Author: The Nation

Globacom and original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Samsung yesterday partnered on the sale of the new Samsung Galaxy S-23 Smartphone.

The Glo said the new device is  available for purchase at Gloworld retail outlets nationwide.

The device was unveiled by officials of Globacom and Samsung yesterday at Gloworld, Adeola Odeku, Victoria Island, Lagos, at an event witnessed by customers, the media and brand ambassadors of the two companies.

Several models of the phone were showcased at the event. They included the S23 Ultra, S23 Plus and S23, which come in standard and eco packages, with different accessories and functionalities.

 Globacom and Samsung had announced a special offer which allows Glo subscribers to own the Galaxy S23 ultra-1TB smartphone. This was followed by a preordering for Glo customers to visit Gloworld shops across the country to pre-order different models of the top-notch smartphone.

The offer comes with various benefits for customers, including N100,000 discount for the first 100 customers to trade-in any old device or do device financing for S23 series. Device financing allows interested customer to pay over a period of time.

 Another advantage that Samsung S23 customers will enjoy is 18GB bonus data which comes with “Glo Smartphone Festival Data Plans”.  Thus, 3GB will be enjoyed by customers on Glo network monthly  for six months.

 “With the Glo and Samsung S23 exclusive Offer, Nigerians have a convenient way to own the devices by buying directly from Gloworld shops across the country, or through the trade-in plan.

They can also utilise the device financing option which allows them to buy the devices and pay over an agreed period of time,” Globacom said.

Managing Director Samsung, West Africa Charlie Lee, stated that the S23 series is equipped with unique accessories that will delight the customers.

He described Globacom as a worthy partner, adding that the company is delighted to unveil the Galaxy S23 ultra 1TB smartphone alongside Globacom.

Telecom operators yesterday said they have started the implementation of harmonised short codes across networks pursuant to a regulatory modernisation initiative of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). 

Acting under the aegis of Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the operators said the harmonisation of short codes is aimed at implementing a streamlined process for common short codes across the industry, by making life easier for Nigerians through the memorisation of single codes, for various services across networks as well as providing a cohesive regulatory framework that is consistent with global best practices.

“Following the directive from NCC, the Association hereby informs the general public that the network operators have begun implementing the short codes, working closely with the NCC. The Commission has provided adequate time for subscribers to get used to this new development. We are confident this will enhance customer experience across networks,” ALTON stated in a statement signed by Gbenga Adebayo and Gbolahan Awonuga, Chairman and Head, Operations.

During migration, which is to be concluded by May 17, 2023 old and new common codes will run concurrently, after which the old codes will cease to operate.

The proposed harmonised shortcodes are: Call Center/Help Desk – 300, Voice Mail Deposit – 301, Voice Mail Retrieval -302, Borrow Services – 303, STOP Services – 304, Check Balance – 310, Credit Recharge – 311 and Data Plan – 312

Others are Share Services – 321, Data Plan Balance – 323, Verification of SIM Registration/ NIN – SIM Linkage – 996 and Porting Services (MNP) – 2442.

The harmonisation of short codes entails making the common short codes utilised by customers to be uniform across networks. For instance, the code for recharging a line can be used across mobile networks for the same function.

There is no code to activate them while the short codes will run concurrently for one year after which the old codes will become inactive, ALTON explained.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations said global food prices fell in February for the 11th consecutive month.

The UN agency said its food price index, which tracks international prices of the most globally traded food commodities, averaged 129.8 points in February, a marginal 0.6 per cent decrease from January but 18.7 per cent down from its peak in March 2022.

FAO said the decline in the index reflected drops in quotations for vegetable oils and dairy products that more than offset a steep rise in sugar prices.

According to the report, the cereal price index remained virtually unchanged from January.

“International wheat prices rose marginally during the month, as concerns over dry conditions in the United States and robust demand for supplies from Australia were largely countered by a strong competition among exporters,” FAO said.

“International rice prices eased by 1.0 percent due to a slowdown in trading activities in most major Asian exporters, whose currencies also depreciated against the United States dollar.”

The organisation said its vegetable oil price index declined 3.2 percent from January, with the world prices of palm, soy, sunflower seed and rapeseed oils all lower.

Similarly, the dairy price index declined 2.7 per cent during the month, with butter and skim milk powder international quotations registering the steepest decline.

FAO said its meat price index also remained almost unchanged from January.

It explained that world poultry prices continued to decline amid abundant export supplies, notwithstanding the avian influenza outbreaks in several leading producer countries, while international pig meat prices rose, mostly due to concerns over tighter export availability in Europe.

However, the sugar price index rose 6.9 per cent from January to its highest level in six years, due to a downward revision to the 2022/23 production forecast in India.

 “The February rebound was mostly related to the downward revision to the 2022/23 sugar production forecast in India, which dampened export prospects for the current season.

“Concerns over lower export availability from India amid strong global import demand lent additional support to world sugar prices,’’ FAO said.

“However, the good harvest progress in Thailand and abundant precipitation in the key growing areas of Brazil prevented a larger monthly price increase. The decline in international crude oil price quotations and ethanol prices in Brazil also contributed to limiting the upward pressure on world sugar prices.”

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has temporarily increased the limits on members’ yearly and cumulative access to the fund’s resources in the General Resources Account (GRA),  the Fund stated on its website yesterday in Abuja.

The statement said the changes were intended to better support the fund’s members in a particularly challenging and uncertain economic environment.

According to the statement, IMF lending is subject to a yearly and a cumulative limit on a member’s access to the fund’s general resources.

“Access to resources beyond these limits is subject to the requirements of the fund’s exceptional access framework.”

It said the access limits for the GRA were last set in 2016, with a yearly limit of 145 per cent of quota and a cumulative limit of 435 per cent of quota.

The statement said the yearly limit was also temporarily increased from mid-2020 to the end of 2021 to 245 per cent of quota, to help members contain the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Today’s decision raises the annual limit in the GRA to 200 per cent of quota and the cumulative limit to 600 per cent of quota for 12 months.

“These changes will provide member countries, particularly emerging markets and developing economies that face increased financing pressures and vulnerabilities, to access higher fund financial support without triggering the exceptional access framework.

“If circumstances warrant, staff would re-engage the executive board before the end of the 12-month period on a proposal to maintain for longer the higher GRA access limits,” it added.

The statement also said the Executive Board also discussed possible changes in access limits under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT), the fund’s concessional financing arm.

It said PRGT access limits were last raised by 45 per cent in 2021, aligning them with GRA access limits for the first time.

“Demand for PRGT resources has increased sharply and is expected to grow further given successive shocks.

“The fund will undertake a review of PRGT access limits once sufficient additional resources have been pledged to the PRGT, which currently faces a sizable subsidy resource gap. The IMF is working closely with members to fill this gap,” the statement read.

Nigeria is in 109th place in the world with an index 44 times lower than the global average in terms of fair payment to access the internet, according to Surfshark’s Global Internet Value Index (IVi), which identifies countries that are overpaying for their internet connection plan.

According to the January data released by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), internet subscriptions stand at 156,244,368 with GSM accounting for 155,675,178. While fixed accounted for 16,144, ISP (wired and wireless) accounted for 204,810.

Oceania and Europe lead the world in internet value, while internet affordability in North America, South America, and Africa is below average. Globally, only four out of 10 people get their internet at fair prices, while the remaining 61per cent overpay for internet they get.

IVi is calculated by dividing each country’s internet speed by internet affordability to determine which countries are overpaying for their internet. According to Surfshark’s data, Nigeria ranks 109th globally with an index of 0.0017, which is 44 times lower than the global average, meaning Nigerians are overpaying for the internet they get compared to other countries worldwide.

In terms of regional position, Nigeria ranks 16th with its index 56per cent lower than Africa’s average. Nigeria is in 12th place in Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries such as South Africa and Ghana ranked 70th and 105th respectively both overpaying for the internet they get.

Nigeria has a 90per cent lower index compared to South Africa and 26 per cent lower index compared to Ghana.

Speaking on the report, Lead Researcher at Surfshark, Agneska Sablovskaja, said: “Internet Value index offers to look at internet connection from a practical perspective – whether we get what we pay for. Even economically affluent countries with relatively fast internet can overpay compared to others worldwide. However, some countries may have slower internet but also pay a considerably lower price, which is then considered fair.”                                

The report said four out of 10 Africans get their internet at a fair price.

Comparing internet value in Africa, four out of every 10 people can access the internet at a fair price. South Africa remains the outright leader, with Egypt ranking second, followed by Morocco.

While the top-ranking African country, South Africa, is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa sub-region, the Northern Africa sub-region performs better overall, with the average index of its four countries being two times higher than Sub-Saharan Africa’s.

All Northern African countries have above-average internet value, while only one in 4 (26.3 per cent) sub-Saharan African countries do. Zimbabwe and Uganda are the lowest-ranking African countries followed closely by Cameroon.

Four out of 10 people in Asia can access the internet at a fair price compared to the rest of the region. Israel takes the lead in Asia with the best internet value index, followed by Singapore and South Korea.

Seventy-eight of European people get their internet at fair prices. Denmark takes the lead in Europe with an index nearly four times higher than the European average, closely followed by France. The three lowest-ranking countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and North Macedonia, are all located in Southern Europe.

In North America, 7 out of every 10 individuals can access the internet at a fair price. The United States outperforms Canada regarding internet value. None of the countries that form part of the Latin American and the Caribbean sub-region of North America have above-average internet value. 59per cent of South Americans get their internet at a fair price. Chile is South America’s leader in internet value, followed by Uruguay and Brazil.

Oceania’s internet value index is 2.5 times higher than the global average; Australia ranked fifth in the world, and New Zealand ranked 25th overall.