Africa and the Islamic finance industry are key strategic directions for ICD - Mr. Khaled Al Aboodi

The Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD), the private sector arm of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDB), has signed an agreement with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to cooperate in the development of the private sector in ICD member countries in Africa.

Under the terms of the agreement signed in Manama on 2 March 2015, the two institutions will collaborate in joint operations, expand financial products and exchange information on modalities for enhanced and efficient interventions for private sector development in ICD affected countries.

 

Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD)

Khaled Al Aboodi, CEO and General Manager of ICD, and Jean-Louis Ekra, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.

According to the agreement, ICD and Afreximbank will share information on projects and business opportunities in Africa and on participation in the arrangement of syndications or investment in funds. They will also cooperate in structuring sukuk/debt capital market transaction opportunities, co-invest in Islamic leasing companies and support local financial institutions in Africa through the raising of capital via lines of finances.

In addition, they will exchange information aimed at upgrading knowledge and expertise about Islamic finance, environmental assessment, project finance and advisory services. The agreement also covers exploration of opportunities for cooperation in financing projects in the construction, energy, manufacturing and leasing sectors in African countries.

Intel Launches New Mobile System on Chips, LTE Solution

Brian Krzanich

Intel Corporation CEO, Brian Krzanich has announced a series of mobile platforms including the company’s new low-cost system-on-chip (SoC) for phones, phablets and tablets, a global LTE solution, innovative personal computing experiences, and a range of customers for mobile device and network infrastructure offerings.

The announcements include the Intel Atom x3 processor series, Intel’s first integrated communications SoC solution for the growing value and entry device markets, and the five-mode Intel XMM 7360 LTE Advanced solution, designed for performance and worldwide coverage.

Krzanich further highlighted joint efforts with Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson and Huawei to address the demand for new telecommunications, cloud and data center services, improve network efficiencies, and accelerate the industry’s move toward a software-defined infrastructure.

Krzanich also reiterated that Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge users will have the latest anti-malware solution from McAfee VirusScan Mobile technology built into and activated on their devices. “The evolution of the mobile landscape and growth of smart, connected devices has led to increased demand for more connectivity and real-time, protected data on those devices,” said Krzanich. “All of these factors are driving a transformation of the network to accelerate the delivery of new personal computing experiences, services and capabilities in a safe and secure manner. Intel is one of the only companies in the world that can provide solutions end-to-end for the full spectrum of mobility.”

With technologies that span silicon, software and security, Krzanich said Intel was one of the few companies able to deliver solutions end-to-end, for devices, the network and the cloud.

British Airways 'Does The Double' Winning Top Business And Consumer Superbrands

British Airways has 'done the double' at the Superbrands 2015 awards, winning both the Business and Consumer titles.

The airline also secured the Consumer Superbrands title last year, but this is the first time any carrier has secured both the top titles. Google was the last brand to win both categories in 2008.

It means that British Airways has beaten Apple, Virgin Atlantic, Microsoft and Visa to the top business brand slot and Rolex, BBC, Microsoft and Nike to the best consumer brand accolade.

The UK's Consumer Superbrands are chosen by the British public in a national survey of 2,500 adults, while the Business Superbrands are chosen by a panel of marketing experts and 2,000 individual business professionals from across the UK.

Keith Williams, British Airways' Executive Chairman, said: "We want to say a huge thank you to our customers for helping us to secure this top spot. Everything we do is for them so to be recognised by both travellers and businesses alike means an enormous amount to all of us at British Airways."

Stephen  Cheliotis,  Chief  Executive of The Centre for Brands Analysis and Chairman of the Superbrands Council, said: "British Airways has consolidated  its  brand  strength  and  not  only retained top spot in the Consumer Superbrands survey but also taken pole position in the  Business Superbrands survey for the first time. To lead both surveys is remarkable, especially considering over 1,500 well-known consumer brands and 1,200 business brands were analysed. 

Orange to deliver mobile internet to millions more across Africa and the Middle East

At the on-going Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Orange puts the mobile internet within reach of millions more people, otherwise not previously addressed, with the launch of a new breakthrough digital offer across its significant African and Middle Eastern footprint. 

The Orange Klif digital offer starts from under US$40 (€35), inclusive of a smartphone, data, voice and text bundle, setting a new benchmark in price that will act as a major catalyst for smartphone and data adoption across the region.

The 3G Firefox OS smartphone is exclusive to Orange and will be available from Q2 in thirteen of Orange’s markets in the region, including, but not limited to, Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroon, Botswana, Madagascar, Mali, The Ivory Coast, Jordan, Niger, Kenya, Mauritius and Vanuatu.

 

3G Volcano Black

The launch of the offer follows a successful history in delivering and marketing smartphones in the region with Orange witnessing a doubling of smartphone sales in 2014, representing a 35 percent slice of total handset sales. Since launching its first smartphone in the region in 2013, Orange has sold more than a million smartphones to date, attributable to Orange’s strategy to launch the right device at the right price to the right customer. With the Orange Klif digital offer, Orange is addressing a new market segment for the first time that to date, has found access to the mobile internet unaffordable.

Orange has also experienced a burgeoning demand for data that has seen a 44% year-on-year rise in mobile data revenues in the last quarter of 2014.

“Although the smartphone revolution is well under way across the African continent, there remains a proportion of the population that so far has been underserved, not just because of the cost of handsets, but because of concerns about data costs. By scooping up all the costs into one, incredibly priced digital offer, we hope that critical access to the mobile internet and all the opportunities that that opens up, will be within reach of many more people,” commented Yves Maitre, Executive Vice President of Connected Objects and Partnerships, Orange.

MasterCard Backs Samsung Pay

As consumers increasingly trade cash to use their cards through connected devices, Samsung is enabling a wider audience to take advantage of digital commerce. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a leading global technology company, has unveiled Samsung Pay, a mobile payment service that will enable MasterCard cardholders to use their Samsung Galaxy S6 for everyday in-store purchases.

MasterCard built the foundation for secure digital transactions, so consumers can use their cards when, where and how they want. Samsung Pay delivers a seamless and secure mobile payment experience that will work at both contactless-enabled and most traditional point of sale terminals. 

For consumers and merchants alike, that means that every purchase made with a MasterCard using a Samsung Galaxy S6 will offer the enhanced security, benefits and guarantees of a digital MasterCard transaction including the latest tokenization technology. Owners of the new device will be able to use their MasterCard credit and debit cards from participating banks directly through Samsung Pay.

“This is an exciting time for payments,” said Ed McLaughlin, chief emerging payments officer, MasterCard. “As consumers are increasingly relying on their mobile devices in their everyday lives, we are excited to work with an industry leader like Samsung to deliver new payment options to our cardholders around the world. We have been a pioneer of mobile commerce innovation for years and together we’re delivering a digital payment experience that is both simple and secure.”

8 Super Productive Things To Do at The Airport While Waiting For Your Flight

Spending hours at the airport can be exhausting with long lines, flight delays and layovers. Travellers spend several hours at the airport waiting for the next flight and doing what they can to pass time. Jovago.com, Africa’s No. 1 booking portal has prepared a list of the most productive things to do while you wait for your flight and no, napping isn’t one of them and neither is people-watching. Try out one or all of these eight activities at the airport and board your flight knowing that your time was well spent.

Read

The easiest things to find at the airport are books; they are a favourite among travellers worldwide. Pick up a newspaper to stay in the loop of current happenings around the world. Magazines can also be a huge information resource as there are magazines on various topics. You can glance through a fashion magazine to find current fashion trends or read a lifestyle magazine to find out the latest diet regime. With some extra time to spare, pick up a magazine on a new interest and learn new tricks in fields like gardening or interior decoration. Pack a few good books and even if you don’t finish them at the airport, you can pick up where you left off on the ride to your hotel room or while waiting for a meal at a restaurant.

Indulge

All work and no play makes Jack a dull traveller. If you’ve got a few hours to spare at the airport, use the dead time to spoil yourself. Visit the airport lounge and have a drink or two, peruse the restaurant menus and try food you wouldn’t find at your local restaurant. Some airports have showers and spas, perfect for relaxing after a day of running around, so take a cold shower or let go of some tension with a pre-flight massage. Find out what other things your airport has to offer, you might be surprised by what you’ll find.

Shop

Airports have some of the best souvenir shops around. Travellers can window-shop and buy destination specific gift items. Forgot to pack a toothbrush? Not to worry, convenience stores at airports have all the things a traveller needs to get by, plus more. You can shop for books, magazines, snacks, gadgets, travel accessories and a host of other last-minute essentials. Walk from one terminal to the other to check out what they have in store and by the time you get back, your flight might just be ready for boarding.

And finally... Samsung reveals Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge smartphone

At the Mobile World Congress where 2000 exhibitors and more than 86,000 visitors gathered on Sunday in Barcelona, Spain, Samsung finally unveiled the latest editions of its Galaxy handset.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge features a screen that curves over the left and right hand sides of the body.

The devices feature a non-removable battery and do not have a microSD slot in them. The Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge have battery capacities of 2,550 mAh and 2,600 mAh. The bottom of the devices features (from left to right) the 3.5mm headphone jack, the micro-USB 2.0 charging port and the microphone and speaker ports. The top of the devices have a secondary microphone and IR blaster.

The SIM card slot of the S6 Edge is located on top, while the S6 has it located on the side.

The colors of the devices are made to reflect light, and they really look like a jewel when being held. There are various tones in the colors the devices are sold in, making the devices a joy for the eyes.

As part of the official announcement of the Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge, Samsung revealed that the two devices would go on sale globally on April 10th.

However, Samsung hasn’t confirmed which nations will be part of the initial rollout, nor has it said if the Galaxy S6 Edge will also be launched in 20 countries on the first day. But the UNPACKED event is still going on, so we’re sure we will get all those details in due time.

SanDisk introduces new 200GB microSD card

SanDisk, in the ongoing MWC, has unveiled a new 200GB microSD card. Putting the 200GB capacity in perspective, the memory is enough to record 20 hours of 1080p videos.

The actual name of the card is the 200GB SanDisk Ultra microSDXC UHS-I card, Premium Edition. With the 200GB capacity, it goes right to the top as the largest capacity microSD card available for use in mobile devices.

While we might be seeing a 256GB microSD card in the future, the chances of  a 1TB (or even 512GB) microSD card coming out are looking mighty slim at this point.

Like the 128GB card we reported on last year, the 200GB version will also be compatible with the Memory Zone app, as well as all of its features, like OptiMem.

The new 200GB microSD card will become available worldwide in Q2 for $400. The card also features a ten-year limited warranty.

Webinar: Uche Orji and Richard Fenning, CEO of Control Risks, to Discuss Effective Management of Corruption in Africa

Global business risk consultancy Control Risks organizes an open webinar on Friday, March 13 to discuss the effective management of corruption in Africa as part of its global webcast series “The Dialogue”.

Date:               Friday, March 13

Time:              17:30 GMT | 12:30 EST | 11:30 CST | 09:30 PST             

One of the most pervasive risks faced by organisations in new and emerging markets is the risk of corruption. Yet despite investment in anti-corruption initiatives, corruption incidents continue to compromise operations and affect revenue and profit growth.

In this webcast a panel of experts will share their views and experiences of dealing with corruption in Africa and provide actionable advice to mitigate this business risk. The experts will include Richard Fenning, CEO, Control Risks, Tom Griffin, Managing Director West Africa, Control Risks and Uche Orji, CEO and MD of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority.

Download the biographies: http://www.apo-mail.org/150227.doc

Control Risks invites journalists to submit their questions to the panel in advance. To register, request a recording, or to submit a question, please click here: http://controlrisks.msgfocus.com/c/1nV1YUH0sii9UxeulcyGl

Control Risks is one of the world's leading risk management consultancies, helping organisations manage the challenges of bribery and corruption around the world. More information at www.controlrisks.com

Why Lupita Nyong'o's Calvin Klein Collection Oscars Dress Was Returned

Last week, the news broke that Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o had her gown stolen that she wore to the 2015 Oscars on Sunday. According to WWD, an anonymous caller contacted TMZ claiming to steal the dress and upon finding out that the pearls were fake decided to return the dress to the hotel.

The gown was dumped under a sink in a plastic bag underneath a bathroom counter and is reportedly worth $150,000.

A close-up of the pearl-embellished Calvin Klein collection dress. Picture credit: Getty

At this time no one has been arrested.

"All of us at Calvin Klein are thrilled to know that the dress has potentially been located," Francisco Costa, Women's Creative Director of Calvin Klein Collection, who designed the dress, said in a statement to Women's Wear Daily. "This was an amazing collaboration between the brand and Lupita and the dress looked truly exquisite on her. Once it's returned to us, we will be able to have the dress restored and archived, as it now represents an important moment for the brand."

"Collaborating with Francisco for my Oscar dress this year was such a special and unforgettable experience," Nyong'o added. "I'm happy that it has been potentially recovered. It is a timeless and priceless piece of art."

Internet Use on Mobile Phones in Africa Predicted to Increase 20-Fold

Did you know that internet use on mobile phones in Africa has been predicted to increase in 20 folds? Research says that there will be increase in the next 5 years that will double that of the rest of the world. This meaning double the estimated growth rate in the rest of the world.

Lower priced devices in particular smartphones and tablets, increase investment in network infrastructure, and increase availability of spectrum for mobile broadband, are among the factors she said that will drive this growth.

With such growth, Africa is rapidly closing in on the global mobile penetration rate, which was around 92 percent at the end of 2013, compared to around 70 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Christian Keller, Managing Director of Carmudi Nigeria was at Social Media Week (Lagos) to talk on the importance of mobile application to small businesses in Lagos.

We will bring you more update soon.

Christian Keller, MD Carmudi Nigeria at Social Media Week Lagos

Visa and Airtel Extend Mobile Payments to Seven African Countries

 Visa Inc. and Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, have announced a partnership to bring innovative mobile payment services to seven markets in Africa including Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles and Tanzania.

Visa and Airtel will build on the existing capabilities of Airtel’s Mobile Money service, allowing subscribers to use their Airtel Money account to pay in stores and online wherever Visa is accepted. Additionally, customers can withdraw money and make payments from their Airtel Money account using their Airtel Money Visa companion card.

“Mobile payments can transform the lives of people throughout Africa who commonly have access to a mobile phone, but not a bank,” said Vish Sowani, Vice President of MNO Partnerships for Visa. “For most new subscribers, this will represent their first payment account and bring some of the latest digital payment advancements into the everyday experiences of Airtel’s customers.”

In addition to everyday Visa transactions in stores, online and at ATMs, Airtel Money can also be used to make micro-payments, conduct fund transfers, purchase airtime and pre-paid electricity, plus Internet bundles - using an easy, safe mobile experience. For example, a bill can be paid without having to travel, wait in long lines, or hold large sums of cash.

MTN Côte d'Ivoire signed with SUMMVIEW to broadcast live TV channels and VOD on mobile

MTN Côte d'Ivoire announces a strategic partnership with SUMMVIEW which enables the launch of a new service called "MTN TV" accessible on mobile. Thanks to this service, MTN Côte d'Ivoire offers its users the ability to access from their smartphones and tablets, to a set of  live TV channels as well as on-demand content. 

Users can download the application MTN TV on MTN CI website (www.mtn.ci) or on Google Play Store. Users have the option to subscribe for a day, a week or a month.

The availability of video on smartphones and tablets relies on the platform developed by SUMMVIEW. With a few clicks, users access from the terminal, a catalog of live channels and on demand videos.

"With MTN TV, MTN Côte d'Ivoire expands its range of services and mobile applications and provides its subscribers an innovative offering of quality content, information as well as entertainment on mobile. The "one stop shop" offer of SUMMVIEW allowed mastering the costs and securing the roll-out. By deploying this new service, MTN continues its actions to offer its customers a new digital world and contributes to the emergence of a digital Ivory Coast, "said Mr. Wim Vanhelleputte, CEO of MTN Côte d'Ivoire.

Denis PAGNAC, CEO SUMMVIEW: « SUMMVIEW is pleased to provide the service "MTN TV". The SUMMVIEW Content Delivery Solution (S-CDS), a SaaS platform proposed in white label, is designed to meet the specific needs of each client, allowing MTN CI to propose its own mobile video service benefiting from the expertise of SUMMVIEW in the field of the distribution of video content on mobile phone.