Category: Brand week

Our Reporter

US-based Nigerian lady, Bolaji Adeola Ajike has only one passion. Her passion is to promote Black-owned businesses. For the most part of her life and the better part of the last four years, she has fought to expose the world to black businesses.

In 2016, the reality of the dream began to take form and the result was the birth of her company named AfroGanix.

“I operate AfroGanix, LLC to align businesses with Distribution, Manufacturing, and Fulfillment globally. Helping you get ‘What You Need, Where You Need It When You Need it!’

“Over the years, I developed a passion for service and a passion for the economic success of the African Diaspora. After earning my Master’s in Public Administration, I set out to be a “rebuilder of economic anomalies” within the Black Community such as the much-touted “Black Wall Street”. I want to see a Black Wall Street in every melanated community globally,” she said

But according to her, AfroGanix could only do so much it needed a breath of life. That breath of life came in the form of GoddessTalk Show which berthed in June 2019.

To further those efforts in July 2020 she launched the GoddessTalk App, the Diaspora’s premiere marketplace app.

Explaining the reason behind deploying the GoddessTalk App, Ajike said, “GoddessTalk App allows you to Shop, Talk and Experience ALL Things Black Excellence locally and globally. Customers can purchase products and services, order food, make reservations, book appointments, and so much more directly through Goddess Talk.

Find businesses by name, location, country, numerous categories, hashtags, and other filters. Get ready to experience Our Sacred Space, the social networking area within the Goddess Talk app where users commune, engage, are seen, and heard by others in real-time.”

Continuing, she added, “Goddess Talk’s simple interface makes it easy for a Black-owned business and entity to upload products and services, promote sale incentives, list job openings, crowdfund, & much more. All sales are driven right to your site and account with no commissions. You can download the GoddessTalk App for free on iOS and Android.

“AfroGanix was the company I started first. It was the company I really would have named my app after. But I noticed that to just help people sell products wasn’t enough. I had to help them distribute them. We as a people are consumers when it comes to business. We haven’t been producers, manufacturers, & distributors. We’d basically left ourselves at the mercy of others to make everything for us but just consume. So I decided to shift my business focus for AfroGanix. I literally had a dream I was going to help our people move things across the world. And that it was going to help us in my core missions: helping others.”

Bolaji Adeola Ajike, a Nigerian by birth, migrated to the United States of America at the age of 7 with her parents.

She holds a B.A. in Communications Studies and a Masters in Public Administration from Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, Maryland, and Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota respectively.

“I almost had that doctorate in Health Administration but I wanted to focus on my businesses and dropped out 5 years into the program. My mom hasn’t forgiven me yet. She wanted her Dr. Ajike so bad,” she joked.

Bolaji Adeola Ajike is an entrepreneur with businesses in different fields. She was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and raised in Surulere, Lagos until her family moved to the United States in 1995. She grew up in Willingboro, NJ (Boro). She’s the oldest of 4 children.

Her parent company, AfroGanix has since branched into GoddessTalk brands, namely; GoddessTalk Show and GoddessTalk App. In the years ahead she plans to have GoddessTalk Network and probably the cable arm.

Sampson Unamka

Friska Farms Limited, producers of Friska Herbal Teas, has appointed one of Nigeria’s elite actors and TV presenters, Ariyiike Owolagba popularly known as AriyiikeDimples, as its brand ambassador.

The appointment reinforces Friska Farms’ aim to promote a sustainable and healthy lifestyle for everyone, with a vision to be the leading African organic lifestyle promoterby providing natural solutions that address wellness concerns globally.

READ ALSO: Eniola Badmus desperate to lose weight

According to Usman Imanah, Chief Executive Officer of Friska Life: “As one of Africa’s top lifestyle brands, we are committed to providing a healthy lifestyle for everyone. We are excited to welcome Ariyiike Dimples into the Friskafamily as she embodies the core values of the brand.”

“Our journey with Ariyiike officially began on the 1st of August 2020, and it is one we are overjoyed to be on. She brings our vision closer and draws it closer to reality through her dedication for healthy living, fitness, mental health and lifestyle,” he added.

Ariyiike Dimples expressed her utmost delight at the appointment. She hinted on her journey with the brand which has yielded desired results.

Earlier in the year, Ariyiike had purchased the brand’s weight loss tea and coupled with her daily health routines and diets, she testified to great results.

 

 

Our Reporter

Orange Group, a company primarily focused on the importation and distribution of pharmaceutical products, celebrates 32-years of delivering quality products in the Nigeria pharmaceutical industry.

Like most successful businesses, Orange Group started from humble beginnings as Orange Drugs.

In the last three decades, the company has transitioned into one of Nigeria’s largest diversified consumer goods groups with a presence in West Africa.

According to its Founder and Chairman of Orange Group, Sir Anthony Ezenna, the company was built on trust.

“We built the Company based on Trust, doing exactly what we said we were going to do,” he said.

Ezenna started the business after working in his father’s chemist shop as a young man.  Since then, the company has grown from the consumer goods business to foundations in three key segments such as Pharmaceutical, Food & Beverage, and Personal and Home Care.

In the pharmaceutical space, the company has partnered with some of Indonesia’s largest pharmaceutical groups, including Kalbe Farma and Dexa Medica, for nearly three decades.

The years 2006 to 2009 marked a turning point for the company as it launched its innovative soap factory in Lagos and Onitsha, including an ultra-modern pharmaceutical production powerhouse, as part of its Joint Venture partnership with the leading Indonesian pharmaceutical giant Kalbe.

When people think of Orange Group, they recall household brands like Procold, Mixagrip, Medik55, Boska, Sudrex, and Delta Soap, one of its premier brands that relaunched two years ago to commemorate its 25th anniversary.

The Delta Soap brand was revived with the announcement of Brand Ambassadors in the likes of popular Big Brother housemates; Tobi Bakre and Cynthia “CeeC” Nwadiora. Moreover, the company modernized the brand’s formulation and packaging to appeal to a younger segment of the market, initially unfamiliar with the brand.

Orange Group stayed on top of product innovation when it introduced Nigerians to powdered energy drink in a sachet by launching Passion energy drink and Extra Joss. Launched in a time when canned energy drinks saturated the Nigerian market, these two new products proved to be a hit.

The Business Development Director for Orange Group, Ernest Ezenna said that the company has launched two products to tackle the incessant malaria illness in Nigeria.

READ ALSO: UBA, Orange Group partner on payment system

They drugs are Gardia Mosquito repellent cream which is the first repellent cream to be in a sachet, and Laris, an ACT Combination therapy drug that treats Malaria instantly.

“Realizing that malaria is still a significant problem affecting the lives of millions of Nigerians, the company launched two products to tackle this problem.

“We wanted to tackle major issues that affected most Nigerians and do so in a manner that was affordable for them,” he said.

For Group’s Media and Communication Director, Uchenna Gboneme, the family business is going into its third generation of operation, with Sir Anthony Ezenna’s children handling significant business aspects.

“As the business expands, it is essential for us to maintain our family value predicated on trust. This trust has sustained the relationship with our partners and distributors for more than thirty years,” he said.

As for what the future hold for Orange Group, the Business Development Director of the company believe that the market is  wide and very much untapped for the company, “so we’re investing heavily in our Route-to-Market to reach consumers in remote areas. With most Nigerians affected by the macro-economic conditions, we believe our approach of ‘affordable health and luxury’ is still applicable. Lastly, with such a young, dynamic population, we cannot ignore the role technology will play in the country. That’s another area we are looking to leverage our network and consumer insights”, he said.

Taiwo Alimi

Kazzian Fashion CEO, Abiose Ahmed, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide financial bailout to the fashion design industry to save up-and-coming designers from folding up in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

He explained many fashion homes are going through trying times because of the harsh economic reality brought about by the global pandemic.
As businesses try to reopen and return to normal, the founder of the Kazzian Luxury Brand, who has designed top-notch clothes for likes of music sensations, Davido and Banky W, said it was imperative for the CBN to extend financial aid to the industry.

Ahmed said: “The fashion design industry has played a key role in helping to grow the nation’s economy and take youths off the unemployment market, adding that the prevailing COVID-19 environment had necessitated the need for the injection of funds by the CBN to stem the tide of unemployment, underemployment and bankruptcy of fashion design houses.

READ ALSO: Allwell Ademola: Journey to fame wasn’t easy

“The federal government needs to extend a financial lifeline to the fashion design industry because of the key role that this creative sector plays in the economic growth of Nigeria. As a sector, a lot of Nigerians are taken off the unemployment market and the majority of them get empowered and in turn, empower others to become independent and self- reliant.

“Given the sensitive role we play in the economy of our country, it is only expedient for the CBN to advance to the fashion design industry, the same palliative packages it has given other sectors of the economy.”

On how he has been able to rise above economic challenges during the pandemic, Kazzian said: “One has always been progressive in thinking and action. I have always been an advocate of long-term planning and with hard work, creativity and insightful planning, I have been able to keep this brand afloat.”

Lagos; June 6, 2020 – itel Mobile, Africa’s leading consumer-centric smartphone brand, has introduced cutting edge additions to its flagship power series with Olamide, itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE, at her first ever virtual product launch in Lagos.

The P36 series consolidates the smartphone for everyone brand’s investments in mobile communication offerings that are budget-friendly, durable, and reliable. The series advances the legacy of long-lasting battery performance with a 72-hour battery life and internet connectivity upgrades.

Prior to the unveiling, itel Mobile narrated a compelling growth story. Through detailed understanding of the consumer, the brand has satisfied mobile communication needs and earned significant recognition over the years. In 2019, the International Data Corporation (IDC) ranked itel Mobile as one of the top 4 smartphone players in the Middle East and Africa. It is also the global no. 1 feature phone player according to another 2019 report from the IDC.

First of Its Kind

Sustaining a well-established culture of providing innovative mobile communications offerings to everyone, the itel P36 Pro LTE is fitted with 4G LTE, the first of its kind on the series. It’s a premium offering that delivers superfast internet connection without buffers. It’s 8 times faster than the itel P33 Plus launched last year. This amazing speed ensures fast uploads, downloads, and smooth play of HD videos.
The introduction of the itel P36 series aligns with the expansion drive of the brand, from mobile products to consumer electronics. There is itel TV comprising S and A series,and itel smartphone accessories – power banks, smart fitness bands, and Bluetooth earphones which have been introduced to provide more budget-friendly options in these categories.

With the recent signing on of Afro-pop star, Olamide Adedeji as brand ambassador in Nigeria, itel Mobile initiates a mutual partnership for improved engagements with consumers. Both brands share similar values – they serve the mass markets. itel Mobile is a leader in the smartphone mass market in Nigeria offering reliable and affordable smartphones for everyone, while Olamide makes popular music for the streets, rolling out frequent hits they can relate with.

The Superfast Advantage

Enabled by a 5000mAh battery, the series comes with a 5V, 2A, 10W fast charge feature. This means 10 minutes charging gives the user 1 hour for phone calls. To get the series to full charge, it takes just 3 hours and 25 minutes- two times up from the 7 hours, 50 minutes obtainable on the regular 5000mAh battery. And the battery can last 72 hours.

The series has an impressive 6.5” HD+ Waterproof Fullscreen display and 8.6mm slim body design set-up. Also, itel has equipped the series with the i-Cast feature to project the smartphone screen on itel TV for bigger viewing experience. itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE sport dual security – face unlock &a multi-functional fingerprint sensor to protect and guarantee privacy for users.

“The introduction of itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE affirms itel Mobile’s sustained push towards innovative and stylish smartphone offerings at a budget-friendly price. It’s also about value creation for the consumer with major improvement on features and specifications that surpass what is obtainable in the market. The brand is keen on sustaining this momentum for the ultimate goal of satisfying our consumers.” said Oke Umurhohwo, Marketing Communications Manager (West Africa), itel Mobile at the launch of the series.

The itel P36 and P36 Pro LTE are available nationwide from June 6th, 2020.

With itel P36 series, itel sets a new innovation and growth record in her quest to rank among the top-three mobile brands globally.

About itel

itel is an entry level and reliable mobile phone brand for everyone. Adopting “Join, Enjoy” as its brand philosophy, itel’s mission is to provide budget-friendly mobile communications technology to everyone. It democratizes technology by giving entry to technology and connectivity to consumers without prior access to it, allowing them to get closer and benefit from their social connections. itel has a product portfolio of smartphones, tablets, and feature phones.

After years of development, itel has expanded its presence in around 50 emerging markets globally. African Business, an authoritative business magazine in Britain, has ranked itel 17th in the 2018/2019 TOP 100 MOST-ADMIRED BRANDS IN AFRICA ranking. For more information, please visit: http://itel-mobile.com.

Ibrahim Apekhade

Three Crowns, Nigeria’s leading low cholesterol and heart-friendly milk, joined the rest of the globe to mark the 2020 edition of the World Milk Day today.

The World Milk Day, an annual celebration, was initiated in 2001 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and held on June 1 to show the importance of milk as a global food. It encourages milk and dairy consumption as part of a daily diet.

Speaking about the brand’s participation in the celebration, Three Crowns Marketing Manager, Omolara Banjoko said, “Three Crowns would play to mums and the value chain through a holistic campaign message tagged: “Voices of the heart.” The campaign which kicked off last week, climaxed on Monday. The campaign is in line with the brand’s pay off, “Healthy Mums, Happy Families.”

In her words, “Through this campaign, we will elevate the brand’s “Care for your heart” story and dial up the functional benefits of Three Crowns milk by showcasing the different things a healthy heart can do. Every time the heart beats, it speaks. Its language is so unique that only very few can hear and interpret it. Luckily, Three Crowns milk is one of the few that understand and can interpret well the language of the heart.”

According to the Marketing Manager, through this unique campaign, Three Crowns milk will be caring for the hearts of mums and use the World Milk Day 2020 celebration to translate this message and bring it to the forefront for everyone to hear.

READ ALSO: World Milk Day: Three Crowns Milk showed care for Mothers Heart with free Milk-based breakfast

The campaign kicked off on May 24 with a teaser by the brand to demonstrate what a healthy heart can do when nourished and properly cared for.

This would be followed by series of consumer engagements. Mums will be asked to record and upload 30-second voice notes to their loved ones with a pledge to stay healthy for them with Three Crowns milk on the brand website https://www.femininelounge.com/world-milk-day.

Across select stores, starting from May 29 till World Milk Day June 1, any shopper that buys at least N5, 000 worth of Three Crowns milk gets free milk up to N2, 500 and N5, 000 in Lagos and Ibadan stores respectively. On June 1, 2020 the brand will give out free milk worth N400 to the first 2,000 consumers that buy at least N2, 000 worth of Three Crowns milk products on Jumia, Konga or Habari websites.

“This is yet another exciting campaign from Three Crowns milk to make this year’s World Milk Day celebration memorable for all its consumers,” she said.