The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development’s Working Group on Digital Health, co-chaired by the Novartis Foundation and Nokia, has launched the report “Digital Health: A call for Government Leadership and Cooperation between ICT and Health.”
Key recommendations include: the importance of senior government leadership with committed financing, effective governance mechanisms with defined roles, and a national ICT framework to facilitate alignment between the ICT and health care sectors.
The Novartis Foundation and Nokia have joined forces with a number of Broadband Commissioners and partners representing digital and health experts and policy-makers, to produce an extensive collaborative effort which aims to break silos between the technology and health care sectors.
The report identifies three key observations:
1: The critical importance of senior-level government leadership with committed financing
2: Effective governance mechanisms, and
3: A national information and communication technology framework which includes connectivity, interoperability, and common standards.
Digital health, the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to provide health services, has the potential to advance the goal of universal health coverage and improve the quality and efficiency of health services. Key challenges remain in making digital health a reality, including fragmentation in digital health solutions, risks to funding continuity and capital expenditure, workforce capacity constraints, and effective collaboration across the health and ICT sectors. “Despite the promise and potential of global connectivity, we cannot lose sight of the fact that nearly four billion people have no access to the Internet. We need to look at innovative cross-sectoral strategies that can leverage the power of high speed networks to improve education, healthcare and the delivery of basic social services to everyone, especially the poorest people, who need healthcare most urgently. Without significant improvements in people’s health, and equally, without information and communications technologies, we cannot achieve the SDGs.” said ITU Secretary General, Houlin Zhao.
Ann Aerts, Head of the Novartis Foundation, emphasizes, “With digital health solutions, we must address the priority health needs of a country. To do this, we need continuous committed leadership from government with sustained financial resources to ensure a strong national digital health strategy. A growing number of technology-based health initiatives have taken shape in recent years. Only a few of those have reached scale and achieved long-term sustainability – the majority of projects have not made it past the pilot phase. That is why sustained leadership of policy makers and intra-governmental collaboration must guide the progress of designing and implementing a national digital health strategy, beginning at the planning stage.”
Rajeev Suri, CEO of Nokia, adds: “Technology is helping us move to a more human-centric approach to health care. It gives us an enhanced, sophisticated, detailed capability to track even the smallest changes in our health, allowing us to trace trends in heart rate, blood pressure, or blood sugar. Today we are capable to push the frontiers of health care by using technology to reach the remotest of locations, harnessing the power of mobile devices to help health professionals bring the most efficient medical techniques and highest quality of care to every community. But the true power of technology is felt when people are empowered to protect and preserve their own health.”
The Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development was established in 2010 and comprises more than 50 leaders from across a range of government and industry sectors. They are committed to actively supporting countries, UN experts and NGO teams to fully leverage the huge potential of ICT to drive national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) strategies in key areas like education, healthcare, gender equality and environmental management.
Broadband Commission: National Digital Health Strategy Critical
Global Airlines Financial Monitor: January 2017
- The initial financial results for Q4 2016 indicate a continued solid performance for the air transport industry, albeit with on-going signs that momentum in the profitability cycle has weakened.
- Global airline share prices began the year on a positive note, rising 1.5% in January and a healthy 6.8% over the past year. However, the industry has lagged the overall performance of global equities on both measures.
- Brent crude oil prices have been broadly stable around $US55/bbl since the start of December and spent January trading in a tight range. Prices are expected to rise only gradually.
- Downward pressure on industry-wide pax yields remains, despite increases in key cost components, particularly fuel and, in some markets, labour. The aggregate, however, masks differences in individual markets.
- Both pax and freight demand ended 2016 on a strong note, delivering above-average growth for the year. Likewise, load factors also performed strongly in 2016, with the passenger measure registering a record annual outcome.
- Premium airfares continue to generally hold up better than those of the economy cabin, helping to support airline financial performance.
Dangote, Sokoto State Sign Rice Grower Deal
A tripartite agreement spare headed by the Dangote Rice Limited to create jobs for 16,000 outgrower rice farmers in Sokoto was yesterday signed amid excitement and a pledge by all parties to ensure the success of the scheme to make Nigeria self sufficient in rice cultivation.
The agreement was signed during the launch of the Dangote rice outgrower scheme in Goronyo, Goronyo Local government, Sokoto, which was witnessed by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar. Farmers were presented with rice seeds, fertilizers, nets, agro-chemicals.
Chairman of Dangote Rice Limited, Aliko Dangote said he was mover to go into rice cultivation because of the genuine interest of the Federal government to revive agriculture as the mainstay of the economy, and reduce importation of foods that could be produced locally.
He lamented that Nigeria consumes 6.5 Mtn of rice which costs the nation over 2 billion dollars annually, pointing out that it is heartening that the government now has policy direction that encourages private sector’s active participation in agriculture.
“Buoyed by the policy direction of the federal government, we at Dangote decided to key into this by establishing Dan gone Rice Limited to partner with states to redress the present situation where a huge sumo forex is spent on importation of rice.
“In the next three years we want to produce one million tons of quality rice and make it available and affordable to the people. We hope to do 150, 000 ha and when we are done, Nigeria will not have anything to do with importation of rice.
“Dangote Rice outgrowers scheme is committed to creating significant number of jobs, increasing the incomes of smallholders farmers and ensuring food security in the country by providing high quality seeds, fertilizers and agro-chemicals as well as technical assistance on best agricultural practice to farmers.
“This Scheme will help to diversify the economy, alleviate poverty and reduce the nation’s import bill. The scheme has been designed as a one stop solution for the rice value chain,” he stated.
The Dangote Rice Project Director, Robert Coleman, said the Sokoto operation was a demonstration phase to familiarize the farming community with the programme, train extension workers and lead farmers as well as test modern technologies.
He noted that they would have 25,000 ha cultivated by nearly 50,000 outgrowers in 2017 in addition to hundreds of jobs expected to be created by the end of that year.
In his remarks, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal expressed delight at the event, saying the coming of Dangote to invest in the state was as a result of his sustained effort towards inviting prospective investors to the state.
He said the state under the scheme, just as it had done with the federal government, would distribute nets, water pumping machines and fertiliser T subsidised prices to help the farmers have good yield.
The National President of Rice Farmers Association, Alhaji Aminu Goronyo described the scheme as one of the potential means of making rice available and at low cost to the people because the farmers are encouraged to put all their best into it.
He said he has no doubt the scheme would success because it a private sector driven and that given the pedigree of Dangote in business, he was sure there the scheme would be sustainable and sooner than later other states will key into it.
FG to Expand TSA Coverage in 2017
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun says the Federal Government is determined to expand the coverage of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to cover more agencies in 2017.
Speaking in Abuja at the opening of a two-day retreat on the TSA, the Minister, who described the implementation of the policy as a success story, said the Federal Government would expand the programme and continue to persuade statutory agencies to come under the Treasury Single Account.
The Minister, who disclosed that the Federal Government is already discussing with service providers said Government would improve the implementation and functionality of the TSA because of its huge benefits.
She also stated that the Government would be reaching out to TSA service providers in order to allow other e-commerce and e-payment providers access the platform, which, according to her, is very important to make the TSA as competitive as possible, in terms of pricing.
“One of the challenges that we have is who should bear the cost of the TSA? Currently, it is being borne centrally but that is not sustainable. We are now working on how to stratify the various agencies. Those who should bear their own costs and costs that should be borne by the Government. This will be rolled out in this year,” the Minister stated.
Speaking to the broader benefits of the TSA, the Minister stated that the Federal Government, through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, has issued Circulars to banks arising from revelations through the implementation of the whistleblower policy, that some banks have not fully remitted Government funds in their possession.
She stated, “There are still funds in commercial banks and we have written to the banks, giving them a window to come forward-where in doubt, they have been asked to consult us. We also have an audit team that has started the process of checking the completeness of monies that were transferred into the TSA and already, they have been able to recover a significant amount of money”.
She stated that the TSA policy is here to stay, saying the policy, which she described as an important reform of the current administration, allows Government to reduce its borrowing costs.
“The policy allows us to manage our treasury functions with far more accuracy than what we had in the past. There is still a long way to go but overall, we are very satisfied with the progress we have made and we look forward to it being extended and utilised far more as the year goes on,” the Minister stated.
AMCON: We Took Over Arik Due to N146bn Debt
Mr. Ahmed Kuru, Managing Director of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has told the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions that the corporation was forced to take over Arik Air over the sum of N146 billion owed the Corporation by the airline. He said the N146 billion was part of over N352.5 billion debt profile of Arik Air.
Kuru accused the airline of huge non-performing loans dating back to 2011 from two banks namely Union Bank (N71 billion) and Keystone Bank (N14 billion). He said is also indebted to other banks in the country.
“As at December, 2016, Arik’s debt in AMCON stood at N146 billion due to mounting interests and unpaid principal. The consolidated exposure of debtor companies in which Mr. John Arumemi-Ikhide is the principal promoter in AMCON stands at N263.7 billion. This figure excludes Arik’s indebtedness to other banks, aviation authorities (local and foreign), vendors, contractors and workers. Arik has about 30 aircrafts, the largest fleet in Nigeria and holds approximately 55 per cent to 60 per cent of the air transport market in Nigeria. “It serves 18 domestic and 11 international destinations, including Johannesburg, London, Dubai, and New York, with estimated revenue at N7 billion monthly,’’ he said.
Guinea Insurance Pledges Positive Reforms
The recent retirement announcement of the erstwhile Chairman and four Directors from the Board of Guinea Insurance Plc, having served over nine years, came on the heels of NAICOM’s move to ensure sound business practice, effective compliance with all statutory requirements and the code of good corporate governance as stipulated in section 5.04 (vii) of the 2009 Corporate Governance Code of NAICOM.
The insurance sector in Nigeria is confronted with numerous challenges: economic downturn, low level of coverage for insurance services in the country with approximately 1.5 million insurance policy holders out of the over 170 million population patronizing insurance services and products. This low penetration rate demonstrates that there is a dearth in the level of acceptance for insurance products among the people and institutional clients.
In a reaction to the question at hand regarding the numerous headwinds slowing down growth in the industry during a recent chat in Lagos, Godson Ugochukwu, Chairman, of the newly constituted Board of Directors, Guinea Insurance Plc, said “we have positioned ourselves to go with the current tide of structural and operational changes in the insurance industry. There has been a renewed focus on corporate governance and the Board has spent a significant proportion of its time examining and strengthening the operational processes throughout the company. Having a solid corporate governance framework is key to rebuilding trust and transparency with al stakeholders.”
“Contrary to fears that the decline in national revenue occasioned by the fall in oil price and depreciation in the naira value, would spell hardship for insurance industry as expressed recently by insurance practitioners, I am of the believe that the insurance sector has the potential to grow volumes and enhance shareholders’ value but it requires insurance companies to device means of taking advantage of growth opportunities around them because doing so, would not only increase its penetration but also, enhance awareness and the sector’s contribution to GDP.”
“As a company destined for greatness and propelled by a Board of Directors and Management team with insatiable thirst for success, we keep the faith that there are no limits, there are only plateaus. We have therefore, taken steps to ensure that our greatest asset – our people, are enhanced through human capital investment. I am pleased to say, that in such a short while, we are beginning to experience growth in our business. I therefore, make bold to say that the future is indeed very promising.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman called on government to provide the necessary regulatory mechanisms, conducive business environments and ensure full enforcement of compulsory insurances in Nigeria as it would not only drive the growth of the sector but also, contribute significantly to the growth of the country. He however expressed regret on government’s lack of political will to enforce certain laws and policies which he said were serious headwinds that have slowed down the growth of the industry.
In his closing remark, the Chairman opined that insurance underwriting in Nigeria was an extremely worthwhile venture but, it required government’s intervention especially at this time when the current economic crisis occasioned by high inflation and low disposable income, have significantly impacted on the performance of insurance practitioners.
“When economies experience downturn, the first casualty is insurance. We have seen a lot of reduction in interest for insurance as lot of people who naturally would buy insurance, would regard it as a secondary issue due to the fact that insurance business thrives on the back of the economy” he said.
Stock Market Statistics: Wednesday, 15th February, 2017
| Market Cap (N’bn) | 8,697.1 |
| Market Cap (US$’bn) | 28.5 |
| NSE All-Share Index | 25,130.26 |
| Daily Performance % | 0.4 |
| Week Performance | (1.3) |
| YTD Performance % | (6.5) |
| Daily Volume (Million) | 161.8 |
| Daily Value (N’bn) | 1.8 |
| Daily Value (US$’m) | 5.9 |
Bargain Hunting Pushes Benchmark Index to Close Higher …NSE ASI up 39bps
Performance in the Nigerian equities market deviated from the 2-day bearish trend, as the All Share Index (ASI) rose 0.4% to close at 25,130.26 points while YTD loss trimmed to -6.5%.
Consequently, investors gained N33.9bn as market capitalization improved to N8.7tn. Gains in counters which had previously declined – NIGERIAN BREWERIES (+4.2%), DANGCEM(+0.6%) and FORTE (+10.2%) – ensured the market closed positive. However, market activity was mixed as volume traded rose 11.7% to settle at N161.8m units while value traded fell 6.1% to close at N1.8bn.
Mixed Sector Performance
Performance across sectors was mixed as 3 indices gained while 2 declined. The Consumer Goods index rebounded from a 6-day bearish run, adding 1.7% as investors sought for bargains in NIGERIAN BREWERIES (+4.2%) and INTBREW (+4.7%).
The Oil & Gas index followed closely with a day return of 1.1% on account of buy interest in FORTE (+10.2%). Similarly, the Industrial Goods index (+0.3%) was boosted by gains in DANGCEM (+0.6%).
On the flipside, the Banking index lost 1.1% due to declines in GUARANTY (-2.0%), ZENITH(-0.9%) and ACCESS (-1.5%), while the Insurance index closed 0.5% lower on the back of losses in CONTINSURE (-4.5%) and CUSTODYINS (-0.3%).
Market Breadth Retreats
Investor sentiment weakened today as market breadth (advancers/decliners ratio) moderated to 0.7x (from 1.1x yesterday) owing to 10 advancers against 14 decliners. The gainers’ chart was topped by FORTE (+10.2%), BETAGLASS (+5.0%) and HONYFLOUR (+4.8%) while AIRSERVICE (-4.9%), GUINNESS (-4.8%) and CONTINSURE (-4.5%) led the losers.
Despite today’s positive close, which was broadly driven by bargain hunting in stocks that had previously declined, sentiment weakened as indicated by the market breadth. Hence, we believe this positive close may be short-lived.
NAICOM Confirms Pius Apere as Linkage Assurance CEO
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has confirmed the appointment of Dr Pius Apere as the substantive Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Linkage Assurance Plc. Apere was appointed acting managing director on January 1, 2017 following the exit of former managing director of the company.
Apere, a Nigerian/United Kingdom trained insurer and actuary will bring to bear his wealth of experience garnered over the last 30-years on the Linkage brand for more value creation for shareholders and the insuring public.
The Company is undergoing a restructuring both in human capital and technology, having launched seven new retail products on Monday, which market analysts, say mark a new beginning in the life of the underwriting firm.
A letter from NAICOM written 3rd February, 2017, signed by Pius Agbola, Director, (Authorization and Policy) for the commissioner of insurance and addressed to Chairman Board of Directors, Linkage Assurance Plc reads in part “Having reviewed your application, the supporting documents presented, and the interaction had with the Commission. The Commission is pleased to convey approval for appointment of Dr. Pius Apere as the managing director/Chief Executive officer of Linkage Assurance Plc.”
Apere holds a B.Sc from the University of Lagos, M.Sc and PhD in Actuarial Science from CASS Business School, City University in London. He is a Fellow of Institute of Insurance, London and Fellow Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.
He worked at Ajibola Ogunshola & Co (Actuarial & Financial Consultants) in Nigeria from 1986-1989. He was the Life Manager at Unity Life & Insurance Company in Nigeria from 1989-1991. He was Consulting Partner at Chike Oyeka & Co (Actuarial Consultants) Nigeria from 1991-1992 and worked as the Head of Life Insurance Department at Cornerstone Insurance Company in Nigeria in 1992.
He worked as an Actuarial analyst for Lloyds Banking Group (HBOs), in Bristol, United Kingdom from 2008-2010 and with Ernst & Young in London from 2010-2011. In 2011 he assumed position of Managing Director of Achor Actuarial Services Limited in London before joining Linkage Assurance Plc as Deputy Managing Director.
A self-motivated and ambitious professional with experience in life insurance, general insurance, pensions, actuarial consultancy, knowledge in life office pricing, asset-liability modelling and computer skills, Dr. Apere has published a number of articles and journals including- Modelling Life Insurance New Business Risk – PhD Dissertation;The role of the Actuary in the context of Nigerian Pension Reform Act (PRA)
2014 (August 2014); The Challenges of Nigerian Insurance Industry and Possible Solutions (June2015);The key challenges of Nigerian Pension Industry and possible solutions –From an actuarial perspective (August 2015); The implications of PRA 2014 on management of private sector gratuity and pension schemes in Nigeria (December 2015); CBN Foreign Exchange Policy (Certain Items Not Valid for Forex) and Pension Funds’ Assets – Implications for Pensioners in Nigeria (February 2016); and The Future of Nigerian Insurance Industry Under the New CBN Flexible Foreign Exchange Policy Regime (July 2016).
FG Commends Indorama on Cheap Fertilizers for Farmers
The Presidential Committee on Fertilizer Initiative (PCFI) has expressed satisfaction with the participation of Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Limited (IEFCL) Port Harcourt, in the programme aimed at supplying NPK fertilizer to farmers nationwide at cheaper cost.
Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar who is also the Governor of Jigawa State made this statement on Saturday, 4th February, 2017 when he visited the Indorama world-class fertilizer plant in the company of the President of the Fertilizer Producers & Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Mr. Thomas Etuh and the Managing Director of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji.
Alhaji Abubakar said he was impressed that Indorama has fully keyed into the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative whose goal is to help the Federal Government to achieve higher food production and food security in the country.
This is contained in a press release issued by the Head of Corporate Communications of Indorama-Nigeria, Dr Jossy Nkwocha.
“In supporting the Federal Government’s Fertilizer Initiative, Indorama will this year supply 360,000 metric tons of Urea to Fertilizer blenders, who in turn will produce NPK fertilizers and supply at cheaper price to the farmers across the federation.”
According to him, Managing Director of Indorama-Nigeria operations, Mr. Manish Mundra, received the team and conducted them round the Ammonia, Urea and Utilities plants which have capacity for 1.5 million metric tons of Urea fertilizer per annum and the largest single-line Urea plant in the world.
“At the Bagging section of the plant, the Presidential team inspected the specially packaged granular Urea bags meant for delivery to the blenders.”
Mr Mundra informed the team that the Ammonia section of the fertilizer plant is presently undergoing scheduled maintenance shutdown to optimize its ammonia production and reduce energy consumption, activities that will enhance Indorama’s participation in the Federal Government Fertilizer Initiative.”
“The shutdown of the Ammonia plant is part of Indorama’s excellent maintenance culture and innovation, and the plant will be re-started on 24th February,” Mr Mundra assured.
Governor Abubakar said he was quite impressed with Indorama’s operations especially in helping the Federal Government to achieve its agricultural transformation agenda. “I must say that I am impressed that Indorama is supporting the Federal Government initiative. This is one of the initiatives to bring down the cost of food items in the country”, the Chairman said.
President of FEPSAN, Mr Etuh, also commended Indorama for keying into the Federal Government Initiative and promised that members of the association, especially the blending plants will make the best use of the opportunity to facilitate greater crop harvest this year.
Indorama has supplied about 250,000 metric tons of granular Urea fertilizer to farmers nationwide since June 2016 when it commenced production.
Through import substitution, the company has helped the Federal Government to save foreign exchange and also earn scarce forex through the export of its surplus production after meeting domestic demand.
Linkage Assurance Reports N3.7bn Premium in 2015
Underwriting firm, Linkage Assurance Plc has promised its shareholders that the future looks bright for the company, given the result of its restructuring which is beginning to impact on her overall performance.
Dr. Pius Apere, responding to shareholders questions at the Company’s 22 Annual General Meeting in Lagos said bad days are over for the company, assuring that shareholders will soon start to earn dividends.
“We have got to the end of the tunnel where dividend will start coming, Apere assured.
Apere who was recently appointed the managing director and chief executive officer of the company stated that figures from its 2016 unaudited accounts, plus expected dividend from its investment would put smiles on the faces of shareholders.
He informed that the company has strengthened its human capital with new heads of department, while its marketing team has been beefed up with top flight insurance marketers and the results coming are fantastic.
“We have gone past the time when we measure our performance based on gross premium, we are now measuring based on bottom line”. Going forward, there will be an improved communication between our company and the shareholders so that all of us will keep pace with developments in the company, Dr Apere stated.
Chairman of the Company, John Eseimohkumoh disclosing performance of the company in 2015, said its gross premium grew by 24 percent from N3.05 billion in 2014 to N3.79 billion, while net premium rose 25 percent to close N2.44 billion at the end of 2015.
Eseimohkumoh further disclosed that investment and other incomes rose by 26 percent from N1.19 billion in 2014 to N1.50 billion. Profit before tax also grew by 60 percent from N580.85 million in 2014 to N929 million, while profit before tax closed at N512.24 million, a growth of 58 percent.
Going forward, he said “we are confident that that in spite of the uncertainties in the economy, the future is still bright”.
“In line with our strategic roadmap we shall continue the repositioning strategy aimed at transforming your company through a set of definitive strategic initiatives, as enunciated in our growth plan.”
Facebook, Africa Unite for Safer, Better Internet
Yesterday was Safer Internet Day (SID) (and Facebook launched a series of initiatives to help make the Internet a safer and better place for people across Africa, especially children and the youth. Facebook is partnering with public sector agencies and non-governmental organisations from across Africa under the rallying call “Be the change: unite for a better Internet”.
“Nothing is more important to us than the safety of the people who use Facebook. Every day people come to Facebook to connect with people and issues they care about, and they should be able to do so in a safe, secure environment,” says Akua Gyekye, Public Policy Manager Facebook, Africa.
Facebook builds products that empower the community to stay in control, support each other during crises and stay safe online. Every Facebook product has privacy and security built into it to protect your information.
Worldwide conversation
Over 100 countries are participating in an effort to start conversations and help people think about the small steps they can take to stay safe online. The initiative is coordinated by the joint Insafe/INHOPE network, with the support of the European Commission, and national Safer Internet Centres across Europe and beyond.
In Africa, Facebook is working with various partners to ensure the safety and education of their communities and address the needs of vulnerable people.
Facebook is providing financial and marketing support for them to use to raise awareness about online safety. Facebook is also hosting an event in Johannesburg, South Africa and Nairobi, Kenya to promote the importance of online safety to students, teachers, parents and policymakers.
Everyone has a part to play
Gyekye says: “This is an opportunity to explore the role we all play in helping to create a better and safer online community. We are proud to work with young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, and policymakers to create a better Internet.”
Facebook has redesigned its Safety Center, an engaging resource to help people get the information they need about controlling their information and staying safe. It walks you through the tools Facebook offers to control your experience as well as numerous tips and resources for safe and secure sharing. It is available in over 50 languages, is mobile friendly and includes step-by-step videos.
Quotes from relevant partners
TechWomen Zimbabwe
“As more Zimbabwean women and girls go online to take advantage of the immense opportunities the internet offers, they empower themselves with knowledge, education and connections with others,” says Techwomen Zimbabwe’s Founder, Aretha Mare. “We are determined to break down barriers to the Internet for women and girls so they can maximise the benefits of the Internet – and that includes tackling challenges such as online harassment and bullying.”
Watoto Watch Network: Kenya
“The Internet brings offers great opportunities for Kenya’s youth and children. This year’s Safer Internet Day gives young people the opportunity to voice their views on how to make the internet better,” says Lillian Kariuki, executive director at Watoto Watch Network.
JI Initiative from Ghana
“We are passionate advocates for a safe Internet for young people and children, so we are pleased that Facebook embraces its responsibility to keep people safe on its platform,” says Awo Aidam Amenyah, Executive Director at JI Initiative. “We are pleased to work with Facebook to promote positive online experiences for everyone.”
Ghana Internet Safety Foundation
“The massive support we’ve seen for this year’s Safer Internet Day is truly inspiring,” says Emmanuel Adinkrah, Co-Founder and CEO of Ghana Internet Safety Foundation. “It is heartening to hear about the ways young people are using technology to take positive action online to empower each other and spread kindness. We want to encourage them to keep building a better internet for all.”
Film and Production Board: South Africa
“It is important to have conversations early and often about how inappropriate content on the Internet may affect children,” says Janine Raftopoulos, Manager Communications and Public Education South Africa’s Film & Publications Board (FPB). “Parents, educators, guardians and industry all have a part to play in ensuring that children understand how to stay safe online.”
ICLDING: Nigeria
“We’re pleased with our partnership with Facebook for Safer Internet day to raise awareness and have conversations about staying safe online,” says Felix Bidemi Iziomoh, Executive Director at ICLDING. “We are proud to play a role in uniting our community for a better internet.”
Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC)
“The 2017 theme for the Safer Internet Day ‘Be the change: unite for a better internet’ resonates strongly with the Federal Government of Nigeria’s campaign, ‘The change begins with me’,” says Adeyemi Odutola, Communications Officer at Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC). “We are excited to partner with Facebook to host a day of workshops and fun activities for secondary students, where they will learn how to navigate the Internet confidently and safely.”
Senegal (JOXAfrica Association)
“Protecting children on the Internet is a priority for us as we rally with governments NGOs and private companies for a better online community,” says JOXAfrica Senegal’s Assane Diouf. “Together with Facebook, as the world’s biggest online social network, we can create higher awareness of how we can keep children safe online.”
Africa, Middle East IoT Spending to Reach $7.8bn in 2017
The Middle East and Africa (MEA) internet of things (IoT) market is forecast to defy the region’s moderate economic outlook by growing 19.6% year on year in 2017 to total $7.8 billion, according to a recent update to the Worldwide Semiannual Internet of Things Spending Guide from International Data Corporation (IDC).
This compares favorably to the healthy 18.1% growth seen in 2016, with IDC attributing the market’s performance to the proliferation of digital transformation initiatives across the region as businesses and government entities strive to boost productivity and improve efficiency.
“The MEA IoT market is becoming increasingly competitive, enabling organizations to source a range of innovative digital solutions aimed at transforming business operations, improving the customer experience, and enhancing employee engagement,” says Wale Babalola, research analyst for telecommunications, IoT, and digital media at IDC MEA.
“Indeed, IoT now offers a myriad of industry-specific solutions that can be easily deployed by organizations in a bid to stay ahead of competition.
“IDC expects the manufacturing, transportation, and utilities industries to see the highest levels of IoT-related spending in 2017 as organizations across these verticals look to digitalize their operations and improve their value proposition across different lines of business. The commitment of service providers, application developers, and OEMs to developing purpose built end-to-end IoT solutions is serving as a major driver of the growing adoption we are seeing across the region.”
Manufacturing organizations will lead the way in 2017, with IDC forecasting IoT-related spending of $1.3 billion for this vertical. The ‘manufacturing operations’ use case will account for more than 51% of this investment. ‘Manufacturing operations’ is an IoT use case that supports digitally-executed manufacturing and the way in which manufacturers use intelligent and interconnected I/O (input output) tools (e.g., sensors, actuators, drives, vision/video equipment) to enable different components in the manufacturing field (e.g., machine tools, robots, conveyor belts) to autonomously exchange information, trigger actions, and control each other independently.
The transportation industry is also forecast to see IoT-related spending of around $1.3 billion in 2017. The ‘freight monitoring’ use case is expected to account for $849 million of this figure, which aptly highlights the increasing importance of monitoring goods and improving productivity.
The use of IoT for freight management purposes (air, railroad, land, or sea) is based on RFID, GPS, GPRS, and GIS technology to create intelligent, internet-connected transportation systems. These systems perform intelligent recognition, location, tracking, and monitoring of freight and cargo by exchanging information and real-time communications via wireless, satellite, and other channels.
IDC forecasts IoT-related spending by MEA utilities to reach $918 million in 2017, with investments around ‘smart grid’ technologies to account for more than 82% of this total. Smart grids are rapidly gaining traction across the region as municipalities increasingly see the value proposition in deploying related solutions in an effort to efficiently distribute resources to their respective end customers.
“Numerous smart city projects are already underway across the region, and the propagation of such initiatives will continue to fuel IoT adoption by both public and private sector organizations,” says Babalola.
“Saudi Arabia and the UAE are leading the charge when it comes to smart cities, so it makes sense that these two countries will account for the highest contributions to overall IoT investment in MEA during 2017, with a combined value of more than $1.6 billion.”
IDC’s Worldwide Semiannual Internet of Things Spending Guide forecasts IoT revenues for 12 technologies and 47 use cases across 20 vertical industries in 8 regions and 52 countries. Unlike any other research in the industry, the comprehensive spending guide was designed to help vendors clearly understand the industry-specific opportunity for IoT technologies.
PR in Africa: The Way Forward in 2017
Looking to 2017 and beyond, Africa’s prospects are positive.
According to a 2016 World Bank report, “Economic growth is showing signs of resilience… to continue to make progress on its development goals and achieve structural transformation, Africa must capitalise on the significant growth opportunities.”
Shrewd investors and companies that are already well established in the region should do just that – capitalise. We accept that Africa needs companies in the PR industry who take the time to invest in the region because PR services will play an integral role in promoting economic diversification, economic growth and job creation.
Nations right across sub-Saharan Africa are pushing ahead with reforms and initiatives that support the case for investment and business expansion. These reforms include anti-money laundering regulations, streamlined tax regimes and direct investment in start-ups and innovators. Countries that have developmental needs are pushing ahead with much-needed, major infrastructure projects and showcasing fast-growing industries.
For those of us in the communications sector, we have a significant role to play in supporting these priorities. As we look ahead to 2017, these are our predictions:
- Stronger demand for reputation management
Reputation management will be one of the most highly sought after services – especially important in Africa because of cautious investor sentiment. Investors seek reassurance that issues of corruption, political instability and weak capital markets are all being addressed. Therefore, communications firms will increasingly offer reputation management services as a leading capability in 2017.
- Boots on the ground – not affiliates
Having boots on the ground in local markets is arguably the most important and highly valued commodities available to an African-based communications firm. In sub-Saharan Africa, this is especially true because it is such a fragmented region with hundreds of languages and cultures.
Coinciding with the importance of local expertise, delivered by nationals who speak the mother-tongue and instinctively know how to navigate their own cultures; is the need for the provision of world-class communications skills.
Affiliate networks do add breadth to an organisation that has limited local resources in new territories, but culture matters – and we expect to see affiliate networks reach for that all-important asset: authenticity. Authenticity is best built over time, organically through team development and training – affiliates have their work cut out for them in this respect.
Governments and major organisations will almost certainly place increasing value on teams of individuals who are local and have been trained by international experts. This is where affiliate networks may fail: keeping the senior talent in South Africa or Europe makes it difficult to train up local teams. For this reason, training is also going to be a major focus for pan-regional communications firms in 2017.
- More innovative social and digital campaigns
We have seen great success in the use of social and digital media across the continent. Many countries have a very high level of internet penetration; especially on mobile phones. It’s also an extremely young population that is unafraid of new technologies. Studies, reports and research papers can reach millions through smart use of Twitter, Instagram and others. Whilst print media continues to reach business leaders; it is social media that has the capacity to reach millions – which is why communications campaigns in 2017 are likely to see a greater appetite for and understanding of social media from clients.
- Increased focus on CSR
Finally, social responsibility has come to the fore in a strong way over the past year. Governments, particularly, are extremely keen to be proactively dealing with social issues – such as access to basic services or job creation. Foreign firms also know that they need to leave a lasting legacy so here we can see a major opportunity to sell meaningful social responsibility platforms to clients. With issues, such as global warming, skills development and poverty; all companies in Africa have a responsibility to do the right thing for Africa.
NB: Mitchell Prather is the Managing Director of Djembe Communications.
Courtesy: HWMIIA
Qatar Airways Conducts World’s Longest Commercial Flight
Qatar Airways has launched the world’s longest commercial flight, which takes 17 hours and 30 minutes and covers a distance of 14,535 kilometers, connecting Doha (Qatar) and Auckland (New Zealand) with the airline‘s Boeing 777.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker who travelled on board the inaugural flight from Doha to Auckland said: “The launch of our new service to Auckland is an important milestone for Qatar Airways as we expand both in the region and globally across our network providing more options and better connections to exciting business and leisure destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
“Arriving in Auckland on Waitangi Day, and achieving the title of world’s longest flight for the return record-breaking service, which covers a distance of 14,535 kilometers and lasts 17 hours and 30 minutes, makes this an even more momentous occasion for Qatar Airways and provides another accomplishment to celebrate in this our 20th year flying the flag internationally for Qatar.”
According to the airline, Auckland is the first city in New Zealand to be served by Qatar Airways and will provide a gateway for travelers to visit the country, which is famous for its spectacular coastlines and lush forest landscapes.
The aircraft serving the route, Boeing 777, features a two-class configuration with 42 seats in Business Class and 217 seats in Economy Class.
The Doha-Auckland-Doha daily services will also offer 116 tons of belly-hold capacity every week to support the growing imports of raw, industrial and consumer materials into New Zealand.
Buhari Extends Medical Vacation, Fails to Return
President Muhammadu Buhari has sought extension of his medical vacation to complete more tests and failed to return to the country yesterday as earlier planned.
A statement from the Presidency read in part:
“President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors,” the statement said.
“The President had planned to return to Abuja this evening, but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning.”