FCCPC Orders Google to Delist Cashme, Swiftkash, 16 Other Illegal Loan Apps

On July 20, 2023, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) of Nigeria published a statement delisting some otherwise permitted and registered Digital Money Lending firms and/or their Applications (apps). The commission also stated that the affected DMLs were no longer legally allowed to operate.

GlaxoSmithKline to quit Nigeria after 51 years of operations

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Nigeria has announced its plans to cease operations after evaluating the options for shifting to a third-party distribution strategy for its pharmaceuticals and consumer healthcare goods. GSK Nigeria was facing increased competition from local manufacturers as well as imports from India and China when the decision was made. The company disclosed that its revenues for the first half of the year fell to 7.75 billion naira ($9.82 million), down from 14.8 billion naira in the same period last year.

Radisson Hotel Group unveils its eighth hotel in Morocco

Radisson Hotel Group has expanded its presence in Morocco with the opening of Radisson Blu Residences, Saidia, its eighth hotel in the country. Nestled in the heart of one of the most popular seaside destinations in northern Morocco, the new hotel bolsters the Group’s portfolio to three hotels in Saidia.

FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura to Receive the World Football Summit Lifetime Achievement Award

The World Football Summit (WFS), the biggest platform dedicated to the football industry, and APO Group, the leading pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, have announced the selection of FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura as the recipient of the inaugural World Football Summit Lifetime Achievement Award.

Verdant Capital raises EUR 10 million of debt funding for Bridge Taxi Finance

Bridge Taxi Finance (“Bridge Taxi”), a Mokoro Holdings subsidiary, is a development company offering finance and support products to the minibus taxi industry in South Africa. This includes strategic investments and associations in various industries supporting the developmental finance chain, from taxi finance to logistics, credit solution services, supply of parts, and vehicle servicing.

Emirates Premium Economy surges to record 160,000 customers trading up to experience the cabin’s quiet luxury

Customers’ preference for the recently introduced Emirates Premium Economy has surged to a record high, with over 160,000 trading up, thereby setting new industry benchmarks in Premium Economy travel.  Emirates is delightfully celebrating this banner's first year of full-service operations with the highly popular cabin class, introduced in August 2022.  

Disney announces global 'Create 100' campaign to promote creativity, raise funds for Make-A-Wish

The 'Create 100' campaign, a global celebration of creativity commemorating 100 years of Disney storytelling, has been launched by Disney. To mark the occasion, Disney is donating $1 million to Make-A-Wish to help grant life-changing wishes to children with severe illnesses.

Mouka Pillows Certified as Ergonomically Compliant of Global Standards

Mouka's range of quality pillows, with over six decades of high standards, have been certified for use for a good night's sleep to safeguard health and wellbeing.

Spain Pledges Support for Libya Energy & Economic Summit 2023

In preparation for the Libya Energy & Economic Summit 2023, the Ambassador of Spain, His Excellency Javier Ga-Larrache Olalquiaga, met today with representatives of the summit organizers.

Ogilvy Africa Appoints Akua Owusu-Nartey as Chief Client Officer for Sub-Saharan Region

Ogilvy Africa has announced the appointment of Akua Owusu-Nartey as chief client officer for Sub-Saharan Africa, with the goal of driving best-in-class operational excellence for the agency's biggest clients in the region.

Lagos Agog As 15-Year-Old Medha Elluru Hosts Her First Solo Art Exhibition At National Museum

A 15-year-old Medha Krishna Elluru has successfully hosted a one-day art exhibition in Lagos, it was an unusual experience which many art enthusiasts said will live in the memories of many for a long time.

Twitter receives Apple's special authorization to change its name to 'X' in iOS App Store

Apple generally does not permit developers to name their apps with a single character; however, Twitter - recently rebranded as X - is now listed as X in the iOS App Store, implying that the app received special authorization from Apple to allow a single-character moniker.

Adekunle Gold’s 'Tequila Ever After' now streaming on Spotify

Adekunle Gold’s most extensive body of work is officially live. Launched on 28 July, Tequila Ever After is the artist’s latest album, following Catch Me If You Can, the 2022 album that he described as his most successful project on an Instagram post. 

The 18-track album is Adekunle’s debut album for the record label Def Jam and his fifth studio album, featuring recently released tracks including Party No Dey Stop featuring Zinoleesky, Omo Eko, Do You Mind? and Ogaranya. Spotify data shows that the fans already love the releases, with Party No Dey Stop landing as his fifth most streamed track of all time, just four months after its release. It is also the most exported track globally among 18-35-year-olds, followed by High, the Davido-featured track. 

There is no doubt that Adekunle is well-loved in Nigeria, after all, his single Omo Oke is a love letter to Lagos, his native city. Interestingly, though, Spotify data over the last 28 days shows that the United States is the most streaming of his music. Nigeria is second, followed by the United Kingdom. AG Baby, as he is also known, just announced a US and UK tour starting September so it’s likely that the listeners in these two countries are streaming in readiness for the tour. 

“Adekunle Gold is constantly reinventing himself, which is what makes a great artist. We have seen the growth from his first album, Gold to Tequila Ever After where he samples a variety of genres, but still stays true to himself. We are excited to continue supporting artists such as Adekunle on their journey to conquering the global stages,” says Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music for SSA. 

A true testament to his growth over the years can be seen in his streaming numbers. His first track to hit 10 million streams was Something Different, one year and four months after it was released. Party No Dey Stop already has 20 million plus streams on Spotify and it only took a little over four months. 

Collaborations within the music industry serve as a way to merge fan bases, hence, increasing a song’s chances of success. Adekunle is no stranger to collaborations- four out of five of his top-streamed songs on Spotify are collaborations. For Tequila Ever After, he has tapped his wife and fellow artist Simi, fast-rising star Odumodublvck, American artists Pharell Williams, Khalid among others, proving that this is an album for all music lovers. 

When it comes to playlisting, his songs appear in over 2 million user-generated playlists, with High being the most popular song on playlists. Surprisingly, males between the age of 23 - 27 are the ones streaming his music the most according to Spotify.