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Tag: industry

  • Jigawa not owing workers, pensioners – Governor

    Jigawa not owing workers, pensioners – Governor

    Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa said his administration is not indebted to any worker or retiree as salaries and pension are always paid promptly.

    Badaru stated this in Dutse on Wednesday when he received members of Nigerians Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NICCIMA), led by its National President, Dr Bassey Edem .

    He said despite the dwindling revenue, his administration had ensured prompt payment of salaries and pensions to civil servants and retirees in the state.

    The governor explained that the state government was able to achieve this through cost reduction in all its expenditures.

    Badaru added that the state government had N17 billion in its pension board, as such the entitlements of pensioners were secured.

    He, however, lamented that he took over the state at a very challenging time, inheriting about N117 billion debt.

    The governor said that he met only N16 million in the retention account.

    “I became the governor at a very challenging time; the retention account was exhausted; I inherited only N16 million in it.

    “I also inherited about N117 billion debt and the revenue keeps dropping month after month but we were able to manage the situation. “he said.

  • ‘Book industry needs attention’

    Chairman of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT), Alhaji Rilwanu Abdulsalami, has called on the government to pay better attention to the book industry.

    In his welcome address at the international conference of the 15th Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF) held at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) last week, Abdulsalami lamented that the book industry faces challenges that the government has not addressed due to neglect.  He advised the government to collaborate with stakeholders in the industry to initiate progressive policies.

    Abdulsalami said: “It is a known fact that over a period of time government has not paid attention to the book industry despite the myriad of challenges it faces right from when the manuscript is conceived up to the user. The persistent rise in the exchange rate of the naira with foreign currencies has affected the production and sale of the printed book going by the fact that most books used in Nigeria are published abroad.  May I assure the distinguished personalities of the readiness of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT) to partner with government in drawing up policies or legislation needed to ameliorate the situation.”

    The NBFT boss also urged the Federal Government to assess the industry’s contribution to the economy so it is better appreciated.

    “In view of the last rebasing of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Nigeria by the National Bureau of Statistics, I believe it is high time the contributions of the book industry to the GDP be evaluated to ascertain the percentage of the contributions made,” he said.

    Explaining the choice of the theme for this year’s weeklong fair: “Book: The Untapped Entertainment Treasure in Africa”, Abdusalami, who is also the president, Nigeria Library Association, said the books remain an important tool for youth development despite the advances in digital technology.

    His view was shared by the keynote speaker, Prof Hope Eghagha, who in his paper titled: “’My Husband’s House is No Longer a Forest of Books’: The Spirit of Lawino and the Culture of Reading”, chronicled the negative effects of social media culture on reading and writing skills of young people.  While the older generation was raised with physical books, Eghagha lamented that young ones are being raised in a virtual era that affects their foundation.

    He said: “My generation grew up in a culture that displayed books on a shelf in the living room. These days, it is no longer part of the culture to encounter a library in homes. A replacement has been found in the stereo, home theatre, and CDs. Twenty years ago, we also enjoyed reading novels as a pastime. The average youth in current day Nigeria hardly reads books outside the recommended texts.  Indeed in some English department courses, some students manage not to read recommended texts before writing the examination. Some have even boasted that they graduated without ever visiting the library throughout their years of study in the university.”

    Eghagha described the growth of the social media culture as a distraction that has done the youth little good.

    “One of the reasons therefore why reading for pleasure is no longer a pastime, is the level of distraction caused by the arrival of the Internet and games. The smart phone and its attractions have not given reading for pleasure a chance. It is chatty, handy, cool, explorative and diversionary,” he said.

    To address the challenges of the virtual era and bring back the forest of books, Eghagha recommended that physical books should be allowed to thrive along with virtual versions.

    “The forest of books like the groundnut pyramid of northern Nigeria must return to the educational landscape through deliberate planning and execution. By law, in the next 20 years, all institutions of higher learning must provide twenty-four hours of internet service within the campuses. It is the only way our youth can compete with their peers outside the continent. Every local government area must have physical library where individuals can have access to both hard and soft copies of books required for mental development,” he said.

    He also called on the government to remove the tariff on books and construct public libraries in all local government areas of the country.

    The weeklong fair featured book exhibitions, workshops for teachers and school owners, children’s programmes, business meetings, among others.

  • Nigeria logistics industry braces for change

    The recovery of the  economy is on track in most key sectors, an annual benchmark report released by National Logistics Strategy Conference held in Lagos has revealed. The report said Nigeria’s logistics sector was poised for accelerated growth this year.

    According to the report, the magnitude and breadth of recovery across sectors is “surprisingly strong”, led by ramp up in transport infrastructure, and other initiatives.

    Estimating that the nation’s logistics industry is worth well over N200billion, the report noted that the industry offers opportunities across the spectrum for companies to invest in transportation, storage, distribution, and allied services.

    Empirical evidence suggests the logistics industry grows at annual growth rate of 10 per cent.

    Driven by strong fundamentals and consistent demand, the report noted that the logistics sector is seemingly well-positioned to sail through turbulent waters.

    The report   said rising investment, rapidly evolving regulatory policies, mega infrastructure projects and several other developments in recent times have driven the logistics market, simultaneously gradually overcoming infrastructure-related constraints and logistics-centric inefficiency.

    The report said there is significant potential to make further investments in the  logistics space as the sector continues to evolve and develop, adding that port development benefited from increased private sector engagement in post-concession which has in turn brought more efficiency and investment.

    For instance, the sector was boosted with AP Muller investment over $100million in Apapa port concession and targeting one million containers capacity per year. Equally a large pipeline of deep sea ports – Lekki, Ibaka, Bayelsa, all geared to make Nigeria the regional maritime hub.

    There is projection of revenue from Lekki Deep sea port ($20billion) and expected growth of three per cent on annual transport infrastructure but then there is Ibaka and Bayelsa deep sea port, Enugu–Abakiliki– Cameroon Highway; new international airport in Enugu and new rail network from Lagos to the north.

    However, the report noted that infrastructural bottlenecks have stifled sector’s growth and promoted inefficiency.

  • Aregbesola revamps Osun cocoa industry

    Aregbesola revamps Osun cocoa industry

    This Cocoa Products Industry, Ede has a big story surrounding it. I therefore owe great gratitude to many people in government and outside it.

    “The then military government was very ardent to break a monopoly of bad fortunes for Ede, by actively supporting the quest to site the industry here. It is my earnest prayer, that everyone connected with the operation of it in whatever category, would find joy and happiness in all their undertakings”.

    Those were the messages of hope delivered at the inauguration of the multi-million naira Cocoa Product Industry, Ede on October 17, 1982 by the late Oba Tijani Oladokun Oyewusi, Agbonran II, Timi of Ede. It was during the regime of late Chief Bola Ige as governor of the old Oyo State.

    From the onset, one squabble or the other reared its ugly head. The first expatriate Managing Director of the company, Mr. K. W. Sheldon, tried his best to put it on sound footing, but he lost out in a dirty board-room politics in a dramatic manner. The government, owner of the company, thereafter felt concerned about happenings in the company, and decided in 1990 to lease it out. This brought about a ‘marriage of strange bed partners’. And the resultant effect were rounds of muscle flexing. The two principal leases of the factory at the time, that is  Worldwide Industrial Ventures Limited and Dalami (Nig.) Limited, got involved in allegations and counter-allegations, which resulted in a fierce legal battle, that saw two legal luminaries – the late Chief Fredrick Rotimi Alade Williams (Timi the Law, SAN) and Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) slugging it out at an Osogbo High Court.

    This went on for a period, before sanity prevailed, as the administration of Senator Isiaka Adeleke, the first executive governor of Osun State, took the bull by the horns, by giving the final nod to Worldwide Industrial Ventures Limited, to effectively run the affairs of the company. Dalami (Nig.) Limited again went to court to contest its termination and this went on for years, before it was resolved by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s government.

    At the time Worldwide Ventures Limited took over, production capacity level was at five per cent. But within a short period, it raised the production capacity to 60 per cent by injecting substantial funds into importation of spare-parts as well as locally sourced ones from the Nigeria Machine Tools Limited, Osogbo and Nigeria Sugar Company Foundries, Bacita. The FFA contents of cocoa, cake and butter, under Worldwide Ventures Limited hovered between 1.40 and 1.55 as against 2.24 before it took over. Globally acceptable FFA content for cocoa butter is 1.50.

    Most unfortunately, the unexpected again happened in 1995, when the leasehold agreement of Worldwide Ventures Limited with Osun State government, was crudely, illegally and arrogantly terminated by some overzealous officials of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, acting on the instruction of a commissioner, who had his own ulterior motive of bringing in his friend to take over the leasehold of the company. Worldwide Ventures Limited was “thrown” out of Cocoa Product Industry premises in a jungle manner. It was like scaring away foreign investors. What followed could be better imagined than described.

    There and then, began the unending and protracted problem of the industry for a long time. Osun State government’s only industry, which Infact, is a goldmine if properly managed, is the Cocoa Product Industry, Ede. It is a veritable source of foreign exchange earnings for the state. It is capable of generating the much needed internal revenue for the state at this crucial moment of its socio-economic development. Moreso, with the need to tap into all natural resources, that abound in the state.

    Much as I am not holding brief for anybody, it is only fair to let the Chinese investors now in control, to operate without let or hindrance. Neither should any encumbrances placed on their way. There should be no bad blood, as regards who brought them into the scene. What we need in Osun State is accelerated industrial development. The present leasee is determined to put the company on the right footing. The factory is now a beautiful sight to behold.

    The Cocoa Product Industry erstwhile managers and workers, who have been on forced holiday for more than eleven years, are men of proven integrity, who should be given the right of a recall if they so wish and take the company to greater heights. Cocoa Product industry, Ede, is a company of yesterday, today and tomorrow for the people of Osun State. It is posterity-bound and prosperity-inclined.

    The administration of Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, has now taken the bull by the horns in giving a new lease of life to the hitherto moribund industry. Governor Aregbesola in his wisdom was able to put in place, a dynamic Board of Directors, under the able leadership of a leading light in the entrepreneurial world, in person of Sir Adewale Adeeyo (OON).

    This wonderful leader of men and material, on serious scrutiny of what was on the ground, shifting and weighing, hit upon a world-class investor from China, by name Runners (Nig.) Ltd, who are specialists in Cocoa Industry Management back in their country.

    Sir Adewale Adeeyo-led board, in cooperation with officials of the Osun State Ministry of Commerce and Industry, were able to identify the core problems of Osun Cocoa Products industry, major among which, was that over the years of its abandonment, some unscrupulous people have vandalised very  important cables, electrical materials among others.This in effect, had affected the industry badly. Governor Aregbesola was ready to give executive approval to the urgent needs of the company, whenever they were made. The governor trusted absolutely in Sir Adewale Adeeyo role to re-invigorate the industry.

    The new investor, also came up with master plans for the resuscitation of the factory. They threw themselves seriously into revamping its operation. Brand new and state-of-the art equipment were brought in to replace the obsolete ones put in place since 1982, which in anyway are not in tandem with modern day operation of such a gigantic factory, adjudged the biggest in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Sir Adeeyo did not leave anything to chance. He visited China one or two times to confirm the efficiency of the new investor as far as their activities in China were concerned.

    He was able to ascertain and ensure that the new investors would not jettison the continuous and permanent operation of Osun Cocoa Products Industry. Kudos to you, Sir Adeeyo for living up to expectation.

    It is to the glory of God, that the confidence reposed in Runners (Nig.) Limited – the Chinese new investor was not misplaced. The dynamic company, has made us proud in Osun with its multi-million naira turn-around rejuvenation and total-over hauling of the industry. What we now have in place is a factory that will stand the test of the time and ensure, that the sweet aroma from the Osun Cocoa Products Industry, Ede endures forever.

    A sparkling environment and committed workers are already in place, roaring to go into action. This new development will certainly improve the socio-economic life of Osun in general and Ede, its catchment area in particular. We hope that additional production lines for beverages, chocolate etc. will be put in place by RUNNERS (NIG.) LTD. Bravo to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Sir Adeeyo and other stakeholders, for not allowing the dreams of the industry founding fathers to die. Posterity will judge you kindly. All hands should be on deck, to make Osun Cocoa Products Industry, a lasting legacy and a pride of us all, so that generations coming behind, will say of us living, that we mastered our moment.

    To cocoa farmers all over Nigeria, there is a ready market waiting for your produce at Osun Cocoa Products Industry, Ede. Governor Aregbesola should trudge on and bring more industries to Osun, as we have industrial sites for kaoline, bauxite, gold and other mineral resources across the state, waiting for exploitation and production for local consumption and importation, to boost the state internally generated revenue. The assistance of the World Bank in this regard should be sought. Such new investors should also be given tax holiday.

     

    • Lawal wrote from Ede, Osun State.
  • ‘Cashew industry needs more funding to boost foreign exchange’

    ‘Cashew industry needs more funding to boost foreign exchange’

    The cashew industry requires N100 billion to fund production and boost foreign earning, the Natinal President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Pastor Babatola Faseru, ha said.

    He spoke at the just-concluded National Cashew Festival Awards in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.

    He said Nigeria needed to increase its cashew production, provide high-yielding seedlings to farmers and offer mechanisation support.

    Right now, he said, cashew provides livelihood for over 300,000 families with 175,00 tonnes as estimated production for the year.

    Referring to the export performance of the industry, he pointed out that the foreign exchange earned by the country through cashew kernels, cashew nut shell liquid and allied products last year was put at $253 million.

    According to him, Nigeria remains the sixth largest cashew producer after Cote d’Ivoire, India, Vietnam, Tanzania and Guinea Bissau.

    He said, however, that the cashew industry has many challenges, which are threatening its development. These include shrinking of cultivation area and unstable output.

    He said ageing trees and abnormal weather patterns have decreased yields, and many growers prefer other crops for higher profits, which has reduced the area under the nut.

    This requires a strategy to enable the industry to develop in a sustainable manner in the coming years.

    He urged the government to support farmers in planting cashew trees to replace old ones, adopt policies to encourage firms investing in deep processing, and strengthen inspection of exports. Modern technologies and equipment, he advocated, should be used.

    The industry, according to him, plans to increase the rate of fully processed nuts to satisfy the requirements of customers, add more value, and boost domestic consumption.

    He underscored the association’s cashew value programme that targets raising the value of exports, promoting consumption both in the domestic and foreign markets and build brands for the country’s cashew products.

    For the programme to be implemented from this year to 2020, to achieve the target of 500,000 tonnes, he urged the government to support cashew industry to boost its economic growth.

    He urged the government to create the enabling environment, to attract investments that will allow the sector to take advantage of  the opportunities created by rising global and domestic demand.

    He urged the government to allocate sufficient funds and put forward necessary schemes to increase production of cashew nut.

    Considering Nigeria’s stake in global cashew trade, he requested the government to do more in ensuring the country’s leadership in the world market.

    He called on domestic cashew businesses to ensure quality control and sticking to delivery dates, and for producers to use sound cultivation techniques to improve quality of nuts.

  • Building a research driven logistics & supply chain industry

    The biggest challenge of an average Supply Chain manager in Nigeria is the absence of data to work with. This had created a situation where they are left to the mercy of circumstances. Logistics is more about numbers than stories which makes data the king that makes it possible for managers to take good decisions. Data driven logistic systems bring several unique benefits for companies supply chain process as it enables organisations to fully understand their supply chain thoroughly and stay ahead of their competitors.

    Logistics and supply chain management play a big role in any economy and is a critical contributor to the competitiveness of a country. The demand for products can only be satisfied through the proper and cost- effective delivery of goods and services. Furthermore for Nigeria to grow its market share of various products in the global market, the supply chains need to be world class to ensure effective delivery of goods. These and other aspects of the logistics environment in Nigeria will be presented and major issues affecting logistics costs will be discussed. In addition, reference will be made to the recent World Bank report on logistics competitiveness, and comparisons on logistics performance.

    More recently a World Bank report on logistics performance states that a competitive network of global logistics is the backbone of international trade and the importance of efficient logistics for trade and growth is now widely acknowledged: “Better logistics performance is strongly associated with trade expansion, export diversification, ability to attract foreign direct investments, and economic growth. In other words, trade logistics matter” (World Bank 2010).

    In view of these, the first Nigerian Logistics and Supply Chain Industry report will debut by end of the first quarter of 2016.  The proposed industry report is planned as an annual source of strategic information on the industry from both macro-economic and industry-level perspectives. Coverage will also encompass specific interests, including general economic performance of the logistics services; the nature and structure of competition within the logistics industry; the demand structure for the industry’s output/services; the logistics and supply chain market and interdependencies at the regional and national levels; and the identification of gaps necessary for the improvement in the state of logistic infrastructure etc.  It will also cover performance measure and monitoring indicators used globally. In this regards are; the efficiency of the clearance process, domestic logistics cost and timeliness of shipment, product specific logistics records and many others.

    The primary purpose of this proposed research is the provision of a comprehensive picture of the state of logistics and supply chain operations in Nigeria from macro and micro-economic perspectives. The macro- economic perspectives will centre on the general economic performance of the logistics services, the nature and structure of competition within the industry, the demand structure for the industry’s output/services, the logistics and supply chain market and interdependencies at the regional and national levels, impact evaluation of specific public sector interventions (or the absence of same) on the industry, identification of gaps necessary for the improvements in the state of logistic infrastructure and associated needs that will engender low logistic cost, improved delivery time and effective freight handling. On the other hand, the micro-economic perspective will examine firm and (limited) industry specific developments.

    This study will also have as subsidiary (albeit) significant objectives the presentation of the industry performance on critical measures used globally for such purposes: the efficiency of the clearance process, quality of transport and information technology infrastructure, ease and affordability of arranging international shipments, competence of the local logistics industry, domestic logistics cost and timeliness of shipment in reaching destinations. The objectives will also cover product specific records such as the cost of transportation, tonnage of good transported, distance, transit time and opportunity cost of time in transit etc.

    Effectiveness in logistics and supply chain competitiveness across the industry will definitely require a carefully developed report that will provide such meaningful data as

    • (a) trends in logistics metrics, comprising other equally important attributes such as average cost, volume and time involved in freight movement and management
    • (b) logistics infrastructural needs
    • (c) essential skill requirements for vast majority employees in the industry
    • (d) bureaucratic bottlenecks to freight clearing and movement across terminals

    (e) challenges to successful networking and connectivity for small and medium scale enterprises in supply chain management

    (f) performance level measured in terms of consumers’ satisfaction of logistics services and so on.

    Analysing your competitive landscape is useful for a myriad of reasons, including the aforementioned gauge of how you’re doing compared to the industry, but there is more you can do with industry information. Looking across industries through the mirror of an industry report, allows you to see performance trends and assess potential market opportunities. If you’re considering expanding, or repositioning, your target client base, industry report is an extremely valuable tool to assess the health of different industries. The same industry information can allow you to more accurately note the pitfalls and strengths of across sectors. Foreign investors rely on industry reports to enter new markets hence the report will also be a valuable avenue for advertising.

    So now you’re thinking, “great, but how does that specifically affect me?”

    Let’s say you’re the owner or partner of a logistics firm and you’re considering repositioning your firm to focus on a new industry niche, but don’t know which industries to target specifically. You do not even know about the challenges of the industry, this report will help you in gauging the industry’s health as a whole. By analysing current industry trends, you could more confidently point your business in a new direction and possibly save it from entering a poor market.

    In addition to being able to better target your prospective clients, industry report allows you to better help your current clients by serving them better.  Receiving deeper insight into the industry opens up the opportunity for new engagements and increases the likelihood they’ll see you as a trusted partner, rather than just an service provider. Keeping your clients current with industry trends and being a thought leader for your client is something unique that only you can offer and may pay dividends in the future.

    This publication will be very beneficial to Managers, Logistics personnel, Decision makers, Supervisors, Team leaders, Buyers & Planners, Customer Service Managers, Distribution Operations Managers, Import/Export Managers, Industrial Engineers, Logistics Managers, Logistics Project Managers, Manufacturing Engineers, Material Managers, Operations Managers, Planning Managers, Procurement Managers, Shipping Managers, Supply Chain Managers, Traffic Managers, Warehouse Managers, Sales Operations Managers and Customer Service professionals.

    • Dr. Madu, a recipient of the 2014 National Productivity Order of Merit Award can be reached by ceo@multimix-academy.com
  • PR industry report faces reliability test

    PR industry report faces reliability test

    Black House Media (BHM) has released Nigeria’s first Public Relations Report. The report is, however, facing a reliability test amid commendation, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    The newly launched Nigeria PR Report, a first of its kind in the public relations industry is eliciting cheers and jeers in the marketing communication industry. The 106-page book is a compendium of quantitative and qualitative research augmented by industry-wide perspective and knowledgeable commentary on PR practice in the country.

    It was released in collaboration with the group’s research arm – BHM Research & Intelligence (BRI), digital agency ID Africa, and Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), notable dignitaries from the PR, advertising and academic sectors.

    They all converged on Protea Hotel, Ikeja where the report was made public for discussion and review.

    ”The inaugural Nigeria PR Report is an unbiased endeavour to depict the history, current state, existing challenges and prospects of the PR industry in Nigeria. Despite increasing intervention by PR to help communities, organisations and governments resolve problems they considered insurmountable, there is little data, if any, on the role of in-house PR teams and external consultancies in aiding local and international brands make sense of Nigeria’s chaotic business environment. This is the latest focus of BHM Research and Intelligence,” Founder and CEO BHM Group, Ayeni Adekunle said.

    However, such painstaking effort is facing a reliability test on certain premises.

    The CEO, Relics and Chief Brand Analyst-in-Chief at Brandish, Mr. Ikem Okuhu, who raised some posers on the report, said while it is a great intervention for an industry whose offerings have lost the respect of clients as because of dearth of data to back up their strategies, there are lots of loopholes that put the reliability of the report to question.

    The report is criticised on the premise that an industry rating and report should come from an independent body and not from a player.

    Secondly, the report is written in first person plural. Thirdly, most of the chapters (or sections) are signed off by the founder of this agency or in some instances, by his workers. Fourthly, generous doses of content were devoted to appealing to industry leaders, especially the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) (pages 34 to 44 of the report were exceptionally devoted for this purpose hence, coming out “obviously superfluous.”

    “I devoted an entire weekend to digest the ‘Nigeria PR Report 2015: Inside the Public Relations Industry in Nigeria’. It may have been the first of such reports on the industry in Nigeria, but I expected a lot more. I have never seen a report written in the first person. But no matter how much you re-invent a wheel, it must have to be round. “Brave effort but there was just too much about his company and his person to make the report an acceptable ‘industry Report.’ But that was the biggest error in the report released by BHM. You do not write such reports in the first person. But paragraph after paragraphs, chapter after chapter, page after page, I kept reading Adekunle Ayeni. But I wanted to read the Nigeria PR Report!”

    Okuhu noted that such reports are meant to be non-personal but based on facts and research.

    “But even with all the research, the moment you present it by using the pronouns of ‘I’, ‘We’, ‘Us’, the message you are sending out is that you are merely presenting your personal opinion. As knowledgeable as you may be, this will certainly send the wrong message. In the end, what we have are very strong opinions of the people that worked on the project than a dispassionate, depersonalised report,” he added.

    Reacting to Okuhu’s review, the Corporate Communication Director of Airtel, Mr. Emeka Oparah said: “As a practitioner from the clients’ side, I relate with most of the points raised. There’s a good point about an operator reviewing himself. Well, maybe he wouldn’t have, if there was someone out there looking at the industry and the practice critically.

    “So, he’s created a niche opportunity for research practitioners to cash in. It’s bothered me forever how and why marketing professionals have earned more respect by keeping records, building up data, investing in research and promoting their profession-than PR practitioners.

    “And by the way, PR practitioners, all over the world-not just in Nigeria, promote everyone else but themselves.”

    He said these are issues that must be engaged, challenged and confronted head on.

    Ayeni or BMH (what’s the difference, anyway) has got everyone thinking. I’m sure the report will spurn other reports and the second edition will be a vast improvement.

    Also, speaking, the President of Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Mr. John Ehiguese, said: “Like I said in my brief remarks, ideally it should have PRCAN preparing such a report, and I assure you that under my leadership we will take up that challenge in a practical way. Regardless of whatever perceived shortcomings in that report, we cannot deny that Ayeni has challenged us all, and it is up to us as PR practitioners to build upon what he has started. I mentioned to Ayeni in a telephone conversation that, at the very least, next time any Nigerian PR practitioner is attending an international conference, he/she can at least have something (from the report) to share with the world about Nigerian PR practice, beyond just talking about ‘opportunities’ and ‘potentials’. It’s definitely a good start, and I personally congratulate him for that.”

    Despite that, the report joins a host of groundbreaking initiatives executed by the BHM Group. In 2014, the company launched Nigeria’s first PR app, simultaneously recording over one billion social media impressions for its portfolio of client campaigns.

    The Brand Rating Index (BRI’s) report is an overview of public relations in Nigeria, its evolution, and an analysis of BHM’s #PrisDead campaign. For the campaign, about 200 Nigerians from three major cities (Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja) were interviewed for the offline section of the research, with findings already presented in a series of videos, infographics, memes, blurbs and articles.

    Ayeni explained: “The aim is to shed more light on the workings of the PR industry in Nigeria and chronicle the public – and practitioners’ – perception of the industry, with a view to ensuring its development moves apace with global standards of practice and the changing consumer demographics and preferences Nigeria is experiencing.”

  • ‘People use our platform as a yardstick to invest in the music industry’

    ‘People use our platform as a yardstick to invest in the music industry’

    The 2015 edition of Top Naija Music Awards has unveiled the new kings and queens of the Nigerian music industry at an event held  last Saturday.

    Speaking on the motivation behind the awards, the CEO, Paul Oghogherie, said it is to encourage talented music artistes in the music industry. “When I meet artistes and they tell me the challenges and the requirements of the industry, I feel obliged to encourage them.

    “I feel like engaging them in something so that they can shun vices. So the awards are just an avenue at which artistes will be pushed to work, if they believe they have a place in the industry they tend to belong.”

    According to Oghoghorie, the awards have been able to enhance artistes’ career in securing recording deal.”  I could recall a particular story of someone, who the label had an eye on. They talked to him when he was nominated, but were not aware if he was winning the category was nominated in. And the next I heard was that he’s going to UK to sign a recording deal.

    “This implies that people are using our platforms as a yardstick to invest in artistes, and  are taking them seriously.”

    Oritsetimeyin Arueyingho who won the Stardom category describes the award as being a feather in the cap of her brand as an artiste. “Getting this nomination is like setting a pace for me in the industry. I believe it’s going to take me far beyond imaginations.”

  • Surveyors set agenda for industry

    Surveyors set agenda for industry

    The tone of activities in the construction and built environment in the year may have been set quite early as stakeholders and practitioners at the close of last year, put forth suggestions on how to reshape in the industry.

    The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveying (NIQS), at its 26th Biennial Conference  in Lagos,  called for efforts by professionals in various fields to reshape the quality of policies. In specific terms, the NIQS charged professionals, especially those in the built environment, to get actively involved in politics and decision- making in the country.

    Under the theme, “Politics, policies and national development – The role of professionals,” the immediate past president of the institute, Mallam Murtala Aliyu, said the choice of the theme was informed by the way professionals disregard the consequences of ignoring politics, leaving the fundamental aspects of their survival in the hands of persons with little or no capacity to handle such sensitive enterprise.

    The conference afforded built environment professionals, both at home and the international community, the opportunities to discuss issues relating to politics generally, policy formulation and implementation that could enhance national development. There were technical and panel discussion sessions on policy making and economy, accountable politics, effects of regulations on politics of service, the role of professionals, professional bodies and experiences in the construction industry in other countries, such as South Africa, Ghana and Kenya.

    According to Aliyu, professionals should be mobilised to take their deserved position in redefining the direction of the development of the country.

    “The economic challenges facing the country, especially the fall in the price of oil further put pressure on the dwindling income of the country demanding the attention of all expertise in managing the nation’s resources,” he said.

    A former president of the institute, Mr. John Alufohai, noted that professionals could bring about national development when they engage in politics.

    At the end of the event, it was also recommended that Professional Bodies should establish a functional research arm in form of think tank and the outcome of the research made public; to ensure accountability, a central body of professionals should be set up that will monitor and make those in government accountable. The central body is expected to develop frameworks that will make government more accountable to the populace; there should also be the establishment of cost data bank with adequate dissemination of information to all stakeholders.

    Furthermore, the body recommended the adoption of international construction measurement standards , stating that this  would enhance the activities of the industry since Nigeria is said to be next to China in construction activities; that professional bodies should use their expertise to make policies that are feasible.

    In terms of investment, the NIQS recommended that good governance should entail investment locally, while investing abroad should only be in terms of surplus. To this end, it urged government to not only attract foreign direct investment, but should also retain it.

    The conference was attended by a large number of professionals from the Nigerian Built Environment and delegates from South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia, including Nigerian students. Others include Senator Ahmad Abubarkar (Adamawa South Senatorial Zone and Honourable Biodun Olasupo Adeola (Chairman, House Committee on Legislative Compliance); the past and presidents of the Association of Africa Quantity Surveyors (AAQS), Mr. Michael Frimpong and Prof Rob Pearl and  President of Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy, Mr. Segun Ajanlekoko.

  • MTN relishes partnership with entertainment industry

    MTN relishes partnership with entertainment industry

    MTN, a foremost telecommunication company in the country has described its role in promoting the entertainment industry as a worthwhile venture.

    The company identified its role in paying royalties to deserving artistes through its caller tunes, investment in endorsement deals and discovery of fresh talents through sponsorship of Project Fame, an annual reality television show as some of the ways it has contributed to the growth of the industry.

    The company in a statement said: “Through our ring back tones popularly referred to as caller tunes, launched in 2008 as a revenue stream, we harnessed the huge potential in an innovation that has turned out to be safely rewarding to both the artistes and the industry, becoming one of the largest distribution platforms for music content in Nigeria.The caller tunes provided Nigerian artistes with a concrete means to monetize their content and enjoy a full reward for their labour since it was impossible for the songs on the service to be pirated or duplicated.

    “In 2013 subscription to the caller tunes service of MTN Nigeria alone reached the 17 million subscriber mark a record that seem intimidating and unbeatable for other networks. At the moment MTN Nigeria is not dropping standards as its caller ring back tunes have a staggering number of over 39 million subscribers. It is remarkable that in 2014, MTN generated N5 billion which it paid as royalties for Nigerian music artistes who sell their contents as caller tunes on its platform.”

    It added: “In 2012 MTN threw out its first endorsement deal when it hired the services of pop singer Davido as the ambassador of MTN Pulse in a deal reportedly worth N30 million. The following year past winners of the MTN Project Fame, a show solely sponsored by MTN, singers Inyanya got N40milion Mike Imyke ayansodo N10million, Chidinma N20milion and Praiz N20million.

    “The Nigerian entertainment industry will not forget in a hurry the famous move of Hafeez Saka Oyetoro from another telecom company taking the spending spree to another level. MTN dispensed some more millions, this time to young Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Kcee and even Don Jazzy along with younger brother the Prince got their share of the better times. The papers went agog with headlines of MTN’s 500m on endorsement deals leaving opposition with much to catch up on.

    “The Project Fame is another demonstration of MTN’s commitment to improving the music and entertainment industry in Nigeria. Since its inception the Project Fame has churned out talents and revealed sublime music potentials to Nigeria and the world. The discovery of the likes of Chidinma, Praise, Iyanya, Timi Dakolo, Omawunmi and others has proven an undisputable fact that Nigeria artistes can hold their own against their foreign counterparts if given equal training and attention.

    “The immediate rise to fame and fortune and sustained consistency of proud products of this academy is also another testimony that our very own local talent, sound and even music has come to stay and for good.”