e-commerce growth signal strong demand for efficient delivery services

​

This year more South African consumers than ever are expected to swop busy shopping centre queues for the cart and checkout feature of their favourite e-commerce sites as Black Friday largely goes online.

​

In May 2020, data and insights company Nielsen found that 65% of South Africans shopped less at physical supermarkets while, among existing online shoppers, 29% increased their online shopping and 21% continued as before.

​

According to Mike Farquharson, Managing Director of online courier aggregator Rush, an Ocean on 76 Group company, there is a unique opportunity for South Africa’s e-commerce players, particularly smaller retailers, to win over consumers through fast and efficient customer service. “As confidence in online shopping increases so too does the need for flexible and convenient courier services to meet and exceed shoppers’ expectations.”

​

The delivery requirements of smaller businesses are constantly evolving as savvy consumers expect seamless, exceptional service from placing an order to final delivery. “The Rush platform provides the power of choice and enables customers to use a quick and efficient courier service, whether you’re an individual, a small business, or a large corporate,” says Farquharson.

​

In today’s digital age, delivery services have become essential to how modern businesses operate. Chamaine Pelser, Sales Manager at The Courier Guy, a Rush partner, says choosing a reliable courier is an important means of establishing trust between a business, irrespective of size, and the consumer. “The courier performs the last mile of the customer journey.​ A late delivery could ruin the entire experience regardless of the quality of service until that point.”

​

Pelser says building a relationship with a courier company that understands the unique needs of small businesses is vital, especially during busy periods like Black Friday. “We take historical information from previous years and ensure that we have delivery capacity to handle a 20 to 30% growth over the Black Friday period.” She adds that the Rush platform allows small businesses an unsurpassed choice of couriers based on service and rates. “A courier company really is the distribution arm of the seller and needs to enhance the service and never have a negative impact on the customer experience.”

​

After a difficult year, South African shoppers looking to capitalise on good deals shouldn’t be disappointed by a substandard delivery service says Farquharson. “Rush allows businesses to focus on their core strengths and build their brands without the hindrance of worrying about the distribution of their products. Our trusted network of courier partners, like The Courier Guy, ensures delivery in the most quick, efficient and cost-effective way possible.”

Enugu govt organises ICT training for civil servants

…As #EndSARS panel commences sitting to determine compensation for victims

Sequel to the approval of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, the Office of the State Head of Service, on Monday, commenced a three-week training for civil servants in the area of Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Declaring the training open, the State Head of Service, Mr. Ken Chukwuegbo, disclosed that the essence of the exercise was to enhance the intellectual ability of the civil servants to meet up with the demands of modern administrative engagements.

Mr. Chukwuegbo pointed out that “to get a civil service knowledge-based society; training is utmost”, stressing that “for any government to be successful, it requires the inputs of civil servants”.

The Head of Service therefore commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for being in the vanguard of changing the face of the civil servants in the state through innovations, reforms and commitment to their welfare.

He advised the trainees to show utmost interest in the programme by paying attention to what they would be taught, “knowing full well that when you acquire new knowledge, you acquire new skills; not just for the government but for self development, so that you can cope with the challenges that are associated with your duties”.

In another development, the newly inaugurated Administrative Panel of Inquiry for the determination of compensation for loss of lives and properties resulting from the unfortunate hijacked EndSARS protests in Enugu State, held its inaugural meeting at the State High Court in Enugu, calling on those who submitted memoranda to appear before the panel.

Presenting the rules and procedure of the panel, the Chairman, Hon. Justice Frederick Obieze (Rtd.) disclosed that persons who may lodge complaints before the panel are “a victim of the hijacked #EndSARS protest in Enugu State” and “a family member(s) of a victim(s) where the victim is dead, incapacitated by injury of body or mind, outside the jurisdiction of Enugu State or is otherwise unable to appear in person to present his or her grievance or complaint in person”.

Speaking further Hon. Justice Obieze added that such person(s) include(s) “an agent, lawyer or other representative of a victim or family member of a victim who shall show apparent authority, either written or otherwise recorded by audio or video giving him or her the authority to act on behalf of such victim or the family of such victim” and “the Nigerian Bar Association or any such public interest group or body”.

The panel consequently announced that hearing for Enugu East Local Government Area will hold from Wednesday, November 25, 2020 to Friday, November 27, adding that Enugu North LGA will take place between Wednesday, December 2, 2020 and Friday, December 4, while Enugu South LGA is slated for Wednesday, December 9, 2020 to Friday, December 11.

Also speaking, a member of the panel, Prof. Frank Ezugwu, pointed out that the complaints should be backed up with credible evidence, adding that the complainants must be present in person.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mrs. Chinwe Anibeze, who represented the Chairman of the ICT training committee, expressed delight at the training exercise for the civil servants and assured that it will bring positive development to the state.

In his remark, the Resource Person and Director, Information Technology, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Dr Lois Ifeanyi-Nwobodo, said that the training will make the civil servants in Enugu State to be ICT compliant.

Enugu State is in the hands of God

Amoke Louis

Ondo labour, Govt reach agreement over outstanding salaries arreas, deductions, subventions

The organised Labour and the Ondo state government have reached an agreement on all contentious Issues bordering outstanding salary arreas, deductions, pensions and subventions.

Both parties reached a compromise after hours of deliberations behind closed doors at the meeting held at the office of the head of Service Dare Aragbaiye.

Labour was represented by the chairman of Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, Niyi Fabunmi, other executives as well as the NLC chairman, Sunday Adeleye his TUC counterpart, Helen Odofin while Mr Sunday Akinzue stood for the Nigeria Union of Pensioners.

The government was represented by the Head of Service, Dare Aragbaiye, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union Matters, Alaba Isijola and other top bureaucrats.

Briefing OSRC after the meeting, the JNC Chairman, Niyi Fabunmi said all the Issues presented to the government have got positive responses and commitment to action.

He emphasized that the meeting was not to discuss any proposed strike by the labour union but to meet minds with the governor on issues bordering on workers welfare.

Also speaking, the NLC chairman, Sunday Adeleye and his TUC counterpart, Helen Odofin said the union leadership will meet workers at the Senior Staff Club by 9am tomorrow to present the feedback from the meeting before they put pen to paper on the agreement.

The Head of Service, Aragbaiye thanked the labour leaders for their understanding and assured that government will always prioritise their welfare and emoluments within the available resources.

BALARABE MUSA: NIGERIA HAS LOST A PATRIOT – ORTOM

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom says the death of elder statesman and former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa is a huge loss to the country.

Governor Ortom describes the deceased as a true patriot who made his views known on national issues in an unbiased manner and contributed in several other ways to nation building.

He states that Nigeria will miss Alhaji Musa who, for many years was a voice of the masses, calling for good governance and improved standard of living for Nigerians.

Governor Ortom prays that God grants the late Alhaji Balarabe Musa eternal rest and his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.

Terver Akase
Chief Press Secretary

NCC Pledges Increased Collaboration with Varsities

 …As Danbatta receives more commendations 

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has pledged to increase collaboration with higher institutions of learning across the country in order to transform Nigeria into a full knowledge-based economy.

The Chairman, Board of Commissioners of NCC, Prof. Adeolu Akande, stated this during a courtesy visit by NCC Board members to Bayero University, Kano (BUK) at the weekend as part of activities lined up for the 2020 NCC Board retreat held in Kano State.

According to Akande, who praised the university for producing Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, the NCC superintends a sector that is knowledge-driven and therefore, would not be able to achieve its mandate without strengthening collaboration with citadels of knowledge like BUK and other higher institutions of learning to produce the knowledge base needed to support the growth of the telecoms sector.

“The NCC is superintending a sector that is knowledge-driven. In the absence of the citadels of learning, one could only imagine what would have become of the communications industry. So, if we come to Kano, we need to come to the prime centre of learning in Kano and other universities across the state,” he said.

Thanking the university further for “contributing” Danbatta to the industry, Akande said the sector, which NCC regulates, has also benefited immensely from the knowledge being imparted by the university. 

He said the BUK has produced a good ambassador, excellent professional and a man with administrative acumen and superb human relations in Prof. Danbatta. 

“Hence, the Board of NCC decided to visit Bayero University with the EVC, who is a ‘home boy’ and to show our appreciation for the services of the EVC, an outstanding product of the university, has been rendering to the nation at the NCC. 

We are here also to show that we work together and our coming to Bayero University would be an expression of appreciation of Danbatta’s good work at the NCC,” he said.

In his remarks, Danbatta said all the achievements “we have recorded as NCC can be attributed to the team spirit and cooperation between the Management and Board of NCC even as we are poised to achieve more,” adding that “Our profound prayer is that we leave the NCC better than we met it.” 

Appreciating the university’s management for hosting the NCC’s despite a short notice, Danbatta used the opportunity to also congratulate Prof. Sagir Abbas for his appointment as the 11th Vice Chancellor (VC) of the university. 

While expressing delight to receive the NCC Board, Prof. Abbas noted that the school management cancelled all engagements to receive the board in order to show the university’s high regards for Danbatta, whose name, he said, cannot be omitted in the history of Bayero University.

“Prof. Danbatta has served the university diligently, as lecturer, as head of department, as Dean, as director and he was also a former VC in Kano University of Science and Technology, but wherever he goes, you find him relating to his base. 

“So, we hold him in very high esteem and we are always happy to see him and his team discharging the national assignment his is saddled with and Bayero University is proud to be associated with him. We have no doubt that the Board and Management of NCC will enjoy him more as he begins his second term in office,” he said.

According to the Vice Chancellor, the university has received many donations of computers, iPads and other interventions such as professorial endowments from NCC, all of which, he said, have had positive impacts on the university’s academic programmes.

Sagir, however, appealed for more digital assistance by the Commission in supporting the university more in the area of its ongoing restructuring to fully accommodate virtual learning into its system in view of the current reality globally where ICT is mediating the lecturer-student interaction.

The National Information Technology Development Agency received the Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Division of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Friday, at the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
The visit was to seek the support of NITDA on how to effectively drive the petroleum sector with digital technology in research and innovation.

The team, led by the Chief Innovation Officer of NNPC, Mrs Ugonna Betty Amaechi, maintained that they were at the centre to seek NITDA’s assistance in reviewing some of its strategy, goals, priorities and progress, as well as provide guidance and enablement to succeed.

Mrs Amaechi said, “innovation is about creating new ways of doing things towards achieving performance efficiency and cost cutting. It is something Nigeria has embraced, and for innovation to thrive there must be triggers which is why the RTI was formed,” she said.

Amaechi revealed that RTI’s business thematic areas includes; cybernetics and automation, downstream innovation, energy innovation, refining of petrochemical innovation, upstream innovation, and market research and service innovation.

She stated that the research aspects of RTI uses a creative, systemic and methodological principles of knowledge to collect, organise and analyse ideas for business growth, sustain development and solve problems within the NNPC.

She said they want learn from NITDA’s wealth of experience, adding that the focus is in the area of technology to drive business efficiency, quality service and performance excellence, using advancements in applied sciences, engineering and design in line with technology trends.

In the area of innovation, the team leader said, RTI came up with the idea of looking at it more centrally from a human-centred approach, adding that RTI intends to embrace human centred innovation.

In his remark, the Director General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, said; “innovation happen when you explore,” adding that, “you need to be an explorer and exploiter at the same time before you become innovative as an organisation”.

He opined that what makes an ecosystem is to have all stakeholders on board. Adding that, “to have a successful innovation ecosystem, it is important to have five key stakeholders which are; Academia, corporate organisation, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists in order to provide funding for the ideas.”

While assuring the RTI of the Agency’s supports to drive various initiatives, the NITDA boss maintained that, “getting an idea from conceptualisation to impact is highly required to be an innovator that opens to new ideas.”

The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Kaduna earlier today hosted the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, where he a wide range of issues affecting the telecommunications industry.

Appearing on “Hannu da yawa”, a popular programme on Radio Nigeria Kaduna, broadcast in Hausa language and which has hosted governors, ministers and top government officials in the country, Danbatta discussed various telecoms issues bordering on connectivity and consumer protection in the telecom industry.

Anchored by the duo of Yusuf Zain Dogara and Abba Bashir, Danbatta extensively discussed various milestones already recorded under his leadership in the last five years through diligent implementation of the NCC’s Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) driven by the 8-Point Agenda which has ensured more service availability, accessibility and affordability to Nigerians.

Danbatta also answered questions on a wide range of issues affecting telecoms industry, especially those bordering on consumer-related issues.

He eloquently provided answers to various questions asked from by the anchors and those received directly through phone-in by listening consumers, who took advantage of the EVC’s featuring on the radios programme to clarify issues bordering them and raise concerns telecommunications services provided to them by their respective networks.

The EVC used the opportunity to informed the consumers on NCC’s consumer-centric initiatives such as the NCC’s toll-free Number 622, the Do-Not-Disturb (DND) 2442 Short Code, the 112 Emergency Communications Number among others and educated them on how these facilities scan be used to protect them from unwholesome practices by the networks.

He re-emphasised the NCC’s commitment to creating a more competitive telecom market to achieve increased connectivity among Nigerians as well and strengthening initiatives at protecting the over 205 million telecoms consumers in the country.