The Nation Newspaper

Tag: firm

  • Firm to increase market share

    The Creative Network International (CNI) is seeking ways to increase its market share.

    Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Allen Loh said the company has not done enough since it started the distribution of health coffee and 24 other products in Nigeria three years ago.

    Loh, who spoke at a seminar organised by his company for prospective distributors, said CNI was new in Nigeria, and as such, yet to build the needed network.

    He said the company was looking for distributors to push its products to all nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

    Loh urged would-be distributors to take advantage of the opportunity opened to them.

    He said the firm has been in existence for over 30 years in Malaysia and Indonesia, marketing health and wellness products, such as Tongkat Ali and Suri and Green Tea-White Coffees, among others.

    He said CNI has also inaugurated a promo to boost sales and encouraged would-be distributors to join the company network of sellers.

    This, he said, would run through July.

    “We have created a unique way for distributors to maximise their profit and empower themselves.

    “Aside the fact that they would make profit, we have also made provision for bonus. So, it is a win-win situation for everybody,” Loh said.

    Head, Business Development, Keat Ng Yuan said Nigeria is the first market for all CNI products in Africa.

    He said the products have been very successful in Asia, adding that it would soon be widely acceptable in Nigeria because of their quality and efficacy.

    The company products, he said, can be sold at airports, schools and eateries, among others.

    “This is how the products are being marketed in Malaysia and Indonesia,” Yuan said.

  • Firm petitions South African High Commission over visa refusal

    THE  Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Hartford Consulting, Mr. Adebayo Akinwunmi, has petitioned the South African High Commission “to re-consider its hard stance” on issuance of visa to its employees.

    The firm, in a statement, said:”Both the Nigerian and South African companies involved in this project stand to lose huge funds should the project be cancelled”.

    Akinwunmi added:”On April 16, 2015, my company applied for entry visas to South Africa for three of our staff to attend a scheduled training for April 27 – May 8, 2015, with a letter supporting our application from our partner: CQS (Pty) Ltd, Dunkeld West, South Africa. It was however, surprising that despite fulfilling the visa requirements, no visa was issued and the reason given was that the date for the training had passed.

    “In making sure no excuses were given by the High Commission which was already foot-dragging on the visaissuance when the original training date drewnear, Hartford had pre-emptively informed CQS to change the date and was obliged which both companies adequately communicated to the High Commission with proof of acknowledgement.

    “We are implementing a technology project in partnership with CQS. My team working with CQS on this project were scheduled to attend training in South Africa as part of the project and obligations of CQS but their visas were denied.

    “This is a critical stage for the project hence this visa denial and the consequent inability to attend this particular training poses a major risk of cancellation to the agreement with CQS which will not be able to meet part of its obligations on the project which is to deliver knowledge transfer to effectively provide local content and support for the project. I personally contacted the Embassy and was put on hold for 35 minutes without success. I later wrote them and received a couple of emails acknowledging my mail with promises to get back to me. I am yet to receive further correspondence on the matter and it has been over three weeks now.”

  • Firm launches mobile emergency medical care

    A non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the auspices of Doctors on Call Health Initiative has developed a new innovation, known as Telemedicine, to carter mostly for rural dwellers and address cases of medical emergencies.

    The organisation said it has assembled more than 50 doctors aside hundreds of nurses and other medical personnel as part of the team to respond to any emergency from residents of the FCT.

    The firm’s Principal Consultant and Project Head, Dr. Adeloye Adejobi, said the purpose of the innovation is to bring health care access to rural locations by enabling practitioners evaluate, diagnose and treat patient remotely using the latest telecommunications technology.

    He also revealed that their latest discovery was as a result of more than two year research, which he said has received two awards from both the World Bank and the IMF.

    Adejobi further explained that the new medical technology allows patients to receive expert medical care without having to travel.

    “Rural health care practitioners can use telemedicine products to capture and transmit medical data and images to peers and specialists whenever necessary, allowing for cost-efficient expert consultations and improved patient care.

    “Telemedicine enables practitioners to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients remotely using the latest telecommunications technology. In many situations, telemedicine offers numerous benefits as an alternative to traditional in-person medical care.

    “Many patients find it difficult to travel to clinics, hospitals, or doctors’ offices for any number of reasons. Telemedicine can be a great option for patients with unique challenges or in situations making it difficult to travel to receive traditional care.”

    According to him, the new health care service can be used to monitor discharged patients and track patient recovery and also facilitating communication between doctors and patients.

    He added that “Research shows that the use of telehealth technologies results in many positive outcomes is including fewer hospital re-admissions, more faithful following of prescribed courses of treatment, and faster recovery than that of patients not receiving remote intervention.

    “Telemedicine allows hospitals to create networks to provide each other with support. By easily sharing their expertise outside their own institutions, doctors can offer incredible value to their medical colleagues and those colleagues’ patients.”

  • Firm, US agency partner on affordable drug

    Bayer Healthcare and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are collaborating  to make Microgyon® Fe Oral Contraceptive available and affordable in Nigeria.

    The company said the drug is now available in local pharmacies at a significantly lower price.

    The reduced price was announced  in Abuja, at the innovative public-private partnership between Bayer HealthCare and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

    The brand is the world’s most widely used oral contraceptive.

    The reduced price will enable middle-income couples to access a quality, affordable family planning product.

    The partnership is designed to make more affordable family planning choices available to women through the private sector and address the growing demand for contraceptives and the overall sustainability of supply.

    Family planning allows couples to plan their families as they desire, reduces the risks from unintended and/or high-risk pregnancies, and improves the health of mothers and their children by allowing time between pregnancies.

    USAID Nigeria’s Director, Health, Population and Nutrition Office, Dr. Nancy Lawenthal, emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships in helping governments meet their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

    “We are pleased that this important initiative between USAID and Bayer Healthcare is being extended to Nigeria. The private sector has an important role to play in contributing to sustainable development and in this case, by ensuring that Nigerian women have access to a sustainable supply of quality, affordable oral contraceptives,” he stated.

    Dr. O.I. Akinola, Obstetrician/Gyneacologist, and President of the OB/GYN Society of Nigeria (SOGON) said, “Combined oral contraceptives are 99 per cent effective when used consistently and correctly. It also provides women with a reversible method that is easy to discontinue and has a rapid return to fertility. The drug is being used by millions of women around the world and is well known and trusted by medical professionals.”

    Women interested in finding out more information about Microgynon® Fe should talk with their nearest private healthcare provider.

    The drug is manufactured in Germany by Bayer HealthCare and imported to Nigeria by CHI Pharmaceuticals.

  • Firm to increase hypertension check in Nigeria

    Omron Healthcare is seeking to ensure every home in Nigeria has a blood pressure monitor to check hypertension – a killer disease.

    Its President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Europe, Mr Andre Van Gils said the disease is a killer that should be addressed promptly because most hypertensives do not know they have it.

    Gils spoke at a conference organised by Omron’s partner, New Heights Pharmaceuticals (NHP) in Lagos.

    He said the best way to tackle it is through prevention, which could only be achieved by monitoring the blood pressure numbers regularly.

    “One in three adults in the country has high blood pressure (HBP). The device would ensure people do more home measurement of the blood pressure,” he said.

    Gils said many people did not use the monitor, and as such the company had no market share in Nigeria despite being one of the largest in the world. “One out of every two monitor sold is from our firm,” he added.

    He said Omron, which is a Japanese company, has been addressing lifestyle-related diseases, such as hypertension, and respiratory diseases like asthma.

    “We will help the children who are asthmatic get better. We will also educate healthcare workers on the disease.

    “Our company was established over 80 years and it has been working for the benefit of the society. This will be replicated in Nigeria. We are all about quality, accuracy and durability,” Gils said.

    He said there is a 10-year plan to develop healthcare industry in Nigeria.

    “Our main goal is to create awareness. We will see how fast we can increase awareness in Lagos. We will also see how we can help hospitals in the country. In most markets, it takes between five to 10 years. I cannot commit to a number but there will be improvement,” Gils said.

    The president advised the people to reduce their salt intake, exercise regularly and embrace nutrition, among other prevention strategies.

    Managing Director, NHP, Mr Omaruaye Ogheneochuko said people, especially adults, who are more susceptible to the disease, should be more responsive to their health. “Nobody would take care of you than yourself,” he added.

    He said the health system is not what it should be, hence the need for people to have monitors to prevent it.

  • Online firm to launch TV show

    Online firm to launch TV show

    Online content provider Ndani TV has announced plan to launch its new online content bouquet ‘The Ndani Series Bouquet’ next month.

    The bouquet is being powered by GTBank Plc.  It contains four new shows: ‘Real Talk’ with Cornelia O’dwyer, ‘Skinny Girl in Transit’, ‘One Chance’ and ‘African Dream’.

    It features an all-new season two of its popular series, ‘Officer Titus’, which tells the story of a traffic law enforcement officer in  Lagos.

    Ndani TV is excited about the new series as they mark another achievement in online content, highlighting the continuous growth the brand has embarked on in the last three years in terms of promoting contemporary African culture through great online content.

    The goal of Ndani TV is not just to create great online content with spectacular visuals, but also to tell African stories to Africans in Africa, in the Diaspora and to the rest of the world.

    Ndani TV will appeal to a wide audience, as the content  covers various genres from comedy, thriller, drama to inspirational and entertainment talk shows.

    Head of Production, Ndani TV, Agnes Marquis, said: “The stories that we tell on Ndani TV are not just well crafted, but are created from the everyday realities of the average youth, the complexities of everyday living, the comedy of our lives, living in the cosmopolitan city of Lagos, which is especially reflected in the series ‘Officer Titus’.’’

    The Ndani TV is the creator of hit TV shows, Gidi Up, ‘The Juice’ and ‘The Interview’ with Frank Donga.

  • Firm leads others in $1.5b Badagry dry dock project

    Firm leads others in $1.5b Badagry dry dock project

    The Badagry Ship Repair Marine Engineering Consortium (BSMEC)  has emerged the lead investor in the $1.5 billion dockyard project being facilitated by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG). The project will be sited in Badagry, Lagos State.

    The BSMEC Consortium, which include Sifax Logistics and Marine Services Limited, SIVC Infrastructure, DMCC (Sahara Group Limited), Japaul Oil and Maritime Services Plc, Energy Nature Limited and GMT Energy Services Limited, is expected to take the initiative going forward, in financing and driving progress related to the successful actualisation of the project.

    The project will also have financial and technical involvement of the two Korean ship-builders – Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) investing tens of millions of dollars.  Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) will also be providing financial consultancy and support.

    During a courtesy visit to NLNG in Abuja, by a delegation representing the group, the consortium’s Chairman, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, reaffirmed BSMEC’s commitment to the ship dockyard project, adding that the consortium was fully aligned with NLNG’s aspiration for Nigeria to have a major shipyard that can deliver quality services, while increasing Nigerian content development in the oil and gas sector.

    “NLNG, as a pioneer promoter of the Nigerian Content Development remains an inspiration for Nigerian organisations and a testimony of what is truly achievable by Nigerians through vision, patriotic commitment, discipline, shared values and proactive community development. Its organisational structure and processes are worthy of emulation as the fourth largest LNG plant in the world,” Dr. Afolabi stated.

  • Firm opens new arbitration, mediation centre

    Firm opens new arbitration, mediation centre

    The law firm of Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL) has opened its new arbitration and mediation centre at 10 Ilabere Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Its Director Mrs Priscilla Ogwemoh, said OAL provides legal services to a broad spectrum of clients.

    Its practice areas include Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), litigation, banking and finance, corporate and  commercial law practice, maritime, energy and natural resources to mention a few.

    Ogwemoh said: “As a responsive commercial lawyers, OAL understands that clients now try to avoid litigation as a first option in resolution of commercial, dispute.

    “Companies and private individuals now require new ways to circumvent the slow judicial process and encourage accelerated and quick resolution of disputes.

    “The firm became one of the foremost law firms in Nigeria to introduce law firm annexed ADR Centre, a destination where disputes are amicably resolved out of court to the satisfaction of client’s commercial exigencies.

    “To satisfy its clientele and interested public, OAL recently expanded and relocated the ADR center to Ilabere Avenue, Ikoyi. The beautifully designed office and its new location depict taste for serenity, accessibility and exclusivity.

    “The center will provide services including designing and setting up of Alternative Dispute Resolution Framework peculiar to companies operations, representation in arbitration and ADR proceedings as well provide design for mono or hybrid ADR systems depending on evaluation and assessment of company operations and dispute scenarios.”

  • Firm petitions EFCC, CBN over N750m deposit

    A consulting firm, OG Consulting has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N750 million unpaid deposit by a Lagos-based Mortgage Bank, Resort Savings and Loan Plc against one of its client.

    The firm alleged that one of its clients had invested about  N750 million in Resort Saving and Loans Plc on October 10, last year under the agreement that the investment will mature within one year at an interest rate agreed at 15 per cent interest.

    It claimed that since the maturity of the investment on January 8, this year, the mortgage institution, Resort Saving and Loan Plc has declined to pay back the initial investment and the accrued interest.

    Copies of the petition has also been forwarded by the firm to the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and  Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the matter.

    The firm further alleged that after several correspondents with the management of the mortgage  bank, the financial institution only managed to pay back about N200 million recently, leaving a balance of N550 million plus interest.

    According to the firm, the finance house has several times reneged on its promise to pay up the balance on different dates it promised to do so thereby lending credence to the possibility that  it may be facing liquidity crises.

    OG Consulting, therefore, urged the EFCC and other relevant authorities to compel Resort Savings to pay back its client’s outstanding balance, noting that other investors in the finance house might be facing similar challenges in getting back their investments.

    Reacting to the allegation, the management of Resort Saving and Loans Plc in a statement said its inability  to keep its side of the bargain on the deposit was not deliberate, explaining that the bank holds its customers in high esteem.

    The statement said the agreement reached between the client in question and the bank is sacrosanct, urging him to be patient.                                                                                                               The bank further explained that the delay in paying the balance of the deposit was due to slow disposal of properties in its portfolio, adding that arrangements were being made to fulfill the agreement reached with the customer.

    “As a bank, we are committed to best practices and we will like to appeal to our client to be patient as we are working at ensuring that we keep our own side of the deal.

    “ We have paid a reasonable part of the deposit in question while the outstanding will be paid as soon as possible in line with the agreement. All we want from our client is patience. We will surely keep our words,” the statement added.

    A Managing Partner in the consulting firm, Mr Oladimeji Abolaji, told reporters that they would explore other measures within the confines of the law to retrieve the investment made into Resort Savings and Loans Plc.

  • Firm launches new Japanese NGK plugs

    A firm, Asahi Brands Limited, a member of the Kewalram Chanrai Group, has launched the new NGK spark plugs in Nigeria.

    The plugs, made in Japan, will be distributed along with those made in NGK’s factory in Brazil.

    The group’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Victor Eburajolo, at a briefing to launch the Japanese brand, said Asahi would continue to distribute the full range of only genuine NGK plugsý through its six branches and authorised dealers

    “We’ll educate the public on how to identify genuine NGK plugs from fake ones. Asahi is associated with NGK from the last three decades and holds the number one position in the spark plug market.

    “Asahi will source for NGK plugs from all NGK factories, including Brazil and Japan, and ensure that only genuine ones are sold,” he said.

    Managing Director, NGK Spark Plug Middle East FZE, Mr. Hisataka Sato,  said the company offers the highest quality products for virtually every vehicle.

    According to him, a genuine NGK plug has a lifespan of between 40,000km to 100,000km depending on the type, all of which are available in Nigeria.

    “NGK is the world leader in spark plugs and known for its high quality and wide range of products. All plugs come direct from NGK plants and assure 100 per cent genuine supply,” he added.

    NGK’s Manager Yoji Kawanishi said the company, based in Nagoya, Japan, employs over 10,407 people and operates seven liaison offices, 12 sales offices, 13 production sites and two technical centres worldwide.