₦airaland Forum

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As a Nigerian, you must have a National ID card. This Card recognised and can be present at banks, police stations, and courts, etc.

So, if your card is about to expire or has already expired, you must renew it. Renewing your expired National ID Card is very easy. Take the following steps:

Continue here: https://www.techawkng.com/2020/10/03/how-to-renew-expired-national-id-card/

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In August, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) launched a dedicated public election result viewing portal, known as “The INEC Result Viewing (IReV)”.

In a statement issued by Mr. Festus Okoye, National Commissioner, and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, he said the commission has approved the introduction of a new step to further strengthen its election management process, and enhance the transparency of the system...

Continue here: https://www.techawkng.com/2020/09/19/edo-elections-how-to-follow-real-time-results-on-inec-results-viewing-portal/

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Apple fans across the world who expected that the tech giant will launch iPhone 12 at its ‘Time Flies’ event will have to probably wait till October.

The tech giant launched a range of new products in its September event but surprisingly, it did release a new iPhone-iPhone 12. The iPhone 12 is expected to be the company’s first 5G device and will be launched at an event in October, according to several reports...

Continue here: https://www.techawkng.com/2020/09/15/iphone-12-is-not-out-yet-but-apple-unveils-new-watch-and-ipad/

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Wema Bank Plc is inviting startups to apply to be part of the second edition of its technological expo – Hackaholics 2.0 as part of its efforts to expand its digital innovation beyond being the first fully digital bank in Nigeria.

The event which would be a 2-day pitching competition would be held online from October 30th to 31st, 2020, and would feature leading industry specialists as the marked judges....


Continue hear: https://www.techawkng.com/2020/09/14/nigerian-startups-invited-to-apply-for-wema-bank-hackaholics-2-0/

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Etop Ikpe, the former co-founder and CEO of Cars45 will head Autocheck.

Recall that the exit of Etop Ikpe from Cars45 was brought to the fore after the leading Nigerian Cars company posted an unusual disclaimer on September 1st across its social media handles.

It notified the public that some 11 top executives are no longer in the employment of the company with effect from August 25, 2020....

Continue here: https://www.techawkng.com/2020/09/14/ex-cars45-ceo-etop-ikpe-will-head-autocheck/

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Valentine’s Day is among the most popular holidays in the world. Thanks to commercialism, this day is so popular that even non-Christians celebrate it.

One must ask whether Christians should celebrate this day. Most importantly, what does God think about Valentine’s Day? As a Christian, despite the popularity of valentine, here are reasons you should not celebrate it.

Valentine’s Day has pagan roots

A quick look at any encyclopedia or history book will reveal that Valentine’s Day is an ancient Roman festival. It is originally known as Lupercalia which is celebrated every February 15. Lupercalia is celebrated to honour not God, but pagan gods namely Lupercus (god of fertility), Juno (goddess of marriage and women) and Pan (god of nature).

Christians are called to love, not to lust

There is no doubt that the origin of Valentine’s Day involves strong infatuation and lust rather than genuine love. There are a lot of unmarried couples who use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to participate in pre-marital lovemaking. Often, this act leads to an unwanted and unplanned pregnancy.

You can Celebrate Love without Valentine’s Day

Why do so many Christians limit their love on a specific day, in this case, Valentine’s Day? Wouldn’t it be great to demonstrate your love every single day? Married couples or those who are in a relationship can show their love and concern every day and not wait for Valentine’s Day to arrive. After all, even if you celebrate your love on Valentine’s Day, it really feels awkward since this day celebrates lust and not true love.

No one exactly knows who St. Valentine is

Do a quick search on the Internet and see what you can find about St. Valentine. It is very weird because his story is based on legend and not facts.

Valentine’s Day leads to negative emotions

Women, in general, are very emotional. If they don’t receive a gift on Valentine’s Day, they feel unloved. If ever they receive something on this day, they will feel proud. Proud because they receive something better than what other women received. Unloved because they receive something worse than what other women received. Either way, Valentine’s Day is geared towards the way of getting rather than the way of giving.

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David Lyon, the governor-elect of Bayelsa State may have lost his seat as the Supreme Court nullified his election on the grounds that his deputy Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo forged his certificate.

Certificate forgery has become a thing among Nigerian politicians as they do everything to win elections.

So, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo will not be the first or the last to forge his certificate.

Here is a list of prominent politicians accused of certificate forgery. Even President Buhari is not exempted.

President Muhammadu Buhari

While campaigning for the office if President back in 2015, Buhari was accused of not having the minimum requirement to contest for the highest office in Nigeria. In other words, he had no certificate and the one he presented to INEC according to his opponents was forged. The allegation was denied and Buhari went on to win the 2015 elections.

Kemi Adeosun

The Minister for Finance, Kemi Adeosun was reportedly accused of forging her NYSC certificate. Kemi Adeosun did not attend the Nysc but claimed she applied for an exemption and was issued an exemption certificate. NYSC recognized the fact that she applied for an exemption but said nothing on if it was granted or not. Consequently, the Minister representing Ogun state resigned.

Dino Melaye

Dino Melaye has fallen down the pecking order since he was kicked out of the senate by Smart Adeyemi. Melaye was in 2017 was accused of having a fake Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from Ahmadu Bello University and a degree from the Boston-based Ivy League Harvard University in the United States. He, however, rejected the accusations. He was later let go after Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Ibrahim Garba confirmed that Senator Dino Melaye graduated from the school, although under a different name.

Bola Tinubu

Before Bola Tinubu became governor In 1999, a petition was written against that he did not attend Chicago State University as indicated in his INEC form. He claimed that he had misplaced the certificates. It was also alleged that Tinubu’s claim of attending Government College, Ibadan, was false and did not participate in the compulsory one-year NYSC scheme. Tinubu had to present the original copy of his certificate.

Ayodele Fayose

The former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose was in 2013 accused of falsifying his certificate. Fayose had said that he attended The Polytechnic, Ibadan and received a Higher National Diploma certificate but the school denied this and said that the certificate belonged to a different person. But, the polytechnic made a weird u-turn and said that Fayose was a graduate of the school.

Salisu Buhari

Salisu Buhari, the former speaker of the House of representatives was one of the first politicians to be accused of certificate forgery. He claimed that he attended the University of Toronto and bagged a degree in Business Administration. However, the school rubbished the claim.

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David Lyon, who won the governorship election in Bayelsa will be wondering what hit him as the Supreme Court nullified his election.

According to reports, the election was nullified because his deputy Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo presented a false and fake certificate to INEC.

There are many questions to ask about this Supreme Court Judgment however, this will be left for the lawyers.

This said, we cannot ignore the fact that there appears to be APC and PDP politics in the judgments of the Supreme Court.

The judges that made the decision to sack David Lyon were led by Justice Mary Odili, the wife of former governor of Rivers State and member of the PDP, Peter Odili.

So, some people may not be surprised that PDP would be basking in the euphoria of the Supreme Court Judgement as the candidate of the party, Diri Duoye may be sworn in as Governor.

For the APC Supreme Court theatrics, you would recall what happened in Imo state when the Supreme Court sacked Emeka Ihedioha and Hope Uzodinma became governor.

The seven-man panel was led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammed, a Chief Justice appointed by Buhari, a member of the ruling party-APC.

This was perhaps the reason why PDP cried blue murder when Walter Onnoghen, former Chief Justice of Nigeria was unceremoniously removed.

So perhaps, the APC should consider the sacking of David Lyon as a balancing act. More like one one.

The Supreme Court which should be non-partisan has been politicized as justices are reportedly delivering judgment based on political biases and personal convictions.

If this is the case, this is not good as the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

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Mr Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is contesting for a second term. However, unlike the first time when he had the support of Adams Oshiomole, he has now lost his support this time. Due to this, many might think it would be extra difficult for Obaseki to win the election. Well, this is wrong as Obaseki will win the election with ease and shame Oshiomole-the Chairman of APC.

His knowledge of the economy

Obaseki attended Columbia University and Pace University in New York and has an MBA in finance and international business. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers, Nigeria and an alumnus of the Lagos Business School Chief Executive Program. His long service as the head of the Edo State Economic and Strategy Team gave him an opportunity to showcase his innate skills and talent as a sound economic manager.

His deep Benin roots

He is a member of the famous and illustrious Obaseki family. His deep Benin roots no doubt will give him an edge in the election. So, his grassroots support will help him.

Incumbency factor

In Nigeria, it is a known fact that the government of the day has an unrivalled advantage before and during the electioneering period. All the paraphernalia of the state machinery is brought to bear and used to intimidate the opposition. Unfortunately, electoral and security agencies who are supposed to be apolitical most times dance to the tune of the government in power in exchange for financial and material inducements. This will also come to bear.

The presidency factor

Although President Muhammadu Buhari has been somewhat apolitical since he came on board, the Edo election is important the APC to retain due to the upcoming 2023 presidential elections. So the president will definitely like to see APC win and he is expected to support Obaseki.

Massive publicity

Obaseki has performed well in his first term and has massive publicity. So, no matter the antics of Oshiomole, he will win. The Governorship elections in Edo state will be held on Saturday 19th September 2020.

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For decades now, the Bermuda Triangle or Devil's Triangle has been plagued by mysterious and weird disappearance of ships, people and airplanes.

It is a mythical section of the Atlantic Ocean roughly bounded by Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico where dozens of ships and airplanes have disappeared in unexplained circumstances.

These dozens of boats, ships and airplanes have never been found.

Why do ships and planes seem to go missing in the region? Some authors suggested it may be due to a strange magnetic anomaly that affects compass readings (in fact they claim Columbus noted this when he sailed through the area in 1492). Others theorize that methane eruptions from the ocean floor may suddenly be turning the sea into a froth that can't support a ship's weight so it sinks (though there is no evidence of this type of thing happening in the Triangle for the past 15,000 years). Several books have gone as far as conjecturing that the disappearances are due to an intelligent, technologically advanced race living in space or under the sea.

Despite these disappearances, it is still a well-travelled section of the ocean. In fact, people navigate the area every day without incident.

So the question now is whether the Bermuda Triangle is fact or fiction.

Well, I don't know if the Bermuda Triangle is fact or fiction. However, there are some incidences that have happens along that stretch of the ocean to make many makes that part of the earth is a bit mysterious and mythical.

1918: U.S. Battleship Goes Missing With 306 on Board

The USS Cyclops was a collier that operated between the East Coast and the Caribbean, servicing the Atlantic fleet for a time and then ran trans-Atlantic journeys until February 1918. The ship later disappeared and the 306 crew and passengers were never heard from again.

1948: DC-3 Commercial Flight Vanishes

On Dec. 28, 1948, Capt. Robert Lindquist took off from San Juan with two crew members and 29 passengers heading for Miami. When the plane was 50 miles away from Miami, Lindquist reportedly radioed the Miami airport for landing instructions. The airport's reply was met with silence. The plane was never seen again.

1976: Panamanian Ship Trades Cargo for Mystery

The Panamanian ship Sylvia L. Ossa was a cargo ship that was a regular near the mysterious waters of the Bermuda Triangle. But in 1976, the Sylvia L. Ossa fell victim to the mysteries of the triangle when she and her 37-person crew disappeared without a trace.

1948: Star Tiger passenger plane vanished

On its way from England to Bermuda in January 1948, a Star Tiger passenger plane vanished with more than 30 people on board. The fate of the Star Tiger is still considered an unsolved mystery.

So what do you think? Bermuda Triangle: Fact or Fiction? Like, Share & Comment

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In the last few years, a number of Nigerian entertainers have been arrested, while some were convicted, of drug-related offences.

Babatunde Omidina (Baba Suwe)

Nollywood actor and comedian Babatunde Omidina, aka Baba Suwe, was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for allegedly concealing drugs in his stomach. The actor was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, as he tried to board an Air France flight to Paris. The drugs were allegedly discovered in the 53-year-old actor’s stomach as he passed through the scanning machine at the airport and he was immediately arrested and detained at the airport. He was said to have denied swallowing hard drugs and was subsequently declared innocent!

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Fatoke Abiodun

King Sunny Ade’s ex-lead guitarist, Fatoke Abiodun, who was unceremoniously retired, from his band about six years ago, was sentenced to three years imprisonment by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for drug trafficking. The 62-year old veteran guitarist was arrested on January 1, 2013, with 1.575kg of cocaine while trying to board an Air France flight to Italy at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. The drug was discovered in the false bottom of his luggage during the screening of passengers to Italy.

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Hassanat Akinwande Taiwo (Yetunde Wunmi)

A popular Yoruba movie actress, Hassanat Akinwande Taiwo, popularly known as Yetunde Wunmi, was arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for cocaine trafficking. Yetunde Wunmi was arrested on her way to London. Investigations revealed that she was about to board a Virgin Atlantic plane at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, when NDLEA officials caught her. She was said to have been injected to excrete the cocaine she swallowed. Yetunde Wunmi excreted over 95 wraps of cocaine (condom-size). After her excretion, Yetunde was taken to the Shaw Road, Ikoyi, Lagos office of NDLEA to undergo interrogation and eventually jailed!.

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Tochi Uche Odobuta

Uche Odobuta was arrested on March 23, 2007, for attempting to smuggle about 1.336kg of cocaine. Prince Uche was nabbed by men of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos when he was about to board a Virgin Atlantic Airways flight to London, England.

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Contrary to what many people believe, getting a bigger butt starts in the kitchen. Pairing regular exercise with a healthy diet full of glute-growing foods is one of the most effective strategies to help maximize results. Certain foods may increase muscle growth, strength, and recovery to help you achieve the derrière of your dreams.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are packed with proteins and healthy fats. There are 14 grams of protein in 100 grams of chia seeds. These seeds are super rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, antioxidants, and fibre. Add two tablespoons of chia seeds to your breakfast smoothies, pancakes, and juices. They are easily available and have a neutral taste. So, you can add them to any dish. But do not overconsume them as that might cause stomach ache.

Fish

Fish are loaded with protein and healthy fats omega-3-fatty acids. Include salmon, tuna, mackerel and tilapia in your meals to get a good dose of protein.

Spinach

Spinach is a storehouse of vitamins and minerals. It is the best source of iron. The antioxidants help scavenge harmful reactive oxygen species, reduce cholesterol and blood lipid levels, and protect from chronic diseases. Adding spinach to your diet will keep you satiated, which means you will not consume junk food. Junk food will only make you gain weight overall and deteriorate your health.

Avocados

The creamy and buttery avocados are great sources of vitamins E, A, B6, and C, protein, and minerals. The healthy fats in avocado help reduce inflammation in the body and

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Mswati III is the king of Eswatini and head of the Swazi Royal Family. He was born in Manzini in British Swaziland to King Sobhuza II and one of his younger wives, Ntfombi Tfwala. He was crowned as Mswati III, Ingwenyama and King of Swaziland, on 25 April 1986 at the age of 18. The eccentric king's father was a few steps ahead of him. He wed 125 women during his 82-year reign. There are lots of things to know about Mswati. Here are some tidbits about this eccentric monarch and his land:

1. King Mswati inherited the throne in 1986 from his father, Sobhuza II when he was 18 years old. This made him the youngest ruling monarch at the time.

2. The king enforced this name change after complaining that people outside of Africa confused his country with Switzerland. The change was greeted with mixed emotions, with some saying the country had more pressing issues, such as poverty and health care.

3. Named Prince Makhosetive at birth, Mswati was the son of King Sobhuza II and Ntombi Tfwala, one of the king’s younger wives. His mother jointly rules with him, first as Queen Regent and now as Queen Mother.

4. Within a month of his coronation, he dissolved the Liqoqo, the king’s traditional advisory board and appointed a new prime minister and reshuffled the cabinet, giving two of his brothers important portfolios.

5. The 50-year-old king has 15 wives and 23 children. His father though....

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The royal house of Benin is one of the most popular in Africa. At the same time, the place is sacred. As such, if you find yourself at the palace, there are certain things you must not do at the palace. Although no one knows the consequences of doing these things, it is better imagined than experiencing them. To this end, here are the things you should never do at the Oba of Benin's Palace.

Pointing

Pointing fingers at either Oba or his chiefs are not allowed at the Oba’s palace. The Oba himself does not point fingers at anyone as well, except in a bid to bless or curse another individual. Pointing is seen as an act with deep spiritual meaning and so, anyone who does this is promptly arrested by the security guards of the palace known as the Ifienwenro for questioning and possible punishment.

Whistling

Whistling might seem like a simple and harmless act, but when in Benin City, especially at the Palace, this is considered rude. Based on superstition, the people of Benin believe whistling to be a medium through which mortals can call to spirits and the dead. The Oba palace houses over 3000 deities with spirits attached to them. It is believed that when a person whistles in the palace, there is no control over which spirit or deity would be roused by the call.

Open umbrellas during festivals

Umbrellas are to offer protection from harsh weather conditions such as rain or sun, however, if you are visiting Palace and you plan to attend a festival, be prepared to stand through any condition the weather throws at you without protection. During major festivals such as the Igue festival, the Oba of Benin is the only one whose head can be covered with an umbrella. The palace chiefs are expected to leave their umbrellas at the palace gate during festivals.

Wearing black attires

Black as a colour typifies mourning in some cultures. Seeing as it is a taboo for the Oba to mourn, no matter the circumstance, he is not allowed to set eyes on the colour black. As a result, anyone wearing a black attire is not allowed entrance into the palace, especially if the person has the intention of gaining an audience with the Oba or there is a high chance of the person crossing paths with the Oba.

Male visitors not allowed at the royal harem

No male visitor of any kind is allowed near the royal harem. The royal harem includes the queen as well as other...

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The next Nigerian presidential election will be held in 2023. By then President Muhammadu Buhari will be preparing to exit and hand over to the whoever wins the presidential elections. Presently, top Nigerians are consulting their constituencies or their political godfathers whether to decide to contest or not. Regardless, here are some top Nigerians who are likely to contest the 2023 election.

1.) Atiku Abubakar

The icing on the cake for Atiku Abubakar is to become the president of Nigeria. He appears to have achieved every other thing that is achievable as a human except being president. The former Vice President has now become a perennial contestant for the presidency. He gave Buhari a good run for his money. For 2023, it is likely that Atikulate Atiku will return to contest for presidency under the People's Democratic Party. And this time around, he has a higher chance of winning since Buhari is leaving.

2.) Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Bola Ahmed Tinubu has backed other politicians to become local government chairmen, commissioners, governors, members of state and national assembly, governors, vice president and president. The ex-governor of Lagos now has ambitions to become the most powerful man in Nigeria by contesting for the presidency. Some Nigerians have supported his ambitions others have advised him to continue being the one that coronates kings rather than becoming the king.

3.) Rochas Okorocha

If an Igbo man is to become the president of Nigeria, then Rochas Okorocha is the man. The former governor of Imo State is a member of the ruling party All Progressive Congress (APC) and by this alone, he may get the party ticket and support of the likes of Tinubu et al to become President. Hopefully, his people will support him.

4.) Rabiu Kwankwaso

The failure of Atiku to win Kano in the last presidential elections many say was because he did not get the support of the leader of the red cap movement and Kano strong man-Rabiu Kwankwaso. If any candidate wins Kano, the person is likely to become president because of the state's population. Even though Kwankwaso's candidate did win the Kano governorship elections, it has not diminished his influence in Kano. Therefore, he is a candidate to watch in 2023. By the way, there were rumours that the current Kano governor did not win the election.

5.) Yemi Osinbajo

Starboy! This Professor is not .....

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Contrary to a report by Techawk that Gokada, one of the leading on-demand motorcycle startups in Lagos State has shut down, news reaching us shows that Gokada is still very much in operations albeit on a much smaller scale.

The new report reveals that Gokada has laid off some of its staff members (as much as 70%) as it plans to focus on deliveries to cushion the impact of the okada ban.

Gokada founded in 2018 by Fahim Saleh appears to have been hit the most by the okada ban among the 3 popular on-demand motorcycle hailing startups operating in Lagos. The other two are ORide by OPay and MaxOkada.

As rumours of either the sack or shut down of Gokada was raging, Saleh posted an emotional message on the Gokada Twitter Handle- @Gokada reacting to the Lagos transport ban on motorcycles.

He emphasised that Gokada has created thousands of jobs for riders who previously could not find employment adding that Gokada is safe. Saleh did not reference if they have actually sacked their workers or not.

The Gokada CEO eventually confirmed the sack of workers on February 3rd in a tweet and the fact that the on-demand motorcycle hailing startup is now pivoting into deliveries.

He tweeted: While much of your report is accurate, we still have money in the bank and are pivoting towards deliveries while this transport ban gets sorted. we were due to make a profit in January before the ban was announced." 

The Lagos State Government had proscribed the operations of motorcycles in six Local Government Areas (LGAs), nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and 10 major highways across the State with effect from February 1.

LASG directed security operatives to embark on total enforcement of the State’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 to immediately address the chaos and disorderliness created by illegal operations of Okada and tricycle riders in restricted areas.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/02/05/gokada-sacks-workers-eyes-deliveries/

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The Lagos Okada ban appears to have claimed its first victim as Gokada, one of the leading motorcycle ride-hailing service in Lagos has reportedly shut down.

Although Gokada is yet to officially confirm this shut down, reports have emerged that Fahim Saleh, the CEO of Gokada has actually taken the difficult decision to close down the on-demand motorcycle startup he founded in 2018.

Fahim had posted an emotional message on the Gokada Twitter Handle- @Gokada reacting to the Lagos transport ban on motorcycles.

He emphasised that Gokada has created thousands of jobs for riders who previously could not find employment adding that Gokada is safe.

Gokada raised $5.3 million Series A round to scale its business in May last year. The funding round was led by Rise Capital and joined by Adventure Capital, IC Global Partners, and Illinois based First MidWest Group. 

In August 2019, Saleh temporarily suspended Gokada operations to restrategize and improve its services. It resumed business 2 weeks later.

The on-demand motorcycle startup's investment in Lagos state also includes GBoat, its on-demand boat riding service.  

In spite of being the startup that disrupted the motorcycle business in Lagos State, the entry of ORide by OPay gave Gokada a serious competition which probably forced Gokada then to temporarily suspend operations. 

Presently Gokada, ORide by OPay and MaxOkada have all been banned.

The Lagos State Government had proscribed the operations of motorcycles in six Local Government Areas (LGAs), nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and 10 major highways across the State with effect from February 1.

LASG directed security operatives to embark on total enforcement of the State’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 to immediately address the chaos and disorderliness created by illegal operations of Okada and tricycle riders in restricted areas.

Consequently, Uber and Bolt were reported to have increased their prices due to rise in demand.

However, Bolt denied that it increased its fares stating in a DM response that "Our prices have not changed and we would always communicate to riders when there is a change in our pricing metrics."

Many Lagosians may have clamoured for the ban on motorcycles or Okada in the state.

At the same, a significant number of them expected that the motorcycle ride-hailing platforms would be exempted from the ban due to their good safety record and the ease of regulating them.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/02/04/lagos-okadaban-claims-first-victim-as-gokada-reportedly-shuts-down/

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Uber and Bolt, the two popular and most widely used ride-hailing platforms in Lagos, are reportedly cashing-in on the ban of motorcycles also known as 'Okada' in the centre of excellence.

Prices on the ride-hailing platforms have reportedly surged as a result of increased demand.

On Bolt, a trip from Ojuelegba to Yaba on Lagos Mainland that usually costs between N400 and N500 is now between 600 and 800. Meanwhile, it is between N500-550 for the same trip on Uber. 

Unlike short destinations, the prices for taking a ride for distant and long trips are very much higher.

As Uber and Bolt are cashing-in on the Okada Ban, many commuters have resulted in either trekking to their final destinations or waiting for several hours for the Lagos commercial buses also known as Danfo.

Unfortunately, Lagosians who are not mobile have no other alternative than to pay the high fares charged by Uber, Bolt and the regular Danfos or they simply trek.

A bit of succour or relieve would have come the way of Lagosians if the government had not also banned the on-demand commercial motorcycle startups like ORide, Gokada NG and MaxOkada. 

The Lagos State Government proscribed operations of motorcycles in six Local Government Areas (LGAs), nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and 10 major highways across the State with effect from February 1.

LASG directed security operatives to embark on total enforcement of the State’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 to immediately address the chaos and disorderliness created by illegal operations of Okada and tricycle riders in restricted areas.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/02/03/uber-bolt-prices-surge-as-ride-hailing-services-cash-in-on-okada-ban/

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Omolara Adagunodo, the former Managing Director of Jumia Travel has been appointed the interim MD of Jumia Food Nigeria replacing Guy Futi.

The appointment of Omolara Adagunodo comes weeks after Jumia shut down its travel marketplace-Jumia Travel and offloaded its travel business across Africa to Travelstart.

Omolara Adagunodo has been with Jumia for close to 6 years and comes with years of management experience which she will definitely bring to bear in her new position as interim MD, Jumia Food.

Although her appointment is still provisional, Omolara Adagunodo being in the driving seat of Jumia Food shows that the Jumia hierarchy still has confidence in her management skills.

As for Guy Futi, he may no longer have a role in Jumia anymore as he has proceeded on leave and may not return to the ecommerce startup.

Interestingly, no particular reason was given for replacing him with Omolara Adagunodo.

However, an organisation named AFSIC which is organising an African Investment  Forum in London in May list Guy Futi's designation as Managing Director Nigeria - On-Demand Services Jumia Group which is a signal that Jumia has been merged into one company.

To clear these speculations, Techawk reached out to the Head of Public Relations for Jumia Nigeria, Olukayode Kolawole for comments on this new appointment and the role of Guy Futi, we are yet to get any reply from him.

Jumia appears to be an aggressive drive to break even and eventually become profitable.

It shut down its offices in Cameroon and Tanzania and laid off staff in Kenya in a bid to cut cost.

It has appointed new CEOs for  Jumia Ghana and Jumia Nigeria and at a recent press conference in Lagos to share the ecommerce startup's vision for 2020, Jumia announced that it will leverage JumiaPay, its payment gateway, to boost its revenue and to this end, it has intensified efforts to make JumiaPay a stand-alone fintech company.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/28/omolara-adagunodo-appointed-interim-md-jumia-food/

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From left to right: EVP Marketplace/Chief Executive Officer, Jumia Nigeria, Massimiliano Spalazzi; Chairwoman Jumia Nigeria and Head Institutional Affairs Jumia Africa, Juliet Anammah; Co-founder and co-CEO Jumia Group, Jeremy Hodara and Media Relations, Jumia Group, Abdesslam Benzitouni.

Massimiliano Spalazzi has been appointed as CEO of Jumia Nigeria replacing Juliet Anammah who is now the of chairwoman of Jumia Nigeria and the Head of institutional affairs across Africa.

Jumia Group’s co-CEO and Co-Founder, Jeremy Hodara who announced the replacement of Juliet Anammah said Massimiliano Spalazzi has been appointed as the new Jumia Nigeria CEO, saying Spalazzi had served as CEO for Jumia Emerging countries between January 2015 and January 2019 and CEO Jumia Market from January 2015  to September 2017.

Hodara made the announcement while sharing Jumia's vision for 2020 at a recent press conference in Lagos.

It won't be an easy job for Massimiliano Spalazzi because Jumia's focus now is on profitability and since Nigeria is Jumia's biggest market, he has a lot on his plate.

As part of efforts to cut losses, Jumia took some drastic measures last year despite listing on the New York Stock Exchange. It exited Cameroon and Tanzanian markets, downsized in Kenya and offloaded its entire travel business in Africa to Travelstart.

In its 3rd quarter report, the ecommerce startup said that its operating losses stood at $55 million, which is higher than the $45 million it recorded in the same quarter in 2018.

As Chairwoman of Jumia Nigeria, Anammah says that she will be supporting Massimiliano Spalazzi for the smooth running of Jumia Nigeria no longer be fully involved in the day to day activities of Jumia Nigeria.

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Massimiliano Spalazzi, the new CEO of Jumia Nigeria

As part of the vision for 2020, Spalazzi says the company will keep looking to make goods more affordable for consumers, foster faster deliveries with Jumia x-press, and concentrate more in the delivery of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and essential commodities.

The ecommerce startup has also intensified efforts to make JumiaPay a stand-alone fintech company.

It is no surprise that Jumia wants to give more attention to JumiaPay considering JumiaPay's performance in the 3rd quarter report.

According to the Q3 report 2019, the number of JumiaPay transactions hit 2.1 million, up 262% from the same period 2018, demonstrating robust traction of digital payments on our platform.

The report also revealed that approximately 31% of orders at Group level were settled via JumiaPay compared to 16% a year ago, demonstrating our ability to leverage the marketplace flywheel to drive the adoption of JumiaPay.

JumiaPay which was introduced in 2016 as the payment vehicle of Jumia is available in six African countries of Nigeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Morocco and Kenya.

It is not only in Nigeria that ecommerce startup recently made changes. In Ghana, Diana Owusu-Kyereko was named the new CEO. Owusu-Kyereko took over from Ore Odusanya.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/23/massimiliano-spalazzi-jumia-nigeria-ceo/

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Alex Okosi, a Nigerian-born, US-educated media executive has been appointed by YouTube as the new Managing Director for emerging markets for YouTube in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

Alex Okosi will be responsible for running YouTube’s business and partnership teams across emerging markets in EMEA including Russia, the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Alex Okosi will report to the head of YouTube EMEA, Cécile Frot-Coutaz. Based in the London office, Okosi will start in April 2020.

“YouTube is a game-changing platform that plays an increasingly important role in our lives today through the dynamic content and innovation that it delivers,” Alex Okosi said.

“I am very excited to be joining Cecile’s leadership team to continue empowering creators and elevating value for viewers and partners across the region.”

Cecile Frot-Coutaz, said he brings a “wealth of experience in the content industries and has a track record for building businesses and audiences in established and new markets” and would “drive further expansion in these key markets.”

Alex Okosi in brief

1.) He was born in Enugu, South-East Nigeria and is the youngest of seven children (2 sisters and 4 brothers). He relocated to the US when he at age 12.

2.) He has worked for Viacom International media networks for 17 years. One of his key achievements was the developing and launching MTV Africa in February 2005.

3.) Before he was appointed by YouTube, he was the Executive VP & Managing Director at Viacom International Media Networks Africa & BET International.

4.) He attended Harvard Business School, Harvard Kennedy School, and University of Virginia Darden school of business according to his LinkedIn profile.

5.) He married his South African girlfriend, Ziyanda Mathe in 2017.

https:///pa28Hw-1TQ

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OPera has denied a report by short-seller, Hindenburg Research that it offers predatory loans to its customers in Nigeria, Kenya and India.

OPera said in a statement that the report contains numerous errors, unsubstantiated statements, and misleading conclusions and interpretations.

"We are aware of and has carefully reviewed the report published by the short seller on January 16, 2020.

"The Company believes that the report contains numerous errors, unsubstantiated statements, and misleading conclusions and interpretations regarding the business of and events relating to the Company.

"The Company has recently launched and scaled multiple new businesses and has continued to post strong financial results, and intends to continue leveraging its well-known brand and large user base of more than 350 million users for additional growth.

"The Company also remains committed to maintaining high standards of corporate governance and constantly evolving our products, practices and governance."

The report had claimed that Opera is running four Android apps aimed at India, Kenya and Nigeria (CashBean, OKash, OPay and OPesa) that appear to be in direct violation of Google Play Store policies forbidding predatory loans and deceptive descriptions.

According to the report, the apps would claim to offer maximum annual percentage rate (APR) of 33 per cent or less, but the actual rates were much higher, climbing to 438 per cent in the case of OPesa.

And while they publicly offered reasonable loan terms of 91 to 365 days, the real length was no more than 29 days (for OKash) and more often 15 days -- well under Google's 60-day minimum.

The conditions only got worse for borrowers who missed their payments. Falling short by just a day could raise the APR as high as 876 per cent.

Also, the apps reportedly scraped phone contacts to harass family, friends and others with calls and texts in hopes this would pressure customers into paying up. These same notices often threatened legal action. And the consequences aren't trivial.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/20/opera-denies-report-offers-predatory-loans/

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The logistics chain is huge. But in Nigeria, the focus has been narrowed to haulage primarily. Nonetheless, a logistics startup in Nigeria like Haulr.ng founded by Bright Williams is changing this narrative by focusing on the software side of the logistics business. In this Techawk interview, Bright Williams, Haulr.ng CEO discusses Haulr.ng, how he decided to become a founder and got funding for Haulr.ng, measures being put in place to ensure that the logistics startup does not crumble and much more. 

Can you share your startup concept with us? 

We simply built a device that helps logistics companies to automatically track their field operations easily and keep up with how their trucks are used in the field to mitigate illegal haulage, cargo theft and drive higher efficiency.

We do this by constantly measuring the weight and the location of trucks in real-time through our device and then by leveraging AI we can determine the status of jobs on the field, ensuring it’s safety and allowing managers to make better-informed decisions.

What prompted you to establish a Haulr.ng platform?

After working in the industry for some years as an analyst, I realized that staffs had to spend a lot of time calling and interacting with drivers who are on the field just to get some information about the status of the job, etc… even when they were driving, which was not only inconvenient but dangerous.

This meant that it could take a tracking officer as much as 3 hours to get information on 50 trucks. Not only was this slow but also, the accuracy and authenticity of the information gotten from the drivers are questionable when an illegal operation is being carried out.

So, with the knowledge and understanding, I decided to go out to make the whole operations tracking experience easier, automated and more insightful by focusing on getting data on jobs directly from the field in a non-intrusive manner.

Continue here: https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/18/logistics-businesses-haulr-ng/

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Oje Kewa Eng, Sco pa tu manaa and Bomboclat have become popular buzzwords among Nigerian internet users, especially on Twitter who use them mainly to catch fun.

Although, Oje Kewa Eng, Sco pa tu manaa and Bomboclat trended at different times, yet their objectives remained the same-for Twitter users to have fun, engage and interact with one another.

How these three buzzwords work on Twitter

You do not need to be a Twitter influencer to tweet about Oje Kewa Eng, Sco pa tu manaa and Bomboclat. A random Twitter user can simply share a tweet with a picture alongside the caption of any of these catchphrases and other users will respond.

Depending on how creative, the responses are, it may garner thousands, hundreds and even no retweet.

Meaning of these Buzzwords

Oje Kewa Eng?

Oje Kewa Eng kicked off 2019. It replaced and knocked out the #10YearChallenge.  It is a phrase in the Sesotho language which is the national language of Lesotho and simply means What is bothering you? It was first tweeted by Keabetswe.

Sco pa tu manaa

Sco Pa Tu Manaa is the name of a song sang by Ghanaian Artiste; Patapaa. He was credited with introducing the catchphrase even though it was spelt Skopatumana. It has no meaning even in the Ghanaian language according to checks.

A reported meaning of Sco pa tu manaa is “What experience does this remind you of?” and, “I'll hit you", which originated from the Hawaiian Language.

Bomboclat!

Bomboclat came like a thief in the night and relegated Oje Kewa Eng and Sco pa tu manaa. Bomboclat is a Jamaican slang equivalent to "douchebag" or "m*therf****.  It is usually used to express shock, anger, excitement, or befuddlement. It was first tweeted by Jamaican Twitter user @rudebwoy_lamz in September 2019.

Twitter is a fun place to be. While these catchphrases are now struggling to gain traction in 2020, they were the MVP in 2018 and 2019.

Very soon, another buzzword word would be introduced by a random Twitter user. Till then maybe Oje Sco bom clat will do.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/15/oje-kewa-eng-sco-pa-tu-manaa-bomboclat/

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University of Lagos (UNILAG), one of the best university in Nigeria, is inviting its students to apply for the UNILAG Innovation Challenge.

The UNILAG Innovation Challenge is aimed at providing students with the opportunity to develop scalable innovative solutions for common societal challenges.

The UNILAG Innovation Challenge allows students to ideate about an identified national problem via working in a group, process the idea into a solution and then develop the solution to the business enterprise.

A major consideration in the challenge is the scalability of the process and technology charaterising the innovation.

For the 2020 UNILAG Innovation Challenge, the theme is about "Creating sustainable business enterprises through innovative recycling of polymeric materials towards achieving sustainable development goals particularly Goals 3, 9 and 12."

Polymeric materials of all forms including tyres, plastic bottles and sachet-packs are often difficult to manage post-useful life.

The traditional practice of incineration releases poisonous gases to the atmosphere as well as contributing to global warming.

Additionally, oceans and coasts are now discharging points for these materials; at times, ending up in the belly of sea animals or clogging the drains which aggravate flooding with devastating consequences on livelihood.

Whereas waste management offers the opportunity to harvest inspiration and innovation in science, engineering, technology, IT and business as a powerful catalyst for economic growth.

Students have enormous potential for ideation in addition to passion. These attributes could be harnessed for providing creative innovative business ideas with the potential to scale and change the narrative of our socio-economic challenge.

This is what the UNILAG Innovation challenge seeks to accomplish.

Objectives 

1.) Broadly, the challenge seeks to provide access to business solutions that address national challenges with the potential for high impact.

2.) It also seeks to inculcate in students the culture of a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving with a view to enhancing their professional and social network mindset.

3.) It serves as a platform for sustainable creation of a pool of young entrepreneurs with multidisciplinary knowledge and skill in the business enterprise value chain.

4.) It will equally provide business community access to a wide range of ideas to enable them to scale quickly.

5.) It provides an opportunity for the University to improve the employability of its students whilst also contributing to the process of providing a solution to national challenges.

more details>>> https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/13/unilag-innovation-challenge/

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The 2019 Finance Bill has been signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari. The President disclosed this on his Twitter handle.

The Finance Bill, 2019 was presented alongside the 2020 Budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on 8 October 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari. The Finance Bill has already been passed by the Senate.

What are the objectives of the Finance Bill?  The Bill seeks to promote fiscal equity, align domestic laws with global best practices and support Micro, Small and Medium-sized businesses. Other goals include increasing government revenues and stakeholder investments in investment/capital market through the introduction of incentives.

Key Points of the Finance Bill 2019

*Small and Medium Scale Businesses with a turnover of up to ₦25 million will be exempted from Company Income Tax (CIT). Meanwhile, companies with a turnover greater than ₦25million and less than ₦100 million will 20% CIT and companies with a turnover greater than ₦100 million will pay 30% CIT.

*Introduction of early tax payment bonus. With the Finance Bill signed into law, taxpayers have now been offered incentives for early payment of their taxes. Taxpayers who pay their tax liability at least 90 days before due date would be entitled to a bonus of 2% and 1% of the tax paid for medium and large companies respectively.

*Banks to obtain tax identification number (TIN) from corporate customers Banks would now be required to obtain TIN from corporate customers as a pre-condition for opening or maintaining bank accounts.

*₦50 Stamp Duty on ₦10,000 transactions will now include electronic transactions. But, there is still the issue of who will be in charge of the collection of tax duty-NIPOST or FIRS.

*Increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) rate from 5% to 7.5%. This is straightforward VAT has been increased from 5% to 7.5%.

For Buhari, the Finance Bill 2019 "Was introduced alongside the 2020 Budget, to -Reform Nigeria’s tax laws to align with global best practices; -Support MSMEs in line with our Ease of Doing Business Reforms; -Incentivize investments in infrastructure and capital markets; -Raise Government revenues."

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/13/new-finance-bill-signed-into-law/

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The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program has received a $5 million grant from the African Development Bank to enable it to scale up its outreach and impact to 1,000 select youth entrepreneurs.

The grant follows the signing of a letter of intent between the Bank and the Foundation, which took place during the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program launch in March last year.

The partnership will bring about future collaboration focused on strengthening small to medium-sized enterprises as well as talent and skills development for Africa’s youth.

The partnership will support 3,050 young entrepreneurs across 54 African countries.

The Bank's participation will enable an additional 1,000 entrepreneurs to benefit from the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program, which provides much-needed opportunities to help stem the rising tide of unemployment and inequality facing the continent’s youngest citizens.

The program aligns with the Bank’s ten-year Jobs for Youth in Africa strategy launched in 2016, to support the creation of 25 million decent jobs across the continent.

The strategy is also expected to equip 50 million young African people with employable skills that enable them to access economic opportunities and realize their full economic potential across the continent.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program will deliver business training, mentoring, access to networks, markets and capital for business development to selected youth-led start-ups in order for them to grow and create jobs.

The Entrepreneurship Program demonstrates a strong alignment with the Bank’s Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund objectives to build the African youth entrepreneurship ecosystem by scaling innovative youth-led start-ups, expanding youth market opportunities and improving youth access to finance.

Other development partners involved in supporting the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Program are Agence Française de Développement, the German Agency for International Cooperation, the United Nations Development Program and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

They will also work to provide more business opportunities to youth entrepreneurs across the continent.

In 2017, the Bank established the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-Donor Trust Fund, in partnership with the governments of Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Italy and the Netherlands.

The fund is a grant vehicle managed by the Bank to support the African entrepreneurship ecosystem directly and indirectly by leveraging on the Bank’s instruments.

Its interventions will equip Africa’s youth with the right tools to establish start-ups and micro, small and medium enterprises.

[img]https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/11/tony-elumelu-foundation-entrepreneurship-program-gets-5m-grant-from-afdb/[/img]

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The Nigeria University Commission (NUC) has disclosed that it has split mass communication into seven different courses.

This means that as from March 2020, mass communication will no longer be offered as a single course of study in Nigerian Universities.

Making this announcement, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said the time of Mass Communication as a single course in universities is over, as the commission has unbundled the course to respond to demands of the labour market.

This development follows the presentation of a new curriculum on February 5, 2019, which sought the unbundling of mass communication and the creation of seven-degree awarding departments to be domiciled under a School/College of Communication studies in Nigerian universities.

Rasheed, listed the seven-courses to include said:

1.) Journalism and Media Studies

2.) Public Relations

3.) Advertising

4.) Broadcasting

5.) Film and Multi-Media Studies

6.) Development Communication Studies

7.) Information and Media Studies.

The NUC's Executive Secretary, however, said that the commission will retain Mass Communication for the universities that are yet to have the capacity to offer the newly introduced courses.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/11/nuc-splits-mass-communication/

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For Nigeria’s biggest employer of labour in the banking industry, finding the right size to optimise value delivery to its customers, shareholders and other stakeholders means a motivated and productive workforce is essential in the very competitive banking industry.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) recently announced that it embarked on a careful re-jigging of its workforce in the last quarter of 2019 which led to the promotion of more than a fourth of its workforce, easing of mobility through its corporate ranks, and upward review of salaries.

The bank also recruited additional staff and let go of some of its underperforming employees in a carefully planned restructuring aimed at making its workforce one of the most competitive within the industry, it said.

UBA has the largest workforce among Nigerian banks but also generates the lowest profit per employee and gross earnings per employee among the big banks, underscoring low productivity at the expense of its shareholders.

The pan-African lender, which currently boasts of workforce strength near 12,909, in 2018 generated a gross earning per head of N38.27m.

The earnings per head was significantly lower than the performance of its big peers and a FUGAZ (First Bank, UBA, GTB, Access and Zenith) average of N77.98m, according to data compiled by BusinessDay.

The bank also had a profit per employee of N6m which was lower than that generated by employees of its peers. FUGAZ average was N18.96m in the period.

However, its management is taking necessary measures that would benefit both the business and its workforce in entirety by crashing grade levels from 16 to 12 and promoting 3,292 employees across various cadres with up to 170 percent salary increment.

The bank also effected an upward review of salaries of 1,735 additional junior staff, employed over 2,800 operations staff and 1,336 additional non-operations staff.

Like is normal practice anywhere in the world, few employees that had underperformed after appraisal, some of who were close to retirement, were asked to resign. UBA said some of the affected staff would collect up to eight months’ salary plus PenCom contributions.

“As a leading financial institution, we do not take issues relating to our staff lightly,” said Kennedy Uzoka, UBA’s group managing director/chief executive officer. “UBA recruits highly talented staff who perform at the best standards and deserve to be remunerated accordingly.”

Uzoka said UBA is ever attentive to its employees as they turn the wheels which make the organisation successful for its customers and shareholders.

He said the steps would ensure that UBA remains at the top tier as it relates to the talent pool and make it easier and faster for the bank’s employees to progress along with their careers.

“With this new grade structure, it will be possible for a new graduate employed at UBA to rapidly chart their own careers and become GMD by the age of 36,” he said.

Underlining its broader commitment to investing in the highest quality human capital, the bank on Monday announced that Oliver Alawuba has been appointed as CEO of UBA Africa, overseeing the bank’s 20 African country operations, ex-Nigeria. He succeeds Victor Osadolor, who retires from the Group Board after nine years of service working at UBA. UBA Africa serves over 19 million customers across the African continent, providing retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting-edge products including the first ever banking chat bot in Africa, LEO.

The Board further appointed Senegalese national, Abdoul-Aziz Dia, as executive director for Treasury and International Banking, subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Dia becomes the first non-Nigerian group executive director of the bank, bringing a wealth of multi-geographical experience to the Group. He will be responsible for UBA’s global network of operations in New York, London and Paris, together with Group Treasury, where UBA offers a sophisticated suite of products to multinationals, international institutions, and African clients.

Chukwuma Nweke, currently executive director operations, was confirmed by the Board as the group executive director, Retail and Payments, demonstrating the Group’s commitment to its retail offering. Nweke has close to three decades of banking experience spanning banking operations, finance, technology, audit and strategy.

The Board also announced the appointment of Chiugo Ndubisi as group executive director and the group chief operating officer, subject to CBN’s approval. Chiugo is a professional with almost three decades of banking experience that includes the role of chief finance officer and executive director on the board of a financial institution. His in-depth understanding of banking and finance industry dynamics will bring a lot of value to the Group Board of UBA.

“These appointments emphasise the Group’s commitment to our pan-African and global network, our huge retail client base and our operational infrastructure,” said Tony O. Elumelu, Group chairman. “We are focused on improving our efficiency and further strengthening our pan-African mission, using the extraordinary pool of talent and experience available in the Group.”

Elumelu thanked both the outgoing deputy managing director/CEO, UBA Africa, Victor Osadolor, and the former regional CEO for UBA in East and Southern Africa, Emeke Iweriebor, who just retired from the board, for their contributions to the bank.

UBA is one of Africa’s leading banks with operations in 20 African countries. The bank also has a presence in the global financial centers of London, New York, and Paris.

UBA provides banking services to more than 17 million customers globally, through diverse channels.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/08/uba-sacks-workers/

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Solride, a new ride-hailing service has been launched in Lagos, Nigeria to riders access to different modes of transportation (salon cars, motorcycles, tricycles, and SUVs), ride scheduling and rental as well as detailed maps.

According to a press statement, Solride will offer a unique combination of different vehicles, delivering endless possibilities and revolutionizing the concept of transportation in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.

Henry Adesegha, CEO of Solchos Kefani said the company stands out with some strong and unique innovation that connects directly to consumer needs given that people will be able to switch from one mode of transportation to another without the hassle of switching ride-hailing platforms.

Solride looks to attract drivers with its unique driver-controlled price mechanism algorithm that will see the drivers individually control price during regular, peak and off-peak business hours.

Instead of employing dynamic pricing, where prices generically increase or decrease based on demand, Solride empowers individual drivers to regulate prices themselves within a stipulated range.

Both riders and drivers are able to use digital channels integrated into the app to make payments where applicable. And riders also get to know upfront how much they have to pay for their trip without the fear of price change after the start of the trip.

In addition, the company plans to incentivize rides by rewarding drivers who drive safely. Drivers who receive good reviews of their rides will also get the opportunity to earn additional revenue from other business streams of the company as ad hoc shareholders.

The CEO also disclosed an intention to expand to other markets in Africa by the end of the first quarter of this year. “We’re aiming to blitzscale, grow exponentially and expand to different cities in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda by the first quarter of 2020,” said Adesegha.

Solride joins ride-hailing services like Uber, Bolt, and InDriver among others in the ever-growing and competitive ride-hailing business in Nigeria.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/07/solride-launches-in-nigeria/

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Bolt, formerly known as Taxify, has appointed Femi Akin-Laguda as the new country manager for Nigeria to drive the company’s operations and expansion moves across Nigeria.

Akin-Laguda has served in various capacities at Bolt over the last three years most recently as City Manager for Lagos where he engineered the introduction of an identity verification portal.

Meanwhile, Uche Okafor who was formerly in charge of the Nigerian operations has become the ride-hailing services' Regional Manager for West Africa

“As a company deeply committed to raising transformational leaders, we are excited to have Femi run operations and lead the Nigerian team to execute a global vision of transforming urban mobility and empowering thousands of young people within the local ecosystem.

"We are thrilled about what this means for our business as we continue to rapidly scale and widen the scope of our operations in Nigeria” Bolt’s Regional Manager for West Africa, Uche Okafor said.

“At Bolt, we will continue to find innovative ways to make our platform thrive whilst empowering our people to champion new roles and frontiers.

"We are also committed to rewarding excellence and diligence. This is the reason we are elated to appoint Femi as his performance on previous roles has been stellar", Okafor added.

Commenting on his new appointment, Akin-Laguda said: "I am excited about Bolt's future in Nigeria and can't wait to take on this challenge in leading the drive to deliver value for all our customers and ensure that Bolt achieves its mission of making urban transportation more convenient and affordable for Nigerians.”

Before joining Bolt, Akin-Lagudahas worked in Insurance Brokering, Utilities, Engineering, National Security & Technology. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology from the University of Ghana.

Bolt is one of the fastest-growing transportation platforms in Europe and Africa with more than 30 million passengers and operations in 35 countries. In 2019, Bolt extended its coverage in Nigeria - setting up new 6 cities and increasing its reach to 11 states in the country.

https://www.techawkng.com/2020/01/07/bolt-appoints-femi-akin-laguda/