IFAD And Guinea To Help Rural Populations Recover From COVID-19 Effects

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IFAD And Guinea To Help Rural Populations Recover From COVID-19 Effects

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will provide the Republic of Guinea with a grant to improve the resilience of more than 2,123 poor farming households trying to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, by ensuring rapid access to inputs, information, markets, and cash.

Despite its rich natural resources, Guinea is among the poorest countries in Africa. Low agricultural productivity, lack of wage employment, lack of access to financial services and poor rural infrastructure are all factors.

Guinea has significant undeveloped agricultural potential. Soil and weather conditions are highly favorable to agriculture and just 25 per cent of potential arable land is being cultivated.

Guinean agriculture consists mainly of family farming focusing on food crops, mainly cereals (rice and maize), tubers and palm oil. The agriculture sector accounts for 20 per cent of GDP. Growing demand for food is sustained by demographic growth (2.5 per cent in 2016) and urbanization (38 per cent of the population in 2016 versus 33 per cent in 2006).

IFAD’s Rural Poor Stimulus Facility (RPSF) will allocate US$ 530,840 to Guinea to support activities of rural producers by supporting production and value chains and market access. The project will provide beneficiaries with agricultural inputs, basic agricultural equipment for food production and processing, technical assistance and training for increased productivity. The target beneficiaries will also receive production kits consisting of seeds (rice, maize and vegetables), fertilisers and plant protection products.

“This grant to Guinea demonstrates IFAD’s commitment to support the Guinean government in addressing the impacts of the Covid19 pandemic on Guinean populations, particularly those living in the most remote and vulnerable communities,” said Haoua Sienta, IFAD Country Director for Guinea.

In Guinea, women and young people are among the most vulnerable members of the rural population. Women take on various roles within agriculture, from production and processing to small-scale commerce. However, while they are legally recognized as equal to men, rural women are still disadvantaged. They have limited access to agricultural inputs, technical advice, improved technologies, land ownership and decision-making. Only 22 per cent of adult women are literate, compared with 44 per cent of men. This low level of education among rural women directly affects their ability to access information, agricultural extension services and other production needs.

The project will establish a mechanism to promote access to financial resources for youth and women in rural Guinea. The intervention will promote rural entrepreneurship to include youth and women in the development of their communities, and attract unemployed young graduates and returning migrants into agriculture, as has already happened through the National Programme to Support Agricultural Value Chain Actors (PNAAFA).

The grant related activities will also aim to support 450 micro-projects of small producers, youth cooperatives with profitable and market-oriented activities based on the business plan provided. They will also provide support by investing money into rural financial service providers and the umbrella federation of financial service associations that IFAD has helped create and strengthen over past decades.

The Family Farming, Resilience and Markets Project in Upper and Middle Guinea (AgriFARM) management unit that is already operational will coordinate the project under the new grant. This reduces management costs and ensures synergy between activities. This unit will also ensure close collaboration with local implementing partners and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Since 1980, IFAD has invested US$206.2 million in 14 projects in Guinea, with a total cost of US$443.8 million, which have directly benefited 651,450 rural households.

 

COVID-19: SBL Unveils Over N2Billion To Fight Against Communicable Diseases

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COVID-19: SBL Unveils Over N2Billion To Fight Against Communicable Diseases

SBL initiative is part of a new Tshs 230 billion ($100 million) global Diageo programme to help outlets, and bars recover from COVID-19 and support jobs and communities around the world.

The fund will roll out over the next two years benefitting over 2,000 outlets; It will include practical equipment for outlets to implement new social distancing measures, digital skills training and contactless technology.

Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL) today announced a programme worth over 2.3 billion TSH to support bars and eateries in Dar es Salaam and other major towns to protect their staff and customers against the Covid-19 pandemic.

SBL’s support comes to light as the world struggles to return to the business from the torment inflicted by the global pandemic (Covid-19). While everyone wants to transcend the journey from failure to triumph, which as a notion, provides food for thought, SBL has identified conditions critical against all communicable diseases in the country, which include COVID-19.

Dubbed “Raise the Bar” or “Tunyanyuke Pamoja”, it will be a two-year programme starting in July 2021, offering outlets with free access to digital training and support via www.diageobaracademy.com.

According to the company’s Managing Director Mark Ocitti, this initiative by SB also complements the government’s efforts to call on people and businesses to practice good hygiene to prevent themselves from communicable diseases, COVID-19 included.

“In our initiative, we will support resilience, resolve and re-imagination to on-trade in Tanzania. The ultimate goal is to rise again, hence the name of our new project, Raise the Bar or Tunyanyuke Pamoja. The project will cover 2,000 outlets in the cities of Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Mwanza,” he said

The project will support on-trade through ‘Tunyanyuke Pamoja’ in several ways, from training the outlet owners and staff against communicable diseases to providing technical equipment to transforming their outlets, according to Ocitti.

This program by SBL is part of a global campaign by Diageo to enable bars to respond to the impact of COVID-19. Other significant cities worldwide benefit from the program: Nairobi, Kampala, New York, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Sydney, and beyond.

The “Raise the Bar” program was designed following a survey of bar owners to identify key priorities to support the reopening of their business. Their top priorities included hygiene measures, digital support and valuable equipment to transform how their outlets will work when they reopen.

The “Raise the Bar” programme will provide targeted support to help pay for the physical equipment needed for outlets to reopen. For example, it can provide initial funding for: ‘hygiene kits’ with high-quality permanent sanitizer dispenser units, medical-grade hand sanitizers and a range of personal protection equipment (such as masks and gloves); help pubs and bars to establish partnerships with online reservations and cashless systems; mobile bars and outdoor equipment,” the MD elaborated.

From June 30th, bar owners will be able to register their interest in the “Raise the Bar” programme via www.diageobaracademy.com globally. Bar owners will receive regular updates on best practice training and resources and participate in global surveys to share insights as they build back their businesses.

The managing director added: ‘Our bars and eateries constitute a critical part of our hospitality and service industry. Their universe employs thousands of people and benefits many more indirectly. We have launched “Raising the Bar” because so many outlets have recorded business slowdown as a result of this health crisis and therefore, badly need to recover.”

SBL is a key stakeholder against COVID-19 in Tanzania since the first case of the pandemic was reported in the country. In March 2020, the company partnered with the ministry of health to create COVID-19 awareness to the public by distributing flyers and posters throughout the country. A month later, SBL donated sanitizers to the Ministry of Health, again supporting the country’s effort to combat the further spread of Covid-19.

The impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality sector has been widespread, with the closure of venues. However, by providing access to free digital support, technology, training and equipment, Diageo aims to help any bar, anywhere, open its doors again.

MDaas Global Raises $2.3m To Launch Digital Health Solution

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MDaas Global Raises $2.3m To Launch Digital Health Solution

MDaaS Global, the health-tech company building and operating a network of modern, tech-enabled diagnostic centers across Nigeria, has raised $2.3 million in seed extension led by Newtown Partners via the Imperial Venture Fund, with participation from CRI Foundation, FINCA Ventures, Techstars, and Future Africa, among others.

With this funding, the company is launching ‘SentinelX’, a digital health membership that champions preventive, personalized, and continuous care using proprietary technology.

The extension brings MDaaS Global’s total funding to date to $3.7 million; in addition to the launch of SentinelX, this new funding will see the company rapidly scale its physical footprint across Nigeria to become the largest diagnostic chain in the country.

Since its founding, MDaaS Global has focused on increasing access to critical diagnostic services for underserved and geographically challenged communities. SentinelX builds on that mission by democratizing access not only to technology-enabled primary care but also to comprehensive preventive care that helps members identify and address health risks before they become problems.

SentinelX operates as an annual subscription-based membership starting at just N35,000 [approx. $7 a month].

MDaas Global Raises $2.3m To Launch Digital Health Solution-Brand Spur Nigeria

Over the past two decades, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also referred to as lifestyle diseases, have risen dramatically in sub-Saharan Africa, driven by a growing incidence of cardiovascular risk factors like unhealthy diets, reduced physical activity, hypertension, and diabetes.

And by 2030, NCDs are set to become the leading cause of mortality on the continent. SentinelX is poised to tackle this challenge head-on and empower members to take control of their long-term health.

To do this, the SentinelX membership includes:

  • A comprehensive diagnostic screening to give members a 360-degree view of their current health status and identify potential health issues early.

  • A customized Care Plan designed to address each member’s specific risk factors and personal health goals, from reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease to improving energy levels.

  • 24/7 ongoing support from the Care Team for primary as well as urgent care (via the SentinelX mobile app, phone-based support, and in-person visits).

  • Access to dieticians and fitness coaches to support members with lifestyle changes.

  • Help navigating the Nigerian healthcare ecosystem, from specialist referrals to answering questions about health insurance.

Currently, in private beta and with a speedily growing waitlist, SentinelX is set to launch publicly in September 2021. Prospective members can register via the website to schedule their diagnostic screening which looks at more than 65 unique biomarkers to assess individual risk for a wide range of diseases, including cancers, diabetes, kidney disease, and heart diseases.

Clinical and family history, as well as demographic data, are also taken into consideration as part of the comprehensive analysis. Screenings are carried out at MDaaS-owned facilities, expediting a cost-efficient medical process for patients and effectively allowing the company to manage the full lifecycle and health journey of its customers.

Members receive monthly check-in calls from their dedicated Care Team to monitor progress, make adjustments to their Care Plans, and supply answers to questions that may arise – providing patients with a holistic and proactive approach to their healthcare.

Speaking on the announcement, Oluwasoga Oni, MDaaS Global’s CEO and Co-Founder said, “Unrestricted access to quality healthcare has always been our principal objective and the pandemic has compelled us to consider innovative ways of offering more proactive care. This additional funding will propel our growth as we look to serve more people and in more ways.”

He continues, “SentinelX combines a human touch – which is still needed, with advanced technology to provide faster, easier healthcare solutions for Nigerians. But importantly, it makes preventive care more accessible and affordable. This will pave the way for lowering overall medical costs for patients as well as improving their health outcomes in the long run.”

Llew Claasen, Managing Partner at Newtown Partners believes, “Most consumers in sub-Saharan Africa receive suboptimal medical care because of infrastructure gaps, low physician density, delays in diagnostics, and a lack of health data visibility.

“We think the physical diagnostic infrastructure that MDaaS is building out, coupled with the means to collect data and deliver value-added software services, has the potential to completely change the way that physicians, clinicians and pharmacists do their jobs and lead to better health outcomes for a huge number of previously underserved consumers.” 

Founded in 2017 by Oluwasoga Oni, Opeyemi Ologun, Genevieve Barnard Oni, and Joseph McCord, MDaaS Global has launched 7 centers in Ibadan, Ilorin, Osogbo, Lagos, and Abuja, with plans to expand to 6 new cities in 2021.

To date, the healthcare company has provided diagnostic services to over 40,000 patients in underserved communities, and following its seed round in 2019, has grown its staff capacity to over 70.

MDaas Global Raises $2.3m To Launch Digital Health Solution-Brand Spur Nigeria

The company has also performed over 80,000 diagnostics tests across cardiology, radiology, neurology, laboratory, and general health checks. MDaaS has expanded its referral network to include over 750 clinicians and has partnered with over 500 health facilities and 10 HMO networks. By 2025, the company aims to operate 100 centers across the continent and serve 1 million patients per year.

To conclude, Oluwasoga said, “For many years, healthcare in Nigeria and across Africa has been focused almost exclusively on treating diseases rather than preventing them in the first place. Access to diagnostics and preventive care is key to addressing the burgeoning NCD crisis; through SentinelX, we aim to leverage our expertise in affordable diagnostics and put the ‘health’ back in healthcare for Africa’s next billion.”

Bullish Sentiment Returns As NSE ASI Inches Up By 0.15%

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Bullish Sentiment Returns As NSE ASI Inches Up By 0.15%

At the end of today’s trading session, the Nigerian Equities market closed positive as the benchmark index improved by 0.15% to close at 37,640.75 points.

This was mainly due to the buying pressure in bellwether stocks such as DANGSUGAR (4.17%) and NB (0.25%). Consequently, the YTD loss improved to -6.53% as market capitalization increased by  ₦31 billion to close at  ₦19.62 trillion.

The Sectoral Performance strengthened as three of the five indices under coverage improved, Oil and Gas index weakened by 0.86% while the Industrial index closed flat. The Insurance, Consumer Goods and Banking indices improved by 2.22%, 0.29% and 0.25% respectively.

Investor sentiment strengthened in today’s trading session, as market breadth improved to 2.15x from 0.72x. This was illustrated by the advance of 28 stocks, led by  LINKASSURE (10.00%) and IKEJAHOTEL (10.00%), and the decline of 13 stocks, led by JAIZBANK (-5.17%) and VERITASKAP (-4.00%). Activity level was mixed as total volume improved by 40.07% while the total value declined by 20.64% as investors exchanged about 229.01 million units of shares worth over N2.73 billion respectively.

Fixed Income

The activity level was mixed across the bond yield curve as two of the four bond yields under coverage closed flat, the FGN-APR-2024 yield closed lower by 0.50% while the FGN-JUL-2030 yield closed higher by 0.80%. The FGN-APR-2023 and FGN-JAN-2026 bond yields closed flat at 11.49% and 12.60% respectively.

Treasury bill yields for the 90, 180, and 365-day papers closed at 4.79%, 5.93% and 9.96% respectively.

We expect investor sentiment to be swayed by the search for real positive returns and developments in the fixed income space.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

  • Bullish Sentiment Returns in the Local Bourse, NSE ASI Gains 15bps
  • Mixed Activity Level across the Bond Yield Curve
  • Positive Performance in Global Stocks
  • Parallel Market still Reports at N502/$
  • Mixed Sentiment in African Stocks

Bank Wars: Access Bank Triumphs, Wins Best Goal Award

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Bank Wars: Access Bank Triumphs, Wins Best Goal Award

Foremost lenders, Access Bank has claimed the inaugural edition of Bank Wars, a FIFA 21 Gaming competition for leading Nigerian banks.

The bank also claimed the best goal award for the competition.

Bank Wars is sponsored by the foremost Original Equipment Manufacturer, Samsung.

The final, played on Saturday, June 5, 2021 saw Access Bank humble Standard Chartered 10-4. The much-anticipated encounter saw Access Bank live up to its billing as pre-tournament favourites, with the side dominating the match to run out debut winners of the competition.

Earlier in the day, Fidelity Bank won the third-place match after edging a close encounter against Sterling Bank 9-8.

Bank Wars: Access Bank Triumphs, Wins Best Goal Award- Brand Spur Nigeria
Bank Wars: Access Bank Triumphs, Wins Best Goal Award- Brand Spur Nigeria

The grand finale of the competition witnessed a huge turnout of spectators at the Tech Experience Centre –  Africa’s cutting-edge technology and lifestyle hub, located at Yudala Heights, 13 Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island, Lagos –  which hosted all the matches of the competition.

The eager spectators had started converging on the impressive edifice early in the day to catch the third-place match which kicked off at 12pm before attention shifted to the final proper by 1:30 pm.

Also, the matches were streamed live on YouTube to a global audience.

For emerging winners of the competition, Access Bank’s representative, Olabamiji Emmanuel Ojo received the grand prize of a Samsung 55-inch Curve TV, courtesy of the event’s sponsors. On the other hand, the runner-up, Israel Bajeh, representing Standard Chartered Bank, received a Samsung refrigerator while Nathan Goodluck of Fidelity Bank got a Samsung Washing machine for finishing third.

Equally important, Access Bank’s Ojo claimed a Samsung 49-inch TV for winning the best goal award. The prize was presented to him on Wednesday, June 23 by Chika Nnadozie, a representative of Samsung, at the Tech Experience Centre.

Bank Wars: Access Bank Triumphs, Wins Best Goal Award- Brand Spur Nigeria
Bank Wars: Access Bank Triumphs, Wins Best Goal Award- Brand Spur Nigeria

The best goal award was determined by fans’ votes. A total of 1841 votes were received, out of which Access Bank got 937 which turned out the highest. In second place was Standard Chartered Bank which received 877 votes. Two goals from First City Monument Bank (FCMB) were also nominated and they received four and three votes respectively.

The prize winners all expressed gratitude to the competition sponsors, Samsung as well as the Tech Experience Centre and TD Africa, even as they disclosed their determination to participate in subsequent editions.

To get to the final, Standard Chartered white-washed Sterling Bank 15 – 9 in the first semi-final encounter played on Saturday, May 29, 2021. On its part, eventual winners, Access Bank claimed an impressive 13 – 8 victory over Fidelity Bank in the second semi-final tie.

A total of eight banks participated in the debut edition of the FIFA 21 gaming competition.

In addition to the four semi-finalists – Access Bank, Standard Chartered, Fidelity Bank and Sterling Bank, other participants include FCMB, Zenith Bank, Union Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).

Shoprite Group Makes Urgent Plea To Vaccinate Its Frontline Workers As Third Wave Hits

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Shoprite Group Makes Urgent Plea To Vaccinate Its Frontline Workers As Third Wave Hits

The Shoprite Group is urgently calling on the Government to allow its more than 140 000 employees, who serve over 25 million people a month, to receive vaccinations as the third wave of COVID-19 increases in severity.

The supermarket group is South Africa’s largest private-sector employer and believes it is critical that Government prioritizes the allocation of vaccines to its frontline workers, which it will source and administer at its own cost and through its own logistics and pharmaceutical infrastructure.

Announcing new Level 4 restrictions due to the third wave on 27 June, President Cyril Ramaphosa focused on “mining, manufacturing and the taxi industry” for the fourth stream of vaccination programmes.

Shoprite Group Makes Urgent Plea To Vaccinate Its Frontline Workers As Third Wave Hits-Brand Spur Nigeria
Shoprite Group Makes Urgent Plea To Vaccinate Its Frontline Workers As Third Wave Hits-Brand Spur Nigeria

“Our frontline workers, including cashiers, merchandisers and line management retail workers, have been at work every day since the onset of the pandemic, working tirelessly to ensure we provide food, essential groceries and medicine to the nation.”- Pieter Engelbrecht, Shoprite Group CEO.

“Our people interact with 25 million customers coming into our stores every month, and it is critical that they be vaccinated,” he says.

“We strongly believe that they should be prioritized and we are ready to roll out vaccinations on behalf of the government to our employees who continue to go the extra mile in challenging conditions to keep serving customers.”

The Group has a significant logistical and pharmaceutical distribution network to roll out vaccines to employees through Transpharm Pharmaceutial Distributors and pharmacy chain MediRite.  “As the last few weeks have shown, South Africa will continue to be vulnerable to future waves of COVID-19 until we have vaccinated a sufficient percentage of our population,” Engelbrecht says.

“The Group is eager to see the vaccine roll-out programme accelerated and we can help if we can secure and administer vaccines while absorbing all the costs ourselves.” “We are prepared to play a role and foot the bill, and we can ensure it will happen rapidly.”

Nigerian Online Gaming Trends That Businesses Should Heed

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Nigerian Online Gaming Trends That Businesses Should Heed

Depending on the study you reference, Nigeria is either top of the tree or very close to it when it comes to the percentage of its population that engages with online games on a daily basis. Perhaps this is no surprise seeing as the country is the most populous in Sub-Saharan Africa, but dig a little deeper and there are plenty more reasons as to why the country is experiencing something of an online gaming revolution.

Of course, any time there is an upwards trend such as this, businesses need to be on their toes and ready to react so that they can take advantage of the surge of interest in a certain sector. Here we highlight just some of the trends found within the online gaming community in Nigeria, which companies can then choose to take advantage of if they so wish.

Nigerian Online Gaming
Man playing mobile video game on smartphone modern lifestyle and technology

Mobile gaming is becoming more and more commonplace in Nigeria and across the African continent as a whole

Nigeria and the Wider World Is Going Mobile Crazy

The first trend within the online gaming industry is that people are playing more and more via their mobile devices rather than on expensive PCs and consoles. The first obvious reason for this is that a large section of Nigerian society now owns at least one mobile smart device.

Allied to this is the fact that mobile data networks are becoming more expansive within the country. This allows people to play games whether they have a Wi-Fi connection to hand or not, and also means that a game’s level or stage won’t be interrupted by a poor signal.

Another reason for mobile gaming being the way forward in Nigeria is that most new gaming titles are now tailored to perform as well on mobile as they do on PC or console, with many even being markedly cheaper on mobile rather than other more static hardware formats. This all means that any business related to the tech industry should be ensuring that their products and services are tapping into the trend for mobile, which is partly being driven by gamers.

Reinventing Classics Is the Way Forward

While most trends connected to gaming tend to be geared towards futuristic technology and searching out the next big thing, there is also a counterculture among many gamers, both in Nigeria and abroad, whereby developers and providers are reimagining games of the past that spark nostalgia.

This can be seen everywhere in Nigerian gaming culture, where the likes of chess, blackjack, roulette, and retro platformers are all being repurposed so that new generations of gamers across all platforms can enjoy the eternal appeal of such games. This has led to online communities of Nigerian chess players popping up as well as more Nigerians getting to grips with online blackjack rules and variations. There are now even a whole host of pop-up gaming centres that cater to those players who want to either engage in modern online video games or those retro ones that they remember from back in the day.

This all shows that any business hoping to latch on to the online gaming movement needs to look to the past at the same time as looking to the future, with hitting 21 in blackjack or checkmate in chess being just as rewarding for players as engaging in battle royale melees.

Nigerian Online Gaming
Chess black white chess pieces king

Many classic games such as chess and blackjack are now making roaring comebacks among online gamers, who love their simple yet effective gameplay dynamics

Homegrown Games Make a Connection with Locals

Although it will always be difficult for Nigerian games developers to keep pace with the mammoth operations found in Asia and the US, there are some plucky entrepreneurs whose companies are managing to cut through and form unbreakable bonds with a growing client base that is hungry for more homegrown content.

One great example of this is Maliyo Games, which was founded by Hugo Obi and specialises in creating original games that incorporate aspects of everyday life in Nigeria. The games have been incredibly well-received, showing that any new online gaming business should always tap into their burgeoning local market before venturing further afield.

On Nigeria’s attempt to tax global tech giants

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On Nigeria’s attempt to tax global tech giants

The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) recently declared that the Nigerian government is ready to introduce a new mechanism to widen the tax net. This mechanism involves the collection of taxes on the Nigerian income of global technology giants not based in the country, but with significant economic presence.

According to Section 4 of the Finance Act 2019, “the finance minister, may by the order of the president, determine what constitutes the significant economic presence of a company other than a Nigerian company”.

Nigeria total tax revenue (2014-2020)
Source: Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), United Capital Research

The Nigerian government is set to utilize this legal provision by taxing profits made in the country by global technology and digital firms such as Google, Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft, Netflix, among others.

tax Osinbajo launches World Education Week with call for universal education revolution
Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria | www.brandspurng.com

Over the years, efforts have been made to widen the tax net, including the creation of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), which was an attempt to bring more people into the tax net, and hiking the VAT rate from 5.0% to 7.5%. Notably, total tax revenue increased by 59.1% to N5.3tn between 2016 and 2019.

However, due to COVID-19 and the resultant effects on the economy, tax revenues declined by 5.8% to N4.9tn in 2020, driving an urgent need to broaden the tax base.

In our view, given the local reach of the technology giants, the mechanism can potentially yield some results – increasing the revenue contribution from tax and easing the burden on public debt.

However, taking into account the recent Twitter ban, this may send unfriendly policy signals to foreign technology businesses and may have negative implications for already weak FDI flows.

We recommend that the government focuses more on the underlying causes of the country’s weak tax base and implements policies to improve the ease of doing business, support business growth and attract foreign investors, which strengthens the tax base.

Government of Nigeria Signed Plant Variety Protection Bill into Law

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Government of Nigeria Signed Plant Variety Protection Bill into Law

In May 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Plant Variety Protection Act 2021 to create a functioning regime protecting plant varieties in Nigeria. The new law demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to transforming agricultural production while encouraging global companies to invest in local seed business activities.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ACT

The Act contains very important segments that highlight the active participation of private sectors, multinationals, and inter-governmental agencies in the Nigerian seeds industry. The Act also has a detailed process of procuring the breeder’s right in a transparent way. In the past, the lack of a PVP law in Nigeria limited the country’s ability to harness opportunities embedded in its seed sector.

Plant Variety Protection Nigeria on the brink of recession as GDP contraction deepens than CBN forecast

This was a major challenge, which left farmers with low-quality and adulterated seeds and seedlings that portend uncertainty for agricultural productivity and food security.

The Act contains 11 distinct sections. They are.

  1. Preliminary Provisions.
  2. Plant Variety Protection Office.
  3. Varieties to Be Protected.
  4. Application for Plant Variety Protection Rights.
  5. Consideration and Disposition of Application.
  6. Provisional and Final Protection.
  7. Nullity, Cancellation and Surrender of Breeder’s Right.
  8. Appeals.
  9. Plant Breeders’ Rights Development Fund, Accounts, Audit and Annual Report.
  10. Offences and Penalties.
  11. General Provisions.

MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THE ACT

The Plant Variety Protection Act, 2021 protects plant varieties, encourages investment in plant breeding and crop variety development and establishes a Plant Variety Protection Office for the promotion of increased staple crop productivity for smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

The Plant Variety Protection Office is domiciled in the National Agricultural Seeds Council and will be administered by Registrar who will be recommended to the Board by NASC Director-General.

The Office “shall” be responsible for the following:

  • Grant breeder’s rights.
  • Maintain a register and provide information on plant breeder’s rights issued in Nigeria.
  • Facilitate transfer and licensing of plant breeder’s rights.
  • Collaborate with local and international bodies whose functions relate to plant breeders’
    rights matters.
  • Perform other functions as are necessary for the furtherance of the objects of this Act.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ACT

  • Promote increased staple crop productivity for smallholder farmers in Nigeria and encourage investment in plant breeding and crop variety development.
  • Promote increased mutual accountability in the seed sector.
  • Protect new varieties of plants.

PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Advisory Committee comprises relevant stakeholders in the seeds value chain including:

(a) The Ministry of Agriculture

(b) A registered plant breeder association

(c) a registered seed traders association

(d) a registered farmers’ association

(e) a university offering a course on plant breeding

(f) the Attorney-General of the Federation’s office

(g) the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion

(h) the National Quarantine Services

(i) The National Biotechnology Development Agency

(j) The National Biosafety Management Agency

(K) The National Crop Variety Release Committee

(l) Registrar of Trademarks

(m) Registrar of Patents and Designs

(n) The Registrar

The Committee will perform the following roles:

i. Through the DG of NASC, advise the Minister of Agriculture on the enforcement of this Act.

ii. Receive reports of plant breeders’ rights applications from the Registrar.

iii. Receive information on the plant breeders’ rights reports and on the Registrar’s tests results.

iv. Manage the operations of the Fund.

VARIETIES TO BE PROTECTED

The protection of varieties under this Act “shall” apply to all plant genera and species. The following rights “shall” be protected.

i. The breeder’s right “shall” be granted with respect to a variety that is new, distinct, uniform, and stable.

ii. The grant of the breeder’s right “shall” not be subjected to any further or different conditions, provided that the.

a. Variety is designated by a denomination in accordance with the provision of the Act.

b. The applicant must comply with provisions of the Acts and pays the fees prescribed.

APPLICATION FOR PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION RIGHTS

A breeder of a new variety may apply for the grant of a breeder’s right for the variety. The application for breeder’s right relating to a variety should contain:

a. The name and address of the applicant.

b. Where the applicant is the successor-in-title of the person who bred or discovered and developed the variety:

i. Proof of title or authority in the form and content satisfactory to the Registrar or may be specified by regulations establishing the existence and validity of assignment or succession, and

ii. The name and address of the person who bred or discovered and developed the variety.

c. The proposed denomination and description of the characteristics of the variety as the Registrar may require.

d. Samples of the propagating material in the quantities as the Registrar may require; and

e. Any additional information, documents and material that may be required in connection with the application as may be prescribed in the Act.

WHAT NIGERIA STANDS TO GAIN

Nigeria’s Plant Variety Protection Law will provide legal intellectual property rights to plant breeders who develop new and improved seeds for increased crop production. An industry source noted that the PVP law will help the country move from generating $0 from seeds export to generating well over $2.0 billion from seeds export within the first five years. Nigeria’s population is projected to nearly double 400 million by 2050.

As a result, there is urgency in putting together the steps to enhance strategic investments in the agriculture sector – especially by providing high-quality seeds to farmers to boost food production and strengthen national food security.

The PVP law will give breeders and investors in the seed sector the assurance and confidence to invest in Nigeria while addressing the current issues of unacceptably low yield per hectare produced by farmers.

As a country that envisions economic growth through agricultural value chains, enhancing productivity is a growth game-changer. The law creates a structure for protecting plant varieties in Nigeria and while providing recognition and proper remuneration for the breeders who developed these varieties.

Furthermore, the law creates an enabling environment for agricultural research conducted by the private sector. This situation will lead to a competitive agricultural sector.

IMPLICATION OF THE LAW TO U.S SEEDS BREEDERS

The new seed law will attract new investments into the country’s seed industry and bridge the production gaps by encouraging plant breeders to develop improved varieties.

Currently, Corteva Agriscience, a US agriculture solutions provider has launched operations in Nigeria. The company continues to expand its market reach while contributing to the growth of the country’s agriculture sector.

Corteva has developed collaborative relationships with local partners – Pioneer Seeds Ltd and Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc to develop hybrid corn seed in Nigeria. Additionally, Corteva is also partnering with a $60 million USAID project to support smallholder farmers. Corteva stands to gain from Nigeria’s new PVP laws.

CONCLUSION

It’s a new dawn in the Nigerian seed industry. The existence of a legal framework and administrative structure as enshrined in the PVP law will spur private sector investment in developing new and novel varieties.

Furthermore, Nigeria’s evolving seed sector will foster better access to high-quality varieties, which will play a key role in boosting agricultural production.

One Billion Smartphones Worldwide Have Wireless Charging – Report

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One Billion Smartphones Worldwide Have Wireless Charging – Report

According to new research from Strategy Analytics, the installed base of wireless charging capable smartphones will reach the record setting one billion mark by the end of this year.

Smartphone vendors such as Samsung, Xiaomi and OPPO and technology suppliers like Infineon, MediaTek, Samsung SDI and Qualcomm are powering the rise of wireless charging with proprietary solutions that top off a battery faster than ever.

Wireless Charging
Figure 1. Global Wireless Charging Smartphones Installed Base in 2021 Percentage Share (Source: Strategy Analytics, Inc.)

Ken Hyers, Director at Strategy Analytics, said,

“From its introduction ten years ago, in 2012, wireless charging has transitioned from a finicky niche technology into an in-demand charging solution for high-end smartphones. In 2021 the installed base of smartphones with wireless charging technology will reach one billion devices, following a decade of double- and triple-digit annual sales growth of the devices.

By 2026 we forecast it will top 2.2 billion wireless charging enabled smartphones as growing middle classes in emerging market countries expand the addressable market for higher-end smartphones with the technology.”

Wireless Charging
Photo by Pontus Wellgraf

Ville-Petteri Ukonaho, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, said,

“Despite the higher cost that wireless charging adds to smartphones, sales of the devices are strongest in the Asia Pacific region where 49% of the installed base of wireless charging enabled smartphones are.

Fast-growing middle classes in China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and elsewhere in the Asia Pacific region mean that a growing proportion of the region’s population can afford the technology. Meanwhile, North America accounts for 21% of the installed base and Western Europe just 16%.”

Yiwen Wu, the Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said,

“Smartphone vendors, particularly those in China, are introducing more advanced charging solutions, such as Xiaomi’s Mi Air Charge. These vendors are responding to the growing demand for wireless charging solutions, whether standards-based using Wireless Power Consortium standards or proprietary charging solutions.

The Asia Pacific region will remain the single largest market for wireless charging solutions for the foreseeable future and will continue to grow its installed base share of wireless charging enabled smartphones.”

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