The Nation Newspaper

Tag: US firm

  • Phillips Consulting, US firm partner on human resource

    Phillips Consulting Limited  plans to partner Human Capital Growth (HCG), a United States-based talent management firm, to provide evidence-based human resource and talent management certifications to the market.

    Under the deal, which promises to transform Human Resource (HR) practice, HCG’s courses would highlight the best, and most relevant training courses essential to professionals and firms to meet goals.

    Addressing reporters in Lagos, HCG Account Specialist, Chiadika Okereke, said using science, analytics and empathy, the US company, which was entering the African market first time, would complement Phillips Consulting’s effort to drive growth and excellence in organisations.

    He said the deal would ensure that HR experts had the opportunity to nurture skills and pursue certifications in areas, such as workforce analytics, change management, leadership development, and integrated talent management.

    According to him, what differentiates HCG certifications from others is that they are hands-on, project-based and backed by deep industry and academic expertise.

    He added that rather than focus  on the administrative and legal aspects of HR practice, these certifications would equip HR professionals with the tools, resources and expertise to make instant and tangible business impacts.

    HCG’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Shreya Sarkar-Barney, explained: “Human resource and talent management professionals were increasingly called upon to align the workforce with the business needs and deliver measurable improvements adding our science-based courses and certifications can be readily put to use to deliver results.”

    He said Phillips Consulting would introduce HCG certifications and provide guidance for enrolling, engaging and benefiting from the certification programmes, adding that this blended solution was perfect for busy professionals desiring to build deep and market relevant HR and talent management skills.

    The certifications, according to him, will cover areas such as workforce staffing, workforce development, workforce management, organisational effectiveness, talent acquisition, leadership development, workforce planning, change management, workforce analytics, and employee engagement.

    Phillips Consulting’s People Transformation Practice Senior Partner Paul Ayim said it was time for HR to raise the bar beyond HR operations and change the conversation to more strategic business-aligned issues that impact business performance.

     

  • Phillips Consulting, US firm partner on human resource

    Phillips Consulting Limited  plans to partner Human Capital Growth (HCG), a United States-based talent management firm, to provide evidence-based human resource and talent management certifications to the market.

    Under the deal, which promises to transform Human Resource (HR) practice, HCG’s courses would highlight the best, and most relevant training courses essential to professionals and firms to meet goals.

    Addressing reporters in Lagos, HCG Account Specialist, Chiadika Okereke, said using science, analytics and empathy, the US company, which was entering the African market first time, would complement Phillips Consulting’s effort to drive growth and excellence in organisations.

    He said the deal would ensure that HR experts had the opportunity to nurture skills and pursue certifications in areas, such as workforce analytics, change management, leadership development, and integrated talent management.

    According to him, what differentiates HCG certifications from others is that they are hands-on, project-based and backed by deep industry and academic expertise.

    He added that rather than focus  on the administrative and legal aspects of HR practice, these certifications would equip HR professionals with the tools, resources and expertise to make instant and tangible business impacts.

    HCG’s founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Shreya Sarkar-Barney, explained: “Human resource and talent management professionals were increasingly called upon to align the workforce with the business needs and deliver measurable improvements adding our science-based courses and certifications can be readily put to use to deliver results.”

    He said Phillips Consulting would introduce HCG certifications and provide guidance for enrolling, engaging and benefiting from the certification programs, adding that this blended solution was perfect for busy professionals desiring to build deep and market relevant HR and talent management skills.

    The certifications, according to him, will cover areas such as workforce staffing, workforce development, workforce management, organisational effectiveness, talent acquisition, leadership development, workforce planning, change management, workforce analytics, and employee engagement.

    Phillips Consulting’s People Transformation Practice Senior Partner Paul Ayim said it was time for HR to raise the bar beyond HR operations and change the conversation to more strategic business-aligned issues that impact business performance.

     

  • Ibeto, US firm merge to stimulate cement, housing needs

    The recent acquisition of 70 per cent equity in an American firm by Nigeria’s Ibeto Cement Company has been described as a remarkable feat. This is not only because it represents the first transaction to be executed on a reverse merger basis, but for its import on the local and African economy, reports, MUYIWA LUCAS.

    Ibeto Cement Company Managing Director, Cletus Ibeto, by nature, is a self-effacing man. But owing to the new vista of business empire he has to oversee, he may have to shout himself to the roof top. And he has every reason to.

    The firm, recently acquired 70 per cent majority equity in Century Petroleum Corporation, a US publicly traded petroleum exploration and production company. This acquisition has made the Nigerian firm the controlling partner in the merger, thus throwing up Ibeto as the Chairman, Board of Directors of the new merger.

    For stakeholders in the industry, the pattern of the merger- a reverse merger option, is unique. This is because reverse mergers are not very popular approaches. Wikipedia describes such mergers as “the acquisition of a public company by a private company so that the private company can bypass the lengthy and complex process of going public. The transaction typically requires re-organisation of capitalisation of the acquiring company”.

    Speaking on the development, an obviously delighted Ibeto said: “This is in line with our collective dream to place Nigeria in its rightful place in the comity of nations. It is strong testament to the abounding potentials in today’s global village and economy.” He lauded stakeholders in the historic merger, saying it will improve the level of actualisation of the huge cement business opportunities around Africa.

    The merger of Ibeto Cement and Century Petroleum bestrode two key sectors of the economy: cement and petroleum.  While it is popular knowledge that the latter remains at the core of our national economy, cement is also a key indicator of any economy. Stakeholders are convinced that housing sufficiency or its lack, therefore, is directly proportional to its level of economic development, especially in relation to cement.

    A report by Morgan Stanley, a US multi-national financial services firm states that: “Cement consumption per capita tends to rise initially with rising gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, but then falls as countries mature economically.”

    It is worthy of note that Nigeria’s construction industry/sector is only 3.2 per cent of the GDP. This may be related to a World Bank statistics, which has it that 60 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated population of over 180 million is caught in the trap of homelessness.

    In the continent’s cement industry, African nations are currently at the low end of cement consumption relative to other emerging economies. With growing populations, it is predicted that cement consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa will grow by an average of between seven and 10 per cent year- on- year over the next two decades. Yet, Nigeria and Senegal are the only two countries in West African sub region that are blessed with limestone deposits in commercial quantities. This makes the cement industry a major development contributor not only in local housing needs, but as a major foreign exchange earner.

    Ibeto praised Federal Government’s initiative, noting that government’s national Backward Integration Policy (BIP) on cement and the call to increase its local production spurred Ibeto’s  acquisition of Nigeria Cement Company Limited (Nigercem), located in Nkalagu, Ebonyi State. He said the strategic acquisition of Nigercem was aimed at expediting Ibeto Cement’s local production  by resuscitating the Nigercem plant and developing the project as a brand new dry process plant. The company is also developing another 6,000 Metric Tons Per Day (TPD) Cement plant at Cross River and Abia states.

    Ibeto also has an ultra-modern bagging plant in Port Harcourt, where it began operations in 2005, with a flat-storage capacity of 50,000 metric tons and a production capacity of 1,500,000 metric tons per annum, which translates to a production capacity of 4,000+ metric tons per day. It has two (2) production lines, each with a capacity of 2, 700 of 50kg bags per hour or designed total production capacity of 5, 400 of 50kg bags per hour. An integral part of this plant facility is a modern purpose-built jetty (Ibeto jetty), which can accomodate ships of 190+ metres long with sophisticated and state-of-the-art ship unloaders, mounted at the waterfront on the jetty to facilitate discharge of bulk cement from offshore/foreign mother vessels.

  • US firm unveils product

    The Foreign Commercial Service of the United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, in collaboration with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Nigeria, and its leading local partner, Manifold Computers, has introduced an innovative technology  – Synergy and Aruba – into the oil and gas industry.

    Synergy and Aruba will help companies to increase their efficiency, monitor people, manage resources, make real-time decisions, reduce risks, save costs, and increase flexibility, productivity and company bottom line.

    Speaking at the public presentation of the product in Lagos, the United States Consul-General, John Bray, renewed his government’s commitment to supporting trade and investment in Nigeria.

    He advised the oil and gas players to avail themselves of the innovative technology to harness Nigeria’s abundant resources, improve their bottom line and grow the economy.

    Bray said: “Nigeria presents tremendous long-term growth opportunities and the United States government remains committed to supporting American companies and local partners in deploying U.S. technology to help tackle some of the challenges the country is facing.’’

    Acting Commercial Counsellor of the U.S. Mission, Paul Bergman, highlighted Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s long-term partnership with the American Commercial Service.

    According to him, the U.S. Commercial Service will continue to be at the forefront of promoting trade and investment between America and Nigeria through the development and execution of mutually beneficial international trade policies and promotion strategies.

    Country Managing Director, HPE Nigeria, Chukwuma Okpaka, noted the high performance of the computing technology, saying it meets the modern exigencies of industry in Nigeria.

    It added that modelling and simulation applications would accelerate breakthroughs in the oil and gas, science, medicine, technology, as well as energy sector.

  • US firm unveils Yoruba language apps, products

    A United States firm, V-Microsystems Global Design Limited, yesterday unveiled its custom-made Yoruba language applications and products.

    The products, designed by US-based Nigerian engineer, Shola Adeyanju, were launched at a ceremony in Ikeja, Lagos.

    Adeyanju said the applications, Akomolede (language teacher), Adura Oluwa (The Lord’s Prayer), Agbara Oluwa (The Lord’s power) would help Yoruba in the Diaspora reconnect with their language.

    An online interactive English to Yoruba language learning e-book ‘Everyday Yoruba, words and sentences’, which can be found on www.vmicrosystems.com, was also unveiled.

    The firm, which deals in hardware electronics engineering, was founded by Adeyanju in in 2003 as V-Microsystems Technologies and it specialises in analog and digital electronics circuit design.

    Adeyanju, who has lived in the U.S. for over 20 years, hosted the event alongside his wife Adenike.

    Over 500 guests, including eminent scholar Professor Adebayo Williams, Hon Janet Olajide, and the Venerable Akinwande Odubena, were entertained by a cultural show performed by Christ Chosen Vessel Dance Drama Ministry a.k.a. Alfa Sule.

    He said research suggested that Yoruba parents abroad found it difficult to teach their children their language, unlike other Nigerian and African ethnic groups and that he hoped the products would revive interest in Yoruba.

    “The first product we made in 2003 was to teach our children how to pray the Lord’s Prayer in Yoruba. But I found out that even my brothers here at home liked it and found it important.

    “We have many Yoruba people teaching white people English but we’re losing our language,” he said.

    Adeyanju noted that two of the products Adura Oluwa (The Lord’s Prayer), Agbara Oluwa (The Lord’s power) were designed for persons who wished to learn to pray in Yoruba while Akomolede was for anyone interested in learning Yoruba.

    He added: “The target audience is two phased. Firstly, because it is consumer electronics, it targets everyone. Secondly, two of the products also targets Christians or anyone wishing to pray Christian prayers.

    Adeyanju said he was pleasantly surprised to find non-Yoruba showing interest in the applications and also noted that all the products were made in Nigeria, adding that they were the product of personal research.

    He urged Nigerians to consider applying science and technology to solving everyday problems, such as the herdsmen menace.

    Adeyanju added: “We hope these products will inspire young people to produce more things.”

     

  • Govt signs multimillion naira PR deal with US firm

    Govt signs multimillion naira PR deal with US firm

    The Federal Government has awarded a N275million yearly contract to a United States public relations firm to manage its image, especially relating to the failure to rescue the abducted Chibok school girls.

    Levick Strategic Communications was engaged to assist with a range of government affairs and public relations matters.

    The agreement is with effect from June 16, for an initial term of 12 months.

    The contract, a copy of which was obtained by The Nation, was signed on the government’s behalf by the head of a government media out fit on June 13.

    According to the contract, professional fees for Levick staff will be billed at the rate of $100,000 per month (about N15,573,000).

    Levick is to engage Jared Genser of Perseus Strategies, “a lawyer in the international human rights and democracy community”, to assist in the firm’s objectives “to promote transparency, democracy and the rule of law throughout Nigeria”.

    The sub-contract to Genser will attract additional $25,000 per month (about N3.9million) and “will be passed through in its entirety Perseus Strategies”.

    Levick will bill travel-related expenses and meals to the government.

    “We estimate these to average $22,500.00 per professional per trip,” the firm said.

    Additionally, the government will pay a percentage of the fees upfront.

    “It is our policy to invoice our clients a flat 4.50 per cent of monthly fees to cover these costs,” Levick said.

    Fees for other services, such as paid media, video production and web development, will be borne by the government in addition to the fees for Levick staff.

    “Actual long-distance or conference calling charges incurred on behalf of the client will be billed separately, at cost,” the firm demanded.

    The government will also bear third-party vendor expenses, such as private newswire, outsourced printing, copy jobs, and significant costs for postage and handling.

    Levick is to begin work upon receipt of advance quarterly retainer and interest of 1.5 per cent will be charged on all balances outstanding over 30 days.

    Under scope of services, Levick is to provide government affairs and communications counsel with the primary objective of changing the international and local media narrative related to:

    the Government of Nigeria’s efforts to find and safely return the more than 200 girls abducted by the terrorist organisation, Boko Haram, in the Borno State of Nigeria;

    assisting the government’s efforts to mobilise international support in fighting Boko Haram as part of the greater global war on terror; and

    communicating the President Goodluck Jonathan administration’s past, present and future priority to foster transparency, democracy and the rule of law throughout Nigeria.

    The government also agreed to indemnify and hold Levick and its agents “harmless” with respect to any claims or actions for libel, slander, defamation, copyright infringement, idea misappropriation or invasion of privacy arising out of the firm’s consultation.

    It was agreed that work would begin upon Levick’s receipt of the signed agreement and initial payment.

    The funds are to be sent by cheque to Levick or by wire transfer to its banker, BB&T, Washington, DC, with account number 5156166334.