Category: Business & Economy

Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., the Chairman of Globacom has been conferred France’s highest national honour of Commander of the Legion of Honour by the French President, Emmanuel Macron.

President Macron bestowed the prestigious award on Dr. Adenuga at the new Alliance Francaise Mike Adenuga Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos.

President Macron said Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. is “a true role model for Africa” who has contributed immensely to the growth of African and French economy.

Dr. Adenuga thus becomes the first Nigerian to be decorated with the award of Commander of the Legion of honour in the history of France; a promotion from his previous honour as Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of honour awarded to him in 2017.

According to the French Embassy, it takes 13 years to be promoted from Chevalier to Commander, but this higher order for Adenuga has happened in 8 months.

President Macron applauded Dr. Adenuga on his promotion of the French language and culture in Nigeria, and also commended Bella Disu, Dr. Mike Adenuga’s daughter who conceived, coordinated and executed the Alliance Française project.

The French Ambassador, Denys Gauer, congratulated Dr. Adenuga stating:

“His outstanding entrepreneurship and business ingenuity has today created so many jobs for Nigerians and, more importantly, value for the country.

I am very happy that your contribution to the development of the French-Nigerian relations and your appreciation of the French culture are in this manner recognized and honoured.”

Mr. Denys Gauer noted that Dr. Adenuga has developed strong business relationship with France through Alcatel in telecoms and Total in petroleum.

Dr. Mike Adenuga also holds the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s highest honour for a civilian who is not in government in the country as well as Ghana’s highest civil award, the Companion of the Star of Ghana (CSG).

Winners have emerged at the 2018 Digital Pay Expo Awards, which held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos.

Digital Pay Expo brings together stakeholders in digital financial services to discuss key issues affecting the payments industry. The event focuses on Innovative Financial Services for the unserved segments of the society.

FarePay won the utility payment card award.

The smart payment solution introduced by, Sterling Bank Plc eliminates challenges associated with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) such as facing long queues to purchase a ticket or handling exact cash fares for a trip.

FarePay cards are prepaid and reloadable through the user’s bank accounts and can be activated through an ATM or USSD. Card holders are no longer burdened with facing long queues for tickets or having to carry the exact fare for trips.

Out of seven award categories at the event, two cards were nominated for the most utility relevant card category with Sterling Bank’s FarePay card emerging as winner in the category. FarePay cards are built on a contactless payment technology, with a connected bus validator system linked to the users’ bank account allowing passengers to ‘tap in and tap out’ of BRT buses with ease.

Commenting on the award, Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking at Sterling Bank, Yemi Odubiyi, said:

“Barely a month after launch, we have facilitated over 30,000 trips within Lagos with the FarePay card and we are looking to replicate this system across the continent.”

Ecobank Nigeria emerged winner in two award categories, ePayment and Partnership, at the 2018 Digital Pay Expo Awards.

According to the Bank’s Executive Director, Consumer Banking, Carol Oyedeji:

“We are not in any way surprised at these awards. As a bank, we realised many years ago that payment drives the society and digital banking is the way to go. We put structures in place and today, we have become a clear leader in the industry.”

The Certified Institute of Auctioneers of Nigeria (CIAN) has given i-Naira Integrated Resources Limited an award for maintaining industry standard and professionalism over the years.

i-Naira, the first online auction company in Nigeria was bestowed the award after being  adjudged as transparent by the Organised Private Sector (OPS).

Its founder and Chief Executive Officer Hillary Nwaukor received the company’s award and stated:

“I feel honoured owing to the fact that an idea to build an auction solution for the Organised Private Sector (OPS) five years ago has become a reality; not only has it become a reality, we have equally become a force to reckon with after three years of operations.

Thus, indeed, I am happy and thankful to the registrar Mr. Adeleke Hassan, the chairman of Lagos state CIAN chapter, Dr. Jogunola Onabanjo and the governing council of Certified Institute of Auctioneers for the recognition.

 i-naira.com auction system is a stable software that is designed with transparency as the organisation’s watchword, therefore, our customers and clients alike are happy with bid outcomes whenever we run an auction event online.

Emphatically, there can’t be any more assurance or validation required to evidently demonstrate the strategic importance of i-Naira.com auction solution in closing the transparency gaps in auction processes in Nigeria while giving corporate entities the opportunity to earn more from assets they consider fully depreciated in their accounting books.”

i-Naira.com was recently engaged in April/May 2018 to dispose of the assets of Mobilising for Development (M4D) – a DFID sponsored project in Kano, Jigawa, and Kaduna.

Hon. Justice Samuel Ilori, former Chief Judge of Lagos State, said that the auction profession is witnessing a great leap and bound in Nigeria, however a new baby in the public and private sector.

According to Olayinka Oladunjoye, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry (Lagos State), the State Government will not relent in its efforts in designing and implementing innovative policies that would strengthen auctioning practice.

The Commissioner disclosed that the government is at the forefront of creating a conducive business environment to make auctioneering practice more operational and attractive in Lagos state.

Mr. Oladunjoye further stated that the state government has written agencies of government (state and federal), manufacturing companies, insurance companies as well as financial institutions within the state on the implication of auctioning their assets without working with a recognised and licensed auction company in Lagos.

Winners have emerged at the 2018 HR People Magazine Awards held in Lagos to recognize HR champions, share knowledge and best practices towards supporting the growth of HR in Africa.

Winners Of 2018 HR People Magazine Awards

Best Training, Learning and Development 2017

StanbicIBTC Bank

Employer of Choice (Over 1000 Employees) 2017

StanbicIBTC Bank

Employer of Choice (Under 1000 Employees) 2018

Andela

HR Champion 2017

Yinka Sanni CEO Stanbic IBTC Holdings

HR Manager 2017 Winner

Ezinne Chidi Anosike- Senior Human Capital Business Partner StanbicIBTC Bank

Best Work Life Harmony 2017

Unilever

Talent Management 2017

Procter and Gamble Nigeria

Employee Engagement 2017

StanbicIBTC Bank

HR Leader 2017

Pai Gamde- Chief Human Resource Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange

Best HR Recruitment Strategy 2017

Andela

The HR People Magazine is a foremost magazine dedicated to human resources and people development profession in Nigeria and Africa at large. The HR People Magazine Awards is one of their initiatives and celebrates excellence in the HR profession as well as top people, initiatives and strategies that have excelled in various organizations.

Winners have emerged at the 5^th edition of the Best Companies to Work For 2018 Africa Awards organised by the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW) held in Lagos. The event focuses on recognizing exemplary African organizations.

GPTW Institute is a global research firm that assesses companies, based on a trust index survey (employees’ opinion about the workplace) and culture audit (management policies and practices), with the overall objective to promote excellence in the work place. The GPTW Institute operates in 50 countries, including Nigeria.

Continue reading Winners Of GPTW Best Companies To Work For 2018 Africa Awards

Nigeria wins awards in three categories for its securities issuance activities in the domestic and international capital markets at the EMEA Finance Awards [2018].

The EMEA Finance awards were for the best sovereign bond in Africa – $3 billion dual-tranche (10 and 30-year) Eurobonds issued in November 2017.

It also won awards for most innovative bond – $300 million diaspora bond issued in June 2017 and best naira bond – ₦100 billion seven-year inaugural Sukuk issued in September 2017.

Continue reading Nigeria Wins EMEA Finance Awards [2018]

Nigeria has been ranked number one in the first edition of the African Sovereign Wealth Fund Index, polling 62.49 percent to beat Rwanda (62.24 percent) and Ghana (62 percent) into the second and third positions respectively, according to the African Sovereign Wealth Fund Index report released by Konfidants Advisory Group.

The African Sovereign Wealth Fund Index, which measures the size and other variables of the existing 12 Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs) on the African continent, put the total assets of these SWFs at about $89 billion.

Continue reading Nigerian SWF Ranked Number One In Inaugural African Sovereign Wealth Fund Index