The launching of a new range of sanitary pads called Kotex from the stable of Kimberly Clark was launched Oriental Hotel, Lagos at the weekend. According to Kemi Saliu, the company’s Marketing Director West, East and Central Africa ( WECA) the product would bring a positive change to the sector , women and girls.
She explained that : “In the range we have the Kotex ultrathin pads as well as the normal pad which innovates fast and absorb liquid in seconds. There is also the Kotex long breathable and soft like cotton surface, kotex extra long: which has extra soft and smooth fabric for comfort with no irritation at all”.
At the event , a number of ladies testified to these unique features and the things they looked out for in the product. The colourful launch also featured music, dance and games depicting the power of womanhood.
“Kotex is exciting to be celebrated and cheering for women who love pushing the limits to achieve their success”, Saliu informed.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) has announced the commencement of its chat bank ‘Leo’ on the WhatsApp platform.
With Leo on WhatsApp, customers who are users and lovers of the app can now can perform basic banking services including checking their balances on the go, transferring funds, paying bills, among other services.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, UBA, Kennedy Uzoka, who expressed excitement about the development remarked that the bank is continuously working in line with customers’ demand to ensure that banking services are made convenient and without stress.
He said, “This only goes to show that our resolve in continuing to deploy innovative solutions that place customers first, using cutting edge technology for their collective satisfaction and excellent banking experience is important to us. This recognition will further spur us to do more in meeting the needs of our customers with unrivalled services.”
“Our recent launch of Leo in 13 other African countries is evidence that UBA has on its agenda, the objective of digital creativity especially in service for our trusted customer base across the African continent.”
Also speaking on the new service, the Group Head of UBA’s Online Banking, Austine Abolusoro, stated “United Bank for Africa is a technology-driven institution with vast knowledge in the business that we do and Leo, being a tested dependable and intelligent personality, will replicate on WhatsApp, the success it has experienced on the Facebook Messenger platform. It is a solution that is from the customer’s standpoint, easy to use by anyone regardless of your demography.” “Leo is ready and waiting to help with any form of banking services,” continued Abolusoro.
WhatsApp has been in existence for over nine years, reaching more than 1.5 billion people in over 180 countries. The premium private chat platform has assured that there will be no spam messages as the development is to enable businesses serve their customers with useful and helpful information.
Microsoft has announced the launch of Microsoft 365 Education in Nigeria – a single, affordable technology solution built for education.
Microsoft revealed this yesterday in Abuja at the Microsoft ‘Windows in the Classroom’ event, in partnership with Sidmach, an ICT firm.
The solution brings together Office 365, Windows 10, Intune for Education, Minecraft: Education Edition and Enterprise Mobility + Security, in a single cloud-based package.
Microsoft Nigeria Education Programme Manager, Ms Jordan Belmonte, said that Microsoft provided easy and skillful modes of modern teaching.
She said: “With mounting pressure on educational institutions to continually improve students’ achievement and prepare them with skills they will need when they enter the workforce, the aim of Microsoft 365 Education is to get schools up and running faster through simplified acquisition and deployment.
“This eliminates wasted time and delivers new capabilities to teachers and students to help them learn and work in new ways.
“Microsoft 365 is able to connect all the teachers in the world. Some of the features embedded like One Note, aids multiple language learning and has features suitable for special needs of children.
“With Skype, for instance, teachers can also connect their classrooms to other classrooms around the world, making for an immersive and interactive learning.’’
On his part, Mr Mark East, Microsoft Regional Leader for Education in Europe, Middle East and Africa, said that schools want simple to purchase, simple to manage, secure and efficient systems.
Consequently, Microsoft 365 Education was designed to deliver on that need, he said.
“Millions of teachers and students are already using Office 365 for Education to communicate and collaborate with each other every day.
“With Microsoft 365 Education, we are providing a complete solution for schools in a single purchase that is a less expensive option than purchasing the same products individually.
“It is also part of our drive to simplify and modernise our licensing programmes ,” she said.
In her presentation, Mrs Jaye Richards-Hills, Business Development Manager, Education, Microsoft, said that gone were the days when the teacher was an all-knowing instructor, as the pupils had access to knowledge through technology.
She said that there was a shift from the traditional teacher-led mode of learning to a more collaborative mode.
According to her, Microsoft looks at what the teachers wanted and build them to pedagogical tools.
“The desire to prepare students for the future is what is propelling Microsoft to build technology that’s easy to use and empowering for both teachers and students,’’ she said.
Microsoft 365 Education makes it possible to unlock creativity in each student with immersive and engaging apps like Minecraft: Education Edition.
It enhances independence and efficiency for students of all abilities using intelligent tools built into office apps.
Teachers drawn from selected secondary schools participated in the event.
Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited launched the 2017 edition of the annual Banking Sector Report at the London Stock Exchange (LSE), heralding the call that Nigeria has reopened for business.
The launch of the report was the anchor event of the fourth Nigeria Capital Markets and Banking Forum hosted by the LSE in collaboration with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and in partnership with Afrinvest.
According to Group Managing Director, Afrinvest, Ike Chioke this is the right time for foreign investors to re-engage with the Nigerian economy. He elucidated the stable macroeconomic environment that now exists in Nigeria, and the extensive reforms in diverse industries that continue to create a favourable environment for long term investments.
In his words, “We stand on the side of optimism that the glass is half full. With a population of 180 million people growing at 2.8 per cent and indicators that show positive Gross Domestic Product growth, certainly, the Nigerian economy is one to watch. This forum, therefore, comes at a topical moment, and we are proud to lend our voice to the international community that Nigeria is open for business. This is the time to come back.”
“We have already seen strong reforms in the agriculture, power and oil & gas sectors. In addition, there have been commendable efforts to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria, including the introduction of Visa on Arrival.”
We are, therefore, looking forward to building on the foundation of the stable macroeconomic environment and these reforms to develop the hard infrastructure that will culminate in extensive industrialization.”
Special Guest of Honour, Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria expressed his delight over Afrinvest’s flagship report saying, “I would like to thank the Board and Management of Afrinvest for this incisive report that so clearly analyses Nigeria’s position, and does an excellent job of presenting Nigeria in its best light.”
Project ‘Touch a life’ visited Ughelli General Hospital and Kiagbodo General Hospital in Delta State on May 2. 131 patients, including children, women and men had their medical bills subsidised.
It is the brainchild of the Global Initiative for Peace, Love and Care (GIPLC), which was launched a new initiative which will be taking place from April 25 to May 17. Project ‘Touch a life’ will reach 1000 patients in three states in three weeks.
The non-governmental, not-for-profit charity organisation, which was founded in 2006 to cater for orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria, has launched this new project as part of Igho Charles Sanomi II’s birthday celebrations and to commemorate the GIPLC’s 11th anniversary. 1000 identified vulnerable Nigerians in Abuja, Delta and Benue States will receive financial support to subsidize and assist their medical bills. Visits will be made to patients to follow up on their progress.
A full professional team of GIPLC staff, doctors and nurses will be deployed to ensure the desired impact is met and lives are touched and saved.
Sanomi, founder and chairman of Taleveras, and past recipient of a Dr Martin Luther King Legacy Award for Philanthropy and International Service, said: “Supporting the work of the GIPLC is something I have done for many years, in many ways. This year I wanted to do something which would help even more of the vulnerable people who have been at the core of the GIPLC activities. This unique initiative seeks to touch the lives of the most needy members of our communities at a time when they need it the most. This is something I believe in wholeheartedly and to which I am pleased to have been able to lend my support.”
Nuhu Kwajafa, GIPLC Co-ordinator, said: “We give God all the glory for His blessings and the capacity and the will, for people like Igho Sanomi to give back to those in need. We pray that by this gesture, ICS II will endear others to do same, so we may sustain this practice on a yearly basis. Ultimately, the goal is to stimulate the mobilisation of resources and raise awareness on the plight of those living in especially difficult circumstances. GIPLC will coordinate and share this experience daily. God bless you all.”
The initiative was founded in 2006 to cater for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Nigeria by providing food, medical assistance and learning materials for their development. It also aims to stimulate sustainable, participatory, community based projects, which will help to meet the needs of vulnerable children and other persons living in especially difficult circumstances.
“Life has been interesting since I started GIPLC because I look at it like a cash register, in that every account, every thought, every deed, like every sale is registered and recorded. The best use of life is to spend it for something that will outlive life itself. I believe at my age I have lived half my life for myself. Right now I am dedicating the remaining half for humanity,” Kwajafa.
Sanomi II was born in 1975 in Agbor Delta State, the fifth child (and first son) of a devout Catholic family. His father, the late Dickens Oghenereumu Patrick Sanomi hailed from Delta State and was a retired Assistant Inspector General of the Nigerian Police. Mr Sanomi’s mother, Mabel Iyabo Sanomi holds a Royal title of Yeye Jemo of Isotun Ijesha Kingdom in Osun State. She was a renowned nurse and medical entrepreneur from Osun State in South Western Nigeria.
Sanomi entered the world of business shortly after completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Geology and Mining at the University of Jos in Northern Nigeria. Mr Sanomi is the Chairman of Taleveras which he founded in 2004. He is also Chairman of the Dickens Sanomi Foundation board of Trustees. He also sits as Chairman and co-chairman of various companies which he founded or co-founded. These companies’ activities span from Telecom to Shipping, Aviation and Real Estate Investments worldwide.
As the Abuja Airport reopens, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has promised to ease traffic flow on that axis by completing and commissioning the Airport Road and the Bill Clinton Bridge soon.
The trumpet overhead bridge links the Bill Clinton Drive with the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Expressway (Airport Road) and Gwagwalada-Giri.
FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello in company of the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, who paid an unscheduled visit to the project site, said that the opening of the strategic trumpet bridge would further reduce traffic bottlenecks along that route.
The Minister assured that efforts would be re-doubled to ensure that the trumpet bridge with its loops and tangents are completed in good time and opened to the motoring public within a very short period.
He said, “We have seen the progress of work and we will continue to provide you all the needed support and funds. Of course the Airport is going to be opened very shortly. So, it’s very important that you work towards your timeline, particularly the mid May timeline so that at least it can ease traffic flow.”
A statement issued by the Deputy Director / Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Sule, the minister said: “The Bill Clinton Bridge on the Airport expressway is a very important project of the FCT Administration. It is meant to carry traffic in and out of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. With the increased flow of traffic and movement, it’s very important for us to make sure that this very critical bridge is completed”.
”But overall, we are very happy with your work and I think this goes also to show that you are very important citizens of Abuja. You have basically constructed a significant part of the city and we look forward to when we will all come and just cut the tape to commission this project,” he stressed.
Bello stated that when this administration came in, it was basically a hanging bridge but within the last few months, with proper funding and supervision, the contractors came back to site and they have done a very wonderful job.
”From your timeline, I understand a portion of the bridge will be operational within the next few weeks and subsequently within the next two or three months, the entire section will be completed including all the streetlights, road signage as well as all the drainage points and we will have a very beautiful bridge linking the city with the Airport,” he noted.
He reiterated, “I’m so pleased with this and this is what we will continue to do in many sections of the city, trying to complete on-going infrastructure, so that we will truly get the benefit of being a mega city where everybody will move around without too much hindrance.”
The Acting Director of the FCDA Engineering Services Department, Engr. Shehu Ahmad who took the Minister and his entourage round the project site revealed that the project which was awarded on May 7, 2009, and work commencement on May 13, 2009 is 95 per cent complete.
The Director disclosed that the project comprises of the rehabilitation of the existing dual carriageways and its expansion to 10-lane carriageways inclusive of the service lanes on both sides.
Recently, former editorial page editor of The Nation newspaper, Sola Fasure, publicly presented a book titled, A-Z of Campus Leadership (Volume 1) written by Femi Tiamiyu. The book which contains winning nuggets that will help campus leaders navigate, nurture and unleash their leadership skills in their institution and beyond, was presented at the Alumni Complex of the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.
While presenting the book, Fasure linked his relationship with the author to their thriving moments at the Vintage Media Venture and spoke highly of him, while encouraging the excited audience to see the book as a solution to some of the world’s problems. He decried the low drive of Africans to put historical events into documentation. He recommended the book to every institution, workplace and agency in Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. “The book is a good tool to train leaders, youth wings, instructors, students, organisations and is available for small and bulk delivery in major outlets in the country or by personally contacting the author’s social media timelines or website.” He said.
The author, Femi Tiamuyu, a proud alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) retraced the circumstances leading to the birth of the blockbuster, as events that surfaced right from his 200-Level days back on campus and how the dream evolved from just a passion to a burden to see a generation of leaders come to terms and reality with the nitty-gritty of leadership. “Every functional society is structured by rules, values, mores and operated through effective leadership. Leadership, often the missing link, in some people’s toolkits; yet a basic ingredient to facilitate, compensate and manage progress.” He said.
Meanwhile, Bola Adesope, a professional in Project Management & Organisational Structuring, while reviewing the book made comparison to the speed of development happening in United Arab Emirate and how the Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum responded in an interview session of the essentials of an effective leadership. Mr Adesope linked the three factors mentioned by the Emirate Leader as major themes the Author mentioned in his piece – projects, delegation and communication.
The Bank of Industry (BoI) launched the N1billion solar energy fund for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) because of the power challenge in the sector, its Acting Managing Director, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, has said.
Speaking at the launch in Lagos, Olagunju said solar energy had become alternative for the MSME operators in view of the poor supply in the country.
The cost of electricity accounts for about 40 per cent of operational expenses for most MSMEs, resulting in reduced profit margins and unsustainable ventures.
Olagunju said: “Many Nigerians and Nigerian businesses that can afford other alternative energy sources have resorted to the use of electric generators at exorbitant costs. It was estimated that in 2015, manufacturers spent as much as N3.5trillion to generate alternative power due to the challenges in the supply of public electricity.
“MSMEs play a major role as the engine through which most countries in the world thrive. Their growth and development are crucial to the level of industrialisation, modernisation, income per capita, equitable distribution of income, welfare and quality of life enjoyed by the citizenry.
“Consequently, the performance of the MSME sub-sector is closely associated with the development of a nation. In Nigeria, the growth of this sector has been hampered over the years by a combination of factors, one of which is access to reliable electricity.
“For Nigeria to, therefore, achieve sustainable and inclusive development, there is an urgent need to substantially increase the supply of modern and affordable energy services from sources that are affordable, accessible and environmentally friendly,” he added.
Olagunju said renewable energy provides healthy and sustainable alternative to the continuous use of fossil fuels, with long-term cost saving advantages, especially in the absence of reliable power supply which is an essential ingredient for growth.
“It is, therefore, important to support the provision of sustainable and reliable energy for MSMEs, which is why the Bank of Industry has decided to provide the solar energy fund to MSMEs.
“The bank is already playing an active role in lighting up and powering Nigeria through the provision of solar energy solutions for rural communities, having successfully deployed solar solutions worth N240million to six off-grid communities, one each in Niger, Osun, Gombe, Anambra, Edo and Kaduna states, under its pilot scheme. These communities with an average of 200 homes each previously had no access to electricity, but since the provision of clean, reliable and sustainable solar electricity, the lives of the indigenes of these communities have changed significantly.”
The bank’s General Manager, Large Enterprises, Mr. Joseph Babatunde, who gave a breakdown of how the Fund would be deployed, told The Nation that the projects would be implemented by select development partners to support agriculture, solid minerals, cottage industries, artisans, and service industry, and clusters to improve their operations.
According to him, what will be due each applicant is N50 million, adding that the allocation is scalable depending on the project.
He noted that the initiative would not only boost employment generation, but it would also improve the standard of living of the beneficiaries, revamp the economy, and enhance poverty alleviation.
Some of BoI’s development partners are Arnegy Solar Limited, GVE Projects Limited, GreenPower Overseas Limited, The Solar Shop Limited, Wayo Tropical Technical Limited, Blue Carmel Energy Limited, Novel Integrated Services Limited and Solar Force Nigeria Limited.
They will implement the projects from design to execution.
An online e-commerce platform, Ninbiz, has been launched to offer ideal online market where customers’ needs are met.
Ninbiz is a fusion of social network and the traditional e-commerce.
At the unveiling in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer, Ninbiz e-commerce, Oboye Olutoni Olutobi, said the platform provides an avenue where buyers and sellers can actively interact and get better product delivery rate.
According to him, “The Ninbiz idea came about the need to create ideal e-commerce environment that will actually make business grow, and not just help Nigerians sell their products online, but to completely redefine what is previously known about e-commerce, because it is a fusion of social networking and traditional e-commerce.”
He said: “Buyers and sellers don’t have to be big before they are seen on the platform. It is designed in such a way that buyers and sellers will always come up on the top search results when customers around your store location are searching for their products and services.
“The registration to Ninbiz is free; what this means is that you can create your store on the platform, sell, make profit and get your business to grow and get to know without having to pay.
“A businessman on Ninbiz can create poll, send notification to customers, have a discussion forum to relate with customers, advertise events, send invites and its business page is seamlessly integrated with other social networking sites,” he added.
Thankfully there have been no such major natural disasters as earthquakes or landslides and the like in the country, but that has not prevented a proactive measure to monitor such occurrences. That informed the inauguration of a seismology ical station built at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU) Abakaliki to mitigate seismic hazards.
The station is part of a network of such stations being established across the country to properly monitor tremors in the country.
•The station where natural disasters are monitored
Inaugurating the station, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita said the establishment of the station followed persistent reports of earth tremors and landslide in different parts of the country.
“This made the Ministry to articulate a joint proposal with NEMA to carry out detailed seismological studies along Ifewara-Zungeru fault lines for establishment of seismological stations that would serve as Early Warning System”, she said.
Represented by Mr Peter Ekweozor, Director, Environmental Sciences and Technology in the ministry, Oyo-Ita said the project would enable the country to effectively monitor landslides and earth tremor activities.
According to her, the seismological stations in both Minna and Abakaliki would help the country to mainstream Disaster Risk Reduction strategy into National planning.
‘’The stations would also enable Nigeria to key into the global network of nations that adopted the Hyogo Framework for action (HFA) 2005 – 2015.
‘’However, for effective national coverage and monitoring of landslides and earth tremor activities in the country, the two new seismological stations must be networked with the existing seismological stations for real-time online data acquisition.
‘’I have been informed by the technical committee that the existing seismological stations required technological upgrading and refurbishment to attain the requisite efficiency,’’ she said.
Oyo-Ita called for urgent funds for the upgrading of the stations.
She also enjoined all government and non-governmental institutions including the Ebonyi State University to step up linkages and collaborations that would advance the frontiers for Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
She added that the proposal was approved by the Federal Government in 2010 while the process of the establishment began in 2010.
She said: ‘’The necessary infrastructural facilities such as the Earth Observation and Communication Satellites launched by the Ministry would enable the efficient and effective functioning of the seismological station being inaugurated today to acquire data real-time on-line.”
Oyo-Ita maintained that the station will offer the students and lecturers the opportunity to leverage on the advances in Information Technology (IT) to deepen their knowledge on Geodesy and Geodynamics for better management of eco-climatic events in the state and the country.
The Permanent Secretary urged the host community to ensure adequate security of the facility and create conducive environment for the optimal performance to maximize their gains on environmental sustainability.
Director General of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mallam Sani Sidi said the station is the second to be commissioned this year following the commissioning of FUT Minna station in May.
He described the inauguration of the seismological station in Abakaliki as a right step towards improving geo-hazard early warning system in the country.
‘’Nigeria like any other country is faced with both natural and human induced disasters including those related to geo-hazards”.
‘’The impact of these hazards on lives, property and the environment depends to a large extent on the country’s level of preparedness on efficient early warning and early action,’’ he said.
Sidi noted that the stations would boost the nation’s capabilities on geo-hazard monitoring, early warning and early action to further improve our national resilience.
He urged the host community and indeed Nigerians to ensure the proper maintenance of the station to enable the nation get a good value for the huge investment by the Federal Government.
‘’I wish to use this opportunity to thank the Federal Government for approving this land mark project which puts Nigeria and indeed the West Africa Sub-region on a stronger resilience to geo-hazards.
‘’The goal of this project is to improve data availability and research by students and researchers in the two great institutions in the area of geo-hazard monitoring,’’ he explained.
“It is therefore my hope that these stations will boost our nation’s capabilities on geo hazard monitoring, early warning, early action and further improve our national resilience”, Mr Sidi added.
Prof. Seidu Mohammed, Director-General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) said that the inauguration of the station in Abakaliki was a realisation of part of the vision of the Federal Government to mitigate the impacts of earthquakes through research, monitoring and modeling using data from the network.
“One of the numerous benefits of locating this station in this region is to assist in continuous monitoring of any slightest ground vibrations that may result from natural or man-made causes in future.
“Or cumulative seismic activities that may result into a big earthquake, while at the same time contribute to the integrated seismic hazard monitoring in Nigeria and environs,” he said.
EBSU Vice Chancellor, Prof Francis Idike expressed hope that with commissioning of the station, incidents of earth tremors, landslides, flooding, gulling and other environmental hazards will be monitored effectively.
The station, he noted, will also be of immense benefit to the university and the community as the data generated will be readily avilable for teaching and research.
“The station will be of immense benefit to the university and the community as the data generated from the station will be readily available for teaching and research.
“I wish to assure the Federal ministry of science and technology that the university will do everything possible to ensure that the station functions as it is supposed,” he said.
The Abakaliki and Minna stations were designed to stream data in real-time and would be integrated into the existing network of seismic stations in Nigeria.
