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Tag: launches

  • Coca-Cola Nigeria launches “Share a Coke”

    Coca-Cola Nigeria launches “Share a Coke”

    Coca-Cola Nigeria has launched the popular “Share a coke” campaign in the country. For the first time in Nigeria, Coca-Cola is replacing its iconic logo with popular Nigerian names on all its packaging – the returnable glass bottle, cans and PET bottles.

    “Share a coke transforms the global Coca-Cola brand into a special, personal experience for our consumers,” said Patricia Jemibewon, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited. “By swapping our iconic Coca-Cola logo with personal names, we give all our consumers a unique opportunity to connect and share their personalised coke with the people who matter the most to them – friends, family and loved ones,” she said.

    Giving more details about “Share a coke”, Jemibewon further disclosed that the campaign recognises Nigeria’s culture and diversity as 600 popular names have been selected from the rich array of names across the various regions of Nigeria.”Share a coke does not only reinforce our ongoing commitment to refresh the world but also to inspire shared moments of optimism and happiness,” Jemibewon concluded.

    From this weekend, consumers will be able to buy personalised coke in glass, can and PET from retail outlets across the country. Consumers who are unable to find their names in-store will have the chance to create their own personalised coke during the nationwide activation which commences on 2nd February, 2015.

    The ‘Share a coke’ campaign was first introduced in Australia in 2011. Since then, the company has launched the  ‘Share a coke’ campaign  in over 50 countries around the world, including New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, South Africa, Great Britain, Turkey, Germany, Spain and Chile.

  • Sterling Bank launches One Bank, PETSS products

    Sterling Bank launches One Bank, PETSS products

    Sterling Bank Plc has launched two branded phones, called – One Bank and Personal Education Technology for Secondary Schools (PETSS), which serve all financial needs of customers, spread value and strategically intervene in the nation’s education sector.

    Speaking during the launch, the Executive Director, Strategy and Finance, of the Bank, Mr Abubakar Suleiman, said that the primary objective of the One Bank is to deploy a brand acquisition and embellishment tool to encourage new account openings.

    The One Bank, is also primed to improve mobile money application use and adoption as well as deepen brand and customer relationships, Suleiman said.

    He explained that the thinking behind the Sterling One Bank was the need to bring telecommunication, entertainment and finances together to enable customers to communicate, entertain, transfer and receive money; buy airtime, carry out interbank transfers as well as all financial needs.

    According to him, the One Bank has provided a single phone that can replace the token given to customers as a level of authentication; saying that the once a customer logs in with his password, he can do his business seamlessly.

    He said that irrespective of the customers’ network, the telecom, media content and finance work together, so it does not matter, customers can always access his bank.

    The One Bank is targeted at traders, students of colleges of education, artisans and under 11 children as a means of being in touch with their parents at a cost effective rate. The branded phone is affordable while customer who wants a high-end phone can visit the bank to pre -install and firm up the arrangement.

    “Suleiman said: “We have worked with an equipment manufacturer to do this and we are not selling it at a profit. The cost is lower than the market price and the customers are given the latitude to spread the payment of N3000 over a long period of time, by paying about N200 in a month.”

  • Military launches attacks to reclaim Gwoza

    Military launches attacks to reclaim Gwoza

    •Five missing policemen back

    A military operation is underway to reclaim Gwoza, Borno State from Boko Haram, a week after the sect proclaimed the district an Islamic Caliphate.

    Five of the 27 policemen who went missing during the Boko Haram seizure of the town and the attack on the Nigeria Mobile Police Academy in Gwoza, have rejoined their units unhurt, it was learnt yesterday.

    Expected to be liberated immediately from the terrorists are Gwoza and 14 surrounding villages.

    The terrorists are understood to have blocked access roads to the town prompting the troops to launch what a security source described as “fierce attacks.”

    “Some active military operations are ongoing but we will not talk until we have regained the town and other villages,” the source said yesterday

    “All I can tell you is that Nigerian troops are capable. They did it in Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and other places. There is no basis for not dealing with the insurgents at home.

    “We have launched fierce attacks both on land and in the air. We are prepared to reclaim Gwoza from the insurgents who have become tired of Sambisa Forest because the terrain has become marshy.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “Troops would have taken over Gwoza by now but the operation is tactical because we are sticking to the rules of engagement.

    “We have discovered that the insurgents have been using most of their captives as human shield in launching attacks on troops and invasion of villages. But their antics cannot last.”

    It was also gathered yesterday that   five of the 27 policemen who went missing from the Nigeria Mobile Police Academy during the Boko Haram invasion of Gwoza have  returned safely to their units.

    The Police hierarchy was hopeful yesterday that the remaining 22 police trainees would rejoin their formations soon.

    A source familiar with the development said: “Following the invasion of the Academy by the insurgents, some of the mobile policemen ran into the bush and they have been trying to find their path in the last few days.

    “Do not forget that some of them are not used to the Gwoza terrain because they are not from the area. They also have to navigate their ways in such a manner that they will not fall victims of Boko Haram.

    “Most often, those who survived Boko Haram attacks have been linking up with their different units through Adamawa State.”

    When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, said: “Five of the policemen have returned safely to their stations. Some may have gone back but yet to officially report.

    “Let me assure you that we will recover the Academy in Gwoza from the insurgents, we are not giving in at all.”

  • 0DU’ACCIMA launches fair prospectus

    0DU’ACCIMA launches fair prospectus

    THE Odu’a Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (ODU’ACCIMA) has launched the prospectus of the forthcoming international trade fair slated for November.

    The theme of the trade fair is “ Promoting mass agricultural production and agro processing as panacea to unemployment and poverty in Nigeria.”

    Its Chairman, Planning Committee, Mr  Olaitan Alabi,  said: “The fourth coming Odu’a international trade fair is being organised by ODUACCIMA in collaboration with all the five Odu’a states, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti state governments. The prospectus will provide information that every participant will need, the terms and conditions and procedures.”

    He appealed to the Oyo State government to provide a permanent international trade fair site to make it more prestigious and attractive to foreign exhibitors and participants from other parts of the country.

    According to him, the association also hopes to rekindle the unbeatable record which the Southwest was known for in the old Western Region.

    ThePresident, ODU’ACCIMA, Chief Iyalode Alaba Lawson,  said the objectives of the association is to return the sector to the area of economic buoyancy through agriculture revolution and industrial mechanisms.

    ”Odu’a Investment Company Limited also expressed its interest in assisting the association to achieve its aim,” she said.

     

  • Fed Govt launches 64-page e-passport

    Fed Govt launches 64-page e-passport

    • Jonathan advises Immigration officers at airports

    The Federal Government launched the new 64-page e-passport yesterday to reduce the suffering of Nigerian travellers.

    The new travel document will be used with the existing 32-page e-passport.

    President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo were issued their new passports yesterday after their data were captured before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting started at the State House in Abuja.

    Jonathan urged Immigration officers to be efficient in their duty.

    The President said the impression they give visitors at the points of entry, such as the airports, has some effects on the nation’s image.

    He advised the service to end the complaints of Nigerians abroad by making it easier for them to get their passports.

    Jonathan said: “I always sympathised with those who travel almost weekly, changing passport every month. At least, we have moved a step forward. The key thing is for us to have a robust relationship with key countries so that some of these frequent travellers may not need visas. That will really help us more.

    “One thing we must know today is that it is not the issue of 64-page passport that is key to Nigerians but the security. If our passport could be easily faked by criminals, then we will have problems. One thing again is that how can Nigerians get the passport easily, especially those living outside this country?

    “When I travel, there is this complaint about how to get the Nigerian passport. It’s not necessarily the issue of 64-page passport but how do they get passport. So, the ministry (of Interior) must look into this.

    “What affects every traveller is how efficient and committed our Immigration officers work at our airports. Visitors …have different impressions about our Immigration officers. So, they must improve; they are the image of this country. How they handle visitors matters so much. If they conduct themselves poorly, it reflects on all of us. So, their conduct at the airports is key, besides the passport.”

    The President urged Nigerians, including those in government, the media and the civil society, to work for the improved image of the country.

    He said: “I always say that when people continue to paint their country with all kinds of colours, that is the way foreigners will associate those colours with your green passport.

    “I want a situation that whenever you travel to another country and you raise your green passport, people will appreciate you. It should not be that when you raise your green passport, people will begin to think that that it signifies some suspicious character. We are not helping ourselves when we paint ourselves the colours that we are not supposed to bear.

    “I wish to continue to appeal to all Nigerians that we must all collectively learn how we do our things: statements that we make, to paint brighter colours for our green passport.”

    Interior Minister Abba Moro said the new e-passport is part of the Federal Government’s commitment to giving seamless service delivery to Nigerians wherever they are.

    He said: “The introduction of the 64-page Nigerian e-passport …is, to say the least, a demand-driven initiative to meet the needs of frequent Nigerian travellers. Based on some recommendations arising from the operational experiences of the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Ministry of Interior recently approved some reforms concerning the Nigerian e-passport, including the newly introduced 64-page.

    “The fundamental rationale behind the reforms is to enhance the integrity of Nigerian travel documents and the image of the Nigerian traveller anywhere in the world.

    “Appropriate strategies are being put in place to sensitise the public on the new e-passport reforms to enhance full implementation after this official launch by Mr. President.”

    Addressing State House correspondents, Immigration’s Comptroller-General David Parradang said the 64-page passport would last for five years before renewal, just like the standard 32-page passport.

    Hen said the 64-page passport, which will officially be issued to the public as from tomorrow, is meant for heavy travellers.

  • ActionAid launches community sponsorship

    Charging the need to be one’s brothers’ keeper, ActionAid Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, poised to end poverty and social injustice, has embarked on it latest fundraising strategy tagged ‘Take Action, End Poverty.’

    The launch of a community sponsorship effort, which is to raise funds locally for development of communities in dire need, took place in Lagos on Thursday.

    According to the ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Hussain Abdu, there is enough resources to go around everyone but not enough for everyone’s greed.

    “Many Nigerians want to give to help,” he said. “In fact, they are already giving one way or the other. But with this community sponsorship, you can see the schools, boreholes, scholarships, and hospitals which your money is helping to build.”

    The community sponsorship targets middle income earners in Nigeria to subscribe for a minimum monthly donation of two thousand naira or three thousand naira.  Interested donors can access www.actionaid.org/nigeria for more information on how to donate.

    The event had in attendance ActionAid ambassadors and Nollywood actresses, Hilda Dokubo and Dakore Egbuson, people from civil society, business, as well as the press.

    ActionAid Nigeria began operations in Nigeria in January 2000 and has so far impacted on 205 rural communities.

  • Capital Bancorp launches online stockbroking portal

    Capital Bancorp Plc yesterday formally launched its online stockbroking portal at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

    The portal, known as Bancorp e-Trade, provides on-line, real time access to investors to personally execute their orders on the NSE. With as low as N1,000, retail investors can open stockbroking accounts and trade on these accounts.

    Speaking at the formal launch, chairman, Capital Bancorp Plc, Mr. Olutola Mobolurin, said the new retail trading platform would increase investors’ participation in the capital market.

    He said the company was poised to leverage on existing technology to make trading in shares and bond more transparent and inclusive in order to attract more retail segment of the market.

    “Because investors want transactions done quickly as possible, the platform will make trading in shares and bond closer to everyone and it would also reduce the implicit costs of trading in shares and bonds. You can see what is happening in the market real time and it also provides opportunity for investors to monitor the implementation and follow up investment dealing at any time,” Mobolurin said.

    Managing director, Capital Bancorp Plc, Mr. Higo Aigboje, said the portal would provide investors with round-the-clock access to their portfolio and cash statements while investors can also place their orders within and outside the trading hours of the NSE.

    He said Bancorp e-Trade was designed as a convenient and transparent means to ensure investors are in control of their investments at any time.

    According to him, the new portal would lead to significant reduction in cost of investment with the removal of such costs as travelling and opportunity costs.

    He added that with the user-friendly nature of the portal, investors would be able to optimize their investments by avoiding errors and lack of clarity of orders or signature forgery and theft of shares.

    “Bancorp e-Trade is carefully crafted to provide access to stockbroking services for the busy executives and upwardly mobile young adults and would assist in the realization of the financial inclusion agenda of the government,” Higo stated.

    He outlined that his firm has simplified the account opening process for new investors as they only need to fill account opening form and upload scanned passport photo, scanned utility bill that is not later than three months, scanned specimen signature, scanned mode of identification and their bank details.

    The features of Bancorp e-Trade, which sits on the infoware e-business suite platform, included display of balance in any currency of choice, online mandate, ability to specify expiry dates on orders, display of portfolio balance and portfolio analysis, statement of account, ability to view and download contract note in different formats, ability to view certificates and verification status, live streaming of stock market prices, live portfolio valuation, amendments or cancellation to undone transactions, graphs and charts and online real-time client information.

  • IDL launches wine

    IDL launches wine

    Intercontinental Distillers Limited (IDL) has introduced another brand of wine, Chapeau, a South African wine, into the market.

    Its Managing Director, Patrick Anegbe, said he was delighted that the company had been able to come up with a natural wine that is different from others in the market. He added that a lot of wines in the market are made of flavour, alcohol, sugar and additives.

    Brand Manager, Chapeau, Chioma Alonge, emphasised the goodness in grape, saying that is the main ingredient of Chapeau.

    She said: “Chapeau is made from real grapes which are good for your heart as they lower blood pressure”. She added “a glass of Chapeau is a glass of goodness which is good for your heart.”

    Chapeau, which literally means “I doff my hat” in French comes in three variants – Merlot, Rose and Cabernet Sauvignon.

    The event, which took place at La Mango in Ikeja, Lagos had Nollywood faces. They include Segun Arinze, Fred Amata, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Florence Onuama, Benita Nzeribe, and comedian Clint de Drunk.

  • Ecobank launches ‘Go Team Africa’campaign

    Ecobank launches ‘Go Team Africa’campaign

    Ecobank Group has launched a new multi media campaign “Go Team Africa” in support of African teams participating in the 2014 World Cup.  The campaign encompasses television commercial, press and radio advertisement amongst others, expresses the Ecobank’s mode of sharing pan-African passion.

    Ecobank is the official broadcast sponsor of Optima Sports’ coverage of 2014 FIFA World Cup in Nigeria and official broadcast sponsor of Octagon in the rest of Africa.

    The Head, Marketing & Communication of Ecobank Nigeria Adetola Oshomah said “the launch of this campaign is in line with our pan African vision.  We are again showing our commitment to the African continent and we are highly optimistic that the teams representing Africa will do the continent proud in Brazil”.  According to Mrs. Oshomah every arrangement is in place to ensure maximum support for the participating African teams in the tournament, stating that apart from the campaign, the bank is also sponsoring some customers in an all-expense paid trip to Brazil to lend their support to the teams during live matches.

    Africa is being represented in the sports fiesta by Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Algeria and Côte d’Ivoire. The World Cup is among the world’s most widely viewed sporting events; an estimated 715.1 million people watched the final match of the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany.

  • Euro rebounds as ECB launches inflation fight

    Euro rebounds as ECB launches inflation fight

    The euro rebounded from four-month lows yesterday, brushing aside the European Central Bank’s decision to cut interest rates and announce an array of measures to loosen monetary policy in order to halt a disinflation trend.

    The ECB cut all its main rates to record lows in a drive to fight off the risk of a Japan-like deflation and bring down the euro’s exchange rate. For the first time, it will charge banks 0.10 per cent for parking funds at the central bank overnight.

    The euro had been trading in a tight range heading into the decision, coming one day before the U.S. jobs report that is expected to show slowing employment growth but unlikely to affect a change in loose U.S. monetary policy.

    President Mario Draghi stopped short of large-scale asset purchases known as quantitative easing, which is meant to keep interest rates low and spur borrowing. Draghi said more action would come if necessary.