The Nation Newspaper

Tag: partners

  • Colgate partners distributors

    Colgate partners distributors

    The General Manager of Colgate Nigeria Plc, Mr Davies Kenyama, has said the firm has engaged distributors as partners to bring its products to the country.

    The products are Oral care, Personal care, Pet nutrition and Home care.

    “We have an office set up in Lagos and our staff are mostly local Nigerians. This is our first step in entering this dynamic market,” he said.

    ‘’Colgate has billion global consumer products worth $18billion and consumers who are scattered in over 223 countries where it is sold, the company has a balance in the developed and emerging market with 48 per cent and 52 per cent.

    Kenyama said the products introduced to market were targeted at the consumers’specific needs.

    His words: “We have conducted research in the market and have established that we can provide a complete oral care regimen to consumers for oral hygiene. Consumers are expressing the desire for a wider range of products other than just fresh breath offerings, so we will be bringing the products that we believe are best suited for the consumer some of our products, such as Colgate and Palmolive are among the world’s most recognisable household names, trusted and relied upon by consumers everywhere.”

  • Royal Exchange partners NGO on youth education, leadership

    Royal Exchange partners NGO on youth education, leadership

    The Royal Exchange Group said it is determined to instill leadership qualities in Nigerian youth.

    Its Managing Director, Mr. Chike Mokwunye, said it will go into partnership with a non-governmental organisation called Foundation for Youth Education, to accomplish the objective by conducting leadership training and conference for secondary school prefects in Lagos State.

    He said his company’s decision to partner with the NGO, is motivated by an abiding sense of duty and patriotism to contribute to nurturing the Nigerian youth to be productive and responsible citizens.

    A conference was held on November 5, at the College Hall, Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos, and it brought together over 800 secondary school prefects from 40 schools across Lagos State.

    He said the students attending the conference are already in positions of authority in their respective schools, and they want a situation where they will continue to be seen as examples for others to follow. “At the end of the training, we expect the prefects to be role models, ready to lead, and positively influence others around them,” Mokwunye added.

    He continued: “The Royal Exchange brand is well known for its empathy and high sense of patriotism. This partnership reflects our belief in the potential of the Nigerian spirit and the ability of the Nigerian youth to soar and excel in their chosen fields when given the opportunity.”

    The Coordinator of the Foundation for Youth Education, Mr. Patrick Ajogwu, said the NGO was founded with the aim of instilling academic excellence, promoting qualitative education and leadership attitude.

    Ajogwu said the aim of the conference, which is in its fourth edition, is to enable students start early by developing the necessary leadership skills, adding that it will also assist the pupils, counselling and giving them direction as they begin to make their career decisions.

    Royal Exchange, which had previously sponsored the Nigerian Idol, has been sponsoring the School Leadership Conference for the past three years. It started operations in 1921 and continues to be driven by innovation and determination to offer services that are of exceptional value to its customers.

  • Canada partners firm on international day of the girl

    Canada partners firm on international day of the girl

    The High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Perry J. Calderwood,  recently celebrated the International Day of the Girl by hosting a roundtable  to discuss how media and private sector partners can invest in adolescent girls to promote girl safety and empowerment.  The discussion was led by Girl Hub, an NGO working in three African countries to address the needs and rights of adolescent girls.

    The High Commissioner and Girl Hub welcomed representatives from the media and private sector, congratulating them on the inaugural partnering event, and encouraging all parties to find innovative ways to achieve tangible and sustainable results on protection and empowerment of girls.

    The International Day of the Girl is celebrated on October 11 each year.  The day promotes girls’ human rights and aims to draw global attention to the gender inequality and abuse that many girls suffer worldwide.  In line with this year’s theme, Empowering Adolescent Girls: Ending the Cycle of Violence, the principal objective of this roundtable event was to motivate, inform, engage, and equip the media and private sector to focus on girl safety, a key dimension needed for adolescent girls to thrive.

    High Commissioner Calderwood stated that, “Violence against women and girls is pervasive in many communities worldwide and takes many forms.  We must redouble efforts to overcome such violence and to create societies in which women and men are equal. Today’s discussion launches a new and promising collaboration between civil society and business that has the potential to unleash a ripple effect of change,” a phenomenon that Girl Hub popularly refers to as ‘The Girl Effect’.

    Canada is committed to the view that equality between men and women is not only a human rights issue, but is also an essential component of sustainable development, social justice, peace, and security.  Canada is a world leader in the promotion and protection of women’s and girls’ rights and gender equality.

  • Microsoft partners ISPON

    Microsoft partners ISPON

    Microsoft Nigeria has  the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), in a move designed to foster the growth of the software ecosystem.

    Speaking during the presentation of the certificate of membership to Microsoft Nigeria along with a handover of a white paper on the sustenance of a strategic partnership between the two organisations, ISPON President, Mr. Pius Okigbo, Jr. reiterated the resolve of ISPON to build indigenous capacity by bolstering software local content.  It will also strive to protect and advocate intellectual property rights as it concerns indigenous software development through its various channels and events, adding that Microsoft has a key role in the realisation of these goals.

    Country Managing Director, Microsoft Nigeria, Mr. Kabelo Makwane, expressed satisfaction with the approach of ISPON in addressing these key issues, stressing that the partnership should be on a long term basis judging by the enormity and importance of the issues identified.

    Makwane urged ISPON to facilitate a strong software industry which will speak with one voice, thereby lending credence to the advocacy of its cause.

    ISPON’s immediate past President, Mr. Chris Uwaje, praised the new, welcoming Microsoft on board. He urged the company to assert its role in the development of the software ecosystem as Nigeria.

    He said the country has a pool of young talented software developers, a large percentage of which will be churned into the software ecosystem in the next decade creating a vibrant software industry.

  • Sophia Chikere partners Miss Global Nigeria

    Sophia Chikere partners Miss Global Nigeria

    It appears Nollywood actress Sophia Chikere has put behind her the unnerving experience of her crashed marriage to movie producer Tchidi Chikere, as she has now moved on and ventured into some other rewarding activities.

    Following the launch of her perfume line a few months back, the actress has now sealed a deal with the organisers of the 2014 edition of Miss Global Nigeria beauty pageant billed to hold on Sunday, July 20, at Havillah Events Centre by City of David, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    According to her, the contestants are lucky, as this year’s event comes with an array of fabulous benefits from the sponsors and organisers.

    “As one of the sponsors, the organisers recently sealed a deal with my perfume line, Sophia’s Secrets, which I launched a few months back.  Aside the Peruvian hair supplied by my fellow actress, Ebube Nwagbo, which will be used for the contestants, I will also be giving each contestant, including the 10 best dressed guests at the grand finale,  a bottle of my newly launched perfume,” she said.

    The screening for a new queen, which began in Abuja in the first week of July, screeched to a halt on Ember Creek, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos on Tuesday, July 8.

    According to organisers, the event will be an evening of contemporary fashion, music, comedy, a coronation ball and the crowning ceremony of Miss Global Nigeria.

    “The overall winner, as the African beauty ambassador, shall be seen as a tool for universal amity via a pet project on Child Abuse with special bias in the controversial girl-child marriage,” said the organisers.

  • ‘Durban’ partners DStv, GOtv on African documentaries

    ‘Durban’ partners DStv, GOtv on African documentaries

    •Films from Nigeria, 12 other African countries on week showcase

    There is a leeway for lovers of documentary movies, who may not be able to attend this year’s edition of Durban International Film Festival (DIFF), holding in Durban, South Africa, as a segment of the festival, the AfriDocs Film Week, will be screening select documentaries to 49 African countries on the DStv and GOtv platforms.

    Tagged “Film festival on your screen”, the AfriDocs Film Week runs from July 21 to 27, showing works from 13 countries, including Nigeria, The D.R.C., Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

    One of the entries from Nigeria, Day By Day; Femi Kuti, explores the music and life of the Afro beat artiste Femi Kuti, son of the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

    Promoters of the movie said it is more than a biopic because it gives real insight into every aspect of the creative process.

    Showing simultaneously on Wednesday July 23, at 21:00 (GMT + 2), viewers will, within the contest of the film’s core message, be exposed to arrangements and bold choices involving one guitar strumming patterns over another and the manner they are woven together with a choir’s harmony that brings forth the artiste’s message.

    Interestingly, the documentary shifts between the object of the artiste’s struggle, his musical fight to lift Nigeria and Africa as a whole out of the despondent poverty and the proof of his commitment and tools of his trade: haunting, catchy songs.

    The fascinating world of the Femi Kuti, as portrayed in the documentary, also covers initial recordings to the album’s release and his financial problems to his nomination for a Grammy Award,

    Seven of the films screening at the DIFF such as  the award-winning Miners Shot Down, Concerning Violence, I Afrikaner, The Irresistible Rise of Moïse Katumbi and Soft Vengeance will also be part of the programme.

    These documentaries, according to AfriDocs Executive Producer, Don Edkins, tell a wide range of stories from films about great African artistes, such as singers and activists Femi Kuti and Miriam Makeba (Mama Africa); the Malian photographer Malik Sibidé (Dolce Vita Africana);  political and historical films about leaders Patrice Lumumba; Liberian President Sirleaf Johnson as well as films dealing with revolutionaries, farmers, gangsters and evangelists.

    “So many documentary films have been shot in Africa, but very few have been seen by African audiences.This heralds a new era of distribution for the continent,” said Edkins.

    Showing on DStv channel ED (channel 190) and GOtv (channel 65), the week-long film event, apart from broadcasting to 49 countries by satellite, is said to also reach terrestrially television in additional 100 cities in eight countries.

    AfriDocs is an initiative of the multi-awarded South African documentary production and distribution company, Steps, in partnership with the Bertha Foundation.

  • Glo adds 100 more partners to roaming footprint

    Glo has deepened its roaming services offering with the addition of over 100 leading network partners across the world in the last one year. The development makes Glo one of the biggest voice and data carriers in Africa.

    Postpaid subscribers of the company can enjoy seamless roaming services in almost every part of the world as Glo has interconnectivity arrangements with over 430 partners in 176 countries. Thus Glo is now the network in Nigeria with the largest international postpaid roaming footprint.

    Similarly Glo has extended its prepaid roaming to more destinations as the service is now available in most major destinations where it is partnering with over 80 leading networks. The countries include Unites States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, South Africa, Ghana, UAE, Algeria, Belgium, Italy, India and Israel.

  • Skye Bank partners Lagos councils on levy collection

    Skye Bank partners Lagos councils on levy collection

    Skye Bank Plc has launched a new solution to help local councils in the country improve their internally generated revenue. The solution was unveiled at the weekend at the Ojokoro Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, where the product has already been adopted for revenue collection.

    The bank’s Group Head, Revenue Collection and Franchise, Mrs. Bola Allison, said the product will check leakages and corruption in the collection process. She said the product known as Point of Payment (PoP) solution, ensures that the citizens pay their taxes, levies and other statutory payments through customized point of sales terminals which are administered by the council staff.

    Allison said the solution would make payment convenient as eligible tax and levy payers would not have to leave their shops or go to the banks to effect payment. She said tax payer would be protected as the PoP system generates receipts as evidence of payment.

    The Executive Chairman of Ojokoro Local Council Area, Mr. Benjamin Olabinjo, urged the people to embrace the product given the immense benefits to the development of the economy.

  • Nomanini partners Aurora on informal markets

    Nomanini partners Aurora on informal markets

    Nomanini has announced its expansion into West Africa, having secured a partnership with Nigerian enterprise Aurora VM. This partnership represents Nomanini’s entry into Nigeria.

    Nomanini is a Cape Town-based technology solutions provider that builds tools to facilitate cash payments in informal markets.

    Nomanini’s hardware enables traders in the informal economy to sell prepaid mobile services, prepaid utility services and can be used as a cash collection point for microloans, microinsurance and mobile money. Vendors provide these services to their communities by utilising Nomanini’s portable point of sale terminals which are easy to use, fully mobile, and which have been specifically designed for use in informal markets. Nomanini’s technology enables local clients like Aurora to customise its technology for their regions.

    Chief executive officer, Nomanini, Vahid Mondajem said the firm’s core business of facilitating cash transactions in informal markets is well-aligned with Aurora’s goal of alleviating poverty in Nigeria.

    Aurora will use Nomanini’s technology to enable self-employment opportunities to empower women and unemployed youth to alleviate poverty in Nigeria.

    “Nigeria represents a key market in Africa. It is the continent’s biggest, and by some estimations, most dynamic market. We are delighted that, together with Aurora VM, our solutions are providing opportunities for women and youth,”  Mondajem said.

    Aurora VM is a Nigerian women-run social enterprise that was formed in 2013.

    Aurora’s first initiative is to introduce airtime vending solutions for the informal sector in Nigeria. This initiative specifically targets the economic empowerment of traditionally ostracised females – widows, abandoned wives, the uneducated – in the first phase of the programme.

    The most widely traded virtual commodity in Africa is prepaid mobile service. There are over 120 million mobile subscribers in Nigeria, 97% of which are prepaid. At present, prepaid distribution is achieved via trade in physical scratch cards primarily because they are easy to use and relatively quick to trade. However, their production is costly and they effectively leave informal entrepreneurs with little profit as they are at the end of a very long distribution chain.

    “The most commonly used form of prepayment in Nigeria is scratch cards. We were looking for a better form and researched POS terminals used both in Nigeria and abroad as an alternative. Unfortunately, they generally have a steep learning curve and are difficult to operate. What we wanted was a simple and quick solution that satisfied all our needs and Nomanini offers us this,” chief executive officer, Aurora, Iyabode Uko said.

  • Sterling Bank partners Chaz B on emotional intelligence

    Sterling Bank partners Chaz B on emotional intelligence

    Sterling Bank Plc in its drive to enrich the lives of its customers and offer real value to the country as a whole has taken yet another bold step by supporting the award winning radio host Chaz B’s Emotional Intelligence event for couples.

    The event according to the On Air Personality and motivational speaker has been carefully and specially crafted to cater for the needs of married and engaged couples.

    In a statement, Sterling Bank’s Group Head, Strategy & Communications Mr. Shina Atilola said that the Bank was supporting the initiative because of its laudable objective which was to provide couples with the requisite skills to improve their relationships and deal with salient issues prevalent in marriages, which lead to breakdown in communication and other serious issues between couples.

    He expressed his concern that a lot of couples entered into marriage without the necessary skills required for success. This, he explained, had led to the sharp increase in the number of divorce cases in the country.

    “A lot of couples do not go through the rigors of understanding each other before they enter into marriage. As a result, they go into marriage unprepared. Marriage is about sharing lives, enduring partnerships and sharing love. Marriages are under pressure because there is not enough focus on these core relationship enablers”