₦airaland Forum

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) wishes to use this medium to ALERT the general public and in particular consumers of animal hides popularly known as PONMO in local parlance on the activities of some unscrupulous businessmen and traders who are selling industrial animal hides as food.

As far back as 2015, following intelligence reports, the Agency, through Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, had been successfully dealing with isolated cases of dangerous diversion of animal hides meant for industrial use into the food chain for consumption as local delicacy PONMO. This practice poses a grave danger to public health.

Investigations revealed that some of the companies legally imported hides from countries such as Lebanon and Turkey, while the majority of the product was smuggled into the country through the porous borders.

These imported animal hides are meant for industrial use by leather industries for the manufacture of items such as shoes, bag, belt etc. The hides, therefore, are pretreated with industrial chemicals which are not of food-grade and will be toxic and injurious to human health. Health hazards inherent in the consumption of such animal hides include risk of Liver, Kidney and Heart damage, increased risk of Aplastic anaemia, Central nervous system toxicity, cancer, etc.

Livestock farmers are also to note that industrial animal hides can also not be used to manufacture animal feed, as the associated chemicals will be stored in the tissues of these animals and will eventually end up in humans when consumed with the attendant deleterious effects listed above.

The general public is hereby encouraged to be very vigilant and exercise discretion when purchasing animal hides PONMO and indeed other food items. NAFDAC is fully alive to her responsibilities of assuring the safety, wholesomeness and quality of processed foods offered for sale to the public. In this regard, the Agency has increased the tempo of targeted and aggressive routine (unannounced) inspections to monitor activities of animal hide merchants to ensure that only food-grade animal hide (PONMO) is sold as food article in our markets.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/27/nafdac-warns-nigerians-on-consumption-of-animal-hides-and-skin-ponmo-as-food/

BIC announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Lucky Stationery Nigeria Ltd (LSNL). The transaction has been reviewed and approved by the Nigerian Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (“FCCPC”). The closing is expected at the end of 2019.

LSNL is Nigeria’s number one Writing Instruments manufacturer, with approximately 5 million euros in Net Sales and approximately 30% market share in volume. Its main Writing Instrument manufacturing facility is currently located in Ilupeju-Lagos and will be relocated to a new modern facility north of Lagos in Shagamu.

BIC has been operating in Nigeria for more than forty years through a distribution partnership with CFAO – Nipen. LSNL’s brand, product portfolio, and distribution network will strengthen BIC’s current position in Nigeria.

This acquisition is consistent with BIC’s continued growth strategy in Africa. Nigeria is the largest economy and most populous nation in Africa. Nigeria is also number one in the pens market in the region, selling approximately 425 million items a year, with expected double-digit annual growth within the next five years. 

“After the transfer of HACO’s Kenyan Stationery business to BIC last year, the acquisition of LSNL is another key accelerator for BIC’s growth in Africa. This is our fourth facility in Africa, complementing BIC’s Writing Instrument manufacturing footprint in the fast-growing West African region, making BIC the clear number one Stationery manufacturer in one of the most dynamic and promising consumer markets in the world,” said Gonzalve Bich, BIC Chief Executive Officer.

Prakash Hathiramani, Director of LSNL stated, “The management of LSNL congratulates BIC on their investment in Nigeria’s market-leader in Writing Instruments.  BIC’s investment in Nigeria will ensure the continuity and success of LSNL, as well as provide the business and its stakeholder's with new avenues and opportunities for growth.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/26/bic-acquires-nigerias-leading-writing-instrument-manufacturer/

A new public opinion poll conducted by NOIPolls has revealed that most Nigerians (85 percent) believe that the issue of rape is prevalent in the country. In 2017, the Nigerian Senate passed a motion to investigate the increasing incidence of rape and sexual assault across the country. And, on July 9th, 2019, the legislators began considering death penalty for rape offenders as they deliberated on a motion “Sexual abuse in Nigeria: a growing scourge” sponsored by Senator Rose Oko, representing Cross River North in Cross River State, and 10 other senators.

The poll results further revealed that a larger proportion (62 percent) of the respondents stated that rape is coercing someone to have sex or perform a sexual act only by means of physical force or a deadly weapon. On the definition of consent, a majority (92 percent) of the respondents identified that consent as it relates to rape is one which is given verbally by an individual who is of age and not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. However, it is worrisome to note that 52 percent of Nigerians also believe that consent can be given by an individual who while underage (below 18 years) but still says yes. It is worthy to note that under the Nigerian Criminal Code, sexual intercourse with underaged individuals or individuals with the unsound mind is the offence of defilement, and so technically a person could be charged for rape and defilement.

About 3 in 10 Nigerians (26 percent) disclosed that they know someone who has been raped in the past and the rape victims were particularly minors and young adults aged between 1 – 15 years (72 percent) and 16 – 25 years (24 percent) respectively. This statistic implies that one in every three girls would have experienced at least one form of sexual assault by the time they reach 25 years. According to the respondents, offenders were mostly strangers (38 percent), while neighbours (24 percent), an acquaintance of the victims (18 percent) and relatives (16 percent) accounted for the other categories of offenders. Further probing revealed that most of the rape incidence happened either at the victim’s residence (36 percent) or at the offender’s residence (24 percent).

There are perceptions that rape cases have been under-reported especially to the Police, findings showed that slightly more than half (53 percent) of the respondents mentioned that rape incidents were reported to the Police. Out of this proportion, 67 percent acknowledged that the offenders were arrested, while 33 percent claimed that the offender was not arrested. This implies that about 3 in 10 perpetrators of this atrocious crime often don’t face the drum or the dictates of the law against the crime even when reported to the police. Comparing the results of this pole with an earlier poll conducted in 2014 show a 25 percent decline in the proportion of Nigerians who reported rape incidence to the Police. This may suggest that Nigerians are not satisfied with the level of prosecution of rape offenders in the country when reported to the Police. Nonetheless, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, during an exclusive interview with The Guardian News media in Abuja on July 13, 2019, assured Nigerians that the Police and the State owe victims of rape the responsibility to diligently investigate the complaint and bring offenders to book. Sadly, 8 percent of Nigerians disclosed that the incidence was not reported to the police and this was majorly due to fear of stigmatization (46 percent), victim’s family chose not to report (17 percent), thought that the Police may not take the incident seriously (7 percent) and belief that the Police may fail to solve the crime (5 percent) amongst other reasons.

Curiously, Nigerians blamed the incidence of rape mainly on the indecent dressing (47 percent), excess intake of alcohol by the offenders (36 percent) and victims (34 percent) and promiscuity (34 percent). In terms of justice, Nigerians mostly advocated life imprisonment (37 percent), the death penalty (22 percent) and prosecution (20 percent) for offenders of rape in the country. In addition, a larger proportion (41 percent) of Nigerians from the poll recommended that offenders of rape should be punished considering that some of the offenders elude the wrath of the law. Also, 19 percent suggest that there should be more awareness campaign on the dangers of rape to help reduce the increasing trend of rape in society. It is therefore important that concerned stakeholders’ and the government, particularly the National Orientation Agency, work together to find the most effective way of implementing and disseminating greater awareness campaigns on the dangers as well as the consequences of rape and to reinforce the government’s commitment to end the scourge.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/26/rape-prevalence-almost-3-in-10-nigerians-claim-to-know-a-victim-noipolls/

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released it’s 2019 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) result.

This was after the examination body made a release on their official twitter handle @waecnigeria.

The statement was signed on Thursday by the spokesperson of the board, Demianus Ojijeogu.

”This is to inform candidates and the general public that the results of the WASSCE for School Candidates, 2019 in Nigeria will be released by the Council within the next 24hours,” the official said.

The council also said candidates who are not indebted to the council will be able to access and check their results online, using the results checker pin on their smart identity cards used during the conduct of the examination.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/26/waec-releases-2019-may-june-results/

Ekiti State and Promasidor to partner on revitalizing the Ikun Dairy Farm, currently owned by the Ekiti State Government.

The farm, when operational, is expected to run as a PPP, where Ekiti provides the existing facility, necessary infrastructure & security; while Promasidor will provide capital, technical expertise & execute the route to market strategy, required to drive a sustainable partnership.

The dairy farm is billed to provide evaporated milk with a view to increasing protein intake in the state, have the goals of providing employment opportunities and boosting the economy of the state.

The Ikun Dairy facility, which was established at Ikun Ekiti in the Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State (then old Ondo State) during the period of President Shehu Shagari in the ’80s has remained in deplorable condition and unused under subsequent administrations.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/23/breaking-news-ekiti-state-and-promasidor-to-partner-on-revitalizing-the-ikun-dairy-farm/

Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (AB InBev) global brand, Budweiser, today announces multi-year partnerships with two of the top international football leagues, the Premier League and LaLiga. As a long-time partner of the FIFA World Cup™ and supporter of football leagues and several national teams worldwide, Budweiser is proud to expand its support for the world’s game and connect to more football fans every year.

These new partnerships will activate across five continents and in more than 20 countries* including the United Kingdom, China, South Africa, India, Chile, and Nigeria, bringing fans closer to their football heroes through a series of unique programs across the globe.

As the world’s most valuable beer brand**, the King of Beers will launch it’s global ‘Be A King’ campaign in conjunction with these partnerships. This campaign will inspire fans around the world by bringing them closer to the kings of the game. Activations will include limited edition packaging showcasing the iconic league trophies, exclusive viewing parties, broadcast media assets and content partnership designed to celebrate the greatness of the players on the field and the cultural impact of the players off the field.

“We are excited to kick-off these long-term partnerships with the Premier League and LaLiga, two world-class football competitions. These partnerships will allow us to further connect with key consumers and football fans across the globe,” said Pedro Earp, Chief Marketing Officer at AB InBev. “We are passionate about football, and so are our consumers, so we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the sport, the players, and most importantly, the fans.”

Premier League Interim Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “We are delighted to announce Budweiser as a new Premier League partner. Budweiser has a track record of innovative football sponsorships, including partnering with the FIFA World Cup™ over many years. We look forward to working together to bring our new partnership to life and capturing the imagination of our fans all over the world.”

LaLiga President Javier Tebas added: “We’re committed to growing the passion for football around the world. This historic partnership with Budweiser will only add to the growing excitement and anticipation for this year’s season and we’re thrilled to have them as partners. The global visibility of Spanish clubs will be strengthened thanks to this agreement.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/23/budweiser-announces-multi-year-global-partnerships-with-the-premier-league-and-laliga/

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has expanded the banking space in the country with the issuance of banking licenses to three new players in the industry. 

With the additional licenses, the numbers of banks operating in the country have increased to 23 from the previous 21, according to a report on the regulatory bank’s website.

The new operators are; Titan Trust Bank Limited, TAJ Bank Limited and Globus Bank Limited. 

While two of the newly licensed banks will operate as commercial lenders, the third one, TAJ Bank Limited was licensed to operate as a non-interest bank.

Before the banking reform of 2005, instituted by ex-governor of the CBN, Charles Soludo, Nigeria has as many as 89 banks operating as commercial and merchant banks. With the reform, which hikes minimum capital base to 25 billion naira from 2 billion naira, the number reduced to 24 universal banks.

However, subsequent alignment and take over by the regulators led to further consolidation in the operations of the banks, leading to a downward reduction in the number of operators.

The newly licensed TAJ Bank Limited has joined Jaiz Bank as only two operating as a non-interest bank in the country.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/23/cbn-licences-three-new-banks/

Based on new evidence assessing benefits and risks, the WHO recommends the use of the HIV drug dolutegravir (DTG) as the preferred first-line and second-line treatment for all populations, including pregnant women and those of childbearing potential.

Initial studies had highlighted a possible link between DTG and neural tube defects (birth defects of the brain and spinal cord that cause conditions such as spina bifida) in infants born to women using the drug at the time of conception. This potential safety concern was reported in May 2018 from a study in Botswana that found 4 cases of neural tube defects out of 426 women who became pregnant while taking DTG. Based on these preliminary findings, many countries advised pregnant women and women of childbearing potential to take efavirenz (EFV) instead.

New data from two large clinical trials comparing the efficacy and safety of DTG and EFV in Africa have now expanded the evidence base. The risks of neural tube defects are significantly lower than what the initial studies may have suggested.

The guidelines group also considered mathematical models of the benefits and harms associated with the two drugs; the values and preferences of people living with HIV, as well as factors related to the implementation of HIV programs in different countries, and cost.

DTG is a drug that is more effective, easier to take and has fewer side effects than alternative drugs that are currently used. DTG also has a high genetic barrier to developing drug resistance, which is important given the rising trend of resistance to EFV and nevirapine-based regimens. In 2019, 12 out of 18 countries surveyed by WHO reported pre-treatment drug resistance levels exceeding the recommended threshold of 10%.

All of the above findings informed the decision to update the 2019 guidelines.

In 2019, 82 low- and middle-income countries reported being transitioning to DTG-based HIV treatment regimens. The newly updated recommendations aim to help more countries improve their HIV policies.

As for any medications, informed choice is important. Every treatment decision needs to be based on an informed discussion with the health provider weighing the benefits and potential risks.

WHO also stresses the importance of providing information and options to help women make an informed choice. To this end WHO has convened an advisory group of women living with HIV from diverse backgrounds to advise on policy issues related to their health, including sexual and reproductive health. WHO highlights the need to continually monitor the risk of neural tube defects associated with DTG.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/22/who-recommends-dolutegravir-as-preferred-hiv-treatment-option-in-all-populations/

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says electricity customers will be allowed to get prepaid meters and pay later.

Speaking at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, Nathan Shatti, NERC’s commissioner for finance and management services, said customers will start enjoying the privilege from August.

He said customers can either pay upfront or in installments within a period of one to 10 years.

According to NERC, the one-phase prepaid meter will be available for N36, 992 and three-phase for N67,055.

Shatti said the commission approved a total of 42-meter service providers in April under the meter asset providers (MAPs) scheme.

The regulator had issued permits to the firms to begin the rollout of new meters by May 1.

“Although the installations did not commence immediately across the country as anticipated, due to the need to finalize some documentations and also mobilize the supply of meters,” he said.

“I am happy to report that the installations of meters have now commenced across various DisCo franchise areas.

“Currently, we have asked or encouraged the MAPs to concentrate on the upfront payment for obvious reasons. The payment by installment is scheduled to commence on August 1, 2019.”

Shatti said repayment for the cost of the meter services will be done monthly through metering service charge while vending.

“Discos have the responsibility to make the areas for meter deployment-ready in line with MAP regulation and the planned roll-out,” he said.

“MAPs will then determine the type of meter the customer needs and the customer will decide how long (the period) he/she plans to pay for the metering services.

“After confirming the type of meter and period of repayment, the MAP will install meters across the whole area in an organized and systematic manner – no exception, all customers without meters in those areas must be metered by the MAP).”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/21/you-can-get-prepaid-meters-and-pay-later-nerc/

The interbank segment of the Foreign Exchange Market has received a fresh boost of $210 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) following sales concluded on Tuesday, July 16, 2019.

Figures obtained from the CBN indicated that authorized dealers in the wholesale segment of the market were again offered the sum of $100million, while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) window received the sum of $55 million.

The sum of $55 million was equally allocated to customers requiring foreign exchange for Invisibles such as tuition fees, medical payments and Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), among others.

The Director, Corporate Communications Department at the CBN, Mr Isaac Okorafor, confirmed the sales, just as he reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment towards sustaining the level of stability in the foreign exchange market.

It will be recalled that at the last intervention on Friday, July 12, 2019, the Bank injected the sum of $298.7million and CNY39.6million into the Retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) segment.

Meanwhile, the rate of exchange between the Naira and the United States dollars in the BDC segment of the market on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, was N360/$1.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/17/central-bank-of-nigeria-injects-210m-in-forex-market/

Nigerians spent nearly 3, 124, 026, 959 billion Naira to watch box office movies at the cinemas between January and June 2019.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the figures were according to data provided by cinemas and gathered by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria.

The year opened with ‘Aquaman’, ‘Chief Daddy’ and ‘Up North’ sitting on the top three of the chart with estimated combined earnings of 168, 263, 512 million Naira.

The movies maintained their positions until the fourth week when ‘Glass’ debuted at number one with ‘Aquaman’ taking second place and ‘Chief Daddy’, third booting ‘Up North’ to fourth place.

This led to combined earnings of 91, 409, 100 million Naira which fell to 77, 259, 811 million Naira as January closed with Kevin Hart’s ‘The Upside’ kicking ‘Chief Daddy’ to fourth place.

NAN reports that earnings remained low for February, making it the lowest grossing month with a total of 291, 843, 044 million Naira.

Top spots were alternated between ‘Alita’, ‘Cold Pursuit’, ‘What Men Want’, ‘Escape Room’ and ‘The Upside’.

By March, viewership picked up steadily and the earnings were almost doubled from that of February leading to a total of 434, 432, 431 million Naira.

‘What Men Want’, ‘Alita’, ‘Hire A Woman’, ‘She Is’, ‘Us’ and ‘Babymamas’ enjoyed a relatively good run in March but a chunk of the earnings and viewership went to Marvel’s flick ‘Captain Marvel’.

At the beginning of April, ‘HellBoy’, ‘Shazam’, ‘Little’ and ‘Us’ continued to share the top spot with ‘Captain Marvel’ until the release of the much anticipated ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

NAN also reports that with ‘Avengers: Endgame’, earnings from April climbed from 186, 929, 188 million Naira in its third week to 342, 382, 389 million Naira in its final week.

The month, which is the highest grossing in 2019, closed with estimated total earnings of 734, 151, 060 million Naira due to a major boost from Disney’s ‘Endgame’.

In May, there was a massive dip in earnings similar to that experienced in February. With ‘Endgame’, ‘The Intruder’ and ‘Longshot’, it earned a total of 367, 498, 554 million Naira.

The fall in viewership is usual after a global holiday such as Christmas for December/January and Easter for April.

The numbers picked up in June with ‘John Wick’, ‘Godzilla’ and ‘Aladdin’ leading the numbers. They were supported by ‘Anna’, ‘Men In Black’, ‘Dark Phoenix’ and ‘Bling Lagosians’.

June opened with 161, 132, 714 million Naira but closed with 100, 663, 647 million Naira leading to a total earning of 576, 322, 779 million Naira.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/15/nigerians-spent-n3-1bn-in-cinemas-in-h1-2019-report/

The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 11.22 percent (year-on-year) in June 2019. This is 0.18 percent points lower than the rate recorded in May 2019 (11.40) percent.

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

On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.07 percent in June 2019, this is 0.04 percent rate lower than the rate recorded in May 2019 (1.11) percent.

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending June 2019 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 11.29 percent, similar to the 11.29 percent recorded in May 2019.

The urban inflation rate increased by 11.61percent (year-on-year) in June 2019 from 11.76 percent recorded in May 2019, while the rural inflation rate increased by 10.87 percent in June 2019 from 11.08 percent in May 2019.

On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.10 percent in June 2019, up by 0.05 from 1.15 percent recorded in May 2019, while the rural index also rose by 1.05 percent in June 2019, up by 0.02 from the rate recorded in May 2019 (1.07) percent.

The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index was 11.65 percent in June 2019. This is less than 11.66 percent reported in May 2019, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in June 2019 was 10.99 percent compared to 10.98 percent recorded in May 2019.

Food Index

The composite food index stood at 13.56 percent in June 2019 compared to 13.79 percent in May 2019.

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

On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 1.36 percent in June 2019, down by 0.05 percent points from 1.41 percent recorded in May 2019.

The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending June 2019 over the previous twelve-month average was 13.42 percent, 0.05  percent points higher from the average annual rate of change recorded in May 2019 (13.37) 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 8.8 percent in June 2019, down by 0.2 percent when compared with 9.0 percent recorded in May 2019.

On a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased by 0.85 percent in June 2019. This was up by 0.10 percent when compared with 0.75 percent recorded in May 2019.

The highest increases were recorded in prices of Medical and hospital services, Cleaning, repair and hire of clothing, Repair and hire of footwear, Repair of household appliances, Actual and imputed rentals for housing, Major household appliances whether electronic or not and Tobacco.

The average 12-month annual rate of change of the index was 9.64 percent for the twelve-month period ending June 2019; this is 0.13 percent points lower than 9.77 percent recorded in May 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 June 2019, all items inflation on year on year basis was highest in Bauchi (15.40%), Kebbi (14.73%) and Kaduna (13.91%), while Delta (9.46%),  Kwara (9.01%) and Bayelsa (8.56%) recorded the slowest rise in headline Year on Year inflation.

On month on month basis, however, June 2019 all items inflation was highest in River (2.28%), Lagos (1.72%) and Cross River (1.57%), while Bayelsa (0.42%), Kaduna (0.37%) and Sokoto (0.31%) recorded the slowest rise.

Food Inflation

In June 2019, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Kaduna (17.50%), Kebbi (16.96%) and Ondo (16.44%), while Abia (10.84%), Bayelsa (9.97%) and Kogi (9.81%) recorded the slowest rise.

On month on month basis, however, June 2019 food inflation was highest in Kogi (3.20%), River (2.96%) and Osun (2.58%), while Anambra (0.47%) , Yobe (0.33%) and Kaduna (0.26%) recorded the slowest rise.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/15/nigerias-inflation-rate-drops-to-11-22-in-june-2019/

IROKO Ltd-incubated ROK to Enhance Canal+ Group’s Local Original Content Development...

ROK, the leading African film studio and international TV network, has been acquired by CANAL+ Group, comprising production, content distribution and publishing channels. As part of the transaction, IROKO Ltd will also take full control of the JV IROKO+, the #1 SVOD platform in French-speaking Africa. The move comes as CANAL+ Group looks to strengthen its content production reach in Nigeria and across Africa.

As part of the acquisition, ROK founder, Mary Njoku, will continue in a leadership role as Directeur General of ROK Productions SAS and maintains a material shareholding in the company.

ROK will produce thousands of more hours of Nollywood content to deliver movies and original TV series for CANAL+ Group’s audiences in FSA. As part of the acquisition, CANAL+ Group will continue to collaborate with IROKO Ltd, with the non-exclusive content distribution of ROK content via the IROKOtv SVOD app.

ROK was incubated from 2013 onwards, by IROKO Ltd, the leading African digital content distributor for Nollywood content, whose flagship platform IROKOtv has transformed how Nollywood content is accessed and consumed around the world.

Speaking on the acquisition, Mary Njoku says, “ROK has captured the imagination of millions of movie fans, and they have truly supported us as we’ve grown the company to celebrate and enjoy our African culture. I’m excited to be taking our platform on the next stage of its journey with CANAL+ Group, who share our passion for creating original content, supporting new talent and together, we have ambitious plans for the future.”

Jacques du PUY, CEO of CANAL+ International says, “Through this acquisition, CANAL+ Group is very happy to develop and enhance the catalogue of Nollywood contents and expand the ROK brand inside and outside the African continent”

In Africa alone, ROK has produced over 540 movies and 25 original TV series, making ROK one of the most prolific production houses in Nollywood.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/15/canal-group-acquires-rok/

In fulfilment of its resolve to diversify the economy, create jobs and engender inclusive economic growth in the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has launched an intervention programme aimed at reviving the comatose poultry sub-sector in the country.

Announcing the latest efforts of the Bank on Monday, July 8, 2019, at an event in the Head office, the Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said the Bank had selected various institutions across the country that would form the pilot team to be used in running the University-based Poultry Revival Programme.

The programme, according to Emefiele, who was represented by his Deputy in charge of the Economic Policy, Dr. Joseph Nnanna, will produce chicken meat and eggs in order to reduce importation and close the existing demand and supply gap

He added that it would also raise a new crop of entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector in modern poultry production; provide the infrastructure that would support the sustainable production of poultry; and reduce pressure for foreign exchange demand through import substitution by local poultry production.

The Governor also disclosed that the Bank had obtained information on the capacity of the institutions selected in terms of their poultry pens, hatcheries, feed mills, size of crop farms and number of tractors for grains production. The Bank also got details of their commercial viability, bankable business plan, including processing facility, as well as all information relevant in enriching their participation in the programme

Emefiele further disclosed that the CBN relied on the University based poultry production model because they had existing infrastructure, experience and human assets to enable production at reduced cost and in a competitive manner

 He promised that the Bank would commit considerable human, material, and financial resources in monitoring both the disbursement and utilization of the funds to be released to the institutions, adding that the participating institutions would be required to submit periodic returns on disbursements as well as an analysis of the impact of the fund they receive. The CBN, according to him, would also undertake regular on and off-site checks to ascertain the veracity of the reports received.

Speaking on behalf of the poultry farmers in the country, Mr. Ezekiel Ibrahim, who is also the chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), said that poultry farming presented the best in terms of return on investment, adding that the country would not have been talking of job creation if poultry had been given the right attention it deserved.

He noted that the sector had faced the challenges of smuggling and lopsided siting of hatcheries, which he said was making it difficult for the movement of day-old chicks across the country.

Several academics from various universities and agricultural research institutes in the country and other professionals in poultry and related fields attended the one-day meeting in Abuja.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/15/cbn-unveils-university-based-poultry-revival-program/

TECNO SPARK 3 was awarded as the phone of the year as a result of its cutting edge features...

TECNO SPARK 3, a smartphone model by TECNO, a global premier mobile phone brand, has been awarded as the smartphone brand of the year at the 2019 edition of the Africa Information Technology & Telecoms Awards (AITTA).

AITTA recognises customer service, innovation and excellence in Africa Telecom and Information Technology industry. The reputable awards now in its third year and has been acclaimed as one of the most prestigious and biggest platforms recognising excellence and innovation in the African telecoms and technology industry.

TECNO SPARK 3 was awarded as the phone of the year as a result of its cutting edge features as well as its outing market outing positive reception of the TECNO brand loyalty and customers. This is the only smartphone recognized by AITTA this year. As one of the most remarkable devices to “light up” the photos, SPARK 3 have been upgraded by AI technology to furthermore advanced the camera features to be available in Africa, middle-east and Southeast Asia market.

Starting their business from the Africa market in 2006, TECNO has been Africa’s leading smartphone brand and was the first dual-SIM handset supplier to the African continent, which boasted an astonishing 53% of all Smartphone sales in Africa in the year 2011. Focusing on providing high performance and cutting edge smartphone that uses the latest technology and a sweet price point, TECNO smartphones have become incredibly popular throughout Africa due to the exceptional value-for-money they offer.

TRANSSION, TECNO Mobile ’s parent company, it's brand portfolio comprises leading mobile phone brands in emerging markets. In 2018, TRANSSION sold 124 million mobile phones globally. IDC figures for 2018 show that TRANSSION ranks 4th in global mobile phone brands and holds the largest market share in Africa. Their global sales network covers more than 70 countries in emerging markets including Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh to name a few.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/15/tecno-spark-3-wins-aitta-phone-of-the-year-2019/

OAU moves to Generate Own Electricity & be the First Federal University to Offer Aeronautic Engineering as A Course

The Management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has said it will no longer depend on the national grid but would commence the generation of its own 24-hour electricity by the end of October.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Eyitope Ogunbodede, disclosed this during the commissioning of the renovated theatre block and donation of two surgical machines – Anaesthesia and Sunction by Latter-Day Saints (LDS) Charities, the humanitarian arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints.

He told newsmen that by the end of October, the university will commission a stand-alone electricity generating system, a development, he said, will enable 24 hours generation of electricity on campus.

“Currently, we use five and six megawatts of electricity. But, the rural electrification agency is providing a gas-powered electricity generating plant for us which will generate 8.03 megawatt of electricity beyond what we are currently consuming.

“We will be generating our own electricity on campus and will no longer be depending on the national grid. OAU will enjoy 24-hour power supply and that is exciting. It will enhance our research output among other developments.

“We also have a dam. It is currently being renovated. We will be generating our own water and our own electricity,” he said.

Maintaining that the future of transportation is air, Ogunbodede said OAU will soon start an Aeronautic Engineering Programme.

“OAU is going to be the first federal university to have an aeronautic engineering programme. The building is under construction and will be ready in four months.

“Our entrepreneurship programme is also been upgraded to serve our students. We are no longer going to produce graduates who will be looking for employment after graduation. We are working to ensure any product of OAU will not only employ himself but also others,” he said.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/14/oau-moves-to-generate-own-electricity-be-the-first-federal-university-to-offer-aeronautic-engineering-as-a-course/

The Immigration Statistics for 2018 reflected that a total of 1,011,158 passport applications were received in 2018 as against 720,958  received in 2017. This represents about 40.25% positive growth. 173,461 of the 2018 figure are minor, 779,905  are adults and the remaining 57,792 are a senior citizen.

A total of 185,657 passports were issued at the foreign missions in 2018 as against 152,163 issued in 2017 while the number of visa issuance at the foreign missions was put at 120,697.

This represents a 4.82% positive growth. A total of 4,529,153 international travellers movement was recorded across all Nigeria borders in 2018 as against 3,715,268 in 2017. This represents a 21.91% positive growth.

The NIS generated N39,061,098,079.50 in 2018 as against N35,724,482,338.96  local revenue generated in 2017.  This represents a positive growth of 9.34%.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/12/1-01m-passport-applications-received-in-2018-says-nbs/

…Also emerges Best Bank in Nigeria for a record 9th time

Foremost African financial institution Guaranty Trust Bank plc has been named the Best Bank in Africa 2019 by Euromoney at its annual Awards for Excellence, which held in London on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane. GTBank was also named the Best Bank in Nigeria for a record ninth time, reflecting the Bank’s position as one of the best managed financial institutions in the country, with strong and focused leadership that keep the business in a constant state of re-invention and innovation.

Now in its 50th year, Euromoney is the leading publication for covering the growth of international finance. Euromoney’s Awards for Excellence are the awards that matter to the banks and bankers who matter. This year, Euromoney received almost 1,500 submissions from banks in an awards programme that covers 20 global awards, more than 50 regional awards, and best bank awards in close to 100 countries. The Magazine’s Awards for Excellence celebrates the best banks around the world by recognizing institutions that have demonstrated leadership, innovation, and momentum in the markets they operate. In selecting its award recipients, Euromoney combines quantitative and qualitative data to honour institutions that have brought the highest levels of service, innovation and expertise to their customers.

Key to the emergence of GTBank as the Best Bank in Africa and the Best Bank in Nigeria, is the Bank’s digital drive and its clarity of vision in reimagining the future of banks and banking. The Euromoney awards also recognized GTBank’s commitment to leading the future of banking as well as its consistent long-term strategy led by a senior management team that abhors complacency and keeps the business in a constant state of innovation.

Commenting on the Bank’s Euromoney awards, the Chief Executive Officer of GTBank, Segun Agbaje, said; “We are delighted and proud to win the Euromoney Awards for Africa’s Best Bank and Nigeria’s Best Bank. These awards reflect the progress we are making in delivering the best banking experience that captures what customers want in the world of today and tomorrow. They are also a testament to our leading role in driving world-class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation in Africa’s banking industry.

He further stated that; “At GTBank, we are passionate about building the bank of the future by leveraging the best of technology to add real value to our customers’ lives, and these awards illustrate the hard work and commitment of our staff, management and board towards achieving this goal”.

GTBank has consistently played a leading role in Africa’s banking industry. The GTBank brand is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions across its subsidiary countries and serves as a role model within the financial service industry due to its bias for world-class corporate governance standards, excellent service quality and innovation.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/11/gtbank-named-best-bank-in-africa-at-euromoney-awards/

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on Thursday advised motorists and other petroleum product consumers to disregard the trending rumour of a planned hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol.

It explained that the statement of the corporation’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, at the National Assembly on Wednesday did not suggest any plan to increase the price of the white product.

NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, clarified that what the NNPC GMD stated during his engagement with the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, was that the price of petrol was abysmally low in Nigeria compared to what obtained in neighbouring West African countries.

Ughamadu noted that Kyari had observed at the event that the huge disparity in the pump price of petrol between Nigeria on the one hand and her neighbouring countries, on the other hand, tended to encourage cross-border smuggling

This, according to Ughamadu, was why the NNPC boss sought the support of the leadership of the National Assembly to curb the malaise of smuggling.

The oil firm advised Nigerians to disregard the insinuation of a planned hike in the price of petrol by NNPC.

It stated that statutorily NNPC was not even in a position to regulate the price of petroleum products, adding that the corporation’s role as an operator must be differentiated from that of any of the industry regulators.

Ughamadu stated that as directed by relevant agencies of government, the pump price of petrol remains N145 per litre.

NNPC cautioned petroleum products’ marketers not to sell petrol above N145 per litre following the disclaimed rumour.

It advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and volunteer information to the Department of Petroleum Resources, the industry regulator, or to any law enforcement agency around them, on any station which sells petrol beyond N145 per litre.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/11/disregard-rumour-of-impending-hike-in-petrol-price-nnpc/

Building on in-depth consumer research and rich insights thereof, MTN Nigeria has announced a price slash on its data offerings thereby becoming more competitive and matching the best available while still boasting of incomparable brand experience.

This is coming just two weeks after launching its revolutionary 4G+ which according to the top echelon of the multinational company, offers customers faster data speeds.  The price slash announced today at its Falomo, Victoria Island, Lagos headquarters, cuts across all its data plans and offerings.

Under the new price structure, customers can now enjoy more value for money with up to 30% more data volume for 30-day plans. Subscribers according to the new incentivize offering, will also enjoy up to 100% incremental volume for weekly data plans and 25% incremental volume for daily plans.

In addition, new customers will enjoy introductory offers, with access to prices as low as N50 for 50MB and N500 for 2GB. They will also receive a 100% bonus on data purchases for four months.

This indicates that regardless of a customer’s budget, there is something for everyone, officials impressed at the media session while hinging on the company’s “best customer experience” which also compliments the new best value for data proposition.

Commenting on the new, more affordable prices, the Chief marketing officer, Rahul De said, “With the faster internet speeds delivered by the launch of 4G+, this data price slash could not have come at a better time for our customers, as we’ve seen that faster data speeds mean more data usage".

He explained how increased quality and speed on the MTN network, had enabled customers to explore new ways to use old services while discovering applications.

“In the space of a few years, people went from instant messaging to sharing funny videos and from listening to music to streaming high definition movies. People’s data needs have changed, we recognise that. Our customers need much more and we are delivering that for less".

To enjoy the price slash, a customer can dial 131, *131# or download the MyMTNApp on their mobile phones. Data bundles are also available via all bank mobile apps, mobile banking channels or by USSD.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/11/mtn-slashes-data-prices-unveils-incentives-for-new-customers/

Investments in the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone (OGFTZ) in Igbesa in Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State has exceeded $2 billion.

The Deputy General Manager of the zone, Daniel Che, who revealed this to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, said the zone, which was established eight years ago, has proved to be a success story.

According to him, there has been an upsurge in investment by different companies while others have indicated their intention to come to the zone.

Che said: “Currently, we have over 30 factories in the OGFTZ with a combined investment of over 2 billion USD and more have indicated interest in setting up in the zone. As you are aware, what we have right now is just the first phase”.

“In actual fact, we are moving to expand the operations of the zone so that more factories can come in”.

“The total area designated as a free trade zone in Igbesa for the OGFTZ is over 2000 hectares. We can assure Nigerians that this land would be fully utilised to create a booming industrial zone which would be to the benefit of the immediate community, the state and Nigeria in general.”

The Deputy General Manager affirmed that since the inception of the zone’s operations, it has contributed immensely to the development of the host community, especially through employment creation for the local populace.

According to him, OGFTZ has given direct employment to over 6,000 people from the local community. He further added: “Over 6000 people are currently employed by the zone. This is direct employment. We are not talking about indirect employment. When you add that to the number of local contractors who are supplying raw materials to companies in the zone, you would begin to understand our impact on the local economy.

“And when you consider that we are just in the first phase of the development of the zone, then you would begin to understand what we would be like in the next five to 10 years by the time we begin to implement the next phase of this project.

“OGFTZ would eventually emerge as the best managed and the biggest in Africa.” On why Nigeria should pay more attention to the Free Trade Zone model, Che pointed out that starting from the 1980s and with the establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in the southeastern coastal region of China, more than a hundred zones of various kinds have since been established throughout China, which he said are largely responsible for the remarkable growth of China over the years.

He stated: “As a result of this successful Chinese model, there has been strong interest by many countries to emulate the model by adopting the Free Trade Zone as an economic policy.

“Free Trade Zone focuses on trade liberalisation and export-led growth, attracting foreign investments and enhancing the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector to create employment, technological transfer and human capacity development among others. It is a win-win for both the Zone and the host country,” Che said.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/10/investments-in-ogun-guangdong-free-trade-zone-hits-2b/

DMO Releases Q1 2019 Public Debt Data – Marginal Increase of 2.3% in the Total Public Debt of the FGN, States and Federal Capital Territory Recorded.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) in its practice of publishing the Public Debt Data comprising the Domestic and External Debts of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has released the Total Public Debt Data as at March 31, 2019. At ₦24.947 Trillion (US$ 81.274 Billion) as at March 31, 2019, the Total Public Debt grew marginally by 2.30% when compared to the figure of ₦24.387 Trillion (US$ 79.437 Billion) as at December 31, 2018.

The increase of ₦560.009 Billion in the Total Public Debt in Q1 2019, was accounted for largely by Domestic Debt which grew by ₦458.363 Billion.  Increases were recorded in the Domestic Debt Stock of the FGN, States and the FCT. External Debt also increased by ₦101.646 Billion during the same period.

In relation to the Debt Management Strategy, the Ratio of Domestic to External Debt stood at 68.49% to 31.51% at the end of March 2019. The Total Public Debt to GDP Ratio was 19.03% which is within the 25% Debt Limit imposed by the Government.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/10/nigerias-total-debt-stock-rises-to-n24-9tr-dmo/

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed the sum of N616.20bn to the three tiers of government in May 2019 from the revenue generated in April 2019.

The amount disbursed comprised of N518.92bn from the Statutory Account, N96.49bn from Valued Added Tax (VAT) and N797.11mln exchange gain differences.

Federal Government received a total of N253.92bn from the N616.20bn. States received a total of N168.06bn and Local Governments received N126.28bn. The sum of N46.35bn was shared among the oil-producing states as 13% derivation fund.

Revenue generating agencies such as Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) received N5.38bn, N6.78bn and N3.12bn respectively as cost of revenue collections.

Further breakdown of revenue allocation distribution to the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) revealed that the sum of N199.58bn was disbursed to the FGN consolidated revenue account; N4.56bn shared as share of derivation and ecology; N2.28bn as stabilization fund; N7.65bn for the development of natural resources; and N5.44bn to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/07/10/local-governments-received-n126-28bn-from-faac-allocation-in-may-2019-nbs/

Ikeja Electric Plc. (IE), one of Nigeria’s leading electricity distribution companies has announced the roll-out of prepaid meters for customers in the Ikorodu Business Unit.

According to the Disco, the deployment and installation of prepaid meters to customers in Ikorodu, which will be carried out by one of its MAPs, New Hampshire Capital limited, will commence on June 17th 2019 following the successful registration and subscription for meters by thousands of customers spread across Ikorodu and Epe.

This was made known at a media briefing held in Ikorodu which was attended by customers, stakeholders under Ikorodu Business Unit of Ikeja Electric. According to Ikeja Electric, this is part of the first phase, which will further extend to Abule Egba and Shomolu Business Units next week.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) empowers third-party companies identified as Meter Asset Providers (MAP) to procure and install meters for electricity consumers under this scheme. Customers applying for prepaid meters are expected to visit map.ikejaelectric.com to register.

Speaking on the roll-out, Head of Corporate Communications, Ikeja Electric, Felix Ofulue said, “In line with NERC regulations, customers are expected to pay for meters. Through the online process, customers are to abide the rules and regulation guiding the metering process and they should not to pay cash to anyone or fall prey to unscrupulous element who may want to take advantage of the scheme to fleece customers. They will be advised on the designated channels for payment”

While explaining the process, he noted that every customer is expected to go through the Know Your Customer (KYC) process and also agree on the settlement of the outstanding debt. After this, the account survey will then be carried out before payment for prepaid meter is made. The meters will be provided and installed within 10 working days of payment.

Ofulue also advised customers who dispute their outstanding bills to take advantage of the various repayment options available during the KYC process. The outstanding balance can also be rolled over into the customer’s prepaid account and paid in instalments.” he said.

According to him, the stipulated cost of a single-phase meter is N38, 850 while a three-phase meter is N70, 350. These are all inclusive of VAT.

To apply for the prepaid meter, customers are to complete or update their details by visitinghttp://map.ikejaelectric.com/. They can send email to CustomerCare@ikeJaelectric.com or call on any of 01-448-3900, 01-700-0250 and 0700-022-5543 for further information.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/11/ikeja-electric-rolls-out-prepaid-meters-for-ikorodu-customers-under-map-scheme/

We have received notification from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by a letter dated today, Monday, June 10, 2019 at 12:42pm directing the suspension of the validly convened 42nd Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of Oando PLC (“the Company”) on the premise of the Ex-parte Order of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos in Suit No: FHC/L/Cs/910/19 in Mr. Jubril Adewale Tinubu & Anor V Securities & Exchange Commission & Anor (“Ex-parte Order”).

The Company disagrees with the SEC’s position that its directive to suspend the 42nd AGM accords with the Ex-parte Order. Oando PLC by notice to the public and its shareholders on May 10, 2019, validly convened its 42nd Annual General Meeting. The actions contained in the SEC’s letter to the Company dated Friday, May 31, 2019, was effectively put in abeyance by the Ex-parte Order of the Federal High Court, which was granted on Monday, June 3, 2019.

It is the Company’s position that the action taken by SEC in directing cancellation of the AGM is not in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders who have travelled at great expense, from far and wide, to attend the annual meeting of their Company. The Company also stands to lose significant shareholder funds by the attendant cancellation of the AGM at such short notice.

The Company reserves its rights to take all legal steps to protect its business and assets whilst remaining committed to acting in the best interests of all its shareholders.

A new date for the AGM will be announced in due course.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/11/oando-plcs-official-response-to-the-securities-exchange-commissions-suspension-of-its-42nd-annual-general-meeting/

The Securities & Exchange Commission (‘the Commission’) hereby notifies the public that further to the Ex-parte Order of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos in SUIT NO: FHC/L/CS/910/19 IN MR. JUBRIL ADEWALE TINUBU & ANOR V SECURITIES & EXCHANGE COMMISSION & ANOR, the Annual General Meeting of Oando Plc (a company listed on the Nigerian and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges) scheduled to hold at the Zinnia Hall, Eko Hotels and Suites, Plot 1415, Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Victoria Island, Lagos on Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at 10: 00 am has been suspended till further notice.

Accordingly, the Commission has directed the suspension of the Annual General Meeting of Oando Plc to allow the parties to maintain the status quo.

The Commission will update relevant stakeholders and the public on the outcome of the ongoing litigation.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/10/breaking-news-sec-nigeria-suspends-oando-plc-annual-general-meeting-due-tomorrow-june-11-2019/

MTN Group is proud to announce the launch of Africa’s first Mobile Money (MoMo) artificial intelligence service or “chatbot”. The chatbot went live in Ivory Coast in May and will be rolled out across MTN’s MoMo footprint in the next few months.

The artificial intelligence mobile money “assistant” enables customers to engage with MTN’s MoMo services, including payments, on various social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, and via SMS. The service will also be included over time, in MTN’s own newly released advanced instant messaging service “Ayoba”. The chatbot is an artificial intelligence guide that assists users to navigate MTN’s MoMo services and provide other useful information. This innovation leverages messaging and artificial intelligence to drive customer engagement and enhance their MTN MoMo experience.

Commenting on the launch, MTN Group President and CEO, Rob Shuter said, “We are passionate about bringing the power of our mobile money solutions to more than 60 million customers across Africa over the next few years. Harnessing modern technologies like artificial intelligence can improve in scale, how MTN interacts with customers, enabling them to reach us anytime and anywhere, through a variety of channels including social networks and messaging applications. We can also harness the power of artificial intelligence to provide our customers with the right answers to their questions at the right time.”

Shuter added, “We are committed to improving financial inclusion with a range of solutions aimed at addressing the needs of various market segments. While MTN has made great strides in these areas, we will continue working to deliver our vision for MTN to become one of the largest Fintech players across our footprint.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/09/mtn-group-launches-africas-first-artificial-intelligence-service-for-mobile-money/

An estimated 115 million boys and men around the world were married as children, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said today in its first ever in-depth analysis of child grooms. Of these, 1 in 5 children, or 23 million, were married before the age of 15.

Using data from 82 countries, the study reveals that child marriage among boys is prevalent across a range of countries around the world, spanning sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific.

“Marriage steals childhood,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Child grooms are forced to take on adult responsibilities for which they may not be ready. Early marriage brings early fatherhood, and with it added pressure to provide for a family, cutting short education and job opportunities.”

"Central African Republic has the highest prevalence of child marriage among males (28 per cent), followed by Nicaragua (19 per cent) and Madagascar (13 per cent)"

According to the data, the Central African Republic has the highest prevalence of child marriage among males (28 per cent), followed by Nicaragua (19 per cent) and Madagascar (13 per cent).

The new estimates bring the total number of child brides and child grooms to 765 million. Girls remain disproportionately affected, with 1 in 5 young women aged 20 to 24 years old married before their 18th birthday, compared to 1 in 30 young men.

While the prevalence, causes and impact of child marriage among girls have been extensively studied, little research exists on child marriage among boys. However, children most at risk of child marriage come from the poorest households, live in rural areas, and have little to no education.

“As we mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, we need to remember that marrying boys and girls off while they are still children runs counter to the rights enshrined in the Convention,” said Fore. “Through further research, investment and empowerment, we can end this violation.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/09/115-million-boys-and-men-around-the-world-married-as-children-unicef/

There is a recruitment trap most start-ups must try to avoid. And it is wanting to hire the best in various fields from the get-go. As a start-up, hire faithfulness, commitment to the growth and pursuit of the business vision. You can't afford to be hung over paper qualification. Avoid the burden of bogus remuneration.

Follow the Jesus' example.

As a start-up in ministry, Jesus prayed and hired men who were seemingly unqualified. But they were committed to Him and His ministry. He mentored them. He trained them. And Jesus' ministry is still on over 2000 years after!

Now, professionals from every discipline known to man are involved in the spread of the same.

As a start-up, pray that God should send you men with the heart for the growth of your business idea. When the business grows, the Harvard's, Princeton's and Yale's graduates of this world will come knocking!

"For who has despised the day of small beginnings..." Zech.4:10.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/09/hiring-for-start-ups-the-jesus-example/

Only 6% of children in Africa live in areas where air pollution is reliably measured at the ground-level

Only 6 per cent of children in Africa lives in areas where air pollution is reliably measured at ground-level, leaving half a billion children across the continent living in areas with no reliable means of measuring air quality, according to a new UNICEF report released on World Environment Day.

For babies and young children, breathing particulate air pollution is extremely harmful to their health and development, as it can cause permanent damage to brain tissue and lungs. UNICEF warns that since air pollution is not monitored in Africa to the same extent as other parts of the world, we are not only potentially underestimating the severity of the impact – we might also be underestimating its scope. In Europe and North America, 72 per cent of children lives where air pollution is so measured, 43 per cent in Asia, and 25 per cent in South America.

The report notes that air pollution is a growing challenge for Africa. Air pollution also impacts ecosystems – vital to livelihoods and health – as well as food crops. A recent study noted in the report estimates the economic cost of premature deaths from outdoor air pollution across Africa to be $215bn.

Deaths from outdoor air pollution in Africa have increased 57 per cent over nearly three decades, from 164,000 in 1990 to 258,000 in 2017. Without ground-level monitoring stations that reliably measure air quality, Africa’s children are increasingly at risk of unwittingly breathing air that is toxic for their health and brain development, and the ability to devise effective responses is greatly compromised.

“Air pollution is a silent killer of children. And in Africa especially, we know the problem is severe, we just don’t know how severe,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Reducing children’s exposure to pollutants – and therefore reducing the damage to children’s health and early brain development – begins with a reliable understanding of the quality of the air they are breathing in the first place.”

Silent Suffocation in Africa measures the population of children living near reliable ground-level air quality monitoring stations. The report also offers guidance on different types of ground-level monitoring systems from regulatory-grade monitors to low-cost sensors.

Africa’s children are increasingly at risk of unwittingly breathing air that is toxic for their health and brain development

Ultrafine pollution particles are so small they can enter the bloodstream, travel to the brain, and damage the blood-brain barrier, which can cause neuroinflammation. Other types of pollution particles, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, can damage areas in the brain that are critical in helping neurons communicate, the foundation for children’s learning and development.

To understand the full extent of the problem, UNICEF urges governments to put in place permanent and high-quality ground-level monitoring stations as public goods. When combined with satellite imagery, such stations would form the backbone of a system that would help improve the reliability of less precise monitoring stations that capture variations across cities.

The report notes ground-level monitoring systems would also help advance innovative approaches that crowdsource data on air pollution which help build understanding in air quality as well as adjust behaviour to prevent exposure. Reliable ground level data helps to better capture the daily – even hourly – fluctuations in air quality. Monitoring also helps to identify sources of pollution, shaping public health policy, and informing action and interventions that target the most affected.

Noting some of the ways to reduce air pollution – as well as children’s exposure to it in the first place – UNICEF urges governments to:

Invest in renewable sources of energy to replace fossil fuel combustion; provide affordable access to public transport; increase green spaces in urban areas; provide cleaner cooking and heating solutions, and create better waste management options to prevent open burning of harmful chemicals.

Prevent children’s exposure to air pollution, including by creating smart urban planning so major sources of pollution are not located near schools, clinics or hospitals; and minimize exposure in the home.

Improve children’s overall health to improve their resilience. This includes the prevention and treatment of pneumonia, as well as the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and good nutrition.

“A young child’s brain is especially vulnerable because it can be damaged by a smaller dosage of toxic chemicals, children breathe more rapidly, and physical defences and immunities are not fully developed,” said Fore. “If toxic air is stunting our children’s development, it is stunting our societies’ development as well. All governments should take the necessary steps to make sure we know exactly what we are putting into the air and what it is doing to our children’s health and well-being.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/06/only-6-of-children-in-africa-live-in-areas-where-air-pollution-is-reliably-measured-at-the-ground-level/

The Ministry of Education has announced a shift in the dates for Screening Test into the State Model Colleges and Upgraded Schools, the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and Placement Test into Basic One in all Public Secondary Schools.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Adebunmi Adekanye who announced the postponement, said it was necessitated by the inability of many schools and private individuals to adhere strictly to the dictates of the new full e-registration system adopted by the Examination Board.

According to Adekanye, the non-adherence to instructions led to incoherent data by applicants, hence the need to postpone the examinations to clean up the data.

“There is a need to clean up the data with a view to bringing every candidate on board, thus necessitating the shift,” she stated.

She recalled that the Examination Board had replaced the manual registration with e-registration to further frustrate the activities of middlemen who have been extorting money from unsuspecting parents.

Adekanye appealed for the understanding of applicants, explaining that the Screening Test earlier scheduled for Saturday, 8th June 2019; the Computer Based Test (CBT) which precedes the Paper/Pencil Test (PPT) scheduled for 3rd to 7th June 2019; the Placement Test scheduled to hold on the 13th July 2019 and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) slated 25th June to 2nd July have all been postponed.

“The Ministry regrets all inconveniences the shift in dates may cause parents, guardians, schools, teachers, proprietors and pupils. New dates will be communicated in due course”, she stated.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/06/04/lasg-postpones-entrance-examination-dates-new-date-to-be-announced/