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Ramon, Uwaediea To Speak On Media, Advertising Regulations At Brand Journalists Conference

Discourse on media management and advertising regulations will take the centre stage at the Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) 9th Annual General Meeting (AGM)/Conference billed to take place on December 11, 2021 at the Presken Hotel and Suites, Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos.

The theme of the conference is, ‘’Media Management In Difficult Times’’ while the keynote speaker is Mr. Ramon Nasir Olanrewaju, Group Head, External Affairs & Media, UBA Plc.

Also speaking at the event is Mr. Nosakhare Uwadiae, Esq, Managing Partner, Gee Law Firm, who would be speaking on ‘’Advertising, Impartiality And Regulation’’.

Speaking on the event, Mr. Afolabi Idowu, Chairman, BJAN said the conference promises to generate germane ideas that will help to consolidate the growth of the Nigerian media environment.

He noted, ‘’BJAN AGM/Conference is our flagship event that seasoned analysts and informed stakeholders gathered to dissect key issues facing the marketing industry and Nigeria at large.’’

‘’Our plan at this year is to brainstorm on the imperatives in developing our very vibrant media sector. It is our belief that at the end of the conference, we will generate germane thoughts that will help to strengthen the growth of Media practice in Nigeria.

“Experts in media and advertising law profession with verifiable records have been lined up for the event, we believe that the knowledge shared at the event would deepen the knowledge base of individuals, groups and entire Nigerian ecosystem’’, he added.

Idowu urged brands and organizations to embrace the strategic marketing opportunities that the event provides to consolidate and deepen visibility and presence of their product and services in the marketplace.

BJAN had the Maiden edition of the conference in 2013 in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital with the theme “Repositioning Centenary Brands to Align with Modern Realities.”

The 2020 edition held in Lagos, had its theme as “Consolidating Nigeria’s Agricultural Revolution: Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons.“

Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) is the umbrella body of practicing journalists covering Brands, Public Relations, Marketing and advertising beat in Nigeria.

13 November 2021
Pat Utomi, APCON Boss, Others To Speak At Brandcomfest 2021

Popular political economist and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Prof Pat Utomi will be the Keynote Speaker at the 2021 Brandcomfest scheduled for Thursday, 18th November at the D’Podium Event Center, Ikeja, Lagos.

In a statement made available to BUSINESS BELLS by the organisers, Utomi is billed to speak on “Dissecting the Prism of brand building in a volatile economy”, which is also the main theme of this year’s event.

The event is free to attend, but interested participants are required to register at https://www.brandcom.ng/brandcomfest/

The erudite Professor is a fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria and founding Senior Faculty of the Lagos Business School-Pan Atlantic University, and Chairman and Chief Executive of the Integrated Produce City (IPC). He is also the Executive Vice Chairman of SmartCity Lagos, a joint holding with Dubai Holdings by SmartCity Dubai.

He has served on the Africa Board of a leading global professional service firm, Deloitte, and was Director of The Centre for Applied Economics at the Lagos Business School.

Utomi has served in senior positions in government, as an Adviser to the President of Nigeria; the Private Sector, as Chief Operating Officer for Volkswagen of Nigeria, and in academia. He is the author of many business and public policy books including the award-winning “Managing Uncertainty: Competition and Strategy in Emerging Economies, 1998 and the 2006 book “Why Nations are Poor”, “The Art of Leading”, 2016, as well as “WHY NOT”, 2019.

He is the Chairman of PAFTRAC the Pan African Private Sector Trade and Investment Committee sponsored by AU and Afrexim Bank. He is also the Founder and CEO of the Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL). He was a candidate for President of Nigeria in 2007 and 2011.

Other key speakers at the event include Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, Registrar/ CEO, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Emmanuel Agu, Group Marketing Director, Jotna Nig Ltd; Amaka Onyemelukwe, Director, Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability, The Coca Cola Company; Titilope Oguntuga, Head, Sustainable Development/ Corp. Brand, Lafarge Africa; Israel Opeyemi, Chief Strategist, Chain Reaction; Femi Adelusi, President MIPAN, and many others.

Some will also be speaking on various sub-themes under the following segments; Fintech, Sustainability, Insurance Marketing, SME Brand Masterclass, FMCG, Industry Standard of Practice, PR among others.

Brandcomfest is designed to be the largest gathering of stakeholders in the brand and marketing communications landscape. The annual event caters to the most contemporary and topical issues in the industry, as the foremost thought-leadership platform for stakeholders within the brands and marketing communications value chain.

According to Joshua Ajayi, convener of Brandcomfest and publisher of Brand Communicator, “Last year, because of COVID we could not hold the event but this year we are back, to do bigger and better than what we did at our maiden edition in 2019 which was one of the biggest events of that year. Brandcomfest is more essential at this time which is the reason for the choice of our theme.

“The essence of Brandcomfest remains the same post-COVID and it is to serve as our way of linking the future, in line with the vision which we have religiously kept faith with since we hit the newsstands over a decade ago”.

Brand Communicator is Nigeria’s most consistent brand and marketing communications magazine. It is also the organiser of the Women in Marketing and Communications Conference/Awards (WIMCA), the largest gathering of female marketing and communications professionals in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. It is also a partner to the two biggest creative advertising shows on the continent, Loeries Africa Middle East and African Cristal Festival.

13 November 2021
Embrace E-Naira Like Physical Naira, CBN Urges Nigerians

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has appealed to Nigerians to embrace the bank’s digital currency, eNaira just like the physical Naira, which it described as the nation’s pride.

The Director, Corporate Communications Department at CBN, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi stated that eNaira, like the physical Naira is a legal tender in Nigeria and a liability of CBN.

The eNaira was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on October 25, 2021.

Nwanisobi who spoke during the CBN Special Day at the ongoing 35th edition of Lagos International Trade Fair, said, “Since the eNaira platform went live, there has been overwhelming interest and encouraging response from Nigerians and other parties across the world. Today, customers who download the eNaira Speed Wallet App will be able to Onboard and create their wallet; fund their eNaira wallet from their bank account; transfer eNaira from their wallet to another wallet and make payment for purchases at registered merchant locations.”

President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), organisers of the trade fair, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje commended the launch of the eNaira, saying, it marks a milestone in Nigeria digital economy.

Nigeria’s trade with the rest of the world, she said, is expected to receive a boost with the launch of the digital currency.

She however stressed the need for massive awareness campaigns to tell potential users of the benefits of the operational, cybersecurity implications and its operationalization with other traditional currencies.

12 November 2021
BREAKING: FG Set To Axe 9Credit, NowCash, Other Loans Apps Over Harassment of Nigerians

The Federal Government is set to punish lending companies like NowCash, Sokoloan, 9credit over data breach.

This was disclosed by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in a press statement on its Facebook page.

The agency says it has received over 40 petitions from members of the public on the personal data abuse of some lending companies.

The statement reads: The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in continuation of its efforts to address the alarming rates of data privacy abuse by money lending operators, has entered into a strategic partnership with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

Section 17(a) of the FCCPA, 2019 empowers the Commission to administer and enforce provisions of every Nigerian law with respect to competition and protection of consumers.

NITDA has therefore found the FCCPC as a key stakeholder in its efforts to rein in the activities of some micro-money lenders who have formed a penchant for abuse of personal data of Nigerians.

These operators execute this by abusing their personal data, breaching their privacy and sharing it with others who are not part of the initial contract.

12 November 2021
Product Review: How Mabisco Digestive Is Delivering Excellence in Nigeria’s Biscuits Market

By Adejuwon osunnuyi

That the Nigerian consumer market has remained an attractive space for investors cannot be overemphasized. Little wonder that in the food and ready-to-eat segment of the market space, there has been a phenomenal increase of activities. In this market segment, biscuits, in different forms and categories, which are widely eaten among young children and even adults, obviously remain relevant.

Though Nigeria is home to several local and international manufacturers of biscuits, interestingly, the local manufacturers are holding their own in the struggle for market share, as they easily have command of over 50%.

In the biscuit industry, however, while it can be categorized into three categories namely cookies/crackers, sweet and chocolate, international biscuits and confectionery maker, McVitie’s leads the digestive section. McVitie’s annual global turnover is around $5.2billion as it sells about 2 billion units of the product annually.

Going by reports, the preference for digestive can be understandable. Digestive biscuits are healthier than their counterparts. This is because of its fiber content. Sometimes described as a sweet-meal biscuit, digestive biscuit was first developed in 1839 by two Scottish doctors to aid digestion.

The term “digestive” is derived from the belief that they had antacid properties due to the use of sodium bicarbonate when they were first developed. They are meant to be lower in sugar (mildly sweet), and due to the presence of more baking soda, eating digestive biscuits are supposed to help those who suffer from acidity. Digestive biscuits are also supposed to help you with your weight loss journey.

The digestive main ingredients include wheat flour, sugar, malt extract, butter (or in cheaper recipes or for vegans or those who are lactose intolerant: vegetable oil), wholemeal, leavening agents (usually sodium bicarbonate, tartaric acid and malic acid), salt.

However, a newly established Nigerian world class manufacturer of cookies and snacks, Mayor Biscuit Company Limited (MABISCO), headquartered in O.P.I.C Industrial Estate, Agbara, Ogun State, Nigeria is already giving McVitie’s and others a good run for their money as the company has been making serious impact in the digestive biscuit section.

Committed to producing innovative products using state-of-the-art machinery and engineering that guarantees only quality products, Mabisco digest has been performing wonderfully well in the market as many consumers have been attesting that it is better than its counterpart, especially the locally produced McVitie’s.

A survey carried out by this medium reveals that Mabisco scores high, not just across parameters of taste and crunch, but it is also priced competitively. According to consumers, Mabisco Digestive biscuits are not only delicious, but it also brings with it all the goodness one expects from a digestive biscuit.

While digestives are more crumbly than crunchy, texture can make or break a good digestive biscuit. Mabisco Digestive has a bigger sized crunchy that turns to powder on chewing. The bigger sized crumb is also what feels fibrous in the mouth. You should expect a soft-crunch in your digestives, rather than a crispy-crunch.

There’s a reason why those who consume the Mabisco digest apparently love the snack. You think of having only one and ending having at least five. The soft crumbly texture and mildly sweet taste, along with how beautifully it becomes a tea-time buddy, are just some of the things everyone who tastes the Mabisco digestive once, gets addicted to.

“Since I bought the Mabisco digest for my children, they cannot just do without it. The biscuit does not have too much of crumbs, unlike the others,” a consumer, Mrs Evelyn Adekunle submitted.

Another consumer who spoke with this reporter noted; “Mabisco digest has the same quality like the quality you get anywhere across the globe.”

“I salute the company producing this high quality digestive. You can hardly know that it is produced in this country. I just pray that they won’t reduce the quality,” Mr. Sunday Ikechukwu said.

11 November 2021
MTN Group Set to Sell 575 Million Shares To Nigerians

MTN Group Limited has announced plans to offer for sale the shares of its Nigerian subsidiary, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.

The Group has disclosed its intention to proceed with a public offer for sale of 575 million shares in MTN Nigeria.

This was made known in a notice signed by the company’s secretary, Uto Ukpanah and filed with The Exchange.

The notice further stated that the offer would be by way of a bookbuild to institutional investors and a fixed price to retail investors.

Karl Toriola, MTN Nigeria CEO

According to the statement, the offer is expected to open in November 2021 with a bookbuild to institutional investors and after which a fixed price will be announced for retail investors before it closes in December 2021.

It is worth noting that this is the first step towards the Group’s previously communicated statement notifying The Exchange and investing public of its intention to sell down 14% of its current shareholding in MTN Nigeria.

4 November 2021
GSM@20: Danbatta Bags Award As NCC Identifies Next Frontiers For Industry Growth

As stakeholders in Nigeria commemorate 20 years of telecoms revolution in Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has clearly identified key initiatives being implemented to consolidate the growth and gains of the telecom sector.

Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, listed the digital frontiers while delivering a paper titled: ‘Telecommunications in Nigeria: The Next Frontier’ at the 20th anniversary of the telecommunications revolution in Nigeria organised recently by Compact Communications Limited, at the Muson Centre, Lagos.

At the event, the Commission received a recognition award “in appreciation of its institutional support to the growth and development of telecoms in Nigeria”. The EVC of NCC also received a separate award “in appreciation of his immense contribution to the growth and sustenance of telecoms development in Nigeria.”

Represented at the forum by NCC’s Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, Danbatta said in the last 20 years, the sector has witnessed significant growth in subscribers, internet usage, investment, innovation, contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and multiplier effects of the growth in other sectors of the economy.

Danbatta stated that in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, NCC is driving new frontiers aimed at ensuring consistent growth of the nation’s digital economy sphere.

According to him, as a foremost telecommunications regulatory agency and consistent with NCC mandate as stipulated in the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, and other guiding legislations, the NCC has been at the forefront of leveraging latest technologies and accelerating broadband infrastructure deployment to put Nigeria on the global map of the digital economy experience.

In this regard, he said NCC was working to ensure increased broadband penetration in line with Federal Government’s targets as contained in the Nigerian National Broadband Pan (NNBP), 2020-2025. The NNBP was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in March 2020.

Danbatta explained that the NNBP has a target to achieve 70 per cent broadband penetration among 90 per cent of the country’s population. The Plan also seeks to achieve broadband speeds of 15Mbp and 25Mbps in rural and urban areas respectively over the next five years.

“The Commission is also driving various initiatives aimed at facilitating the deployment of Fifth Generation (5G) Mobile Technology in Nigeria.

Prof. Danbatta emphasized that a robust broadband infrastructure will play a key role in fast-tracking the effective deployment of 5G technology and facilitate availability of services associated with 5G technology.

“Already, the Commission is set to auction some spectrum slots in 3.5GHz band and we have confirmed 97 per cent readiness for 5G deployment in this regard. This is in line with the marching order given to us by Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), following approval by the Federal Executive Council to proceed on our 5G Deployment Plan. The Information Memorandum (IM) for the auction had earlier been shared with stakeholders and we are set to auction the 5G spectrum before the end of the year,” he said.

The NCC Chief Executive also said one of the initiatives being emplaced by the Commission to enhance the attainment of the next frontier for telecom development in Nigeria and the nation’s economic growth, is the ongoing review of licensing structure in the sector. This is to align telecoms licensing process with the wide range of technological advances, convergence of technologies and services shaping global telecoms space.

Danbatta said the Commission has also finalized review of its Spectrum Trading Guidelines (STG). The STG, according to the EVC, allows spectrum resource in-country to be traded on the Secondary Market through Transfer, Sharing or Leasing (TSL) once the stipulated regulatory conditions have been complied with.

Danbatta declared that NNBP 2020-2025 requires that these Guidelines be reviewed to ensure that un-utilised spectrum is fairly traded to facilitate rollout by other operators among others. The Guidelines will, therefore, facilitate the country’s yearning for ubiquitous broadband access in line with the economic agenda of the Federal Government.

As vehicles for implementation of the NNBP, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020-2030) and other similar digital economy policies, Danbatta said the NCC has unveiled its Strategic Management Plan (SMP) 2020-2024 and the Strategic Vision Plan (SVP), 2021-2025, which will ultimately drive the next frontier of growth in the telecoms sector. He said the two strategic plans embody critical areas on which the Commission intend to focus toward driving the implementation of the digital economy agenda of the government.

He stated that the two regulatory documents (the SMP and SVP) encapsulate the totality of regulatory and policy initiatives, designed to re-invent and transform the telecom ecosystem, within the context of regulation, to a greater height. He added that this, to the Commission, is the next frontier for the sector. “While emerging technologies are disruptive by nature, Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind digitally and this explains Commission’s engagement with developmental regulations for the industry and we are irrevocably committed to this,” he said.

Other individuals bestowed with recognition awards at the event include Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and the former EVC/CEO of NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, both for pioneering the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) revolution of 2001. The Zenith Bank also received an award for being at the forefront of leveraging technology for powering financial services delivery. Among the journalists who received awards is a veteran ICT journalist/Publisher, E-World News, Aaron Ukodie.

4 November 2021
Nigerian Banks to Stop Accepting £20, £50 Notes Dec 31

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria have issued a deadline of December 31, 2021 for the acceptance of old £20 and £50 notes to enable proper conclusion of cash evacuation.

One of the banks, Heritage Bank, disclosed this in an email to its customers on Wednesday titled, ‘Pound Sterling notes out of circulation’.

It said, “Esteemed customer, This is to notify you that from September 2022, the Bank of England has mandated the withdrawal of paper £50 and £20 notes from circulation.

“This implies that from January 1, 2022 Heritage Bank will stop accepting paper notes of £50 and £20 in all Experience Centres nationwide.

“We recommend you to deposit all £50 and £20 paper notes in your possession at any of our Experience Centres near you on or before December 31, 2021 to avoid losing the value of your money.

In the same vein, Fidelity Bank Plc, also sent its own email to its customers on Wednesday titled ‘Withdrawal of old 20 and 50 GBP notes from circulation’.

The message stated, “The Bank of England has announced the withdrawal of paper £20 and £50 notes after September 30, 2022. A year’s notice has been provided to customers and the global banking community.

“In view of this, Fidelity Bank, alongside other Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria, has issued a deadline of December 31, 2021 for acceptance of the stated denominations from the public to enable proper conclusion of cash evacuation.

“Thus, we advise you to use or deposit your paper GBP notes into your Fidelity Bank domiciliary account by December 31, 2021 to avoid a loss in the value of your money.”

The Bank of England has recently introduced new polymer £20 notes featuring J.M.W. Turner, and polymer £50 notes featuring Alan Turing to replace the paper notes.

After 30 September 2022, the new polymer notes will be the only ones with legal tender status.

After 30 September 2022 people with a UK bank account will still be able to deposit withdrawn notes into their account.

Some Post Offices may also accept withdrawn notes as payment for goods and services or as a deposit to an account accessed via them.

The Bank of England will continue to exchange all withdrawn notes.

Speaking ahead of the date, the Bank of England’s Chief Cashier Sarah John said “In recent years we have been changing our banknotes from paper to polymer because this makes them more difficult to counterfeit, and means they are more durable. The polymer £20 featuring the artist J.M.W. Turner, and the polymer £50 featuring the scientist Alan Turing are now in wide circulation, and we are in the process of withdrawing their paper equivalents. So we want to remind the public that they have one year from today to spend their paper banknotes.”

The new polymer £20 was first issued on 20 February 2020, and the polymer £50 note was first issued on 23 June 2021. These notes complete the Bank of England’s first polymer series.

The introduction of polymer banknotes allows for a new generation of security features which make them even harder to counterfeit. The notes are also resistant to dirt and moisture and so remain in better condition for longer. These notes also have tactile features that allow the blind and partially sighted to use them.

4 November 2021
Ade-Ojo, Jelani, Oyeyemi, Hathiramani for Honours At 2021 Nigerian Auto Awards

Founder of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade-Ojo, is set to be honoured as Pillar of Auto Industry at the 2021 edition of the annual Nigeria Auto Journalists Awards.

Other prominent personalities in the Nigerian automotive industry to be honoured by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) at the event slated for Wednesday, December 1, 2021 are the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Jelani Aliyu; Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi; and Managing Director of Dana Motors, Jacky Hathiramani.

According to NAJA, the organisers, the event, to be held at Eko Hotel and Suites on Victoria Island, Lagos, will also be used to announce the Nigeria’s Car of the Year, among other industry awards.

NAJA in a statement said Chief Ade-Ojo is being honoured as Pillar of the Nigeria Auto Industry for his outstanding contributions to the development of Nigeria’s auto industry over the decades.

Chief Ade-Ojo has marketed and sold various auto brands like Peugeot and Volkswagen before finally settling for Toyota, a product he turned to a household name in the country.

Elizade Nigeria Limited, which was incorporated in 1973, and started business in 1971 with just one supporting employee, has become a conglomerate with several subsidiaries, and a reference point in Nigeria’s auto industry.

In a similar vein, the NADDC DG as well as the Dana Motors MD are to recognised as Auto Personalities of the Year.

While Jelani has been very consistent in pushing the narrative for alternative greener automotive fuel, Hathiramani has been able to make the Kia brand a successful name in Nigeria.

Commenting on the honours, Chairman of NAJA, Mike Ochonma, noted that it was important to hounor and recognize people who had contributed immensely to the development of the sector while alive, not when dead.

“We like to recognise people while they are still alive, which is very important so that they can also reap some rewards from their service and serve as encouragement for younger people to serve, knowing full well that when you serve, there is always recognition,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the 2021 NAJA Awards Committee, Theodore Opara, has said nominations are still coming in for the various categories of the Nigerian Auto Awards.

He said apart from the Car-of-the-Year category, there are over 15 other categories that are being contested for in this year’s edition of the prestigious awards.

3 November 2021
African Firms Jostle for 2021 Global Quality Excellence Awards As World Quality Day 2021 Holds Nov 11 In Lagos

Organisations across Africa are jostling to be recognised and awarded the most compliance company in Nigeria, West Africa and Africa and other categories at 2021 World Quality Day, scheduled to hold on 11th November, 2021 at Four Points By Sheraton, Victoria Island Lagos.

The Global Quality Excellence Awards is a platform of the World Quality Alliance and Chartered Quality Institute UK designed to celebrate organisations that have shown greater commitment to quality on World Quality Day.

The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Sustainability: Improving our products, people and planet”.

According to Mrs. Ifeoma Favour Emeka, Secretary Awards General Committee, “Quality sustenance is not an option; organisations should be committed to building quality sustainability into their culture and DNA, because the issue of sustainability in quality management is a key one, adding that “If sustainability hasn’t already become an essential part of your business operations, your competitive advantage and your reputation, it will,” she said.

She said, for the WQA/CQI, the concept of improving our products, people and planet is in line with our Royal Charter and our mission to champion quality management for the benefit of society. So we encourage you – whether you’re a WQA/CQI member or a professional working in quality management – to join us in promoting World Quality Day. This is a great opportunity to support your organization not only to think about but to act on sustainability.

“The Global Quality Excellence Awards 2021 is meant to celebrate Excellence in Quality conformance to customer needs and promote awareness of the important contributions that quality makes towards a nation, or organization growth and prosperity, in a Global Economy where success depends on quality, innovations and sustainability, the Award is your chance to reinforce these, as the foundation of organization and brands for their achievements in improving brand/business performance.”

The Award is organized by World Quality Alliance with the support of the Chartered Quality Institute. The two organizations made an alliance to improve relationships in order to intensify the Global Commitment to Quality principles and their application in all segments of the society.

The organisers said that the 2021 World Quality Day Exhibition will provide organizations with: maximum exposure at a premier congress and exhibition devoted to increasing brand visibility, an opportunity to build and reinforce strategic relationships with customers.

Other benefits to be derived by firms include a cost-effective way to reinforce organizations’ brand and build brand awareness among a relevant audience. Exhibition will also offer organisations time to present latest innovation and new products or services to the participants and showcase expertise and capabilities.

3 November 2021