The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uchechukwu Samson Ogah, has described the Entrepreneurship Training on Steel and Foundry Technology organised by the Ministry as a value added initiative that will significantly contribute to the socio – economic growth of the country.

This was contained in his address at the closing ceremony of the Ministry’s Maiden Edition of Technical Capacity Building for Nigerian Youths in the Metals Sector held at the Metallurgical Training Centre, MTC, Ajaokuta Complex, Kogi State, on Friday.

Dr. Ogah, who was represented at the occasion by the Director, Artisanal Small Scale Mining, Mr. Patrick Ojeka, urged the trainee Graduands at the just concluded 3 – Week intensive Workshop to efficiently and effectively work towards the development of the Sector, which is the bedrock of any country’s industrialization.

The Minister of State also charged the course participants, who were awarded with certificates and empowerment kits for their industrial take – off, to properly utilise them for self-upliftment and boosting of nation’s economy.

Speaking at the event, the Director, Steel & Non Ferrous Metals, Engr. Olasupo Kolawole, among other things, posited that the Nigerian youths play key role in National development and the present Administration has drawn a framework to provide a conducive environment that will enable them to maximally realize their creative and productive potentials.
He noted that the programme is an appropriate strategy meant to launch the mainstream youths in the Metal sub-sector into the national developmental efforts by ensuring human capital development with special emphasis on vibrant metals operators.
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On his part, the Sole Administrator, Ajaokuta Complex, Engr Sumaila Abdul – Akaba, expressed optimism that with hard work, determination , and the lifeline given to the trainees, they would be able to create wealth and employment in the country.

In his address, the Head Metallurgical Training Centre, MTC, Ajaokuta Steel Complex, Saliu Yahaya, revealed that out of the 99 trainees who had successfully participated and completed the training programme, 59 specialised in Welding & Fabrication, 22 became competent in Metal Machining, while 18 trained on Foundry & Pattern Making.
The Spokesperson for the trainees, Ibechukwu Wisdom, while commending the Ministry and other Stakeholders for the smooth success of the programme, decried the current state of Ajaokuta Steel Complex.

On behalf of his colleagues he, among other things, appealed to the Federal Government to immediately fix the Complex in order to reduce unemployment and ensure national attainment; the training programme should also be sustained through the Ministry and Ajaokuta Steel Complex.

The event showcased the Trainees’ project works such as Water tanks and Stands, Grinders, Car Break Disc, Cooking pots, spoons etc, aimed at promoting better appraisal of the programme. They also presented awards to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Minister of Mines and Steel, Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite, and Minister of State, MMSD, Dr. Uchechukwu Samson Ogah.

Chinwe Ekwugha (CIO)

Consumers head online for niche products, better service, and quick delivery

South African consumers are heading online in greater numbers as the e-commerce shopping experience increasingly offers more choice and convenience than can be found at traditional big-brand, brick-and-mortar retailers, says Mike Farquharson, Managing Director of online courier aggregator Rush.

Statista market and consumer data projects that 31.6 million South Africans could be converted to online shopping by 2024. According to FNB, the average e-commerce spend already increased by 30 percent in the first half of 2020 compared to the year prior while Rand Merchant Bank expects the sector’s value to surge by 150 percent, to R225 billion, within the next five years. “These findings suggest that shifts in shopper behaviour towards online stores are becoming more permanent as consumers elect to spend at smaller, independent retailers for niche products, first rate service, and quick delivery,” notes Farquharson.

He says that thanks to game-changing technologies which have revolutionised logistics and supply chains the world over, independent retailers can compete with their larger peers in ways that weren’t possible just a few short years ago. “Along with advances in technology, more informed and sceptical consumers are holding retailers to higher standards. Small, e-commerce sites have a distinct advantage in that they can harness shopper loyalty through total customer-centricity and excellent service levels throughout the customer journey, including the all-important delivery ‘last-mile’.”

That consumers have access to more options and unprecedented amounts of information at their fingertips is well known. Farquharson says this makes getting the basics right very important. “An e-commerce business’ success depends upon speedy and proper delivery of products. The Rush platform allows online retailers to find a reputable, cost effective courier partner within seconds. Thanks to monumental changes in the sector, e-commerce deliveries have evolved from taking days or weeks to complete, to a day or even less.”

Farquharson adds that as large retailers grapple with how to nurture and retain customers, independent e-commerce players are leading the way with speedy, superior service. “The numbers prove that shoppers will trust an e-commerce site if they provide proper delivery of quality products. Rush ensures e-tailers have a choice of the best courier partners that are fast, safe, secure, and trustworthy. South Africa’s online retail sector shows real promise for long term growth potential, and the recent boom in online spending and adoption is great news for small South African businesses making a difference to our economy.”

July is National Savings Month, a campaign initiated by the South African Savings Institute (SASI) to encourage South Africans to focus on alternative savings solutions. The nationwide Covid-19 lockdowns this past year dealt a hard blow to many people financially, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on your financial goals. Now is a great time to re-evaluate your budget and start saving.

One of the smartest ways to save and grow your money is to invest, and property remains a safe and reliable investment in times of uncertainty. Creating wealth is the ultimate money goal, but it all starts with saving. By saving, you’ll be in a better position to own property, and use that property to create wealth.

So, when is the best time to start investing in property? According to Andrea Tucker, Director of Mortgage Me, the younger you are when you buy your first home, the quicker you can pay your property off, and the sooner you will be debt free (or at the point where you can upgrade to a bigger property).

The average age of South Africans who are investing in property for the first time, though, is older than we think. “This is due to the earning demographics in this country, and the large, growing middle class. The average age of a first time South African home buyer oscillates between 35 and 40 annually,” Andrea says. Circumstances that have contributed to the increased age of first-time home buyers include slow economic growth and high unemployment rates, the desire to travel and choose experiences over stability and security, the high price of deposits and house price increases.

“The question of when the best time is to invest in property is a tricky one. I believe that as soon as you can afford all the costs it is time to take the plunge,” says Andrea. Here is her advice on what to consider before you commit:

• Are you financially secure? You should have a good handle on your expenses and your salary should be stable.
• Are you able to save regularly? You will need to do this for a deposit against a property and have funds available for the additional costs that come with taking ownership of a property, for example transfer fees and bond costs.
• Are you ready to settle and put down roots? Many financial experts suggest that for your purchase to make financial sense, you should plan on staying put for at least five years.
• Are you certain about what you want? Think about the distance to work, family needs, locations of schools etc.
• Are you aware of the costs and challenges of owning your own property? Owning a home involves maintenance, insurance and garden services, among other things. You can’t rely on a landlord to fix things that break.
• Are you happy with paying off a home? You will be owning an asset that may only give you a return on your investment in a few years’ time – either because it has increased in value, or you have been able to pay it off faster than anticipated.
• Are you happy with the price of properties in the areas you like? Consider what value you are getting for the money you are investing and ensure that the areas you are hoping to live in are holding their property values.
• Are you willing to use cash windfalls wisely? This may mean using any bonuses received to pay off your bond more quickly rather than, for instance, buying a new car for a few years.

If your answers to these questions are ‘yes’, then it is probably a good time for you to start property hunting. Keep in mind that having a monthly budget and sticking to it will ensure you start your home ownership journey off on the right foot.

~ My close encounter with Obi Cubana ~

Some years back I met Obi Cubana at the house of Asamma at Oba. It was a quick introduction by Nnabugwu Onyeka (Oni Henkell). We exchanged pleasantries and continue to stuff our mouths with peppered Gizzards.

This year, February 14, at the instance of Onyeka, who invited me with 2 other couples (Ebere Chukwudulue and Onyedika Obiesie) to accompany him to the grand opening of Hustle and Bustle, the newest Lounge and Club from the stable of Cubana Group, I met Obi Cubana once more. This time he was the Chief host and excused himself to attend to numerous guests from the length and breadth of Nigeria. He handed us over to Chuchu who I owe a lot of gratitude for his wonderful attention.

It was a grand opening with a massive turnout. After the dinner, it was not easy for us to enter the club from the front door. People were so many. Obi Cubana permitted us to be escorted through the back, service door which is strictly made for staff only.

We had a good sitting position. Onyeka ordered some bottles of expensive wines for our table. That was the first time I heard the famous “Dorime song” that announces the purchase of premium wines. Only Onyeka will explain how we left the club without forgetting our names.

Hustle and Bustle lived up to its hype. It is the best club among the ones I have visited in Nigeria. A lot of people feel that way too.

On the way to our hotel, we were informed that Obi Cubana will be hosting us for a dinner in his new (yet to be occupied) house at Guzape, the next day.

An amazing house with luxury crafts. We took a tour of the house with him; no room was spared. You will be impressed with his bedrooms, sitting rooms, study room, TV/Cinema room, and important to him, the cellar which will contain wines enough to entertain guests at the 1st and 2nd tenure inaugurations of the next governor of Anambra State.

We ended the tour at his garden at the back of his house, big enough to contain about 150 guests. That was where the dinner was set. Some of his friends like Chuchu (our dearest companion), Too (Furniture Royale) and Jowi Zaza later joined us for the dinner. Of course, Jowi Zaza came with some beautiful foreigners to tempt us mortals. But the presence of my wife and the fact that I prayed before eating my dinner did not allow the devil to have the upper hand. I dey craze?

Some minutes after Jowi Zaza and Obi Cubana posted two different videos of the house tour and the event of yesterday on social media, I heard somebody mention that the videos have been viewed/liked by more than 50k followers apiece.

For people like us who struggle to gather 50 likes on our posts, the information prompted me to lookup his page on Instagram to see what was happening. Ladies and gentlemen, I lost appetite when I saw what was happening on his Instagram page. The post like others before it reached more than 100k before my eyes while my mouth was still busy with marinated Salmon fish he dished out. Ironically, I saw 2 different characters of a man who is a private, fun-loving host, and an aggressive brand builder who uses every opportunity to project his brand to the public. He mastered this art so well that every single post on his Instagram page becomes an instant hit.

That is the power of branding. And if that does not humble you, a mention by CNN may not humble you as well.

Now let us look at what happened in the last 48 hours.

It was supposed to be a burial but very few can say who was buried, if the deceased was a mother, an uncle or even a friend. The only thing that was consistent on social media was “Obi Cubana”.

I do not know how his friends did that, but 100 cows and hundreds of millions raised for him may not add many material values, but that act validated his good-natured stories and added intangible values to his brand.

Without selling himself, the burial provided a unique opportunity for people to hear about his generosity, business partners talked about his hard work, friends and employees talked about riding on his goodwill to become rich, the family became more united as more fortune smile their way, the top investigation cop (Abba Kyari) came from Abuja to felicitate with him and guaranteed security, non-invited guests came with goodwills, and politicians came to learn the magic of how to gather an unpaid, unhired crowd.

The narratives from various angles were the same. He is a hardworking 46-year dude who is the new face of show business in Nigeria. No scandal. No negative business gone-wrong. No ritual. No drugs. Just a brand that worths hundreds of millions on a piece of paper.

If Obi Cubana spent N500m on this burial, the goodwill his brand earned in the last 48 hours should be valued more.

I am not seeing a burial ceremony. I saw a brand validation.

By the way, I am not Obi Cubana, but with 46 cows, I have forgiven Cubana Chief Priest.

Don Ebubeogu.

• Officials of the Nigerian Communications Commission on Friday, July 16, 2021, summoned and questioned by the House of Representatives over the suitability of the use of electronic devices for the transmission of election results in the country as part of ongoing discussion in the House as being provided in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
• The House had, on Thursday, July 15, 2021, invited the NCC to brief it on the nation’s network coverage before continuing debate on the contentious provision of electronic transmission of results during elections.
• The Commission was represented before the House members by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, NCC, Engr. Ubale Maska and the Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Adeleke Adewolu.
• Maska, who spoke on behalf of the team, told members thatless than 50% of the country enjoys 3G Internet coverage for which electronic transmission of results could rely on.
• He said as at 2018, when the Commission carried out a survey of 109,000 polling units, of the country’s 119,000 polling units were covered.
• He said the surveyed polling unit areas were covered mostly by the 3G and 2G networks, which represents about 50.3% of the entire country.
• He said about 49.7% of the national spread did not have Internet coverage, which will be required for real-time electronic transmission of electoral results.
• Asked if 2G technology could be used for electronic transmission of results, Engr. Maska said though he wished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was around to answer, however, only 3G could transmit results effectively.

The attention of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has been drawn to a recent statement on an online publication credited to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Office of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Olusegun Ogunsanya, to the effect that the mobile operating licence of Airtel has been renewed by the Commission for another period of 10 years.

Mr. Ogunsanya was said to have made the statement while speaking in Lagos on Wednesday, July 14, 202, during the media launch of Airtel’s corporate social responsibility programme, ‘Touching Lives 6’.

The Commission wishes to state that while Airtel Nigeria has applied for the renewal of the Unified Access Service (UASL) Licence granted to it by the Commission, the application is yet to be approved as it is still undergoing required regulatory process.

This statement is issued for the guidance of our stakeholders.

The Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Pantami, was represented by the Managing Director, Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited, Dr Abimbola Alale, at the one-day Stakeholders Engagement on Children and Youth at Risk, that held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The Forum was organised by the “At Risk Children Project,” under the Office of the Special Advisor to the President on Social Investment. The Special Advisor, Hajiya Maryam Uwais, welcomed the stakeholders present. She explained the objective of the engagement, which was to work with relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), project teams and young persons to identify ways to better serve the needs of children and youth at risk. She also gave an overview of the At Risk Children Project.

While conveying the message of the Honourable Minister to the meeting, Dr Alale said broadband access is key to the future of digital economy and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy supports the development and equipping of the youth with IT skills. She said that the National Broadband Policy captures and reflects intervention programmes of the Communications & Digital Economy Ministry targeted at the youth, with particular reference to Pillars 2, 5, 7 & 8 bordering on digital literacy & skills, digital services development & promotion, digital society & emerging technologies, and, indigenous content development & adoption. She also informed that youth already trained are using the skills acquired positively.

DigitalNigeria #fmocde