Ecobank: Four Millionaires Emerge from Super Reward Campaign

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22/02/2023

Left: Adetola Oshomah, Agency & Direct Banking, Ecobank Nigeria; Lekan Awoyemi, Principal Executive Officer, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC); Mr. & Mrs David Ezokwe (Ecobank customers and winner of one million prize); Korede Demola- Adeniyi, Head, Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria; Vicky Amede, Assistant Director, National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), Lagos; Daberechi Effiong, Head, Asset Products, Ecobank Nigeria, and Olubunmi Otuniga, Head, Customer Experience, Ecobank Nigeria, at the grand finale presentation of cash gifts to winners of its Super Rewards Season 3:1 campaign in Lagos.

Ecobank Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), has rewarded four customers, being winners in the Super Rewards deposit promo with N1 million each.

The Super Rewards Campaign is a customer-focused initiative designed by Ecobank Nigeria to reward customers’ loyalty and consistent use of the bank’s electronic payment platforms. This edition of Super Reward campaign, tagged, ‘Season 3.1,’ rewarded 100 customers monthly since November, 2022 with cash prizes of N50,000, while four customers won N1 million each at the end of the three-month campaign which ran between November 2022 to January 2023.

The four winners are Mr. John Sokeipiriala, Ahmed Said, Onashile Obafemi, and a couple with a joint account, Mr. David Edokwe and Mrs. Ifeoma Edokwe.

Speaking at the cheque presentation in Lagos, Head, Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Mrs. Korede Adeniyi, said the scheme was introduced by the bank to reward customers’ loyalty, adding that it was also to promote the use of its electronic payment channels that offered convenient banking.

According to her, “This is the third edition of our reward initiative which started about two years ago. The feedback from our customers have been quite impressive. It is not just to encourage people to save but also transact on our digital channels. Today, you and I know that with the cash scarcity, the digital banking channels have become very helpful. So today, we’re rewarding four customers who won N4m. We have also rewarded 100 customers with cash prizes of N50,000 monthly during the period of the campaign.”

Commenting on the dynamics of the scheme, Head, Asset Products, Ecobank Nigeria, Daberechi Effiong, said the conditions to qualify for the scheme were made simple and easy to ensure both new and existing customers of the bank participate and get rewarded. According to her, “new customers were expected to open an account with a minimum of N5,000 and maintain the deposit for a 30-day period”.

“Same applies to existing customers, who only need to fund their active account with a minimum of N5,000 or reactivate their dormant account with a minimum of N5,000 and maintain the deposit for a 30-day period.”

One of the joint account winners, Ifeoma Ezokwe, said she and her husband did not expect they would win a promo from the bank. She said, “When we got married, we decided that joint account is one of the things we’re going to inculcate into the marriage, and we’ve been operating the accounts very well. For more than 12 or 13 years we’ve been running the joint account.”

“When they called us for this, we felt, this was just beyond our expectation. We were just running the account normally as a business transaction. So, this is what we get as a reward for running the account very well, and I’m very happy. We want to say thank you to Ecobank, they’ve been with us for a long time.”

The presentations were witnessed by officials from Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) who also applauded the transparency of the exercise.

Ecobank Nigeria

Ecobank Nigeria is an affiliate of the Ecobank Group, the leading private pan-African banking group.

At Ecobank Nigeria, we offer a comprehensive suite of financial services and solutions to our Consumer, Commercial, Corporate and Investment Banking clients at over 255 branches, 841 ATMs and 60,000 Xpress Point agencies.

The Ecobank Group was established in 1985 to drive financial integration and socio-economic development in Africa. With a presence in 35 sub-Saharan African countries as well as in France, the UK, UAE and China, we have unrivalled expertise and experience across Africa. Our pan-African platform provides a single gateway for payments, cash management, trade and investment across Africa and beyond.

Naira Redesign: Insurers Brace for Likely Claims as Violence Spreads

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19/02/2023

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Operators in the Nigerian insurance sector are bracing up for likely claims arising from wanton attacks on bank facilities and personnel across the country over the Naira redesign crisis. The concern in the market is that the violence if left unchecked could lead to huge claims against insurance companies if the attacked facilities had insurance cover.

Mr. Mayowa Adeduro, Managing Director/CEO of Tangerine General Insurance Limited aligned with the stated benefits of the Naira redesign policy of the CBN but also raised posers as events took a negative dimension over the cash crunch.

Mayowa said: “There is absolutely nothing wrong in redesigning Naira and obviously shouldn’t have negative impact on the economy including insurance industry. However, the spate of violence and destruction following demonstrations ostensibly from shortage of cash currency and poor services from electronic transfer is impacting insurance industry negatively. We are expecting a spike in the claim for riot and civil commotion.”

In same manner, Mr. Tope Adaramola, Executive Secretary, the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) added his voice:

“Apart from affecting the financial solvency of the people, including insured or would be insured, the policy has heated up the system leading to violent insurrections in some parts of the country where properties, some of which were insured were destroyed. Insurance companies would have to respond to those perils if they are insured.”

Another analyst who requested anonymity urged insurers to expect request for claims if the destroyed facilities were insured.

He said: “If the bank buildings destroyed by angry protesters and depositors were insured, then surely the banks will file for claims and it would be difficult for the insurance firms that provided such cover not to comply.”

Nairaxi Emerges Winner in NCC’s Young Innovators Competition

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19/02/2023

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A mobile ridesharing mobile app that enables users to request taxi and bus rides tagged, Nairaxi has emerged over all winner at the young innovators’ competition organized by the Nigerian Communications Commission, which held at the Digital Bridge Institute, Oshodi, Lagos recently.

The company, which took the coveted prize with value of N2 Million, made up of Kingsley Eze, Co-Founder/Chief Executive Officer and Elizabeth Omale, Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer, presented an app, which will enhance rideshare and safe delivery of packages to an audience made up of top officials of the Commission, led by the Director of Research and Development, Mr. Ismaila Adedigba who represented the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta.

Floews, which comprised established by Bashir Abubakar as Founder and Chief Executive Officer, came second with a prize of N1.5 million while Thronix Lab, comprising three young tech-savvy Nigerians, clinched the 3rd position with a prize of N1 million,. All the contestants were adjudged on the criteria of originality, innovativeness, simplicity of usage and commercialization potential of their IT products, among others.

Floews developed novel and deep-tech all-round solution that monitors and forecasts flood imminence and thereby, disseminate the forecast as an early-warning intelligence, while Thronix Lab developed Proxie, an Internet of Thing (IoT)-enabled smart socket and Wi-Fi hotspot range extender which enables users to switch on/off their appliances connected to it remotely through their phones.

Prof Mohammed Ajiya, President, who chaired the panel of judges for the competition, commended the Commission for providing the opportunity for young Nigerians to achieve their dreams of leveraging digital solutions to address local challenges in Nigeria.

Speaking on behalf of the EVC, the Director R&D, Adedigba, commended all the 15 contestants that participated, and the panel of judges for the “commendable diligence, through and painstaking evaluation carried out by his team of independent judges, leading to the emergence of the three winners”.

He assured of the Commission’s commitment to continue to drive the Federal Government agenda of promoting indigenous ICT solutions development towards strengthening the Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

“It is important to note that this competition is not the end, but rather the beginning of our collective journey towards bridging the digital divide in Nigeria. We must continue to support and invest in local, indigenous digital solutions to ensure that all citizens have access to the technology and opportunities they need to thrive in today’s digital age,” Danbatta said.

Ten innovators from the 15 proceeded to the Pitching Stage, for having developed the best technology solutions, amenable to commercialisation and capable of solving identified challenges both locally and beyond in a move to bridge the country’s existing digital divide.

The 15 contestants at the event are Curnance PTY, Floews, Lalita by 02 Innovations Lab, Brilliant ESystems, Afrits Innovation, CitiFlow, Natal Cares, Nairaxi, Rate AM, Fixbot Technologies, Betalife, Cyber Plural, TronixLab, Ntapi Inc., and Bycep by Bedoun.

NCDMB Boss, Wabote, Lists Strategies for Local Content Regional Collaboration, Signs MoU with Senegal

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17/02/2023

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Amid global concerns over energy security and a regional resolve on collaboration to deepen local content, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote, has proposed strategies that would break down barriers and promote cross-border collaboration amongst governments and businesses.

He made the suggestions in a presentation he made at the opening of the 7th SAIPEC Sub-Saharan Africa International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference in Lagos, hinting on the need for peer review mechanisms, and sharing of experiences and ideas on industry sustainability and growth.

The event provided a platform for the NCDMB to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Technical Secretary of the National Content Monitoring Committee of Senegal (ST-CNSCL), the agency that is responsible for the coordination and supervision of the development and implementation of the local content strategies in the Senegalese oil and gas sector.

Under the terms of the MoU, NCDMB will offer ST-CNSCL strategic advice and guidance in the areas of laws, frameworks, knowledge exchange, procedures for baseline study, data collection on capacities that exist in Senegal, design of strategic plan for local content implementation in Senegal and other capacity development initiatives.

Speaking further, Wabote drew the attention of sub-Saharan Africa’s Ministers of Petroleum to the relatively high crude oil price levels and upswing potentials experienced from 2021 to date and the geo-political dynamics at play, highlighting the challenge for African oil and gas service providers “to partake in the development and maintenance of oil fields,” which could be best facilitated through a deliberate action plan.

In his paper entitled “Sub-Saharan Africa Local Content Collaboration Strategies,” the Executive Secretary said the action plan under consideration centres on legal framework, funding, infrastructure, human capacity development, and research and development. He equally highlighted initiatives and grounds covered by the Nigerian Government through the NCDMB in local content development and how other African oil producers could benefit from these.

A legal framework, as he pointed out, is an enabling legal or regulatory framework, a basic requirement “to drive and develop local content sustainability.” That would be the critical instrument “to forge a collaborative Africa local content strategy.” That requirement, he observed, has been taken care of by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which he noted “created the world’s largest free trade area by integrating 1.3 billion people across 54 African countries, with the objective of tapping into a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of over $3 trillion.”

In the area of infrastructure, he cited Dangote Integrated Refinery and Petrochemical Company, with an installed capacity of 650,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd), which he noted would “afford Nigeria and other African countries the partnership opportunities for sourcing petroleum products and fertilizer.” Other critical infrastructure cited were Lekki Free Trade Zone, SHI-MCI FPSO Fabrication/Integration Yard, Lagos, West African Gas Pipeline Project, the ongoing AKK gas transmission pipeline, and NCDMB’s seven Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks (NOGAPS), two of which are due for commissioning in 2023.

The occasion also became an opportunity for the Executive Secretary to invite business organisations from the sub-Saharan region interested in the manufacture of equipment, components and spares relevant to oil and gas operations to apply for spaces in the industrial parks at Emeyal II in Bayelsa State, and Odukpani, Cross River State.

With regards to funding, he expressed satisfaction for progress made towards establishing an Africa Energy Bank to address financing challenges of Africa’s oil and gas projects in an era of declining investments in fossil fuels.

For human capacity development, the NCDMB boss noted its importance “to the successful implementation of local content as every intervention will be powered by humans – either through intellect, skill set or both.” Research and Development is similarly pivotal to successful implementation of local content.

Engr Simbi was profusely thankful to the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) for “graciously hosting and dutifully organizing this auspicious event year after year.” In his concluding remarks he expressed the hope that the Association would look into “how to develop and showcase indigenous technology at SAIPEC.”

Curacel: The $3m Seed to Power New Insurance Experience in Africa

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16/02/2023

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Curacel, Africa’s leading insurance infrastructure provider, has raised $3 million in seed funding to roll out new technology solutions designed to power the next generation of insurance experiences in Africa. The new funding will also support the company’s expansion into North Africa.

The seed funding round included Tencent, AAF Management (invested in Sure, Flutterwave), Elefund (invested in Robinhood, Pie Insurance and Sure), Blue Point Capital Partners, Pioneer Fund, Olive Tree Capital and Y Combinator, as well as James Park (CEO of Fitbit), Olugbenga ‘GB’ Agboola (CEO of Flutterwave), Babs Ogundeyi (CEO of Kuda) and other strategic investors.

Top executives from Covergenius, Zopper and Pie Insurance will also join Curacel’s advisory board as part of the round.

The combination of a fast-growing population, a rising middle class and increasing access to financial services across the continent means more Africans have the opportunity to experience a wider range of products and services.

From buying cars to accessing accommodation, these experiences come with various risks and insurance companies play a huge role in making it easier to manage the risks and enjoy these experiences with confidence.

However, with insurance penetration across the continent still under 3 percent, many Africans are having to take on these entirely by themselves.

At the same time, the paper-based approach and antiquated technology that powers many insurers’ processes is time-consuming, unduly expensive and prone to fraud and waste. African insurers lose more than $12 billion per year to fraudulent, wasteful and abusive claims, which makes them understandably cautious and risk-averse with the customer they choose to serve.

Curacel makes it easier for insurers to distribute their products, automate their claims processes, and drive revenue growth by giving them easy-to-use technology solutions that have been specifically designed to drive up insurance inclusion on the continent.

With Grow, Curacel’s embedded insurance product, more than 100 banks, fintechs, logistics companies and other tech-enabled companies, including ALAT (Nigeria’s first digital bank), Providus, PalmPay, Float, etc and others are empowered to increase their recurring revenues by offering digital insurance products that are seamlessly embedded into their existing products and services, driving much-needed insurance penetration and customer loyalty.

Leading insurers like AXA Mansard, Liberty Health, Old Mutual and Jubilee Heath also leverage Curacel’s market leading technology to improve the efficiency and accuracy of their claims processes. The company’s AI-powered infrastructure means claims can be submitted and processed in real time, helping insurers to reduce their claims cycle by more than 70 percent and process up to 10x more claims.

Curacel has processed more than $100 million worth of claims, working with more than 20 insurers and more than 5,000 service providers in 8 countries across the continent.

In 2022, Curacel grew its transaction volume by 600 percent and increased its revenue by 500 percent. Starting with Egypt and Morocco, the new funding will enable the company to roll out its services in North Africa and deepen its presence in other parts of the continent.

According to Henry Mascot, CEO and Co-Founder of Curacel, “we are bullish on the potential of the right technology in the right places to close the protection gap across Africa and emerging markets. It is an exciting time for us as we secure the capital to deliver the vision and onboard the people who have built these technologies at scale in more mature markets, and we are looking forward to delivering more technology solutions to drive up insurance inclusion.”

Omar Darwazah, Managing Director and General Partner at AAF Management, said: “At less than 3%, the insurance penetration rate in Africa is one of the lowest in the world, presenting an incredible market opportunity for Henry and the team at Curacel to bridge that insurance gap. We are excited to participate in the company’s Seed round and join Curacel’s mission in building easy-to-use technology solutions for insurers to distribute their products on the continent.”

Serik Kaldykulov, General Partner at Elefund said: “Africa remains a relatively untapped market when it comes to insurance and technology presents the best opportunity to reach new users and deliver excellent services. Curacel has built a suite of solutions and an impressive track record of success that makes us very excited to be supporting them on their mission to use technology to drive up insurance inclusion in Africa.”

About Curacel

Curacel is an insurance infrastructure company that helps insurers and partners in Africa and other emerging markets increase the reach and functionality of insurance through cloud-based tools and APIs. Curacel currently works with 20 insurance companies and more than 5,000 service providers in 8 African markets.

Olam Agri Deepens Investment in Women’s Economic Empowerment, Unveils Baking Academy in Kano

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16/02/2023

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L-R: Alhaji Abdul Munaf Yunusa, Chairman of Azman Air; Dr Faruk Umar, Director of Greenwich Merchant Bank; Dr Ibrahim Gaya, Special Adviser to the Governor of Kano State on Rural and Community Development; HRH Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, Emir of Kano, cutting the ribbon; and Mr. Ashish Pande, Country Head for Olam Agri in Nigeria, at the launch of Olam Agri’s Crown Flour Angels Baking Academy in Kano on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

Olam Agri in Nigeria, a leading agribusiness in food, feed, and fibre, on Wednesday, February 15, 2023, launched a baking academy to train and economically empower more women in the country. The academy located in Kano State builds on the pillars of the Seeds for the Future Foundation’s Crown Flour Angels (CFA) initiative.

Crown Flour Angels is an economic empowerment initiative of Olam Agri’s wheat-milling business Nigeria. It aims to equip women with baking skills and enhance their earnings while enabling them to contribute meaningfully to their communities and the national economy.

The launch of the baking academy is targeted at extending the impact of the economic empowerment initiative and deepen the agribusiness’ human capital development contributions to the Federal Government’s economic development agenda.

Speaking during the launch of the academy, Mr Ashish Pande, the Country Head for Olam Agri in Nigeria, said, “Olam Agri in Nigeria is a strong player and contributor to the Nigerian economy. Through the pillars of our Seeds for the Future Foundation, we seek to continuously empower local women.”

“We believe that an investment in human capital development on a broader scale will engender national prosperity, and investment in educating women is key to enhancing the livelihoods of families. The Crown Flour Angels initiative is targeted at equipping keen women with the requisite baking skills to enhance their earning potential,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mrs Bola Adeniji, Head of Marketing, Olam Agri Nigeria, explained that the launch of the CFA Baking Academy follows the successful facilitation of baking training for over 250 International Cake Exploration Société (ICES) women in Lagos by the business under the auspices of the same initiative.

According to her, “The launch of the Baking Academy offers a scaled support framework for women across regions; and the choice of Kano is strategic. The global bakery product market size was $397.90 billion in 2020. The market is projected to reach $590.54 billion in 2028. This growth projection presents an opportunity for bakers, including graduates from our baking academy. We are proud to be launching our women into this prosperous market through our initiative.”

Guests at the launch event include the Emir of Kano, HRH Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the representative of the Kano State Governor, Dr Ibrahim Gaya, who is also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural and Community Development; Alhaji Abdul Munaf Yunusa, the Chairman of Azman Air, Dr Faruk Umar, the Director, Greenwich Merchant Bank, amongst others.

The Emir of Kano applauded Olam Agri for locating the baking academy in Kano. He remarked, “Olam Agri in Nigeria has done well by locating this academy in our state. The academy will help build our community by giving our women the opportunity to learn the skills that will yield good incomes for their households when put to commercial use.”

The representative of the state Governor, Dr Ibrahim Gaya, said, “Olam Agri’s investment in Kano state attests to the state’s peace and impressive security levels. The Governor and the traditional rulers have never relented in their efforts to keep ensuring growth in the state. We, therefore, invite more businesses to emulate Olam Agri.”

About Olam Agri

Olam Agri is a leading agribusiness, transforming food, feed and fibre with a global origination footprint, processing capabilities and deep understanding of market needs built over 33 years.

With a strong presence in high-growth emerging markets and products across grains & oilseeds, animal feed & protein, rice, edible oils, specialty grains & seeds, cotton, wood products, rubber and commodity financial services, Olam Agri is at the heart of global food and agri-trade flows with approximately 40 million MT in volume traded annually.

Focused on transforming food, feed, and fibre for a more sustainable future, it aims at creating value for customers, enable farming communities to prosper sustainably and strive for a food-secure future.

CIIN Seeks Partnership with STI on 2nd Edition of Night of Talents

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16/02/2023

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The Managing Director/CEO of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc (C), Olaotan Soyinka is flanked by members of the Executive Management of the Underwriting Firm and members of the Activities Committee of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, led by the Chairperson, Tutu Arusiaka, during a courtesy visit to Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc towards the hosting of the 2nd edition of the Institute’s Night of Talents to be held on March 3, 2023, in Lagos.

Nurudeen Jamiu of Linkage Assurance in native attire is the winner of the 1st edition and the out-going Ambassador for the Insurance Industry.

Naira Redesign, Queues and the Quest for a New Nigeria

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15/02/2023

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By Elvis Eromosele

The amount of queueing Nigerians have been subjected to in the last couple of weeks is unprecedented. It is equally unbecoming. It’s almost like the country had gone back four decades.

Fights have broken out in queues at bank facilities, filling stations and INEC and LGAs offices across the country. There are trending videos of people stripping naked in protest inside banking halls, others hitting each other with queue dividers and one person has been confirmed dead inside a banking hall, somewhere in Asaba. Nigerians born in the 2000s, GenZs, should be forgiven for thinking the end of the world is here.

On a typical day, a person will queue to collect new currency notes at the bank, rush to queue at the filling station to buy supposedly subsidized petrol at exorbitant prices and then drive to the closest INEC office to queue for Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). This is not sustainable.

The worst part is that no one is accepting responsibility for the inanity.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has consistently held that the banks were given enough stock of the new naira notes. The endless queues in and around banks question the veracity of this claim. The CBN has now alleged sabotage by the banks and has deployed a monitoring taskforce to keep an extra eye on their operations. This shows the frosty state of the relationship between the banks and its regulator.

The CBN inspection and ICPC teams have caught a couple of banks hoarding the new naira notes. They should continue the good work that they’re doing to maintain control.

The reality is that the suffering is real, the pain is widespread and anger is rising to a boiling point. The CBN must act to ease the pain. It is a case of demand and supply – make more new naira notes available across the banks, monitor the deployment and see the relief across the land.

The naira redesign, according to the CBN, is expected to strengthen the economy, reduce the expenditure on cash management, promote financial inclusion, and enhance the bank’s visibility of naira supply. It also seeks to drive the quest for a truly cashless society. It is a good thing.

It is a change management issue. The CBN ought to have managed it better. In systematically phasing out the old note, it should have introduced the new notes earlier and ensured availability in ATMs all over the country with a restriction on the amount that can be cashed per time.

The cashless policy beyond the cash supply challenge is a digital banking infrastructure issue. Digital banking deals with everyday essentials, including checking balances, reviewing transactions, making payments and transferring funds, whether using USSD, banking apps or online/web-based systems. It is thus a sad commentary on the actual state of the nation’s digital financial infrastructure to see apps and servers collapse under the strain of increased traffic. It shows a lot still needs to be done to strengthen the system. Transactions are not completed; alerts fail to arrive and all sorts of strange messages occur for the first time.

During this season of madness, some banks have been heard whispering to customers that the network fault that they are complaining about is failings from the telecommunications side. Telcos do not need to respond to this allegation. They simply need to work closely with financial institutions to make the transactions seamless. The first step in solving a problem is recognising there is one.

One more thing, the CBN must also look at removing ALL charges for online and POS transactions in the short term. It can later look at a reduced fee for these transactions as volume has risen.

The N100 and N50 naira notes are not being redesigned, they should be widely available. CBN must stick with the deadline and work assiduously to ease the flow of cash. The cashless economy cannot happen overnight. We can admit that progress has been made.

On the fuel queues which have persisted for over five months, the NNPC Limited consistently claimed it had enough fuel and urged the public to shun panic buying. The problem has remained.

The DSS in December 2022 gave the NNPC Limited and marketers 48 hours to end fuel scarcity. We are still here.

The House of Representatives also gave the NNPC Limited a week’s ultimatum to end the artificial scarcity of petroleum. It has long expired without any respite.

The Presidency has equally waded in with little success. The problem has proven intractable.

The economics is difficult to follow. How can the government be budgeting trillions for fuel subsidies and Nigerians are buying at double the approved price? Something is not right here.

In a season of a global oil boom, Nigeria may be the only oil-producing nation with citizens queueing long indeterminate hours for fuel. Something is missing here. Someone is not telling Nigerians the truth. Between NNPC Limited and the major marketers, there is a gulf.

The citizens are been made to suffer and pay for their failings.

In addition, the federal government cannot continue to pretend to be unaware of the problems that Nigerians are going through. It must, as a minimum, look to fix it, apply necessary sanctions and ensure the availability of petroleum products across the country.

The queue for PVCs is another queueing battle Nigerians are currently contending with. News reports indicate that no fewer than 6.7 million Nigerians have yet to collect their PVCs less than four weeks before the general elections. Over two million of this number are in Lagos and Abuja alone.

Before we heap the blame on the citizens, let us remember the reports of missing PVCs, poor communication about collection points and claims of extortion against INEC officials since the collection of the cards commenced on December 12.

Some people have complained on social media of discrimination from compromised INEC officials stalling the release of PVCs to people from a particular tribe, especially in Lagos State. Many people were told their PVCs had not been printed after over six months of registering. That is untidy on the part of INEC. Bank ATM cards are now printed on demand why should PVCs take forever?

Thankfully, the umpire has been responsive. It set up collection centres in the wards, started sending text messages to people to ease the process and even extended the collection deadline.

These are good steps. But INEC can do better. INEC must do better. Registration and collection on PVCs should be open all year round in its offices. This ad-hoc, fire-brigade approach doesn’t cut it any more.

The PVC queue is important. It is expected to prove useful in determining the next leader of the country. February 25, 2023, Nigerians will have to queue to cast their votes. Let us queue patiently on the day. When we queue and vote wisely, we can take back Nigeria.

Eromosele, a Corporate Communication professional and public affairs analyst lives in Lagos.

Leadway Assurance Gets ISO/IEC 27001 Re-certification for Superior Information Security Management Systems

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14/02/2023

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Leadway Assurance, one of Nigeria’s leading insurers, has received recertification for the globally acclaimed ISO/IEC 27001 Certification for Information Security Management Systems for its robust and thorough information security processes.

The ISO/IEC 27001 is an international standard certification issued by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) to organisations that have established superior systems and processes for managing information security. It details the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, continually improving, and securing the organisation’s information assets.

Speaking on the milestone, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Leadway Assurance, Tunde Hassan-Odukale, stated that “this re-certification is a recognition of our unwavering commitment and strictest compliance with the process of providing quality management information and security management systems for the cyber safety of our stakeholders. It is yet another strong indicator that our brand is built on unmatched and entrenched risk management systems buoyed by our robust enterprise information technology, ensuring that we are on top of the game ahead of the prevailing severe cyber crimes.

“We understand the criticality of today’s cyber security realities, so we must invest in providing word-class cyber security architecture, reengineer and optimise our robust risk management processes to protect critical data on our customers, financial operations, medical information, and employee details.”

“We are delighted to have this re- certification, and I am confident that having achieved this milestone, we will continue to maintain and sustain continuous system improvement and give room for external checks and balances for proper efficacy and future scrutiny in line with the global standard,” he added.

Leadway Assurance is one of Nigeria’s foremost insurance service companies with a reputation for service efficiency and customer reliability. The organisation is committed to bridging the financial protection gap and increasing insurance penetration in Nigeria.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDIZATION (ISO)

The International Organization for Standardisation is an independent, non-governmental organisation, the members of which are the standards organisations of the 165 member countries.

It is the world’s largest developer of voluntary international standards and facilitates world trade by providing common standards among nations.

More than twenty thousand standards have been set, covering everything from manufactured products and technology to food safety, agriculture, and healthcare.

Anchor Insurance CEO, Austin Ebose, Savours Insurance CEO of the Year Award

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14/02/2023

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Mr. Austin Ebose, Managing Director/CEO, Anchor Insurance Company Limited savouring his recent Insurance CEO of the Year award in his office in Lagos.

Valentine’s Day 2023: ‘Spread Love for Sake of Humanity’—STI CEO

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14/02/2023

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As the world is marking Valentine’s Day today, the Managing Director/CEO of one of Nigeria’s high-profile Insurance companies, Olaotan Soyinka released his goodwill message to customers and the insuring public of the Underwriting Firm during a media parley in Lagos.

He said the Day should be used to celebrate mankind and the humanity in us by showing love to all and sundry both in deeds and in our words. According to him, “Valentine’s Day marks a significant cycle in the life of man as the day set aside to expound on the virtues of love and selfless giving”. He enjoined everyone to embrace peace, love, and harmony regardless of the race, language or colour of our skin.

He further stated that as the country prepares for its general elections, citizens should eschew violence as they go to the polls to elect the President will lead the affairs of the country for another four years to come. He urged parents to admonish their children from restraining from acts that can be inimical to the progress of the country and to also encourage all their children who are of voting age to participate in the forthcoming elections as responsible citizens.

For Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, the Day will afford members of the organisation the opportunity to exchange gifts and pleasantries with staff members and customers of the Underwriting Firm.

The Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Segun Bankole posited that the Company is totally committed to uplifting the ideals of promoting family values based on respect for human life and the preservation of good morals and love for all.

He also used the occasion to thank all the policyholders of the company and enjoined would-be customers to come on board the Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc platform as their preferred insurer.

According to the Spokesperson of the Underwriting Firm, the company will continue to support initiatives that will build, nurture, and develop human capacity that will benefit the generality of all both home and abroad. “In his words, “in line with our pioneering stance in the industry, we want to be part of the change agents that will make the country great again as we seek for a better and prosperous Nigeria in the days ahead.”

In his closing remarks at the Media Parley, the Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Olaotan Soyinka, said that beyond Valentine’s Day, Nigerians should endeavor to demonstrate the act of love amongst themselves while promoting the unity of the country at every point in time. He said for Nigeria to be great again is a task that must be borne by everyone of us.

NSPM Assures Nigerians on New Bank Notes, Debunks Lack of Capacity Claim

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Business Journal

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12/02/2023

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The Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Plc (NSPM) has denied claims credited to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) that it (NSPM) lacks the capacity to produce the redesigned banknotes due to supply chain constraints.

Mr. Ahmed A. Halilu, Managing Director/CEO of NSPM said in a statement that while the CBN has already denied that such claim was made by its Governor, it (NSPM) also finds it “expedient to add that contrary to the mischievous claim, De-la-Rue of the United Kingdom does not produce nor supply paper substrate for the currency industry. We wish to further assure Nigerians that NSPM has made adequate arrangement to continuously produce redesigned banknotes as well as other denominations in line with the CBN for the year 2023.”

Stanbic IBTC Restates Support for Business, Economic Growth

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Business Journal

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11/02/2023

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Stanbic IBTC Bank has restated its commitment to support business growth in 2023 through its array of tailor-made financial solutions.

The end-to-end financial services provider emphasized that it will not relent in its efforts to provide accessible funding for individuals and small, medium, and large-scale enterprises to grow their businesses in the new year, thereby addressing inadequate access to capital through various financing solutions.

Targeted at businesses that need adequate funding to meet the demands of their customers, the innovative solutions provide short, medium, and long-term benefits to players across different sectors of the economy.

Speaking on the offerings, Wole Adeniyi, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, noted that the solutions will facilitate growth for Nigerian businesses. “After the yuletide season, there is the need to re-stock, reposition, and re-strategize for the new year. As a forward-thinking financial institution, Stanbic IBTC Bank has remained at the forefront of providing affordable and flexible solutions to enterprises in the country.”

Wole described the Blue Blossom initiative as a unique solution for women-owned businesses to achieve their financial aspirations. A Blue Blossom account holder has access to loan facilities with competitive rates, business clinic sessions, and zero current account maintenance (CAM) fees with a minimum account opening balance of N20,000. It also comes with reduced loan management fees.

We also offer digital collections and payment solutions to receive payments on time and make seamless transactions. According to Wole, “With C’Gate solution, merchants can accept payments via a USSD string, it can also be used on a POS terminal and online payment platform. Payment is effected by the buyer using unique preset merchant codes and concluded with the transaction codes generated by the merchant.”

“Similarly, PrimePay is the RAVE payment gateway integrated into a merchant’s existing website, and customers can complete transactions using any of the online payment options enabled. We also offer Payment Gateway Service for businesses to receive card payments directly from their websites. The NQR Payment Solution is a secure QR code-based platform for accepting and making payments for goods and services,” Wole said. “We also have, coming soon, mobile-enabled features and upgraded features on our enterprise online platform for our enterprise customers” he added.

Wole enjoined business owners to leverage these solutions by opening a Business Current Account for day-to-day transactions and take advantage of the financial as well as transactional solutions designed to enable business growth.

Wema Bank Builds Capacity for Owners, Managers of SMEs in Enugu

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Business Journal

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11/02/2023

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In its bid to equip small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Enugu with adequate knowledge and skills to boost their businesses, Wema Bank Plc is hosting its maiden Business Growth and Innovation Conference in Enugu, the Enugu State capital.

The conference, being organized in partnership with the Enugu SME Center, the Enugu State Government’s SME development agency, will hold on Wednesday, February 15th and Thursday, February 16th, 2023.

The Head, SME Banking at Wema Bank, Arthur Nkemeh, said the two-day conference, which will cover key areas of business management, such as strategy and innovation, digital transformation, sales and marketing, and financial management, will upskill business owners and managers and boost the capacity and growth of SMEs in Enugu.

“The Enugu Business Growth and Innovation Conference is intended to bridge the knowledge gap that exists in the SMEs space. It will equip attendees with best-in-class knowledge and skills in business management. The capacity building program will be delivered by world-class facilitators who are subject matter experts in various aspects of business management, in keeping to our position as the leading bank in the SME Advisory space in Nigeria.”

He noted that, being the leading bank in the SME banking segment in Nigeria, Wema Ban has been a champion of the growth of the SME sector in the country through its various financial and non-financial (business advisory) services for SMEs.

“As a champion of the growth of the SME sector in Nigeria, Wema Bank has put in place many initiatives that will drive the growth of the sector in the country. We not only have low-cost banking products that speak to the needs of SMEs, but we also ensure that the managers and promoters of these businesses are equipped with top-notch knowledge and skills that will ensure that their businesses thrive in any given situation they find themselves.”

Arthur called on owners and managers of small and medium-scale enterprises in and around Enugu to avail themselves of the opportunity that this conference presents to build their capacity and ensure that their businesses growth potentials are achieved.

“The needs of the SMEs in Nigeria are enormous and range from access to capital to talent acquisition and retention, to management operation and so on. These needs, as diverse as they are, could be better and more effectively addressed through adequate capacity building. This is why it is imperative that SMEs owners and managers, especially those in and around Enugu, endeavour to participate in the Conference to learn new strategies that they can use to grow their businesses,” he concluded.

International Energy Insurance: 5-Year Growth Plan, N5.3bn Income in 2023, N7.3bn Capital

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Business Journal

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11/02/2023

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International Energy Insurance (IEI) Plc has repositioned to play a dominant role in the Nigerian insurance sector following the100% equity investment in the firm by the Norrenberger Group as approved by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

Mr. Supo Sogelola, the Managing Director/CEO of International Energy Insurance Plc said the underwriter developed its 5-year growth plan from Day One on the back of market innovation, value creation for stakeholders and policyholders, strategic business expansion, brand equity and quality people to drive its return to the industry in great style.

Sogelola said the company has already secured over N1.3 billion to clear all outstanding liabilities in terms of claims, taxation, pension, staff salaries and commission to brokers. He also promised that all outstanding foreign currency-denominated liabilities are being compiled and would also be settled in due course.

According to him, IEI Plc also has over N5 billion in cash in terms of recapitalisation pending shareholding allotment while the sum of N7.3 billion is the projected capitalisation of the insurer going forward.

And for the 2023 business year, the company is projecting premium income in excess of N5.3 billion given its market potential and other favourable indices, including its rebounding share price levels at the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Emphasising on the strength of the IEI brand reclaiming its pride of place in the sector, the CEO listed its 8-point market advantage thus:

One Ownership via Norrenberger Group
One Focus
One Direction
Stronger & Better Organisation
Strong Relationship with Brokers
Robust Tech Core Application for Seamless Service Delivery
Innovative Products & Services
Strategic Expansion of Retail Outlets

“We shall re-energise our corporate services. We’re going to be the delight of brokers by the quality of our innovative products and services. We shall also retool our retail services because retail business has sustained the company over the years.”

Sogelola was emphatic that the 2022 annual account of IEI Plc will show and prove beyond all reasonable doubt that the company has made a great turnaround.

Looking into the future, the IEI CEO hinted that the underwriter is currently coming to the market with a new product which has never being in the industry before in the whole of Africa.

He added that the company will also focus on High Networth Individuals (HNIs) and Medium Networth Individuals (MNIs) in terms of personal products while its alternative channels will address the needs of SMEs, MSMEs and co-operatives to effectively address the issue and opportunity of insurance penetration in the country.

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