunities — without coming off as a braggart or upsetting your direct manager.

Demonstrate your commitment to your growth and to the company. One way to show how serious you are is to invest time outside of the office in learning skills that will help you grow and contribute to the company. This could mean taking courses that support the work you are doing or reading texts in the areas you want to master. For example, if you want to get better at developing strategy, ask your boss (and boss’s boss) if they can recommend any books. Another way to show commitment to growth is to tell your boss that you’re interested in taking on special projects, ones that will both help the company reach its goals and provide you with an opportunity to stretch yourself.

Focus on the team’s success, rather than your own. While the voice of ambition may be telling you to focus on your own success, senior leadership notices those who work collaboratively and support others. They recognize that the greatest opportunity for success lies in a team working well together. “It’s easy to notice someone who gives their time and advice to help make others successful,” says Dave, “whether they be their direct reports or peers. Someone who makes those around them better is invaluable.”

Know your numbers and take ownership of your work. Whatever part of the business you own, small or large, you have to know it inside out, and be ready to discuss the performance metrics and business analytics that matter most (revenue, profit and loss, etc.). You want to have a good idea of where you stand within the larger organization, especially in moments when all eyes are on you — such as presentations, meetings, or project reports. When you are able to prove the value of your contributions, you are able to prove the value of your worth as an employee and team member. Think of it as an opportunity to show senior leaders why they should be paying attention to you. Remember, though, this also means taking full responsibility for your failures. Adopt a “no excuses” mentality. Doing so shows a level of self-awareness that is inherent to great leadership.

Do what you say you will and do it well. Once you commit to something, commit to doing it well. When opportunities arise, execs are looking for someone with a good track record of getting the job done and bringing in positive results. This means your name needs to be associated with good work. Those who can take on small projects and hit a home run are more likely to be asked to take on bigger projects later.

Continually train yourself to think strategically. Being a strategic thinker is imperative to moving forward into roles with more responsibility. The best leaders know how to balance working “on” the business (strategy) with working “in” the business (day-to-day operations). When working “on” the business, they must be able to look beyond their to-do lists and think strategically about which opportunities will help the organization reach its larger goals. To do this, you have to be able to see the big picture and keep it in mind when making decisions. This is a skill that doesn’t always come naturally. “If you want to get good at strategic thinking,” says Chuck, “you have to practice. It’s a muscle that needs to be exercised. The more you work on it, the better you’ll get.”

Challenge old ways and find new solutions. Do you see a different approach to a problem your company is facing? Maybe a creative way to meet a new challenge? If your organization is forward-thinking, all ideas should be welcome, particularly if you present them with humility and an appreciation for past efforts. The next time you have an innovative solution to a difficult problem, share it openly to show what you have to contribute. “I notice people who challenge the current process and communicate the possibilities of a different solution,” says Dave. “In our organization, people rally around them. We give these people more responsibilities. They don’t have to ask.”

Consistently improve your communication skills. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, but you do need to be thoughtful during your interactions with others. Whether you are giving a presentation, working on a group project, or having a difficult conversation with your boss, it’s important to know your audience and prepare how you will communicate with them in advance. Every person and situation will ask something different of you — so be adaptable and know how to adjust. You may want to project more confidence during a presentation, for example, but be more humble when working with peers. You may want to approach your boss with curiosity in some scenarios, but in others, approach them with data to support your point. It’s always a good idea, however, to follow up with others and make sure you clearly understand their expectations.

Build relationships with people throughout the company. Don’t just stay within your “wing” of the building. Look for opportunities to connect and collaborate with other key players in your organization. When you build connections, you expand your network of allies and increase your visibility and influence. “Great leaders don’t just wait to be asked, they put themselves in positions and situations where they’re more likely to be asked,” noted Chuck. When you work collaboratively and cross-functionally, your name will keep coming up for all the right reasons.

Live the values and purpose of the organization. Organizations use purpose and value statements to communicate what is and isn’t expected of employees. Values speak to what an organization seeks not only in its staff but in its leaders as well. A strong leader knows the values, lives them, and encourages the upholding of the values in others. “A person doesn’t need to be the most vocal or work the most hours to be noticed,” says Dave. “It’s the person that demonstrates the values and ethics of the organization and lives the purpose, who will inspire people to follow them.” The best way to show your commitment to your company’s purpose and values is to talk about them. In meetings, give kudos to colleagues whose actions align with your organization’s values, and when discussing projects of your own, note how they reflect the company’s core purpose. In doing so you are saying to others, “I’m paying attention, and I’m noting when we do great work.”
Raise your hand. Don’t be afraid to ask for opportunities to show your skills and talents. While there is certainly a line to be walked here — you don’t want to push too hard, or repeatedly ask the same question — showing initiative is always a good thing. If you see an area where you believe you can be an asset to the company and support strategic initiatives, ask to participate. Explain why you believe you can make a valuable contribution, as well as what you will gain from the opportunity. Ultimately, your boss and boss’ boss want to put you in a spot where you can do the most. Sometimes you’ve got to identify where that is and ask for it.

There is no short path to getting noticed. And even if you find one, you may not have what you need to do the job well if you get there prematurely. But if you focus on these ten key areas with dedication, patience, and the acceptance that growing a stellar career takes some time, you’ll keep moving in the right direction and be ready for what’s next when it comes.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/16/how-to-get-noticed-by-your-bosss-boss/

On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.04 percent in September 2019, this is 0.05 percent rate higher than the rate recorded in August 2019 (0.99) percent.

The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 11.24 percent (year-on-year) in September 2019. This is 0.22 percent points higher than the rate recorded in August 2019 (11.02) percent.

Increases were recorded in all COICOP divisions that yielded the Headline index.

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending September 2019 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 11.268 percent, showing 0.003 percent point from 11.271 percent recorded in August 2019.

The urban inflation rate increased by 11.78 percent (year-on-year) in September 2019 from 11.48 percent recorded in August 2019, while the rural inflation rate increased by 10.77 percent in September 2019 from 10.61 percent in August 2019.

On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.13 percent in September 2019, up by 0.09 from 1.04 percent recorded in August 2019, while the rural index also rose by 0.96  percent in September 2019, up by 0.03 from the rate recorded in August 2019 (0.93) percent.

The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index is 11.63 percent in September 2019. This is higher than 11.62 percent reported in August 2019, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in September 2019 is 10.94 percent compared to 10.95 percent recorded in August 2019.

Food Index

The composite food index rose by 13.51 percent in September 2019 compared to 13.17 percent in August 2019.

This rise in the food index was caused by increases in prices of Bread and cereals, Oils and fats, Meat, Potatoes, yam and other tubers, Fish and Vegetables.

On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 1.30 percent in September 2019, up by 0.08 percent points from 1.22 percent recorded in August 2019.

The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending September 2019 over the previous twelve-month average was 13.47 percent, 0.01  percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in August 2019 (13.46) percent.

All Items Less Farm Produce

The “All items less farm produce” or Core inflation, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce stood at 8.94 percent in September 2019, up by 0.26 percent when compared with 8.68 percent recorded in August 2019.

On a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased by 0.89percent in September 2019. This was up by 0.22 percent when compared with 0.67 percent recorded in August 2019.

The highest increases were recorded in prices of Cleaning, Repair and hire of clothing, Repair of household appliance, Hospital services, Major household appliances, Glassware, tableware and household utensils, Spirits, Clothing materials, other articles of clothing accessories, Garment and Repair and hire of footwear.

The average 12-month annual rate of change of the index was 9.34 percent for the twelve-month period ending September 2019; this is 0.07 percent points lower than 9.41 percent recorded in August 2019.

State Profiles

In analysing price movements under this section, note that the CPI is weighted by consumption expenditure patterns which differ across states. Accordingly, the weight assigned to a particular food or non-food item may differ from state to state making interstate comparisons of consumption basket inadvisable and potentially misleading.

All Items Inflation

In September 2019, all items inflation on year on year basis was highest in Kebbi (14.09%), Bauchi (13.74%) and Plateau (13.25%), while Delta (9.72%), Bayelsa (9.40%) and Kwara (8.46%) recorded the slowest rise in headline Year on Year inflation.

On month on month basis, however, September 2019 all items inflation was highest in Kogi (3.18%), Ondo (2.17%) and Kwara (2.02%), while Kano (0.45%), River (0.41%) and Zamfara (0.33%) recorded the slowest rise.

Food Inflation

In September 2019, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Niger (16.65%), Nasarawa (16.57%) and Abuja (16.31%), while Akwa Ibom (11.72%), Benue (11.22%) and Bayelsa (9.95%) recorded the slowest rise.

On month on month basis however, September 2019 food inflation was highest in Kogi (4.90%), Delta (3.82%) and Kwara (3.70%), while Kano (0.18%) and Zamfara (0.17%) recorded the slowest rise with River recording price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level of food or a negative food inflation rate).


SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/15/nigerias-inflation-rate-rose-to-11-24-in-september-2019-0-22-higher-than-august-2019-rate/

Seplat Petroleum Development Co. agreed to buy Eland Oil & Gas Plc, adding resources in Nigeria as it seeks to become the country’s biggest independent exploration and production company.

The acquisition of Eland, whose main asset is the OML 40 license in the Niger Delta, is set to boost Seplat’s production to 64,000 barrels of oil equivalent a day, a jump of as much as 30% from 2019 guidance. While it’ll still trailing top domestic rival Aiteo Eastern E&P Co., the deal highlights how the retreat of some oil majors in recent years is allowing independent players to grow.

Seplat will pay 166 pence a share for Eland in a purchase valuing the London-traded company at about 383 million pounds ($484 million), it said in a statement on Tuesday. Eland’s directors will recommend that shareholders vote in favour of the deal, which represents a premium of 33% to the six-month average share price, it said.

Eland shares surged as much as 28%, a record gain, and traded at 164.8 pence of 9:05 a.m. London time. Seplat didn’t trade.

Nigeria’s independent producers have grown after snapping up oil leases from large international companies such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc when attacks and sabotage forced the majors to scale back some operations. Aiteo, Seplat and other so-called E&Ps have helped drive output growth in the West African country, pushing production above limits imposed by the OPEC+ alliance.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/15/seplat-acquires-uk-based-eland-oil-for-383-million/

The most successful smartphone models on the market this year are those that represent a compromise between processing power and affordability. In Europe, Samsung’s mid-range models have far outperformed Apple’s handsets, and all over the world, the trend seems to be the same: people are reluctant to invest a small fortune in a smartphone, choosing models that are good enough for pretty much all everyday tasks while having a friendlier price. Apple has always kept its handsets in the higher-end segment – with a few exceptions, of course. The iPhone SE, released in 2016, was a successful handset, a perfect choice for those who wanted to invest in an iPhone but not that much.

Some consider the status – and price – of the iPhone models available today is the main reason the market share of Apple is decreasing. After all, most smartphone users don’t really need it. They can very well check the news, the latest social media updates, the odds at Betway or the latest videos on YouTube on a handset that has a much lower processing power – and a much lower price. This is probably the reason why the mid-range and mid-to-higher end models of Android-powered phone manufacturers routinely outperform the iPhone in almost all markets.

Apple’s plan may be to offer a viable upgrade option to those approximately one hundred million iPhone users who still use the iPhone 6 and 6 Pro, perhaps even to offer a more affordable alternative for those who want to experiment with the iOS platform. Whichever the case, leading Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks, the Cupertino giant will probably launch a new iPhone SE in the first half of next year. Hardware-wise, the handset will probably not differ very much from the current iPhone models – it will have the same A13 SoC, Kuo says, with a design and configuration similar to the iPhone 8, and no Face ID, and a rumoured price tag of around $450 (a bit over N160,000).

Aside from the new iPhone model, Kuo expects Apple to release several non-iPhone products in the first half of 2020. Among them, the long-awaited augmented reality headset that has reportedly been under development since 2017, a new iPad Pro equipped with a rear-facing 3D time-of-flight (ToF) camera sensor, and a MacBook Pro – probably a 16-inch model – that will finally replace its controversial butterfly keys, introduced in 2015, switching to a new scissor-switch key mechanism that is more durable and less prone to getting dirty.

There are currently around 100 million iPhone users out there who still hold on to their – relatively outdated – iPhone 6 series. The new iPhone SE will provide them with a more affordable and familiar model to switch to when their handsets when Apple drops support for the iPhone 6, rumoured to happen sometime next year.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/14/apple-to-release-affordable-iphone-ar-headset-in-2020-analyst/

DHL Express has signed a concession agreement with
Incheon International Airport Corporation to expand its Gateway
New expansion is the largest DHL Express investment
in South Korea, catering to rising demand in regional e-commerce trade
Investment
set to increase gross floor area by almost 200% and total handling volume by about 160%
- Advertisement -
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA – Media OutReach – Oct 15, 2019 – DHL Express, the world’s
leading international express service provider, today signed a concession agreement with the Incheon International Airport
Corporation to implement its largest investment in South Korea to-date – a
KRW175 billion (€131 million) expansion plan for its gateway in South Korea.

John Pearson,
CEO, DHL Express said, “Our quality and speed are crucial for our customers and
the main pillars of our growth around the world. Our new investment, the
largest one for South Korea so far, helps to connect the world even more and to
further improve transit time of global trade and on the trade lanes to Asia.”



Ken Lee, CEO, DHL Express Asia
Pacific said, “Our Incheon Gateway occupies a vital strategic position along
key routes between South Korea and countries like Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong
and China — all of which are amongst our top ten inbound and outbound markets
by express delivery volume. With online
retail sales in Asia Pacific expected to reach US$2.5 trillion[1]
by 2023, our latest investments in the Incheon Gateway will align
our infrastructure to what Asia’s e-commerce generation needs for now and
tomorrow.”



The expansion
of Gateway, located next to Incheon International Airport — currently the
world’s fourth busiest cargo handler[2] – brings DHL Express’
commitment for this strategic hub to approximately €161 million in total. Since the opening of its Gateway in 2008, DHL Express
has seen a growth of over 45% in shipment volume, indicative of the growing role which the Gateway
plays in global and intra-regional trade. The multi-year investment is expected to further support demand growth up to
2032. The expanded facility will have a gross floor area of 58,700 square
meters from the current 20,000 square meters — an increase of almost 200%. It will also be equipped with the latest
technology for faster, more secure and efficient delivery handling processes.

ByungKoo Han, Country Manager of DHL Express
Korea said, “The expansion plan is an important milestone for us and testifies to our
long-term commitment to South Korea. With one of the world’s highest rates of
online shopping[3],
and its trajectory to become the world’s third-largest e-commerce market after
China and the United States by 2023[4], this Gateway expansion will
create the foundation for e-commerce businesses to expand both locally and
across the Asia Pacific region.”

This investment also covers technical upgrades including fully-automated
X-ray inspection machines, a four-kilometer conveyor belt, automated sorters,
magnetic speed controllers and full CCTV coverage. The new technology will increase
the Incheon Gateway’s total handling volume of parcels and documents by almost 160% — equipping it to service demand from some of the region’s
fastest-growing economies. Aligned to Deutsche Post DHL Group’s mission of net zero
logistics-related carbon emissions by 2050, the facility will also incorporate
a range of ‘green’ features such as the use of solar power and energy-efficient lighting systems to achieve CO2 reduction of up to 1,500
tons per year.



When completed in Q2 2022, the Incheon
Gateway will be DHL Express’s
largest gateway in Asia Pacific. Alongside
more than 160 customer touch points
in the country, DHL Express is well-poised to meet customers’ needs in Korea.

50 Years DHL
In 2019 DHL is celebrating 50 years since the
company’s founding by three entrepreneurs in San Francisco in 1969. DHL began
as a disruptor to the traditional delivery industry, circumventing bureaucracy
with an innovative new service to deliver documents by air overnight. Since
then, DHL has grown into a globe-spanning family of DHL companies with about
380,000 employees in over 220 countries and territories that covers the entire
spectrum of logistics and supply chain services. DHL’s customer-centricity and
can-do culture have fueled five decades of innovation — from the DHL 1000, one
of the first word processing computers in the world, to using the purpose built
StreetScooter, an environmentally friendly delivery vehicle powered by an
electric drive and developed by Deutsche Post DHL Group. With the Mission 2050 commitment
to reach zero group-wide emissions by 2050, DHL is continuing to be a
trailblazer in the logistics industry.

DHL — The logistics company for the world



DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL family
of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from
national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment
solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial
supply chain management. With about 380,000 employees in more than 220
countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses
securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows. With specialized solutions
for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare,
energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility
and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned
as “The logistics company for the world”.



DHL is
part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 61
billion euros in 2018.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/15/dhl-express-announces-krw-175-billion-e131-million-expansion-for-incheon-gateway/

An estimated 90 per cent of Nigerians and 2.3 billion people globally lack access to safe and efficient electricity, according to Schneider Electric.

The company’s Managing Director, Anglophone West Africa, Mr Christophe Begat, said access to reliable power in Africa remained a challenge.

“About 90 per cent of Nigerians do not have access to safe, efficient electricity and this is a challenge for us to solve.

“Globally, an estimated 2.3 billion people do not have either or reliable access to electricity,’’ he said at the firm’s Digital Innovation Day 2019 in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that more than 500 participants, including stakeholders and experts in technological innovations, automation and energy management had converged on Schneider Electric’s Innovation Day held at Lagos Continental Hotel on Saturday.

Deliberations and interactive sessions centred on contextual applications of the latest wave of digitization in powering the digital economy to increase efficiency, business growth, and profitability.

Experts also touched on issues, including having smart buildings — which can think, sense and adapt and also control and monitor from cell phones, tackling complex IT and DC environments with cloud-based management systems, big data analytics, mobile insights and optimised operations.

Begat said human activities such as using generators and others were the main cause of a rise in temperature globally and called for a coordinated effort by governments and power firms and other stakeholders to stem the trend.

He noted: “60 per cent of energy globally is lost and this is good for us (Schneider) as a challenge.

“There is an urgent need to reduce carbon emission all over the world and attain zero-emission by 2030.’’

Schnieder Electric, Begat said, was committed to providing safe and clean electricity from solar and wind to address the current faulty lines of energy transmission and attain full digital transmission of electricity to buildings.

Mr Albert Fuchet, the Cluster President for Anglophone Africa, in a keynote address entitled, “Powering and Digitizing the Economy”, said the firm would deploy digital technologies to ensure efficiency and energy security and automation.

“Digital technologies provide possibilities for a wide range of benefits ranging from efficiency gains, customer intimacy, energy security and management, automation and remote operations, safer work environment, and a lot more, depending on the user’s preference.

“Ultimately, the organisation’s bottom line is impacted in a sustainable fashion.

“The broad application of the Internet of Things (IoT) is still evolving. Exploring big data and cloud computing is ongoing. Also, virtually all equipment and operations can be made smart.

“In the oil and gas sector today, we see a fully automated offshore platform. What are the ancillary services to go with such innovations that Nigerians can offer?

“It does not stop there; more and more innovations are expected. Everyone who plays in the space needs to anticipate, know what is obtainable and participate profitably.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/15/90-of-nigerians-lack-access-to-efficient-electricity-schneider-electric/

Rehabilitation work begins on Monday.
Gov appeals to Lagosians, says I feel your pains.
Lagos State Government has declared a state of emergency on various dilapidated highways and carriages within the State.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday ordered massive construction work on critical roads and highways across the state, beginning from Monday (tomorrow).
The Governor’s directive followed the conclusion of his series of meetings with eight multinational engineering firms, which began a few weeks back. After his final meeting with the contractors on Sunday, which lasted for about three hours, Sanwo-Olu declared the commencement of major construction work on the identified highways considered critical to reducing traffic congestions bringing pain to road users.
The Governor said all the eight engineering firms had been given the mandate to immediately mobilise their equipment on the sites and commence major construction works on the identified roads.
He said: “This afternoon, we have just concluded the meeting with various reputable construction companies and all of them have been given the brief to immediately commence major construction work in various parts of the State. The exercise will begin tomorrow with palliative work on the selected roads, which are both on the Island and mainland divisions of the State.
“The contractors have been given the mandate to start mobilising their equipment to their respective sites without further delay. Their activities must first give our people immediate relief on the affected roads so that there can be a free flow of traffic even during the rehabilitation work.”
To complement the major construction work on the highway, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos Public Works Corporation (LPWC) would be carrying out repairs of 116 inner roads across the State. This, he said, would be in addition to over 200 roads already rehabilitated by the corporation in the last three months.
The Governor said he was not unaware of the pain experienced by road users in the past few days, which was compound by a persistent downpour. He appealed to residents to bear with the Government while efforts were being made to assuage their pains and bring permanent relief to them.
He said: “We expect the rains will begin to subside in this month of October and this is why we are mobilising our contractors to immediately start the major construction work on the identified highways and bring permanent relief to residents. I am giving all Lagosians the assurance that the contractors will start the construction in earnest and will deliver on the terms of agreements reached with them.”
Sanwo-Olu said officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) will be working round the clock to control traffic on the areas where the construction would take place.
Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, listed some of the critical highways and roads to be constructed to include Ojota stretch of the Ikorodu Road, Motorways-Kudurat Abiola Way, Apogbon Highway, Babs Animashaun Road, Agric/Ishawo Road and Ijede Road in Ikorodu, and Lekki-Epe Expressway from Abraham Adesanya to Eleko Junction.
She added that the there would be massive re-construction work on a network of roads in Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA and Victoria Island.
The contractor deployed by the Government included Julius Berger, Hitech, Arab Contractors, Metropolitan Construction, Slavabogu Construction, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Rajaf Foundation Construction, and RCF Nigeria Limited.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/14/sanwo-olu-declares-emergency-on-lagos-roads-kicks-off-massive-rehabilitation/

SINGAPORE – Media OutReach – 11 October 2019 –
Samsung Electronics
Singapore today announced the availability of additional supply of the Galaxy
Fold in LTE in Singapore, beginning tomorrow,
12 October. The game-changing foldable
device was well-received by Singapore consumers, selling out on its launch day
on 18 September. Thousands registered their interest to purchase and Samsung
has been fulfilling their orders. 

In addition, Samsung has expanded purchase touch
points across local telecommunication operators and Samsung Experience Stores, for
more consumers to experience the first-of-its-kind, foldable mobile device.

 

“Consumers in Singapore have responded very positively
to the category-defining Galaxy Fold and since its launch last month, we have
been working hard to fulfill consumer demand,” said Sarah Chua, Vice-President,
IT and Mobile, Samsung Electronics Singapore. “We are excited to bring the
Galaxy Fold to more consumers through additional touch points across Singapore,
where they can experience the device’s pioneering and innovative features.”

 

Pricing and Availability in Singapore

 

The Galaxy Fold in LTE variant is available at the
recommended retail price of $3,088, in two colour variants: Cosmos Black
and Space Silver.

 

Beginning 12 October, the device will be available
for purchase at selected local telecommunication operators (M1, Singtel and
StarHub) and Samsung Experience Stores

To complement the device, the Galaxy Fold Genuine Leather
Cover in Black will be available for purchase, at the recommended retail price
of $228.

 

Galaxy Fold Premier Service in Singapore

 

Consumers who purchase the Galaxy Fold in LTE variant will
get to enjoy the Galaxy Fold Premier Service. The premium customer care program
is dedicated to Galaxy Fold in LTE variant owners, providing them with a suite
of service offerings specially designed to give them peace of mind and the best
possible device experience.

24-hour Concierge Support via
Samsung Members appDoor-to-Door pick-up and
delivery service for device repair (up to two times only)One-time screen replacement or
repair[1]
upon payment of a deductible of $200

 

Galaxy Fold in LTE variant customers can also enjoy
additional complimentary customer service benefits, such as 30-day 1-for-1
exchange for functional defects, data transfer assistance, diagnostic checks,
one-time 1-to-1 in-box accessories exchange[2],
and dedicated and priority queue at authorised Samsung Customer Service 



SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/11/samsung-galaxy-fold-back-in-stock-now-available-at-more-locations-across-singapore/

The federal government on Thursday acknowledged an agreement with China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) to build the $3.9 billion Abuja-Baru-Itakpe-Warri rail line, build a new seaport and manage same for a period of 30 years.

The agreement was acknowledged by both parties at the Federal Ministry of Transportation in Abuja, where the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, noted that with the latest $3.9 billion contracts, the Chinese firm has now been saddled with the responsibility of handling all rail projects in Nigeria.

The minister said: “The signing ceremony that we had today is the first PPP (Public-Private Partnership) railway agreement for Abuja-Itakpe or Abuja-Baru-Itakpe and Lokoja and it is between Nigeria and CRCC.

“The agreement is supposed to be 15 per cent Nigeria equity and 10 per cent CRCC equity and then we borrow 75 per cent as SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) from the Chinese bank.”

“There is a concession agreement that CRCC will hold 75 per cent. The entire Nigerian railway is constructed 100 by CRCC.”

He explained that the good working relationship Nigeria has with the company was the reason other companies have not been engaged by the country.

According to him, the PPP agreement was better than going to borrow the huge sum of money required for the construction of the new phase of the rail line, adding that: “If we raise our equity, they will raise theirs. But largely, the funds will come from China.”

The minister noted that the rail line is one of the longest in Nigeria now, stressing that besides the narrow gauge, is the Itakpe-Warri Rail line, which Julius Berger got close to completion before it was later abandoned.

He stated that “some of them were vandalized and then we had to re-award it to CCECC to complete the vandalized areas, complete the project and build a new seaport and operate and manage them for 30 years to enable the company recover their money.”

Amaechi also called for the localization of railway technology, noting that from the history of China railway construction, China localized the American technology, adding that the first American company that started railway construction in China was GE.

He revealed that it was imperative to instruct both CCECC and CRCC to realise the need for local participation of both Nigerian engineers and contractors.

“We need you to work with us to develop the knowledge of Nigerians; that is why we emphasise on you building universities and provide us with lecturers until we can train our own lecturers.

“Just like we are holding CCECC on the issue of manufacturing at Kajola, for which we have awarded them the contract of about $500 million to build for us rolling stock for Lagos-Ibadan, we will also resume conversation with CRCC on the issue of manufacturing railway components in Nigeria.”

On his part, the Vice President of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), Wang Wenzhong, while appreciating the support of the minister and the ministry on behalf of the 300,000 staff of CRCC, congratulated him on his reappointment.

He stated that CRCC is the biggest construction company of China and the biggest railway company globally

“In 2018, we occupy 55 among the top 500 enterprises around the world. Now we have businesses and projects in 127 countries all over the world and with a turnover of $110 billion.”

“We pay lots of attention to the development of Nigeria. We also make use of our best resources in Nigeria. We are going to provide our resources to the development of Nigeria. We also demand our subsidiaries to work hard for Nigeria. We want all our projects in Nigeria to be the best in terms of quality and to meet the satisfaction of the people of Nigeria.”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/11/nigeria-endorse-3-9-billion-abuja-baru-itakpe-warri-railway-contract-with-crcc/

We are currently recruiting for immediate deployment tellers for a commercial bank in Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara state. candidate must not be older than 25 years old as at last birthday, HND distinction or upper credit. Interested candidates should send CVS to ibadan@workforcegroup.com and fill the form below:


https://www.google.com/url?q=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0Mkmzo3HzQuAngCrGeyhxHVb0rY4QcrOLcZxByUG3S2JBpA/viewform?usp%3Dsf_link&sa=D&source=hangouts&ust=1570715925796000&usg=AFQjCNFpGZINn8lDRlYxZtKKYXbMGVwIbw

Emzor Pharmaceutical, the maker of Emzor Paracetamol, recently celebrated Nigerian professional footballer who also plays for the Spanish Side FC Barcelona, on the occasion of her appointment as the Captain of the Super Falcons. The company also renewed her contract as Emzor Brand Ambassador.

According to Stella Okoli, MD/CEO, Emzor Pharmaceutical, the company was supporting Oshoala because her brand remains a huge inspiration to the Nigerian youth and the girl child in particular.

“Oshoala is an inspiring young woman, who is also a great role model for young women in Nigeria. We are very proud of all her accomplishments and effort towards encouraging underprivileged girls through her foundation. This is one of the reasons why we are renewing her contract today as Emzor brand ambassador so that she can continue helping girls in need,” she said.

“At Emzor, we are big supporters of sport development among females in Nigeria, which is why for about five years, we have continued to sponsor the national football teams, including Super Eagles and Super Falcons,” added Mark Redgaurd, Brand and Marketing, Emzor Pharmaceutical.

Born and brought up in the Ikorodu suburb of Lagos, Nigeria, Asisat began her career at a local club in Mushin called FC Robo before her move to Rivers Angels where she broke out as the best player in the Nigeria Women Football League.

Football has since taken Asisat to more places than she could imagine, she has played across Africa, Europe and Canada representing her country in several international matches.

Oshoala’s top scores at matches and several best player awards have made her undoubtedly the face of Nigerian women football. This has also earned her the attention of several corporate sponsors such as Emzor Pharmaceutical.

About Asisat Oshoala Youth Foundation

The Asisat Oshoala Youth Foundation is a non-profit organisation committed to improving the physical, social and intellectual development of the girl-child through education and sports.

The foundation is set to hold its annual football4girls initiative as from the 20th to 24th of December 2019 at the Campus mini – the stadium in Lagos. The foundation has partnered with the Barca Lagos academy for technical support ahead of the 2019 football clinic for girls in Lagos.

It was also stated that three outstanding girls will be awarded scholarships into Barca Lagos academy.

Over 1000 students will take part in the 5th edition of the Asisat Oshoala football4girls Africa project.

Photo caption: L-R: Kunle Faloye, Head Of Marketing, Emzor; Stella Okoli, CEO, Emzor; Asisat Oshoala, Captain Super Falcons; Mark Redgaurd, Brand and Marketing, Emzor at a meet and greet session held recently in Lagos.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/10/emzor-felicitates-oshoala-on-new-appointment-renews-contract-as-brand-ambassador/

Nigerian singer David Adeleke famously known as Davido has announced that his “unborn son” has bagged an endorsement deal with Mario & Juliet Diapers company.

Davido excitedly took to his Instagram page to announce the endorsement to his fans. He wrote: “I’m Super Excited My Unborn Son, OBO Jnr. Already Getting Big Bags, Dude Coming Into The World Super Rich, Mario & Juliet Baby Diapers & Wipes @marioandjulietbaby 100% lifestyle, Soft Up Your Babies Yansh, Don’t Dull, Congrats @thechefchi Blessed Forever @cubana_chiefpriest Better In-Law,”

Davido did not specify the worth of the endorsement.

However, Chioma who is going to be married to the Afropop singer, Davido, has reacted to the endorsement deal she wrote: “My Prince is Super Rich From My Tummy, Congrats On Your New Deal With @marioandjulietbaby The Best Baby Diaper N Wipes, Boy We Just Got Started, More Greatness To Come Thank you so much @cubana_chiefpriest ”

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/09/davidos-unborn-son-bags-endorsement-deal-with-mario-juliet-diapers-photos/

The African Development Bank Group has approved a $13.2 million financing package from the African Development Fund for a fisheries and aquaculture development project in Malawi. The Sustainable Fisheries, Aquaculture Development, and Watershed Management project will provide infrastructure for increased fisheries productivity and market access. Board approval for the project was granted on 2 October 2019. The project is expected to contribute to nutritious diets, boost employment along the fish value chain, and build climate resilience along major watersheds.

The project’s estimated cost is $14.57 million, comprising an ADF loan of $8.98 million, a grant of $4.21 million. The Malawi government will contribute $1.38 million.

The project is expected to directly benefit 20,000 residents around the surrounding lakeshore and inland areas, as well as 250,000 fish processors, vendors, retailers, and interns, many of whom are youth and women along the value chain.

The project interventions will cover 11 lakeshore and three non-lakeshore districts, including the entire basins of Lake Malawi and Chilwa, part of the Shire River system, and selected upland areas using an ecosystem approach. Seventy-five per cent of transboundary watersheds are in Malawi and they are critical fish breeding and nursery grounds.

Other expected benefits include sustained income from fisheries; increased recovery of Chambo stocks and higher incomes from value addition (processing, storage and related marketing activities). The increased access to fish protein consumption at the household level will improve nutrition in the region.

“The Bank is committed to supporting our regional member countries to make use of their living fisheries resources. This is crucial for building healthy diets and local consumption, facilitating regional trade and improving on the quality of life – especially for youth and women along the fish value chain,” said the Bank’s Blue Economy Flagship Coordinator, Dr Ahmed Khan.

The approved resources will promote Malawi’s national development as outlined in its Malawi National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, its Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS III) and Malawi’s Vision 2020.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/09/the-african-development-bank-approves-13-2-million-for-sustainable-fisheries-aquaculture-development-and-watershed-management/

Latest poll released by NOIPolls has revealed that a significant proportion of respondents (39 percent) have predicted Liverpool FC to win the English Premier League. This tipping cannot be unconnected to the recent form and performance of Liverpool FC in the present season where they have raked in 8 wins in as many matches they have played in the season as at the time of this report.Manchester City FC who are currently the defending champions of the league after winning the coveted trophy last season was tipped by only 18 percent of respondents to retain their title.

In terms of followership, 44 percent of respondents say they follow the English premier league. Expectedly there are more males (62 percent) who follow the league than females (25 percent). In terms of support, among those that follow the premier league, Chelsea FC (34 percent) have the highest proportion of respondents who support the team and interestingly, there are more females (41 percent) who support Chelsea than males (31 percent). This is then followed by Manchester United (30 percent) and then Arsenal (23 percent).

In comparison, only 22 percent of respondents say they follow the Nigerian Premier League with the South West (25 percent) having the highest proportion of respondents who follow the Nigerian Premier League. 78 percent of respondents say they do not follow the Nigerian Premier League. The reason for this high proportion of Nigerians who do not follow the league cannot be unconnected to some factors bedevilling the league which include perceptions of match-fixing in the league and bad officiating, poor coverage of matches and low publicity and general maladministration. It is hoped that the League management company (LMC) will do more in this regard to gain more followership in the league. In terms of support, 32 percent of Nigerians support Kano Pillars FC with the Northwest region accounting for the highest number of respondents (74 percent) who say they support the club. It is then followed by Enyimba FC where 17 percent of respondents say they support the club. Also, a good proportion of respondents (44 percent) tipped Kano Pillars to win the Nigerian Premier League. This tipping can be attributed to their current form of play and success in the league. These are some of the key findings from the football poll conducted in the week of 30th September 2019.

In order to ascertain the followership of the English Premier League among Nigerians, respondents were asked if they follow the English Premier League and the result reveal that 44 percent of Nigerians follow the English Premier League as against 56 percent of respondents who say they do not follow the league. The South-South region (53 percent) account for the region with the highest proportion of respondents who follow the English Premier League. Also, there are more males (62 percent) than females (25 percent) who follow the EPL. Age group (18-35) have more respondents (50 percent) than age-group (36-60) (45 percent) who follow the league.

Nigerians were then asked the English Premier League club they mainly support and the poll reveal that a good proportion of respondents (34 percent) said they support Chelsea with the South East (50 percent) the region with the highest proportion of respondents who support Chelsea FC. Interestingly, there are more females (41 percent) than males (31 percent) who support Chelsea FC. This is then followed by Manchester United FC (30 percent), Arsenal FC (23 percent), Liverpool FC (8 percent) and then Manchester City FC (5 percent)

Respondents were asked their opinion of who will win the English premier league this season and a good proportion of respondents (39 percent) say Liverpool will win the league. This is coming on the hills of Liverpool winning all 8 games that have been played this season. There are more males (43 percent) than females (6 percent) in terms respondents who believe Liverpool FC will the league. Interestingly 39 percent of females think Manchester United will win the 2019/2020 season. Other teams predicted to win the league include Manchester City FC (18 percent), Chelsea FC (17 percent), Manchester United FC (16 percent) and lastly Arsenal FC (10 percent).

Our trend analysis of the team Nigerians think will win the league show that it is not always a good omen as only once in the past five polls has our tipped winner gone ahead to win the league. In the 2013/2014 season, Chelsea (40 percent) was tipped the League but Manchester City eventually won; however in 2014/2015 season, Nigerian tipped Chelsea (54 percent) to win the league and they did. In 2015/2016 season, Chelsea (39 percent) was tipped to win but Leicester city won, in 2016/2017 season, Manchester United (45 percent) was tipped to win the league but Chelsea FC won the league and in 2017/2018 season, Manchester City FC won as against the tipping that Manchester United will win. It remains to be seen if the current tipping that Liverpool FC will win will come true.

On the other hand, the poll sought to know the proportion of Nigerians who follow the Nigerian Premier league and the poll result reveal that only 22 percent of Nigerians follow the Nigerian league with South west (25 percent) being the region with the highest proportion of respondents who follow the league. While quite a large proportion (78 percent) say they do not follow the Nigerian Premier League. This is alarming and undesirable and there is need for the authorities to improve the quality of the league to gain more followership of the league. The South-South (83 percent) has the highest proportion of respondents who do not follow the Nigerian Premier League.

Trend analysis of the followership of the Nigerian Premier League show this to the lowest, the followership of the Nigerian Premier League has been since we started our annual football poll.  It declined from 47 percent in 2017 to 22 percent in 2019. However, there are many factors that could lead to the decline in NPL followership which include poor coverage of the league, lack of good playing pitches, corruption in the league, poor and biased officiating and so on. There is the need for the administrators of the league to expedite action to address some of these issues so as to regain followership of the league.

In the course of the survey, Nigerian were asked the club they mainly support and the poll result reveal that Kano pillars (32 percent) has the highest proportion of respondents who say they support the team.

Also, North-west (74 percent) has the highest proportion of respondents who support Kano Pillars football club. The reason for supporting Kano cannot be over emphasized as it has a rich history of dominant play in the league and have been winning the league in the past. It is then followed by Enyimba United FC (17 percent), Enugu Rangers FC (12 percent), Plateau United FC (7 percent) amongst other teams in the league.

Trend analysis in terms of support show that it has been an affair between Kano pillars FC and Enyinma United FC with Enugu coming in third most of the time. In 2017 for instance, Enyimba United FC had 33 percent) support and then declined to 18 percent in 2017 and then 17 percent in 2019 while Kano Pillars FC recorded 22 percent support in 2016, 16 percent in 2017 and then 32 percent in 2019. Also, Enugu Rangers had 8 percent support in both 2016 and 2017 and then increased to 12 percent in 2019. The followership of the Nigerian Premier League needs to be improved upon as some clubs do not even have followership at all.

Respondents were asked about who they believe will win the Nigerian Premier League and the poll result reveal that nearly half the proportion of respondents (44 percent) believe that Kano Pillars will win the Nigerian premier league. Other teams that were tipped to win the league include Enyimba FC (22 percent), Enugu Rangers FC (6 percent) and Plateau United FC (5 percent). Others include Lobi stars FC and Akwa United FC (4 percent) each, Wikki Tourist FC (3 percent) and Heartland FC (2 percent).

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/09/nigerians-tip-liverpool-fc-to-win-the-english-premier-league-2019-2020-season-report/

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had declared that his administration would begin payment of N30,000 minimum wage to Ekiti workers this month.

Dr Fayemi said the payment of the minimum wage was to motivate workers, especially teachers, to deliver the best to the state and reclaim the lost glory and pride of being the education nerve centre of the country.

The Governor, who spoke amidst cheers by highly elated teachers and public servants in attendance at the 2019 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Ado- Ekiti on Saturday, however, tasked teachers to strive for the realization of the bid to return the state to a leading position in education.

He said, “We will commence payment of N30,000 minimum wage to workers in Ekiti with effect from this month. We are determined to reward diligence because the workers, particularly our teachers, have done the state proud.”

Dr Fayemi, who reiterated the determination of his administration to protect and preserve the core values of making Ekiti the nation’s education capital, said he decided to establish more schools in Ado Ekiti to decongest schools in the capital city and make the learning environment more conducive.

The Governor said, “The only way we can reclaim our lost glory in education is to encourage our teachers in and outside service. I will promote functional and technical education in this state.” Fayemi said that the ongoing recruitment of over 2000 teachers into the public primary and secondary schools as part of the mission of the administration to safeguard the future of the state. The newly recruited 2000 teachers, according to him, are to fill consequential vacancies arising from the retirement of teachers adding that the teaching profession still needs brilliant, agile and vibrant men and women for the sustenance of the profession in the state.

The Governor stated: “I have also ensured that all students of school age are in schools in line with Education Law which makes basic education compulsory and in line with global best practice.

“In this year’s West African Examination Council Senior School Certificate Examination, Ekiti was ranked 12th. I want to salute our teachers, but that is not where Ekiti belongs, we must continually do more to rise to number one”, he stated.

The governor, who further stated that car and housing loans would soon be extended to the primary school teachers, added that names of two Tutor-Generals would soon be announced. This he stated, will put teachers on the same pedestal with their civil servant counterparts with the potential to rise to the position of permanent secretary.

Fayemi said his administration would continue to pursue the mandate of the National Policy on Education which makes it compulsory for all school-age children in Ekiti State.

He stated, “I note of course what the chairman of NUT said here about loans being extended to primary schools teachers, and I want to assure you that that will be given very serious consideration. I also want to let you know that the government has concluded plans to ensure that we commence the payment of minimum wage of N30,000 with effect from this month.

“Let me state specifically that two new Tutor-Generals appointments have been approved and would be announced in the next week and the third one, of course, would follow with the retirement of the third Tutor-General. On the other request relating to promotion, arrears of salaries and leave bonuses, I want to assure you that we would not renege on our promise and we are doing all we can to set outstanding obligations to all. As I have assured you at my recent meeting with all workers.

“I wish to state emphatically that we are running with the time and vision to ensure delivery of the dividends of democracy to all the good people of Ekiti State. In other words, we will do everything humanly possible not to leave any stone unturned in making life easier and more comfortable for our people both at home and in the diaspora.

“The present administration in Ekiti State under my watch is poised, committed and highly determined to restoring, preserving and guiding our core values for posterity.

“May I reiterate at this auspicious moment that, Ekiti State Government will not renege on its promises to pursue free, compulsory, functional, basic, affordable, enterprising, quality, technical and vocational as well as entrepreneurship education. This is to ensure that all the school-age children in Ekiti State are in school in accordance with the mandate of the National Policy on Education, Universal Basic Education Law and Sustainable Development Goals with Quality Assurance practices and global best practice.”

According to Governor Fayemi, “some of the remarkable landmark achievements and initiatives of this State government in the education sector include but not limited to the following: Enactment of Executive Order 001 prohibiting the collection of levies and fees from the pupils and students of all the public primary and secondary schools across the state; disbursement of running grants for the first, second and third terms of 2018/2019 academic session to all the public primary and secondary schools in the state; ongoing renovation of the dilapidated structures in some schools and distribution of free JAMB forms to 3000 candidates across the 16 Local Government Areas of Ekiti State.”

Other achievements according to him are: establishment of four new public secondary schools in Ado-Ekiti metropolis to decongest some of the overpopulated secondary schools in the State Capital; payment of Bursary for students in Law School for 2018/2019 academic session; training and retraining of teachers in all the subject areas to build their skills and capacity for efficient and effective teaching and learning activities in the schools; regular payment of teachers’ salaries, allowances and personal emoluments including granting of loans and payment of core subjects and rural allowances to the teachers of core subjects and teachers serving in the rural areas respectively.

While congratulating the teachers and the critical stakeholders in the Sector, Fayemi implores all the well-meaning Ekiti people to join hands with him to move education forward to the next level of glory, urging teachers not to rest on their past glory but strive harder to be the best in their chosen profession.

In their remarks, the NUT Chairman and his ASSUS counterpart in the state Comrades Samuel Odugbesan and Sola Adigun respectively commended the state government for being labour friendly.

The labour leaders praised Fayemi for recruiting teachers into public schools across the state, saying this will help in strengthening the future of education.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/09/ekiti-to-begin-payment-of-n30000-minimum-wage-this-month/

As part of its commitment to continuously drive excellence and innovation in the manufacturing industry, Lafarge Africa Plc has announced the re-launch of its newly improved Supaset cement product into the Nigerian market.

The new Supaset cement, now in horizontal bags, is the first cement formulation specifically positioned for block making. Supaset has continued to deliver superior performance to block makers and like other Lafarge Africa brands, consistent quality. The product is tailor-made to complement the efforts and promote the businesses of artisans, specifically block makers and other building construction workers.

The CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Michel Puchercos during the event said: ‘The introduction of this improved formulation – Supaset is in line with the ‘Growth’ pillar of Lafarge Africa’s Strategy 2022 – Building for Growth – which aims to drive profitable growth and accelerate our performance in key areas. Providing such a product for our customers is in keeping with our commitment to excellence. This is a remarkable moment. A great achievement that we all are proud of.’
Puchercos further stated, ‘For 60 years, Lafarge Africa has continued to lead technological advancement in the Nigerian manufacturing sector. Our global presence and Research Centre in Lyon, France provides a unique opportunity for us to deliver in line with best practices and create innovative products and solutions that deliver more value to our customers.’

‘The new Supaset is a solution to the long yearnings of our customers, especially block makers who have lost investments as a result of cement products that do not guarantee the strength needed for construction of buildings and other strong high concrete construction works.’ he concluded.

Also speaking at the event, the Commercial Director of Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Gbenga Onimowo acknowledged that the new product is in response to customer needs and in line with global industry standards.

‘We launched Supaset because we have a unique understanding of the needs of our customers and our end users. With our access to global best practices, innovative solutions from the LafargeHolcim group, we were able to identify and introduce Supaset to take the lead and provide real solutions in construction. We understand the huge losses that people have to deal with due to the lack of cement formulation that guarantees fast setting and superior quality.’ He said.

“Supaset, just like the name rightly suggests, is a rapid-setting cement that enables blocks dry and set fast, while retaining its quality and ensuring no cracks and breakages thus making it the only cement with such capabilities in the market today. The desire to further secure and grow our market share within this segment took us back to the drawing board and the result is what we are experiencing today, the re-launch of an improved Supaset. Supaset has superior value, sets fast and enables the production of ready to use blocks within 24 hours!’ Gbenga stated.

In speaking about the outstanding features of the product, Gbenga further stated: “This improved formulation has been tried, tested and is trusted by all our customers, including block makers. The brand’s unique value propositions of Supa strong, Supa quality & Supa Value guarantees that Supaset is the ideal choice for high strength concrete for advanced construction works. Lafarge Africa continues to lead in innovation and creativity, we are equally proud to present this new improved product in horizontal cement bags, the first-of-its-kind in Nigeria.’’

In addition to launching the new look bag and improved product performance, Lafarge Africa is also rolling out a new Marketing Communications campaign across conventional and new media channels. Lafarge Elephant Supaset is now positioned as “The Chairman for the construction of solid structures” As the first specialized cement for block making, precast moulds & concrete applications, Elephant Supaset reaffirms Lafarge’s commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction as the relaunch for this revolutionary brand is hinged on customer feedback.

Onimowo also added that the superior qualities of Supaset have pitched the product above other brands in the market, making it the perfect choice of our customers.

Lafarge Africa Plc recently organized a Sustainability Forum in partnership with Geocycle™ Nigeria, the Sustainability Centre of the Lagos Business School and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group to emphasize the potential of the circular economy to limit environmental impacts, reduce waste, create more jobs, and foster industries that are more resilient.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/08/lafarge-africa-re-launches-its-improved-cement-product-supaset-photos/

The largest mosque in West Africa has officially opened its doors. Sufi Mouride Brotherhood inaugurated the US $33m building located in Dakar, Senegal in the presence of President Macky Sall and his predecessor Abdoulaye Wade.

Construction on the mosque dubbed the ‘Massalikul Jinaan mosque’ which means “the Paths to Paradise”, began a decade ago. The name was derived from the title of a poem by Sheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacke, the 19th-century founder of the Brotherhood, who is revered by followers as a Sufi saint. Based in the city of Touba, the movement is a pillar of Senegal’s reputation for religious tolerance.

About Massalikul Jinaan mosque

The mosque, which stands at 255 feet, sits on a six-hectare site in the poor area of Bopp, on land donated by the government of the majority Muslim nation. It has a capacity of 15,000 worshipers inside and another 15,000 on an outside esplanade.

The place of worship has four prayer rooms and features a Carrara marble exterior and five minarets. The interior includes a gold-leaf dome, giant chandeliers and decorations hand-drawn by Moroccan workmen. An Islamic institute, residence and museum are scheduled to be added in the future.

“With this jewel, we are on a par with what we see in Arab countries and other places in Africa,” said Mbackiyou Faye, who co-ordinated the building work.

More than 500 workers took part in the construction of the mosque. Infrastructure Minister Oumar Youm said that the government provided an additional US $11.5m for lighting, sanitation and road works,

“This is not the home of the Mouride community, it is the home of all Muslims, let us unite to give a better image of our religion,” said Serigne Mbacke, Caliph of the Mouride Brotherhood

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/07/largest-mosque-in-west-africa-opens-doors/

On the 22nd of September 2019, the Zikoko team is teaming up with GIGM, Google, Leadway Assurance, Ecobank and Smoov to embark on the trip of a lifetime. The team will travel through 13 West African countries in 80 days! The trip is going to be called the one thing that binds us together, Jollof, ‘Jollof Road’.

Jollof road is a series of stories about West Africa and what it means to be West African. Every city has a story, a wealth of culture and tradition that is unique to it. The team will find these stories and tell them with pictures, videos and intricately written articles. The Zikoko team will capture stories about music, food, fashion, and even the colonial legacy — stories that speak about how the past has led to the region’s present, and how it is shaping our future.

As we know, the Chinese silk road was one of the most lucrative trade routes which connected the Eastern and Western World. In addition to the silk trade, the silk road was a conduit of religion, spices and other kinds of trade. In West Africa, Jollof, which originated from the Wolof people of Senegal travelled across West African trade routes and became widely accepted as a West African dish. Like the silk road, the Jollof Road was a conduit for more than Jollof, it was a passageway for culture, music, lifestyle, fashion, religion, and even more food!

The GIGM bus will take the Zikoko team across towns and the city capitals in these 14 West Africa countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

Zikoko is interested in finding and showing that connect us West Africans and celebrating all the similarities and differences along the Jollof Road.

For information about how you can get involved, and to follow the journey, visit jollofroad.com.

Zikoko is the amplifier of the voice of the African youth. With two fingers on the pulse of all that is relevant in culture and everyday living on the continent, they are the premier destination for youth in search of entertaining content. For more information visit zikokomag.com and follow twitter.com/zikokomag and instagram.com/zikokomag

GIGM is a member of the GIG Group and is the most technologically-driven road transport company in Nigeria. GIGM operates in over 10 states in Nigeria cutting across five of the six geo-political zones of the country. With their ever-growing fleet, excellent service experience and extensive route network, they have become a household name known for providing cutting edge passenger transport solutions. For more information visit gigm.com and follow twitter.com/GIGMotors and instagram.com/gigmotors

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/07/these-nigerians-are-travelling-across-13-west-african-countries-over-80-days/

The Coca-Cola Company has produced what it says are sample PET bottles of discarded plastics obtained from the oceans.
According to the company, a sample of 300 PET bottles were produced using 25% recycled plastic collected from beaches in Spain, Portugal and the Mediterranean.
The soft drinks giant said that the bottles are the result of a partnership it has with Ioniqa Technologies, a clean-teach spinoff from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, Indorama Ventures and Mares Circulares (Circular Seas).
The recovered plastic bottles were put under a process called ‘enhanced recycling’, which enables lower-grade plastic to be stripped of impurities and brought back to ‘virgin grade’ so it can once again be used for food and drink packaging.
“This means that lower-grade plastics that were often destined for incineration or landfill can now be given a new life,” stated Coca-Cola.
“It also means more materials are available to make recycled content, reducing the amount of virgin PET needed from fossil fuels, and resulting in a lower carbon footprint.”
While only a small quantity of 300 bottles have been produced, the company says it plans to introduce it at commercial scale using waste streams from existing recyclers, including plastics that were previously unrecyclable and lower-quality recyclables.
Coca-Cola plans to begin introducing the bottles in its packaging starting in 2020.
“Too many of the world’s finite resources are currently discarded as waste,” said Tim Brett, President for Coca-Cola Western Europe.
“We know we need to do more to correct this. There is a valuable role for packaging, but it must always be collected, recycled and reused.
“Our aim, working in partnership, is to see the term “single-use plastic” become redundant, both in our business and beyond, as all of our plastic – and indeed all of our packaging – is delivered within a closed-loop”.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/07/coca-cola-produces-first-recycled-plastic-obtained-from-waste-in-the-ocean/

Toke Makinwa just started fashion season off on a great note as she took it to the next level with this sensational outfit to Design Fashion Africa, last night.

The custom made, Weiz Dhurm Franklyn piece was nicely paired with a Jacquemus bag and a blonde unit from Kukushair styled by Emze. Toke’s glam was completed, of course, by her longtime MUA, Anita Brows.

At this point, Toke Makinwa’s style status has been cemented but this outfit just reminded us why she’s one of the undefeated when it comes to fashion looks.

Social media was abuzz, last night, thanks to photos of top celebrities arriving Eko Hotel, Lagos for Design Fashion Africa. First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Toke Makinwa, Idia Aisien, Kunbi Oyelese, and other fashion lovers, were the first set of celebrities to start a frenzy with photos showing them all stunning in very beautiful pieces from different designers.

Eko Hotel was a beehive as everyone was there to witness the introduction of new fashion designers to the runway.

These young budding designers, who recently completed an intense journey through the Design Fashion Africa initiative, showcased alongside other big Africa fashion designers.

The Design Fashion Africa showcase, in partnership with an international premium brand, Heineken, is the final piece of the puzzle, as the initiative looks to expose more upcoming fashion designers to a world of opportunities and help them commercialize their talent.

Already, the program had run an online challenge offering entrants an opportunity to learn from some of the very best in the fashion business and even showcase to a wide range of guests who were at the DFA Marketplace.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/07/photos-toke-makinwa-starts-off-fashion-season-in-custom-made-weiz-dhurm-franklyn-dress/

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, has been recognized as the fourth best place to work globally in the 2019 employer ranking from Great Place to Work® and FORTUNE. Every year, Great Place to Work®, a global people analytics and consulting firm, assess the work experience of employees through their certification program. In 2019, more than 8,000 organizations participated in the survey process, representing the voices of 12 million employees worldwide. From that pool of companies, the 25 World’s Best Workplaces have been selected. The assessment criteria are built around the core criterion of Trust, analyzing the relationship of employees with management, other employees and to their jobs. This year DHL Express was ranked as one of the best workplaces of the world for the third time in a row.

“This hat-trick is a huge source of pride for everyone at DHL Express”, says John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express. “It is also a strong testament that our culture of recognition is the main driver for our outstanding employee satisfaction. Our more than 100.000 employees are at the heart of our business and the most important driver of our global success. They are the ones who put their passion for their work at the service of our customers to offer the best possible quality – every day, everywhere.”

“Our intention has always been to be an employer of choice”, says Regine Buettner, Executive Vice President HR, Global, DHL Express. “We want DHL Express to be somewhere that people desire to work and where our people enjoy coming to work every day. We have achieved that through abiding by a very simple strategy that starts with ‘motivated people’ and this has, in turn, enabled us to carve out a distinct culture within our business. Our high-performance mentality is echoed all around the world and our people possess a genuine sense of passion and purpose – something which I am incredibly proud that Great Place to Work continues to recognise.”

“If you think about what over 100,000 people do every day at DHL in over 220 countries to deliver products and services in the most urban and remote corners of the world, this is perhaps the most global company in the world. When you think about all the language, culture, weather, and regulatory challenges they face daily and yet they are able to connect people and improve lives (putting their employees first) it is clearly one of the most amazing companies in the world. 92% of their people from the top of the organization to the frontline say it is a Great Place to Work For All. Their secret? Being purpose-driven and having the most innovative and comprehensive “Certified International Specialist” training program in the world” says Great Place to Work’s CEO, Michael Bush.

SOURCE:https://brandspurng.com/2019/10/07/dhl-is-one-of-the-worlds-best-workplaces-recognized-by-great-place-to-work/