The Nation Newspaper

Category: Consumer Watch

  • LG donates to Lekki motherless babies home

    It was all excitement at the Lagos State motherless babies home, Lekki, as LG played host to over 100 children at a lovely party, as well as donating two units of all new Gencool Inverter ACs and three units of jet cool air conditioners to the home.

    This happened recently, as LG once again demonstrated its love and commitment to the welfare of children in the society as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR].

    Aimed at putting smiles on the faces of the children, as well as supporting their dreams and aspirations, the event which was a part of the organisations lined-up CSR activities for the year was indeed a fun-filled atmosphere as representatives of the organisation interacted freely with the children numbering well over 100.

    Speaking at the occasion, General Manager, Air Solution, LG Electronics West Africa Operations, Mr.  Cholyong Park, said: “LG will continue to be alive to its corporate social responsibility by providing succour for the needy especially children who are leaders of tomorrow.” He stated further that the air conditioners being donated, if put to good use, will help to give the children some level of comfort while in the home.

    Also on ground to support the LG team was the Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mohammed Fouani, who in a short remark said: “It is for me a thing of joy to always contribute towards the upkeep of children anywhere and I am really happy to be here today.”

    The event provided an opportunity for the children to have fun like never before. The Matron-in-Charge of the home headed by Mrs. Olaore Feyisayo, expressed delight at having LG Electronics team in the home and putting together a party for the kids as well as donating some of their products for use in the home. She thanked the company for their kind gesture and commended the initiative.

    However, LG has continued to maintain its track record of always giving back to the society, particularly its host communities. In the past, the company has equally made some laudable donations to several orphanage homes across the country and even in the educational sector their immense contributions are being felt.

    LG Electronics has over the years demonstrated its love for Nigeria through various first-rated CSR activities. Some of which include scholarship awards to best engineering UNILAG students; visit to Idi-Ayunre community in Ibadan where they donated LG anti-mosquito air conditioners, as well as treated mosquito nets to the health centre, beach-cleaning activity to mark World Environment Day where staff of the organisation came together to clean an expansive beach in Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State and many other activities.

    The kids danced joyously to the sound of music supplied by the DJ on ground as others engaged in different games that were provided for the party.

  • Reasons most consumers prefer foreign rice

    Reasons most consumers prefer foreign rice

    There have been many write ups on why the majority of consumers prefer foreign rice to our locally manufactured rice. I have also walked into arguments on why consumers shun the local rice and reasons why they should embrace it.

    One of our problems in this country is that most times we do not admit the truth, not even to ourselves. We know the truth but we shy away from it. We try to politicise and even tribalise it. If we do not admit our errors, it will never be corrected. We must come to terms with our mistakes and short comings before we can seek ways to rectify them.

    For months now, I have been struggling to finish a bag of locally grown rice I bought. Despite the fact that rice meals are my favourite, I am struggling to go through the bag of rice because it is fraught with stones and sand. At the beginning, it’s not obvious, but as one gets to the middle of the bag of rice, one starts seeing stones. When cooked, the texture is good, with the colour okay and it does not come out sticky. But there is nothing as bad as unexpectedly biting stone or sand when you are enjoying a great meal. It completely turns one off.

    The said rice, ‘Mama’s Pride’ from the stables of Olam Rice, is cultivated in Nassarawa State. From the prints on the rice bag, it was processed by Agro and Technical Processing Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Olam Nigeria Ltd, Olam Rice farm, Rukubi, Doma LGA Nassarawa State.

    Ironically displayed on the rice bag also is the picture of an award for global quality excellence given to the company sometime ago. Also displayed on the bag is the logo of quality (NIS) from the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). Printed neatly below the logo is ‘Nigerian Mark of Quality’ and ‘FT-1663’.

    Of course, as can be seen from the rice bag, the company has also been issued with ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000 certificates by SON, mocking everything the government regulatory body for excellence and quality stands for.

    I am not here to disparage locally grown rice but we need to call a spade a spade in order to move forward. What brought about the popularity of imported long grain rice is because it comes par boiled, completely sorted of debris, stones, sand and chaff. It is a lot easier and more convenient to cook even when cooking for large crowd.

    Before the entrance of foreign rice, you had to pick stones etcetera from rice. As kids then, on Saturdays, we were made to pick stones and dirt from rice in preparation for the Sunday lunch. No matter how thorough one is, some stones and grains of sand still go into the supposedly sorted rice unnoticed.

    However, there are Nigerian rice brands that are completely de-stoned. Long grain Ebonyi Gold is so good that it can compare favourably with any imported rice. There are many other local brands like that.

    The Nigerian rice industry has really come a long way. We have recorded a lot of improvement. The past administration with its Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, updated agriculture in Nigeria more than any other government in our recent history.

    More than eight modern rice mills are currently producing rice in Nigeria but we need to identify our areas of challenges and weaknesses and work to improve on them. So many locally produced rice brands still contain stones and sand.

    In an interview with a staff of Olam Rice at their Iganmu Lagos office, he said that Olam Rice is usually stone-free as the company uses mechanised farming system.

    The staff who pleaded anonymity explained that “I am not exonerating the company, neither am I saying that the consumer is right. We will carry out investigations. If it is an internal problem then the consumer will be compensated.”

    Requesting for the batch number, he promised that investigations will be carried out. Explaining further, he said the company carry out random sampling of their products to ascertain the quality, adding that “one of the reasons we have batch numbers is in order to trace problem when such arises.”

    However, when the reporter demanded for the contact of the official spokesperson of the company, he declined, insisting that he was too busy to attend to the media. “In fact, at the moment, (24th August 24, 2017), he is in Abuja with the senators,” he declared. He equally declined to pass the reporter’s contact details to the said official spokesperson for the company.

    The Olam staff requested the reporter to forward the batch number found on the rice bag to him. Responding through a text message, he said, “I checked, but this is not matching our batch format. This is not our rice. Since we have multi screening system, stones are not possible in our finished product.”

    We need to focus on how to get rid of stones and sand from our rice. The issue of pricing also must be tackled. It must be made pocket friendly if we want consumers to patronise them.

     Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, even admitted in May this year that locally produced rice is more expensive than the imported ones.

     While responding to questions at a Town Hall meeting in Abuja, Ogbe pointed out that one of the major reasons was that most of the imported rice was subsided by the foreign governments.

    He disclosed that most of the imported rice are from Vietnam, India and Thailand.

    He further explained that the imported rice arrive at about 9,000 per bag, and are then sold at about N13,000 per bag to consumers unlike the local rice sold at about N16,000 per bag. Though market research reveals that currently 50kg imported rice like ‘Caprice’ sells for about N16,500 while the same size of Abakaliki rice sells for about N18,000.

    Ogbeh also decried the interest rates for farming loans.

    He said: “Our interest rates in this country are higher than the interest rate in most parts of the world.”

    He also revealed another reason for the high cost of local rice as the high cost of diesel to run generators in the farms, noting that “diesel went from N180 per litre to N300.”

    As the popular saying goes, ‘Rome was not built in a day’. If rice is not de-stoned, we appeal to producers to just notify consumers by printing it on the bag and if it is free of stones, they should also visibly print it on the bag. Already, some local rice producers do that. The ones free of stones usually are more expensive. Consumers have a right to that information.

  • LG explains technology behind OLED TV

    It was a gathering of media men and other stakeholders in the television industry, as the electronic giant, LG, explained the unique technology behind OLED TV, which makes the television to stand out amongst other brands.

    At the media event which took place recently in Lagos, the GM Home Entertainment Division, LG Electronics West Africa Operation, Mr. Vanjamin Kim, said that “As far as the TV market is concerned, OLED TV’s capability to deliver 4K picture quality with crystal clear images remains unbeatable in all ramifications. LG OLED TV simply delivers the best picture quality ever invented; there is none like it, no matter the brand or shape it comes in,” adding that the entry of OLED TV into the Nigerian consumer electronics market has no doubt raised the bar for other competing brands.

    Explaining the television’s superior features, he noted that LG 4K OLED TV with a resolution of 3840 x 2160p delivers cinematic colour for an amazing clear and incomparably beautiful Ultra HD picture quality to the delight of consumers. The ultra HD resolution, Kim clarified, is 4-times the resolution of full HD TV and it ensures every picture detail is revealed even as he pointed out that OLED TV comes with a sum of over 33 million sub-pixels heralding the display of a billion varieties of colours which aesthetically attracts it to consumers.

    Further commenting on the technology behind OLED TV, Kim said, “OLED TV is simply unbeatable in the consumer electronics market in comparison to what other brands are offering. The creative innovation used in designing the OLED TV would blow your mind any day any time with this; competitors have been placed on their toes for a long time to come.

    “The unparalleled beauty it adds to the quality output which is made possible by the in-built self-illuminating light and of course its ability to turn each pixel on or off is remarkably impressive; this allows the TV to display a perfect black and infinite contrast.. LG’s 4K OLED TV combines the intense detail of Ultra HD with a superior contrast and rich, accurate colour combination.”

     Expounding further, he said: “What consumers need to understand is that “QLED” is simply an LCD TV inserted with a Quantum Dot sheet which is the same structure as the 2016 SUHD TV. It is better described as part and parcel of the LED evolutionary technological trend which automatically qualifies it as one of the many TVs competing for LCD revolutionary technologies. This obviously places it in a class of its own.”

  • Watch your consumption of energy drinks

    Watch your consumption of energy drinks

    Some twenty years ago, energy drink was relatively unknown, especially in Nigeria and other less developed countries. Most people went about their business without using anything extra to boost their energy.

    Now, however, the story is different as many people have turned to energy drink as a means of extra fuel to get them through their daily responsibilities. But, how many of them are aware of the risks involved in consuming those drinks.

    “The first and only time I took energy drink,” said Mrs. Amarachi Eze “was in London on my way to work. I had slept poorly the previous night and had to be in the office by 7am.”

    Continuing, she said, “I bought a can of 250ml Red Bull energy drink and rushed into the train taking me to work. I did not think twice about drinking it as it was a very common drink amongst adults and teenagers.”

    “Anyway,” continued Eze, “while seated in the train, I started sipping my drink. But before I finished the drink, I started feeling light headed. It was as if my head was expanding. I felt generally uncomfortable but not energised.

    “I was surprised the way I reacted to the drink. I asked my colleagues most of whom take energy drinks and their experiences were far different from mine. For hours that day, I felt dreary and not myself. I never tried energy drink again,’’ she concluded.

    Nevertheless, Mr. Tobias Ejike’s story is quite different from Eze’s. “I was working as a Bouncer in a night club here in Lagos then. I was drinking energy drinks for extra energy in order to meet up with my work demands.

     Said Tobias Ejike: “Energy drink is very common amongst my colleagues. I started with 250ml of Red Bull and each time I take it I become so alert and energised that I will do 12 hours shift without getting tired.

    “But after a period of six months, I realised that a can of 250ml was no longer enough for me so I increased to about three cans every night. But before long, I became immune to Red Bull, so I changed to drinking 355ml ‘Emerge’ or ‘Relentless’ energy drinks. Meanwhile, most of my colleagues were already taking energy-giving tablets in addition to the energy drinks.

    “When I changed my job to a less demanding work, I stopped drinking energy drinks but I realised I was steadily having mild headaches. To my surprise, one day in the midst of my former colleagues who were drinking energy drink, though I was having headache, they coaxed me into drinking with them and I took some drinks and noticed after a while that the headache vanished.”

    Narrating further, Ejike said that “from that day, each time I had the headache, I would drink a little bit of energy drink and the headache will always clear. This went on for some months and after a while the headache stopped completely and since then, I have not gone back to energy drinks.

    Engineer Abimbola Kayode narrated his own experience thus: “I started taking energy drinks while working in the United States about ten years ago, and since then I am still taking it and some other strong energy-giving tablets like ‘Pro-plus’ as I can’t seem to stop taking it.”

    He warned that “One thing is that one starts by taking one can and before long you increase your intake and it just goes on, and before long one graduates to other harder substances.”

    A lot is being said about energy drinks. Most consumers just take the energy drinks for that burst of extra energy without knowing the side effects. Recently, a study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence warned that adolescents and young adults who consume many energy drinks are much more likely to use cocaine and amphetamines later in life.

    According to the study, people who drank large volumes of the highly caffeinated beverages were also much more likely to develop alcoholism than their peers.

    Researchers from the University of Maryland stated in the journal that “just over half of the 1,099 participants were deemed to be on a ‘persistent trajectory’ indicating they persistently used energy drinks over a four-year period. This significantly increased their risk of developing alcoholism by the age of 25.”

    Participants on the mid to high end of the spectrum studied had a significantly higher risk of moving on to drugs like cocaine and other stimulates.

    Consumers should also take note of some of the common ingredients that are added to these drinks for that quick energy boost.

    • Caffeine: The gold star in energy boosts, caffeine is commonly found in coffee and soft drinks to keep you alert and awake. It has been suggested that a combination of caffeine and taurine provides the mental and physical boost one would hope to obtain after consuming an energy drink.
    • Taurine: This is a type of amino acid commonly found in energy drinks, and enhances neurological function.
    • Vitamin B group. Various vitamin b groups are commonly found on labels of energy drinks, as most of them enhance muscular, metabolic, nervous, and other bodily functions.

     Here are some reasons why you should stay away from energy drinks:

    • Weight gain: Since pre-packaged energy drinks are often filled with high levels of sugar, they can be calorie bombs. Excessive sugar intake, when left unchecked, can lead to obesity, which opens the gateway for many other chronic medical problems. Be sure to treat energy drinks as rare, last-resort, energy boosting options rather than part of your regular daily diet.
    • Cardiovascular problems: Those who overdose on energy drinks are at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular problems, such as irregular, rapid heartbeat, and increased blood pressure. The worst case scenario would be heart failure.
    • Psychological hindrances: While that occasional energy drink can help enhance alertness, too much may actually decrease your ability to function. Nervousness, irritability and anxiety can increase overtime, as well as the uncomfortable and distracting “jitters” common in that of an over-caffeinated person. Insomnia or disruptive sleep cycles can also develop, which can lead to a lower quality of life over all.
    • Potential metabolic issues: When you drink an energy drink, you are encumbering your body to metabolise and process the overwhelming amount of vitamins, additives and sugars. Your body goes into overdrive and produces stress hormones to help cope with the task at hand. Over time, this inward and outward stress on your body can be more detrimental than helpful as metabolic issues may arise and lead to medical complications.
    • Dependence: Energy drinks can be highly addictive if used excessively on a daily basis. Withdrawal symptoms may be present if someone tries to stop, including headaches and mood swings.

    If you feel like an energy drink is still for you, be sure to utilise these tips when choosing a drink:

    • Try to limit energy drink intake to about 16 ounces, or 500 millilitres per day.
    • Drink plenty of water with an energy drink, as they are not meant to replenish your fluids but to give you a jolt of energy instead.
    • Stay away from energy drinks if you have underlying health conditions, such as pregnancy or cardiovascular problems.
    • Energy drinks are not recommended for young children.
    • Never mix energy drinks with alcohol. Although it is often a popular cocktail concoction, it can place a lot of stress on your body and heart, as you are mixing a stimulant (energy drink) with a depressant (alcohol). Your body will basically be fighting itself to act one way or the other.

    Energy drinks are fine when consumed in moderation. Habitual energy drink users may be better off with one to two cups of good old fashioned coffee as a more natural alternative without the additives and sugar. Seek a doctor’s opinion if you are constantly feeling fatigued or feel you’ve grown a dependency for energy drinks. Medical conditions, such as anaemia, can make a person more tired than usual.

    Additional Information from Mayo Clinic, US.

  • Lagos slumps as travel to Africa displays double-digit growth

    During the coming five months, August – December 2017, there will be 16% fewer airline seats on domestic routes and 9% fewer on international routes to and from Lagos

    An analysis of seat capacity for travel to the top ten international airports in Africa, produced by ForwardKeys, reveals that Lagos is seeing substantial declines in both domestic and international capacity, mainly because Arik Air is cutting 53% of its seats for the rest of 2017. During the coming five months, August – December 2017, there will be 16% fewer airline seats on domestic routes and 9% fewer on international routes to and from Lagos.Commenting on this data, Managing Director of AviaDev, Jon Howell, Africa’s leading airline route development conference, said: “One of the major reasons for falling arrivals by air to Nigeria, is the fact that many airlines could not repatriate funds after the currency crisis in 2016. As a result, Iberia and United Airlines have ceased operations to Nigeria, whilst Emirates and the other foreign carriers have scaled back services.

     The Nigerian airlines have suffered too and so this void has been filled by the ever-opportunistic Ethiopian Airlines, who began serving their fifth Nigerian destination, Kaduna, on 1st August 2017 and are now the largest carrier in the Nigerian market.”Most of the other airports in Africa’s top ten are seeing a healthy growth in capacity, which is more international than it is domestic. However, the most notable exception to this trend is Nairobi, which is seeing a 22% boost in domestic capacity.These findings are part of a wider report on travel to Africa, produced by ForwardKeys, which predicts future travel patterns by analysing 17 million booking transactions a day. It shows double digit growth in flight arrivals for the first half of this year and little indication that the pace of growth will slow down soon. The wider report will make encouraging reading for airlines, governments and hoteliers planning to discuss possible new aviation routes at AviaDev in Kigali in October. (AviaDev is organised by Bench Global Business Events.)The report reveals that in the first seven months of the year, 1st Jan – 31st July 2017, total international flight arrivals grew by 14.0% over the same period in 2016. Most significantly, growth was stronger for travel to and from the continent than within the continent. Arrivals from Europe, which make up 46% of the market, were up 13.2%. From the Americas, arrivals were up 17.6%; from the Middle East, they were up 14.0% and from Asia Pacific, they were up 18.4%.  By comparison, intra-African air travel, which makes up 26% of the market, was up 12.6%.Looking at Africa’s top ten destination countries, there have been stand-out performances from Tunisia and Egypt, which are recovering from notorious terrorist attacks two years ago, up 33.5% and 24.8% respectively. In addition, Morocco and Tunisia received a huge boost in arrivals from China, up 450% and 250% respectively, after they relaxed visa restrictions.

    The one disappointment is Nigeria, which has seen a 0.8% drop, in the wake of recession in 2016, caused by a collapse in the oil price to a 13-year low.Looking forward to the end of the calendar year, bookings for flights to Africa are currently 16.8% ahead of where they were on July 31st, 2016. Bookings from Europe are currently 17.5% ahead, from the Americas 26.6% ahead, from Asia Pacific 11.5% ahead, from the Middle East 8.2% ahead and bookings for intra-African air travel are 11.0% ahead.A specific look at East Africa shows very similar trends in year to date performance and outlook to the end of the year. However, it has stronger forward bookings from Europe, 22.9% ahead and less strong forward bookings from elsewhere; the Americas are 15.5% ahead and intra-African air travel 7.6% ahead. However, bookings from the Middle East and Asia Pacific are 6.0% and 3.8% behind respectively.On an individual airport level, the most significant capacity increase in East Africa is at Kigali, with new routes to Brussels, London and Mumbai. Other notable new capacity includes Kilimanjaro to Dubai and Nairobi to Muscat and to Yemen.    CEO, ForwardKeys, Olivier Jager, said: “The growth in air travel to Africa is impressive. However, it is notable that consumer demand and airline investment is greater in travel to African countries from outside the continent than it is between African countries.”

  • All you need know about red and white meat

    All you need know about red and white meat

    The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has been in the news  lately over plans by the bureau to benefit from five per cent of Passenger Service Charge (PSC) collected by the airport authority to bridge its funding challenges.But, stakeholders are kicking. In this interview with the AIB Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer, Akin Olateru, provides useful insights on the proposed charges and more to Kelvin Osa Okunbor. Excerpts: 

    Issues on red meat and white meat are inexhaustible. The same with arguments bordering on them. We have previously published stories, albeit from different angles, on meat but sometimes when you listen to people argue on this topic and see people at crossroads or dilemma over what is red or white meat, you cannot but delve into the subject again, though from a different angle.

    It is very common now to hear adults say ‘I do not eat meat or I do not eat red meat’. A majority of them base their decision on health grounds but the unfortunate thing is that when you ask them to differentiate between red and white meat, only very few will get it right.

    Sometimes, I wonder if we actually eat enough meat in this country as meat does not come cheap in Nigeria. Sometimes, I am pushed to believe that those that should desist from red meat are those in some countries like Europe, US etcetera who have surplus meat that they even eat meat as full meals, not some of us Nigerians that get to eat just a lump of beef with high mountain of garri or big plate of rice.

    However, Nutrition Consultant, Mrs. Dapo Coker, concurred that red meat should be eaten in moderation. After the age of 40, she advised, “we should reduce consumption drastically. You should cut it out after 50 years and eat more of fish and white meat with vegetables. Cholesterol is still a problem.”

    Speaking in an interview, she also cautioned that “at this age, reduce intake of fat, salt and sugar.” So for the benefit of most of us who are ignorant of this information, let us actually understand and differentiate red from white meat.

    However, red meat generally refers to meat that appears red before cooking. Beef, veal, lamb, mutton, venison, pork, goat, rabbit, buffalo meat (that is, meat from bison) and beefalo are all red meats. In fact, all meats derived from mammals are red meats. The United States Department of Agriculture considers all meats derived from livestock to be red meats.

    White meat refers to any light-coloured meat, such as fish, seafood, and particularly poultry. However, in a broader sense, it includes any of the meats that are considered to be less fatty in comparison with red meats. The term white meat comes from the fact that the meat of chicken is white in colour. Examples of white meat are animal proteins derived from birds (chicken, turkey, duck, pheasant, etc.), fish, reptiles (alligator meat), amphibians (frogs’ legs), crustaceans (lobster, shrimp, crab) or bivalves (oysters, clams, mussels). White meat is also given to lean meat.

    First, what makes the meat white or red? Red meats simply have more myoglobin, which are the cells that transport oxygen to muscles in the bloodstream. Muscles used more frequently are darker. This is why chicken and turkey legs are slightly darker than breast meat – because legs are used more, more myoglobin is present, creating a darker appearance.

    The biggest differ-ence between the two is fat content. White meat is a leaner source of protein, with a lower fat content. Red meat contains higher levels of fat, but also contains higher levels of vitamins like iron, zinc and B vitamins. The iron present in red meat is a type called heme iron, which is more easily absorbed by the body compared to iron found in plant sources. Because red meat is high in these vitamins, vegetarians and vegans are often found to be deficient, especially in B vitamins.

    Although it may contain more vitamins and minerals, high consumption of red meat has been correlated with increased incidence of certain cancers, specifically colorectal cancer.

    High-temperature cooking, like grilling, can form carcinogenic (cancer-causing) compounds in the meat. This is especially true for charred meats.

    Both white and red meat have benefits; if you eat meat, it’s a good idea to include small amount of both in your diet. Opt for leaner cuts of red meat, like those that end in “-loin” (sirloin, tenderloin, etc). Further, trim visible fat around the edges to reduce fat intake and avoid charring while cooking. In this way, you can try to reduce the disadvantages of eating red meat.

    Most doctors say to avoid red meat, so I guess you can say white is better. But I think the main thing is to avoid saturated fat which leads to cholesterol.

    It may also interest you to know what is in the Holy book, the ‘Bible’. The day somebody called my attention to it I was so flabbergasted that I was bemused for days. According to King James Version, the book of 1st Timothy Chapter 4, Verses 1-5. “Now the spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devil, speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meat which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

    Verses 4 and 5 say, “For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanks giving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”

    Please, we shall welcome reactions and contributions from readers.

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  • Freetel partners TD Mobile

    Alvan Ikoku Conference hall of Renaissance Hotel, Lagos, was filled to the brim as media men, prominent stakeholders in the Information Technology Industry eagerly converged to witness the unveiling of ‘Freetel’, Japan’s largest selling smart phone in Nigeria.

    As the Japanese smart phone makes its grand entry into the Nigerian market in partnership with TD Mobile devices distributor in Sub-Sahara Africa, Vice President, International Sales, Freetel, Eugene Yoshioka, said that the company plans to invest in the country with a full-fledged subsidiary to support sales, marketing and other after sales support.

    Explaining on why the telephone company chose to establish in Nigeria, he noted that Nigeria has a huge population adding that “Nigeria and Egypt are the markets we have established in the African region. Nigeria is the market for Freetel and we are looking forward to reaching out to Nigerian consumers with our latest smart phones.”

    Reacting to a question about foreign company’s using Nigeria as dumping ground for substandard products, Yoshioka emphasised that Freetel smart phones were designed in the state of the art design centre in Tokyo and manufactured under the supervision of Japanese engineers with over 40 years experience.

    Assuring consumers of the high quality of the mobile smart phones, Yoshioka said that Freetel’s smart phones are Google’s GMS certified and quality checked by Japanese engineering experts. The GMS certification, he explained, is the confirmation that a specific device meets Google’s performance requirements and properly runs the Google Apps.

    Also speaking at the event, the company’s Head of Business for Middle East/Africa, Mr. Anish Mathew, disclosed that the giant phone maker will bring four different models of its Andriod smart phones into the Nigerian market with prices ranging from N13,500 to N35,000. The prices, he said, were fixed to be consumer-friendly after careful consideration of the present difficult economic situation of Nigeria.

    These phones with 1-year warranty on some of its components will be available later this month in the market, across 10 major cities in Nigeria. The cities include Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan etcetera.

    Giving credence to what Yoshioka said about the quality of the phone, Mathew explained that the mobile communication company was founded by a few enthusiastic telecom experts in 2012 in the city of Toyko, Japan, with a clear vision to re-create the Japanese quality smart phones at affordable prices. It is of interest to know that Freetel started its expansion programme since November 2015 in Asia, North America, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. The Freetel devices are currently available in 20 countries including two African markets of Egypt and Ghana respectively.

    Also speaking at the event, Managing Director, TD Mobile, Mrs. Gozy Ijogun, said, “As a key driver of the technology revolution in Africa, TD Mobile has always strived to bring the latest and best of technology products to Nigeria and the West Africa region by extension. In line with this, Freetel and TD Mobile have entered into an exclusive partnership to bring Japanese smart phones to Nigeria. We believe we can capture a major market share with the help of our extensive distribution reach and strategic partnership with operators, dealers and retailers.”

     Speaking further, Ijogun noted that “as a subsidiary of ICT distribution power-house, Technology Distribution limited (TD Africa), it will add the Freetel brand to a growing list of international brands represented in line with its status as the biggest mobile devices distributor in the West African sub-region. Considering its wide reach, distribution network, massive retailer base and unmatched presence in major Nigerian cities and other West Africa capitals; the partnership will see the company deploy its latest capacity in taking the line-up of products from the Freetel stable to every action in the metropolis, as well as every nook and cranny in the hinterlands.”

  • ‘Paints manufacturers face tough times’

    The Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Chemstar Paints Industry Nigeria Limited, manufacturers of Finecoat and Shield Paints, Aderemi Awode, has said the last three years have been very tough and challenging for the paints industry in the country.

    He attributed this to the high rate of foreign exchange, given the fact that over 60 per cent of the raw materials are imported, and coupled with the low disposable income of the people.

    Speaking in Lagos at the company’s 2017 GMD/CEO Annual Merit Award, (GAMA), he said despite the challenges, Chemstar Paints Industry found it extremely imperative to reward its outstanding and long time members of staff.

    According to him, “For the paints industry, it has been so tough and challenging in the last three years. The high rate of foreign exchange and low income of Nigerians, even though paints are the last in the chains of people’s demand, have affected our capacity utilisation.

    “So also, the issue of power in the country remains unresolved and which we rely mostly on diesel to power our generators. However, we still keep running the company without meaningful profit in the last three years.”

    He said he was particularly impressed with the passion and commitment of the staff towards competition and growth of the company, adding that the annual competition was introduced few years ago to reward hard working staff.

    Winners of various competitions and raffle draw smiled home with cash reward and gift items including plaques, medals, home theatres, refrigerators, generators, LED plasma TVs, DVD players, GOtv decoders, blenders, electric kettles and host of others.

    The 2017 GAMA Best Staff, Kehinde Oriyombo Adenuga, who has served the company meritoriously for 12 years, was lauded by the GMD and management of the company for his worthy service, which earned him the award.

  • Healthiest culinary oils

    Healthiest culinary oils

    Since our last detailed write up on palm oil, many of our readers have bombarded us with questions on vegetable cooking oil. There is so much to write on vegetable oil but we shall be taking it step by step due to space constraint.

    Not all oils are created equal. A necessary item for cooking and baking, oil is a classic staple in any kitchen. But which oils are best for handling the heat? You know you can sprinkle extra-virgin olive oil on bread or a salad, but is it the best cooking oil? With a dizzying array of options now on store shelves, choosing the best oil to sizzle your burgers or fry plantain can seem like a more daunting task.

    CANOLA OIL

    This now ubiquitous oil hails from the brownish yellow seeds of a variation of the rapeseed plant that is in the same native as cabbage and broccoli. The crossbreed was developed to contain much lower levels of potentially toxic erucic acid. The seeds are crushed to extrude their naturally occurring liquid fat. The plant is largely grown in the Canadian prairies hence, the “can” in “canola.”Canola is a stellar cooking oil because it has a neutral flavour, light texture, and a fairly high heat tolerance. You can use it in recipes such as stir-fry without impacting the taste. It’s also a budget-friendly option for your frying pan. Another big upside is that, compared to many other vegetable oils, canola has a healthier omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio of about 2-to-1. In comparison, corn oil has a ratio of 7-to-1.

    LIGHT OLIVE OIL

    Olive oils labelled “light” are not lower in calories than their extra-virgin counterparts. This just means that the oil has been filtered to put forth a product with a lighter taste, colour, and texture. The light variety of olive oil has a more neutral flavour and higher smoke point. An oil’s smoke point is the temperature at which it begins to smoke and potentially starts to break down and create carcinogenic substances that could sour your health—than extra virgin, so it is a better choice for high-heat cooking or for use in baked goods when you do not want a strong olive-oil flavour.

    While the refining process lays waste to much of the antioxidants in olive oil, data suggests extra-virgin olive oil can lose some of its antioxidant heft when heated. While lacking the antioxidant firepower of extra virgin, light olive oil does also provide high amounts of monounsaturated fat, which may help in the battle of the bulge by improving important measures of metabolism such as fat oxidation to a greater degree than other fats.

    AVOCADO OIL

    If you are going to splurge on one cooking oil, consider avocado. This culinary oil is extracted from the flesh (not the seed) of ripe avocados, and it just happens to have the highest smoke point (about 520 degrees F) of any plant oil. Therefore, you can safely use ultra versatile avocado oil for any of your cooking needs, while its buttery flavour is also wonderful in non cooking uses such as salad dressings, sauces, or drizzled over pureed soups.

    Avocado oil is especially rich in monounsaturated fat, which improves cholesterol. The oil also supplies lutein, an antioxidant shown to bolster eye health. ,In addition, avocado oil can improve the absorption of fat soluble antioxidants like beta-carotene and lycopene present in vegetables.

    Need to Know: Air, heat, and light are the archenemies of oils like avocado. Store them in a cool, dark place like a cupboard away from the oven to delay rancidity and prolong shelf life.

    REFINED COCONUT OIL

    While unrefined coconut oil (often labelled “virgin”) can make your diet taste like a tropical vacation, you may not always want your pan-seared chicken breast to remind you of a macaroon. On top of having less of a coconutty flavour and aroma, refined coconut oil also has a higher smoke point about 400 degrees F than its virgin counterpart, making it a better option for sautéing and stir-frying.

    While unrefined coconut oil likely has higher amounts of naturally occurring antioxidants, refined coconut oil does retain the high levels of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Because of their unique structure, MCTs are more likely to burned for energy in the liver rather than being stored as body fat. While the weight-loss powers of coconut oil have largely been overblown, a 2015 report in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics , which reviewed several studies, did indeed find evidence that replacing some of the long-chain fatty acids in the diet with MCTs like those found in coconut oil may bring about reductions in fat mass.7

    RICE-BRAN OIL

    While not as common on grocery-store shelves, it’s worth seeking out this oil if you are a fan of tossing around meat in the frying pan or wok. Common in Japanese kitchens, this delicate-tasting oil is extracted from the germ and inner husk of rice, which is removed when brown rice becomes white. With a smoke point of nearly 500 degrees F, rice oil is a great choice for high heat cooking such as stir-frying, broiling, and grilling. It’s this ability to handle the heat that makes rice oil popular in Asian cuisine, which relies heavily on high temperature meal preparation.

    Nearly 80 percent of the calories in rice bran oil hails from heart healthy unsaturated fats, while research suggests that an antioxidant compound in the oil called gamma-oryzanol can improve cholesterol levels, making this another reason why rice bran oil is a champion for heart health. You can also count on rice oil as a source of vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that helps protect your cells, including muscle cells, from free-radical damage. It also has a long shelf life and therefore is less prone to rancidity than many other oils.

    COOKING OILS TO AVOID

    Remember, the oils above are golden, but one oil you might want to keep out of the frying pan is sunflower. A British investigation found that this oil from the sun-worshiping plant produced aldehydes, potentially cancer-causing compounds, at levels 20 times higher than that recommended by the World Health Organisation in response to heating.

    Corn oil was also found to possess disturbing amounts of aldehydes, whereas olive oil, canola oil, butter, and even goose fat produced far fewer aldehydes when heated. While there is no published data linking sunflower oil to an increased risk of cancer risk, you may want to limit its use when cooking.

    BUT WHAT ABOUT COOKING SPRAY?

    Many bodybuilders use cooking sprays to coat their skillets and baking pans without the volume of oil that comes with cooking oils. What are the advantages and disadvantages to these sprays for the fitness-minded, you ask?

    A short spray about 1/4 second delivers nearly 0 calories, meaning there is a significant calorie savings versus using straight up oil. An FDA loophole allows the nutrition facts panel to claim 0 calories by permitting the manufacturer to state an unrealistic spray time and rounding down the calories. Most people will spray for longer, so you do end up with a few calories, but this amount is still likely negligible.

    While you will save on calories, keep in mind that when you rely solely on these sprays, you will miss out on some of the beneficial fats and other compounds found in oils. Also, some may find an ingredient list that includes “propellant” to be of concern. This is a food-grade propellant made from hydrocarbons such as butane and propane. Levels released when you spray your skillet in preparation for making a batch of flapjacks have been shown to be significantly lower than what could pose a toxicity risk.

    • Additional report from Mathew Kadey, nutritionist.
  • LG introduces new washing machine

    LG introduces new washing machine

    It was all glitz and excitement as the leading electronics giant in home appliances, LG, recently introduced into the Nigerian market the LG TWINWash washing machine giving users the opportunity of washing two loads at the same time.

    At the media event held at the Palms Lekki, Lagos, Mr. Jiung Park, General Manager, Home Appliances, LG West Africa Operations, said that “this latest washing machine is all about efficiency and innovation, helping to get more clothes cleaner in less time. It is unique and redefines the concept of laundry. LG is raising the bar to a new level of home appliance innovation generating a whole new set of washing options.”

    Expounding, he said the LG TWINWash offers a new dimension of convenience and time saving by significantly cutting down on washing time as multiple loads of laundry can now be done simultaneously.

    The powerful main washer handles the bulks of the laundry, while the TWINWash Mini can be set to run a different wash cycle. Smaller loads can be washed when needed without having to wait until a full wash load has accumulated, saving user time. It is perfect for delicate or specialised fabrics that require wash setting such as lingerie or baby clothes and even the gym wear which can also be separated from whites.

    Speaking further on this unique and impressive technology, Park said, “At LG Electronics, we are committed to making life better for consumers around the world by providing thoughtfully designed products that offer powerful performance with uncompromised reliability. Our industry’s TWINWash is an epitome of the superiority of technology that we offer and we are optimistic that our consumers will enjoy a whole new level of washing with the world’s first LG TWINWash”

    The washing machine also features LG’s unique TurboWash 2.0 technology with its

    nozzles positioned inside the drum of the main washer spraying a concentrated solution of detergent directly onto the clothes, improving the unit’s cleaning performance. Another high pressure nozzle sprays tiny water particles through the clothes during high spin cycles for more effective rinsing.

    The revolutionary inverter direct drive motor at the heart of the LG TWINWash is attached directly to the drum, improving efficiency and reducing the number of moving parts, leading to enhanced durability. Also, the washing machine’s energy monitoring feature provides helpful data while LG’s proprietary HomeChat service allows users to check the status of their washing machine using everyday natural language.

    In addition to its fashioned premium ergonomic design, the LG TWINWash is fitted in the space of a typical front load washing machine, so nothing is sacrificed for the added convenience. The door of the main washer is aligned with the drum’s centre, positioned higher than on conventional models and tilted at an angle to make loading and unloading the main drum easier. “The revolution of this product offers a wide range solution to the age old problem of when to do the laundry,” said Park.

    “Home owners will never think of laundry the same way ever again because with TWINWash, laundry day can be any day of the week. It’s this kind of innovative thinking that has propelled LG to the front of the pack in the washing machine segment.”