BusinessDay 23 Aug 2018

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16 BUSINESS DAY COMPANIES & MARKETS Company news analysis and insight C002D5556 Thursday 23 August 2018 Cheetah Africa canvases for advancement of blockchain projects Pg. 17 George Street Investment announces berth of e-commerce platform ODINAKA ANUDU George Street Investment International (GSII) is re-engineering the e-commerce industry in Nigeria and Africa, introducing an online solution that optimises the market experience of players in the selected emerging sectors. A statement signed by Kunle Sadare and Awele L. George identifies the new platform as Profundo Online Market hub Solution. The launch of this platform will take place on September 1 in Lagos. The statement says that GSII has designed the platform as an exclusive online integrated market hub for emerging products and service providers, as well as for creative interiors for homes, hospitality, offices, kitchen, lounge, arts and crafts galleries. “It is based on this strategic intent that Profundo was broadly designed as an online market hub to provide the first-of-its-kind exclusive and preferred online placement for products and services in the creative and emerging industries, which include, but not limited to creative interiors, designs/decors, arts and crafts, media, sports, visual merchandising & branding, animation, artificial intelligence & tech-related products and services,” the statement says. It explains that the platform serves as a social channel for special broadcast relating to unique programmes and services. “By this insightful measure, the Nigeria retail e-commerce industry comes under the disruptive influence of a new brand that balances the act in setting the ‘experience equilibrium’ between the vendor and the consumer using the PeakEnd Rule. In other words, Profundo brings to the market a profound change of viewing customer experience from just a ‘consumer standpoint’ to a total customer experience involving the vendor as well, via a strategic combination of quality, trust and reach,” it says. The statement urges professionals, products and service vendors who aspire to take advantage of the Profundo Integrated Online platform to register for the unveiling programme, adding that they are also free to contact its following representatives for detailed advice and direction. L-R:Joy Okuma, assistant director and head, regulation & monitoring dept, NLRC; Omolola Allison, scientific officer, quality and assurance development, Consumer Protection Council, Boma Tai-Osagbemi, head digital commerce unit, Interswitch; Femi Olorunmaye Customer Insight Executive, Interswitch and Adetayo Teluwo, group head digital payments, product and marketing management, Interswitch at the Quickteller Delight Promo Draws in Lagos. Pic by Pius Okeosisi Wapic Insurance drives ‘Road Sense’ campaign for safety Modestus Anaesoronye Underwriting firm, Wapic Insurance Plc has commenced a vehicular intelligence campaign that emphasizes road rules and discipline, as essential for safety on our roads. The Company is touched by the rate of accidents on Nigerian roads, and believes that enhancing road user’s knowledge and compliance would boost safety and increase happiness. The campaign, tagged “Road Sense” is a 3-month long advocacy conceived to encourage and entrench safe-road use culture among Nigerians. Specifically, the digital instructive awareness drive will promote knowledge of the road signs and encourage the different categories of road users to respect the meaning of the signs on our roads in our daily endeavours. “Road-Sense” is an attitudinal-change online campaign dedicated to promoting safety on Nigerian road by calling Nigerians to responsibility. The initiative is sequel to the highly successful “Safety-on-Wheels” campaign executed by Wapic Insurance in partnership with some notable government and security agencies including the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) and Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) in February. Unlike the ‘Safety-On- Wheels’ campaign, which enlightened over 1000 drivers about safe road-use practices, importance of adherence to road traffic regulations and appropriate road as well as vehicle maintenance cultures, “Road-Sense”seeks to reach a broader audience across the different demographics. According to Adeyinka Adekoya, the Company’s managing director “many road users do not really know the rules of the road or understand the signs. This results in bad driving habits as well as inappropriate road-use culture that cause accidents”. As an educational advocacy campaign, “Road Sense” seeks to change the current road-use culture in Nigeria by calling everyone to responsibility through awareness and knowledge of the different road signs and what they represent for every category of road users, including motorists and commuters as many drivers in Nigeria do not really understand the rules of the road and thus are unable to abide by the rules, which leads to bad driving habits and ultimately accidents. The ultimate plan is to educate as well as encourage sensible behaviors and habits on the roads. Wapic Insurance is a vociferous advocate of proactive risk avoidance. The underwriting firm, which boasts an enviable record of claims payment, is a prime promoter of initiatives that empower people with relevant knowledge and apposite skills that reduce road accidents in Nigeria. As a socially responsible corporate citizen with focus on thematic areas of Health, Education, Social Empowerment and Environment, Wapic Insurance is nationally and internationally acknowledged for its defining roles and social interventions that have consistently enhanced the quality of living and humanity. Through its numerous interventions, the company is committed to driving social progression and instituting safe-road use culture in Nigerians, by ensuring that motorists, passengers and pedestrians have adequate knowledge about road-use commandments that guide traffic interactions. GDL launches low-risk ‘Money Market Fund’ for just N10, 000 Growth and Development Asset Management Limited (GDL) is doubling-down on its commitment to provide first-rate financial solutions to corporate and private investors with the announcement of the launch of its ‘One Billion Naira Money Market Fund’ which opens for subscription on Wednesday, 15 August, 2018. The ‘GDL Money Market Fund’ is an open-ended mutual fund authorized and registered in Nigeria as a Unit Trust Scheme under Section 160 of the Investment and Securities Act (‘ISA’) that invests in broadly diversified short-term money market portfolios ranging from treasury bills, commercial papers, and banker acceptances. With a minimum investment of N10, 000, the low-risk fund can be bought and sold throughout its existence. Unlike some other investments, the ‘GDL Money Mar- ket Fund’ also offers regular income to investors. Kolawole Ayeye, group managing director/CEO of GDL in his presentation said “GDL is set to become one of the leading diversified financial institutions in Nigeria, and we have shown our commitment to improving lives and providing financial solutions to commercial ventures across Nigeria.” “Our professional managers are skilled and experienced in the industry and we will ensure effective management of the fund – with GDL your investment is secure,” he added. There is no maximum limit on the amount to be invested. All you need to do is ensure that additional investments are not less than 1,000 Naira. The benefits of the ‘GDL Money Market Fund’ are enormous for all investor classes in the country with the flexibility of the investment and higher yielding interest rates than standard banks.
Thursday 23 August 2018 BUSINESS DAY 17 COMPANIES & MARKETS Cheetah Africa canvases for advancement of blockchain projects Abimbola Hassan Blockchain project among Africans have been relatively foiled on grounds of scam due to lack of support for development to enable techprenuers create and make available new products existing on the blockchain, a problem identified by Cheetah, a Lagos based leading start-up. In its recent launch in Lagos this month, Cheetah Africa, a non-profit making organisation expresses its desire to help young enterprising blockchain developers to achieve their goal of creating products which entire existence depend on blockchain. According to Lucky Ukwakwe, co-founder Cheetah Africa, “in ensuring projects supported are worthy to push, the body will ensure that “audit and vetting are done before Initial Coin Offering (ICO). Ukwakwe noted that the verifying process are done as a standard procedure for transparency, especially in a world where we have so many project without due diligence. “The platform will conduct an acid test for aspiring startups and periodic audit will be followed in ensuring due process on the projects advancement, opening up an avenue where Cheetah will be seen as a pointer for African blockchain Start-up development,” Nathaniel Luiz, co-founder at Cheetah Africa said. Cheetah Africa was cofounded by Lucky Ukwakwe and Nathaniel Luiz who have knowledge about blockchain project due to their participation in blockchain projects across the world such as Ethereum, Dash token, Humaniq, Time chain, KIN, Zcash and Status are now laying out their experience for developments of block chain project as they claim Africa is a fertile ground which is meant to be best cultivated by Africans. Another cofounder of Cheetah Africa Nathaniel Luiz stated that the firm is positioning itself to be the connecting bridge between African start-up and innovations to the world, by re-writing the African story where Africans will be looked away from fraud and theft. “Some of the projects on board include blockvibranium, webercoin, Biya, Esusu which Cheetah is fully partnering with in ensuring successful projects execution,” Luiz, Co-founder of Cheetah Africa said. L-R: One of the beneficiaries, Bunmi Akinbogun; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Homes Affairs, Toyin Awoseyi; another beneficiaries, Yisa Babalola, Olaniyi Olawode and Sunday Kayode ,during the empowerment and presentation of Welfare materials to Widows, Orphans, Disabled, and Aged Ex-service men, by Nigerian Legion, Lagos State Council in Collaboration with the State Government in Lagos. An Ecobank research institute report on blockchain and crypto currency shows that African regulators are adopting the ‘wait and see’ approach which is further dragging the level of adoption amongst African countries while been aware of the risk and potential positive benefits of blockchain and cryptocurrencies adoption to economic advancements. The report disclose that out of all African countries only South Africa has given a favourable and permissive stance as regards crypto currency and blockchain developments but not with full legality whereas Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon, Zambia and Zimbabwe have shown signs of research into the potentials of blockchain and cryptocurrencies while been cautious which have seen other countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Dr Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique and Tanzania still maintaining a contentious stance showing signs that the progress on adoption and regulation is been monitored. Future Energy pushes for oil, gas, energy solutions for Africa MIKE OCHONMA Critical stakeholders in the oil, gas and power sector in Africa are set to meet in October in Cape Town, South Africa at an Oil and Gas Exhibition being put together by Future Energy Africa. The conference tagged Africa’s Integrated Oil, Gas and Energy Transformation, is dedicated to advancing future oil, gas and energy solutions for the continent. With far reaching industry collaboration, under the patronage of the Department of Energy South Africa, the event is expected to attract leading governments, national and international oil companies and industry experts to provide in-depth analysis and an honest reflection of Africa’s readiness to revolutionize the future. The event is slated for October 1 through 3, the organizers said. One of the media partners and a speaker at the exhibition, Margaret Nongo- Okojokwu, who is the editor of Orient Energy Review, said the exhibition will bring together African leaders and stakeholders in the energy sector with the intention of providing cutting edge solution to the problems confronting the power and energy sector in Africa. According to her, over 50 exhibitors, 100 critical speakers, including Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kwachikwu and 50 participating countries from Africa will be at the exhibition with a view to boosting bilateral trades among African countries. “Africa has become the most sought after bride with many developed countries now looking towards Africa for investments. At this exhibition, Future Energy Africa exhibition, provides a platform for leading industry figures to interact at the highest level, privately and securely.” Nongo-Okojokwu said. She said the conference will also provide exhibitors and conference participants with an indispensable source of information, dedicated platform for on-site interview. In his own submission, Mayowa Afe, managing director of Danvic Petroleum international, said the exhibition would provide Nigerian energy companies the opportunity of promoting their companies to the outside world as well as the Nigerian local content drive. He said so many bad stories had been projected to the outside world about Nigeria. The forthcoming exhibition, Afe said would be an ample opportunity to project entrepreneurs from Nigeria, especially those in the oil and gas sector. ASLM to discuss ‘Preventing and Controlling the Next Pandemic’ at 2018 conference Geared towards empowering operators and decision makers in the health sector on new developments in preventing and controlling pandemic diseases, the African Society for Laboratory Medicine Conference (ASLM) has announced its 2018 Conference. ASLM is an independent, pan-African professional body that coordinates, galvanises and mobilises relevant stakeholders towards improving access to world-class laboratory services. The headquarters of the body is Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and it serves all African countries. It is endorsed by the African Union. Meanwhile, as the date of the 2018 edition of the ASLM conference draws near, the body has released the list of speakers who will address the attending delegates. The list includes: Trevor Peter, senior director of the Diagnostic Services at the Clinton Health Access Initiative; John Nkengasong, director of African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; Waafa El Sadr, founder and director of the International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) and Wendy Stevens of South Africa’s National Health Laboratory Service. The conference chair is Alash’le Abimiku, co-founder and the executive director of the International Research Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria. She is a professor at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. The conference which will be held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria, from December 10 to 13, 2018, and also marks the first time the conference will be held outside Cape Town, South Africa, where the first three editions were staged. The 2018 ASLM conference will feature plenary sessions on pandemic threats, laboratory response and partnership synergy. The event will also feature presentations, poster sessions, special sessions and symposia. The roundtable discussions will focus on topics such as leveraging and sustaining networks for disease response in Africa; data intelligence, biological specimen repository for outbreak response, role of National public health institutes in pandemic response and Africa regional laboratory networks. Commenting on the speaker line-up, Abimiku said: “This year’s set of speakers were specially chosen because of the passion about changing the narrative around public health laboratories. They are experts and professionals who have left indelible footprints in their various health fields. Participants who attend the event will be exposed to modern collaborative techniques in the field of laboratory science.”
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BusinessDay 23 Aug 2018

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