The Nation Newspaper

Tag: largest

  • Lagos’ll become Africa’s third largest economy, says Otedola

    Lagos’ll become Africa’s third largest economy, says Otedola

    •Businessman endorses Ambode

    Billionaire businessman Femi Otedola yesterday predicted that Lagos will become the third largest economy in Africa by the end of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s tenure.

    He said given the governor’s stellar performance,  the state would move up from its current fifth position.

    Otedola canvassed support for Ambode’s second term so as to continue with the good work, which he said is a continuation of “the foundation laid by his good predecessors.”

    Otedola, who hails from Epe, is the son of the aborted Third Republic Governor of the state, the late Chief Michael Otedola, who was in charge between 1992 and 1993.

    In a statement yesterday, entitled ‘Ambode has done overwhelmingly well’ Otedola, said:

    “As a Lagosian and OMO Ibile, I wish to expressly commend and appreciate The great good work our amiable Governor Ambode is doing in our dear Lagos – Nigeria’s no one State. I have watched and followed keenly, in the last three years of the brilliant transformation projects across the State. No doubt, Ambode is building on the foundations laid by his good predecessors. He is building roads and bridges, schools and hospitals, water treatment plants, sewage and storm water drainages, solid wastes management plants and mass  transportation infrastructure.

    “He has recently gotten approved the electricity power infrastructure for Lagos, which when fully executed, will make Lagos State almost energy independent in Nigeria.  You are all aware of the newly-acquired mass transit buses that are going to be natural gas-powered in order for us in Lagos to be the first to comply with the global climate agenda of DE Carbonisations. Clean and Smart Lagos will take us into the modern global village and make us the number four economy in Africa.

    “Our visionary governor is also spearheading the modernisation of the Lagos State bureaucracy in order to get all the processes  re-engineered for higher and best performances. A good government is a reflection of an efficient and responsive bureaucracy. It is the catalytic driver for private sector growth. A bad and weak bureaucracy will produce nothing for the people. We are lucky to have an able governor like Ambode at the helm of our affairs.

    “He is a knowledge-driven leader, hard working, with passion for our great state.

    “My endorsement and recommendations for him to have a second term is performance based and not just the usual conventional  charade of second term endorsement in Nigeria. I am sure that all my respected compatriots, friends and followers will agree with me that Governor Ambode should please continue with his good job till 2023.

    “Ambode, please Carry Go, the 2019 election and continue with your passionate work for Lagos State transformation.

    “Thank you for being a true servant leader and with your eyes on the ball, surely Lagos State will become number three economy in Africa.”

  • Largest LED advert screen unveiled

    Maryland Mall has inaugurated a light-emitting diode (LED) advertisement screen described as the the largest in sub-Saharan Africa and the 50th in the world.

    Accordingly, it took Purple Capital Partners Limited about 18 months to finish the mall, which sits on a land size of 7,700sqm and funded by Stanbic IBTC and Axa Mansard.

    Also, it was learnt that the firm mounted the largest LED billboard measuring 60 metres long and nine  metres high within three months, believing that the board would offer brands great value.

    The LED screen is a major attraction and has features such as a Twitter fountain scroller, video playback capability and a Feedticker.

    Media said these would make the LED a socially-interactive board and one advertisers could utilise for full engagement of the public.

    The managing partner at Purple Capital Partners Limited, Olaide Agboola, said the platform would be a major advertisement point for biggest brands in the country.

    He said Stanbic IBTC, which funded  the mall, has taken a slot on the screen. “We have other strong brands and we are having discussion with others to come on board,” he said.

    Agboola said research revealed that over 5500 vehicles passed through the axis in all directions every hour, adding that this would attract as many eyeballs as possible, which is the traffic that most brands are yearning to have.

    He said: “In every sense of it, the exposure every brand will get is quite significant. This is clearly a major hub for any advertising activity.”

    Explaining whether Purple Capital, which is not an advertisement agency, would contract the board to an  agency for  management, Agboola said the company hoped to continue to get technical support from Rotter Panel in Holland, the suppliers of the board while there would be local training and self-marketing of the board by the company.

    “We want to make sure that every business can negotiate directly to get on the board,” he said.

    Also speaking, Tosin Oshinowo, the architect of the building said the big screen was part of the plan from the beginning. She said the whole planning was for horizontal and vertical revenue opportunity.

    The Chief Executive Officer,  Stanbic IBTC, Sola David-Borha, commended Purple Capital for its discipline and focus. “This successful delivery of the Maryland Mall project showcases the fact that domestic investment fuelled by the indefatigable spirit of Nigerian entrepreneurs is key to driving social harmony and national economic growth,”

    In the same vein, the Chairman, Purple Capital Partners Limited and Capital Bancorp Ltd, Omotola Mobolurin, expressed delight on the completion of the building on time.

  • Wakanow signs MoU with UAE’s largest resort

    Africa’s leading travel portal, Wakanow, has signed an agreement with Dubai Parks and Resorts, becoming its largest African fulfilling partner for ticket sales.

    The Group Deputy Managing Director of Wakanow, Mr. Ralph Tamuno, who also happens to be the first African entrepreneur to set foot on the grounds of the wonder-packed resort, said the partnership would open a new vista of opportunities and unique experiences for the African traveller.

    Explaining how Wakanow was selected from a pool of travel companies in Africa, Mr. Tamuno said: “Beyond our strategic goal of always leading the way and shaping the travel business in Africa, we also collaborate with other market leaders from within and outside the continent to create value for our fast-growing travel market. Dubai Parks and Resorts is a massive investment and its owners clearly needed a partner with pedigree and panache. Wakanow was the natural choice for such a partner.”

    Speaking during the official signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the groups, Head of Sales at Dubai Parks and Resorts, Mr. Elwin Kemming, described the partnership as a bold step in creating remarkable experiences for travellers from Africa.

    “Our partnership with Wakanow is a union of two widely admired tourism brands, joining forces together to provide memorable experiences for travel lovers globally. With deep-rooted presence throughout Africa, we are confident that Dubai Parks and Resorts can consolidate on Wakanow’s significant reach and foothold across the African market,” he stated.

    Dubai Parks and Resorts is the biggest multi-themed leisure and entertainment destination in the Middle East, comprising Motiongate Dubai, Legoland Dubai, Legoland Water Parks and Bollywood Parks.

    On October 31, the park will throw its gates open to the public and will feature over 100 mind-blowing thrill rides, spread across the spectacular four themed parks, each unique in their offerings and experiences.

    Wakanow is one of Africa’s leading online travel portals, providing seamless services in flights, hotels, travel deals and holiday packages to millions of travellers in Africa and beyond.

  • NPMC turns out largest graduands today

    NPMC turns out largest graduands today

    The National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMC) in Ijanikin, Lagos on Thursday last send off its first set of 367 diploma graduates in Family Medicine and Anesthesia.

    The occasion was a prelude to its yearly convocation, which holds today and usually in the third week of every September.

    President NPMC, Prof Rasheed Arogundade, who addressed reporters at the 33rd convocation briefing last Thursday,  congratulated the 341 new graduands across the college’s 15 faculties, the highest in the institution’s history.

    “This is the climax of the postgraduate medical training that these medical doctors and dental surgeons have undergone in the various teaching and medical hospitals nationwide.

    “The uniqueness of the Fellowship training of the college is that it combines the full academic and research content as obtainable in any sound doctoral degree with structured clinical postgraduate training.

    This accounts for why it takes a long time to produce a Fellow in any specialised branches of Medicine and Dentistry.

    After today’s event, NPMC would have graduated 5,046 since inception, Arogundade boasted.

    On Family Medicine and Anesthesia, Arogundade told reporters that the programme was designed to fill the gaps  to meet the need of the general medical practitioners and overall improve on health care delivery system nationwide.

    He said:  “The need for diploma certification in Family Medicine is predicated on the fact that it is almost impossible to get all doctors desirous of further training to enroll into the formal residency training programmes for residency status by obtaining the fellowship.

    It, therefore, became imperative for the college to design other programmes, such as the diploma to meet the real needs of the general medical practitioners who are the first line of medical contact with the population. It is our belief that this without doubt, will improve the level and quality of medical delivery in the country.”

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko would be bestowed honorary Fellow, while two other distinguished scholars will bag a Fellow of the institution.

    But despite its prominence, Arogundade lamented that the college facilities have continued to grow at a snail speed. Only two out of the four blocks in the original master plan in the first phase of development in the college have been fully built, Arogundaded further grieved.

    “Completion of the first phase of the second wing of the Learning Resource Centre has allowed us to put to use the multipurpose hall. Building of the second phase of the learning centre is ongoing at the moment.

    ‘’This has been the only capital project in the college since 2009 and we have not received a kobo for this project since the third quarter of 2014. The amount budgeted for us this year is just N20 million out of the required  N506,037,218,75k remaining from the sum N599.964.877.89k approved by the ministerial tender’s board to complete the project. It is even uncertain that the paltry sum appropriated will be released this year as we are already at the end of the third quarter.”

     

  • Dubai to host largest ‘Mall of the World’

    His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, unveiled Mall of the World, an awe-inspiring project that will position Dubai right on top of international destinations in terms of mega developments and a global leader in terms of retail- and tourism-related mega-projects.

    “We announced recently that we plan to transform Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two billion people living in the region around us; and we are determined to achieve our vision,” said Sheikh Mohammed, while unveiling the mega development.

    Located along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, the world’s first temperature-controlled pedestrian city, The Mall of the World, will bundle together a number of world records – it will include the world’s largest mall, largest indoor park, cultural theatres and wellness resorts with a capacity to host more than 180 million visitors every year.

    Demonstrating the strength of human creativity and reinforcing Dubai’s belief that impossible is nothing, this extraordinary project will neutralize the effects of the harsh desert climate through its inspired, inventive and ingenious design.

     

    Mall of the World project location

    “The growth in family and retail tourism underpins the need to enhance Dubai’s tourism infrastructure as soon as possible. This project complements our plans to transform Dubai into a cultural, tourist and economic hub for the two billion people living in the region around us; and we are determined to achieve our vision,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

    In the presence of Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Chairman of Dubai Holding; Ahmad bin Byat, CEO of Dubai Holding; and Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director-General of Protocol Department, Sheikh Mohammed confirmed the need to work towards achieving Dubai’s ambitious tourism vision.

    “The project will be developed in phases in alignment with the gradual growth of family tourism in Dubai,” Al Gergawi said.

    Unlike the numerous indoor malls of today, the Mall of the World will be a huge open-air street mall during the winter months, when its glass dome will open for visitors to enjoy the weather in an extended retail street network, strikingly different to the typical shopping mall concept currently available in Dubai or anywhere else in the region.

    The emirate already has a disproportionately large number of world records to its name, including the world’s tallest tower, the highest restaurant, the world’s tallest hotel, the tallest residential building, the largest shopping mall, the longest driverless Metro network, most simultaneous fireworks, the most expensive property sold through an e-auction, the biggest and heaviest gold ring, the world’s largest automated car park, the biggest billboard, and many more.

    Now, His Highness has launched another game-changer that will further raise Dubai’s profile as a global leader in terms of retail- and tourism-related mega-projects.

    Occupying a total area of 48 million sqft, the project will comprise the largest indoor theme park in the world and also house the largest shopping mall in the world with an area of 8 million sqft.

    Additional districts within the project will include a wellness dedicated zone catering to medical tourists, a cultural celebration district as well as a wide range of hospitality options comprising 20,000 hotel rooms catering to all types of tourists.

    This will be Dubai’s largest celebration centre, accommodating 15,000 revellers in one go.

     

    View from Sheikh Zayed Road

    Once completed, the city is projected to become a year-round destination, welcoming around 180 million visitors annually.

    “Our ambitions are higher than having seasonal tourism. Tourism is key driver of our economy and we aim to make the UAE an attractive destination all year long.

    “This is why we will start working on providing pleasant temperature-controlled environments during the summer months. We are confident of our economy’s strength, optimistic about our country’s future and we continue to broaden our vision,” added Sheikh Mohammed.

     

    Integrated Pedestrian City

    The new project, developed by Dubai Holding, will introduce an innovative concept of an integrated pedestrian city connected to the mall and offering a wide range of leisure, retail, cultural, wellness, recreation and hospitality options under one roof.

    Trams within the 7km temperature-controlled retail street network

    Tourists will be able to enjoy a week-long stay without the need to leave the city or use a car.

    The 7km long promenades connecting all facilities will be covered during the summer and open during the winter, ensuring pleasant temperatures throughout the year.

     

    Hospitality District

    Indoor parks

    The project will see the world’s largest mall connected to 100 hotels and serviced apartments buildings with 20,000 hotel rooms. This will be a huge addition to Dubai’s hospitality sector, which is expanding rapidly to cope with the surging demand.

     

    World’s largest indoor theme park

    The project will include designated parking areas with a capacity to host up to 50,000 cars on the ground level.

     

    Dubai Cultural District

    Dubai Cultural District will be the hub for national and multinational cultural festivities and events in the UAE, and will combine experiences built around New York’s Broadway, The Celebration Walk, similar to the Ramblas Street in Barcelona and shopping streets based on London’s Oxford Street.

    A dedicated theatre district with host of venues similar to some of the world’s most renowned landmarks such as London’s West End and New York’s Broadway.

     

    Dubai Cultural District theatres

    The Celebration Walk, similar to the Ramblas Street in Barcelona will connect the cultural district to the rest of the Mall.

    Dubai Cultural District will include a range of conference, wedding and celebration halls with a capacity to host thousands of revellers, befitting the multicultural social fabric of Dubai.

     

    Wellness District

    Another component of Mall of the World is the Wellness District, which will cover a total area of 3 million sqft dedicated to providing wellness and rejuvenation services. It will offer a holistic experience to medical tourists and their families, ensuring access to quality healthcare, specialised surgical procedures and cosmetic treatments, wellness facilities and high-end hospitality options.