The Nation Newspaper

Category: Industry

  • Leveraging gender parity to boost productivity

    The global campaign for gender equality, particularly in the workplace, is gathering momentum. In Nigeria, where the gospel of gender inclusion has gained significance, some private sector operators, the government, and the society latched on this year’s International Women’s Day to renew the push for a gender-balanced workforce. They noted that enhanced access to the different but complementary leadership skills, wider talent pool, and insights women bring to management will drive economic growth and development. Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports.

    Multinational food and beverage company Nestlé has raised the bar in the global campaign to prioritise workplace gender balance to boost productivity. With the launch of its Gender Balance Acceleration Plan, the company has moved a notch higher in its quest to become the reference point in the push for a gender-balanced and truly equal workplace.

    Essentially, Nestlé, through the plan tagged: From aspiration to action, said it was enhancing its performance by increasing the number of women in departments that traditionally hire men. Consequently, to close the gender gap, its Technical and Supply Chain Management departments are looking to recruit a majority of women as graduate trainees.

    The company’s strategic decision to tilt the gender balance in favour of women also includes, at least, one female candidate in its final interview stage for job applicants. In doing so, Nestlé was convinced that embracing diversity and increasing the number of women in leadership roles and in the workforce was key to driving productivity and growth.

    The Factory Manager of the Flowergate Factory, which includes the first 100 per cent female production line in Nestlé Nigeria, Ibukun Ipinmoye, confirmed this when he admitted that there has been an increase in productivity because of Nestlé’s commitment to enhancing gender balance in its workforce and empowering women across the entire value chain.

    Ipinmoye saidx: “We realised that the female production lines are very productive, thanks to their highly committed and collaborative spirit and their careful handling of the equipment. Gender diversity has helped to boost productivity. As a result, we plan to introduce female operators to more complex lines to utilise their multi-tasking skills, and aim to hire 80 per cent of female management trainees.”

    The Nation learnt that 43.2 per cent of Nestlé’s manager positions are held by women, while 31.8 per cent its senior leadership roles are held by women. The launch of the plan was part of its activities to highlight this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD). It was also to help achieve her vision to be a gender-balanced and truly equal workplace that can serve as an example to others.

    The IWD is celebrated on March 8 yearly to achieve one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the United Nation (UNs’) 2030 Agenda, which seeks to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. This year’s edition was themed: Balance for Better. The 2019 initiative was also aimed at creating greater awareness of discrimination and a celebration of women’s achievements.

    Nestlé rode on the platform of this year’s IWD to bring its Gender Balance Acceleration Plan to life through its multi-pronged initiatives, such as trainings to raise awareness on gender biases, career development and mentoring programmes for women.

    Other initiatives include its gender-sensitive succession planning, offering breastfeeding rooms and nurseries at work, as well as the implementation of its Maternity Protection Policy.

    However, Nestlé was not the only company that leveraged on this year’s IWD to draw attention to its gender-inclusive milestones and also articulate strategies to further close the gender gap. PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc was also not left out.

    The multinational said it joined the global community to celebrate the event as part of its responsibility to set and drive the momentum towards achieving a more gender-balanced and enabling workplace.

    The company, which deals in beauty care and household products, reaffirmed its commitment to the advancement of affirmative action, noting that it was the panacea for an all-inclusive development as enshrined in the UN SDG 5.

    At a colloquium it organised in Lagos to celebrate this year’s IWD, PZ Cussons Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Christos Giannopoulos said women in the company had contributed immensely in providing consumer insights and crafting winning marketing strategies.

    He stated that PZ Cussons was an equal opportunity employer and that opportunities were opened to all, irrespective of their gender. And to underscore this fact, Giannopoulos said PZ Cussons’ Global Chairperson is a lady.

    PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc Executive Director, Human Resources and Administration, Ms Joyce Folake Coker, confirmed this much when she said: “For a long time, PZ Cussons Nigeria prides itself as a company with a number of women on its Board and it has women in both senior managerial and other positions.”

    The key guest speaker, Chief Nike Akande, reminded the audience that women remained the foundation of any society. The former President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), therefore, called for action to accelerate gender parity.

    Workers of management of Dairy firm FrieslandCampina WAMCO also took time off to mark the IWD at its premises in Ogba-Ikeja, Lagos. Its Corporate Affairs Director, Ore Famurewa, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to achieving gender balance in the workplace.

     

    Public sector joins the fray

    However, the renewed campaign for gender parity was not entirely a private-sector driven initiative. The public sector also threw its hat in the affirmative action ring.

    For instance, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, was emphatic that “Gender equality is a driver for economic growth and a prerequisite for achieving the 2030 global development agenda.”

    Speaking at an event organised by the CBN to celebrate the IWD in Abuja, he said there is the need to increase the level of participation of women in key positions in the private sector, noting, for instance, that the present situation where only three out of the 27 chief executive officers of banks in Nigeria were women was not acceptable.

    He said the CBN was mindful of the importance of women in the society, which was why it had championed the cause of women in the society.

    According to Emefiele, the number of female directors in the CBN moved up from one in 2001 to six in 2017. The percentage of women employees in the CBN also moved up from 24 per cent in 2013 to 28 per cent in 2017.

    The CBN boss added that the apex bank had over the years been implementing various programmes and policies aimed at developing the economic potential and development of women.

    This was in realisation of a 2017 McKinsey research, which showed that if women’s economic participation were at the same level as men, $28 trillion could be added to the world’s economic growth by 2025.

    This is particularly true for the financial services sector, where a 2018 study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) showed that greater inclusion of women as users, providers, and regulators of financial services have benefits beyond addressing gender inequality.

    “Narrowing the gender gap would foster greater stability in the banking system and enhance economic growth,” the study said.

    Overall, a World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report (2018) said there is an average 32 per cent gender gap that needs to be closed and going by the trend, the overall global gender gap will close in 108 years.

    But, with the Nigerian Government throwing its weight behind the push for gender equality, hopes of closing the gap are getting brighter. The Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said in Nigeria, women comprised more than half of the population, adding that for sustainable growth to be achieved, women should be given the requisite support to succeed.

    “It is important that government continues to develop and implement policies, regulatory frameworks, and programmes that are inclusive and gender-sensitive. This will help remove the socio-economic and cultural barriers that prevent women from participating fully in society and from reaping the economic benefits of their participation,” the Minister said, in Abuja.

    Ahmed said this was especially important given the evidence that gender-neutral policies are often applied in ways that exclude and disenfranchise women stakeholders and other vulnerable communities. “Women must have a ‘seat at the table’, and be co-creators of any strategic interventions aimed at ensuring gender parity in the long run,” she said.

    The World Bank is also involved in the effort to address gender inequality in workplaces. The bank in its latest reports identified improved job opportunities for women and girls at all levels of productive engagements as key to ongoing efforts aimed at alleviating poverty, increasing GDP in national economies and bridging the gender gap between men and women across the world.

    It noted that policy makers, private sector and other job providers would be contributing to the global socio-economic agenda targeted at closing the gender-inequality gap if they showed commitment to removing all barriers to women and girls employment and by implication, adding significantly to the global development values.

     

    The challenges

    Despite the avowed commitment of the private and public sectors to close the agenda gap especially in the workplace, it is still not a walk in the park. Creating gender balance on the factory floors or in offices does not come without some obstacles.

    Pressure to conform to gender stereotypes, resistance from men, adapting work patterns to family life and maternity commitments, and the shortage of females in certain fields like engineering, are just some of the gender balance challenges that working women face.

    The case of the Production Manager for Milks in Nestlé Ghana, Julia Atta, perhaps, brings the challenges nearer home. Atta was appointed as the first female production manager for Nestlé CWAR last year – marking a milestone for the company in the region.

    She explained that she went into this ‘non-traditional’ line of work for women to change mind-sets and make an impact, but this came with its challenges. “For any women in a male-dominated environment, even a genuine reason can become a woman’s excuse.

    “For example, I felt I had to turn down an opportunity to go into production because I got pregnant, even though factory management made me an offer. At the time, I was unsure it was the right decision to join, as production was not seen as an ideal environment for my ‘condition’,” Atta said.

    She, however, added: “Thanks to the support of management, I had another opportunity to take up a role outside of the country for five months. However, others made me feel like I had made the wrong decision to leave my young child behind – but I was determined to make it work.”

    Today, Julia heads the milk production and technical team, leading the production, quality, safety, cost and delivery of 130 tonnes of evaporated milk a day, while also developing her team of junior and senior employees.

    But, beyond her obvious commitment to succeed in a male-dominated work environment, what is also required to close the gender gap or at least, reduce it significantly is, in the words of Emefiele, “collective action”.

  • Afreximbank president urges Fed Govt to sign AfCFTA

    President of African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah, has urged the Federal Government to sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

    He gave the advice while speaking in Lagos last Tuesday as guest lecturer at the 2019 edition of the annual Bullion Lecture organised by the Centre for Financial Journalism (CFJ Nigeria).

    Professor Oramah, who spoke on the topic: Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement to Boost Nigeria’s Economic Development, urged the Federal government to take urgent steps to endorse AfCAFTA in order to key into what he called a window of opportunity for the country to maximise its economic potential.

    He expressed concern over the inability of the  government to endorse the agreement, which was produced from the decisions and milestones articulated at the Abuja Treaty of  1991 aimed at defining clear plans for Africa’s economic integration.

    According to him, the AfCFTA was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018 by 44 of 55 African countries while Nigeria which hosted the forum that gave birth to the initiative was yet to decide on what to do with it.

    Oramah said it was worrying to well-meaning Nigerians and other countries of Africa that a treaty, which Nigeria gave birth to had to be delivered in Rwanda while smaller countries that looked up to her had endorsed the agreement and went forward to ratify it.

    “The AfCFTA, which was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018, was in line with the Abuja Treaty expectations. So … the child that was conceived in Nigeria was born in Rwanda. And with the emergence of that child, Africa sees a renewed hope, a reinvigoration to chart a new course,” Oramah told the audience in Lagos.

    Tracing the historical and economic imperatives that necessitated the birth of the AfCFTA, the Afreximbank boss noted that Africa benefited a little from many years it was ruled by colonial powers whose main focus was to draw the raw materials it needed for its home industries while it dumped its own manufactured goods in return.

    He said the AfCFTA was meant to change the narrative as a continent that was called the “Basket Case”, is now on the path to becoming the “Bread Basket” of the world.

    Read also: Afreximbank invests $1b in Nigeria’s EPZ

    Enumerating the benefits of the AfCFTA to Africa and to Nigeria in particular, Prof. Oramah said the treaty would create the environment for the continent to chart a new development path and eliminate the causes of weakness while upholding the areas of strength among the 55 countries of the continent.

    He also said the initiative would create the required economic integration that would promote sub-regional and continental supply chains such as the automotive industry, as “the AfCFTA offers opportunity for African countries to begin to create and nurture infant industries”.

    Oramah added that : “The AfCFTA creates opportunities for African economies, including Nigeria, to take over from China as the World’s manufacturing hub. China exports $45 billion of light manufacturers into Africa. Nigeria and other African countries can expect to fill that void if they take advantage of the tariff and non-tariff reductions in the AfCFTA.”

    The Afreximbank chief said Nigeria stands a great chance of enlarging its Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows through the AfCFTA given its position as the largest economy and the most populous in Africa.

  • Chamber seeks improved healthcare delivery through ICT

    To improve healthcare delivery, there is the need for investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT), the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has said.

    Its President, Oluwatoyin Akomolafe, said incorporating ICT into healthcare would improve the quality of health care, safety, and efficiency of public health service delivery.

    He also said it would also improve the public health information infrastructure, support health care in the community and at home, while also facilitating clinical and consumer decision-making.

    Akomolafe, who spoke at the inauguration of the chamber’s Healthcare Sector Group in Lagos, added that incorporating ICT tools into the healthcare delivery system would boost skills and knowledge.

    The NACC Healthcare Sector Group was inaugurated at its Breakfast Meeting in Lagos. The meeting themed “Improving quality outcomes through health information” was sponsored by Flying Doctors Nigeria and Zenith Carex Limited.

    The Healthcare Sector Group is expected to provide a platform for engagement by member-companies within the same industry.

    Read also: Chamber seeks foreign tech for business growth

    It would also provide the needed platform for member companies to collaborate, undertake sector-focused advocacy and grow together with support from the secretariat.

    Akomolafe, represented by the Chamber’s National Treasurer, Dr. Ikenna Nwaosu, noted that the traditional way of solving health problems was outdated hence the need to leverage on ICT to improve healthcare delivery system.

    He said lack of adequate funding worsened the crisis in the health care sector in developing countries, particularly Nigeria. He, however, said access to ICT tolls would change the narrative.

    “With the significant growth in Internet access in urban areas, health-care workers can adopt its usage for communication, access to relevant health-care information, and international collaboration.

    “ICT can improve the quality of care patients receive by averting medical errors, improving communication and boosting efficiency,” he stated.

    Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) National President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, observed that the healthcare system was mostly paper-based, with manually operated documentation system.

    He noted that the system was sub-optimal, as healthcare providers lacked the right computing skills proportional to their responsibilities.

    He observed that patient information and direct clinical examination in most health institutions were still being drawn from paper–based records, which is slow and cumbersome.

    Faduyile listed other challenges associated with the analogue healthcare system to include lack of uniformity and standards, inaccessibility, and inaccuracy.

    He, therefore, said there was the need for advocacy, especially among health providers to adopt health information technology to drive health care.

    He also said there was a need for collaboration among agencies and professional associations in the sector to ensure the deployment of ICT in healthcare.

    Flying Doctors Nigeria founder Dr. Ola Brown highlighted the pillars of healthcare reform to include primary care expansion, healthcare financing, maternal/child health and centralisation of tertiary care.

    Brown identified logistics as one of the most important aspects of healthcare, adding that air ambulances would help address this challenge.

     

  • 60 SON workers get training

    No  fewer than 60 workers of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) are receiving training on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Enugu.

    SON Director-General Mr. Osita Aboloma, represented by the Director of Human Resources, Mallam Usman Abdullahi, said the workers were being trained on efficient service delivery.

    He noted that the training would make them live above rudimentary mistakes in their duties.

    Aboloma said: “The essence of this training is to improve the capacity of staff to deliver quality services and improve their relationship skills as they discharge their daily duty.

    “The training aimed at exploring other avenues to solve issues that concern enforcement of standards without necessarily going to the formal law courts.

    “The SON Act as amended had given SON the mandate to prosecute those that go against its mandate.

    “However, we feel that there should be other avenues apart from the courts that SON can easily achieve its mandate.

    Read also: NUFBTE warns firm against engaging expatriates

    “So, on this premise, SON is partnering with the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC) to train some of its staff on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).’’

    According to him, the training would be beneficial to the agency’s enforcement and office workers.

    Also, a facilitator of the training, Ambassador Victor Ojaide, noted that the workers would get with ADR skills.

    Ojaide, who is also the Vice President (Training) of ICMC, said the training would enable workers understand how to settle issues harmoniously.

    “The ADR lessons will equip them on how to deal with issues and win trust and public confidence even as they discharge their duties.

    “The training will teach better ways of approaching issues and people even as they carry out their official mandates,’’ he said.

     

  • ‘Tax reform, digitalisation key to financing development’

    Nigeria and other African countries must digitalise their economies, broaden their tax base, prevent further deterioration of fiscal and debt positions, and aim for double-digit growth to achieve the United Nation (UN) 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.

    These were the key highlights of the “2019 Economic Report on Africa,” released at the Conference of Ministers in Marrakech, Morocco.

    This year’s report, a flagship publication of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), focuses on fiscal policy. The report, which said the government revenue, which account for 21.4 per cent, was insufficient to meet countries’development financing needs, identified several quick wins in Africa’s pursuit of additional fiscal space to finance its accelerated development.

    ECA’s Executive Secretary Vera Songwe stated this at the launch of the document.

    She said: ‘’The report also focused on the  role of fiscal policy in crowding-in investment and creating adequate fiscal space for social policy, including supporting women and youth-led small and medium enterprises.”

    She added that a decade away from the SDG. “African countries continue to search for policy mixes to help accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. However, for many countries, financing remains the biggest bottleneck with implementing capacity a close second.”

    Analysing and highlighting both challenges and opportunities, the Report also recommends comprehensive macro-economic reforms aimed at building financial resilience, placing emphasis on the need for Africa to accelerate growth to double digits by 2030 and to boost investment from its current 25 per cent of GDP.

    While economic growth in Africa remained moderate at 3.2 per cent in 2018 – due to solid global growth, a moderate increase in commodity prices and favourable domestic conditions, the report emphasised that Africa needs to do more and work towards achieving a fine balance between raising revenue and incentivising investments, in order to boost growth.

    In some of Africa’s largest economies—South Africa, Angola and Nigeria – the report revealed, growth trended upwards but remained vulnerable to shifts in commodity prices. East Africa remained the fastest growing, at 6.1 per cent in 2017 and 6.2 per cent in 2018, while in West Africa, the economy expanded by 3.2 per cent in 2018, up from 2.4 per cent in 2017.

    Central, North and Southern Africa’s economies grew at a slower pace last year compared to 2017. On the issue of Africa’s debt burden, the report revealed that debt levels remained high as African countries increased their borrowing, to ease fiscal pressures most of which have been precipitated by the narrowing of revenue streams that has gone on since the commodity price shocks of 2014.

    It argued that African countries can increase government revenue by 12–20 per cent of GDP by adopting a policy framework that strengthen revenue mobilisation, including through digitalising African economies, stating that digitisation could enhance revenue mobilisation by up to six per cent.

    It said: ”Digital identification can broaden the tax base by making it easier to identify and track taxpayers and helping taxpayers meet their tax obligations.

    “By improving tax assessments and administration, it enhances the government’s capacity to mobilise additional resources.’’

    Digital ID systems yield gains in efficiency and convenience that could result in savings to taxpayers and government of up to $50 billion a year by 2020,” the report said.

  • Afreximbank president urges Fed Govt to sign AfCFTA

    President of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah, has urged the Federal Government to sign the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

    He gave the advice while speaking in Lagos last Tuesday as guest lecturer at the 2019 edition of the annual Bullion Lecture organised by the Centre for Financial Journalism (CFJ Nigeria).

    Professor Oramah, who spoke on the topic: Leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement to Boost Nigeria’s Economic Development, urged the Federal government to take urgent steps to endorse AfCAFTA in order to key into what he called a window of opportunity for the country to maximise its economic potential.

    He expressed concern over the inability of the  government to endorse the agreement, which was produced from the decisions and milestones articulated at the Abuja Treaty of  1991 aimed at defining clear plans for Africa’s economic integration.

    According to him, the AfCFTA was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018 by 44 of 55 African countries while Nigeria which hosted the forum that gave birth to the initiative was yet to decide on what to do with it.

    Oramah said it was worrying to well-meaning Nigerians and other countries of Africa that a treaty, which Nigeria gave birth to had to be delivered in Rwanda  while smaller countries that looked up to  her had  endorsed the agreement and went forward to ratify it.

    “The AfCFTA, which was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on March 21, 2018, was in line with the Abuja Treaty expectations. So … the child that was conceived in Nigeria was born in Rwanda. And with the emergence of that child, Africa sees a renewed hope, a reinvigoration to chart a new course,” Oramah told the audience in Lagos.

    Tracing the historical and economic imperatives that necessitated the birth of the AfCFTA, the Afreximbank boss noted that Africa benefited a little from  many years it was ruled by colonial powers whose main focus was to draw the raw materials it needed for its home industries while it dumped its own manufactured goods in return.

    He said the AfCFTA was meant to change the narrative as a continent that was called the “Basket Case”, is now on the path to becoming the “Bread Basket” of the world.

    Enumerating the benefits of the AfCFTA to Africa and to Nigeria in particular, Prof. Oramah said the treaty would create the environment for the continent to chart a new development path and eliminate the causes of weakness while upholding the areas of strength among the 55 countries of the continent.

    He also said the initiative would create the required economic integration that would promote sub-regional and continental supply chains such as the automotive industry, as “the AfCFTA offers opportunity for African countries to begin to create and nurture infant industries”.

    Oramah added that : “The AfCFTA creates opportunities for African economies, including Nigeria, to take over from China as the World’s manufacturing hub. China exports $45 billion of light manufacturers into Africa. Nigeria and other African countries can expect to fill that void if they take advantage of the tariff and non-tariff reductions in the AfCFTA.”

  • Leveraging gender parity to boost productivity

    The global campaign for gender equality, particularly in the workplace, is gathering momentum. In Nigeria, where the gospel of gender inclusion has gained significance, some private sector operators, the government, and the society latched on this year’s International Women’s Day to renew the push for a gender-balanced workforce. They noted that enhanced access to the different but complementary leadership skills, wider talent pool, and insights women bring to management will drive economic growth and development. Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports.

    Multinational food and beverage company Nestlé has raised the bar in the global campaign to prioritise workplace gender balance to boost productivity. With the launch of its Gender Balance Acceleration Plan, the company has moved a notch higher in its quest to become the reference point in the push for a gender-balanced and truly equal workplace.

    Essentially, Nestlé, through the plan tagged: From aspiration to action, said it was enhancing its performance by increasing the number of women in departments that traditionally hire men. Consequently, to close the gender gap, its Technical and Supply Chain Management departments are looking to recruit a majority of women as graduate trainees.

    The company’s strategic decision to tilt the gender balance in favour of women also includes, at least, one female candidate in its final interview stage for job applicants. In doing so, Nestlé was convinced that embracing diversity and increasing the number of women in leadership roles and in the workforce was key to driving productivity and growth.

    The Factory Manager of the Flowergate Factory, which includes the first 100 per cent female production line in Nestlé Nigeria, Ibukun Ipinmoye, confirmed this when he admitted that there has been an increase in productivity because of Nestlé’s commitment to enhancing gender balance in its workforce and empowering women across the entire value chain.

    Ipinmoye saidx: “We realised that the female production lines are very productive, thanks to their highly committed and collaborative spirit and their careful handling of the equipment. Gender diversity has helped to boost productivity. As a result, we plan to introduce female operators to more complex lines to utilise their multi-tasking skills, and aim to hire 80 per cent of female management trainees.”

    The Nation learnt that 43.2 per cent of Nestlé’s manager positions are held by women, while 31.8 per cent its senior leadership roles are held by women. The launch of the plan was part of its activities to highlight this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD). It was also to help achieve her vision to be a gender-balanced and truly equal workplace that can serve as an example to others.

    The IWD is celebrated on March 8 yearly to achieve one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the United Nation (UNs’) 2030 Agenda, which seeks to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. This year’s edition was themed: Balance for Better. The 2019 initiative was also aimed at creating greater awareness of discrimination and a celebration of women’s achievements.

    Nestlé rode on the platform of this year’s IWD to bring its Gender Balance Acceleration Plan to life through its multi-pronged initiatives, such as trainings to raise awareness on gender biases, career development and mentoring programmes for women.

    Other initiatives include its gender-sensitive succession planning, offering breastfeeding rooms and nurseries at work, as well as the implementation of its Maternity Protection Policy.

    However, Nestlé was not the only company that leveraged on this year’s IWD to draw attention to its gender-inclusive milestones and also articulate strategies to further close the gender gap. PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc was also not left out.

    The multinational said it joined the global community to celebrate the event as part of its responsibility to set and drive the momentum towards achieving a more gender-balanced and enabling workplace.

    The company, which deals in beauty care and household products, reaffirmed its commitment to the advancement of affirmative action, noting that it was the panacea for an all-inclusive development as enshrined in the UN SDG 5.

    At a colloquium it organised in Lagos to celebrate this year’s IWD, PZ Cussons Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Christos Giannopoulos said women in the company had contributed immensely in providing consumer insights and crafting winning marketing strategies.

    He stated that PZ Cussons was an equal opportunity employer and that opportunities were opened to all, irrespective of their gender. And to underscore this fact, Giannopoulos said PZ Cussons’ Global Chairperson is a lady.

    PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc Executive Director, Human Resources and Administration, Ms Joyce Folake Coker, confirmed this much when she said: “For a long time, PZ Cussons Nigeria prides itself as a company with a number of women on its Board and it has women in both senior managerial and other positions.”

    The key guest speaker, Chief Nike Akande, reminded the audience that women remained the foundation of any society. The former President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), therefore, called for action to accelerate gender parity.

    Workers of management of Dairy firm FrieslandCampina WAMCO also took time off to mark the IWD at its premises in Ogba-Ikeja, Lagos. Its Corporate Affairs Director, Ore Famurewa, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to achieving gender balance in the workplace.

     

    Public sector joins the fray

    However, the renewed campaign for gender parity was not entirely a private-sector driven initiative. The public sector also threw its hat in the affirmative action ring.

    For instance, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, was emphatic that “Gender equality is a driver for economic growth and a prerequisite for achieving the 2030 global development agenda.”

    Speaking at an event organised by the CBN to celebrate the IWD in Abuja, he said there is the need to increase the level of participation of women in key positions in the private sector, noting, for instance, that the present situation where only three out of the 27 chief executive officers of banks in Nigeria were women was not acceptable.

    He said the CBN was mindful of the importance of women in the society, which was why it had championed the cause of women in the society.

    According to Emefiele, the number of female directors in the CBN moved up from one in 2001 to six in 2017. The percentage of women employees in the CBN also moved up from 24 per cent in 2013 to 28 per cent in 2017.

    The CBN boss added that the apex bank had over the years been implementing various programmes and policies aimed at developing the economic potential and development of women.

    This was in realisation of a 2017 McKinsey research, which showed that if women’s economic participation were at the same level as men, $28 trillion could be added to the world’s economic growth by 2025.

    This is particularly true for the financial services sector, where a 2018 study by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) showed that greater inclusion of women as users, providers, and regulators of financial services have benefits beyond addressing gender inequality.

    “Narrowing the gender gap would foster greater stability in the banking system and enhance economic growth,” the study said.

    Overall, a World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report (2018) said there is an average 32 per cent gender gap that needs to be closed and going by the trend, the overall global gender gap will close in 108 years.

    But, with the Nigerian Government throwing its weight behind the push for gender equality, hopes of closing the gap are getting brighter. The Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said in Nigeria, women comprised more than half of the population, adding that for sustainable growth to be achieved, women should be given the requisite support to succeed.

    “It is important that government continues to develop and implement policies, regulatory frameworks, and programmes that are inclusive and gender-sensitive. This will help remove the socio-economic and cultural barriers that prevent women from participating fully in society and from reaping the economic benefits of their participation,” the Minister said, in Abuja.

    Ahmed said this was especially important given the evidence that gender-neutral policies are often applied in ways that exclude and disenfranchise women stakeholders and other vulnerable communities. “Women must have a ‘seat at the table’, and be co-creators of any strategic interventions aimed at ensuring gender parity in the long run,” she said.

    The World Bank is also involved in the effort to address gender inequality in workplaces. The bank in its latest reports identified improved job opportunities for women and girls at all levels of productive engagements as key to ongoing efforts aimed at alleviating poverty, increasing GDP in national economies and bridging the gender gap between men and women across the world.

    It noted that policy makers, private sector and other job providers would be contributing to the global socio-economic agenda targeted at closing the gender-inequality gap if they showed commitment to removing all barriers to women and girls employment and by implication, adding significantly to the global development values.

     

    The challenges

    Despite the avowed commitment of the private and public sectors to close the agenda gap especially in the workplace, it is still not a walk in the park. Creating gender balance on the factory floors or in offices does not come without some obstacles.

    Pressure to conform to gender stereotypes, resistance from men, adapting work patterns to family life and maternity commitments, and the shortage of females in certain fields like engineering, are just some of the gender balance challenges that working women face.

    The case of the Production Manager for Milks in Nestlé Ghana, Julia Atta, perhaps, brings the challenges nearer home. Atta was appointed as the first female production manager for Nestlé CWAR last year – marking a milestone for the company in the region.

    She explained that she went into this ‘non-traditional’ line of work for women to change mind-sets and make an impact, but this came with its challenges. “For any women in a male-dominated environment, even a genuine reason can become a woman’s excuse.

    “For example, I felt I had to turn down an opportunity to go into production because I got pregnant, even though factory management made me an offer. At the time, I was unsure it was the right decision to join, as production was not seen as an ideal environment for my ‘condition’,” Atta said.

    She, however, added: “Thanks to the support of management, I had another opportunity to take up a role outside of the country for five months. However, others made me feel like I had made the wrong decision to leave my young child behind – but I was determined to make it work.”

    Today, Julia heads the milk production and technical team, leading the production, quality, safety, cost and delivery of 130 tonnes of evaporated milk a day, while also developing her team of junior and senior employees.

    But, beyond her obvious commitment to succeed in a male-dominated work environment, what is also required to close the gender gap or at least, reduce it significantly is, in the words of Emefiele, “collective action”.

  • Chamber seeks foreign tech for business growth

    The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) is to lead delegates on a trade mission to the United States (US)  to deepen members’ knowledge of technologies to boost their businesses.

    The five-day trade forum themed: “Turning promises to Action”, is expected to bring together the private and public sectors of the economy. It was designed to attract businesses in areas such as Information Technology (IT), Banking, Agric Tech, and Cloud Technology solutions, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation, Blockchain, and Smart Contracts, among others.

    NACC Communication Executive, Ebuka Ugochukwu, said the trade mission was the Chamber’s yearly commitment to promoting trade development, commerce, investment and industrial/technological relationship between the private and public sectors.

    Read also: HORROR CHAMBERS THAT TEACH PEACE

    Ugochukwu, who told The Nation that the trade mission has been scheduled for April 28-May 3, added that delegates would be hosted by the Silicon Valley Nigeria Economic Development Inc.

    He also said there would be meetings with Silicon Valley top executives, angel investors and venture capitalists in IT; Silicon Valley Organisations (Chambers of Commerce; Silicon Valley Tech Companies; the Mayor of San Jose, among others.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Online shopping in Nigeria, others may hit $75b by 2025

    Online shopping in Nigeria and other African countries could account for up to $75 billion in retail sales by 2025, a report by the McKinsey Global Institute has projected.

    The report, which was got by The Nation, said e-commerce and Financial Technology (FinTech) represented two of Africa’s biggest growth opportunities, with the mobile technology market driving the two sectors.

    “More than half of urban African consumers already have Internet-capable devices and this number is increasing. Online shopping in Africa could account for up to $75 billion in retail sales by 2025,” the report said.

    Encouraged by the continent’s e-commerce boom, multinational logistics company DHL Express said it has once again signed on as lead sponsor for the 2019 DHL e-Commerce Africa Conference and Exhibition, which will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre fromMarch 19 to 20.

    The e-Commerce Africa Conference and Exhibition, delivered by DHL, is hosted by South African conferencing company, Kinetic, and is one of Africa’s biggest opportunities to bring stakeholders in the e-commerce sector together.

    Later in the year, Kinetic will also bring the conference to Kenya, with the e-Commerce East Africa edition, also delivered by DHL, set to take place in Nairobi from June 12- 13, 2019.

    This year’s event offers participants an opportunity to learn from world-class thought leaders, both from Africa and the rest of the globe, on the innovative strategies that will unlock e-commerce opportunities over the years to come.

    Delegates from some of the continent’s biggest tech, retail, banking and legal firms will be in attendance to share their experience and engage with attendees to exchange knowledge.

    Vice President Sales for DHL Express Sub-Saharan Africa, Steve Burd, explained that the ongoing partnership between DHL and e-Commerce Africa was a good fit. “As the market leaders in express logistics in Africa, we have extensive first-hand experience of the positive impact that e-commerce has on the continent,” he said.

    The massive growth in cross-border and international e-commerce in Africa, Burd said, has seen DHL working with more customers across the continent each year, helping them to expand their brand across borders.

    He added that e-commerce development in Africa has continued to unlock major opportunities for growth. “E-commerce allows entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to connect with a large customer base and scale up rapidly,” he said.

    Pointing out that this had accelerated the need for support services, Burd said e-commerce growth therefore, has a ripple-effect on many other industries on the continent, adding that “DHL’s partnership with e-Commerce Africa provides us with an additional platform to connect with organisations and help them to understand key logistics considerations.”

    Kinetic Managing Director Terry Southam said the collection of thought leaders and the topics under discussion this year are aimed at creating an immediate impact for African e-commerce companies.

    “From marketing to fulfilment, the world’s best will be on stage sharing best practice and innovative hacks to drive online growth.

    “It is quite remarkable to have all of these industry leaders on the same stage–not only willing to share, but actively working to grow the industry and ensure African customers receive a world-class online shopping experience.”

    Southam said this year’s conference theme is ‘Conquering scale’, adding that his company could not be happier to have a market leader like DHL on board to help deliver two key e-commerce events on the continent this year.

     

  • ‘Why we’re committed to gender-balanced workplace’

    Multinational firm PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to the advancement of affirmative action as panacea for an all-inclusive development as enshrined in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 5).

    Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Christos Giannopoulos, said as a company dealing in beauty care and household products, women in the company had contributed immensely in providing consumer insights and crafting winning marketing strategies.

    He spoke at a colloquium organised by PZ Cussons to celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD).

    The event, which held in Ilupeju, Lagos,  explored ways to fast-track gender parity for a balanced world.

    Giannopoulos said PZ Cussons was an equal opportunity employer and that opportunities were opened to all, irrespective of their gender. And to underscore this fact, PZ Cussons’ Global Chairperson, he said, is a lady.

    PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc Executive Director, Human Resources and Administration, Ms Joyce Folake Coker, also said the company decided to join the global community to celebrate the event as part of its responsibility to set and drive the momentum towards achieving a more gender-balanced and enabling workplace.

    “For a long time, PZ Cussons Nigeria prides itself as a company with a number of women on its Board and it has women in both senior managerial and other positions,” she added.

    The key guest speaker, Chief Nike Akande, reminded the audience that women remained the foundation of any society and called for action to accelerate gender parity.