1000 Ogijo Women Graduate From Coca-Cola Empowerment Programme

Brand Spur
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1000 Ogijo Women Graduate From Coca-Cola Empowerment Programme

As part of continued efforts to upskill and empower women across underserved communities in Nigeria, Coca-Cola’s women empowerment programme tagged “Catalyst for Change” has seen the graduation of another set of 1000 women from the third tranche of the programme organized in the Ogijo, Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

The graduation ceremony which held on Friday, November 6, 2020, at Nirvana Hotels and Suites in Ogijo community, marked a close to the four-week intensive skills acquisition training which had commenced in October.

How Coca-Cola Empowered 1000 Women in Ogijo

Over the course of the four-week programme, 1000 women were trained in vocational skills like makeup artistry, shoemaking, dressmaking, textile design, baking, amongst others. Upon graduation, 200 women who had proved exceptional were each provided with start-up kits to help kickstart their businesses.

The Catalyst for Change programme, originally launched in August 2020 in partnership with local NGO Karis and Eleos Hand of Hope Foundation, is part of several strategic interventions across the country under Coca-Cola’s COVID-19 Relief Plan. Under this intervention, the flagship programme was inaugurated, following the award of a grant to the NGO from The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), the company’s philanthropic arm. So far, a total of 2,600 women have been economically empowered.

How Coca-Cola Empowered 1000 Women in Ogijo

In her opening remarks at the ceremony, the Founder of Karis and Eleos Foundation, Mrs. Bukola Bamiduro, commended the zeal and passion of the participants saying, 

“This programme was created to drive change in the lives of women through relevant skill-based training and financial literacy sessions. We are hopeful that through this programme, beneficiaries will leverage the skills obtained to maintain a steady flow of income as women are economic pillars of the society”.

Florence Bassey, a beneficiary from the program, expressed her gratitude to Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited and to the NGO saying 

“We have been inspired to believe and understand that there is nothing we cannot achieve as women. I am confident that with what I have learnt, I can support my family through the difficulties brought about by the pandemic”.

Present at the graduation ceremony were key community representatives including the King of Ogijo, Oba Kazeem Kashimawo Olaonipekun Gbadamosi; the Chairman Nirvana Hotels and Suites, Mr. G.A Doghudhe; a representative of Iyaloja of Ogijoland, Mrs. Bolanle Lateef; and a Pastor of Mountain of Fire Ministries, Mr. Adegbuyi Victor-Banjo.

Speaking at the event, The King of Ogijo, Oba Kazeem Kashimawo Olaonipekun Gbadamosi, expressed his appreciation for the initiative and the support provided by Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited. He commended the company saying, 

“I cannot believe the impact and turnout from this event. Our women have been empowered and I look forward to what is to come”. He assured all present that the palace will continue to monitor the progress of the beneficiaries for the next six months and will readily give further support to them.

According to Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited and its bottling partner, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd., the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about hardship and loss, but also selflessness, courage, countless acts of kindness, as well as an appreciation for the many things that might have been taken for granted. As the world emerges into a new normal, the Catalyst for Change intervention will help create optimism and hope for these vulnerable women to better support their families.

The Catalyst for Change programme is crucial to bridging the apparent skill gap in order to achieve an inclusive and sustainable society for economic growth. This is a vital step towards building a better future, together.

Since 1984, the Coca-Cola Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to help empower women, protect the environment and enhance communities, socially and economically around the world.

How Coca-Cola Empowered 1000 Women in Ogijo

Esan Bolaji
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How Coca-Cola Empowered 1000 Women in Ogijo

According to the United Nations, when more women work, economies grow and as the saying goes, “there is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women”.

Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited in partnership with Karis and Eleos Foundation is on a journey to empowering 5,000 women in Nigeria. With over 2,600 women trained and empowered so far, the Ogijo community in Ikorodu was not left out of the success story of the Catalyst for Change programme.

How Coca-Cola Empowered 1000 Women in Ogijo

The graduation ceremony for this event was held on Friday, November 6, 2020, and here are the highlights.

The Ogijo Women

One cannot deny the high spirits from the unique Ogijo women, as they turned up and turned out in high numbers. At the start of the event, they chanted “Coca-Cola!” with energy that could have brought the building down.

In the words of the valedictorian, Ibironke Towalawi, “I am thankful for Coca-Cola, as the generosity restored hope, and has put light and life in the lives of women in Ogijo”.

Free Training and Start-up Kits

How Coca-Cola Empowered 1000 Women in Ogijo

Throughout October, 1,000 of these amazing women were trained for four weeks. In the closing ceremony, 200 of them who performed excellently were gifted with start-up kits. From sewing machines to baking tools, the women were provided with the right tools to further their enterprises, all thanks to Coca-Cola.

Presence of the Oba and Support Of Royalty

As the King of Ogijo graced the event, there was an aura of royalty and excitement immediately he arrived.

The King of Ogijo, Oba Kazeem Kashimawo Olaonipekun Gbadamosi, expressed gratitude to the Coca-Cola Foundation. In his words, he said, “I cannot believe the impact and turnout from this event. Our women have been empowered and I look forward to what is to come”. He also mentioned that the palace will monitor their progress for six months and will readily give further support to the women.

The Works Displayed

The participants of the programme had their works on display and also for sale at the graduation ceremony. There were freshly baked snacks, adire, leather slippers, bags, and many more items. Some of the participants proudly spoke about the items as they showcased them.

For 36 years, the Coca-Cola Foundation has contributed more than $1 billion to help empower women, protect the environment, and enhance communities, socially and economically, around the world.

11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared over

Esan Bolaji
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11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared over
Brazzaville/Kinshasa, 18 November 2020 – Today marks the end of the 11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), nearly six months after the first cases were reported in Equateur Province.

The outbreak took place in communities scattered across dense rain forests as well as crowded urban areas, creating logistical challenges. These were surmounted due to the leadership of the government and local communities, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners.

WHO congratulates responders and all those who tirelessly tracked cases, provided treatment, engaged communities and vaccinated more than 40 000 people at high risk and thanks to a wide range of partners for their support. Vaccinators used innovative cold chain storage to keep the Ebola vaccine at temperatures as low as -80 degrees Celsius.

11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared over

The ARKTEK freezers can keep vaccines at very low temperatures in the field for up to a week and enabled responders to vaccinate people in communities without electricity.

“Overcoming one of the world’s most dangerous pathogens in remote and hard to access communities demonstrates what is possible when science and solidarity come together,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“The technology used to keep the Ebola vaccine at super-cold temperatures will be helpful when bringing a COVID-19 vaccine to Africa. Tackling Ebola in parallel with COVID-19 hasn’t been easy, but much of the expertise we’ve built in one disease is transferrable to another and underlines the importance of investing in emergency preparedness and building local capacity.”

The outbreak in western DRC, announced on 1 June 2020, came as another Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country was winding down, and finally declared over on 25 June 2020.

The two outbreaks were geographically far apart. Genetic sequencing analysis found that they were unrelated. By the end of the current 11th Ebola outbreak in Equateur Province, there were 119 confirmed cases, 11 probable, 55 deaths and 75 people who had recovered.

11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared over Brandspurng1

Equateur Province was also the site of the country’s 9th Ebola outbreak, which was overcome in a little over three months in 2018 and had half as many cases reported.

However, the response to the 11th Ebola outbreak had to contend with the COVID-19 pandemic, which strained resources and created difficulties around the movement of experts and supplies.

There were also challenges around a large number of cases in remote communities which were often only accessible by boat or helicopter and at times community resistance hampered response efforts.

Under the leadership of the DRC government, most responders were mobilized locally, and they moved quickly, despite important logistical and access difficulties. Vaccination efforts began just four days after the outbreak was declared. Around 90% of the vaccinators were from local communities.

The response also tapped into the expertise of local health workers trained during the two recent outbreaks in the DRC. Responders worked closely with community members to increase understanding of the virus by visiting more than 574 000 households and providing more than 3 million people with pertinent health and safety information.

At the height of the outbreak, there were more than 100 WHO experts on the ground, supporting the government’s response.

While the 11th outbreak is over, there is a need for continued vigilance and maintaining strong surveillance as potential flare-ups are possible in the months to come. In this regard, WHO and other partners are currently conducting important actions for improving critical operational capacities in Equateur province, including training frontline workers.

The end of this outbreak serves as a reminder that governments and partners must continue to focus attention on other emergencies, even as the fight against COVID-19 persists.

There is a need for greater investment in strengthening the core capacities of countries in the implementation of the International Health Regulations. Enhancing preparedness will lead to an improved response to threats arising from epidemic-prone diseases and result in less social and economic impact.

Mobile Phone Industry to Lose $51B in Revenue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Esan Bolaji
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Mobile Phone Industry to Lose $51B in Revenue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus outbreak caused the worst smartphone market contraction in history, as global demand plummeted in the first and second quarter of the year. Although the last few months witnessed a recovery in the number of smartphone shipments, the entire industry is expected to witness substantial revenue losses this year.

Mobile Phone Industry to Lose $51B in Revenue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Mobile Phone Industry to Lose $51B in Revenue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic – www.brandspurng.com

According to data presented by Stock Apps, the global mobile phone industry is forecast to lose $51.1bn in revenue by the end of 2020, a 10% drop year-over-year.

Demand for New Devices Crushed Amid Coronavirus Crisis, Revenues Under 2017 Levels

The revenues of the global mobile phone industry have been constantly rising over the last years. In 2016, the entire industry generated $435.7bn in revenue, revealed Statista data. Over the next twelve months, this figure rose to $462.6bn. By the end of 2019, global smartphone sales revenue surged to $506.2bn, a 16% jump in three years.

However, as half of the world entered a lockdown, demand for new devices has been crushed in the first months of 2020. The IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker data showed smartphone vendors shipped 275.8 million units worldwide between January and March, a 25% plunge compared to December 2019 figures and an 11% drop year-over-year.

Mobile phones industry revenue from 2016 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Mobile Phone Industry to Lose $51B in Revenue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Smartphone shipments by vendor worldwide from Q1 2014 to Q3 2020 (in million units)

Mobile Phone Industry to Lose $51B in Revenue Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

The strong downsizing trend continued in the second quarter of the year, with millions of consumers cutting down their budgets and prioritizing spending amid the COVID-19 crisis.

From the consumer standpoint, unless replacing a broken phone, smartphones are mostly a discretionary purchase, which became unnecessary in times of economic uncertainty. With global demand plummeted, smartphone shipments dropped 16% year-over-year to 278.4 million units between April and June.

Statistics indicate smartphone shipments showed positive movement in the third quarter of the year, with vendors shipping 353.6 million handsets. Still, 4.7 million less compared to the same period a year ago.

Although the industry shows a recovery from the initial impact of the coronavirus, the positive Q3 figures won’t be enough to close the gap noted in the first half of the year.

Statista data indicate the global mobile phone industry revenue is expected to drop to $455.1bn this year, under 2017 levels. However, the following years are set to witness a positive trend, with revenues rising by 21% and reaching $554.4bn by 2023.

Samsung Still the Market Leader, Apple’s Market Share Plunged in 2020

With almost 1.8bn cellular subscriptions and $117.8bn in revenue in 2020, China represents the world’s largest mobile phone industry. However, the Chinese market has also been affected by the coronavirus outbreak, with revenues decreasing by 5.4% year-over-year.

As the second-largest mobile phone industry globally, the United States is expected to generate $57.4bn in revenue in 2020, a 15.7% drop YoY. Brazil, Japan, and India follow, with $21.4bn, $21.2bn, and $21.1bn in revenue, respectively.

Analyzed by vendors, Samsung represents the market’s largest player with almost 23% market share in the third quarter of the year. Huawei ranked second with a 15% market share between July and September. Xiaomi follows with a 13.1% share.

The IDC data revealed Apple market share dropped significantly this year, falling from over 20% in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 11.7% in September.

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Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc: Revenue expansion strengthens in Q3

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ABC Transport Plans N1.4bn Capital Injection

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NCC Approves e-SIM Trial for MTN, 9mobile

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted approval for two mobile network operators (MNOs), MTN Nigeria and 9Mobile, to carry out trial on the workability of embedded Subscriber Identification Modules (e-SIM) Service in Nigeria.

How NCC Boosted FG’s Revenue By N344.71bn in 5 Years – Danbatta

The Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof Umar Garba Danbatta, has told the House Committee on Telecommunications how the telecoms agency contributed to the revenue drive of the Federal Government by generating and remitting N344.71 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) in the last five years.

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the urgency for African countries to optimise public revenues from their natural resources

Africa will not meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of eliminating extreme poverty by 2030. This slow progress derives from resource leakages and increasing poverty rates, as 64.3% of sub-Saharan Africa is still living in multidimensional poverty. While other regions of the world are experiencing rapid poverty reduction, the decline is much slower for sub-Saharan Africa. Human Development Report – 2019.

Top 10 Smartphone Brands Capture 88% Market Share in Q2 2020 as Huawei and Samsung Tie at 20%

Worldwide smartphone sales suffered a hit during the second quarter of 2020, dropping by 20.4%. In total, 294.7 million units were sold during the three-month period compared to 370.3 million units in Q2 2019.

Ogun Govt Releases N500,000 to Trade Associations, Artisan Groups

In a bid to further enhance rapid economic growth in Ogun State as well as ensure the wellbeing of its citizenry, the State Government has released the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira as subvention to Trade Associations and Artisan Groups.

You Should Probably Shut Up At These Critical Times

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Sani Abacha loot – The only guaranteed money back scheme in Nigeria

The late General Sani Abacha was a Nigerian army general and dictator who ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998. The Sani Abacha administration period had a boom in the country’s federal exchange reserve from $494 million in 1993 to $9.6 billion by the middle of 1997 and the administration also reduced the external debt of Nigeria from $36billiom in 1993 to $27 billion by 1997.

LBS alumnus, Mike Ewewie is solving Nigeria’s poverty problem through shoes

Esan Bolaji
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LBS alumnus, Mike Ewewie is solving Nigeria’s poverty problem through shoes

Mike Ewewie comes from a family that has been involved in the shoemaking business for 25 years but on a subsistence level. Mike, himself partnered with his wife to set up a yoghurt production company in 2005 but did not take the full reins of running it until four years after.

It was in the Owner Manager Programme (OMP 29) class that Mike got the inspiration to transform the family shoe business through impact investing – a concept that is a significant part of the OMP module. It was his Eureka moment. The primary objective for setting up a business is to make a profit.
LBS alumnus, Mike Ewewie is solving Nigeria’s poverty problem through shoes Brandspurng
LBS alumnus, Mike Ewewie is solving Nigeria’s poverty problem through shoes | www.brandspurng.com

But here was a concept that tells business owners to delay their financial expectations and focus on social and environmental benefits. Mike learnt that “business should not only be about making money but creating values for all stakeholders which includes ensuring the sustainability of the environment in which we do business”.

Armed with this knowledge, Mike set out to bridge a gap. His big idea was to mass-produce school shoes for children whose parents could not afford them. With this idea, Mike would be solving multiple problems, the two core ones being: low and middle-class parents could divert their meagre funds to other pressing needs, and schools could boast of properly dressed students.

In June 2020 and amidst the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Elit Shoes commenced operations. The company’s primary target – schools had shut down. Mike’s strategic solution was to work directly with shoe vendors and leverage their already established network.

Rather than serve schools, Elit Shoes began to supply shoes directly to the middlemen. Mike also noted a skills gap stating that it was “difficult to get sufficient hands to hire”. So he created a cobbler training academy where young school leavers who are interested in gaining shoemaking skills would be trained for free. They were also guaranteed employment after the training.

With this academy, Mike aims to solve the human capital deficit in his immediate community. According to him, “We also plan to deploy well-trained staff across the country to build a network for production and distribution of shoes and related products.”

The National Bureau of Statistics, in a 2020 report about poverty and inequality, states that more than 82 million Nigerians live on $1 per day. While the government is tackling Nigeria’s poverty challenge with several policy interventions, Mike believes impact investing has the potential to move a lot of Nigerians out of poverty.

He acknowledges that impact investing may be unattractive because of its delayed gratification, but he is not discouraged. “At the moment, I do not draw a dime from Elit Shoes, I am not discouraged that I may not earn from there for a year or two but I am happy that the business can now pay the salaries of the workers and they are happy”, Mike says.

His advice for entrepreneurs?

“Impact investing is one of the ways to create a fortune at the bottom of the pyramid. Handouts cannot solve the problem of poverty in Nigeria. When people are helped to be self-sustaining, they can become huge consumers of the products of our primary businesses when they become financially capable.”

Learning with Millennium Tutors

Esan Bolaji
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Learning with Millennium Tutors

Learning with Millennium Tutors

We live in a part of the world where there is a sharp contrast between the realities experienced from generation to generation. The 21st Century generation of Nigerians only met what I call “The good old days” stories of Nigeria, when 1 naira equals 1 dollar and how you would automatically get a good job upon graduation from the University.

This informed the enforcement of formal education by most parents, believing that it was the yardstick for the success of their wards in the highly competitive world. But the opposite seems to be the results gotten by most Nigerians as the times have changed and the rate of unemployment among university graduates have skyrocketed.

Learning with Millennium Tutors

Entrepreneurship in all of its forms has become the major driver of our economy today, necessitating the need not only to be educated formally but also to be skilled in a craft, as we see in our world today, where youths plunge actively into entrepreneurship to earn a decent living.

Learning with Millennium Tutors

This realization of the unique possibilities now available to both the well-educated child who decides to build a career and the skillful artisan who decides to build a business and the fierceness of the competition in both worlds coupled with the scarcity of professionals proffering efficient solutions became the driving force and motivation that birthed our company.

Learning with Millennium Tutors

Millennium Tutors is the 21st century “edu-skill” institute that focuses on equipping young minds with the needed resources to become successful in their pursuits as career professionals and skilled artisans.

We utilize international best practices and technology in providing affordable, innovative and accessible educational tutoring and skill acquisition programs aimed at helping each child reach the zenith of his/her mental potential and develop capacities (in academics and skill) to thrive in the increasingly competitive and technology driven world.

Learning with Millennium Tutors

We believe that the quality of the human mind is directly proportional to the level of productivity and the quality of life lived by such individuals. As a company, we are committed to providing the right information, skill, culture, ethics, and imbibe the right attitude needed to develop our students’ minds appropriately.

We offer a whole lot of services, ranging from different categories that are available in home tutoring and virtual learning options. We provide academic tutoring services for junior classes, SSCE, and JAMB. Ans skill acquisition training in graphics design, data analysis, baking and pastry, website design, musical instruments, microsoft office suite, video editing, photoshop, digital marketing, UI/UX design, SEO and others.

Learning with Millennium Tutors

We have carefully recruited and employed highly intelligent and professional educators with topnotch communication skills and a minimum of two (2) years’ experience in the educational field. They handle the academic needs of our students as well as expert artisans and entrepreneurs across various industries to handle the skill acquisition training. Leading this team of top professionals is the visionary and Director of this great Company, Mr Abdullahi Raji Omotosho.

OUR VISION:

To become Nigeria’s number 1 educational and skill acquisition Organization, pioneering the desired change in both the educational sector and the economy at large, by producing highly successful intellectuals as well as world class skillful artisans (entrepreneurs), who will consistently utilize their skill and creativity to foster Nation building.

OUR MISSION:

We aim at providing quality academic tutoring and skill acquisition programs to foster the mental development of our students, increasing the quality of information and expertise they are being exposed to, resulting in the production of highly valuable and effective individuals who are ready to dominate their chosen field and profession.

We believe that the quality of the human mind is directly proportional to the level of productivity and the quality of life lived by such individual, and hence, as a company, we are committed to providing the right information, skill, culture, ethics, and imbibe the right attitude needed to develop our students” mind appropriately.

OUR CORE VALUES:

  • Integrity.
  • Creativity.
  • Customer Experience.
  • Continuous Improvement.
  • Communication
  • Fun.
  • Passion.

These core values are integral to our service system and we ensure to provide the most premium service you’ll ever find.

GRI Refreshes Board of Directors, Appoints NSE’s Bola Adeeko

Esan Bolaji
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GRI Refreshes Board of Directors, Appoints NSE’s Bola Adeeko
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the provider of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting standards, has announced changes to its Board of Directors on Tuesday, 17 November 2020. The four new Board appointees will take effect from January 2021. Among the new Board Members announced is Mr. Bola Adeeko, Divisional Head, Shared Services at The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
GRI Refreshes Board of Directors, Brandspurng Appoints NSE’s Bola Adeeko
Mr. Bola Adeeko, Head, Shared Services Division | www.brandspurng.com

GRI is the independent, international organisation that helps businesses and other organisations take responsibility for their impacts, by providing them with the global common language to report those impacts. Appointments to the Board are on a voluntary basis and members serve a term of three years. The membership is refreshed on a regular basis with a global public call for applications.

Speaking on the election of Adeeko into GRI, Oscar N. Onyema, CEO, NSE, said:

“Bola’s election is very timely as the need to deepen sustainability reporting in Nigeria and across the African continent becomes more pertinent during the decade of action.  I am very pleased that he would be extending his professional competence to ensure that reporting on impact becomes common practice by many organizations around the world”.

Speaking on the appointment, Mr. Adeeko stated,

“I am honoured to be appointed to the Board of the GRI which remains the ‘gold standard’ in sustainability reporting. The GRI has been an invaluable partner in advancing corporate responsibility in Africa, consistently deepening its engagement with stakeholders. I look forward to joining the returning board members and management team to build on successes recorded to date and promote sustainable business practices to deliver positive change.”

Mr. Adeeko’s election comes at a time when corporate sustainability is high on the global agenda – reinforced by the impact of the pandemic and the need to quicken progress on the Sustainable Development Goals – all of which emphasize GRI’s leadership role as an enabler for transparency and accountability.

He has proven himself as an accomplished business executive with over 27 years’ cognate experience and currently heads the Shared Services Division of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Following time spent with global companies namely: Sara Lee Corporation, First Data Corporation, and JP Morgan Chase, he returned to Nigeria and held positions such as Chief of Staff and Head, Corporate Services Division at the NSE, and Interim CEO at Central Securities Clearing System PLC.

He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and INSEAD at the executive and board education level; Fellow, Institute of Directors (IoD), Nigeria; Fellow, Institute of Credit Administration; and Associate, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers. He holds a number of Non-Executive board positions; IoD Centre for Corporate Governance (Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee); United Nations Global Compact Local Network; NG Clearing; NSE Consult.

Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020

Esan Bolaji
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Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020

The number of social network users, as well as their expenditure on apps, has been on the increase since the start of the global pandemic.

Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020

In Q3 2020, Facebook inched closer to becoming the first social network with 3 billion users. Based on the research data analyzed and published by Comprar Acciones, it took the lead with a total of 2.74 billion monthly active users at the end of September. This figure marked an increase of 12% year-over-year (YoY).

Asia Pacific was the largest market during the period, with 1.17 billion users. Comparatively, Europe had a total of 413 million users and the US & Canada had 255 million. The rest of the world had 906 million monthly active users.

Facebook Users Worldwide Q3 2018 to Q3 2020
Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020
Monthly active users (MAUs) in millions (Source: Facebook) – www.brandspurng.com
Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020
Daily active users (DAUs) in millions – www.brandspurng.com

There was also an increase in the number of daily active users (DAU), which grew by 35 million (12%) quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) to a total of 1.82 billion. Asia Pacific had the most significant growth, going from 699 million in Q2 2020 to 727 million in Q3 2020. In fact, it has been the fastest-growing region for a while, as it has gradually increased from 561 million in Q3 2018 to the current figure.

On the other hand, Europe maintained the same figure as it has had since Q1 2020, which is 305 million DAU. However, US & Canada saw a modest decline, going from 198 million DAU in Q2 2020 to 196 million DAU in Q3 2020.

The US and Canada have had the slowest growth, considering that in Q3 2018, the number of daily active users in the region was 185 million.

Facebook Family User Base Grows to 3.21 Billion in Q3 2020

Facebook was the first social media platform to surpass the 1 billion mark in the number of active users. It also owns four of the most popular social media apps which include WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram as well as the Facebook core.

Across its family of apps, Facebook posted a total of 3.21 billion users during Q3 2020, up from 3.1 billion in Q2 2020.

Most Popular Global Messaging Apps in 2020
Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020
Monthly active users in millions (Sources: We Are Social; Hootsuite; DataReportal)

According to a We Are Social report, WhatsApp was the most popular mobile messenger app as of October 2020, with 2 billion monthly users globally. Facebook Messenger came in a distant second with 1.3 billion users, while Weixin/WeChat was third with 1.206 billion.

Other apps beyond the top three followed at a significant distance. QQ was fourth with 648 million, Snapchat fifth with 433 million and Telegram took the sixth spot with 400 million.

On the list of most popular social networks globally though, Facebook took the lead with its 2.7 billion user base. YouTube came in second with 2 billion, same as WhatsApp, which ranked third. Facebook Messenger was fourth.

In total, the top four most popular social networks boasted a cumulative 8 billion active users. This was higher than that of the next 13 networks combined, which totaled 7.8 billion according to Statista.

YouTube Grows 59% in Revenue, Second-Highest Grossing Mobile App in Q3 2020

YouTube is an exception in the top four social media networks as it does not belong to the Facebook family. According to its parent company Alphabet’s Q3 2020 earnings call, it was revealed that its Premium and Music services had more than 30 million paying subscribers in Q3 2020.

The number had doubled in less than 18 months as it only had 15 million paying subscribers in May 2019. Moreover, YouTube TV subscribers reached 3 million during the quarter, up from 2 million in February 2020.

According to Sensor Tower, YouTube was the second highest grossing non-gaming mobile app globally in Q3 2020 across both Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Its revenue for the period grew by a remarkable 59% YoY.

Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020
Top Four Social Networks Boast 8 Billion Active Users in Q3 2020 – www.brandspurng.com

TikTok, which was the seventh most popular social media app globally, was the highest-grossing mobile app across the two stores.

None of the other top-ranking social media platforms by active users made it to the top 10 highest-grossing apps across the two app stores. However, on Google Play Store, Facebook took the tenth spot.

In the ranking of the top mobile app by downloads during Q3 2020, TikTok once again took the lead across the two stores. It had an increase of 8% YoY as it recovered the top position from video conferencing app Zoom which led in Q2 2020.

Facebook was second in spite of a 2% YoY decline, while WhatsApp took the fourth spot and Instagram got the fifth spot.

Facebook Messenger took the eighth spot, Telegram was ninth and Snapchat was tenth. YouTube made an appearance on the App Store as the third app by the number of downloads.

Mazda Named U.S. News & World Report Best Car Brand for 6th Consecutive Year

Esan Bolaji
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Mazda Named U.S. News & World Report Best Car Brand for 6th Consecutive Year
Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is pleased to announce that U.S. News & World Report has named Mazda the “Best Car Brand” for the sixth consecutive year. Mazda won this car class on the strength of its class-leading Mazda3, Mazda6 and MX-5 Miata.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the Mazda3, Mazda6 and MX-5 Miata offer superior performance and handling and feature premium, quality, and upscale interiors. At the heart of each Mazda vehicle is SKYACTIV Technology, which includes precise engineering paired with artful craftsmanship.

Mazda Named U.S. News & World Report Best Car Brand for 6th Consecutive Year

“Mazda won the Best Car Brand award due to the strength of the Mazda3, Mazda6 and MX-5 Miata,” said U.S. News & World Report Executive Editor Jamie Page Deaton. “All three models have top-notch performance that puts an emphasis on direct, sporty handling, as well as quality interiors that are more upscale than their price tags might suggest.”

MAZDA NAMED U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT BEST CAR BRAND FOR 6TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR BRANDSPURNG1
MAZDA NAMED U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT BEST CAR BRAND FOR 6TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR BRANDSPURNG1

“We are honoured that U.S. News & World Report has recognized Mazda as its ‘Best Car Brand’ for the sixth year in a row,” said Jeff Guyton president of Mazda North American Operations. “Designed with the driver in mind, Mazda vehicles feature sleek, sophisticated exterior designs and thoughtfully crafted interiors as well as having an active approach to safety that can help deliver a more joyful, confident driving experience for our customers.”

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through approximately 620 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

Nokia Deepfield identifies 2020 network traffic, internet consumption trends in new intelligence report

Esan Bolaji
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Nokia Deepfield identifies 2020 network traffic, internet consumption trends in new intelligence report
Nokia Deepfield has today released its Network Intelligence Report, which examines service provider network traffic and consumption trends in 2020, revealing the networks were made to withstand the internet’s rollercoaster year. The report examines overall changes in internet traffic patterns in the last decade and in 2020, focusing on key application areas such as video streaming, video conferencing, gaming and Distributed Denials of Service (DDoS) security.

As COVID-19 lockdown measures were implemented in March-April 2020, consumer and business behavioural changes transformed the internet’s shape and how people use it virtually overnight. Many networks experienced a year’s worth of traffic growth (30-50%) in just a few weeks.

Nokia Deepfield identifies 2020 network traffic, internet consumption trends in new intelligence report

By September, traffic had stabilized at 20-30% above pre-pandemic levels, with further seasonal growth to come. From February to September, there was a 30% increase in video subscribers, a 23% increase in VPN end-points in the U.S., and a 40-50% increase in DDoS traffic.

In the decade prior to the pandemic, the internet had already seen massive and transformative changes – both in service provider networks and in the evolved internet architectures for cloud content delivery. Investment during this time meant the networks were in good shape and mostly ready for COVID-19 when it arrived.

Manish Gulyani, General Manager and Head of Nokia Deepfield, said:

“Never has so much demand been put on the networks so suddenly, or so unpredictably. With networks providing the underlying connectivity fabric for business and society to function as we shelter-in-place, there is a greater need than ever for holistic, multi-dimensional insights across networks, services, applications and end-users.

Nokia Deepfield’s software applications have allowed service providers to understand activity in their networks in these critical times. The data and insights we’ve drawn on for this report also show how continuity of service can be ensured to create value for their customers.” 

After monitoring network traffic over an eight-month period, Nokia Deepfield identified five key takeaways for service providers to use in planning future network capacity and value-added services for their subscribers:

  • #1 The networks were made for this. While the networks held up during the biggest demand peaks, data from September 2020 indicates that traffic levels remain elevated even as lockdowns are eased; meaning, service providers will need to continue to engineer headroom into the networks for future eventualities.
  • #2 Content delivery chains are evolving. Demand for streaming video, low-latency cloud gaming and video conferencing, and fast access to cloud applications and services, all placed unprecedented pressure on the internet service delivery chain. Just as Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) grew in the past decade, it’s expected the same will happen with edge/far edge cloud in the next decade – bringing content and compute closer to end-users.
  • #3 Residential broadband networks have become critical infrastructure. With increased needs (upstream traffic was up more than 30%), accelerating the rollout of new technologies – such as 5G and next-gen FTTH – will go a long way towards improving access and connectivity in rural, remote and underserved areas. Better analytical insights enable service providers to keep innovating and delivering flawless service and loyalty-building customer experiences.
  • #4 Deep insight into network traffic is essential. While the COVID-19 era may prove exceptional in many ways, the likelihood is that it has only accelerated trends in content consumption, production and delivery that were already underway. Service providers must be able to have real-time, detailed network insights at their disposal – fully correlated with internet traffic insights – to get a holistic perspective on their network, services and consumption.
  • #5 Security has never been more important. During the pandemic, DDoS traffic increased between 40-50%. As broadband connectivity is now largely an essential service, protecting network infrastructure and services becomes critical. Agile and cost-effective DDoS detection and automated mitigation are becoming paramount mechanisms to protect service provider infrastructures and services.

The report’s data was gathered from network service providers across Europe and North America from February to September 2020 using the Nokia Deepfield portfolio of network insights and security applications, which use big data analytics to monitor, analyze and understand network traffic and services.

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