₦airaland Forum

In a bold move, Nike opens the tough conversation that so many corporations turn blind eyes, deaf ears and silent mouths to.

The brand famously is known for its campaign encouraging you to get out there and "Just Do It" is flipping the switch and urging people "Don't Do It" in new messaging focused on race.

Friday evening, Nike posted a text-only video on its social media accounts with messaging encouraging people to "For once, Don't Do It," a play on the brand's iconic slogan that's recognized around the world.

The message reads:

FOR ONCE, DON'T DO IT. DON'T PRETEND THERE'S NOT A PROBLEM IN AMERICA. DON'T TURN YOUR BACK ON RACISM. DON'T ACCEPT INNOCENT LIVES BEING TAKEN FROM US. DON'T MAKE ANY MORE EXCUSES. DON'T THINK THIS DOESN'T AFFECT YOU. DON'T SIT BACK AND BE SILENT. DON'T THINK YOU CAN'T BE PART OF THE CHANGE. LET'S ALL BE PART OF THE CHANGE.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drcO2V2m7lw

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/31/nike-releases-new-film-for-once-dont-do-it-in-a-message-about-racism-in-america/

Throughout the years, the slogans used in advertising for Coca-Cola have reflected not only the brand but the times. Slogans provide a simple, direct way to communicate about Coca-Cola.

The 1906 slogan, “The Great National Temperance Beverage,” reflects a time when the society in the United States was veering away from alcoholic beverages, and Coca-Cola provided a nice alternative.

Other slogans have concerned our sales figures, such as “Three Million a Day” from 1917 or “Six Million a Day” from 1925. In terms of drinks a day, that’s a vast difference from the one billion a day mark The Coca-Cola Company passed in 1997.

Some slogans for Coca-Cola have concentrated on the quality of the product, its refreshing taste, or even its role in entertaining, as in 1948’s “Where There’s Coke There’s Hospitality.”

In 1985, the introduction of a new taste of Coca-Cola (commonly called new Coke® ) and the reintroduction of Coca-Cola classic and the original formula led to multiple slogans. 1985 featured “America’s Real Choice,” while by 1986, two slogans were used to differentiate the brands, with “Red, White & You” for Coca-Cola classic and “Catch the Wave” for Coca-Cola.

Some advertisements themselves rise to the level of memorable slogans. The 1971 “Hilltop” ad featured a song with the words “I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke.” Although that wasn’t an actual slogan (the ad in fact was part of the “It’s the Real Thing” campaign), the ad and song lyrics are still so well known today that the lyrics are considered a slogan to many.

In January 2003, the latest slogan for Coca-Cola has introduced — “Coca-Cola… Real.” The campaign (and slogan in turn) reflects genuine, authentic moments in life and the natural role Coca-Cola plays in them.

Slogans for Coca-Cola From 1886 to 2006

1886 – Drink Coca-Cola
1904 – Delicious and Refreshing
1905 – Coca-Cola Revives and Sustains
1906 – The Great National Temperance Beverage
1917 – Three Million a Day
1922 – Thirst Knows No Season
1923 – Enjoy Thirst
1924 – Refresh Yourself
1925 – Six Million a Day
1926 – It Had to Be Good to Get Where It Is
1927 – Pure as Sunlight
1927 – Around the Corner from Everywhere
1929 – The Pause that Refreshes
1932 – Ice Cold Sunshine
1938 – The Best Friend Thirst Ever Had
1939 – Thirst Asks Nothing More
1939 – Whoever You Are, Whatever You Do, Wherever You May Be, When You Think of Refreshment Think of Ice Cold Coca-Cola
1942 – The Only Thing Like Coca-Cola is Coca-Cola Itself
1948 – Where There’s Coke There’s Hospitality
1949 – Along the Highway to Anywhere
1952 – What You Want is a Coke
1956 – Coca-Cola… Makes Good Things Taste Better
1957 – Sign of Good Taste
1958 – The Cold, Crisp Taste of Coke
1959 – Be Really Refreshed
1963 – Things Go Better with Coke
1969 – It’s the Real Thing
1971 – I’d Like to Buy the World a Coke (part of the “It’s the Real Thing” campaign)
1975 – Look Up America
1976 – Coke Adds Life
1979 – Have a Coke and a Smile
1982 – Coke Is It!
1985 – We’ve Got a Taste for You (for both Coca-Cola & Coca-Cola classic)
1985 – America’s Real Choice (for both Coca-Cola & Coca-Cola classic)
1986 – Red, White & You (for Coca-Cola classic)
1986 – Catch the Wave (for Coca-Cola)
1987 – When Coca-Cola is a Part of Your Life, You Can’t Beat the Feeling
1988 – You Can’t Beat the Feeling
1989 – Official Soft Drink of Summer
1990 – You Can’t Beat the Real Thing
1993 – Always Coca-Cola
2000 – Coca-Cola. Enjoy
2001 – Life Tastes Good
2003 – Coca-Cola… Real
2005 – Make It Real
2006 – The Coke Side of Life
2009 – Open Happiness

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/31/history-of-coca-cola-advertising-slogans/

As part of continuing measures to control the spread of Coronavirus, the Lagos State Government has commenced the periodic disinfection of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies Statewide.

A statement signed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello explained that the exercise was part of the resumption protocols for the gradual opening of government offices within and outside the State Secretariat.

The statement emphasised that the government will continue to adopt measures to ensure that the COVID-19 pandemic does not spread further, saying that the fumigation exercise will be a continuous process until the fight against the novel virus is contained.

The exercise, which commenced on the 25th of May 2020 is expected to end on the 13th of June 2020 and will be carried out after the close of work on Fridays and weekends to prevent disruption of activities.

According to the schedule, the Ministry of Education, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Wealth Creation & Employment, Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources, Ministry of Home Affairs, Lagos State Liaison Office Annex, Lagos State Valuation Office, Lagos State Real Estate Transactions Department, Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives and Lagos State Planning & Environmental Monitoring Authority will be fumigated on Saturday 30th of May 2020.

Others include the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, State Treasury Office, Ministry of Finance, Office of Finance, Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Establishments, Training & Pensions, among others, scheduled for fumigation on Sunday, 31st May 2020.

The statement further listed Ministry of Youth & Social Development, Ministry of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of Science & Technology, Lagos State Safety Commission, Ministry of Economic Planning & Budget, Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, Office of the Head of Service/Public Service Office, Ministry of Special Duties & Inter-Governmental Relations as well as the Office of Transformation, Creativity & Innovation, which will be fumigated on Saturday 6th of June 2020.

All other establishments have been slated for fumigation on the 7th, 12th and 13th of June 2020 respectively.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/30/lasg-begins-periodic-fumigation-of-ministries-and-agencies/

Agencies encourage women to continue to breastfeed during the COVID-19 pandemic

A new report by WHO, UNICEF, and the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) reveals that despite efforts to stop the harmful promotion of breast-milk substitutes, countries are still falling short in protecting parents from misleading information.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for stronger legislation to protect families from false claims about the safety of breast-milk substitutes or aggressive marketing practices. Breastmilk saves children’s lives as it provides antibodies that give babies a healthy boost and protect them against many childhood illnesses.

WHO and UNICEF encourage women to continue to breastfeed during the COVID-19 pandemic, even if they have confirmed or suspected COVID-19. While researchers continue to test breastmilk from mothers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, current evidence indicates that it is unlikely that COVID-19 would be transmitted through breastfeeding or by giving breastmilk that has been expressed by a mother who is confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19. The numerous benefits of breastfeeding substantially outweigh the potential risks of illness associated with the virus. It is not safer to give infant formula milk.

Of the 194 countries analysed in the report, 136 have in place some form of legal measure related to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent resolutions adopted by the World Health Assembly (the Code). Attention to the Code is growing, as 44 countries have strengthened their regulations on marketing over the past two years.

However, the legal restrictions in most countries do not fully cover marketing that occurs in health facilities. Only 79 countries prohibit the promotion of breast-milk substitutes in health facilities, and only 51 have provisions that prohibit the distribution of free or low-cost supplies within the health care system.

Only 19 countries have prohibited the sponsorship of scientific and health professional association meetings by manufacturers of breast-milk substitutes, which include infant formula, follow-up formula, and growing up kinds of milk marketed for use by infants and children up to 36-months old.

“The aggressive marketing of breast-milk substitutes, especially through health professionals that parents trust for nutrition and health advice, is a major barrier to improving newborn and child health worldwide,” says Dr Francesco Branca, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety. “Health care systems must act to boost parent’s confidence in breastfeeding without industry influence so that children don’t miss out on its lifesaving benefits.”

WHO and UNICEF recommend that babies be fed nothing but breast milk for their first 6 months, after which they should continue breastfeeding – as well as eating other nutritious and safe foods – until 2 years of age or beyond.

Breastfeeding under threat as health systems stretched thin

Babies who are exclusively breastfed are 14 times less likely to die than babies who are not breastfed. However, today, only 41% of infants 0–6 months old are exclusively breastfed, a rate WHO the Member States have committed to increasing to at least 50% by 2025. Inappropriate marketing of breast-milk substitutes continues to undermine efforts to improve breastfeeding rates and the COVID-19 crisis is intensifying the threat.

Health care services aimed at supporting mothers to breastfeed, including counselling and skilled lactation support are strained as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. Infection prevention measures, such as physical distancing make it difficult for community counselling and mother-to-mother support services to continue, leaving an opening for the breast-milk substitute industry to capitalize on the crisis and diminish confidence in breastfeeding.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, health workers are being diverted to the response and health systems are overstretched. At such time, breastfeeding can protect the lives of millions of children, but new mothers cannot do it without the support of health providers,” said Dr. Victor Aguayo, UNICEF’s Chief of Nutrition. “We must, more than ever, step up efforts to ensure that every mother and family receive the guidance and support they need from a trained health care worker to breastfeed their children, right from birth, everywhere.”

The Code bans all forms of promotion of breast-milk substitutes, including advertising, gifts to health workers and distribution of free samples. Labels cannot make nutritional and health claims or include images that idealize infant formula. Instead, labels must carry messages about the superiority of breastfeeding over formula and the risks of not breastfeeding.

WHO and UNICEF call on governments to urgently strengthen legislation on the Code during the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and civil society organizations should also not seek or accept donations of breast-milk substitutes in emergency situations.

“The fear of COVID-19 transmission is eclipsing the importance of breastfeeding – and in too many countries mothers and babies are being separated at birth – making breastfeeding and skin to skin contact difficult if not impossible. All on the basis of no evidence. Meanwhile, the baby food industry is exploiting fears of infection, promoting and distributing free formula and misleading advice –  claiming that the donations are humanitarian and that they are trustworthy partners,” says Patti Rundall, of IBFAN’s Global Council. 

Monitoring and enforcement of the Code are inadequate in most countries. The report, "Marketing of breast-milk substitutes: National implementation of the International Code – Status report 2020", provides updated information on the status of country implementation, including which measures have and have not been enacted into law.

Given the important role of health workers in protecting pregnant women, mothers and their infants from the inappropriate promotion of breast-milk substitutes, the 2020 report provides an extensive analysis of legal measures taken to prohibit the promotion of breast-milk substitutes to health workers and in health facilities.

Breastfeeding and COVID-19

Active COVID-19 virus has not, to date, been detected in the breastmilk of any mother with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. It appears unlikely, therefore, that COVID-19 would be transmitted through breastfeeding or by giving breastmilk that has been expressed by a mother who is confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19.

Women with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can, therefore, breastfeed if they wish to do so. They should:

- Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub and especially before touching the baby;
- Wear a medical mask during any contact with the baby, including while feeding;
- Sneeze or cough into a tissue. Then dispose of it immediately and wash hands again;
- Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces after touching them.

Even if mothers do not have a medical mask, they should follow all the other infection prevention measures listed, and continue breastfeeding.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/29/countries-failing-to-stop-harmful-marketing-of-breast-milk-substitutes-warn-who-and-unicef/

Sanwo-Olu Dedicates First Anniversary to Frontline Health Workers, Honours Medical Personnel

We’ll Not Forget Your Sacrifice

The supreme sacrifice by the frontline health and emergency workers in giving their all to the response in containing the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Lagos State has been recognised by the State Government.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu honoured leaders of various medical teams deployed to all isolation facilities across the State, presenting them with plaques of honour in appreciation of their resolve to lay down their lives in the battle against the pandemic.

The 10 health workers received the plaques at a simple ceremony held at the State House in Marina as part of the low-key events marking the administration’s first anniversary. The selected honorees represented over 800 personnel deployed by the State to the frontline in the battle against COVID-19.

Sanwo-Olu described the health personnel as “a dedicated team of professionals”, noting that their commitment and selflessness had helped the Government to properly manage the healthcare in a critical period. The Governor appreciated all the health workers, saying they had played roles very well despite discomforting circumstances they face in managing infected patients.

He said: “The current pandemic ravaging cities and communities all over the world is not something we have seen in the last 100 years. As the epicentre of the outbreak in the country, Lagos has taken charge and offered the leadership required in the response to stop the virus. As a demonstration of our commitment to winning the battle, we felt the least we can do on the occasion of our first anniversary is to select representatives of the frontline health workers for appreciation.

“The selected personnel are not the only persons deserving of the honour, but this is a testimony to our resolve to show appreciation to all the frontline workers. We have not come out of the pandemic or reach the peak, but we certainly cannot wait until the crisis is over before we start acknowledging the sacrifices of the committed people. Each team of medical personnel deployed have played their roles well and we will not forget your sacrifice. On behalf of the people and Government, I thank all frontline workers for their sacrifice.”

Sanwo-Olu said the period of health emergency had given the State an opportunity to appraise its emergency response mechanism and the need to overhaul the public health infrastructure. He said his administration would not leave anything to chance to prepare the State for the future health emergency, adding that lessons learnt would lead to changes in the handling of infectious diseases to prevent lapses in the future response.

He said: “It’s not only about COVID-19, but about the entire health infrastructure. We have taken lessons from the response towards containing the virus and we are taking the lessons beyond the pandemic. As a Government, we will not leave anything to chance; we will continue to raise the bar.

“In the revision of the State’s 2020 Budget, it is only the health sector that has seen growth in their numbers, both in the capital and recurrent expenditures. We believe the sector needs all critical support around improving the skills of personnel and facilities, providing infrastructure and ensuring technology is playing a lead role in managing health crisis. We have a dedicated team of medical personnel and I’m convinced we will survive this pandemic.”

Despite the ongoing battle against COVID-19, Sanwo-Olu noted that the Government had ensured the smooth running of all healthcare facilities across the State in attending to non-coronavirus cases.

Sanwo-Olu re-emphasised the need by the residents to keep to public health guidelines issued by the State Government, stressing that the use of face mask in public places and keeping social distancing remain compulsory in Lagos.

Presenting the health workers for the honour, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said the team leaders had displayed uncommon passion and commitment in discharging their duties in this period of a public health crisis.

Those honoured include a Principal Medical Officer 1 at Infectious Disease Hospital in Yaba, Dr. Sunday Adesola; an Apex Nurse at Mainland General Hospital in Yaba, Mrs. Basirat Adeoye; a Pharmacist, Mr. Folarin Amosun; a renowned virologist, Prof. Sunday Omilabu; and a medical waste cleaner, Mr. Olufemi Akinade.

Others are Dr. Bisola Adebayo, a Consultant Public Health and Community Medicine Physician; Mr. Olanrewaju Aladetuyi, a laboratory scientist; Mrs. Abiola Adeloju, a hospital administrator; Mr. Alaba Anago, an ambulance driver, and Mr. Tajudeen Bankole, a gateman and security at the Mainland General Hospital in Yaba.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/29/sanwo-olu-dedicates-first-anniversary-to-frontline-health-workers-honours-medical-personnel/

The 2020 survey was conducted between February and April 2020 and yielded over 15,000 brand mentions and over 2,000 unique brands

For the third time in a row, Dangote Group has emerged as the most admired African brand, of African continent origin, by consumers, paired with the telecommunication giant, MTN in a survey of 100 Africa best brands announced in a novel global virtual event that incorporated the market openings of Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria.

GT Bank returns to the top spot in financial services and the United Kingdom's BBC retains its media category ranking as the most admired media brand in separate category sub-surveys of the most admired financial services and media brands in Africa. African brands only occupy 13 of the 100 entries, seven less from last year.

Established 10 years ago, to coincide with the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the world’s biggest single sporting event, the Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands survey and rankings have established themselves as the most authoritative survey, analysis, and metric of brands in Africa.

African brands only occupied 13 of the 100 entries, 7 less from last year’s. Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa and Brand Leadership, Thebe Ikalafeng during an online interactive session via Zoom said: “African brands have an important role in helping to build the image, competitiveness and transforming the continent’s promise into a real change. It’s concerning that in the 10 years since the triumphant FIFA World Cup in South Africa which globally highlighted the promise and capability of Africa, and despite the vibrant entrepreneurial environment, Africa is not creating more competitive brands to meet the needs of its growing consumer market.”

Global Client Development Manager, GeoPoll, Caitlin van Niekerk said: “The reach and accessibility of mobile across the continent enabled us to survey respondents across a representative sample of countries quickly and effectively, giving us vital and timely results at a critical time. Kantar has been the insight lead for Brand Africa since inception in 2010.”

It is a consumer-led survey which seeks to establish brand preferences across Africa. The survey is conducted among a representative sample of respondents 18 years and older, in 27 countries which collectively represent 50 per cent of the continent, covering all economic regions and accounting for an estimated 80 per cent of the population and the GDP of Africa. The 2020 survey was conducted between February and April 2020 and yielded over 15,000 brand mentions and over 2,000 unique brands

Out of the top 100 brands in 2010/11, only half still appear in this year’s list due to mergers, acquisitions and the obsolescence of many brands.

The most prominent changes are in the technology category with the demise Blackberry (#32 in 2010/11), the consolidation of Vodafone (#54 in 2010/11 and now #13 in 2020) which acquired Vodacom in 2008 and re-branded in 2011, Etisalat (#40 in 2010/11) re-branding to 9 Mobile in 2017 and Motorola (#39) being acquired by Lenovo in 2014. A Chinese brand, Tecno, has raced up the ranking from #33 to #5 in the rankings – a dominant performance for one of China’s premier global brands that are not even sold in China

In his reaction, Group Chief Corporate Communication Officer of the Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina said the management was not unexpected of the ranking because the company has a long-standing reputation for quality, relevance compliance and social stewardship. “Our mission and vision engage and inspire us to by extension connect us to with both our internal and external stakeholders.  

“We fervently believe that only Africans can develop Africa, and this gives us a stronger sense of relevance in all the countries where we have our operations. We are touching lives by providing their basic needs and empowering Africans more than ever before creating jobs reducing capital flight, helping government conserve foreign exchange drain by supporting different industrial infrastructural projects of African government.”

Mr. Chiejina stated further that Dangote Cement has been producing high quality and affordable cement, reducing poverty, engaging in unprecedented philanthropy and above all respecting the laws of the land where we operate. “All these are our credo and we do not compromise it, it is our way. And the ranking is just an acknowledgement of all these by our stakeholders, We keep our brand promise and stay authentic,” he concluded.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/27/dangote-mtn-emerge-most-admired-african-brands/

1. It is an employers priority to pay the lowest salary possible to an employee for a particular role.

2. It is also an employees priority to obtain the highest wage possible for his skill and time.

So as an employee, you are disgruntled about your wages/income and then you decide to do something about it.

A friend then suggests that you should start your own business.

Brilliant! (you think)

Then you start your own business and gruel for 6 months without any profit, just trying to sort out the business model etc

Finally after, 12 months of 'hustling" you decide you can't do it alone.

Then you decide to employ staff; you put out information that you are accepting CVs and the next day there are 1000 CVs in your inbox.

You filter through the mass of applicants until you find suitable candidates and invite them in for interviews.

And when you finally find suitable candidates you begin salary negotiations and then you realize:

- That It is an employers priority to pay the lowest salary possible to an employee for a particular role. And the candidate sitting in front of you is bargaining hard for a higher wage because...

- It is an employees priority to obtain the highest wage possible for his skill and time. Shey, now you see why Danaerys Targaryen is worse than Cersei Lannister?

(If you didn't watch Game of Thrones, I can't explain for you.)

Written in 2019 by Ten Esan, Founder at EMB Investment Group, Associate at LSG Solicitors and General Counsel, Oniru Royal Family Estate.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/25/the-funny-circle-of-basic-economics/

- NIKE RETAINS #1 IN AFRICA FOR THIRD YEAR IN A ROW
- AFRICAN BRANDS DROP BY OVER 60% IN 10 YEARS
- DANGOTE AND MTN RETAIN RANKINGS AS AFRICA'S MOST ADMIRED AFRICAN BRANDS.
- MTN IS #1 BRAND RECALLED AFRICAN BRAND SPONTANEOUSLY RECALLED AMONG THE TOP 100.
- DANGOTE IS #1 AFRICAN BRAND WHEN CONSUMERS ARE PROMPTED TO RECALL AN AFRICAN BRANDS.

Today Brand Africa announced the 10th-anniversary rankings of Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands, the pre-eminent survey and ranking of the Top 100 most admired brands in Africa. The rankings were announced in a novel global virtual event that incorporated the market openings of Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria. The rankings will be published in the June issue of African Business magazine and can be downloaded here.

American sports and fitness giant, Nike takes the top spot for the third year in a row. MTN and Dangote are the most admired African brands recalled spontaneously and when prompted, respectively. Nigeria's GT Bank returns to the top spot in financial services and the United Kingdom's BBC retains its media category ranking as the most admired media brand in separate category sub-surveys of the most admired financial services and media brands in Africa. African brands only occupy 13 of the 100 entries, 7 less from last year.

Established 10 years ago to coincide with the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the world's biggest single sporting event, the Brand Africa 100: Africa's Best Brands survey and rankings have established themselves as the most authoritative survey, analysis, and metric of brands in Africa.

It is a consumer-led survey which seeks to establish brand preferences across Africa. The survey is conducted among a representative sample of respondents 18 years and older, in 27 countries which collectively represent 50% of the continent, covering all economic regions and accounting for an estimated 80% of the population and the GDP of Africa. The 2020 survey was conducted between February and April 2020 and yielded over 15,000 brand mentions and over 2,000 unique brands.

Out of the top 100 brands in 2010/11, only half still appear in this year's list due to mergers, acquisitions and the obsolescence of many brands. The most prominent changes are in the technology category with the demise Blackberry (#32 in 2010/11), the consolidation of Vodafone (#54 in 2010/11 and now #13 in 2020) which acquired Vodacom in 2008 and rebranded in 2011, Etisalat (#40 in 2010/11) rebranding to 9 Mobile in 2017 and Motorola (#39) being acquired by Lenovo in 2014. A Chinese brand, Tecno, has raced up the ranking from #33 to #5 in the rankings - a dominant performance for one of China's premier global brands that are not even sold in China.

Computer/electronics (15%), consumer (non-cyclical) (14%), luxury (10%), auto manufacturers (10%), and apparel (8%) make up the top 5 categories.

In the sub-survey focused on financial services, GTBank re-claimed the #1 spot after falling out of the top 5 in 2019. This year's rankings included a strong presence of payment service brands PayPal, Western Union and Visa, as digitisation and digital-led economies are expected to accelerate more acutely because of the pandemic.

"It's concerning that in the 10 years since the triumphant FIFA World Cup in South Africa which globally highlighted the promise and capability of Africa, and despite the vibrant entrepreneurial environment, Africa is not creating more competitive brands to meet the needs of its growing consumer market," says Thebe Ikalafeng, Founder and Chairman of Brand Africa and Brand Leadership. "African brands have an important role in helping to build the image, competitiveness and transforming the continent's promise into a real change."

"The reach and accessibility of mobile across the continent enabled us to survey respondents across a representative sample of countries quickly and effectively, giving us vital and timeous results at a critical time," said Caitlin van Niekerk, Global Client Development Manager, GeoPoll.

Kantar has been the insight lead for Brand Africa since inception in 2010. Karin Du Chenne, Chief Growth Officer Africa Middle East says, "The complex task of analyzing a vast amount of diverse data, countries and trends over 10 years has given us a deep insight into how brands have changed, adapted and kept in step with the changing African environment and consumer who demands more from their brands."

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/25/2020-brand-africa-100-these-are-the-10-most-admired-brands-in-africa/

We’ve Sacrificed Our IGR To Prevent Job Loss’ – Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Government has set the process of re-opening its economy in motion, with the rollout of Register-to-Open guidelines. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the State Government daily battles the reality of balancing reactivation of economic activities and the continuation of the State’s response to contain the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Governor said the battle to stop the ravaging virus in Lagos had subjected the State to a delicate situation of having to manage hunger resulting from weeks of a slowdown in economic activities and also the movement of consumer goods to keep the economy afloat.

He said the four-page Register-to-Open guidelines were the major part of the measures initiated to achieve phased re-opening of the State economy, adding that Government had offered incentives that will affect its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in order to prevent job loss in critical industries that provide employment for a large number of labour.

Sanwo-Olu disclosed this development while speaking at a webinar organised by First Securities Discount House (FSDH) Group, with the theme: “A Global Pandemic: Local Realities and Peculiarities – A View from the Frontlines”. The Governor was a panellist in the online discussion that also featured Governors of Kaduna and Edo states, Mallam Nasir el-Rufa’i and Godwin Obaseki.

The webinar had about 1,200 people who participated from across the globe.

Sanwo-Olu said the State Government remained committed to tackling COVID-19 and breaking the cycle of its transmission, but added that there was a need to address hunger and job loss that could arise from prolonged lockdown of the economy.

He said: “We have been caught in a very delicate situation between managing COVID-19 on one hand and managing hunger and sustaining an economy that is not only depended on commercial activities in Lagos alone but also other states across the federation. We have had weeks of engagement with players in the fast-moving consumer goods sector and part of the measures we are taking is that we are giving them additional clearance to work for longer hours.

“Besides, we initiated what we called Register-to-Open, which is a thorough guideline to help the residents ahead of the full re-opening. Some of the things we will be seeing in the four-page guideline are, how we want to manage space at various places of business and what numbers of personnel and clients we expect at a given period, which must be based on the sizes of the facilities. As we prepared for this phased re-opening, we are giving priority to sectors that have a higher number of labour.”

The Governor, however, maintained that the re-opening would not be done in haste, but said construction and manufacturing sectors would be accorded high priority for full re-opening, given the large number of employment they generate. He added that entertainment, hospitality and aviation industries would be considered in the second phase of the intervention.

Sanwo-Olu said the weeks of inertia in the economy also had a significant impact on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), stressing that millions of small-scale businesses operating in the State could completely fold up if the economy is not fully reactivated.

In addition to granting three-month moratorium to MSMEs that applied for loan facilities at the Lagos State Employment Trust Funds (LSETF), Sanwo-Olu said the State Government had started to compile data of registered MSMEs in the State for operational support that would cushion the effect of economic slowdown on their businesses.

He said: “The other part of our intervention is our conversation with big corporations in various sectors on the requirements they may want from us to ensure that they do not retrench their staff in this emergency period. This conversation is very important. The companies have given us a retinue of incentives they want us to give and these are the things that will affect the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). We are willing to make this sacrifice to prevent loss of livelihood for millions of our citizens.”

In the course of the lockdown, Sanwo-Olu said the State Government provided palliatives for over 800,000 households, pointing out that there was the need to bring succour to residents that live on a daily wage.

The Governor said people must trust the Government on the management of the coronavirus and data being churned out.

Answering a question on the biggest consequence which COVID-19 had on State economy, Sanwo-Olu said: “Lagos has been affected both on the healthcare and economy sides. We have had to take a deep dive into our budget and have about 25 per cent cut, which is not a very good number for us. This is the time we need to continue to spend to stave off pressure on our citizens. However, we need to be prudent at this time and cut unimportant expenditures. Salary is one thing we cannot even touch.

“In terms of direct economy, entertainment industry, hospitality, land transportation and aviation businesses have been affected significantly. These sectors are large employers of labour. We are thinking through on how to reset these sectors in a graduated manner and bring back the economy on the full swing.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/22/lagos-finalises-register-to-open-guidelines-set-to-restart-economy/

The National Bureau of Statistics Published Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) at State level for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2019.

The NBS, in a report posted on its website, said the 36 states and FCT IGR figure hits N1.33trn in 2019 compared to N1.17trn recorded in 2018. This indicates a positive growth of 20.92% year on year.

The NBS stated that the Q4 2019 states and FCT IGR figure hit N346.20bn compared to N294.11bn recorded in Q3 2019. This indicates a positive growth of 17.71% quarter on quarter.

The NBS stated that the IGR was generated from five main revenue sources: Pay-As-You-Earn, direct assessment, road taxes, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and other revenue.

The IGR made by the states excludes the monthly allocation that they received from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee.

Further analysis of the revenue by Brand Spur showed that Lagos State has the highest Internally Generated Revenue with N398.73bn recorded, closely followed by Rivers with N140.40bn while Taraba State recorded the least Internally Generated revenue.

Top ten states with highest IGR in 2019: The top 10 states in Nigeria in term of 2019 IGR accounted for 69.62 per cent of total IGR. The breakdown shows that the top 10 states accumulated a total of N928.9bn IGR in 2019.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/22/states-igr-hits-n1-33trn-in-2019-as-lagos-maintains-first-spot/

The Petroleum Products Importation Statistics for Full Year 2019 reflected that 20.89bn litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 5.15bn litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 128.11m litres of Household Kerosene (HHK), 1.07bn litres of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), 45.98m litres of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and 526.06m litres of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) were imported into the country in Full Year 2019.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) made this known on its website yesterday.

According to its executive summary of the report titled: “Petroleum Products Imports and Consumption (Truck Out) Statistics’’, the country also distributed and consumed an average volume of 14,106,467 litres per day of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

Zonal distribution of truck-out volume for Full Year 2019 showed that 20.58bn of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), 5.16bn litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), 270.22m litres of Household Kerosene (HHK), 1.05bn litres of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK), 84.53m litres of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and 734.21m of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) were distributed nationwide during the period under review.

NBS said Nigeria in the year under review, consumed 350,987 litres of Household Kerosene (HNK) daily.

It added that Nigeria consumed 2,939,410 litres of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) and 125,975 litres of Lower Power Fuel Oil (LPFO) daily in  2019.

Nigeria imported 5.15 billion litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and 128.1million litres Household Kerosene (HNK).

In terms of import, the report added that in the period under review, the country imported 1.07billion of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) and 45.98million litres of Lower Power Fuel Oil (LPFO).

Last year, said the NBS reported that Nigeria imported 526.0million of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG).

Currently, the major refineries are operating at a minimal level with decaying facilities and paucity of funds remaining the key constraints.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/21/nigeria-imported-20-89bn-litres-of-petrol-in-2019-nbs/

The consumer price index, (CPI) which measures inflation increased by 12.34 percent (year-on-year) in April 2020. This is 0.08 percent points higher than the rate recorded in March 2020 (12.26 percent).

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

On a month-on-month basis, the Headline index increased by 1.02 percent in April 2020. This is 0.18 percent rate higher than the rate recorded in March 2020 (0.84 percent).

The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the twelve months period ending April 2020 over the average of the CPI for the previous twelve months period was 11.71 percent, showing 0.09 percent point rise from 11.62 percent recorded in March 2020.

The urban inflation rate increased by 13.01 percent (year-on-year) in April 2020 from 12.93 percent recorded in March 2020, while the rural inflation rate increased by 11.73 percent in April 2020 from 11.64 percent in March 2020.

On a month-on-month basis, the urban index rose by 1.06 percent in April 2020, up by 0.18 from 0.88 percent recorded in March 2020, while the rural index also rose by 0.98  percent in April 2020, up by 0.18 from the rate recorded in March 2020 (0.80) percent.

The corresponding twelve-month year-on-year average percentage change for the urban index is 12.26 percent in April 2020. This is higher than 12.15 percent reported in March 2020, while the corresponding rural inflation rate in April 2020 is 11.20 percent compared to 11.14 percent recorded in March 2020.

Food Index

The composite food index rose by 15.03 percent in April 2020 compared to 14.98 percent in March 2020.

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

On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 1.18 percent in April 2020, up by 0.24 percent points from 0.94 percent recorded in March 2020.

The average annual rate of change of the Food sub-index for the twelve-month period ending April 2020 over the previous twelve-month average was 14.22  percent, 0.11  percent points from the average annual rate of change recorded in March 2020 (14.11) 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 9.98 percent in April 2020, up by 0.25 percent when compared with 9.73 percent recorded in March 2020.

On a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased by 0.93 percent in April 2020. This was up by 0.13 percent when compared with 0.80 percent recorded in March 2020.

The highest increases were recorded in prices of Bicycles, Passenger transport by road, Passenger transport by sea and inland waterways, Paramedical services, Hospital services, pharmaceutical products, Medical services, Motorcycles and  Major household appliances whether electric or not.

The average 12-month annual rate of change of the index was 9.17 percent for the twelve-month period ending April 2020. This is 0.06 percent points higher than 9.11 percent recorded in March 2020.

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 April 2020, all items inflation on year on year basis was highest in Bauchi  (14.44%), Sokoto (13.99%) and Plateau (13.68%), while Edo (10.87%), Abuja (10.81%) and Kwara (8.98%) recorded the slowest rise in headline Year on Year inflation.

On month on month basis, however, April 2020 all items inflation was highest in Akwa Ibom (2.01%), Oyo (1.91%) and Abia (1.81%), while Edo, Enugu and Bayelsa recorded price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level or negative inflation rate).

Food Inflation

In April 2020, food inflation on a year on year basis was highest in Sokoto (17.88%), Akwa Ibom (17.55%) and Abuja (17.65%), while Ebonyi (13.04%), Edo  (12.90%) and Enugu (12.89%) recorded the slowest rise.

On month on month basis, however, April 2020 food inflation was highest in Akwa Ibom (2.65%), Lagos (2.49%) and Oyo (2.33%), while Bayelsa, Ebonyi and Enugu recorded price deflation or negative inflation (general decrease in the general price level of food or a negative food inflation rate).

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/21/nigeria-inflation-rate-rose-for-8th-month-in-april-on-higher-food-prices/

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The Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, on Wednesday, commissioned an isolation centre with 160 beds in Osogbo as part of efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic in the state.

Mr Oyetola said that a group, the Coalition Against COVID-19 (Ca-COVID), donated equipment, consumables and 100 beds. He said the state government added 60 beds for the facility, now called Mercyland.

He said it would serve as an addition to the government’s other initiatives in containing the spread of the virus.

Mr Oyetola said his government had renovated and equipped three other isolation centres which include, 130-bed facility in Ejigbo; 12-bed capacity in Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, a 20-bed isolation centre and 8-bed Intensive Care Unit at State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, making 342-isolation beds and eight ICU-bed facilities in the state.

“We are adopting a holistic approach to winning the pandemic, including working with the National Centre for Disease Control and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

“We have dedicated personnel doing contact tracing, testing of contacts, isolation and care of patients for quality treatment. We have extensive publicity and sensitisation programmes in place to educate and update our citizens regularly on how to stop COVID-19 in its tracks.

“There has also been the provision of palliative for citizens, the introduction of lockdown and curfew as appropriate to ensure effective containment of the virus without hurting our economy and livelihoods.”

He also appreciated the coalition for its support and urged residents to abide by the laid down health rules to curb the pandemic.

As of May 20, Osun had recorded 42 cases of the ailment.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/21/photo-news-osun-state-governor-commissions-160-bed-isolation-centre/

America’s Jeff Bezos, the founder of e-commerce giant, Amazon, is becoming a trillionaire in the midst of COVID-19 global pandemic. This is both good and bad news. Good news because it is the reward of foresight and tenacity.

Bad news because in the midst of the same pandemic, his e-commerce counterparts in Nigeria are counting losses. The difference is not in the business dexterity of Bezos nor in the poor marketing skills of the Nigerian counterparts. The difference, unfortunately, is how the two governments reacted to the pandemic and its attendant lockdown.

While the US government gave a clear signal to e-commerce companies in America to move freely during lockdown to make delivery in anticipation of a surge in online shopping, the Nigerian government did the opposite. It locked down e-commerce activities by not clearly classifying e-commerce companies and their workers under ‘essential services’.

This is the difference between a 21st-century policy-smart government and a policy-dumb government. The US government anticipated a spike in online sales during the lockdown and gave free access to Amazon and other e-commerce workers. The Nigerian government was too happy to lock down e-commerce firms alongside other businesses.

Now, for the smartness of the US government, Bezos is walking his way to trillions. Imagine the tax that would add to the US government purse. Imagine the number of jobs it will save when other companies around the world have either furloughed their staff or have sacked them outright.

This is a case of the absence of critical and strategic thinking in the Nigeria public ecosystem. Our leaders are not intentionally progressive. You cannot lock down a critical driver of the economy at a time you have decreed no-movement for the populace. It is also a function of low appreciation and lack of understanding of what e-commerce really means and how it works.

In the wake of the lockdown, somebody ought to have anticipated that Nigerians would resort to making online purchases, hence the overriding need to categorise e-commerce workers as persons on essential duty. The nature of e-commerce is that it’s unobtrusive, does not draw physical crowd yet it effectively services clients from its backend through the delivery channels. In this way, issues of non-compliance with social distancing and other precautionary protocols do not arise.

The paradox of the Nigerian e-commerce story during the pandemic is that they were lumped with other regular businesses and clamped with the same lockdown measure. They are not. Their staff were treated as non-essential duty persons. It took some explanation for them to be allowed to do their businesses during the lockdown. In some states, it was practically impossible as e-commerce delivery workers were either harassed or turned back from performing their duties.

For instance, some delivery staff of Konga, Africa’s fastest-growing and most innovative e-commerce company, were either harassed or turned back from making deliveries. Delivery men were harassed while moving items inter-state. There were also reported cases of harassment within some metropolis. Lagos was no exception.

In Rivers State, not a single Experience Store was opened during the lockdown. Strict enforcement by the state government meant no e-commerce delivery man was allowed movement even within the metropolis.

You cannot build economies when you shut down all channels of trade. In the western world and Asia, persons on lockdown turned to online purchases to restock. Their governments clearly exempted e-commerce outfits from the list of companies that must remain shut for as long as the lockdown lasted. The net result is beginning to show in the balance sheet of Jeff Bezos’ Amazon.

Comparisun, a company which allows small- to medium-sized firms to compare different business products, projects that Bezos will by 2026 emerge as the world’s first-ever trillionaire, an honour he won’t be shared with anybody, not even with Bill Gates of Microsoft whose fortunes keep growing with the birth of more technologies.

Their projection shows Bezos reaching trillionaire status by 2026. The company said their projection is based on taking the average percentage of yearly growth over the past five years and applying it to future years. Comparisun shows Bezos' net worth grew an average of 34% over the last five years.

As of Thursday, May 14, Bezos' net worth was estimated at $143 billion, according to Bloomberg's Billionaires Index, which tracks the worth of the world's richest people daily. Compared to last year, Bezos' worth has surged by more than $28 billion. He profited heavily from the coronavirus pandemic. Shoppers denied access to physical stores turned to online stores to make purchases from groceries to gaming machines, toys for the kids and big toys for the parents. The lockdown was the appropriate time to change household electronics for most parents, just anything to fight the boredom.

In Nigeria, there were cases of security men delaying delivery for days by ‘impounding’ vehicles and keeping them for as long as they wished. Delayed delivery makes nonsense of e-commerce. One of the unique selling points of online shopping is the prompt delivery of goods. Once purchased goods are delayed, the suspense dies and so does the utility of the goods. Unfortunately, this was what Nigeria’s e-commerce companies suffered during the lockdown. At a time they were supposed to win more patronage and disciples into the e-commerce family, they got stuck in resolving issues of violation of lockdown rules while their counterparts in Europe and America simply worried about their balance sheet.

Now, the difference is clear. Bezos and others are smiling to the bank; their Nigerian counterparts are counting losses. Lesson: When next you lock down a state or city, make sure that e-commerce workers are exempted.

However, beyond Nigeria e-commerce fraternity, Jeff Bezos himself must learn the lessons of his capitalist expansionism. When the news of his impending trillionaire status broke, Twitter went agog. Elizabeth Warren, businesswoman and Democratic presidential candidate tweeted: “While Bezos is on the track to become a trillionaire in the middle of a pandemic, Amazon is ending overtime pay for warehouse and delivery workers on the frontline. This is immoral.”

While I congratulate Bezos for his feat, I should also remind the Nigerian government that e-commerce deserves a better deal next time.

Written by:

Aliyu Yakubu, Abuja

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/21/jeff-bezos-trillionaire-tale-and-nigeria-e-commerce-an-analysis/

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G was the bestselling 5G smartphone model in the United States in the first quarter of 2020, capturing an impressive market share of 40 per cent. Samsung already dominates the US 5G market, taking all the top spots.

Ken Hyers, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “US 5G smartphone shipments reached a total of 3.4 million units in Q1 2020. The 5G segment accounted for 12 per cent of all smartphones shipped in the United States during Q1 2020, up from zero in Q1 2019. All 5G smartphone models, for now, use Android software, with Apple iPhone expected to deliver its 5G range later this year.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Among the 5G segment, Samsung took all three of the top 3 positions in the US in Q1 2020. Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G is the number one bestselling 5G smartphone model and accounted for a healthy 40 per cent share of all 5G smartphones shipped in the US during the quarter. Samsung’s S20+ 5G smartphone is popular with affluent professionals in major cities like New York and LA. Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G is the second most popular 5G smartphone model in the US today, taking 30 percent market share in Q1 2020. The Ultra 5G model is the peak of Samsung’s smartphone range and delivers pro-grade photography in a sleek design. Samsung’s Galaxy S20 5G held the third position with 24 percent share, making it a clean sweep for the popular S20 range at the summit of the 5G charts.”

Juha Winter, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “The US 5G smartphone race has begun. Samsung is off to an early lead, soaring well ahead of its main Android rivals such as Motorola, LG, OnePlus, and TCL. Early 5G adopters are willing to pay extra for the fastest possible mobile experience, and this is driving solid revenue growth for Samsung and its operator partners in North America. Of course, everyone is waiting for Apple to make its next 5G iPhone move, which we expect to happen later in the year. Samsung and others must rapidly expand their 5G presence during the upcoming summer period, and grab as many 5G customers as they can before the iPhone juggernaut lands in Q3 or Q4 2020.”

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/21/samsung-galaxy-s20-is-top-5g-smartphone-model-in-us-in-q1-2020/

Nokia today announced it has achieved the world’s fastest 5G speeds in its Over-the-Air (OTA) network in Dallas, Texas. Utilizing 800 MHz of commercial millimetre wave 5G spectrum and Dual Connectivity (EN-DC) functionality, Nokia achieved 5G speeds of up to 4.7 Gbps in tests performed on base station equipment being deployed in major U.S. carriers’ commercial networks. This solution will not only provide subscribers with unrivalled mobile broadband speeds but also enable carriers to sell various latency-sensitive enterprise services, such as network slicing for mission-critical applications.

The record speed was achieved by combining eight 100 MHz channels of millimetre wave spectrum on the 28 GHz and 39GHz bands, providing 800 MHz of bandwidth, and 40 MHz of LTE spectrum using the EN-DC functionality available on Nokia’s AirScale solution. EN-DC allows devices to connect simultaneously to 5G and LTE networks, transmitting and receiving data across both air-interface technologies. This means devices can achieve higher throughput than when connecting to 5G or LTE alone. The speeds were achieved on both 5G cloud-based (vRAN) and classic baseband configurations.

Nokia’s AirScale Radio Access is an industry-leading, commercial end-to-end 5G solution enabling operators globally to capitalize on their 5G spectrum assets. It offers huge capacity scaling and market-leading latency and connectivity by enabling all air-interface technologies on the same radio access equipment.

Stéphane Téral, the Chief Analyst at LightCounting Market Research, said: “This is a substantial achievement that reflects the careful workings of a brilliant and subtle team with the deepest appreciation for detail and circumstance. In other words, 8-component carrier aggregation in the millimetre wave domain shows the world that there is more than massive MIMO and open RAN to not only truly deliver the promise of commercial 5G, but also pave the way for future Terahertz system.”

Tommi Uitto, president of Mobile Networks at Nokia, commented: “This is an important and significant milestone in the development of 5G services in the U.S, particularly at a time when connectivity and capacity are so crucial. It demonstrates the confidence operators have in our global end-to-end portfolio and the progress we have made to deliver the best possible 5G experiences to customers. We already supply our mmWave radios to all of the major US carriers and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them moving forward.”

SOURCE: http://brandspurng.com/2020/05/20/nokia-achieves-world-record-5g-speeds/

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Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, on Monday, embarked on advocacy to different locations across the metropolis to sensitise residents on the importance of facemask usage as part of efforts to curb the community transmission of the COVID-19 in the State.

Speaking during the exercise, tagged “Mask-Up-Lagos”, an Assistant Director and leader of the team, Mr. Bode Lawal said the advocacy was geared towards encouraging all residents of the State on the need to support the efforts of the State Government to curb the spread of the global pandemic by using face masks.

He observed with dismay that most Lagosians are still disobeying the directive of the Lagos State government on the use of face mask, especially in public, stressing that there is a need for all citizens to abide by the safety regulations issued by the State Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

According to him, “the Governor Sanwo-Olu led administration introduced the compulsory wearing of face masks in Lagos State in order to protect all residents from droplets and secretions from coughing and sneezing, due to the fact that not everyone that is infected will show symptoms of the disease”.

“The regular use of face masks, especially in public, combined with frequent hand washing, Social/physical distancing as well as embracing other personal hygiene safety tips are the most effective ways of containing the community spread of this ravaging pandemic”, he added.

Lawal pointed out that the enlightenment campaign, which was carried out with the use of handbills, flyers and digital van display, focused on ensuring that the general public was adequately sensitised on the importance of face mask and how it can prevent the spread of the dangerous disease within the state.

The team leader further disclosed that, as part of the commitment to the “Mask-Up-Lagos” initiative by the present administration, the state government commissioned the production of face masks made to specifications by guidelines released by the State Ministry of Health and distributed more than a million to residents across the state free of charge.

While calling on Lagosians to comply fully with the #MaskUp policy of the Lagos State government for the safety of everyone, the Assistant Director stated that the advocacy will be extended to every part of the state in order to achieve the desired result.

Some of the locations covered during Monday’s advocacy campaign included Maryland, Palmgrove, Onipanu. Ojuelegba, Funsho Williams Avenue, Stadium, Bode Thomas, Iponri, Constain, Orile and Apapa among others.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/19/covid-19-lasg-commences-advocacy-on-facemask-usage-in-lagos-photos/

Taraba State government on Monday relaxed some of its restriction on movement within the state, after announcing that the state no longer has an active case of the Coronavirus.

Christians and Muslims in the state have been directed to resume their religious activities in strict compliance to COVID-19 protocol.

This is contained in a state broadcast by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Haruna Manu.

Haruna Manu during a live broadcast on Monday said,

“I AM PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT, AS AT TODAY, TARABA STATE NO LONGER HAS AN ACTIVE CASE OF CORONAVIRUS INFECTION.

“ALL THE CASES PREVIOUSLY REPORTED WERE SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED BY OUR FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS AND HAVE ALL BEEN DISCHARGED AND THEY HAVE REJOINED THEIR FAMILIES. NO FATALITIES WERE RECORDED IN THE PROCESS.

“CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS ARE ALSO FREE TO RESUME THEIR RELIGIOUS WORSHIPS IN CHURCHES AND MOSQUES.

“IN DOING SO, HOWEVER, THEY MUST ENSURE THE OBSERVANCE OF THE RULE OF SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ALL OTHER SAFETY PROTOCOLS SUCH AS HAND WASHING, USE OF SANITIZERS AND FACEMASKS.”

The Deputy Governor noted that removing restrictions of movements will allow residents to visit neighbourhood markets, make purchases of food items and other essentials.

The new days for the ease of the lockdown are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 8:00 am to 6:00 p.m, while lockdown remains in force on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

“BEGINNING FROM THIS WEEK, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ARE NOW FREE DAYS DURING WHICH PEOPLE CAN GO OUT AND ATTEND TO THEIR PERSONAL NEEDS. THE TIME ALLOWED IS BETWEEN 8:00 A.M. AND 6:00 P.M.

“BUT THESE MUST BE DONE WITH DECORUM AND IN STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH THE COVID-19 SAFETY RULES. LOCKDOWN REMAINS IN FORCE ON MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.

“SECURITY AGENCIES IN THE STATE SHOULD BE MUCH MORE VIGILANT. THEY SHOULD WORK IN SYNERGY WITH CHAIRMEN OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL AREAS, PARTICULARLY THOSE SHARING BORDERS WITH CAMEROUN AND STATES WITH HIGH CASES OF COVID-19 INFECTION (TAKUM, KARIM –LAMIDO, WUKARI, KURMI. SARDAUNA, LAU AND ZING) TO CHECK INFLUX OF PEOPLE INTO TARABA STATE,” THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR NOTED.

The deputy governor, however, stressed that interstate movements are still restricted and violators will be severely penalised.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/18/covid-19-taraba-state-eases-lockdown-direct-worship-centres-to-reopen/

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has held a virtual meeting with Religious Leaders, as part of efforts towards curbing the spread of Coronavirus in Lagos.

Welcoming the religious leaders to the meeting, the Governor described the pandemic as a global scourge, noting sadly that the Lenten and Ramadan periods fell within the lockdown phase.

Sanwo-Olu briefed the leaders on government efforts since the first index case in Lagos, stressing that the State was already on alert immediately the news about the virus broke in China in December 2019 based on experience during the Ebola virus.

He, however, disclosed that the infection and transmission of the virus are now spreading at the community level, hence the urgent need to sensitise religious leaders due to their followership in the State, either as Christians or Muslims.

The Governor reiterated that the "0 - Congregation" stance of Government for religious worship centres is still in force to ensure physical distancing, adding that all hands must be on deck to do more sensitisation and monitoring to complement government efforts.

Sanwo-Olu, therefore, called for continued support and prayers of the Religious Leaders to successfully navigate this perilous period.

In his contribution, the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Lagos State Branch, Apostle (Prof.) Alexander Bamgbola thanked the Governor for being proactive, dogged and pragmatic in his approach to the situation which, he believes, has saved so many lives.

He promised that the Christian leaders in the State will continue to support the efforts of the State Government in sensitising and enlightening their followers on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking on behalf of the Islamic and Muslim leaders, the Grand Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheik (Engr.) Suleiman Abu-Nolla, described this period as a time of collective survival when the government and religious leaders must work hand-in-hand to ensure the survival of all.

Some of the notable religious leaders present during the virtual meeting with the Governor included Pastor W.F. Kumuyi (Deeper life), Pastor Joseph Obayemi (RCCG), Dr. D.K. Olukoya (MFM), Rev. Mrs. Mercy Ezekiel (CPM), Amb. Mrs. Elizabeth Onajobi of WOWICAN, His Eminence Samuel Kanu Uche and other leaders in the five Christian Bloc and CAN Executives.

Also present were Imam Dr. Abdulrahman Ahmad (Chief Missioner, Ansaru-deen), Sheik Abdulhakeem Lawal, Imam Abdul Akeem Lawal, Dr. (Mrs) Egberongbe of FOMWAN, Sheik Uwais, Chief Imams of the various Divisions of the State, MSSN and other top religious leaders in Lagos.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/18/covid-19-governor-sanwo-olu-holds-virtual-meeting-with-religious-leaders/

Interior

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- Designed, Engineered and Assembled in the U.S.A.
- Bold Design with New Versatility
- Standard Hybrid Powertrain with Class-Leading Manufacturer-Estimated 33 Combined MPG
- Available All-Wheel Drive
- Standard Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 with Automatic Emergency Braking
- Standard Blind Spot Monitor on All Grades
- New Platinum Luxury Model
- Available Onboard Vacuum and Refrigerator
- Equipped for all facets of life with a tow rating up to 3,500 pounds

Aiming to redefine the segment, the fourth-generation Toyota Sienna reimagines the minivan to support a wider array of life stages and activities.  With a standard hybrid powertrain now across all trims and an array of new tech and amenities, the 2021 Toyota Sienna raises the bar for style, safety, comfort, versatility and fuel efficiency in its segment.

Designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S., the all-hybrid 2021 Sienna, influenced by the bold and robust character of SUVs, hosts many premium features: kick-open and closed sliding side doors and rear gate, four-zone climate control system, heated second-row super-long slide captain’s chairs with ottomans, onboard vacuum and refrigerator, a segment-first power tilt and telescoping steering column with the heated steering wheel, a digital rear-view mirror, 10-in. a color head-up display and 12-speaker JBL® Premium Audio system.

The 2021 Toyota Sienna is also ready for life’s outdoor adventures with its all-wheel-drive option – and is well-positioned for Yakima® accessories, such as a rooftop carrier, crossbars, bike rack and more. The Sienna will also offer an available tow hitch and factory optional 1,500-watt inverter with 120V AC outlet to power camping equipment.

What’s more, all versions of the 2021 Sienna are rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds. That’s enough to pull a well-equipped compact travel trailer, or simply carry your bikes for that weekend getaway.

Sienna: All-New from the Foundation Up

The fourth-gen Sienna, designed by the combined effort of CALTY’s Newport Beach, CA and Ann Arbor, MI studios, delivers a combination of room, comfort, convenience, fuel efficiency and versatility that other types of vehicles can’t match. Starting with an all-new minivan structure based on the TNGA-K Platform, the goal was to optimize everything that is great about minivan function, while wrapping it all into a bold, sexy, and provocative design, expanding the definition of what a next-generation minivan should be.

“This is an all-new vehicle from the ground up, including a new chassis platform as well as a new electrical platform,” said Chief Engineer Monte Kaehr. “The development of the fourth generation Sienna was a huge undertaking but we always worked towards one single mission—to make the best van yet.”

This bold and innovative approach enabled the design team to create strong and robust proportions with a shoulder-themed body design, and muscular wheel flares that express athleticism. The body surface is boldly sculpted, a fresh departure from the typical, boxy minivan driving on the roads today.

The front design was inspired by the iconic Shinkansen Japanese Bullet Train to appear sleek, speedy and confident. The headlights are mounted high and stretched around to the sides as if they are being shaped by the wind. The bold lower grille is contrasted by slim, high tech LED fog lights that are pushed to the corners, enhancing the wide and stable stance.

In the spirit of optimizing interior roominess while avoiding a boxy design, the rear cabin features a speedy pillar that is dynamically angled forward. The taillight flows seamlessly from the sculpted body to the rear, using thin bands of LED lighting to create a significant impression. There is an integrated black taillight canard that not only looks cool but also improves aerodynamic performance. The crisp, deeply sculpted tailgate with an integrated spoiler is made possible by a moulded resin process.

The ultra-sporty XSE model amps up the excitement, sportiness and driving experience to a level never before seen in minivans. With dark 20” split 5 spoke wheels and aggressive front and rear bumpers that are unique to XSE, this model looks like it was born on a race track.

Bold Design Meets Spacious Interior

Toyota called the third-generation Sienna a “swagger wagon,” but the 2021 model takes it to a whole new level.

Learning from today’s minivan customers that they do not want to feel like they are driving a bus, the design team took this to heart and thought carefully about how to combine the practical attributes of a minivan with the emotional desire for having a more personalized driving experience.

The key terms used to redefine the minivan experience were Confidence, Refinement, and Smart innovation. With this in mind, a modern instrument panel was created of bold, horizontal layers to express a wide and spacious interior, with a large centre touch display, handy storage capability, and the innovative Bridge Console, which is the key to allocating personalized space to the driver and front passenger.

The Bridge Console is an innovative solution that is a departure from common minivan layouts. The bridge is ergonomically positioned high between the driver and passenger for ease of use and elegantly connects the instrument panel to the centre armrest. This unique feature enables the driver to have more stress-free and comfortable driving experience. The shifter and necessary functions are all within easy reach, along with cup holders, available wireless charger, and ample storage bins for smaller items. Beneath the bridge is a large open area for convenient storage of larger personal items such as a purse or bag.

To further celebrate the interior spaciousness, the available Super Long Slide second-row captain chairs slide 25 inches, providing unprecedented legroom and flexibility to maximize comfort, especially when used with the available ottoman feature.  Even large adults can relax comfortably.  With all the features, the best seats of any row in the segment!

The Sienna LE and some XLE models come equipped in eight-seat configurations with two captain chairs, a long slide second-row seat and a stowable middle seat. Some XLE models, as well as the XSE, Limited and Platinum, are seven-seat models featuring the Super Long Slide second-row captain’s chairs with the Limited and Platinum FWD models equipped with ottomans.

There are smart solutions and the first-class comfort throughout the interior to make this the most sophisticated, versatile and enjoyable Sienna ever.

Safety

In addition to exemplary collision protection provided by the TNGA-K Platform, the 2021 Sienna comes standard with second-generation Toyota Safety Sense (TSS 2.0), a comprehensive active safety system that includes:

Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection/Lowlight Detection
Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
Lane Trace Assist
Automatic High Beams
Road Sign Assist

Pre-Collision System (PCS) with Pedestrian Detection is designed to provide automatic braking capability should the driver not react in time in certain emergency situations. The PCS system is not only designed to detect a vehicle ahead, but it can also detect a bicyclist and even a pedestrian in low light situations. Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) is standard on all Sienna models, as well.

The 2021 Sienna is equipped with 10 airbags: driver and front passenger airbags; driver’s knee airbag; passenger seat cushion airbag; front-seat side airbags; rear outboard seat side airbags, plus curtain side airbags for all three rows. Toyota’s Star Safety System includes Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) with Traction Control (TRAC), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and Smart Stop Technology (SST).

Toyota takes safety a step further with features like a rear passenger seatbelt reminder and electric parking brake (EPB) – as well as a new feature called Rear Seat Reminder. Designed with family safety in mind, the rear occupant detection is based on door sequencing logic in which the Combi Meter MID provides a warning “Attention: Check Rear Seat for Passengers and Cargo.”

The Hybrid That Thinks About Fuel Economy

A 7-inch colour Multi-information Display within the instrument panel includes a Hybrid System Indicator to show system output and regeneration status and encourage eco-driving habits. As on other Toyota hybrid models, the display suggests the optimal acceleration amount for eco-driving and provides a game-like scoring function for the driver.

Using navigation system operation (when equipped), Predictive Efficient Drive (PED) analyzes driving habits and memorized road and traffic conditions to optimize hybrid battery charging. When the driver activates PED, the system learns repeating routes and can predict when and where the vehicle is likely to slow down or stop. Then, through optimum accelerator pedal release timing guidance, the feature can reduce energy consumption, especially when driving through hilly areas or in traffic congestion. All the owner has to do is drive. Sienna will optimize fuel economy on its own.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/18/toyota-launches-all-new-2021-sienna-to-suit-a-variety-of-lifestyles/

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- Elegant Design Meets Cutting-Edge Tech and Comfort
- Available Star GazeTM Fixed Panoramic Glass Roof with Frost Control
- Available 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen
- TNGA-K Platform for Greater Driving Refinement
- Hybrid Powertrain Standard
- Standard Electronic On-Demand AWD
- Standard Toyota Safety Sense (TSS 2.0)

With a striking new debut, Toyota is breaking the sameness barrier in the midsize two-row crossover utility vehicle (CUV) category. The all-new 2021 Venza delivers an intuitive driving experience with smooth acceleration, predictable handling, and low noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH), all wrapped in a sophisticated design.

The all-new 2021 Venza comes equipped exclusively with the Toyota Hybrid System II powertrain and advanced Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive. Along with comfortable urban and highway performance, Venza is expected to have impressive fuel efficiency, with a preliminary manufacturer-estimated 40 MPG combined fuel economy in LE trim.

The 2021 Venza, which arrives in Toyota dealerships this summer, is built around a version of the Toyota New Global Architecture K platform that underpins some of the company’s sedans and crossovers. As such, Venza delivers the best of both worlds: sedan-like driving comfort and CUV versatility.

The 2021 Venza offers ample room for five in a highly manoeuvrable package. A host of tech-focused features are available, including a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with nine JBL speakers, 7-inch multi-information display (MID), digital rear-view mirror, and 10-inch colour Head-Up Display. Other available features include a Star GazeTM fixed panoramic glass roof, a first-ever for Toyota, and heated and ventilated front seats that set the stage for true, graceful grand touring.

In addition to exemplary collision protection provided by the TNGA-K platform (projected to achieve top NHTSA safety ratings), the 2021 Venza comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense (TSS 2.0), a comprehensive suite of active safety systems that includes:

- Pre-Collision System with Daytime/Low-Light Vehicle and Pedestrian Detection, plus Daytime Bicycle Detection (PCS)
- Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
- Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA)
- Automatic High Beams (AHB)
- Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)
- Road Sign Assist (RSA)

Pre-Collision System with Daytime/Low-Light Vehicle and Pedestrian Detection, plus Daytime Bicycle Detection, offers automatic braking capability should the driver not react in time in an emergency situation. Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) is standard on all grades, while XLE and Limited add Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automated Braking (PA w/AB).

Toyota Audio on the Big Screen

The 2021 Venza offers cutting edge entertainment and connectivity through intuitive and versatile Toyota audio systems. Audio Plus is standard on LE and XLE and includes an 8-inch touchscreen. Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation and JBL is optional on XLE and standard on Limited and features a stunning 12.3-inch touchscreen display with controls that can be switched between the driver or front passenger operation.

In addition to AM/FM radio, Toyota audio systems serve up a full roster of connectivity tech, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa compatibility, Bluetooth wireless technology, and more. Apple CarPlay includes access to Siri, while Android Auto users can access Google Assistant.

All Venza grades come with SiriusXM All-Access 3-month trial Satellite Radio and HD Radio along with Toyota Remote Services trial subscriptions. Available dynamic navigation features enhanced 2D landmark display, land guidance display, and freeway exit display. All Venza models will come equipped with Toyota Safety Connect with a one-year trial subscription.

The standard 6-speaker audio with 4-channel amplifier provides clean, powerful sound for all types of music. Fervent music lovers will want the sonically gorgeous JBL Premium Audio System with 9 speakers, including a rear subwoofer, powered by a 12-channel, 1,200-watt amp – the most powerful system launched in a Toyota to date. It was designed exclusively for Venza with unique speaker architecture and tuned to the specific cabin space.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/18/meet-the-all-new-2021-toyota-venza-photos/

Lagos Considers Full Re-Opening of Economy, Embarks On Assessment Of Readiness Of Businesses

•LASEPA, Safety Commission To Re-Register, Assess Businesses Before Re-Opening
•‘Infected Govt House Staffers Have Recovered’ - Governor

Lagos State is considering full re-opening of the critical sectors of its economy, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, revealed on Sunday. But, the move will not be pushed in a hurry.

In the coming days, Sanwo-Olu said the State Government would be rolling out Register-to-Open initiative as part of the plans that would enable it to assess the level of readiness of the players in the identified sectors for supervised operations.

The Governor spoke at a briefing after the State’s Security Council meeting held at the State House in Marina.

Sanwo-Olu said officials from the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) will be visiting restaurants, companies, religious houses to assess their level of readiness.

With the size of the State’s economy and numbers of businesses that operate in its domain, the Governor said the Government could not afford to keep people and businesses on lockdown permanently.

He said: “We are at a level where we are reviewing the other arms of the economy. In the coming days, we will be starting what we call Register-to-Open, which means all players in the restaurant business, event centres, entertainment, malls and cinemas will go through a form of re-registration and space management.

“There is a regulation that will be introduced to supervise this move. We will be coming to their facilities to assess their level of readiness for a future opening. I don’t know when that opening will happen in the weeks ahead, but we want these businesses to begin to tune themselves to the reality of COVID-19 with respect to how their workspaces need to look like.

“For us, it is not to say they should re-open fully tomorrow or any time; there has been a process guiding the re-opening. We will be mandating LASEPA and Safety Commission to begin the enumeration process and the agencies will be communicating with all relevant businesses and houses in the days ahead. I must, however, caution that this should not be misinterpreted as a licence for full opening; it is certainly not. The State’s economy is not ready for that now.”

Sanwo-Olu said the Government agencies also would be visiting places of worship to evaluate their level of preparedness ahead of full reopening. He stressed that social distancing and hygiene would be fully considered in determining whether mosques and churches can re-open in the future.
“We are reviewing and considering how the phased unlocking will happen. If we see a huge level of compliance, then it can happen in the next two to three weeks. If not, it could take a month or two months. It is until we are sure all of these players are ready to conform to our guidelines,” the Governor asserted.

Sanwo-Olu urged businesses, religious houses and residents to maintain the status quo while the State works out modalities for full re-opening.
The Governor disclosed that all the 10 staff of the Government House who tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19) had fully recovered and returned to their beats. He said the disclosure was necessary to further promote transparency in the reporting and management of coronavirus cases by the State Government.

Sanwo-Olu enjoined banks and markets to strictly enforce orderliness in their premises. He directed that elderly people must be given the priority to transact their businesses in bank and markets between 9 am and 10:30 am, after which other younger customers should be allowed to transact.
Lagos residents, the Governor charged, must not take the easing of lockdown for granted, saying everyone residing in the State must collectively.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/17/lagos-considers-full-re-opening-of-economy-embarks-on-assessment-of-readiness-of-businesses/

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MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, one of the country's leading telecommunications company in the country, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) this week, May 15, 2020.

The Event venue was at the Rooftop Event Hall of MTN Plaza at Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos by 11 am. The AGM will take place via proxy as a result of the present global health situation, which prohibits gatherings of over 20 persons at a time.

In the 2019 financial year, MTN Nigeria grew its earnings per share by 38.8 per cent to N9.90, while the pre-tax profit rose by 31.1 per cent to N290.1 billion, with revenue jumping by 12.6 per cent to N1.2 trillion.

MTN Nigeria's mobile subscribers increased by 6.1million to 64.3 million, while its active data users grew by 6.5 million to 25.2 million.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2020/05/16/photos-from-mtn-nigeria-annual-general-meeting/