₦airaland Forum

Words are not always enough to express how much our mothers mean to us; hence, we sometimes take the extra step of expressing such with thoughtful gestures.

It started off as a usual day, but unknown to Esosa Oludare, Ezekiel Bassey Jackson and Daniel Okoko, a heartwarming and memorable experience were awaiting them. Access Bank invited the young men to speak about the sacrifice and love that their mothers have beautified their lives with.

Contrary to their expectations of simply expressing their appreciation to their mothers before a camera, each of them was surprised with an opportunity to gift their mothers with items worth N100,000. These presents were purchased and taken all the way to the homes of the lucky mothers, accompanied by the bank’s staff. The emotions of the mothers and their sons are quite difficult to describe, so here is the video for you to watch and connect.

Mothers are an asset to every nation, and Access Bank is pleased to celebrate them today and always. Happy Mother’s Day!

Watch the video below:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIvjE4FrYIQ

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/04/02/access-bank-helps-3-men-get-n100k-worth-of-gifts-for-their-mums-on-mothers-day/

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The 2020 Yaris embodies the ideal formula for modern hatchback appeal: make it fun, make it efficient and keep it affordable. Add in the latest in multimedia technology to go with practicality and value, and the new Yaris Hatchback hits all the key points its customer demands. It combines the sporty fun and premium engineering of the Yaris sedan in an audaciously styled hatchback while adding other upgrades.

Toyota makes another big step for high-quality small cars by introducing the all-new 2020 Yaris Hatchback that will debut at the New York International Auto Show.

It will be offered in mono-spec LE and XLE grades, with standard equipment levels in both that defy the segment expectations.

Refuses to Blend In

A bold, “cab-rearward” design gives the 2020 Yaris Hatchback a distinct hunkered-down, bulldog-like stance. The front end projects a gutsy attitude with a hexagon lower front grille and sharp-eyed headlamps. The XLE grade’s automatic LED headlamps to incorporate daytime running lamps. A choice of vibrant exterior colours amps up the head-turning quotient: Stealth, Graphite, Pulse, Sapphire, Chromium, Frost and Icicle.

At 161.6 inches long, the Yaris Hatchback can scoot into parking spaces that most others pass up. That’s a real bonus for urban dwellers, and so is the car’s super-tight 32.2-ft. turning circle. Meanwhile, the new Yaris Hatchback is spacious, with a wheelbase nearly 2.4 inches longer than the previous Yaris Liftback model. The 15.9 cu. ft., trunk area is nearly the size found in a midsize sedan.

Raise Your Standards

On all 2020 Yaris Hatchback models, standard 16-inch aluminium alloy wheels, body-colour side mirrors and door handles, and a chrome tailpipe tip set the premium tone. The side mirrors are power-adjustable and have integrated LED turn signals, and they’re also heated for quick cold-weather defrosting.

The long list of standard features includes many that are usually optional or offered only on upgrade models: Smart Key Entry with Push Button Start, fog lights, variable intermittent windshield wipers, rear backup camera, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, chrome interior door handles, and driver and front passenger sun visors with illuminated vanity mirrors. There’s even a first aid kit.

Max Multimedia

The standard 7-inch Touchscreen display audio system is ready to rock or hip-hop with clear, powerful sound played through six speakers. Maximizing connectivity and control, the system is equipped with standard Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto® as well as voice recognition and Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free phone operation. The 7-inch touchscreen display screen is a touchscreen or can be controlled by the remote commander knob.

Standard SiriusXM Satellite Radio comes with a three-month All Access trial subscription (150+ channels, including commercial-free music). USB ports and an auxiliary input ensure connectivity for all types of devices, and the sporty steering wheel integrates control switches for the audio and phone.

Here’s another surprise from the 2020 Yaris Hatchback: both the LE and XLE grades are equipped with navigation hardware; the customer simply needs to buy the accessory SD card through a Toyota dealer to activate navigation capability.

Stepping up to the XLE brings a taste of luxury with leatherette seating surfaces (choice of grey or black), automatic climate control, rain-sensing windshield wipers, automatic LED headlamps, and leather-trimmed steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake handle.

Big Safety in a Small Car

The 2020 Yaris Hatchback will come equipped as standard with a Low-speed Pre-collision Safety System in both model grades (standard on the Yaris Sedan, too). The system scans the road ahead for potential vehicle collisions. If a potential frontal collision is detected, an audio/visual alert and braking assistance are designed to automatically activate. Should the driver not respond, this system may automatically apply the brakes.

The Yaris Hatchback comes standard with an advanced active safety system that includes Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control System (TCS), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), and Brake Override System (BOS). The array of six airbags includes curtain airbags that help protect front and rear seat occupants.

Taut, Toned Athlete

The taut lines of the 2020 Yaris Hatchback are stretched over strong, athletic bones. The body structure comprises 65 per cent ultra-high tensile steels and is based on a continuous framework using straight beams wherever possible for maximum strength. The high structural integrity allows the MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion-beam rear suspension to be tuned for ride comfort and handling agility that exemplify the model’s “class above” driving dynamics. Translation: the Yaris Hatchback is a hoot to drive and a comfortable commuter.

The Yaris Hatchback’s tenacious handling is baked into the engineering, not just added on with fat tires and stiff suspension. A rigid steering mount provides a direct yet light feel, and the brakes are tuned to yield a progressive feel when cornering. Entering the curve, the brake pedal provides smooth operation, then leads into a more rigid feel as g-force rises.

Punching Above Its Class

Yaris gets its high appetite for fun and low appetite for fuel from a 1.5-litre inline four-cylinder engine that delivers 106 horsepower. High-compression (12.0:1) and direct fuel injection give the engine ultra-quick responsiveness that’s ideally matched to the standard 6-speed automatic transmission. The transmission’s torque converter locks in all gears for quicker, more direct shifts and greater fuel efficiency. Another surprise in this class is a Sport Mode, which changes the car’s personality with enhanced acceleration response.

The tight structure and finely tuned suspension don’t work alone in providing a comfortable ride. The 2020 Yaris Hatchback employs extensive sound-absorbing measures, including a noise-insulating windshield, to block noise paths into the cabin. Sound-absorbing material inside the tailgate, parcel shelf and spare wheel well help to reduce high-frequency noise entering the cabin from the rear.

Limited Warranty

Toyota’s 36-month/36,000 mile basic new-vehicle warranty applies to all components other than normal wear and maintenance items. Additional 60-month warranties cover the powertrain for 60,000 miles and corrosion with no mileage limitation. Standard Toyota Care is a complimentary plan covering normal factory-scheduled maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/04/01/all-new-2020-toyota-yaris-hatchback-combines-technology-cargo-capacity-and-practicality-photos/

…Says Pump Price of Petrol Remains N145 Per Litre

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has warned depot owners or terminal operators not to sell Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise called petrol, above the official ex-depot price of N133.28k per litre.

The Corporation also cautioned petroleum products, marketers, not to sell the product above N145 per litre.

Ex-depot price is the ceiling at which depot owners or terminal operators sell products to marketers, while the pump price of a product is the amount consumers buy it from fuel stations.

A release in Abuja by the corporation’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, said the subsisting ex-depot petrol price of N133.28k per litre was consistent with the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency’s (PPPRA) template and should be adhered to.

Mr. Ughamadu stated that NNPC held stock of over 1billion litres, adding that imports of 48 vessels of 50million litres each have been committed for the month of April alone.

He advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and volunteer information to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), 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/2019/04/01/nnpc-warns-depot-owners-not-to-sell-petrol-above-n133-28k-per-litre/

The much anticipated Access Bank logo post-merger with Diamond has been officially launched and unveiled.

In conclusion of its merger with Diamond Bank, Access Bank Plc has unveiled its new logo, signalling the commencement of a new enlarged banking entity.

At an elaborate ceremony at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, dignitaries gathered to witness the birth of the new banking entity.

The GMD of the new entity, Herbert Wigwe, thanked all present, especially Pascal Dozie, founder of the now rested Diamond Bank. In a remark, a former governor of CBN, Lamido Sanusi Lamido, praised the merger, saying it’s a good omen for the country.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/31/access-bank-unveils-new-logo/

National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday destroyed expired, substandard and falsified medical products worth over N2.8 billion.

Speaking during the exercise, NAFDAC Director General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye said that the products were seized by the Agency from manufacturers, importers, distributors and expired products voluntarily handed over to the Agency by compliant companies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Trade Unions.

“The estimated street value of the products is N2, 675,896,538.20 while the street value of the banned Tramadol is N283,500,000.00. Big beer brands struggle to tap into shifting consumer trends Adeyeye explained that the Agency has prosecuted some importers for running afoul of the law.

According to her, “In the first quarter of 2019, Mr. Luke Mbah, was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos for smuggling banned and fake 488 cartons of Barcadin with Codeine (cough syrup), Fake 207 cartons of Afrodiac Diclofenac Potassium tablets, Fake 44 cartons of Feed-Fine Cyproheptadine tablets (50mg each) and Fake 190 cartons of De Really Extra (Diclofenac Sodium tablet) worth N311,000,700.00.

“One Mr Madubuike Chukwunonye who allegedly sold Cough Syrup with Codeine to a BBC undercover agent in April 2018 was arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos. Another man, Mr Ebenezer Arimiwem, was convicted of the manufacture, distribution, packaging, labelling and processing of different brands of Counterfeit Cosmetic Products and was sentenced to fifteen months in prison without an option of fine.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/31/nafdac-destroys-unwholesome-products-worth-over-two-billion-naira-photos/

Nigerian Army Female Wrestler Wins Silver Medal for Nigeria At The 2019 African Wrestling Championship Held At Tunisia

The 2019 African Wrestling Championship took place at Hammamet, Tunisia from 26 - 31 March 2019. The Championship had participants from many African Countries, featured male and female participation in the Cadet, Junior and Senior Categories. Nigeria presented male and female wrestlers in the Senior Category.

It would be recalled that Nigeria won the 2018 Edition of the African Wrestling Championships held at PortHacourt, Rivers State in February 2018. At the end of the female event (Senior Category) of the 2019 African Wrestling Championships, Nigeria retained the crown of female wrestling in Africa by winning 5 Gold, 2 Silver and 2 Bronze Medals.

Nigerian Army Female Wrestler, - LCpl Hannah Reuben emerged one of the medalists for Nigeria by winning a Silver Medal in the 72Kg Weight Category.

The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen TY Buratai has since congratulated the Nigerian Army Female Wrestler on the feat achieved so far and urged her to do more in future exercises.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/31/nigerian-army-female-wrestler-wins-silver-medal-for-nigeria-at-the-2019-african-wrestling-championship-held-at-tunisia/

In the continuing escalation of offensive operations aimed at making islands and other settlements in Lake Chad untenable for Boko Haram Terrorists, troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) over the weekend embarked on clearance operation in Kerenoa and adjourning areas.

Contact was made with Boko Haram Terrorists at Andakar Camp. In the ensuing firefight, Malloum Moussa; Boko Haram Commander, along with 15 of his men were neutralized. 5 Gun Trucks were also destroyed. A woman whose relationship with the terrorists is yet to be determined was apprehended.

Information gathered has revealed that Malloum Moussa who had one eye was a high ranking Boko Haram Commander who had jurisdiction in the entire southern islands, including Daban Masara, Kirta Wulgo and Koleram. He was notorious for imposing hefty levies on farmers, fishermen and cattle herders to fund Boko Haram terrorism and Insurgency in the locality.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/31/boko-haram-loses-commander-15-men-and-logistics-graphic-photos/

Global e-commerce sales grew 13% in 2017, hitting an estimated $29 trillion, according to the latest numbers released today by UNCTAD.

A similar surge was seen in the number of online shoppers, which jumped by 12% and stood at 1.3 billion people, or one-quarter of the world’s population.

Though most internet buyers purchased goods and services from domestic vendors, the share of those buying from abroad rose from 15% in 2015 to 21% in 2017. The growth was driven mainly by an increase in the United States.

As a result, cross-border business-to-consumer (B2C) sales reached an estimated $412 billion, accounting for almost 11% of total B2C e-commerce ­­– a 4% hike on the previous year’s numbers.

“The new figures show that e-commerce is indeed creating export opportunities,” UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi said.

“But the question from a development standpoint is whether businesses in developing countries are prepared to seize the opportunities,” he said, adding that this will be discussed at next week’s eCommerce Week, held from 1 to 5 April at the United Nation’s European headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Little change occurred in the list of the top ten e-commerce markets, with the United States holding on to its top position. At almost $9 trillion, online sales there were three times higher than in Japan and more than four times higher than in China.

The only shuffle in the list was Germany’s overtaking of the Republic of Korea as the fourth largest online market.

While business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce continued to dominate – accounting for 88% of all online sales – B2C was the segment that saw the most growth, increasing by 22% to reach $3.9 trillion in 2017.

In the B2C realm, China increased its lead on the United States, while the United Kingdom held on to third place.

But UK consumers were still the most likely to shop on the internet, with a whopping 82% of people aged 15 and older making purchases online in 2017. Overall, however, China had the largest number of internet buyers at 440 million.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/29/global-e-commerce-sales-surged-to-29-trillion/

DEBUU:
Ravon are you going to sit for the exam for the first time? This is my first time , i need a material on the new course Evolution and management of microfinance bank

Not at all. Just one of my neighbours...

The first energy drink under the Coca-Cola brand will launch in Europe in April, the company announced today.

Coca-Cola Energy, which will debut in Spain and Hungary, features caffeine from naturally-derived sources, guarana extracts, B vitamins and no taurine – all with a great Coca-Cola taste and feeling that people know and love. A no-sugar, no-calorie option also will be available. Both will be offered in 250-ml cans.

“Coca-Cola Energy includes ingredients from naturally-derived sources and a delicious and refreshing taste of Coca-Cola,” says Javier Meza, global chief marketing officer, sparkling business, The Coca-Cola Company “We kept these two qualities at the heart of how we developed the recipe and are proud to offer it under the Coca-Cola brand, inviting people to try a new and different energy drink that is designed to complement upbeat and busy lives.” Read a Q&A with Meza about Coca-Cola Energy.

As a total beverage company, Coca-Cola continues to evolve its portfolio to bring people more of the drinks they want – from organic teas to juices, to enhanced waters, to ready-to-drink coffees, to new variants of Coca-Cola. The launch of Coca-Cola Energy is the latest articulation of this strategy.

Visual identity and marketing campaign will support the launch of Coca-Cola Energy, which is designed primarily for young adults, age 18 to 35. The new brand will be promoted in line with The Coca-Cola Company’s responsible marketing guidelines. These include, in line with UNESDA (European Soft Drink Association) guidelines, no sampling in proximity to primary and secondary schools and never promoting mixing with alcohol.

Meza said there are plans to add other markets in the future. “We plan to introduce Coca-Cola Energy in additional countries through 2019 and 2020,” said Meza. “We will confirm plans and timings if a decision is made to launch this new brand in a certain market.”

‘Total beverage’ transformation

Launching into new categories like energy drinks is an important milestone in Coca-Cola’s efforts to establish itself as a ‘total beverage’ company, much as PepsiCo is more reliant on its snacks than its soft drinks. That is to say, trademark Coca-Cola volumes are falling, so the company wants to diversify its revenues as much as it can.

James Quincey, the CEO of Coca-Cola, has previously said the company is “listening carefully and working to ensure that consumers are firmly at the centre of our business”

“If we embrace where the consumer is going, our brands will thrive and our system will continue to grow,” he said.

Quincey has previously refused to rule out a foray into alcohol – and indeed the company did launch its first ever alcoholic product for the Japanese market – while his ‘total beverage’ vision is epitomised by several recent launches.

Meza explains: “The launch of Coca-Cola Energy is in line with our work to diversify our legacy brands. This includes drinks such as Coca-Cola Plus Coffee… and the relaunch of Diet Coke in four new flavours. Coca-Cola Energy has a great Coca-Cola taste that people know and love with sweet and sour, fruity notes.”

The rationale for the transformation is clear: reducing sugar and offering sugar-free alternatives is a no-brainer, given the rise in consumer scrutiny and government intervention. But volumes have been falling too, and health-conscious consumers now drink more bottled water than they do CSDs – and without a change in thinking, that had the potential to hit Coke where it hurt.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/28/coca-cola-launches-first-energy-drink-under-the-coke-brand/

MultiChoice, Africa’s leading entertainment company today announced the launch of its WhatsApp self-service. The twenty-five-year-old company has shown once again that it understands the role of technology and is embracing it to provide the best service for its subscribers.

With the WhatsApp self-service, DStv subscribers can now upgrade their subscriptions, fix error codes, make payments and even rent Box Office movies, all by themselves! The WhatsApp self-service guarantees minimal wait time and low hassle as it provides an easy to use, convenient way of communicating in a format, customers are already comfortable with. It enables DStv to quickly and directly respond to customers as well as offers a phenomenal entry point for jumping on to the messaging bandwagon for customer service.

“We place our customers at the heart of everything we do and what this means is anticipating how to make their experience at our touch points hitch-free. This milestone is proof that we are serious about seeking innovative ways to improve customer experience on a continuous basis”. Says CEO of MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe.

Email and telephone are still the most commonly used customer service tools. But messaging apps are the perfect solution to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. It is no secret that the reach of WhatsApp is unmatched and unprecedented, with 1.5 billion users in 180 countries. By meeting customers where they spend considerable time, DStv’s WhatsApp self-service is creating convenience and 24 hours accessibility.

To use the service, simply add +234 908 236 8533 as a contact, type “Hi”, and you can check your balance, fix errors, change package, and make payment.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/28/dstv-launches-24-7-whatsapp-self-service/

The much-debated two-part documentary Leaving Neverland is a global hot topic at the moment, and DStv customers across Africa don’t have to wait long to see why this Channel 4 and HBO co-production has taken the world by storm. Just a few weeks after its controversial premiere in the US at the recent Sundance Film Festival, Leaving Neverland will be screened across two days on M-Net City, DStv channel 115 this weekend.

Part one will be aired on M-Net City on Saturday, 30 March at 8:40pm WAT, while part 2 will follow on Sunday, 31 March at 8:40pm WAT. To accommodate these screenings, M-Net City will reschedule The Blacklist S5 on Saturday and Stan Lee’s Lucky Man S3 on Sunday.

Fan of these shows can catch the next episodes as follows:

• The Blacklist S5 episodes 17 & 18 on Saturday 6 April

• Stan Lee’s Lucky Man S3 episodes 7 & 8 on Sunday 7 April

Directed and produced by five-time BAFTA-winner Dan Reed, the four-hour long Leaving Neverland unpacks the story of two individuals: James Safechuck and Wade Robson, now-adult men in their 30s, who befriended Jackson at the ages of ten and seven respectively. Through gut-wrenching interviews with Safechuck and Robson, as well as their mothers, wives and siblings, Leaving Neverland crafts a portrait of sustained abuse, and explores the complicated feelings that led both men to confront their experiences after both had a young son of their own. Playing out against the backdrop of our collective experience, the film documents the value of breaking silence, even when it implicates a powerful and revered figure.

“Bringing Leaving Neverland to African screens is testament to the fact that DStv brings the most compelling content to the continent as quickly as possible,” says MultiChoice Nigeria Chief Customer Officer , Martin Mabutho. “Please note, however, that documentary is not suitable for younger viewers as it contains strong language, discussions of self-harm and graphic descriptions of child sexual abuse.”

Among the line-up of channels which have already acquired the documentary are Network Ten Australia, DR Denmark, VPRO Netherlands, SVT Sweden, ProSieben Germany, Channel One Russia, VRT Belgium, NRK Norway, TVNZ New Zealand, Discovery Italy, DBS Israel, Amedia Russia, YLE Finland, Fox Asia, Front Row Middle East, RUV Iceland, M6 France, HBO Latin America, HBO Portugal and Movistar + in Spain and HBO CEE. Additionally, there are a considerable number of deals which are currently in the final stages of negotiation.

Leaving Neverland airs on M-Net City channel 115 on DStv with part one on Saturday, 30 March at 8:40pm WAT, and part two on Sunday, 31 March at 8:40pm.Please note that the EPG may take a while to reflect the aforementioned updates. Viewers on the move can also watch the documentary on DStv Now.

Critical reception of the contentious documentary includes:

“Hard to watch, tougher to ignore, impossible to forget…a portrait of bravery.” — Rolling Stone

“Overwhelmingly powerful and convincing.” — Variety

“Among Leaving Neverland’s remarkable achievements is Reed’s empathetic skill at providing the proper context.” — Screen Daily

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/28/dstv-to-air-controversial-leaving-neverland-documentary-this-weekend-on-m-net-city/

Nestlé Nigeria recently refurbished facilities in two primary schools to help create a more conducive environment for teaching and learning in communities where its factories are stationed.

The move, the company restated, was in line with its commitment to improving livelihoods in the communities closest to its operations.

“We believe that the long term success of our business is dependent on nurturing thriving communities closest to our operations,” Mauricio Alarcon, MD/CEO of Nestlé Nigeria said in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

“We therefore, work with our partners to enhance living conditions in the localities where most of our staff, suppliers and host communities reside.

“This is one of the ways we ensure that everyone connected to our business derives a benefit. We call this Creating Shared Value.”

He said the recent handover of the refurbished facilities in two schools close to the company’s Abaji and Flowergate factories underlines its efforts towards impacting its factory communities positively.

The two schools, LEA Primary School, Manderegi and NUD Primary School, Owode Egba are part of Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK), a school-based nutrition education initiative supported by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Education.

Alarcon said N4HK achieves its objectives by teaching and promoting healthy nutrition, healthy hydration, hygiene and an active lifestyle.

The training and coaching is implemented in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) in Ogun State and Universal Basic Education Board in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The programme is reaching over 17,000 children and 350 teachers in 30 primary schools.

“It will be difficult for children to imbibe healthy nutrition and hygiene practices if the environment is not conducive for putting what they learn into practice,” said Nestlé Nigeria’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Mrs Victoria Uwadoka.

“It is therefore important to ensure that the children and teachers have access to good classrooms, safe clean water, toilets and handwashing facilities.”

At the handover ceremony of LEA Primary School project which includes a refurbished classroom block, two new blocks of water system toilets, a fully equipped playground, a borehole and two water fetching points in January, the children and teachers expressed their delight with the improvement to their facilities.

“Our classrooms used to have holes in the roof where water leaked in during classes,” said Onyekachi, a pupil of LEA Primary School.

“We put buckets under the leaking roof to prevent flooding. Sometimes we used the water to wash our hands.
“We are very happy to have new toilets and water because, before we had to go to the bush to ease ourselves. We are very, very happy with Nestlé. We thank you.”

Also, speaking at the event, Hajiya Hadiza Abdullahi Umar, Head of Department at Abaji Area Education Council, said: “I am overwhelmed and extremely pleased with the improvements Nestlé has made to LEA Primary School facilities.

“Previously, the children needed to be cajoled to come to school. This improvement has not only changed the school’s outlook but has made learning a more enjoyable experience.’’

The NUD Primary School project, which includes a refurbished classroom block, two new water system toilet facilities, and a borehole with water fetching bays, and a fully furnished playground, was inaugurated in March.
In his address of welcome at the handover ceremony, Mr K.I. Keefa, Head Teacher of NUD Primary School, Owode Egba said: “This great project has contributed immensely to the overall development of education in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area as our school has been transformed into a standard and model primary school in the community.

“This project has also provided a befitting and conducive learning environment for our teachers and learners.”
The Executive Chairman, Ogun SUBEB, Alhaji Olatunde Okewole, urged the beneficiaries of the projects to appreciate Nestlé Nigeria’s laudable gesture by utilising the facilities judiciously and ensure that they are secured and preserved for continuous use.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/28/nestle-nigeria-renovate-schools-in-its-factory-communities/

The days of relying on Facebook for advertising your events may soon be over, as Google has started rolling out a new feature that lets users add their own public events to Google Maps.

You’ll be able to broadcast big neighbourhood events, restaurant openings, art gallery debuts, or other important gatherings without having to spam invites or social media posts.

Public events have been in Google Maps for a while, letting you browse nearby happenings from a long list of categories like concerts, nightlife, classes, outdoors, and more. Like these, user-created public events will be viewable on the map and searchable to all Maps users through the “Events” tab.

The new ‘Events’ feature was spotted by Android Police first. Google has also updated its support page to reflect details about the new feature. The support page says that the feature may not be available in all regions. To add an event, head to Google Maps on Android, tap on Contribute >Events > Add a public event. You can add an event name, tag the location, and add the time and date of the event as well. There’s an option to add an image, write more event details, and add description as well. Android Police reports that it had issues while adding an image to the event.

Once the event is saved, the creator can later edit it as well, by heading to Contribute >Events >Select your event >Edit this event.Furthermore, you can also delete the event by clicking Contribute >Events >Edit this event >Delete this event. There’s no word on when this feature will be available in all regions globally, or when Google plans to roll it out for iPhone users. At the time of writing, we weren’t able to spot the feature in the Android app.

Separately, Google has also reintroduced the city, state, and country borders on Maps for Android. The feature was removed without any warning a few months ago, but it seems to have made a comeback, with Android Police spotting it first. The borders show up when a user types broad searches like a city, or a state, or a country.

Earlier, the borders were highlighted with grey, but now, the area that you search is highlighted with red. The report says that this feature is showing up in version 10.12.1, but it’s not consistent. In some searches, the feature showed a pin, while in some the new outline features showed up. We aren’t able to see the new outline feature yet in our updated app.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/26/google-maps-allows-users-to-add-public-events-check-how-it-works/

yahyus:
Could This be NOne transaction that caught the interest of stakeholders in recent time is the merger between Diamond Bank and Access Bank. What started as a rumour in late 2018 and then metamorphosed into denials by both parties has now finally into a reality. For industry watchers, the deal is a long-anticipated one.

Last week, the court eventually legalised the process of the two financial institutions becoming a single entity.

A few weeks ago, Brand Spur reported that the management of the two banks had agreed to have a new corporate identity, which will reflect the two brands in line with Access Bank’s aggressive growth strategy to become the number one bank in Africa as outlined in its 2018-2022 Strategy presented to stakeholders in December 2017.
A moment ago, an industry watcher source gave us what looks like the new brand logo of the enlarged bank.

Read: Luminous Inverters Offers Affordable, Flexible Payment Plan
Based on the image of the logo seen, there is a fusion of Diamond Bank into Access Bank, with the Access Bank’s iconic arrow.ew Access Bank Logo After Merger With Diamond Bank?

https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/25/could-this-be-new-access-bank-logo-after-merger-with-diamond-bank/amp/

Waawu

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria says its April 2019 diet of the Banking Professional and Certification Examinations earlier scheduled for April 9 to April 11, 2019 has been rescheduled to hold from Wednesday April 24 to Friday April 26, 2019.

The CIBN stated that as a result of these adjustments, registration for the examination initially planned to close on Monday March 18, 2019 had been extended till Monday April 1, 2019.

It stated, “The postponement was occasioned by the shift in the dates of the general elections which in turn necessitated the rescheduling of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination by Joint Admissions Matriculation Board.

“Unfortunately the new dates fixed clashed with the period earlier scheduled for the CIBN examination, therefore making the CBT centres not available for use.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/26/cibn-sets-new-date-for-examination/

Using Google Analytics to track, analyse and optimize website performance of your website and campaigns.

Tracking of digital marketing campaigns is easy, this is especially because of the vast performance tracking tools the internet has to offer. For this particular article, we refer to the use of Google Analytics to track, analyse and optimise website performance of your website and campaigns.

We know that creating a website can be a long and strenuous task. In most cases, once the website is complete, we neglect or unaware of tracking our performance as most of our time was spent on getting it off the ground. At this point, we as web owners and marketers, simply want to perform, so how do we do that?

The answer is Google Analytics.

What is Google Analytics?

Google Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google to help track, monitor, and report on the performance of a website. Google Analytics enables marketers to set goals, track website traffic and customer behaviour, monitor conversions, and many more aspects of your website and how users interact with the site.

How to set up Google Analytics?

Setting up GA is as easy as copy and paste. Simply go to https://analytics.google.com/analytics/ or search for Google Analytics. Follow easy three steps; sign up for GA, add the GA tracking code provided by GA onto each and every page on your website and start analysing your audience.

How to set campaign goals?

Once your website has been set up onto Google Analytics, the next step is to set campaign goals as you want to track how visitors interact with your website. There are four types of goals; destination, duration pages per session and event. These goals are defined as actions a visitor can perform on a particular website, Google Analytics records these actions as what we call ‘conversions’.

To set up goals, you can simply go to Admin settings > Goals and create up to 20 goals. Here you can create different kinds of goals depending on what the campaign aims to achieve or how your website is structured.

For example, if your campaign goal is to increase the number of registration of applications, you would create a registration form on the website to track this goal. You’d then create an event goal in GA called Registration Form Submission, this goal will be aimed at tracking how many visitors complete the registration form.

Note that this type of goal is called an event, as the event triggered by visitors is a click on the submission button of the registration form (see above).

What are the key metrics to look at?

There are a number of metrics to look at when tracking and analysing the performance of your website. Web metrics can be defined as a measure or a method of measuring a visitor’s behaviour. This includes page views, sessions, traffic sessions etc.

Here are the top 10 metrics we believe every website should be focusing on:

1. Page views
2. Returning users vs new users
3. Mobile vs desktops visitors
4. Traffic Sources
5. Conversions (goal tracking)
6. Average sessions duration
7. Bounce Rate
8. Landing Pages
9. Exit Pages
10. Site speed

How to track, analyse and optimise?

For instance, let’s say your website is an online academy that offers online courses. Every month end you’d like to know how many students registered, how many visited the site and how did they get to the site in the first place.
To track these goals, you’d have to set up goals such as Registration Form Submission to track how many students registered for the online courses. You then set an objective of 100 conversions between the month of April and May. When this period ends, you’ll use the Conversions tab in GA and track your performance. You can even filter dates (top right of GA) to see on which dates had the most goals completed.
Based on data you’ll receive from GA, you could then further optimise your website by changing the way questions are asked, where is the registration form is placed and how convenient it is for users to complete the registration form. You could further add more content for users to interact with so they are informed enough to convert.

Conclusion!

Google Analytics is a web analytics tool provided by Google to help webmasters/owners and marketers to track, analyse and optimise their performance.

Using all the above steps, you can set up your website onto Google Analytics, set campaign goals and track the most important metrics that will help you measure the successes and failures of your digital campaign.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/26/how-to-track-analyse-and-optimize-website-performance-using-google-analytics/

The India-based ride-hailing firm Ola recently launched a fleet of Bajaj and Piaggio autorickshaws in Liverpool with an aim to overtake Uber as the region’s top taxi-app. Passengers enjoyed tuk-tuk rides free of charge on the first day.

Managing Director of ride-hailing giant Ola Ben Legg had an interesting day at work last week when drove people around the city of Liverpool behind the wheel of a Bajaj Re autorickshaw. The taxi-app recently launched a fleet of Bajaj and Piaggio autorickshaws in Liverpool with an aim to overtake Uber as the region’s top ride-hailing firm. People around the city saw brightly painted tuk-tuks with drivers wearing neon green jackets ferry passengers around. To celebrate its entry in the region, the Indian company offered rides free of charge around the Liverpool City Centre.

While Ola aims to challenge Uber on a global scale, it has said that its fleet will allow more choice to the customers and pay a larger share of the fare to the drivers compared to Uber.

“I have been driving passengers around the city today and have really enjoyed the chance to discuss the challenges that the community faces and how we can help with our new technology, Managing Director of Ola UK Ben Legg said, adding: “We are celebrating bringing more travel and employment choices to Liverpudlians with our ride-hailing app with the help of the community choir.”

Ola UK bajaj auto Liverpool tuktuksOla UK offered rides to passengers across the city free of charge on the first day of its operation. Introductory offers to celebrate Ola’s entry in Merseyside includes 50% off for customers who download the app before the end of April. As part of its pledge to empower drivers, Ola says it offers the highest driver rates, charging 10% commission to black cabs, compared with 25% charged by competitors.

Ola was first launched in the UK in Cardiff in August 2018, followed by a launch in Bristol in October and then in Bath and Exeter in November. The launch Liverpool is the fifth for Ols UK and the start of its expansion in the North of England this year.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/25/keke-marwa-in-uk-ola-uk-introduces-bajaj-piaggio-green-tuk-tuks-pictures/

The Lagos State Government has urged occupants of buildings already marked as distressed across the State to immediately vacate such premises pending demolition of the structure by Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Prince Rotimi Ogunleye made the appeal just as a distressed three-storey building located on 50 Kakawa Street, Campos, Lagos Island collapsed earlier today without recording any casualty.

Ogunleye said, “Fortunately, occupants had been evacuated before the incident occurred. Immediately, the Lagos State Rescue Team and LASBCA were alerted and they moved to site promptly to check all adjoining buildings so as to evacuate the occupants to avoid any further hazards.”

He urged residents affected by the directive to take advantage of the Resettlement Centre, Igando opened by the State government as a temporary relief from accommodation problems.

LASBCA, he said, has stepped up measures to prevent further loss of lives with the demolition of 25 distressed buildings already identified by the Agency.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/25/lasg-urges-occupants-of-distressed-buildings-to-vacate-premises/

The King Baudouin Foundation awards the African Development Prize to WeCyclers, a Lagos based waste management start-up. The Prize will allow WeCyclers to develop further their business and increase their impact at national and international level.

By 2100 Africa will account for 5 out of 10 biggest cities in the world, and Lagos could be the biggest city in the world. Today, Lagos residents generate 15,000 tons of waste per day, of which only 40% is collected by the municipal government. WeCyclers’ model is designed to help fill this gap and reduce solid waste in the street of Lagos, improving both the environment and the wellbeing of populations.

The organisation utilises low and high technology solutions that comprise of a mobile application and SMS technology, as well as innovative low-cost bicycle-powered collection vehicles, which collect recyclable waste directly from households, to sell it on to recycling plants before it is made into new products. Households are sent an SMS by WeCyclers informing them of any “points” earned, which may be redeemed for food, household items and other goods.

“We are proud to grant WeCyclers for their unique model”, said Hervé Lisoir from the King Baudouin Foundation. “We selected the enterprise out of 200 applications for its innovative approach to engaging the community turning to recycle into an economic driver for communities and turning citizens into agents of change.”

The company has also been selected for its economic impact. By rewarding citizens with “points”, it allows low-income communities to capture value from their waste, and redeem points for household goods, food items or cash aiding daily life. Today, the company already benefits from the engagement of over 17k subscribers in 7 localities in Lagos. It registers around 200 new members each month. The Nigerian start-up has also created 200 jobs in 7 years, with a focus on women, who currently account for 60% of their workforce.

“Giving back to the community is in the DNA of WeCyclers. We want to expand our business to other neighbourhoods. In the mid-term, we want to be big enough to build our own recycling plant. Growing more for WeCyclers, means being able to give back even more to the community, “declared Olawale Adebiyi, CEO of WeCylcers.

Since WeCyclers launched its initiative, awareness around the issue has risen among the general public, spurring several other companies to develop new solutions to recycling. WeCyclers have also recently partnered with major corporations, such as Unilever and Nigerian Bottling Company, to launch “kiosks” in places where there are no collection routes.

Through its financial support of €200,000, the Prize will allow WeCyclers to upscale their model and increase their footprint, with plans to expand in Lagos, other Nigerian cities and neighbouring countries. The Prize also provides access to a wide network of stakeholders in Europe and the US, who will support them as they grow. With current growth projections, WeCyclers aim to collect 5k tons of recyclables by 2020 and could be serving 500k households by 2023.

The biennial award ceremony in the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium at the Royal Palace in Brussels will take place on June 12.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/24/wecyclers-wins-e200000-prize-in-waste-management-photos/

Guaranty Trust Bank plc continued its dominance of Nigeria’s most qualitative digital financial service awards for the fourth year in a row, winning eight of the twelve honours available to Banks in the 2019 edition of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme (EPIS) Efficiency Awards.

The foremost African financial institution, renowned for its innovative products and services, won awards for efficiency and excellent service delivery in virtually every E-payment channel.

The CBN EPIS Efficiency Awards is organized to celebrate financial institutions, merchants and other stakeholders at the forefront of driving electronic payment in Nigeria. Now in its fourth year, the awards are based on objective analysis of all E-payments data collated by the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) over a full calendar year. With eight awards, GTBank took home two more honours than the six awards the Bank won the previous year and the highest number of awards presented to financial institutions, Fin-techs, merchants and other stakeholders in the Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme.

The eight awards won by GTBank include:

- Best Customer Experience Award: for having the highest level of overall customer satisfaction rating in the delivery of electronic payment services to customers in2018.
- Real-Time PaymentsTransaction Efficiency: for achieving the lowest failure rate in the processing of InstantPayments transactions in 2018.
- Cashless Driver, USSD Channel Champion: for achieving the highest number of instant Payments transactions via the USSD channel in 2018.
- Cashless Driver, Point of Sale (POS)Transactions: for achieving the highest transaction count on Point of Sale(POS) Terminals in 2018.
- Cashless Driver, Card Usageon Point of Sales (POS) Terminals: for authorizing the highest card transaction count on thePoint of Sale (POS) Central Terminal Management System in 2018.
- Direct Debit Driver Award: for processing the highest volume of successful debit mandates across all Payment Service Provider platforms in 2018.
- E-Reference Operations Efficiency: for the Bank’s outstanding performance in the processing of customers references received from other Banks for account opening purposes on the industry E-reference Platform in 2018.
- ID Services Driver: for achieving the highest volume in the use of the BVN, e-Passport and NIN customer verification platforms in 2018.

Commenting on the Bank’s EPIS awards, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, said; “We are proud to be recognised by the CBN EPIS Efficiency Awards for our efforts in driving excellence in electronic payments and providing customers with a superior banking experience across all digital touchpoints. These awards serve as extra motivation for us and we continue to find new and exciting ways to reduce our customers’ pain points and offer them benefits beyond banking.

He further stated that; “At GTBank we are passionate about building the bank of the future that connects our customers directly to all the everyday things that matter to them. That is why we are constantly leveraging the best of technology to, not only make financial services cheaper, more personal and readily accessible, but also to create amazing digital experiences in a way that adds real value to our customers’ lives.”

Guaranty Trust Bank plc is a foremost African Financial Institution with Total Assets of ₦3.287trillion and Shareholders’ Funds of ₦575.6Billion. With banking operations across 10 African countries and the United Kingdom, GTBank is regarded by industry watchers as one of the best run financial institutions in the countries in which it operates and serves as a role model in Africa’s financial service industry due to its bias for world-class corporate governance standards, excellent service delivery, and innovation.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/24/gtbank-dominates-cbn-e-payments-awards-wins-8-out-of-12-banking-honours/

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From the ever elegant Onyeka Onwenu to the energetic Angelique Kidjo, here are some African female artistes who have evolved into a space of unforgettable music legends of all time.

Over the years, the giant strides in the African music industry have been hinged on the continent’s cultural heritage and diversity. However, there have been some exceptional female musicians who have outshined the rest. Whether they are giving out an electric stage performance, or hitting the right notes, these divas are known for creating the most successful music Africa has ever produced.

From the ever elegant Onyeka Onwenu to the energetic Angelique Kidjo, here are some African female artistes who have evolved into a space of unforgettable music legends of all time.

Angelique Kidjo

Topping the list of African female divas is Benin-born superstar, Angelique Kidjo. Born to a Fon father and Yoruba mother, Kidjoe is popular for her powerful voice as well as her creative music videos. She started singing at the age of 6 in her mother’s dance troupe where she was also a dancer. Angelique rose to international fame in 1991 with the release of “Logozo”, her first chart-topping album. Referred to as “Africa’s greatest living diva”, Kidjo’s music is a blend of jazz, pop, reggae, afrobeat, pop and African traditional music. The influential diva speaks Fon, Swahili, Yoruba, English fluently and this fluidity plays a huge role in the spread of her music. The 58-year old singer has over 50 awards to her credit which include honorary degrees, Grammy awards and several lifetime achievement awards. Some of her hit songs include “Agolo”, “Wombolombo”, and “Malaika”.

Onyeka Onwenu

Onyeka Onwenu began her music career in 1981 with the release of the album, “For The Love of You”. Prior to her music career, she worked as a journalist in the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) where she wrote and presented a BBC sponsored documentary called “Nigeria; A Squandering of Riches”. Onyeka graduated with a BA in Industrial Relations and Communications from the prestigious Wellesley College of Massachusetts, USA, as well as a Masters degree in Media Studies from The New School for Social Research in New York. The music legend, who also is an actress, has many hit songs to her credit, One Love”, “Iyogogo”, “Wait For Me ft King Sunny Ade” and is labelled the “Elegant Stallion.” by many.

Salawa Abeni

Crowned the “Queen of Waka music” by the Alaafin of Oyo Kingdom, Salawa Abeni became the first ever female Yoruba artiste to sell over one million copies of an album. Her career began when she was only 10 years old, when hundreds of people lined up at a function in Epe, just to listen to her sing. She debuted with the album titled, Late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, which later became a best-seller. Some other hits by the Waka queen include “Gentle Lady”, “This is waka music” and lots more.

Miriam Makeba

Born as Zensi Miriam Makeba on the 4th of March 1932, the South African superstar was named as one of the most prominent African performers in the 20th century. She began singing in the choir at an early age and became a professional vocalist in 1954. Her music career earned her tons of local and international awards, including the prestigious Grammy Award. Miriam, who sings in English, Xhosa and Zulu languages, had 30 successful albums, some of which went platinum. Till her death, she was one of the few African artistes who had a successful career at home and abroad. Her music style was a mixture of Jazz, traditional melodies and Western music and some of her hits include “Pata Pata”, “Lumumba”, “Soweto Blues” among others.

Evi-Edna Ogholi

Popular for her hit song “Happy Birthday”, Evi-Edna Ogholi is a Nigerian female Reggae artist, and one of the pioneers of Reggae music in the country. Born on the 6th of July, 1965 in Isoko, Delta State, Evi released her first album, “My Kind of Music” in 1987. After this, she released three more albums which all went platinum. Her music was mainly sung in her native language, Isoko, however, it was loved across different countries in Africa. Asides “Happy Birthday,” which remains an anthem at birthday parties, her other hit songs include, “No place like home”, “On the move”, “Step by step”, among others.

Yvonne Chaka-Chaka

Yvonne is a South-African born singer, songwriter and humanitarian. She started singing at the age of 19 and became the first black child singer to appear on television in South Africa. The 54-year old diva has numerous hits to her credit, including “Umqombothi”, “Motherland”, “Sangoma” and lots more. Till date, Yvonne remains a force to Reckon with on the African music scene as she has shared the stage with legends like Hugh Masekela, Bono, Johnny Clegg to mention a few.

Christy Essien-Igbokwe

Known as “Nigeria’s Lady of Songs”, the Akwa-Ibom born songstress sings in six different languages; Yoruba, Hausa, Ibibio, Efik, Igbo and English. Most of her songs were centred around societal issues, especially issues pertaining to women and children. Throughout her career, Christy released many hit songs including “Seun rere”, “You can’t change a man”, “Rumours” and lots more. Before her death, the songstress was the first female president of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN). Among her several awards and accolades is the informal anthem, “Akwa-Ibom Mmi” which she sang for her state of origin, Akwa Ibom.

Brenda Fassie

African music of the old will not be complete without the mention of these great women, who arguably, were pioneers of many African music genres. They provided Africans with beautiful tunes to dance to as well as the younger generation of music divas a platform to build on.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/23/female-african-music-legends-of-all-time/

Private Equity-backed Themis, an Africa-focussed power company based in Morocco, has announced a new partnership with Kingline Development Nigeria Limited (Kingline) to develop a 550MW natural gas-fired power plant in Ondo State, Nigeria.

At a project cost of approximately $600 million, the plant is set to become one of the world’s lowest cost natural gas-fired power plants.

The project involves building a 550-MW combined cycle powerhouse, a substation, a desalination facility and related infrastructure at the Ondo State International Industrial Park at Omotoso, 170 km northeast of Lagos.

The plant will source the required gas from the nearby gas fields in the Ondo onshore/offshore basin. It is expected to be commissioned by 2020 and to become fully operational in 2022.

According to Tas Anvaripour, CEO of Neo Themis, “Kingline offers compelling advantages for the Federal Government of Nigeria given its extremely competitive pricing, availability of peripheral gas and transmission infrastructure, timing to the operation, and technical flexibility.”

Africa’s most populous nation currently has 4,000 MW of operational capacity, compared to 13,400 MW of installed capacity and 15,000 MW of demand.

State-run Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) will buy electricity from the Ondo plant for a period of 20 years on a take-or-pay basis, officials said.

Neo Themis was set up in 2018 under a partnership between Themis and Denham Capital, a global energy-focused private equity firm, acting through its International Power Fund, to launch the Africa Power Investment Platform.

The team was headquartered in Morocco through the incorporation of a new company, Neo Themis.

Denham Capital had then vowed to earmark $250 million for the development of energy projects in Africa.

“Despite increased competition, the number of projects reaching closing is still largely below the needs of the continent, and this new venture is well positioned to fill the gap,” CEO of Neo Themis, Tas Anvaripour, had then said.

Themis has been responsible for developing and financing some of Africa’s most significant infrastructure and power projects over the last decade, while Denham Capital is an investor and developer of natural gas-fired and renewable power generation assets across Africa.

The Themis team is actively developing circa 400 megawatts across the African continent, including the 44-megawatt Singrobo hydro project in Côte d’Ivoire, and is targeting the development of more than 1 gigawatt of gas-fired and renewable power generation projects in the medium term.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/23/morocco-based-themis-to-develop-550mw-natural-gas-fired-power-plant-in-ondo-state/

Do you own a small business in the food industry? Can you cater to thousands of people? This is your chance to showcase your brand to the world.

The GTBank Food and Drink Festival is calling on Food Vendors to register for a Free Stall at the forthcoming event, which is scheduled to hold from April 28th to May 1st, 2019 at GTCentre, Plot 1 Water Corporation Drive, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. 10 am – 9 pm daily.

Organized by leading African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, the GTBank Food and Drink Festival has become the premier culinary event in Africa, bringing together thousands of food lovers from across the continent to support and celebrate Nigeria’s vibrant small businesses in the food retail sector.

After three successful editions, this year’s Festival will hold for four days and will give out free stalls to selected vendors who want to exhibit their products.

Who Can Apply?

Vendors who are into Restaurant business, Fresh Foods (Fruits, Vegetables & Frozen Foods), Confectioneries & Bakery Items, Beverages, Wines & Spirits, Ready to Eat Consumables and others.

Registration will close on March 30th 2019

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/23/see-how-to-apply-for-a-free-retail-stall-at-the-2019-gtbank-food-and-drink-festival/

Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo state will become hub of industrialization in the state.

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu made this known yesterday, during a thank-you-tour to Odigbo Local Government area of Ondo South Senatorial District for their loyalty and support for the party during the recent House of Assembly election.

He explained that the Local Government housed a number of industries, which included a Textile factory, Paper Mill, Cassava to Ethanol factory, among others at the Ore Industrial Hub.

“The flyover we are constructing in Ore, Odigbo Local Government is consuming half of what we spend on infrastructure in the state, this is part of our appreciation to the people of the area,” he said.

The governor also promised to do more for the people of the area, and thanked them for the massive support in the recently concluded House of Assembly election.

Akeredolu who further described Odigbo local government as Mini-Nigeria for being dominated by all tribes, thanked the people for support and loyalty to the party at all times.

“We have never lost an election in this local government, even when I first contested, I have always won here. We have come to thank you for standing by us and we will never let you down”, he said.

The Governor promised that construction of various farm to trading centres roads would soon commence under the Rural Access Mobility Project (RAMP) which would enable farmers transport their farm produce to markets.

Speaking on behalf of other traditional rulers, the Ajobu of Araromi-Obu, Oba Aderemi Adelola lauded the Governor’s gesture to thank them for their supports for peace that reigned during the just concluded House of Assembly election and at all times.

“One good turn, they say deserves another, we promise to continually support your administration to record more successes in subsequent elections”, he said

The Monarch, while thanking Governor Akeredolu for the Ore Flyover under construction, the Ore Industrial Hub, renovation of both Primary and Secondary schools as well as rehabilitation of boreholes, appealed for the construction of more roads in the area.

Member representing Odigbo Constituency 1 and Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon Iroju Ogundeji thanked the people for their support during the election and assured that it would translate into more infrastructural development.

He assured that people of the local government will throw their weight the Governor’s second term in office following the massive infrastructural development in the area which included the Ore Industrial Hub, the Ore fly-over under construction among other projects.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/22/ore-will-become-economic-hub-in-ondo-state-akeredolu/

Tunde Fowler, the Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS on Tuesday called for an increase in the number of Nigerians and companies paying VAT and not a 50 per cent increase in VAT rate.

Contrary to reports in the media yesterday and today, the FIRS Executive Chairman called for a reduction in Companies Income Tax (CIT) rate for small businesses so as to improve compliance.

Though he indicated that there should be an increase in VAT rate by the end of the year, he NEVER, for once suggested a 50 per cent hike of any percentage increase at all.

Rather, he promised improved collection in CIT, Petroleum Profits Tax, PPT and VAT in 2019 relative to the collection performance of the Service in 2018.

In 2018, FIRS collected the sum of N1.1 trillion in VAT N1,42 in Companies Income Tax (CIT) and N2.4 trillion in Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT).

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/21/fowler-did-not-call-for-50-increase-in-vat-rate/

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), said the average price of some selected food items in the country decreased in February.

NBS said this in its “Selected Food Price Watch (February 2019)” report.

Selected food price watch data for February 2019 reflected that the average price of 1 dozen of Agric eggs medium size decreased year-on-year by 10.56% and month-on-month by 1.19% to N464.27 in February 2019 from N469.85 in January 2019 while the average price of piece of Agric eggs medium size(price of one) increased year-on-year by 2.33% and month-on-month by 0.12% to N42.23 in February 2019 from N42.18 in January 2019.

According to the report, the average price of 1kg of tomato decreased year-on-year by -3.97% and month-on-month by -3.38% to N256.50 in February 2019 from N265.49 in December 2018.

It further stated that the average price of 1kg of rice (imported high quality sold loose) decreased year-on-year by 0.23% and decreased month-on-month by -0.45% to N364.38 in February 2019 from N366.04 in January 2019.

Similarly, the average price of 1kg of yam tuber decreased year-on-year by -10.56% and month-on-month by -2.24% to N206.48 in February 2019 from N211.21 in January 2019.

In February 2019, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Nasarawa (16.78%), Taraba (16.76%) and Abuja (16.29%), while Kogi (11.68%), Delta (11.51%) and Abia (10.81%) recorded the slowest rise in food inflation.

On month on month basis however, February 2019 food inflation was highest in Taraba (2.95%), Ogun (2.73%) and Nasarawa (2.42%), while Benue, Delta, Kogi and Ondo all recorded food price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level of goods and services or a negative inflation rate) in February 2019.

The NBS said in arriving at the report, fieldwork was done by more than 700 NBS staff in all states of the federation supported by supervisors who were monitored by internal and external observers.
It said the NBS audit team subsequently conducted randomly selected verification of the prices recorded.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/21/prices-of-food-stuff-drop-in-february-nbs/

Being cheated on is the worst. You feel rejected and pissed, then the thoughts of ‘am I not good enough?’ come up and you end up losing faith or trust in men. But it also a great thing to be secure in the fact that your man is not cheating and the only way to be sure about that is if he ticks the following points:

His friends are also faithful

People are more likely to cheat if their friends are also cheaters. If his friends are trustworthy and reliable, it’s most likely he’s trustworthy too. You do not have to worry too much.


He feels loved and trusted

Most men don’t cheat because they’re not satisfied sexually. They cheat because they’re seeking emotional satisfaction. If they are feeling loved and trusted, they most likely not cheat.

He’s an extrovert

Extroverts are less likely to go along with the influence of others. But for introverts, they are actually more likely to cheat because they’re more likely to agree to someone propositioning them. So even if he’s always out there meeting new people, you actually might be safer.

He has a hard time getting it up.

Men who are easily aroused are more likely to cheat. But with the internet and your smartphone, this may not be tenable because you can sit in your home and still run things. This is true to a very large extent.

He makes an effort to always keep you updated about his whereabouts

You don’t even have to keep messaging or calling him to ask about where he is about a particular moment. You don’t even have to keep asking him about what he’s up to. You don’t have to keep pestering him about his plans. You don’t have to keep asking him about what’s bothering him. He’s an open book to you. He will willingly take the initiative to keep you informed on the ins and outs of his life. He would never want to make you feel excluded at all.

He keeps himself busy

If he is the type of guy who is always doing something, then chances are he probably will not have the time to engage in any 3rd party relationships at all. If he’s always getting caught up with his work, hobbies, or fitness routines, then he really doesn’t have time for dating other girls.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/16/how-to-be-sure-your-man-is-not-cheating/

The average price for refilling a five kilogramme (Kg) cylinder for Liquefied Petroleum Gas, otherwise known as cooking gas increased by 1.37 per cent (month-on-month) to N2, 067.68 in February 2019, compared to N2,039.82 recorded in January, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

But it decreased by -4.09 per cent, year-on-year when compared to the N2,155.97 recorded in February 2018, the NBS added.

According to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Cooking Gas) Price Watch – February 2019, which was posted on its website yesterday, states with the highest average price for refilling a 5kg gas cylinder included Bauchi N2,500.00, Cross River N2,450.00 and Adamawa/Borno N2,400.00.

On the other hand, Osun with N1,811.11, Kaduna N1,725.00 and Enugu N1,680.00 represented states with the lowest average price for the refilling of a 5kg cylinder of cooking gas.

Similarly, the average price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder for cooking gas decreased by -0.77 per cent (month-on-month) and -2.04 per cent (year-on-year) to N4,244.91 in February 2019 from N4,277.86 in January 2019, the statistical agency stated.

It pointed out that Akwa Ibom with N4,700.00, Abia N4,688.89 and Cross River N4,759.09 were states with the highest average price for the refilling the 12.5kg cylinder if cooking gas while Oyo N3,805.88, Ogun N3,835.71 and Kano N3,775.00 paid less.

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In the same vein, the average price per litre paid by consumers for household kerosene decreased by -0.27 per cent month-on-month to N305.55 in February compared to N306.28 in January as well as increased by 5.85 per cent (year-on-year) when compared to the N288.57 recorded in February 2018.

Plateau with an average price of N335.55, Anambra N332.22 and Enugu N329.17, had the highest average price per litre of kerosene for the period while Gombe N265.74, Niger N268.42 and Lagos N274.35 paid the lowest average price per litre of kerosene.

According to the National Household Kerosene Price Watch (February 2019) also released yesterday, the average price per gallon paid by consumers for household kerosene increased by 2.71 per cent (month-on-month) and 15.90 per cent (year-on-year) to N1209.73 in February from N1187.75 in January.

States with the highest average price per gallon of kerosene were Jigawa N1331.25, Borno N1325.00 and Katsina N1305.00. while those with the lowest average price per gallon of kerosene were Niger N1,110.00, Kogi N1,051.43 and Bayelsa N1,105.00.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/15/price-of-cooking-gas-increases-to-n2067-68/