Showmax Takes Nigerian Idol, Other Popular Nigerian Series To Viewers Abroad

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Showmax Takes Nigerian Idol, Other Popular Nigerian Series To Viewers Abroad

The African-based streaming service, ShowMax is bringing Nigerian Idol and other Nigerian series and movies to the diaspora audience.

The array of shows being made available to the diaspora audience include the record-breaking reality show I Am LAYCON, starring BBNaija winner Laycon Agbeleshe. I Am LAYCON has been made available on Showmax to Nigerians living in the UK, as well as 25 more countries outside of Africa.

Showmax also recently announced that the sixth season of popular music reality show Nigerian Idol which premieres on the 28th of March, 20201 will be streamed live online for viewers in the UK, as well as those in Australia and New Zealand.

From epic historical tales to contemporary stories set in Benin City and Badagry, Nigerians living abroad can now enjoy the best on Nigerian movies and series on the streaming platform.

Popular Nigerian series available on Showmax for those in the diaspora searching for a taste of home include Riona, an epic series that tells a tale of a kingdom under siege and its power-drunk king, Unmarried, a contemporary Nigerian soap opera that follows three girlfriends as they navigate adulthood, patriarchy, career challenges and friendship. Unmarried delves into the dynamics of relationships among modern Nigerian women, their fights, joys and bond.

Other interesting and popular Nigerian shows and series available on the streaming platform are, Judging Matters,  Battleground, Enakhe, Ajoche and Halita

ShowMax has made its content very accessible with a 14-day free trial and unbeatable subscription rates that start from USD4.49 per month (N1450).

Subscribers abroad not only get to feel closer to home with the variety of content offerings available on the platform, but they also get to do so without breaking the bank. For more information go to www.showmax.com.

Stanbic IBTC Records ₦83Bn PAT in 2020, Proposed ₦3.60K Final Dividend

Esan Bolaji
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Stanbic IBTC Records ₦83Bn PAT in 2020, Proposed ₦3.60K Final Dividend

Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, financial institutions in the Financial Services sector has announced gross earnings increased by 0.27%, profit before tax increased by 4.17% and profit after tax increased by 10.90% by for the year ended 31 December 2020.

The directors’ recommended the approval of a final dividend of 360 kobo per share (31 December 2019: 200 kobo per share) for the year ended 31 December 2020.

Highlights of the operating results for the year under review are as follows:

  • Gross Earnings grew by 0.3% to N234bn from N234bn in the previous quarter.
  • Profit before tax grew by 95% to N91bn.
  • Profit after tax grew by 11% to N83bn.
  • Net Assets grew by 25% from N302bn to N379bn.

Stanbic IBTC Records ₦83Bn PAT in 2020, Proposed ₦3.60K Final Dividend Brandspurng

Dividend history and unclaimed dividend as at 31 December 2020

The total unclaimed dividend fund as of 31 December 2020 amounted to N3,183 million (Dec. 2019: N2,711 million).

A sum of N1,394 million of the fund balance is held in an investment account (money market mutual fund) managed by Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited (Dec. 2019: N1,239 million), while the balance is held in demand deposits maintained with Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC.

Total income earned on the investment account and recognised by the company for the year ended 31 December 2020 was N54.5 million (Dec. 2019: N149 million).

Cybercrime worries on the increase, but Africa’s mobile users loath to leave WhatsApp

Esan Bolaji
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Cybercrime worries on the increase, but Africa’s mobile users loath to leave WhatsApp

A KnowBe4 poll of mobile users across Africa has revealed that awareness of cyber risk is on the increase, but that convenience overrides risk when it comes to WhatsApp data privacy concerns

March 24, 2021 – Africa’s mobile users are increasingly concerned about the mobile risks and the potential for digital identity theft; however, this is not stopping them from using their favourite messaging platforms and applications.

This emerged in new research carried out by KnowBe4 among over 700 smartphone users in Nigeria, Mauritius, Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Morocco and Botswana.

The KnowBe4 Mobile Users in Africa survey gauged the opinions of Africa’s mobile users on the recent decision by WhatsApp to update their terms and conditions, sharing metadata with the rest of the Facebook group of companies. The survey found that not only did the majority of the respondents across Africa intend to continue using WhatsApp; but also, that their favourite alternative to WhatsApp was Facebook Messenger.

Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy & Evangelist Africa at KnowBe4, says the recent WhatsApp privacy policy has spurred public discussions which resulted in more consumer awareness about their privacy rights as well as brought more visibility to alternative tools such as Signal, Telegram, and others.

Cybercrime worries on the increase, but Africa’s mobile users loath to leave WhatsApp Brandspurng
Anna Collard | www.wordpress-1516176-5827464.cloudwaysapps.com

Collard says:

“It is interesting to see that while most mobile users are concerned about their online privacy, Facebook Messenger, which was listed as the top alternative chat app, collects much more data than WhatsApp. This indicates that there may be a lack of understanding of the actual risks and implications of the new policy.”  

The imminent WhatsApp privacy policy change revealed some shifts, however, with 24% of respondents saying they were no longer allowed to use WhatsApp for work and 62% saying they were ‘somewhat concerned’ or ‘very concerned about the new privacy policy. Around 7.7% of respondents said they had – or planned to – cancel their WhatsApp accounts, with this number rising to 15% among South Africans respondents.

However, for most, the convenience of the platform outweighed concerns about privacy risks; with over half saying they had concerns but would continue using WhatsApp, even though they may have signed up to use other messaging tools. Just over a quarter of respondents had heard about the planned privacy terms changes but did not understand what the risks were.

For those also using alternative messaging tools, Facebook Messenger was the most popular, with over 80% electing to use this platform too. Over 56% also used Telegram, over 12% also used Signal, and 10% or less used Discord, Threema or other messaging platforms.

Collard says:

“What’s interesting is that, compared with the 2019 KnowBe4 African Report, respondents were even more concerned about cybercrime. In 2019, 37.86% were worried, and in 2020, the number had risen by 10% to 47.61%. Across all eight countries, we see a growing awareness of the risks that come with cybercrime.

However, she notes, there remains limited awareness of how to avoid risk, and the implications of data privacy terms and conditions. “This indicates a need for further education and awareness initiatives to enlighten the public about risks on social media and messaging platforms,” Collard says.

Education and awareness remain key to protecting mobile users from risks such as identity theft, as well as to prevent potential breaches of sensitive corporate information via messaging platforms, says Collard.

COVID-19 Vaccination Update: How Is SSA Faring?

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COVID-19 Vaccination Update: How Is SSA Faring?

The race to vaccinate the world has taken off, with several countries running rapidly and Africa largely left behind.

Unsurprisingly, wealthier countries that entered into advance purchase agreements with vaccine manufacturers are miles ahead in terms of vaccination. To date, The United States (126.5million) and the European Union (58.9 million) have administered the largest number of doses. Israel (113.9 doses/100 people) and the UAE (74.6 doses/100 people) have made the most progress on a population-adjusted basis.

Regarding vaccine delivery, Africa has lagged behind other regions, although shipments to SSA countries, including Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, have picked up in the last month. However, the continent remains heavily reliant on external donations for the supply of vaccines due to its limited fiscal power, which was further weakened by the pandemic.

Besides procurement challenges, the poor and inadequate level of infrastructural development means that African countries also face storage and logistical bottlenecks as well as inefficient supply chains.

The Africa CDC noted that only 23.6mn vaccine doses (about 1.7% of the population) had been delivered on the continent as of March 15, far from its 35% target set for 2021.

The WHO estimates that c. 7.0mn doses of those doses have been administered. Even though Africa has been spared the huge fatality rates seen in other countries, the continent needs to ramp up vaccinations, primarily due to the dangers posed by new variants.

As we stated in our 2021 outlook report, the ability of SSA economies to contain the spread of the coronavirus amid potential vaccination bottlenecks and financial distress will be a significant factor in driving a much-needed recovery from 2020’s slump.

Governor Sanwo-Olu Gives Veteran Actress, Iya Awero A 3-Bedroom Flat (VIDEO)

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Governor Sanwo-Olu Gives Veteran Actress, Iya Awero A 3-Bedroom Flat (VIDEO)

The Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on behalf of the state has given popular Nollywood actress, Mrs Lanre Hassan (Iya Awero) a three-bedroom flat in Igbogbo, Lagos.

Governor Sanwoolu Gives Veteran Actress, Iya Awero A 3-Bedroom Flat (VIDEO)Brandspurng1

According to the governor’s chief press secretary, Gboyega Akosile, the flat is one of the houses in the newly commissioned prince Abiodun Ogunleye Estate in Igbogbo.

Governor Sanwoolu Gives Veteran Actress, Iya Awero A 3-Bedroom Flat (VIDEO)

Governor Sanwo-Olu Gives Veteran Actress, Iya Awero A 3-Bedroom Flat (VIDEO) BRANDSPURNG Governor Sanwo-Olu Gives Veteran Actress, Iya Awero A 3-Bedroom Flat (VIDEO) BRANDSPURNG

Copyright Infringement: NBC To Vigorously Contest Case Against Rite Foods

Esan Bolaji
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Copyright Infringement: NBC To Vigorously Contest Case Against Rite Foods

Tuesday, March 23: The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has issued a piece of press information in response to allegations of copyright infringement against it by Rite Foods Limited.

The statement reads thus, “We note recent media coverage relating to the legal case between Rite Foods Limited and Nigerian Bottling Company Limited ‘’NBC’’, regarding the Predator Energy drink. Given that the case is now going through the due legal process, we are limited in what we can say publicly.”

“However, in the interest of clarity and accuracy, both NBC and Predator Energy would like to make two things 100% clear: firstly, we are well within our rights to continue to sell the Predator products and secondly, neither NBC nor its Managing Director, is in breach of any court order.”

Copyright Infringement: NBC To Vigorously Contest Case Against Rite Foods

“Naturally, we will contest the case vigorously and after due consideration of the merits of the case we are confident that the Court will confirm our rights-based mainly on the facts that the bottles and logos are not confusingly similar and Predator Energy’s established use of the Predator brand and logo in many other markets around the world.”

From Echefula to A ha Gi Efula, 7Interactive takes Hero Lager on a Journey of Home-Grown Solutions

Esan Bolaji
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From Echefula to A ha Gi Efula, 7Interactive takes Hero Lager on a Journey of Home-Grown Solutions

ABInBev, makers of Hero Lager has unveiled a new TV campaign to continue to advance the cause of its Hero brand and further entrench its positioning and market share in the South-East and South-South of Nigeria.

From Echefula to A ha Gi Efula, 7Interactive takes Hero Lager on a Journey of Home-Grown Solutions Brandspurng1
Taiwo Agboola, CEO, 7Interactive

The brand which has in the last couple of years earned a sizeable share of the market especially in the East where it’s has risen to become the dominant larger brand, has established its leadership status and continues to reaffirm the same through insightful marketing campaigns such as #Echefula, conceived and executed by 7Interactive.

From Echefula to A ha Gi Efula, 7Interactive takes Hero Lager on a Journey of Home-Grown Solutions Brandspurng

Echefula which means “Never forget” struck a chord with the target audience especially people of Igbo extraction. Since, 2019, it’s been no stopping for the brand as the various adaptations of the campaign online and offline perfectly sync with the market. And the journey isn’t stopping either.

According to findings, ABInBev, the client and its agency, are poised to taking every logical step to further enhance the bonding that exists between the brand and its consumers while also seeking to bring prospects in the fold.

Like a hero, the many heroic deeds of the Igbos are in no contention. Hence, the new campaign tagged “Aha Gi Efula” (may your name not be forgotten) which unveiled last week across different media channels, indicates a logical progression from #Echefula.

According to Ndukwe Onuoha, Creative Director, 7Interactive, the new campaign derives its storyline from the Igbo culture of apprenticeship which is quite innovative and has been helpful in driving economic empowerment and innovation among the people.

Hinging the creative on this well-established Igbo culture helps to drive home the brand’s message in alignment with the individual’s economic vision and the so much craved financial independence, the Creative Director further explained.

“As a beer that has made its home in the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria, Hero owes a great responsibility to those that have taken it in, to tell their stories”, said Ndukwe while further rationalizing the strategic fit.  This perhaps explains why the Hero lager brand strives to push established Igbo cultures at every available opportunity.

The big idea for the new thematic campaign, “Aha Gi Efula” is to inspire consumers never to forget the highest accolades one can ever attain – a name and a legacy that is forever etched in the memories of one’s people, chirped in Taiwo Agboola, CEO, 7Interactive while making a comment on the new campaign.

“This is because Hero not only celebrates its core customers but invests in telling their stories and making sure that they become a staple the world over.  With this thinking and the already-stated ambition of pointing customers to the highest attainable ideals, the apprenticeship culture became an obvious choice of the story of these people that must be told to drive success and inspire heroism”, said Mr. Agboola while corroborating the Creative Director.

This is why the lead cast vividly remembers his source, tells about his humble beginnings and was indeed very willing to pass on the legacy.

Unlike most commercials that poke the brand in the face of viewers from the blast of the whistle, 7 Interactive creatively delayed the appearance of the images of the brand till the dying seconds of the commercial, while allowing viewers to savour an inspiring story.

This style aligns with a research finding which claims that “people do not want to be sold to”, or else they will switch off immediately they sense the message is fighting hard to do just that.

Analysing the Hero’s campaigns – Echefula and Aha Gi Efula, reveals they are never about selling, but connecting with the target market. The success of the agency’s consistent storytelling approach as relates to the Hero brand campaigns, according to the CEO, indicates there has never been a better time than now to celebrate home-grown solutions to global problems.

“And this is what Hero is about – celebrating those things that make us unique as a people and a gift to the world”, he added, while revealing the campaign is multi-faceted and 360 degrees in approach including digital, radio, outdoor and TV documentary among others.

Lafarge Africa Records 8.25% and 98.75% Rise in Revenue and Profit in 2020; Proposed Dividend of ₦1

Esan Bolaji
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Lafarge Africa Records 8.25% and 98.75% Rise in Revenue and Profit in 2020; Proposed Dividend of ₦1

Lafarge Africa delivered strong results in FY 2020

Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading Sub-Saharan Africa building materials company is a subsidiary of LafargeHolcim, Listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, released its Annual Report ended 31 December 2020 to the investing public on March 24, 2021.

From the released result, the cement manufacturer saw an 8.25% increase in revenue from ₦212.999Bn in FY’2019 to ₦230.57Bn in FY’2020.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered inflationary and Naira devaluation pressures and production challenges the company, Profit After Tax (PAT) finally increased by 98.75% from (₦15.52bn to ₦30.84bn) and Profit Before Tax (PBT) also rose by 109.99% (from ₦17.89bn to ₦37.57bn).

A closer analysis by Brand Spur revealed that the company’s net sales up 8.3% vs PY1 with recurring EBIT up 30.8% vs PY1. Lafarge Africa recorded a robust free cash flow generation of N47.4bn and a healthy balance sheet with a net cash position of N3.6bn.

Lafarge Africa Records 8.25% and 98.75% Rise in Revenue and Profit in 2020; Proposed Dividend of ₦1 Per Share Brandspurnt

Khaled El Dokani, CEO of Lafarge Africa stated:

“Our “HEALTH, COST & CASH” action plan delivered results in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered inflationary and Naira devaluation pressures and production challenges.

Full-year 2020 results remained resilient, with net sales of +8.3%, recurring EBIT of +30.8% and net income of +98.8%. We are proud of our people, who stand with our communities, and of our sustainability commitments to accelerate the net-zero pledge through affordable clean energy and our agri-ecology footprint”.

The Board of Directors is proposing a gross dividend of 100k (2019: 100K) on every ordinary share in issue amounting to ₦16,107,795,721.00 (2019: ₦16,107,795,721.00). The total dividend proposed if approved by shareholders is payable from the pioneer profits and not subject to deduction of withholding tax.

The dividend is subject to approval by the shareholders at the Annual General meeting. The dividend income for Group and Company is shown in Note 10.4 of the financial statements.

OUTLOOK 2021

  • Focus on the implementation of our strategy.
  • Execution of the “HEALTH, COST & CASH” action plan.

CBN Maintains Monetary PA Dovish Stance Keeping MPR Stable At The First Meeting Of The Year

ZedCrest Capital
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CBN Maintains Monetary PA Dovish Stance Keeping MPR Stable At The First Meeting Of The Year

FGN Bonds

We also saw little action on the 2045 bonds, with trades executed around 11.65% ahead of supply from the bond auction. Consequently, yields compressed by c.1bps D/D on the average across the benchmark curve.

The MPC came out of its two-day meeting, maintaining its benchmark interest (MPR) at 11.50% as well as other monetary policy tools for the third straight meeting. Interestingly at this meeting, a third of the members opted this time for an increase in the MPR, a shift from the unanimous stance at the previous meeting towards a more hawkish monetary policy stance.

We expect another weak trading session tomorrow as investors remain focused on the coming bond auction.

Treasury Bills

Trading in the secondary market for Treasury Bills stalled again for another consecutive trading session, as local banks remain wary of taking on risk at single-digit levels preferring to wait for better rates at the primary auction (OMO) expected later in the week.

Offers across various short-term instruments (NTBs, OMO, and Special Bills) remained unheeded as tight system liquidity and double-digit money market rates continue to negatively impact discount rates.

OMO maturities of N43.00bn proved insufficient to kick start demand in the bills space, we expect the market to remain sparsely traded as local banks await the liquidity windfall from expected FAAC inflows.

Money Markets

Inflow from OMO maturities caused money market rates to recoil by an average of 288bps as funding pressures reduced and local banks increased funding from the CBN’s lending facility windows. OBB and O/N rates closed at 11.50% and 12.00% respectively.

For tomorrow, we expect the interbank rates to venture into a single-digit corridor as the funding pressures remain low amongst the market players and FAAC payments are expected to flow later in the week.

FX Market

At the IEFX space, we saw an uptick in supply of the greenback, as traded volumes increased by 28.00% D/D (c.$33.11mio traded). The Naira appreciated by N0.33k in that space as most banks remained bid between N393.00 and N412.00 to the dollar.

The Naira lost value at the parallel market, with the transfer rates depreciating by 0.71% D/D (c.N3.50k loss) to close at N497.50/$ as demand remains largely unmet. The cash rate also depreciated by 0.10% D/D (c.N0.50k loss) to close at N483.00/$.

Eurobonds

The market continued to react negatively to increasing expectations of supply as the Nigerian government contemplates tapping into the Eurobond market to fund part of its budget, despite earlier indications of the opposite. The NIGERIA Sovereign tickers weakened for a second consecutive session, as yields expanded further by c.2bps D/D on the average across the sovereign curve.

The NIGERIA Corps tickers coughed up some of the previous day’s gains as investors looked to cycle out of current holdings to prepare for the upcoming Seplat 5-year issue.

Zenith Bank Emerges Global Finance Best Bank Of The Year

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Zenith Bank Emerges Global Finance Best Bank Of The Year

Zenith Bank Plc has been named as the Best Bank in Nigeria for the second successive year in the Global Finance Magazine’s Best Banks Awards 2021.

The bank was among other banks from 35 countries in Africa recognized as the prestigious US magazine, Global Finance announced its 28th Annual Best Bank Awards Winners in Africa.

The editors of Global Finance made all selections after extensive consultations with corporate financial executives, bankers and banking consultants, and analysts worldwide. Global Finance considered factors that ranged from the quantitative objective to the informed subjective in selecting these top banks. Objective criteria considered included: growth in assets, profitability, geographic reach, strategic relationships, new business development, and innovation in products. Subjective criteria included the opinions of equity analysts, credit rating analysts, banking consultants, and others involved in the industry.

Global Finance’s “Best Banks Awards” are recognized amongst the world’s most influential banking/finance and corporate professionals as the most coveted and credible awards in the banking industry, with winners chosen in 150 countries and territories across Africa, AsiaPacific, the Caribbean, Central America, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and Western Europe.

Founded in 1987, Global Finance regularly selects the top performers among banks and other financial services providers, and the awards have become a trusted standard of excellence for the global financial community.

According to Joseph D. Giarraputo, publisher and editorial director of Global Finance, “this year’s evaluations are more important and valuable than at any point in their 28-year history, given the unprecedented economic conditions wrought by the global pandemic.” In his words, “Banks are playing a key role in economic recovery around the world, and as such, our Best Bank awards highlight the leaders in restoring growth and mapping a way forward.”

Commenting on the recognition, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank, Mr, Ebenezer Onyeagwu said: “This award is a strong indication of our resilience despite a very excruciating macroeconomic environment exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic”.

He added that the award was made possible by the joint contributions of the bank’s key stakeholders – the Group Chairman, Jim Ovia, for his pioneering and foundational role in building the structures and laying the foundation for an enduring and very successful institution, the Board for the deep insights and outstanding leadership they provide, the staff for their commitment, doggedness, creativity and very outstanding talents as well as the Bank’s teeming customers for their continued support and loyalty.

Zenith Bank has remained a clear leader in the Nigerian financial services industry, distinguishing itself through unique customer experience and sound financial indices. The bank is also the pioneer in the digital space with several firsts in deploying innovative products and solutions that ensure convenience, speed and safety of transactions.

As a testament to its resilience and market leadership, Zenith Bank recently announced an impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2020, with gross earnings rising by 5% to N696.5 billion and profit before tax (PBT) growing 5% to N255.9 billion.

Consistent with this superlative performance and in recognition of its track record of exceptional performance, Zenith Bank was voted as Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020, Best Bank in Nigeria in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards 2020 and Best Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa 2020 by the Ethical Boardroom.

Also, the bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria, for the fourth consecutive year, in the Banker Magazine “Top 500 Banking Brands 2021” and Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital in the “2020 Top 1000 World Banks” Ranking published by The Banker Magazine.

Similarly, the bank was recognised as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020, Retail Bank of the year at the 2020 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards, and Best Company in Promotion of Good Health and Well-Being as well as Best Company in Promotion of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment at the Sustainability, Enterprise and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2020.

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