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DON’T LET CYBER CRIMINALS RUIN THE HOLIDAYS FOR THE KIDS

DON’T LET CYBER CRIMINALS RUIN THE HOLIDAYS FOR THE KIDS

While parents and schools have measures in place to keep children safe at school, on the playground and at home, it’s important to remember cybercriminals don’t take a break during weekends and school holidays, says Carey van Vlaanderen, CEO of ESET

When it comes to child online safety, panic and fearmongering are unhelpful. There are of course very real risks to children in virtually every online space. Fortunately, the more empowered parents are with the right information and the right cybersecurity tools, the better they can protect their children. This is especially true during the school holidays when kids of all ages may be using the internet more than usual for fun and entertainment.

Various research and surveys across the globe highlight that kids are spending more time in front of screens than ever before. Widely accepted estimates suggest kids and teens between the ages of 8 to 18 spend about 44.5 hours each week in front of digital screens. The World Health Organisation and paediatric societies worldwide have adopted screen time guidelines which recommend children under the age of five spend one hour or less on digital devices each day, while those under the age of one should skip the screens altogether. Whatever screen limits you decide on, kids should not be left unsupervised online, especially during the long year-end holiday period when scammers and criminals are well aware that youngsters are online and prone to boredom.

TikTok users have now surpassed one billion users, quickly becoming the social media site of choice for tweens and teens. In addition, more than 500 hours of video gets uploaded to YouTube every minute which makes it difficult for parents to vet every piece of content kids may be exposed to.

In the same way that buckling your seatbelt and road safety is a default mindset, online safety comes by instilling the consequences and understanding the dangers from a very early age, using guidance that is repetitive and comes from multiple sources.  When used well, digital devices and the internet can be educational, inspiring, fun – and most importantly – safer for young people.

A parent’s survival guide to keeping kids safe online over the school holidays:

 

Get curious and be informed

A parent’s approach towards online safety will undoubtedly adjust according to their child’s age, but irrespective of how old they are, it’s always beneficial to communicate openly and honestly with your kids. Ask questions about your child’s online use, their favourite websites, platforms, and games, and why they enjoy them. Get familiar with and understand social media sites, the risks of each, and know exactly who your child is engaging with on the platforms they use.

Communicate that the internet is the real world

The internet is real life. Just as there are criminals, scammers, and places unsuitable for minors in the physical world, the same holds true of the internet. Cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and identity theft may start online, but can have serious and long-lasting consequences offline.

Set clear expectations and boundaries

With millions of apps on Google Play and Apple’s App Store, and nearly two billion websites on the internet, there is no shortage of things your child can do on a digital device over the school holidays. Talk through expectations and boundaries with your kids about the amount of screen time allowed and when. Depending on their age, kids can, and often do, understand that excessive screen time isn’t good for them. Discussing the potentially harmful impact of too much time online paves the way for children to be more thoughtful about their own habits and responsive to the rules you establish.

Use the best cybersecurity tools you can

Aside from taking the necessary time to monitor your child’s internet use and behaviour online, parents can opt for an intelligent helper that can aid you in protecting your children online: a parental control app. These can assist you in putting your rules into practice and making it more difficult for unsuitable people and content to reach your child – at home, on holiday, and whenever they’re online.

Telecom policies enhancing digital access, media and knowledge production – Danbatta

Telecom policies enhancing digital access, media and knowledge production – Danbatta

 

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, has said that diligent implementation of various telecommunications policies, strategies and regulatory frameworks has continued to enhance the nation’s capacity to deepen citizens access to digital resources, transformed media and knowledge production and positively impacting Nigeria’s economic and social progress.

Danbatta stated this in a keynote address delivered at a two-day International Conference of the Association of Media and Communication Researchers of Nigeria (AMCRON) which ended at the weekend. The Conference, the second by the Association, was attended by numerous leading scholars from media and mass communication, as well as from tangential academic disciplines.

Speaking on the theme: “Influence of Communication Policies on Digital Revolution in Nigeria”, Danbatta, who was represented by NCC’s Director, Research and Development, Ismail Adedigba, stated that communication policies are essentially blueprints and strategies, marked by plans for the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in a way that nudges people to harness opportunities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution through the embrace of digital culture across sectors by individual, businesses and institutions.

He explained that, through diligent implementation of telecommunication policies which have triggered digital revolution, the media and entire field of mass communication have been impacted through innovations that have revolutionise production and consumption of mass communication contents, and that makes communication easily accessible, more affordable and exchanges faster.

Danbatta, while tracing the trajectory of growth in the telecoms industry from 1960 till date, said the past decades have witnessed formulation of various policies and laws for developing the industry but remarkable growth in the sector started after the sector’s liberalization in 2001. He said through diligent implementation of policies, vision plans and strategic regulatory frameworks by th6e NCC, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the industry, there is increased access to digital services and the media industry is being shaped in terms of patterns of information dissemination through multiple platforms while digital revolution has revealed a new vista of research areas for scholars in the field of mass communication.

“Today, the active telecom subscribers have grown significantly to 212.2 million from about 400,000 aggregate telephone lines in the country as of 2000, on the eve of liberalisation. This represents a teledensity of 111 per cent. Basic Internet subscriptions grew from zero ground to 152.7 million now, while broadband subscriptions stand at over 86 million, representing a 45.09 per cent penetration as of July 2022.

“The industry has also become a major contributor to our national economy with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry contributing 18.94 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as of the second quarter of 2022, according to the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). From this, the telecommunications sector alone contributed 15 per cent to GDP.

“The ICT contribution to GDP is, by far, the second largest contributor to the national economy aside from the agriculture sector. From less than $500 million investment in 2001, the investment profile in the nation’s telecommunications sector has also surpassed $70 billion. The telecommunication sector has also created direct and indirect jobs for millions of Nigerians to date,” Danbatta said in his keynote speech.

Danbatta expressed hope that just as the liberalisation policies have worked quantifiably for Nigeria’s progress, yielding exponential results, the Commission is committed to the implementation of the various extant economic recovery plans, digital economy policies, the national broadband plan as well as strategic management plans which have been streamlined in NCC Strategic Vision Plans.

The EVC promised that the NCC will continue to ensure more quantum leap and retain its current leadership role in the telecommunications space to lead Nigeria into the next level of development. “To achieve this, the NCC will continue to strengthen collaboration with the media professionals and communication research-focused bodies such as AMCRON, towards creating an environment where stakeholders can leverage digital infrastructure to achieve greater efficiency in what they do,” he said.

Chairman, Governing Council of AMRCON, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye; President of AMCRON, Prof. Eserinune Mojaye; and AMCRON Secretary-General, Prof. Abiodun Adeniyi, among other participants, commended the NCC for the role it is playing in putting Nigeria on the global map of digital economy and culture. They particularly thanked NCC for its consistent, impacting collaboration with scholars, researchers, and the entrepreneurship of knowledge production.

Dariel deepens AWS and Azure partnerships to strengthen position as cloud journey partner of choice

Dariel deepens AWS and Azure partnerships to strengthen position as cloud journey partner of choice

 

Following the formation of its Cloud Practice, trusted software development specialist, Dariel, has successfully secured close partnerships with international cloud providers Azure and AWS.

Dariel has completed a number of complex certifications to reflect the company’s capabilities in assisting customers to migrate their workloads to the cloud.

In just 18 months Dariel exceeded its own certification targets to achieve 38 AWS and 40 Azure certifications. It also launched and delivered 12 AWS and 9 Azure opportunities, and was recognised by both providers as a leading Cloud solution implementation partner.

More recently, Dariel was named a Select Partner by AWS – a partnership level that will unlock even more opportunities as the company pursues AWS Advanced tier status. While Microsoft evolved its partnership capability scoring in 2022, Dariel is well-placed to maintain its current partnership level and all capability badges.

Dariel Cloud Practice Manager, Andrew Essey says both cloud providers are now working closely with Dariel to deepen their reach in the South African market. “Our team of highly skilled, experienced and passionate technologists have worked tirelessly to gain the trust of clients to lead their Cloud strategy with the best solutions possible.”

“Our ambition is to be the South African Cloud software solution company of choice by building on our many successes and effectively meeting client needs,” Essey adds.

With years of Cloud experience and success, Dariel helps businesses to increase agility, innovate and scale rapidly with a proven track record as a one-stop shop partner.

“Organisations want to move their workloads to the cloud, but often face multiple hurdles in doing so. By gaining a deep understanding of our clients, we trailer a cloud journey specifically for their business needs and provide them the skills and flexibility they need to deploy, transition or create cloud services and applications, allowing them to benefit from innovations and the many business benefits of the cloud,” notes Essey.

ROBAN STORES ANAMBRA: ARE THEY LOOSING IT DUE TO POOR PAYMENT SYSTEM?

ROBAN STORES ANAMBRA: ARE THEY LOOSING IT DUE TO POOR PAYMENT SYSTEM?

 

Electronic payment and Digital transactions are the hallmark of a solid economy. it helps in transactions and reduces the risk of carrying cash around . Many small businesses in the country are using one form of electronic banking technology to facilitate their business and bring ease of doing business for their customers but as it stands now,ROBAN STORES, a departmental mall in Anambra seems to be having difficulty coming to terms with the basic concept of electronic payment technology .

Many of the customers of the store have shown their displeasure and anger in doing business with ROBAN stores and have decided to go to SHOPRITE for ease of lament. Speaking on this development , Okeh Onyekachi Chukwuemeka said in his Facebook page that “At ROBAN NNEWI, they no longer do online transactions or POS payments in their shopping malls lately rather you have to step just outside the shopping mall door but within the premesis to withdraw cash and then go back inside themall to make your purchases. I have missed those days when I used to get in there, pay with my card and move away. ”

He added that “I have wondered what sort of business sense that is for each time I have been to Nnewi and experienced such.But wait oooo, if I may want to ask, could there be a critical reason for this or is it a clear cut
approach to cash out from POS and also
product sales? Just asking to know if the
Management is aware? “

“The business model really amazes me and for our likes that hate dealing with cash no matter how small, that is a red flag and it should be addressed. ”

One the stress of payment ,Okeh added that “Once you don’t have cash to pay and do not
want to use their POS, you can as well drop the goods and check somewhere else or go to
wherever you choose to withdraw and come
back with cash..”

“Ana aga nụ iru ka ọ bụ azụ?The aim of this post is for the Management to review their processes and do the needful which would help them not to loose revenue unnecessarily”,Okeh concluded .

Not only in their Nnewi Branch, even in Awka Branch, Ezinne Obiatuegwu, a resident of Áwka City said “The same with the Awka branch. I think they are just exploiting their customers. I went there today to pick up some groceries, and when I saw the long queue waiting for POS withdrawals, I left my items at the pay point and went to another mall.”

While Chris Ogo Ndubuisi said “Generally I think the POS terminals given to businesses from mainstream banks are messed up machines.The independent POS operators don’t use mainstream bank POS terminals. They use terminals from fintech companies and those fintechs don’t joke with their businesses. ”

Ndubuisi added that “You’ll always get failed transactions/no service from most mainstream bank POS machines but the uptime of the fintech terminals is top notch.
Some businesses have actually started using fintech terminals. Mkudi, palmpay, Opay, moniepoint etc”

While Uchechukwu Onuorah said”Lol….Terrible ways of extorting customers.I raised an alarm last year when i had to pay 1k @ POS to enable me withdraw to clear my items worth 40+.I called their customer care the following week and complained…Gave a google review .Anambra has very few malls hence issues like this.Sadly, they will help the owner stay out of business when a competitor comes in future”

Chukwunonso added that “Very archaic bunch of traders. Their POS machines are always out of service.The independent POS operator beside the pharmacy at the entrance charges a kill.Today; it was totally a cash affair.”

“A lady on my queue didn’t know of this so at the point of paying, she was advised to withdraw cash. They wiped the system to process another customers payment.By the time she got back, her purchases were computed afresh leaving me to spend more time.”

Esther Chime said on their mentality of businesses in Anambra state . She had this to say “Most of the businesses in Anambra thinks they are doing you a favour selling to you🤣🤣🤣,no be on top my hard earned money Once I noticed you have attitude issues, I am not buying ,and I won’t patronize you again, you can’t stress me on top my money.”

“Unprogressive mentality and unappreciative behaviour have sent so many businesses home or stagnated, most are blaming it on witches”,She added.

Juliet Ikebudu added that “It happened to me when I came to experience at nnewi.
After calculating… The lady said Atm is not available and they don’t accept transfer…. I went outside to withdraw…. The post girl was not available. I kukuma return back, carry my bag and left. They can’t come and stress me”

Though some few people said that it might be a lie that there might be exaggeration here.Okoye Ebuka said “This is a very big lie. I live in Nnewi and patronize Roban Stores steadily. I have never experienced such.”

Uzoma Marnet concluded that “So accurate
This same thing happened to me and my friends this evening. So annoying that immediately you open the door, you will see a POS lady with good network while inside the mall, they claim that the network coverage is poor..”

Anthony Emeka Nwosu
writing from
Amichi ,Nnewi South ,Anambra
antoniokrys@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

How Young People are Creating Businesses Selling Coffee

How Young People are Creating Businesses Selling Coffee

In the world of entrepreneurship, some dream and hope their ideas become reality whilst others seize any available opportunity to make their dreams come true. In the end, what these people want is to have something they can proudly call “MyOwnBusiness”.

 

 

Laurent Georges is one such example. While in his final year of secondary school in Cameroon, Laurent faced serious financial challenges. Exploring ways to find solution, his sister told him about a youth entrepreneurship program she had heard of in Cameroon. Seeing himself as a future entrepreneur, Laurent without a doubt took his sister’s advice and joined Nestlé’s My Own Business (MYOWBU) program. “From a pushcart operator to owning my own operator site, the MYOWBU program has considerably changed and blessed my life. From 2015, I have been able to completely pay all my school fees till now where I’m in research cycle in university. I have become a real support to my family!”, Laurent said.

Laurent’s business now employs 32 people. Through self-employment, Laurent has now become financially independent. Like Laurent, Ahou a young mother in Côte d’Ivoire earns a living through this program selling around 200 cups of coffee a day. As a street vendor, “This is how I earn money which allows me to be independent and take care of my child”. From Ghana, Edward Yaw Kumah started as a Salesperson in 2007. Today, he owns an operating site, providing job opportunities for youth in his business. Edward sees a bright future with this business and hopes to expand across the country and provide more job opportunities for others.

The growth of Africa’s economy can be accelerated if we integrate youth development as a core aspect in business operations

 

MYOWBU presents an opportunity for young adults such as Laurent, Ahou, and Edward to venture into entrepreneurship to become financially independent. It is also a call for businesses to engage youth and help build their entrepreneurial skills.

Rabie Issa, Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Professional and Nestlé Waters strongly believes that “The growth of Africa’s economy can be accelerated if we integrate youth development as a core aspect in business operations. Nestlé will continue to find the right partnerships to create enabling entrepreneurial environment and help young people thrive in Central and West Africa”.

 

As part of Nestlé Needs YOUth Initiative, MYOWBU is benefitting over 5, 000 young people and seeks to double its youth outreach with entrepreneurship to 10, 000 by 2025.

 

Currently operational in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal among others, the program provides commercial equipment including pushcarts and shoulder kits as enablers for interested youth with the dream of starting and owing their own businesses. Nestlé’s MYOWBU contributes to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.

NCC seeks judiciary’s interest in ICT trends

NCC seeks judiciary’s interest in ICT trends

 

The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is seeking the nation’s judiciary to be part of Information Communications Technology trends whose impact has now affected ways that justice is delivered across the world.

The leadership of the Commission made the call during a workshop organized for Nigerian judges which started in Lagos on Tuesday with the theme: “The digital world and the future of adjudication,” with judges from the federal and state high courts, and appeal courts in attendance.

Speaking at the 18th annual capacity-building workshop, the Chairman, NCC Board of Commissioners, Prof. Adeolu Akande urged the legal luminaries to make greater contributions towards Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development in Nigeria.

While stating the centrality of a functional adjudicatory system as a bedrock for any civilised society, Akande said there was the need to constantly equip judicial officers with the requisite skills for effectual adjudication, especially in the digitized world, where the rate if technology development t is fast ahead of laws.

Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the NCC, Prof. Garba Danbatta, in his address, said the Internet comes with several challenges, hence the need for judges to be exposed to the benefits as well as the challenges associated with new technologies.

The EVC said through the workshop, judges will be exposed to disruptive technologies, the rights of data subjects, and jurisdictional issues in the digital age, which have continued to make the ICT industry a dynamic one.

“The increased reliance on telecommunications, as well as the growth experienced in the sector, has introduced some issues of legal connotation which will be deliberated upon by various experts during this workshop. One of such issues is the ownership of online content and materials. So, it is envisaged that with the increase in the amount of online content, as well as the economic value attached to it, there will be a rise in conflicts as to ownership of online content and materials.

“It is necessary that your lordships are well prepared for the imminent increase in litigation in this area. Furthermore, with an increase in the number of transactions and businesses taking place in the online space, it is also expedient for your lordships to be exposed to the peculiarities of adjudicating conflicts in this era of digital presence and online identity,” he said.

He stated that the Commission conceived the idea of the forum, as part of its strategic partnership and collaboration, as a forum to further build the capacity of the distinguished judges with practical insights on these emerging issues in the field of telecommunications.

“Hopefully, this workshop will illuminate these challenges and proffer ways to meet the dynamics of the changing times. I, therefore, enjoin you to freely make contributions and raise issues that would assist the commission in coming up with adequate regulatory measures that would enhance development in the communications sector of the economy. We assure you that every view expressed would be respected and considered in this regard,” he said.

On his part, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Olukayode Ariwoola, commended the Commission for the annual forum while assuring the telecom regulatory of the commitment of the judiciary to using technology for justice dispensation as well as support a more robust legal ecosystem for sustaining socio-economic growth of Nigeria through telecoms sector.

Represented by Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Ariwoola said, through the use of ICT, the judiciary has improved, not just in judicial administration and services, but also in infrastructural development.

Ariwoola said regardless of the benefits of digitalisation there are bound to be liabilities and risks involved with its introduction and usage as she highlighted such risks to include Cyber Crime, data piracy, and hacking among several other vices.
“Our judicial system has been challenged with delays in dispensing justice. However, with the introduction of ICT into the judicial space, many of the difficulties associated with the conventional methods are gradually being dispensed with,” he said.

The Chief Justice said the path to effective and efficient justice delivery in Nigeria lies in the collective ability to continuously improve the nation’s justice sector with the use of ICT tools. “The Nigerian judiciary is committed to achieving lasting structural and ethical reforms that would reposition it to adequately meet the aspirations of court users and the public for the reliable, effective and efficient administration of justice through the use of ICT,” he said.

AIT offers students unbroken, affordable quality education despite rising cost of living, labour strikes

AIT offers students unbroken, affordable quality education despite rising cost of living, labour strikes

 

The Accra Institute of Technology (AIT) has assured international students of affordable tuition fees and unbroken, no-strikes academic programme even in the face of global recession, rising cost of living including educational fees and numerous strikes in universities across the world.
AIT, an independent technology-focused research university based in Accra, has been consistently ranked as the top private university in Ghana and one of the leading educational institutions in West Africa since it commenced its academic year in 2009.
AIT is affiliated with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Open University Malaysia allowing it to offer expansive, flexible and rigorous academic programmes to about the highest number of international students in Ghana all at highly affordable rates to students.

“AIT has made affordable fees, indeed, non-prohibitive education the hallmark of its mission underscored by its motto of ‘service, leadership, and scholarship.

Fee per semester is as low as S$500 per semester and students don’t have to buy books, handouts etc., as all these are available on our system. You can also complete the program online without coming to Ghana,” said Registrar of AIT, Mr. Dominic Osei-Boakye.

AIT has built a formidable reputation in over 20 years as a student-friendly, stable academic environment focusing on offering practical skills and leadership capacity to its students.

As global economy continues to bite, several universities have embarked on labour strikes forcing suspension of academic activities. In Australia, University of Auckland, staff are currently on strike under the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) over wage negotiations; in the US, California universities’ academic workers have embarked on strike in the face of rising housing costs; and in Nigeria, universities downed tools for months over funding and wage issues.

“These are challenges we have been able to successfully navigate as the No.1 private higher institution in a way that has ensured that academic programmes once started by our students are successfully completed allowing them the benefits of optimal scholarly pursuit,” said Osei-Boakye.

According to him, “The AIT success story cannot be told without mentioning the creativity, strong leadership, and direction from their able President, Prof. Clement Dzidonu. The award-winning Professor has, through AIT transformed educational delivery in the country using Technology. It is little wonder then that he deservedly won the Best Educator of The Year Award.”

Last year, AIT graduated its eighth batch of PhDs during its 16th Graduation Ceremony bringing the total number of PhDs graduated at AIT since 2016 to Forty-Nine (49) in the fields of Engineering, Business Administration, Education, and Information Technology.

“All indicators point to the fact that AIT as a university with its high-powered and academically distinguished Board of Trustees are meeting several envisaged milestones as a young and growing dynamic institution which is showing all the encouraging signs of becoming a world-class university,” said the Chairman of the AIT Board of Trustees, Professor Edward Ayensu at a function months back.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LAUDS SON AT 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LAUDS SON AT 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

The Minister of State Industry, Trade and
Investment, Ambassdor Mariam Y. Katagum
noted that the Standards Organisation of
Nigeria ( SON) is a useful tool in the delivery of
the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and
Investments mandate of facilitating trade and
the growth of the Nigerian industrial sector.

The Minister of State, made this statement at
the SON 50th Anniversary celebration in Abuja
on Monday. She noted that 50 years was a long
time in the life of an organisation in Nigeria
especially given the fact that the country’s
existence as an independent country was only
12 years longer.

“SON must therefore be one of the oldest
government institutions in Nigeria. This
anniversary is undoubtedly a milestone worth
celebrating. In addition, the steady growth of the
Organisation from its humble beginnings to
becoming the Apex Standards Body in Nigeria,
with constitutional responsibilities, is also
remarkable and worth celebrating”, she said.

While congratulating the organisation,
Ambassdor Katagum said “in
acknowledgement of its consistent
implementation of reforms aimed at making its
services more easily accessible to the public,
SON has been ranked first in the Ease of Doing
Business by the Presidential Enabling Business
Environment Council (PEBEC).

She went on to note that,” the organisation also
recently received an Award from the National
Information and Technology Development
Agency (NITDA) for Ease of Doing Business in
the Information Technology Sector. These two
recognitions are no doubt fitting anniversary
gifts which will of course challenge the
organisation to keep up its good work,she said.

The Director General of SON, Mallam Farouk
Salim explained that SON is working with the
National Assembly to ensure the review of the
agency’s Act and appealed for a speedy
facilitation of the process.
While acknowledging the achievements and
strides of SON in the last 50 years, Mallam
Farouk Salim said his vision for the Organsation
in the next 50 years is to be the foremost
standardisation body in Africa and among the
top ranking globally.

The SON helmsman explained that while this
vision is achievable, the Organisation would
need to surmount several challenges to achieve
it.

In a goodwill message, the Minister of State for
Works and Housing, Alhaji Umar El-Yakub said
SON has changed the story of “Made in
Nigeria” goods.

Representatives of the Nigeria Customs Service,
National Agency for Food and Drugs
Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN)
commended SON on efforts to ensure
eradication of substandard products.

The highlight of event was the Launch of the
SON Compendium and Presentation of Awards
to deserving members of staff and SON State
Offices.

The Head, SMEs Desk, Engr. Pheabean O. S.
Arumemi won the “Director General’s Award for
Special Contribution”, while Mrs. Amina Haliru,
Assistant Chief Standards Officer/ Head, Halal
Desk won the award for “ Outstanding Staff”.

The award for “Most Efficient State” was won
by SON Rivers State office and was received by
the Acting Director, South – South Directorate,
Engr, Samuel Ayuba.

SON’s Ogun State office 1, won double awards
for Improved Percentage for Service Income and
Most Effective State Office, the South – West
Regional Director, Mrs. Yeside Akinlabi and the
State Coordinator, Ogun State Office, Mr.Jerome
Otene Umoru were on hand to receive the
award.

SON’s Ogun State office received the award for
the” State with the Highest Number of New
Products Identified for MANCAP” the award
received by the State Coordinator, Engr.
Danmola Abayomi, supported by his Regional
Director.

The event ended with an exhibition to showcase
the products of Companies who have
consistently maintained quality.

The 50th Anniversary Celebration continues
with Regional Exhibitions of Made – in – Nigeria
products in Lagos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and
Kano. There will also be a special programme
for recognition of deserving Companies in
Lagos on the 6th December,2022.

PAUL-KAYODE JOASH WOWS NIGERIANS WITH SERIES OF LIFE CHANGING EVENTS THIS DECEMBER

PAUL-KAYODE JOASH WOWS NIGERIANS WITH SERIES OF LIFE CHANGING EVENTS THIS DECEMBER

 

 

Lots of Nigerians are wrapping up the year with expectations and they will be ushering the New Year with lots of fanfare and hope. In line with this festive mood irrespective of the economic downturn, a serial businessman, a man that has been able to add value in the lives of Nigerians, Paul Kayode Jaosh will be bringing life changing events to Nigeria to assist them have a wholesome life this 2023. The two events known as “My Double Double” a motivation event designed to lift Nigerians from the way they think and see thing, then there will be another career changing event known as Pure Health Agency Event, where Nigerians that wish to work in the British health industry will be assisted to emigrate.

Occupational mobility has always been human want and need. The need to search for a better place and environment for individuals and families have been there from time immemorial. In line with this job mobility, Purer Healthcare Agency a health sector recruitment firm based in United Kingdom, UK will be their LAGOS CARE SHOW to be held at AGIP Recital Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos Island, Nigeria this 7 December 2022.

Paul-Kayode Joash, Director Purer Healthcare Agency “We supply UK qualified overseas care and nursing professionals. 1000’s of positions available.5years work visa Earn a minimum of £20k a year, Certificate of sponsorship, Free education for your children under 18.Nigerians can participate via various channels, to be part of the conference via Zoom, the amount of N30,000⁣   (Thirty Thousand Naira)  and the link is https://paystack.com/pay/lagoscareshow-virtual , ⁣while regular ticket will be paying N50,000. (Fifty Thousand Naira) https://paystack.com/pay/lagoscareshow-regular  . These tickets Would Be Sent to Mails. Participants stand to gain many things such as Guaranteed UK Care & Nursing jobs⁣.3-5 years UK Work Visa⁣.they will earn a minimum of £20k a year⁣. There will be certificate of Sponsorship, Free education for children under 18, Dependant visas available⁣ and Help with CV, Training & Eligibility.

Paul-Kayode Joash added that “Interested participants should be prepared to be inspired by the UK’s leading health experts, thought leaders, and care experts. Purer Healthcare Agency is a subsidiary of ObsGynea Healthcare UK Limited. We offer expert, highly personalised services to UK Care Providers in meeting their staffing needs.”

As with “MY DOUBLE DOUBLE ” event, today, lots of Nigerians are wrapping up the year with expectations and they will be ushering the New Year with lots of fanfare and hope. In line with this festive mood irrespective of the economic downturnn, a serial businessman, a man that has been able to add value in the lives of Nigerians,

According to Paul, “If doing better than ever before in business, career, and life is what you want, then you need to attend RESURGE!⁣Strategic deployments that makes you ‘come alive’ again!⁣ This year’s MyDoubleDouble Conference remains a very personal one for me and would be for our audience. Our theme has been “Getting from where you ARE to where you want to be” but this year it is “From where you WERE to where you want to be”. Negative experiences have a way of affecting our minds forming the bedrock for its reoccurrence and a cycle could be born. In this exclusive event, you’ll discover the skills, the disciplines, and the unique insights that propels to lasting greatness.”

The event will start from 10.30am which is on Wednesday 7 December 2022, MUSON Centre, Lagos.  While Lagos and Saturday 7 December will be held at the EMINENCE CENTRE, Ibadan. Notable speakers that will be gracing the occasion are Lara Kudaisi, Obafemi Bamigbe, Sanmi Akindipe, Bisi Akintayo while the Host is Paul-Kayode Joash.

Paul-Kayode is a prolific international inspirational Speaker, Sales/Marketing Guru and Personal & Business Transformation Coach/Trainer. Paul is the Chief Rainmaker at MyDoubleDouble International plus Sayitbetter Media & Communications (The Branding Guys)

 

 

 

 

Value-added services will define the future of e-commerce

Value-added services will define the future of e-commerce

 

 

The South African retail space has seen some dramatic changes in a relatively short time. Online shopping has become the new normal bringing with it new payment opportunities and some key challenges yet to be overcome.

 

In this fast-changing landscape it is important for merchants to find their preferred e-commerce partner of choice who will help make a smooth transition to online shopping and contactless payment solutions, says Andrew Springate, CEO of tech and financial gateway service provider PAYM8. “As a PAN African merchant-facing payments gateway PAYM8 has remained a step ahead in transaction interoperability, machine learning and business-driven processes offering a variety of payment products and solutions.”

 

According to data from FNB Merchant Services e-commerce accounted for 14% of total card payments sales at the end of 2021. The e-commerce market is set to be more than R400 billion by 2025 with around 1 billion transactions per annum.

 

M-commerce, where cell phones are used to pay for goods and services, has advanced beyond mobile banking to debit and credit transactions. According to the International Trade Administration’s (ITA) guide on SA e-commerce cell phones have largely replaced wallets, as banks, card operators, retailers and communications companies provide alternatives to cash as a means of payment.

 

M-commerce is particularly attractive in South Africa due to the rapid increase in the number of smart phones, and poor fixed-line infrastructure. “This provides an immense opportunity for online retailers, as mobile spend is projected to increase,” says the ITA.

 

Partner of choice

Springate says PAYM8 is now in its 12th year of Level 1 Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification. This is the highest certification level giving merchants the assurance that all card information that is accepted, processed, stored or transmitted remains in a secure environment.

 

Although many South Africans still rely on traditional cash payment systems, the country’s inter-banking payment system is taking on a more modern look.

 

Payment solutions that are increasingly finding their way into the e-commerce world include card payments such as Visa and Mastercard, buy-now-pay-later such as Payflex and MoreTyme, as well as digital wallets and the Rapid Payments Program (RPP).

 

“We believe the biggest benefit of the RPP is that it will provide a low-cost digital payment system for consumers.  We are committed to embracing this modernisation process and to be first through the door to offer this to our merchants. Our RPP integration will be completed by the end of this year,” notes Springate.

 

Bigger footprint

PAYM8 has expanded its footprint beyond South Africa’s borders and has operations in neighbouring Botswana and Namibia, offering merchants a comprehensive

gateway with an ever-increasing variety of products and solutions.

 

The ability to offer merchants a choice of which bank will acquire their transactions is an accepted practice worldwide and having such a capability is seen as a strategic advantage. Enabling cross-border payment acceptance allows merchants to expand and generate additional income from emerging markets. This is an attractive proposition for merchants who have operations across the continent or is trying to expand.

 

The new battlefield

“We believe value-added services and products will be the battlefield of tomorrow in the e- and m-commerce worlds. Our ability to offer a variety of value-added services such as reporting and dashboarding, artificial intelligence and machine-to-machine learning is what sets us apart,” says Springate.

 

Increasingly, merchants are demanding seamless smart platforms where they have access to sales and transaction outcome reporting; with a clear view of how many transactions took place, how many were unsuccessful and why they were unsuccessful. Merchants also require services that go beyond payment solutions, such as coupon integration, airtime, data and vouchers.

 

PAYM8 has already incorporated artificial intelligence and machine-to-machine learning structures into its platform design. This requires a close relationship with merchant partners as the more information is shared the better the value-added service offering will be.

 

“As the market for e- and m-commerce grows, so too does cybercrime. A tangible value-add is PAYM8’S ability to manage potential fraud and suspicious activities on behalf of its merchant partners. In a constantly shifting environment, it’s clear value-added services are where merchants will gain the next competitive advantage.”