Oral B Celebrates World Oral Health Day: Affirms Commitment to Better Oral Health for Nigerians

By

-

27/03/2016

The Oral-Care brand of Procter & Gamble, Oral-B, commemorated World Oral Health Day on Tuesday the 22nd of March, in its continued commitment to improve oral health in the county and making great dental care easily accessible to more Nigerians.

With the theme of the World Oral Health Day titled “Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body”, Oral B is set to take oral hygiene in Nigeria to a new level and substantially increase the overall public awareness of oral health.

Attendees at the event were also given a demonstration of the Oral B Mobile Dental Clinic. The program serves both as a platform for quick education as well as immediate dental care. Oral-B’s mission remains: helping all Nigerians have stronger and healthier teeth, hence its promise of: “Healthier, Stronger Teeth in One Week.”

Positioned as the National Oral Health Ambassador since 2014, Oral B has taken a bold step to reintroduce the mobile dental clinic program in order to be proactive and also fill a crucial gap in the Nigerian health care sector and especially in the aspect of dental care. The breakthrough trial program of the Oral B Mobile Dental Clinic will be of great benefit to millions of Nigerians.

According to P&G’s Oral Care Brand Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Aliza Leferink, the general focus of the World Oral Health Day 2016 is on prevention to help Nigerians achieve significantly healthier lives starting from oral care.

She emphasised that “this is very apt as the focal point of this year’s World Oral Health Day celebration is Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body. The Mobile Dental Clinic initiative is meant to underline this need as well as give Nigerian consumers a fast track to effective and long lasting dental care.

“The Mobile Dental Clinic Program provides free oral care education and dental health checks to patients who lack the means or dental insurance or any realistic way to pay for dental treatment. In addition, we aim at educating Nigerians to have stronger and healthier teeth through the campaign ‘Healthier, Stronger Teeth in One Week’. We feel strongly that a more proactive way of amplifying an improved health care is through the Mobile Dental Clinic Program.”

Representing the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, Head, Dentistry Division of the Federal Ministry of Health commented that it was noteworthy that development partners like Procter & Gamble are not leaving the awareness task to the Federal Government alone but actually leading the task to create awareness for oral health because prevention is not only better but cheaper than cure.

She also said: “Healthy teeth and gums are fundamental to overall health and well-being. And the federal ministry of health has a strong desire for Nigerians to stay healthy in mouth and body. This comes from forming a great daily care habit, consistency and the right toothpaste use.

“Maintaining healthy teeth can be achieved by following a number of simple principles, and Oral-B wants to help Nigerians on their way to better oral-care-routines.”

Oral B toothpaste combines three powerful ingredients, stannous chloride, sodium fluoride and a specific Polychelation Technology which address the seven areas dentist check most to help people achieve healthy, beautiful teeth.

Through its new advanced toothpaste formulation Oral-B tooth paste creates a protective shield around the teeth and gums. During brushing the paste distributes key ingredients throughout the mouth.

The Oral-B brand is a worldwide leader in both the toothpaste and tooth brushing market. It continuously strives to work closely with the dental professionals to deliver high quality products.

Oral-B Toothpaste was developed by dentists and helps to protect the eight most common oral health problems at the same time – tooth holes, bad breath, gum problems, tooth sensitivity, stains, bacteria deposits, tartar, and enamel erosion.

CTO Approves 4-Year Strategic Plan

By

Business Journal

-

24/03/2016

0

The Council of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) has approved a new Strategic Plan for the Organisation for the period 2016 – 2020.

The new Plan is in line with the vision outlined to Council by Mr. Shola Taylor as he assumed office as Secretary-General in September 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya and which is aimed at transforming the CTO for enhanced value for its membership.

The approved four-year Plan, which was first endorsed by the CTO’s Executive Committee in February, is an ambitious drive to make greater use the CTO’s status as an intergovernmental organisation, its strong historical position as a platform for consultation, and its wide member and partner network across five continents to enhance value for all its members.

As a result, the new mission statement of the Organisation is to provide result-focused ICT leadership in the Commonwealth and beyond.

Speaking shortly after Council’s approval, Taylor said that “this new Strategic Plan is the result of wide and thorough consultations with all our stakeholders, including for the first time all employees of the Organisation. I am most grateful for the input we received from members during this three months planning process; the Plan is designed to assist them as well as the global community in achieving the global Sustainable Development Goals adopted last year, and I am confident that our new strategic goals reflect our members and partners’ expectations.

“ICTs provide the underpinning for our members’ socio-economic development efforts, just as health or education, and the CTO is ready to move in the direction set out in the new Plan in full support of all members.”Taylor assured.

Key notable changes in the plan include:
· Introduction of Member Action Plans to be effective from April this year, as the main mechanism to respond to members’ needs. As part of this new approach, Member Account Managers have been appointed from the existing staff to maintain regular engagement with each member of the Organisation supplementing the dedicated membership division.
· Introduction of the Affiliate Membership option open to governments of non-Commonwealth countries, as well as Academia Membership to encourage universities and tertiary educational institutions to take part in the Organisation’s work.
· Adoption of the unit of membership contribution to consolidate previously separate membership financial contribution scales into a single, simpler and fairer system.
· Launch of a Development Assistance Programme (DAP) to support members’ ICT development efforts.
· Creation of a new HR and Administration department to report to the Secretary-General. This department will drive major improvements in recruitment, development and retention of CTO employees, as well as a closer realignment of the CTO’s employment conditions to the UN system.
· Creation of a new Technical Support and Consultancy division to identify, and to respond more directly and more effectively to members’ needs.
· A new Associate Consultants registration scheme open to qualified and experienced individuals as well as consultancy firms who will support the Secretariat in responding to members’ needs.

The new Plan is structured around 6 goals and 26 strategic objectives, as follows:

Enhance the value of the CTO membership and expand the CTO’s membership base
Increase CTO membership from Commonwealth countries, non-Commonwealth countries and the ICT Sector.
Establish Member Action Plans which define clear programmes and activities for each member.
Establish a membership fee structure which provides flexibility, recognises members’ ability to pay and enables membership annual fees to cover the core budget of the organisation.
Development and distribution of the Secretary-General’s quarterly reports and e-COMMONWEALTH magazine to members.
Raise funds for development activities to support members through the Development Assistance Programme.
Review and strengthen the CTO’s capacity building programmes.
Organise events and undertake consultancies on subject matter that promote that the interest of members.
Promote South-South and North-South cooperation among Member Countries.

Promote enabling regulatory environments
Promote, encourage and facilitate the development of modern regulatory frameworks including ICT licenses, spectrum management, quality of service, digital switchover and Over-the-Top operators, aimed at creating an enabling environment for investment and development.
Encourage the development and adoption of appropriate methods of collecting relevant statistical data.

Promote affordable universal and high-quality broadband connectivity
Promote the adoption of enabling policies, technologies and regulatory measures to facilitate the rapid rollout of broadband infrastructure.
Encourage cooperation between governments, regulators and service providers to develop networks suitable for the needs of members.
Assist countries in developing and maintaining Universal Service Fund regimes.

Promote a culture of cybersecurity and effective cyber governance
Encourage and support countries in the understanding of cybersecurity issues and in the establishment of cybersecurity frameworks and relevant standards.
Facilitate the promotion of cyber governance and the Commonwealth’s engagement.
Provide best practice guidelines for members, including Child Online Protection guidelines.

Promote the development and use of ICT applications for socio-economic development
Encourage the development and use of e-applications, including e-government applications such as e-governance, e-health, e-education and e-agriculture, among others.
Provide special assistance and support to countries identified by the United Nations as being vulnerable and in need of special assistance including Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and Landlocked Developing Countries.
Promote the utilisation of ICTs for social and economic benefits for all countries.
Promote the empowerment of women and girls using ICTs.
Promote the empowerment of youths using ICTs.
Promote the use of ICTs by disabled persons and other groups in need of special assistance.
Assist member countries in utilising ICTs for disaster management.
Encourage the development of business continuity strategies.
Assist in the development and adoption of suitable strategies for dealing with e-waste.

Ensure effective coordination of Commonwealth countries at international ICT conferences and meetings
Provide support in order to ensure the effective participation by the CTO Secretariat and Member Countries at important global and regional events related to all aspects of ICTs.

About the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) is the oldest and largest Commonwealth intergovernmental organisation in the field of information and communication technologies.

Although our history can be traced back to 1901 with the establishment of the Pacific Cable Board, the organisation has only existed in its present form as an intergovernmental treaty organisation since 1967.

With a diverse membership spanning developed and least developed countries, small island developing states, and more recently also the private sector and civil society, the CTO aims to become a trusted partner for sustainable development for all through ICTs.

NSE Set to Host ‘Building African Financial Markets’ Seminar

By

Business Journal

-

24/03/2016

0

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), in conjunction with the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), is set to host the 5th Building African Financial Markets (BAFM) seminar from Thursday 28th to Friday 29th of April, 2016 and ASEA Exco (Board) meeting on April 30th.

The BAFM seminar themed “Addressing Liquidity Concerns in African Capital Market” will bring together representatives from stock exchanges, regulatory bodies, stockbroking firms and other financial market stakeholders from several African countries.

The seminar is open to senior representatives from the capital and financial markets sector in the fields of product development, regulation and policy, information technology, investor relations, trading, clearing and settlement.

Also representatives from stockbroking community, investors, government officials and organisations who contribute to the overall capital market eco-system are expected to attend.

This is the first time the capacity building seminar will be hosted outside of South Africa, and ASEA plans to bring this important capacity building seminar to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Oscar N. Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, NSE and President African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), the BAFM seminar is designed to promote growth in African financial markets, and presents an opportunity to enhance the capacity of African capital market participants and exchanges to compete effectively on the global stage.

“The seminar aims to accelerate dialogue, capacity building and collaboration amongst participants to drive the growth of Africa’s capital markets and build collaboration on issues of shared interest in order to present the African continent as an attractive investment destination.”

“As African economies reposition themselves following the significant impact of global headwinds that have challenged the continent’s growth prospects, African securities exchanges must step up their efforts at driving liquidity in their markets in order to help finance the continent’s infrastructure and capital requirements. Initiatives such as this form an integral part of the continued development of sustainable economies within the continent bearing in mind peculiar strengths that we could leverage individually and collectively as we press forward.”

The Seminar will feature thought leaders from dominant African financial institutions, multilateral organisations and regulators who will moderate discussions on the theme “driving liquidity in African capital markets.”

Other topics that will be discussed at the seminar include: strengthening equity market structure in Africa to better address low liquidity, instituting an optimal pricing mechanism on African exchanges, cross border capital market integration – a catalyst for boosting liquidity on African Stock Exchanges, among others.

Some of the confirmed speakers for the event include:
Dr Leila Fourie, Executive Director, Johannesburg Stock Exchange·
Dr. Antonie Kotzé, Senior Derivatives Quant and Consultant, University of Johannesburg·
Ms. Selloua Chakri, Head Market Structure Strategy, Middle East and Africa, Bloomberg·
Mr. Ade Bajomo, Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, NSE·
Ms. Siobhan Cleary, Head of Research & Public Policy, World Federation of Exchanges
Mr. Adewole Obadare, Chief Operating Officer, Digital Encode Ltd.
Ali Khapley, Global head of Equities, Exotix
Mr. Birahim Diouf, Director of Studies, Strategy and Market Development, BRVM
Mr. Segun Sanni, Head Investor Services, Stanbic IBTC Bank
Mr. Andre Visser, General Manager, Issuer Regulation, Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Abuja Becomes Uber’s 400th City to Launch

By

Business Journal

-

24/03/2016

0

Yesterday, Abuja became the 400th city to in Uber’s growing global network.

With the launch of Uber an innovative technology platform, Abuja joins the list of smart transportation hubs in Africa. Following the success of Uber in many other cities, Uber is excited to launch its ride-sharing platform to the people of Abuja.

Uber Abuja
Uber’s innovative platform connects drivers with riders in real time, at the touch of a button. Whether you’re going to work or going out with friends, Uber provides an affordable, safe and reliable way to get across the city.

Abuja is a place where entrepreneurs are born, it is a growing city in the heart of Nigeria. This is a reason why Uber loves Abuja – its people, energy, innovation and beauty really speak for itself.

Ebi Atawodi, General Manager for Uber Lagos said:
“We’re really excited to be launch Uber in Abuja. Uber gives the people of Abuja an affordable, easy and flexible choice to move around the city safely and reliably.

“For those who don’t know, Uber moves around millions of global citizens every day offering affordable and reliable rides at the touch of a button. By offering a friendly and reliable complement to existing transport options, we can help improve urban mobility in Abuja, reduce traffic congestion and the environmental impact of vehicles at the same time.”

So what is Uber?
Uber helps people get a ride at the push of a button – there’s no waiting on the street or walking through unfamiliar neighborhoods to find a bus. It’s the most convenient way to get a safe, reliable and affordable ride.

Before Getting into the Car
No more street hails or waiting outside to find a ride. You can start the Uber app from anywhere and wait safely for your car to arrive. That means no standing on the street to hail a cab or struggling to find the nearest bus stop late at night.

Trips are no longer anonymous. When a driver accepts your request, you see his or her first name, photo, and license plate number. You can also check whether others have had a good experience with him or her.

In addition, the driver can see your first name and rating. You can contact the driver—and vice versa— through the app if there is any confusion around pick-up details.

During the Ride
Share your ETA and location. You can easily share your ride details, including the specific route and estimated time of arrival, with friends or family for extra peace of mind. They’ll receive a link where they can see in real time the name and photo of the driver, their vehicle, and where you are on the map until you arrive at your destination—and they can do all of this without having to download the Uber app themselves.

After the Ride
Feedback and ratings after every trip. After every ride, you and your drivers need to rate each other and provide feedback. Our safety team reviews this information and investigates any issues.

24/7 Support.
If something happens in a car, whether it’s a traffic accident or altercation between you and your driver, our customer support staff are ready to respond to any issues 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Rapid Response.
We have a dedicated Incident Response Team to answer any more urgent issues. If we receive a report that a driver or rider has acted dangerously or inappropriately, we suspend their account, preventing him or her from accessing the platform while we investigate.

Behind the Scenes
Always on the map. Accountability is one of the things that makes riders feel safe in an Uber. We use GPS to keep a record of where a driver goes during the ride, allowing us to verify that the most efficient routes are being used, which creates accountability and a strong incentive for good behavior.

Working with law enforcement.
In cases where law enforcement provides us with valid legal process, we work to get them the facts, for example by providing trip logs. Again, transparency and accountability are at the heart of the Uber experience.
Pre-screening drivers. All drivers must undergo a screening process before they can use the Uber app.

Ebi Atawodi added:
“Uber is part of a broader evolution in transportation, it is a new and exciting platform that is changing the way we travel and shaping the future of cities across the world. Abuja is a progressive, forward-thinking city that has a need for safe, reliable and efficient transportation and we are so excited to be launching here.”

About Uber
Uber is a technology company that connects riders and drivers at the touch of a button. Available in 400 cities across 70 countries, the Uber platform is evolving the way the world moves.

Uber’s mission is to change the way citizens of the world move, work and live.

It aspires to transform the way people connect with their communities and to bring reliability, convenience and opportunity to transport systems.

Africa Tax Symposium Set for Uganda May 4

By

Business Journal

-

24/03/2016

0

The Africa Tax Symposium is an annual authoritative event, drawing together tax professionals from all over the continent. The aim of the Symposium is to analyse the most pertinent international tax issues of the day and to place them within the African context. This is reflected in the signature theme, Trends in International Taxation: An African Perspective.

Building on the success of the inaugural Symposium, this year’s event will focus on today’s burning tax issues, such as the post-BEPS landscape, aggressive tax planning, transfer pricing and challenges impacting particular industries and transactions.

These topics will be brought to life by a rich selection of renowned tax experts.

The Symposium presents a wide range of speakers from tax practice, industry, revenue authorities and academia. This compelling mix is enriched even further by IBFD’s top experts on Africa.

The Africa Tax Symposium is an initiative of IBFD’s Centre for Studies in African Taxation (CSAT), a think tank devoted to the study and development of African taxation.

Through the Symposium, CSAT aims to contribute to deeper and more analytical knowledge of international tax across the continent. CSAT also sponsors research into areas of tax policy relevant to particular sectors in Africa.

One way of effecting this is by means of “CSAT scholarships,” under which qualifying researchers receive sponsorship for pertinent research work. CSAT has just concluded arrangements for several such scholarships and full details will be unveiled during the Symposium.

Saudi Arabia Bans Foreigners from Selling Mobile Phones

By

Business Journal

-

24/03/2016

0

Saudi Arabia’s government has passed a decree banning foreign workers from selling and maintaining mobile phones and accessories for them.

It is also requiring that retail stores are at least 50% staffed by Saudi nationals within three months, and be entirely staffed by locals within six months.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry said that the deadline to Saudise the telecom sector will come into effect on 2nd July.
Violators face up to two year in prison and will be deported.

The moves after reports that more than half of phone retailers in the country are owned by a Saudi national in name only, and are fronts for foreign investors.

It could also see around 20,000 Saudi’s offered jobs in the retail sector, and may be seen as the beginnings of a more aggressive move to create non-oil jobs for Saudi nationals.

Africa Mobility Spend to Top $185bn by 2019

By

Business Journal

-

24/03/2016

0

Annual spending on mobility across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META) is expected to reach $185 billion by 2019, according to IDC’s new ‘Mobility Spending Guide’.

This represents a 10.2% share of worldwide enterprise and consumer spending on mobile devices, software, and services, which is forecast to total $1.8 trillion in 2019.

Mobility is one of the four pillars that make up IDC’s 3rd Platform – a series of emerging technologies that have disrupted traditional business processes and continue to create transformative opportunities for vendors eager to engage a wider set of customers.

IDC is closely tracking mobility market developments across regions and has therefore created the new Worldwide Semiannual Mobility Spending Guide. This spending guide outlines spending in both the enterprise and consumer segments in great detail across technology categories (mobile devices, software, and services), and across industries, geographies, and industry sizes.

META’s most active countries in this regard are Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Africa, and the UAE:

• Saudi Arabia is the single largest mobility market in META, followed by Turkey. Together, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, South Africa, and the UAE accounted for approximately 38.7% of the entire mobility opportunity within the META region in 2015.

However, the rest of the META region is expected to grow at faster compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.1% over the 2014–19 period.

• While services accounts for approximately two-thirds of the total mobility opportunity in META, software is the fastest-growing category among the technology categories. Software spending will grow from $164.3 million in 2015 to $330 million in 2019. Although companies in META lag behind Western Europe in the adoption of mobility, approximately 64% of companies in the region have plans to make modest-to-major investments in business applications for mobile devices (‘IDC Enterprise Communications Survey’). Large companies are more active in this respect.

In 2015, 49% of mobility software spending in META was attributed to enterprises with over 500 employees, but small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are expected to grow strongly.

• Manufacturing, retail, and banking and financial services are among the early adopters of mobility. While improving productivity, efficiency, and customer services are some of the probable drivers, ensuring security, data privacy, and regulatory compliance remain the key challenges for mobility adoption. Mobility spending (including hardware, software, and services) by META manufacturing organisations will grow from $5.8 billion in 2015 to $6.5 billion in 2019. Meanwhile, both the retail and banking & financial services verticals will see increases from approximately $3 billion to $3.8 billion in 2019 over the same period.

“The META mobility market is generally on the rise,” says Krishna Chinta, program manager for telecommunications and media at IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. “However, due to the diversity of the region’s economic conditions, the adoption of mobility is more mature in markets such as the GCC and Turkey, while countries in Africa remain largely underpenetrated. Africa itself is also a diverse region where countries such as South Africa and Nigeria are more mature than markets such as Ghana and Namibia, which typically remain underdeveloped. While the low penetration rates across Africa naturally present considerable growth potential for mobility, the ongoing economic diversification measures underway in the GCC will also drive the growth of mobility across the META region. However, the prevailing slump in global crude oil prices might impact the investment propensity of enterprises in the short-to-medium term.”

IDC’s ‘Worldwide Semiannual Mobility Spending Guide’ is designed to address the needs of technology organisations by assessing the mobile opportunity by country, industry, and use case. The spending guide provides subscribers with spending data on 7 technologies across 19 industries, 4 company sizes, and 53 countries.

Unlike any other research in the industry, the comprehensive spending guide can help IT decision makers to clearly understand the industry-specific scope and direction of mobility spending today and over the next five years.

Post-MPC: CBN Tightens Noose on Economy

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN] at the conclusion of its 2nd meeting for the year decided to tighten its policy stance on key rates in the system.

The Committee admitted that the sustained pressure in the domestic economy – as reflected in the sharp jump in inflation rate to 11.4%, rising unemployment rate (10.4%) and slowing GDP growth (2.8%) – is driven by structural weakness in the system.

· As against a dovish stance increasingly communicated by committee members in recent statements, the Committee surprisingly reverted to a hawkish stance by taking the following decisions:
· Increased the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) upwards by 100bps from 11.0% to 12.0% to compensate investors for lowered real return and attract foreign private capital
· Narrowed the asymmetric corridor around the MPR from +200/-700bps to +200/-500bps
· Increased Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 20.0% to 22.5%to curtail increased banking system liquidity
· And, kept the Liquidity Ratio (LR) at 30.0%.

Implication for the Financial Market
The decision of the MPC to tighten monetary policy was against the run of play as it came against the broad analyst consensus of a hold on all policy rates.

Afrinvest Research had projected 100bps increase in MPR to 12.0% in our 2016 outlook but we are particularly surprised that the MPC would be taking the tightening course this early into its easing mode; especially given that;

1) the pressure on consumer prices, as admitted by the committee, is as a result of structural and cost push factors which we believe could worsen if cost of funds and go up with policy tightening and FX shortages are not addressed

2) the suggestion that increase in banking system liquidity is fundamentally driving the pressure on exchange rate is not also subject to fact as we have continued to see high subscription at CBN inter-bank auctions despite intermittent OMO mop-ups conducted and

3) exchange rate certainty has as much impact on foreign capital inflows as interest rate competitiveness and the current tightening is too mild to compensate for the exchange rate risk.

The move to hike CRR by 2.5% to 22.5% was in a bid to curb speculative activities in the FX market. We estimate this to quarantine the sum of N409.7bn from the system.

However, we are of the view that this reflects the notion that previous decision to reduce CRR by 5.0% was largely premature given that the operating environment remains unattractive for loan growth.

We do not expect a reversal in this tightening stance in the medium-term as committee members would remain wary of the liquidity impulse from expansionary budget.

In the interim, we expect to see a 100bps-200bps increase in yields in the fixed income market while Cost of Funds (CoF) may likely rise for Tier-2 banks as interbank market adjusts to the tightening of liquidity.

However, assets repricing of fixed income securities and other risk assets would likely compensate for this.

We retain our estimates on Net Interest Margins for our coverage banks as we monitor the pace of assets reprising.

In addition, we do not expect a significant reaction from the equities market, as exchange rate challenges which remain the major concern for investors, most especially the foreign players was left unaddressed by the Committee.

CFAO Plans 20 Malls in West/Central Africa at $500m

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

Mass retailer, CFAO Group is about to start construction of 20 new generation malls in Africa.

The project which costs $500 million will be implemented in countries such as Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Senegal, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire.

CFAO will develop the project through SGI – its subsidiary in charge of development and property management.

Under the project, CFAO could choose one the following three types of malls to build: a hypermarket with a shopping arcade and a space for food products, a supermarket with the same features, or a large integrated surface with differentiated products and brand offerings.

CFAO already demonstrated its ambitious vision for Africa’s mass retail market, by opening Abidjan’s first hypermarket, PlaYce.

In Cameroon, much work has been done. Truly, five sites have been identified and are now being evaluated in CEMAC’s leading economy and CFA Zone’s second economy.

The CFAO Group strongly believes that the malls it will establish will create jobs both during and after their construction. The project will also allow brands and local agricultural products to boost their presence.

Among the major beneficiaries of this project is Carrefour, France’s mass retail leader and one of the world’s major mass retailer, who recently partnered with CFAO to expand across Africa, beyond Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco where it already has franchises.

In countries such as Cameroon where many local investors (Dovv or Scropole) entered the mass retailing industry, competition will be fiercer. The battle will go beyond fighting groups like Casino and Arno. Now investors will be facing the mighty and experienced Carrefour.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), World Bank’s arm in charge of private sector, should support the expansion project.

The institution is studying a possible $60 million investment to acquire 20 % stake in SGI Africa as CFAO Distribution holds 45% of the company. Remaining shares are owned by unidentified investors.

Brussels Attack: European Nations Tighten Airport Security

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

In response to terror attacks that have shaken the capital of Belgium, leaving multiple dead at Brussels Airport and city’s metro stations, other European airports have taken additional security measures to ensure safety of passengers.

They are advised to leave for the airports at least one hour earlier than usual, remain patient and announce any suspicious activity immediately.

Brussels Airport is closed until 6 AM local time, all the flights to and from the capital of Belgium have been cancelled, the border between France and Belgium is closed. Charles De Gaulle airport has deployed security personnel at its 8 terminal.

London hubs have increased elevated terror alert levels.

“In the light of events in Brussels airport, we are working with the police at Heathrow who are providing a high visibility presence,” said Heathrow spokesman.

Gatwick spokesman commented: “As a result of the terrible incidents in Brussels, we have increased our security presence and patrols around the airport.”

All the flights to and from the capital of Belgium have been cancelled.

The security in Dutch airports is also enhanced.

“There will be extra police patrols at Schiphol, Rotterdam and Eindhoven and border controls on the southern border,” said Dutch coordinator for terrorism and security.

Danish police deployed more police officer to patrol at Copenhagen airport and other important public points in the city.

German and Italian airports have also been put on high alert. Additional police patrols are deployed to Frankfurt and other German airports.

The Rome Fiumicino Airport also increased its security while all flights from Italy to Brussels were cancelled, stated by the Italian Interior Ministry.

Officials in Austria, Spain, Greece, Russia, Poland and other European countries have also stated that the security in airports will be re-evaluated and strengthened.

DHL: Customer Service as Market Growth Benchmark

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

As consumers and businesses are urged to tighten their belts in light of slowed economic growth, customer service experience is set to become an increasingly important differentiator for local businesses, and one of the main factors that will influence decisions regarding which supplier to purchase products and services from.

This is according to Fatima Sullivan, Vice President of Customer Services for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) who says that research shows consumers are willing to spend more for better customer service and with those companies that they believe provide excellent customer service.

“In an environment where alternatives are rife, customer experience is rapidly becoming one of the most important elements of a business’ success. While price will always be important in the mind of the consumer, this becomes less so if a business offers first class customer service to support the product or service.”

It is for this reason that DHL invests so heavily in a customer-centric culture, says Sullivan. “The customer needs to be the key focus in all activities, whether it is improvements in delivery times or query resolution processes. A good customer service department should understand the link between the way customers are managed and handled, and the company’s bottom line.”

Findings from the Economist Intelligence Unit: Creating a seamless customer experience report(3) revealed that almost 75% of consumers will stop doing business with a company following bad customer service and that more than half will complain to friends and family about their experience.

Sullivan says:
“These figures highlight the detrimental impact of poor customer service in terms of revenue loss and reputation, and why customer service needs be a key focus area for a company.”

She says that as a result of its continued efforts, divisions within DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa were recently awarded a total of 22 awards in the 10th Annual Stevie Awards for Sales and Customer Service.
Sullivan says that an insanely customer-centric culture is only achieved if all employees have the same goal in mind – to delight the customer at every opportunity.

“We continuously thrive to ensure that every individual in the business understands the impact they can have on the customer experience, and focus on the smaller details that drive quality. Ensuring that the voice of the customer resonates throughout the organization is also essential to great service. Initiatives such as the Net Promoter Approach (NPA) management tool, which measures promoters and detractors among your customer base and proactively sources feedback from them, can have a huge impact in identifying areas for improvement and enabling the company to make the necessary changes to enhance their offering and continually offer better ways to deliver excellence to customers.”

“Our golden rule for success is to focus relentlessly on the little details that drive quality, listen intently to what our customers are telling us, and making sure that every individual in our business understands the impact they can have on the customer experience. It’s all comes down to making small incremental improvements every day,” concludes Sullivan.

DHL – The Logistics Company for the World
DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL family of divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management.

With about 340,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global trade flows.

With specialised solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, energy, automotive and retail, a proven commitment to corporate responsibility and an unrivalled presence in developing markets, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world.”

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of more than 59 billion Euros in 2015.

Islamic Corp Partner China-Africa Fund to Boost Investment in Africa

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

At the side lines of the landmark China-OIC Forum 2016 in Beijing, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector (ICD) the private sector arm of Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group and China-Africa Development Fund (CADFund), a Beijing-based private equity firm focusing on Africa.

The MoU seeks to enhance trade and investment opportunities in 19 African countries through co-financing and co-investments, with the aim of promoting inclusive growth and financial inclusion.

Research collaboration and capacity-building programs that are tailored and demand-driven will also be conducted to better serve target markets. In addition, efforts will be focused on boosting support for African small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), widely recognized as an important economic driver and key contributor to sustainable GDP growth.

The MoU was signed by Mr. Khaled Al Aboodi, the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of ICD, and Mr. Shi Jiyang, Chief Executive Officer and President of CADFund.

During the signing ceremony, Mr. Khaled Al-Aboodi commented:
“ICD and CADfund are founded on similar principles and mandate. We share the vision of promoting trade, foreign direct investment and inclusive economic growth on a continent which is full of potential.

By joining hands, we can better combine our expertise and commitment to achieve greater economic prosperity for the benefit of all. Additionally, as we focus on the SME sector, we hope to unleash entrepreneurial energy and help attract private investment in ideas that are new, inspiring, and useful.”

Shi Jiyang said, “In recent years, although Africa’s economy has grown rapidly, questions are sometimes raised regarding the sustainability of this growth. I believe this MoU has an important role to play. It will not only help stimulate business and investment in Africa moving forward, but it will also contribute to the sustainable economic development of the selected African countries by expanding the private sector and most importantly, creating quality jobs.”

About Islamic Corporation for Development of the Private Sector (ICD)
ICD is a multilateral organisation and a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group.
The mandate of ICD is to support economic development and promote the development of the private sector in its member countries through providing financing facilities and/or investments which are in accordance with the principles of Sharia’a.

ICD also provides advice to governments and private organizations to encourage the establishment, expansion and modernization of private enterprises.

About China-Africa Development Fund
CADFund is the first Chinese private equity investment fund focusing on Africa, and was announced at the Beijing Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum as one of the Eight Measures for cooperation with Africa.

With its aim to encourage, support, and partner up with Chinese enterprises in making investments in Africa, CADFund has so far made investments in a variety of sectors including infrastructure, energy, agriculture and manufacturing.

Investors in Data Centers in Africa Head to Monaco for 1st Summit

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

In the first event of its kind, an exciting one-day Summit will meet in Monaco to explore the next phase of data center and cloud development across the continent.

Invest in Data Center Africa -collocated at Datacloud Europe – will meet at the Grimaldi Forum, Monaco on 8th June 2016 to discuss current and future investment in Africa data centers, connectivity via subsea cables and dark fiber, energy supply, cloud, IT investment, risk and the availability of funding.

The programme will feature a host of inspiring top level speakers from both investor organisations and operating companies in Africa and internationally.

International consulting company BroadGroup, who research and produce Datacloud, will provide a Market Assessment and Outlook for the Africa data centre landscape.

“Africa infrastructure is a growth story for the next decade,” commented Philip Low, Managing Director of BroadGroup.

“We are seeing the emergence of carrier neutral data centres and importantly IP peering exchanges that will spur hosting and cloud growth over the next 24 months in several countries. But the summit hopes to create more investor led opportunities as well as assess the risk and prospects.”

Infrastructure investment and challenges faced by Africa will take center stage during the Summit with energy being among them. Case studies and empirical examples will be showcased, contributing to a realistic perspective for data centre investors.

Datacloud 2016 is Europe’s foremost networking and business deal making forum for data center and cloud players, their customers, investors and suppliers.

Attracting 1800+ executives from more than 60 countries as well as 90+ exhibiting companies, delivering a unique networking opportunity and to secure real-time deals.

Sponsor and exhibitors should take early action to assure participation in what will be EMEAs largest networking event including this highly targeted summit for Africa.

Africa, Middle East Tablet Market Declines 8.8%

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

The Middle East and Africa (MEA) tablet market declined 8.8% year on year in the final quarter of 2015 to total 4.05 million units, according to the latest figures announced today by International Data Corporation (IDC).

The global IT research and consulting services firm’s ‘Middle East and Africa Quarterly Tablet Tracker’ shows that for 2015 as a whole, tablet shipments in MEA declined 3.1% year on year to total 16.2 million units, worldwide tablet market which has declined by 9.9%.

“The largest vendors are feeling the pinch of saturation in many countries across the Middle East, and low consumer confidence in oil-dependent economies is driving down demand,” says Nakul Dogra, a Senior Research Analyst for personal computing, systems, and infrastructure solutions at IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey.

“In addition, the bigger screen sizes of today’s smartphones continue to cannibalize spending on traditional slate tablets.”

The growth of detachable tablets is one of the bright spots in the MEA tablet market, with shipments of such devices growing 95.4% year on year in 2015 and IDC forecasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.3% through 2020. The growth of detachables will further drive the growth of the Windows operating system at the expense of Android and iOS.

“Detachables primarily run on Windows, and end users are increasingly looking at these devices as an alternative for traditional notebooks,” says Fouad Rafiq Charakla, Senior Programme Manager for personal computing, systems, and infrastructure solutions at IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey.

“Adoption rates are currently still low, but demand for detachable tablets is going to increase exponentially over the coming years from enterprises and consumers alike.”

“Much of the demand for bigger vendors like Samsung and Lenovo stems from their entry-level models,” says Dogra.

“But there is growing competition in this segment of the market from smaller vendors that are happy to operate at much lower margins. This is forcing the bigger vendors to cut their prices in order to remain competitive, which is eroding their margins and pushing the market’s average selling price down even further.”

In terms of vendor rankings, Samsung – which has the broadest tablet portfolio – continued to lead the MEA tablet market in Q4 2015 with 21.4% share, a year-on-year decline of 0.1%. Despite suffering a 22.1% year-on-year decline in shipments, Apple overtook Lenovo to take second place with 11.2% share.

The iPad Pro, which was slated to boost Apple’s share of the MEA tablet market, received a meek response in the region. Lenovo saw its share fall from 13.0% in Q3 2015 to 9.9% in Q4 2015 to rank third in the MEA tablet market. The vendor experienced major declines in some of its key markets including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the ‘Rest of Middle East’ sub-region.

IDC has revised its forecast for the 2016 MEA tablet market downwards and now expects a total of 16.52 million units to be shipped for the year, representing a year-on-year growth of 2.0%.

“Consumer sentiment is expected to remain low, particularly in oil analysis of key market developments, covering vendors, operating systems, screen sizes, user segments and distribution channels, quarterly market share data, and a comprehensive 5–8 quarter and five-year forecast.-dependent economies,” says Charakla.

“Africa is expected to grow faster when compared to the Middle East, due to the current lower tablet penetration rates in Africa leaving more room for growth.”

About IDC
International Data Corporation (IDC) is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets.

With more than 1,100 analysts worldwide, IDC offers global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries. IDC’s analysis and insight helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community to make fact-based technology decisions and to achieve their key business objectives.

Founded in 1964, IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world’s leading technology media, research, and events company.

IDC in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey
For the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey region, IDC retains a co-ordinated network of offices in Riyadh, Casablanca, Nairobi, Lagos, Johannesburg, Egypt and Istanbul, with a regional center in Dubai.

Our coverage couples local insight with an international perspective to provide a comprehensive understanding of markets in these dynamic regions.

Our market intelligence services are unparalleled in depth, consistency, scope, and accuracy. IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey currently fields over 130 analysts, consultants, and conference associates across the region.

UBA, Etisalat, Afrinvest for Enugu State Investment Summit

By

Business Journal

-

22/03/2016

0

The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, telecommunications giant, Etisalat, and leading wealth advisory firm, Afrinvest, are among several local and international companies that have confirmed their participation at the forthcoming Enugu State Investment Summit scheduled to hold from April 12 – 14, 2016 at the Michael Okpara Square, Independence Layout, Enugu.

Themed “Beyond Oil: Fostering Inclusive Economic Growth and Sustainable Development”, the Oganiru Enugu State Investment Summit is the first investor forum of its scale in Nigeria’s South-East geo-political zone, and it will bring together stakeholders critical to advancing business interests across a variety of industries, not only in Enugu State but also the entire South-East region.

In the words of Ike Chioke, Director-General of Oganiru: “We believe that real progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive, influence and resources to stimulate socio-economic growth, and by fostering a favorable legal and regulatory climate for businesses to thrive.”

“To this end, the Summit will engage the best from diverse institutions – including the public and private sector, international organisations, the diplomatic community and the academia – to shape regional and industry agendas. Already, many top Nigerian companies, multinationals and key agencies of government have confirmed their participation. Among them are UBA, Fidelity Bank, Afrinvest, Etisalat, General Electric and NBET Plc, to mention but a few.”

Commenting on the benefits of attending the Summit, State Commissioner for Commerce & Industry, and Deputy Director-General of Oganiru, Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, said: “Delegates will gain valuable insight into Enugu’s investment landscape and untapped potential across various economic sectors including agriculture, solid minerals and mining, power generation and distribution, real estate development, tourism and hospitality, ICT, media and entertainment.”

“There will also be opportunities for joint venture or outright acquisition through public-private-partnership, privatisation and commercialisation of state-owned enterprises including Hotel Presidential, Nike Lake Resort, Ada Rice, Sunrise Flour Mills, and many more. Interested investors can also avail opportunities to boost trade and commerce in the region through co-investment in the Enugu Enpower Free Trade Zone.”

The Enugu State Investment Summit (Oganiru) is a platform through which the government of Enugu State seeks to collaborate with the private sector to promote enterprise and improve economic productivity.

It is an initiative of the Enugu State Economic Advisory Committee, which was set up by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in June 2015 to advise and guide the state on the best economic policies that would help to engender sustainable economic growth.

.st0{fill:#FFFFFF;} .st1{fill:#E52E2E;} BJ

.st0{fill:#FFFFFF;} .st1{fill:#E52E2E;} BJ

BJ .st0{fill:#FFFFFF;} .st1{fill:#E52E2E;}

Hot topics

Business

ICT

Capital Market

Insurance

.st0{fill:#FFFFFF;} .st1{fill:#E52E2E;} BJ

Hot topics

Business

ICT

Capital Market

Insurance

.st0{fill:#FFFFFF;} .st1{fill:#E52E2E;} BJ

Company

Headlines

Newsletter

BJ

BJ

BJ

BJ

BJ