sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9/sitemap.xsd BrandArena: December 2015

Friday 18 December 2015

Emirates to deploy A380 on more routes in 2016

Emirates has announced it will deploy its highly-popular A380 to even more destinations across its network in 2016 – reinforcing its commitment to provide an enhanced onboard experience for its passengers.

Birmingham (BHX), Prague (PRG) and Taipei (TPE) have been added to the growing list of Emirates A380 destinations, making Emirates the first and only airline to operate a scheduled A380 service from each of these destinations.  Emirates’ daily Birmingham flight, EK39/40, will be up-gauged to an A380 beginning 27th March 2016. Emirates A380 services to Prague and Taiwan will start from 1st May 2016. Additionally, Barcelona will be served with a second daily

Emirates A380 service from 1st June 2016.

“The introduction and increase of Emirates’ A380 services in these strategic destinations means said Thierry Antinori, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Emirates.

“Our onboard innovations on the A380, across all classes, continue to impress and delight our customers. Deploying larger capacity aircraft, such as the A380, also helps us to efficiently meet growing passenger demand in these markets, contribute to tourism development and enhance customer choice and options,” Thierry Antinori added.

Discovery Networks Brings Id Xtra To DStv Subscribers

Xtra, which will replace ID: Investigation Discovery when it launches next month, showcases the best in gripping stories and dramatic reconstructions of everyday people behaving badly, all filmed in a contemporary and stylish format. From desperate, deadly housewives to vengeful, murderous husbands, ID Xtra will depict intriguing and salacious real-life stories of passion, revenge, murder and desire to satisfy the most curious and inquisitive viewer.

“With its glossy reconstructions of real-life mysteries, ID Xtra will have viewers glued to their screens for hours at a time,” said James Gibbons, EVP & Country Manager, Emerging Business, Discovery Networks CEEMEA. “Mystery and suspense is one of the fastest growing genres within Pay TV and Discovery is in pole position, leading the category with a channel that has already been a proven success across CEEMEA. We are delighted to offer yet another high-quality channel to DStv’s subscribers.”

Featuring a selection of captivating content never before seen on DStv, ID Xtra will welcome a host of new faces including Emmy Award-winning talk show host Jerry Springer and his series Tabloid (weekdays, 7:20pm) which delves into the most shocking and bizarre stories to have made headlines in America.

This January alone, DStv Premium, Compact Plus and Compact subscribers can look forward to several brand new shows including; Do Not Disturb: Hotel Horrors (Saturday 9 January, 9pm) the intriguing series that goes behind closed doors to uncover the shocking crimes that happened inside hotels; Bad Blood (Sunday 24 January, 9pm) follows families driven apart by heinous crimes as they come together for the first time; and Mansions & Murders (Monday 11 January, 9:50pm) re-enacts the terrible crimes involving wealthy mansion dwellers.

5 ways Lagosians transform unwanted Christmas gifts

Lagos houses a dramatic society, and its inhabitants like to do things elaborately, especially when it comes to giving gifts However, a lot of people do not always have the best taste and can end up sticking you with a dress, a size too big or shoe that pinches in all the wrong places.

Rather than throwing them away, Jovago.com, Africa’s no.1 online hotel booking portal has put together a list of tips to help you tactfully transfer these items to a new user in a rewarding way.

Sell the gifts online

If the gift is not homemade, a hand-me-down or an old family heirloom, chances are you may fetch some money for your unwanted gift on certain sites online.

All you need to do is upload the details and photos to one of the many online marketplaces now present in the city, such as Kaymu, Efiritin, and OLX. before posting your sale, ensure you do your research, that way you are sure to ask for a reasonable price .

Re-gift the present

The unfortunate thing about gifts in Lagos is that most of the givers take out the price tag and  receipt so there is a very slim chance of returning it to the store and asking for refund.

However, the good thing is that you can always re-gift it. It is not an unfair thing to do, you are only being practical. At some point in the future, you are bound to get an invite to an impromptu birthday or wedding, and those unwanted gifts become true gems. It is important to remember who gifted you with the present in the first place, that way you do not run the risk of re-gifting the person with the item they gave you in the first place.

Nation branding key for investment, economic sustainability, communicators tell emerging economies

The compelling story of Africa and other emerging economies can only be told effectively when the emerging economies appreciate the role of country brands where people are proud of their country and have a strong sense of unity.  This brand and its story will greatly benefit from the major contribution that the Public Relations discipline can provide.

This was a key finding of the recent World Conference for Public Relations and communications in Emerging Economies (WCPREE) hosted by the Public Relations Society of Kenya (PRSK) (www.PRSK.co.ke) and supported by the Global Alliance for Communications Management (GA). The conference clearly articulated how Public Relations could influence sustainable development, industrialization, businesses, and the fight against terrorism in Emerging Economies.

The 500 delegates meeting in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, 15-18 November, noted that to improve country brands, national pride is a prerequisite. It is based on Public Relations practitioners understanding the values of their nations and repackaging the Emerging Economies stories in a way that would attract investment, see increased tourism, and enable those nations to attain a stronger voice at the global level.

On the other hand, the political situation in Africa also demands Public Relations that is responsive and responsible to ensure that there is accountability in delivery of services to the citizens. In this narrative, peace and security are life-threatening issues facing the emerging economies while Public Relations is a strong force in a position to influence how media reports/frames terrorism acts.

Spinlet launches Spinlet Inspire - a dedicated family friendly music platform

Spinlet has launched a dedicated family friendly music platform to complement its existing service. The platform known as Spinlet Inspire will focus on more uplifting music, including inspirational songs, songs with non-explicit lyrics and gospel tracks.

A special toggle button built into the website and mobile app’s existing functionality will allow users to move between Spinet’s main website and the new service at the push of a button, enabling them filter out content they find inappropriate.
Nkiru Balonwu, CEO of Spinlet
“When you think about the music industry today – in Africa and around the world – it has become highly sexualised and many parents are increasingly concerned about the programming being consumed by young, impressionable children,” said Nkiru Balonwu, CEO of Spinlet.

“Of course there is a place for provocative lyrics within the art form. But we recognise that there is a substantial audience out there who do not wish to engage with adult content, be they gospel music fans, children, parents, or even those who are simply searching for more uplifting tracks. They are after a certain type of music and Spinlet Inspire will provide them the desired filter.”

Skye Bank Thrills Consumers In Ikorodu With ‘Reach For The Skye’ Reward Scheme

Customers and traders in Sabo Market Ikorodu were super excited to witness another stimulating draw. Several people went home with cash prizes and instant gift items in the Skye Bank “Reach for the Skye Millionaire Reward” scheme.

The monthly draw which took place at the Better Life Market day in Sabo Market on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 saw three customers of the bank rewarded with the sum of N1 million, and 4 others going home with N250, 000, while 10 went home with N100, 000 each during the random electronic selection process.

One of the lucky winners of the instant giveaway prizes, Muibat Adelana, who lives in Ikorodu, Lagos, expressed her sincere gratitude and joy to Skye Bank for the benefiting initiative.

Adelana expressed that, “I have heard of this reward scheme, but I never thought it would be this easy to win. When I opened my account this morning and discovered I had won, I was utterly shocked, yet super-excited. Certainly, I will open an account for my siblings too. Who knows? We may end up as the next millionaire.”

Speaking on the promo, Head, Retail Banking Group, Skye Bank Plc., Nkolika Okoli described the reward scheme as the Bank’s way of giving back to its new and existing customers who operate the Skye Save Plus Account or Skye Ease savings Accounts.

African Basketball League Kicks Off With Grand Launch

Set in the breezy, cozy and relaxing environs of the Lagos Motorboat Club and just adjacent the Atlantic Ocean, the launch of the African basketball league (ABL) was a glamorous event in every sense of the word. The idyllic event, which was attended by many captains of industry from different sectors of the Nigerian economy was held on 17th December, 2015.

The programme, which was ably anchored by the prominent On-Air-Personality(OAP),Olisa Adibua, involved photo -shoot sessions and interviews of the organiser of the league Ugo Udezue ,CEO of the African Sports Entertainment.. The launch was also spiced up with dance sessions from 2 prominent indigenous musical groups and a documentary involving brief interviews of the major masterminds of the league.

In his welcome address, Ugo emphasized that the ABL was set up primarily for the purpose of improving socio-economic development in the African continent via Tourism and Sports. 

He said,’’ Yes, we are the investors in ABL but the credit does not belong to us,Yes we are a private entity but profits are not our motivation. If it was just about profits I won't be standing here this moment.  If it was profit we don't have to pay players the way we are going to because the market value doesn't dictate we do. Yes we have worked hard to put together this opportunity but the credit goes to the cities that we will represent like Lagos state, like Abidjan, like Libreville, like Dakar. Our purpose is larger than ourselves, our purpose is not for today but to lay the groundwork in sports for our future generations. ‘’

First Shopping Mall in Anambra State Opening Soon

Onitsha, the largest commercial and trading centre in South East Nigeria, is set to witness increased tempo of activities as the first shopping mall in the area opens for business in the first quarter of 2016.

Onitsha Mall, a joint venture project by African Capital Alliance and the Anambra State Government, is located off Awka Road in the GRA part of the city. The mall has over 60 shops and is easily accessible from all parts of Onitsha and surrounding towns such as Obosi, Oba, Ogbaru, Nsugbe, Nkwelle, Nkpor, Ogidi and Aguleri, to name a few.

Ngonyama Okpanum Associates “NOA”, an international architectural firm with offices in Abuja, Cape Town and Saigon Vietnam are the designers of the Mall. The debt funding for the project was provided by Diamond Bank.

The facility, the first of its kind in Anambra State, is at about 95% completion and will open for business in February 2016. Shoprite and a number of big retailers offering fashion accessories, sports equipment, banking services, telecom and ICT software and hardware services have secured space in the mall. These retailers are busy fitting out their shops in preparation for the February 2016 opening.

Art Exhibition, Music And Dance As Ovie Brume Foundation Celebrates 12th Anniversary

To highlight her dedication to creating an enabling environment for young people in the last 12 years of existence, the Ovie Brume Foundation celebrated the life of Oviehire Adeyemi Kesiena Brume with an evening of art, music and dance at the Ovie Brume Foundation Youth Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Ovie Brume Foundation 12th anniversary celebration and Carol service
The event showcased the significant milestones and current programs in the foundation and also served as a close out for year 2015. The anniversary which also doubled as a carol featured dance, art exhibition, music and even awards presentation amidst pomp and warm company.

Special guests from different companies, sponsors, alumnus and beneficiaries were in attendance.

The founder of the foundation, Mrs. Evelyn Oputu gave an uplifting speech while rendering the vote of thanks. She highlighted some of the challenges the foundation has faced and expressed her gratitude to her friends, family and sponsors for their encouragement and support. She also explored some new ideas for the coming year.

Emirates celebrates launch of second gateway in Istanbul

Emirates touched down at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport last night, celebrating the launch of the airline’s second gateway in Istanbul.

With the launch of daily flights to Sabiha Gökçen Emirates has increased its overall capacity to Istanbul by 35 percent, offering a total of 18 flights per week to this popular business and tourism destination.

Located on the Asian side of the bi-continental city of Istanbul, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport offers travellers convenient access to the city’s impressive cultural and historical sites. Helping more customers connect with Istanbul, Emirates new daily flights into Sabiha Gökçen have been well timed to maximize inbound connections from across the Far and Middle East as well as Africa and West Asia.

“We have been operating flights to Istanbul for more than 28 years and in that time have seen demand for our services grow exponentially. We are confident that both the passenger and cargo demand is strong enough to warrant Emirates operating to both of Istanbul’s airports,” said Adnan Kazim, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Strategic Planning, Revenue Optimization and Aero political Affairs.

“As well as providing our passengers with greater flexibility in their travel plans to and from Turkey this new flight also signifies the introduction of First Class to our flights to Istanbul. There is high demand for this route and we are already seeing strong booking levels across all cabin classes from across our network.”

Nigeria automobile sector may contribute 4.5% of Global automobile sales in 2016 - Study

 According KPMG 2015 global Automotive Summary Survey, the automobile industry across Africa will increase in volume. Global sales will pass the magical 100 million mark and continue to rise till the end of the decade.

In 2015 investment in the automobile industry in Nigeria was at an all time high as more than 12 automobile manufacturing plants including cars, bikes, tricycles, and trucks began production in Nigeria. With the rise of local automobile manufacturing industry, investors, auto financing and favorable government policies 2016 promises to be an interesting year for Nigeria's automobile industry. It is estimated that the revenue generated from this sector will produce 25% of the national GDP in the first quarter of 2016.

Vehicle ownership increased in 2015 with the availability of locally manufactured cars, increase in the availability and sale of Nigerian used cars and access to car loans. Use of personal cars also increased. According to a report by the Federal Road Safety Corps there was no significant increase in the number of commercial buses registration in the first and second quarter of 2015 when compared to the third and last quarter of 2014 while registration for new cars increased by 15%.

E-car technology will be taken into consideration more in 2016. More people will embrace hybrid cars because of their low fuel consumption and reduced exhaust emission and production of these cars will increase by 4.6% by 2020. Demand for cars with other simple technologies such as GPS, remote sensor locks, car tracking devices, keyless ignition will increase.

Wednesday 16 December 2015

2015 AMEA Developers Challenge: Orange Announces winners

Orange presented the “2015 Orange AMEA Developers Challenge” prize to FarmConnecta yesterday evening during the Cairo ICT event. FarmConnecta, a Botswana-based start-up that has developed an information sharing and billing system designed for the agricultural community, received a prize valued at 10,000 euros.

The 2015 Orange AMEA Developers Challenge was launched in August in France and 11 other countries in Africa and the Middle East: Botswana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Guinea Conakry, Jordan, Kenya, Mali, Niger and Senegal.

The purpose of the challenge is to help stimulate innovation in Africa by offering start-ups the possibility of using Orange’s application programming interfaces (APIs) to enrich their applications with functionalities that are sometimes essential, such as billing.

The call for applications attracted 1,200 innovative projects on www.entrepreneurclub.orange.com. The proposed projects illustrated the potential of telecommunications for regional development in fields as varied as healthcare, agriculture, education and energy.

Initially, ten projects per country were chosen for the shortlist. Twelve finalist projects were then chosen by a selection panel composed of experts from Orange and from the Information Technologies and Communications industry.

LL COOL J Returns To Host 58th Annual Grammy Awards

Entertainment icon and two-time GRAMMY winner LL COOL J is set to return as host of the 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards, marking his fifth consecutive year as master of ceremonies. Taking place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Music's Biggest Night will be broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network, Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

"We are delighted to welcome back the very talented LL COOL J as our host for the 58th GRAMMYs," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "His unique expertise, both as a GRAMMY-winning recording artist and accomplished actor, allows him to connect with both his musical peers and the fans at home, and his dynamic personality and charismatic energy set the perfect tone for our show."

"The performances and moments that take place on the GRAMMY stage are awesome in so many ways for the audience and artists alike," said LL COOL J. "I'm honored once again to host Music's Biggest Night as we celebrate the talented music creators of today. It's going to be an incredible night and I'm excited to share this experience with the world."

The 58th Annual GRAMMY Awards are produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures for The Recording Academy®. Ken Ehrlich is executive producer, David Wild and Ehrlich are the writers. 

Political Leaders, Business Executives Gather For Second World Internet Conference in China

The second edition of the World Internet Conference kicked off in China today, Wednesday 16th at Wuzhen, Zhejiang province with the attendance of the country’s most senior political leaders and business executives.

The three-day conference is themed “shared governance in cyberspace”.

According to the available agenda online, the speakers list for this year's event is packed with Chinese government officials and company executives, but also includes Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, and representatives from Facebook, Sequoia Capital and others.
Lu Wei, Minister of the Cyberspace Administration, delivers a speech at the World Internet Conference
In his remark, the founder of Lenovo, Liu Chuanzhi said the world is changing quickly and there is much uncertainty. "Technological innovation and business models are what moves the Chinese economy, and it is important to push for internet innovation.

"But many entrepreneurs today are not practical. To make strides in business, it is not just about innovation but also about policies, and even international situations. As entrepreneurs, you need to be forward-looking. There may be many external factors that are out of your control, but you need to make considerations and carefully analyse those that you can manage".

Lei Jun, CEO of Xiaomi noted that many Chinese companies believe that they should treat customers like they are 'god' but he believe that customers should be treated as friends in order to build a company that can last through centuries. "Xiaomi does not emphasise goals (like smartphone sales) anymore. We need to go back to our original mission - to make a good product for our users - instead of being affected by external judgements or numbers", he said.

LeBron James is now a Nike pitchman for life

Nike has signed basketball star LeBron James to a lifetime deal - believed to be the first lifetime deal in the shoe and apparel company's 44-year history.

"We can confirm that we have agreed to a lifetime relationship with LeBron that provides significant value to our business, brand and shareholders," Nike said in a statement. "We have already built a strong LeBron business over the past 12 years, and we see the potential for this to continue to grow throughout his playing career and beyond."

Financial terms of the Cleveland Cavaliers forward deal were not disclosed but it is said to have surpassed the US$300 million, 10-year deal fellow NBA star Kevin Durant signed in 2014.

"I'm very humble, man," the Cleveland Cavaliers forward told reporters after Monday's practice. "It's been an unbelievable time for myself and my family, and I'm just grateful that Nike and [Nike founder] Phil Knight and everyone over there just believed in a skinny-old, skinny 18-year-old kid from Akron, Ohio, and I'm happy to be a part of such a great company."

Lifestyle and Health 'Book of Revelation'

The year’s edition of the Beer and lifestyle symposium actually lived up to its billings as Nigeria’s top celebrities across social and political circles converged at the Grand Ball Room of the prestigious Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the venue of the event.

The annual beer symposium tagged: ‘Beer and Life Style’ drew participants – Nollywood actors, academia, scientists, and nutritionists - from far and near.

Meanwhile, the biggest revelation of the event was Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, the current face and the brand Ambassador of Gulder Lager Beer. Ebuka, who got married a month ago, revealed that he received the invitation to the event at a time “he was nursing a bottle of Gulder.” I’m not an expert or research professor on a subject like this, so I don’t have any fancy slides or presentations with graphs. I’ll simply be sharing a lot more personal experiences and will try not to bore you with them. I’ll also leave most of the facts and figures to the experts here. I’ll try and speak on what I know for sure based on my time spent with beer over the years.

Mrs. Dolapo Coker
Born in Edo State to a banker father, he said his uncle (Bashy) who actually introduced him to beer, never had a “pot belly”. “It even stuck more with me because the two uncles I had with the largest tummies in the family, didn’t drink. Akpu is the local delicacy in Okija so as an adult now I can understand where their tummy came from. But for me at the time, they simply needed to drink beer to reduce their bellies.”

Slim and fit, Obi-Uchendu had a significant turning point during his days at the Nigerian Law School in Lagos when he said  he  came across a report online which gave him the licence to drop the bags of coffee  at the time and pick up his bottles of  beer. “The report gave 3 reasons why it’s good to drink beer and study and I’ve never forgotten them. It stated that it improved creativity, made you smarter, and actually fought slight infections. Of course, it clearly said that it must be consumed in moderation just so the reverse isn’t the case. I know I’m sort of smart and I worked hard to pass my examinations at the school so I’ll take credit for it. But maybe, just maybe the beer had something to do with it,” he said.

He recalled his visit to Ireland some years ago where he got the opportunity to take a tour of a brewery.  That trip, he said, was his formal introduction to how healthy beer could be. “I still remember how shocked I was to find out that beer was about 90% water. Hearing about the process and seeing it gave me a wow experience.

I’d been told all my life to drink at least 3 liters of water a day. Maybe beer would be the answer.

Adopt-A-School Initiative: NSE Commissions Learning Centre In Lagos

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE or The Exchange) has unvieled its Adopt-A-School initiative with the commissioning of a Learning and Development Centre donated to Oke Odo Junior College, Abule Egba, Lagos. The initiative is an educational intervention by the NSE aimed at addressing the challenges experienced by schools in Nigeria through facility and process improvement, teachers’ empowerment and students’ intellectual advancement.
CEO of the NSE, Oscar Oyema

Speaking on the initiative, the Executive Director, Capital Market, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri said “The Exchange is committed to driving the delivery of quality education and improving the financial literacy of the communities we serve. The Adopt-A-School initiative is one of the many ways we continue to improve learning in our educational system."

According to Mr. Jalo-Waziri, the Learning and Development Centre at Oke Odo Junior College is one of the programmes in the pilot phase of the NSE Adopt-A-School initiative. “The Exchange is committed to implementing a three prong programme that include; establishing a learning and development centre, organizing career workshops for students and providing trainings for teachers on soft skills, information & communication technology and financial intelligence. In this pilot phase, we have been able to also provide trainings for 52 teachers and organized career workshops for 250 students”.

On the choice of the school, Mr. Jalo-Waziri, explained that the selection of Oke Odo Junior College as the first beneficiary of this intervention was based on rigorous needs analysis and assessment of schools in Lagos, carried out in conjunction with E-Green Services, a social enterprise firm.

Turkish Airlines named UEFA Euro 2016 official carrier

Turkish Airlines has become a global sponsor and the official airline of next year’s Uefa European Championship in France.

The airline joins as the ninth global partner of the event, which kicks off on 10th June, after signing an exclusive deal with CAA Eleven, Uefa’s exclusive marketing agency.

Under the deal Turkish Airlines will develop a range of exclusive offers and social media campaigns such as special charter rates for teams travelling to France.

M. İlker Aycı, board chairman of Turkish Airlines said: “The partnership with UEFA Euro 2016 is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the very best in European football with fans from all over the world. We very much look forward to the competition and look forward to supporting the Turkish team, and the rest of the competing nations throughout the tournament.”

“We are excited to welcome Turkish Airlines on board for Uefa Euro 2016,” said Uefa Events SA marketing director Guy-Laurent Epstein. “As Europe’s leading airline, they will be able to capitalise on the platform the newly expanded tournament offers, to build on their current success.

Tuesday 15 December 2015

6 hot tips for surviving CarniRiv 2015

So you have decided to visit one of the biggest carnivals in Nigeria held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State the most populous city in the southern regions of the country.

Not only is CarniRiv regarded as Africa’s oldest street carnival, it is a blend of culture, tradition, fashion and lifestyle fused together to showcase a rich heritage. Last year, more than 2 million people participated in it, and the number is expected to increase this year.

CarniRiv is an event of epic proportions and you will certainly need some key planning tips to survive.  And because the event has just kicked off – it began on the 13th of December, 2015 to end on the 20th, Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 online hotel booking portal provides tips to help visitors scale through.

Connect in advance.  
Sometimes you may make plans to meet certain people at an event so they can share in the joy of that moment with you however, doing this at a carnival can be a nightmare – thanks to road closures and streets-filled with partying people.

The best way to connect with anyone is to do it in advance, before the rowdiness begins. Plan to meet them way before the main event of the day commences or at another venue all together. You may want to also take your mobile phones, as you may get separated in the crowd.

Find a good spot
Location is everything! It would be a huge bummer if you are traveled all the way to Port Harcourt for the carnival, and could not get a good view or enjoy the full impact of the event just because you did not find a good spot.

PRCAN Inducts Red Media Africa As Member

The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) has inducted omni-media company, Red Media Africa (RED) into its fold - bringing the total number of agencies under its fold to 53 members.

The induction was held at the 2015 Annual General Meeting of the association on Thursday, December 10 in Lagos.

Red Media Africa holds a network of premium media companies built across media tools and platforms.

The firm operates on three divisions: communication, content and development. It communication division holds Red Communication, Red Marketing, Small & Medium and StateCraft; while our Content Division holds the Y! brands, including Y! TV, Y! Radio, Y! Magazine, YNaija.com, Teen Y!, Y! 2015, the Y! Tech 100 and the Y! Annual Black Ball/Y! 100 Most Influential List.

RED also anchor a development firm, The Future Project, which co-presents Africa's leading youth platform, The Future Awards Africa, and other projects including the Nigeria Symposium for Young & Emerging Leaders, 100,000 Jobs and #StartupsAfrica.

First set of winners emerge in Airtel Red Hot Promo 3

The first set of winners have emerged in season 3 of the consumer reward initiative of Airtel Nigeria tagged Red Hot Promo.

Some of the customers who emerged winners in the promo were excited to receive their cash prizes of N1 million and tickets for the all-expense paid trip to Dubai at the prize presentation held in Lagos today, Tuesday December 15th 2015.
L-R, Director, Corporate Communications & CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah; winner of all-expense paid trip to Dubai, Mrs. Obi Victoria; Head, Consumer Policy Development & Monitoring, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Philip Eretan with Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Ahmed Mokhles during the prize presentation to winners in the Airtel Red Hot Promo Season 3, held in Lagos on Tuesday.
L-R, Regional Operations Director, Lagos Region, Airtel, Oladokun Oye; Vice President, Segment, Usage & Retention, Dinesh Balsingh; One Million Naira winner, Mrs. Eze Sonlove and her husband with Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Ahmed Mokhles during the prize presentation to winners in the Airtel Red Hot Promo Season 3
L-R, Representative of Emirates Holidays in Nigeria, Olanireti Babalola; Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Ahmed Mokhles with Director, Corporate Communications & CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah at the event
L-R, Regional Operations Director, Lagos Region, Airtel Nigeria, Oladokun Oye; official from the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) Anyanwu Camillus, winner of N1million, Nwankwo Ferdinand; Executive of TCQ&A, Akinwale Akingbade and Head, Consumer Policy Development & Monitoring, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), Philip Eretan during the prize presentation to winners 

Doyen renews deal to represent Neymar

Doyen has renewed its partnership with NR Sports, the company which holds Brazilian superstar Neymar's image rights.

The 'long-term' extension will see the agency continue to work with NR Sports to build the Barcelona forward's marketing and branding activities, seeking new partners and maximising the impact of deals with the likes of Nike, Konami and PokerStars. They will also collaborate on the development of the Neymar Jr Institute in his hometown of Santos, Brazil.

"Neymar Jr is a very special talent with a real desire to be successful in everything he does," said Doyen managing director Simon Oliveira. "We are pleased to continue working with Neymar Jr. playing a more relevant and active role in his off the field career. 2016 will be another pivotal year with the Olympics in his home country leading up to the World Cup in 2018, where he will be one of the most iconic players of that tournament."

Other clients on Doyen's books include current and former soccer players David Beckham, Xavi Hernández and Calum Chambers, German tennis legend Boris Becker. The agency is also the sole investor and executive producer of the upcoming Usain Bolt documentary.

Neymar was second in SportsPro's list of the world's 50 most marketable athletes in 2015, having topped the list in 2012 and 2013.

Olashore Raises brand profile, leadership reputation

Olashore international School has expanded its leadership offering as the institution continues to raise its international profile and build the brand around leadership and strong value system.

Olashore International School commenced a leadership programme last session with a view of changing students’ perception while growing to be a leader. The students go through a specially designed leadership curriculum that looks at leadership concepts with a focus on ways to apply these attributes. The social Responsibility Initiatives are led by students, community oriented, sustainability focused, and stewardship to the funds received. This year, they came up with a brilliant idea of helping the less privilege in their host community.

Prince Abimbola Olashore
According to the school’s Leadership and Social Responsibility Coordinator, and the Head of Languages, Mrs Emezue, “The Leadership project this time centers around raising funds for the less-privilege home in Illesa and Illoko-ijesha. The students actually went there last session to have an assessment of the place and they found out that the home lacked so many things. They needed books, mattresses, beds, food and clothing materials. So the leadership students took it upon themselves to organize fund raising activity in order to raise funds certain amount of money to buy things for the poor. It has been fruitful.

"We started it last month and we fixed the fund raising on visiting days so we can have parents around. Parents have been very helpful and wonderful, cooperative and supportive towards the course.  The students hope to have a movie fair today for the kids at the stadium, they’ve done publicity for parents to allow their kids watch movies for a token and anyone who wants to give more can do so. During the last visiting day, the students made cup -cakes and sold to the parents, and it was helpful in raising funds”.

PRCAN Members Pass Vote Of Confidence in EXCO

The members of the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), the umbrella body of PR consultancy firms in Nigeria, arose from their 2015 Annual General Meeting on Thursday, December 10, with a unanimous expression of support for their EXCO in its efforts to rid the profession of charlatans and those consultancy firms practicing PR illegally in Nigeria.

This was one of the fall-outs of AGM which provided the EXCO with an opportunity to give an account of its stewardship for the year 2016. The AGM was attended by more than half of the CEOs of the 53 member agencies.
L-R: Managing Director of NECCI Ltd, Mrs. Nkechi Ali-Balogun , President PRCAN, John Ehiguese, Red Media Africa of Newly Inducted agency , Mr Adebola Williams and Honourable Treasurer of PRCAN, Mrs. Mojisola Saka,  at the  concluded 2015 PRCAN Annual General Meeting /Induction of New member held in Lagos recently.
Recounting its activities for the outgoing year, Mr. John Ehiguese, President of PRCAN, listed his team’s stewardship to include: the re-admission of PRCAN into the International Communication Consultants Organisation (ICCO), the leading global body of PR consultancy firms, with a membership of 31 associations representing over 2,000 consultancy firms worldwide; improved relationship with its parent body, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); and the hosting of the 2nd Gold Medal Lecture, featuring Ms. Wendy Tlou, Chief Marketing Officer, Brand South Africa. Ehiguese was also appointed to the Board of ICCO at its Annual Global Summit held in Milan, Italy, in October 2015.

Another achievement was the inauguration of PRCAN Monthly Business Breakfast Meeting in July this year, which has featured five sessions, with Guest Speakers drawn from among communications and marketing leaders in the public and private sectors. The speakers were: Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Mr. Emeka Oparah, Director, Corporate Communications and CSR, Airtel Nigeria; Mr. David Okeme, President of ADVAN and Brand Building Director, Unilever Nigeria; Mr. Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs Nigerian Communications Commission and Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, Head, Corporate Communications at Stanbic IBTC.

The association was also able to continue with its Masterclass training series, at which upcoming and mid-level PR executives from both client and agency sides are trained to hone their skills in professional PR practice.

Youtube Rewind: Nigeria’s Top Videos Of 2015

As we draw the curtain on an incredible 2015, it’s time to take our annual look at the videos, moments and channels that shaped our year. The 2015 list, which includes the biggest viral hits from the most popular channels in the country shows that politics, the elections and of course, music, are still very critical in driving pop culture in Nigeria.

Not surprisingly, Politics was a hot topic on the Nigerian list this year, as the presidential election and its aftermath loomed large in the minds of Nigerians. Occupying the 5th and 10th position on the top trending non-music videos list are the audio file of Ex-pres. Jonathan’s congratulatory call to Pres. Buhari, and Rev. Mbaka’s outburst pertaining to President Jonathan’s re-election campaign.

However it wasn’t only about the serious stuff alone, as AYTV’s take on ‘Election Results’, Sahara TV’s satirical video on the exit of ‘Patience & Goodluck Jonathan from Aso Rock Staff’ and Bovi TV’s ‘The Innocent Man’ kept the country in stitches.

Also making the top 10 list are the moments that sent shock waves across the nation. The ‘alarming confession of nanny who kidnapped Orekoya children’ and the Lekki Robbery which occurred in March are two of the videos that also made the top-10 list.

Street-type interviews are also fast becoming a top favorite with Nigerian YouTube viewers- a sign that Nigerians want to be involved in deciding the direction of trending stories. Topping the list and holding the much coveted 2015 highest trending video position is Nigeria the Naij interview relating to the Xenophobic attacks in South Africa. The video which was uploaded in April has been watched over 650k times.

In the music category, CEO of top music label “Yahoo Boy No Laptop” (YBNL), Olamide has been a clear favourite, with his runaway hits ‘Bobo’, ‘Falila Ketan’, ‘Melo Melo’ and ‘Lagos Boys’ making the list of music videos that kept Nigerian feet dancing in 2015.

Nominees Announced for 2016 AMVCAs

On Friday, the 11th of December, 2015, the nominees for the fourth edition of the prestigious Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs) were revealed. 

Announcing the nominees was the duo of popular Kenyan broadcaster Larry Madowo and renowned Nigerian comedienne ChiGurl, during a special live broadcast on all Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv.

Here are the Nominees:

NOMINEES FOR 2016 AMVCAS
CATEGORY

NOMINEE
BEST OVERALL MOVIE (AFRICA)
 
Dry
Stephanie Linus
Freetown
Adam Abel and Garrett Batty
AYANDA
Sara Blecher
Tell Me Sweet Something
Akin Omotosho
Road To Yesterday
Chinny Onwugbenu, Genevieve Nnaji, Chichi Nwoko
Silverain
Juliet Asante
House Arrest
Joseph Kenneth Ssebaggala

BEST TELEVISION SERIES
 
Jane and Abel
Dorothy Ghettuba
How to find a Husband
Erica Sugo Anyadike
Santalal
Gerald Langiri
Officer Titus
Olabisi Jinadu
Daddy's Girls
Ariyike Oladipo

BEST WRITER OF A MOVIE/TV SERIES
 
FREETOWN
Melissa Leilani Larson
ANNIVERSARY
AFE OLUMOWE
ROAD TO YESTERDAY
Emil B. Garuba
IQUO'S JOURNAL
BLESSING EGBE
AYANDA

Monday 14 December 2015

SA's Ster-Kinekor cinemas to show Star Wars - The Force Awakens on Dec. 6

Come Wednesday, 16 December South African's Ster-Kinekor cinemas will be showing the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens in IMAX 3D .

The film releases at Ster-Kinekor cinemas countrywide – including its IMAX and Cine Prestige theatres – two days before its US release.

The movie will launch in 2D, 3D, and Imax 3D, though only a handful of cinemas will screen it in 2D.

Prices for the 3D version of the movie will range between R37 and R85, depending on the location, and R120 at Cine Prestige. Imax 3D tickets will cost R110. For the 2D screenings, tickets will cost between R24 and R66.

Govts Set Course for Ambitious Action on Climate Change

World governments finalized a global agreement today in Paris that lays a foundation for long-term efforts to fight climate change. More effort is needed to secure a path that would limit warming to 1.5C. This new agreement should be continuously strengthened and governments will need to go back home and deliver actions at all levels to close the emissions gap, resource the energy transition and protect the most vulnerable.

The Paris talks also created a moment that produced announcements and commitments from governments, cities and business that signalled that the world is ready for a clean-energy transition.

Governments arrived in Paris on a wave of momentum with more than 180 countries bringing national pledges on climate action. This progress was bolstered by impassioned speeches from more than 150 heads of state and governments and unprecedented mobilisations around the world that included hundreds of thousands of citizens demanding action on climate change.

After two weeks of negotiations, governments reached an agreement that represents some progress in the long-term. This must urgently be strengthened and complemented with accelerated action in the near-term if we are to have any hope of meeting the ultimate goal of limiting global warming well below 2C or 1.5C. Additionally, the finance for adaptation, loss and damage and scaled up emission reductions should be the first order of work after Paris.

While the Paris agreement would go into effect in 2020, science tells us that in order to meet the global goal of limiting warming to 1.5C or well below 2C, emissions must peak before 2020 and sharply decline thereafter. The current pledges will provide about half of what is needed, leaving a 12 to 16 gigatonne emissions gap.

African Basketball League Set For Launch In Lagos

African Sports Entertainment in partnership with Wakanow Sports is set to launch the African Basketball League ABL on Wednesday December 16th at the Boat Club in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The highly anticipated corporate launch will introduce the Lagos Islanders, Stallions and Lagos City Chiefs as the Nigerian Clubs in the league. Other Clubs include the Dakar Rapids from Senegal, Abidjan Ramblers from the Ivory Coast and Izobe Basketball Club from Libreville, Gabon.

In a Statement released by the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Wakanow, Obinna Ekezie, Basketball offers significant opportunities for job creation and socio-economic development in Africa. Ekezie stated that, “Sports entertainment is a business
that will create more jobs in Africa and especially Nigeria with the fall of oil prices and the opportunity for the Sports industry to contribute immensely in this area since it is an industry mainly targeted at the youth’’.

Ekezie, who played professional Basketball in the NBA for Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls noted that a new perspective is needed if Africa is to take advantage of these value opportunities. “The challenge we have had is the way we have viewed sports and the ABL’s value proposition turns the current Basketball model in Africa on its head. We want people to travel across Africa, spend their money in Africa and enjoy the game of Basketball,” he noted.

Zuriel Oduwole Launches Foundation in Lagos

Not satisfied with just talking about the need to educate Africa's children, especially the continents girl child, 13 year old film maker and education advocate, Zuriel Oduwole on Saturday, December 12, launched her foundation in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Supported by her two younger siblings Azaliah and Arielle, the intimate and private invite only morning event was attended by many from across all segments of the society. As a film maker, she was honored to have Genevieve Nnaji, representing the business community; Kay Ovia - wife of Zenith Bank Chairman, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, representative of the US Ambassador, President of Dangote Foundation, representative of Edo State First Lady, well meaning Nigerian's and dozens of school children from across Lagos.

L-R: Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Zuriel Oduwole and Genevieve Nnaji
Zuriel donation of books to students recently
Zuriel believes even young children, can make a difference in their own small ways. Having met and interviewed 16 Presidents & Prime Ministers over a 20 month period, she understands that governments alone can't solve all of Africa's Education challenges.

Earlier in September, she visited an IDP in Abuja, where she taught the children Alphabets, and she also visited in Lagos the Makoko Slum2School facility, where she donated books to their new library.

She has so far spoken to more than 23,000 children across 10 countries, about the importance of education, and the need to stay in school.

FG, Community laud BUA on investments in Lafiagi Sugar Company

…as Emir of Lafiagi confers traditional title on Abdulsamad Rabiu

The inter-ministerial National Sugar Roadmap Implementation Committee (SURMIC) of the Federal Government has commended the management of BUA Group for its recent investments in its Lafiagi Sugar Company and encouraged the company to sustain the pace of ongoing work at the plantation. This was revealed when the SURMIC paid a monitoring visit to the Lafiagi plantation on Monday, December 7, 2015.


The SURMIC visit, which had the Directors of Technical and Planning at the National Sugar Development Council, the Manufacturer’s Association of Nigeria, the Ministry of Agriculture, The Ministry of Power as well as other high-level stakeholders in the sugar industry included a tour of BUA Group’s Lafiagi Sugar Plantation as well as an inspection of equipment and ongoing work, was carried out to ensure compliance with the government’s backward implementation policy.

Speaking during the visit, Director Technical at the Sugar Council, Mr. Muhammed Jika, commended the pace of ongoing work at the Lafiagi Sugar Company as well as the investments in infrastructure on ground. “We are satisfied with what we have seen on ground. Whilst the ongoing work is commendable, we expect BUA to sustain the current pace of work at Lafiagi into the future so that Nigerians can start to benefit fully from the backward implementation policy of the Federal Government.”

In his response, Isiaku Samuel, a General Manager at Lafiagi Sugar Company, said that despite the challenges faced in taking full ownership of the site after BUA purchased the company through a privatization exercise, BUA has gone ahead to mobilise manpower and equipment to kickstart the once-moribund facility in addition to acquiring an additional 50,000hectares in Bassa Local Government of Kogi State for sugarcane farming.

PICTURES: HERITAGE BANK DONATES XMAS GIFT TO LOTS CHARITY FOUNDATION

Mrs. Ori Ogba, Divisional Head, Customer Experience and Analytics, Heritage Bank Limited, Mr. Chigozie Okwakpam;  Head, Analytics (CXA Group), Heritage Bank Limited; Onwunna Nicholas, Lead Volunteer, Lots Charity Homes; and  Stacy Livinus, Experience Center Co-ordination, Heritage Bank Limited at the presentation of Xmas gifts (Food, Toiletries and Beddings) to Lots Charity Foundation in Ajegunle, Lagos on Thursday
Mrs. Ori Ogba, Divisional Head, Customer Experience and Analytics, Heritage Bank Limited presenting the gift to Onwunna Nicholas, Lead Volunteer, Lots Charity Homes at the presentation of Xmas gifts (Food, Toiletries and Beddings) to Lots Charity Foundation by Heritage Bank Limited in Ajegunle, Lagos  on Thursday

Pepsi Academy awards coaches, players

It was celebration galore for Pepsi Football Academy youngsters and coaches at the weekend as they were hosted and rewarded for excellent performances at the 2015 Pepsi Academy Festival of Youth. The event which began with a football tournament for U-14 ended with a Gala Night at Lagos Airport Hotel on Friday.

Tournament players were drawn from four zones: Kano, Aba, Ibadan and Lagos. The youngsters from Ibadan demonstrated supremacy at the final, held at Agege stadium, beating Kano by 4 – 2 to clinch the trophy. A powerful strike from Bolarinwa Oluwalewa, which came in the 68th minute,   sealed the victory for the Ibadan boys.  Aba defeated Lagos 4 – 0 to win medal for the third place.

 At the Gala night, Coach Baba Labaran, Coordinator of Pepsi Football Academy Kaduna Centre and his Jos counterpart, Mrs. Bola Ogun smiled home as they emerged the Most Outstanding Coaches of the year.

In the player category, Daniel Udukwe (Aba) and Mohammed Umar (Kano) were the Most Valuable Players in the opening match between Aba and Kano while Adegbesan Samuel (Lagos) and Sanisu Kehinde (Ibadan) won the same award in the Lagos versus Ibadan game.  Adegbesan and Ndukwe clinched their second awards during the third place match between Lagos and Aba. Ugwegbu Franklin (Ibadan) and Abass Mohammed emerged the Most Valuable Players at the final.

Speaking with press men at the event, Former Coach of the Super Eagles, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde described Pepsi Football Academy as the most consistent and functional football academy in Nigeria. He said that although Nigeria had many football academies, Pepsi Academy has remained a shining light.

Kaspersky Lab Predicts the End of the World for Advanced Persistent Threat (APTs)

...Nigeria ranks number 8 for Internet Users by country

Kaspersky Lab’s experts revealed their predictions for 2016, which are based on the expertise of the Global Research and Analysis Team - the company’s 43 top security experts, located all over the world. Each member contributed unique expertise and, in 2015 alone, their insight and intelligence resulted in detailed reports on 12 Advanced Persistent Threat actors (APTs), “speaking” different languages, including French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, English, among others.
Kaspersky Lab’s experts anticipate that in 2016 we will see significant evolution in cyberespionage tradecraft. First, there will be a dramatic change in how APTs are structured and operated. It is expected to see a decreased emphasis on ‘persistence’, with a greater focus on memory-resident or fileless malware, reducing the traces left on an infected system and thereby avoiding detection.

Furthermore, the experts see that there is less urge to demonstrate superior cyber-skills, so return on investment will rule much of the nation-state attacker’s decision-making. Therefore there will be an increase in the repurposing of off-the-shelf malware rather than investment in bootkits, rootkits and custom malware that gets burned by research teams.

In a more long-term perspective, there is an expectation that more newcomers will enter the APT space. Cyber-mercenaries will grow in number as more parties seek to gain from online attacks. These are expected to offer attack expertise to anyone willing to pay, and also to sell to interested third-parties digital access to high-profile victims, in what could be called an ‘Access-as-a-Service’ offering.

Students, parents Laud Airtel’s Support for Education

Outstanding students in the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examinations (UTME) who were honoured at the maiden edition of the Pass.ng Excellence Awards have lauded the leading telecoms operator, Airtel Nigeria, and the exams preparatory and e-testing platform, Pass.ng for contributing to the success in their education.

The10 elated students, Joshua Ani, Faith Bamidele, Segun Popoola, Benjamin Alegbeleye, Abiodun Wasiu, Prince Andrew, Abdulrazak Lawal, Ekpunobi Nzube, Jomiloju Ojewale and Blessed Omoghene were all presented with brand new laptops at the Pass.ng Excellence awards event.
Relative of Pass.ng awardee, Amaka Ani; founder, Pass.ng Platform, Samson Abioye; an outstanding student in 2015 UTME and Pass.ng Awardee, Joshua Ani with Digital and PR Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Erhumu Bayagbon during the award presentation at the Pass.ng Excellence Awards 2015 held in Ikoyi, Lagos on Friday.
They noted that the Pass.ng app made available on Airtel network enabled them to prepare adequately for their examinations and it contributed to their outstanding performance in the 2015 UTME.

Joshua Ani who is now studying Economics at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) said: “I thank Jehovah God for everything, and I say a sincere thank you to the team of scholars at Pass.ng. I appreciate all your efforts for exposing the secret of the great UTME. Keep on with the good work of excellence.”

GTBank introduces innovative payment solution

...Enables receipt of Western union funds via ATMs

Foremost African financial institution, Guaranty Trust Bank plc has reaffirmed its position as a leading provider of e-payment solutions with the introduction of a new service that allows customers receive Western Union funds directly into their GTBank account via any of the Bank’s Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) in Nigeria. The service is also available on the Bank’s Internet Banking platform.

The introduction of this service coincides with a time when the need to move money quickly, reliably and much more conveniently across international borders has risen rapidly. This has necessitated an increased demand for digital solutions to aid payments, transfers, and remittances. As a Bank renowned for innovative solutions, GTBank takes pride in leveraging technology to make life better for its customers by creating value oriented products suited to their varied needs.

To receive Western Union funds via any GTBank ATM nationwide, customers simply need to press any key on the ATM; click the Western Union option; agree to terms and conditions; select account type; select the country where the funds were sent from (sending country); and where country is not available, enter the sending country code / ISO Code; enter the expected amount in Naira; enter the GTBank NUBAN account of the receiving party; and enter the 10-digit Money Transfer Control Number (“MTCN”). Upon confirmation of the transaction, the transfer amount will be credited into the receiving GTBank account. This service does not require a GTBank debit or credit card, or a security token device.

IFMA Nigeria Poised To Expand Capacity Building Programmes in 2016

In its commitment to expand growth and development opportunities to all classes of Nigerians through capacity enhancement, International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Nigeria hasdisclosed plans to massively expand her capacity training programmes in 2016. The association unveiled this plan recently at her 18th Annual General Meeting held recently in Lagos.

Speaking at the AGM, President of the Association, Mr. Richard Okesola disclosed that IFMA’s utmost commitment to members and non-members remain unchanged despite various challenges faced in 2015. Hereiterate that the Council together with the Educational and Training Committee with effect from February 2016 will begin the delivery of specific/customized training programs for Technicians, Artisans, middle level Managers and the top Management Executives.

(L-R) President International Facility Management Association Nigeria, Richard Okesola, General Secretary, Lekan Akinwunmi and the Past President Iyabo Aboaba at the 18th Annual General Meeting held at the office in Yaba lagos on Tuesday
"This will be in addition to our regular certification trainings. We shall need the contribution of you all in spreading the good news to your colleagues, superiors and the public at large for the success of this program" he added.

Mr. Okesola further revealed that last year’s experience was very challenging but equally exciting and rewarding. He spoke further: “with your effort and our collective resilience to excel we have restored our corporate brand and brought to the consciousness of the public at large, what IFMA Nigeria stands for and the need to THINK FM and LIVE FM! Just as our nation is struggling to embrace and sustain the change mantra, our Council pushed rigorously the need for our people to embrace the culture of facility management in every facet of our lives. It is the only way we can guarantee and sustain a beautiful, comfortable, healthy, safe and secured living standard with lots of economic prosperity”.