The Federal Government has declared Thursday 30 and Friday 31 July 2020 as Public Holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir Celebration.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola while making the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, congratulated Muslim faithful and all Nigerians both at home and abroad on the occasion.
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR ABUJA
Press Release
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECLARES 30 AND 31 JULY, 2020 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS TO MARK EID-EL-KABIR CELEBRATION#THREAD
— Ministry of Interior (@MinOfInteriorNG) July 28, 2020
He called on the Muslims to continue to imbibe the spirit of love, peace, kindness and sacrifice, as exemplified by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and to also use the period to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of the country especially as the world is witnessing global health challenges caused by Covid-19 pandemic.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola | www.wordpress-1516176-5827464.cloudwaysapps.com
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbosola who assured that the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is fully committed to battling the scourge with the cooperation of all Nigerians emphasized that government would continue to foster peaceful coexistence, national cohesion and stability in its march towards actualizing the full potentials of the country.
He called on all Nigerians to join hands with the administration of President Buhari in its avowed determination to build a peaceful, harmonious and prosperous country, where the rights of every citizen, are protected and guaranteed, as enshrined in the Constitution of the FRN.
The Minister advised Nigerians to take responsibility against the spread of the COVID-19 virus and also to stay safe by observing physical and social distancing, personal and respiratory hygiene, as well as other regulations issued by relevant authorities.
Ogbeni Aregbesola wishes all Muslims a happy Eid-el- Kabir Celebration.
The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC), on Monday, sealed the Banana Island Property Owners Resident Association (BIPORAL) Water Treatment Plant for failing to meet the required safety and quality standards.
The regulatory compliance seal order on the BIPORAL water plant supplying water to residents of Banana Island in Ikoyi was a sequel to the tests earlier conducted by the LSWRC, which revealed that the water quality of the plant was unsafe for consumption and required improved treatment.
Addressing newsmen at the site of the plant during quality control enforcement, LSWRC Executive Secretary, Mrs Funke Adepoju said the decision was taken to protect residents from consumption of unhygienic water which is harmful to health.
She said the plant will remain shut until necessary improvements are carried out by the service provider in line with the drinking water quality control of the State Government and the plant recertified safe to resume operation.
In her words:“It is important to note that drinking water must be safe and wholesome, free from pathogenic agents or harmful chemical substances and comply with prescribed standards of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Lagos State Drinking Water guidelines. We have tested their water and wastewater and results show that it falls short of the prescribed limit”.
“The Service provider is obligated to deliver water that meets quality specified by the regulator as well as ensure the functionality of the water and wastewater treatment plants. This is basically to protect the consumers which are what is paramount to us as a government. For now, the plant will not operate until the necessary treatment is carried out”, Adepoju said.
While maintaining that the Lagos State government is very much interested in the quality of the water consumed by residents, Adepoju declared that no unwholesome practice that will endanger the people’s health would be allowed, stressing that the power of the Commission to regulate the activities of the water sector by monitoring water quality is being exercised because so much caution has been thrown to the wind in water production and profit is placed above safety.
“It is important to remind us all that waterborne diseases are deadly. You have cholera, typhoid and dysentery among others. So, if these diseases are deadly, it then behoves on us as a government to ensure that we protect the consumers who in this case are residents and citizens of the State in line with the Health and Environment Pillars of the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of the Babjide Sanwo-Olu administration”, she averred.
The Executive Secretary added that all water producers and private service providers in residential estates as well as those engaged in the processing, packaging, distribution, sale and supply of water in Lagos, are all obligated by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017, to deliver water that meets quality specified by the regulator.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Mr Olajide Oduyoye has denied reports by a television station alleging an altercation between him and some intending passengers on the Third Mainland Bridge on Day Three of the partial closure of the bridge for maintenance and repairs.
Oduyoye explained that he was at the Adeniji-Adele end of the bridge to ensure that traffic management directives were in place in preparation for the afternoon traffic movement from Adeniji inwards Oworonshoki when he noticed that several individuals were waiting on the carriageway for commercial buses to the extent that traffic on a whole lane of the road was disrupted.
“I couldn’t understand why the people had to stand on the road and endanger their lives in view of the expected large traffic movement in the direction once the road barriers were removed for the afternoon belt movement from the Island to the Mainland. Moreover, there are no designated bus stops on the Third Mainland Bridge which could necessitate commuters waiting for commercial vehicles on the Bridge”, he explained.
He added that in order to ensure their safety and with the help of the Police, Federal Road Safety Corps and Civil Defence officers, the intending passengers were asked to step off the carriageway for their own protection, adding that his noble intention was to protect and safeguard their lives without any form of dispute.
Oduyoye, therefore, enjoined the media family to try and balance stories meant for public consumption in order to avoid misinforming and misleading the general public if the news content is not sufficiently balanced.
The General Manager stated that LASTMA and all the Federal and State government sister agencies are collaborating to ensure that Lagos does not experience an avoidable traffic gridlock during the partial closure of the Third Mainland Bridge, saying that “it is our responsibility to do the best we can to keep Lagos traffic moving”.
The Host of the first-ever real estate, housing and interior decoration reality TV show in Africa, Tush My Apartment, ‘Tage with the Wave’ has announced 11 out of the 16 contestants for the show. He introduced the contestants on Sunday during the episode 2 of the show.
The show currently showing on TVC Entertainment has participants from all cadres of life many of whom are poor, less privileged, widows or widowers, school drop out, unemployed, pensioners and many more.
Tush My Apartment Reality TV Show | www.wordpress-1516176-5827464.cloudwaysapps.com
Tage said, the show which will connect with viewers emotions is aimed at changing so many lives and bringing smiles to the faces of Nigerians. He further said the show can compete favourably with any other reality TV shows because of the organiser’s sincerity of purpose, respect for societal values, norms and moral teachings.
He encouraged all Nigerians to glue to their screen and also call on corporate organisations to support the show. According to the Voice over artist, he said any brand identified with the show will definitely not regret it.
” This is because this is a show that will change a lot of lives and brings true laughter and happiness to Nigerian households”, he said.
The show which debuted last week Sunday, July 19th features real-life pathetic stories of contestants and solutions to their problems.
Nevertheless, some contestants will be evicted on a weekly basis while the ones with the highest votes will be saved. For this week, two contestants are up for eviction. Any of the contestants that are saved by viewers will move to the next round of the show.
Tage called on Nigerians to support their favourite contestants.
Below are the pictures and profiles of the contestants.
Contestant: 1 – Emelogu Kingsley
Bio: I am from Abia State, Obingwa LGA. I work as a facility Manager. I am married with a daughter. I tend to be a proactive person and very calm.
I love to Meditate on myself and Honesty and Transparency is my watchword
Contestant: 2 – Okeke Ogochukwu Helen
Bio: I am a girl of 22 years, I dropped out of school due to lack of finance to further my education. Meanwhile, I am the last born in a family of 10 including my parents, but none of my siblings visited university except me but I am a dropout.
I came to Lagos to help my sister in her shop for me to safe up some money to go back to school but currently, we don’t have a house. We are sleeping in my sister’s shop ever since
Contestant: 3 – Mrs Kemi Ogun
Bio: I am a Widow, mother and grandmother. I am not working but retired from teaching as a principal.
Contestant: 4 – Ifeyinwa Nwajagu
Bio: My children and I were thrown out so we were without accommodation for a while before we were able to secure one.
Contestant: 5 – Anifowose Loveth
Bio: I am glad I am part of this show. Tush my apartment is exactly what I need right now because of the apartment I live in currently is congested, not so good for our health because whenever it rains in the night/midnight we don’t get to sleep.
We are 7 people living in a room/parlour apartment and it’s not so healthy for us because we don’t even have a good bed. No rug or tiles, in fact, the fittings in the apartment is nothing to write about. And we all know health is wealth
The environment alone is not healthy and talking about the apartment, we get to sleep in a crooked way at night.
In summary, we need our apartment to be Tushed for us to have a peaceful life at home and for us to be happy going home.
Thanks in anticipation of your favourable response
Contestant:6 – Fashola Ayoola Afolabi
Bio: I don’t have money. I sell Firewood. I live in a single room face me I face you. I live with my wife and 4 kids
Contestant: 7 – Ogundele Raphael Damilare
Bio: I am a God-fearing person and an introvert. First of 4 in a family of 6.
Growing up to be a goal-getter and trying to achieve every set goal through determination and hard-work
Contestant: 8 – Majolagbe Olawale Samuel
Bio: My Story started when I lost my job in 2017. That same month my wife gave birth to a baby boy. Its a good and bad news
Due to financial boost, I took my wife to home base nurse, and my baby had complications and loss of oxygen for 8 hours which caused him cerebral palsy issues till date.
My wife couldn’t go to work anymore and I just indulge in any work but not enough. 2019 December, I lost my 4th child. All these happen within 3 years.
Now I think God is putting a smile to my face through Tush My Apartment. I wish I make it to the end.
Contestant: 9 – Ifeanyi Abel Chukwu
Bio: I decided to embark on this Reality Show to be able to Tush my Apartment as a result of being a low-income earner who has a large family to cater for hence there is nothing left at the end of every month for me to save and to take part of it to renovate my apartment.
Furthermore, my motive to participate is predicated on the premise that my accommodation has a lot of work to be carried out. Like the Zincs are leaking and this is rainy season.
Also, the floor needs to be broken and a proper German floor will be constructed to stop water coming out of the ground.
These are the challenges that brought me to this game show decided to embark on this Reality Show to be able to Tush my Apartment as a result of being a low-income earner who has a large family to cater for hence there is nothing left at the end of the month for me to save and to take part of it to renovate my apartment.
Furthermore, my motive to participate is predicated on the premise that my accommodation has a lot of work to be carried out. Like the Zincs are leaking and this is rainy season.
Also, the floor needs to be broken and a proper German floor will be constructed to stop water coming out of the ground. These are the challenges that brought me to this game show.
The Gerety Awards judging is about to begin and the shortlist will be announced September 21 followed by live streaming of jury debates from around the world.
The Gerety Awards marks the first time that a jury has been brought together to select the best in advertising — all advertising, not just advertising made for women — through the female lens.
Studies show that women make up to 80% of all purchasing decisions globally, so it creates a benchmark that is relevant to the market reality, all while redefining the standard to which advertising has traditionally been held.
Judging sessions will start taking place soon in London, Melbourne, Bangkok, Istanbul, Helsinki, Buenos Aires, Berlin, Madrid, New York and Johannesburg. A full calendar of how and where to watch the live jury debates will be announced in the coming weeks.
Key Dates
Shortlist Announcement: 21/9/2020
Live Executive Jury Debates: 21/9/2020-19/10/2020
Winners Announcement: 19/10/2020
Live Grand Jury Debates: 19/10/2020
Johnnie Walker’s new bottlings, launching from October 2020, are a celebration of this incredible journey, pioneering spirit and dedication to quality that was started by John Walker 200 years ago.
“Each of these exclusive releases bring a fresh perspective to our 200th anniversary story and are the perfect way to celebrate this huge moment for Johnnie Walker. It feels very apt to be announcing them this week to coincide with John Walker’s birthday.”
Jim BeveridgeJohnnie Walker Master Blender
“Our 200th anniversary releases are inspired by the moment our founder, John Walker, first opened the door to his grocer’s store in Kilmarnock – taking the first step on an incredible journey for Johnnie Walker. John’s spark, vision and entrepreneurial fire were the impetus to growing the John Walker name, our business and ultimately a new future for Scotch whisky. This year we’re celebrating the steps he first took – steps that have inspired generations of our whisky makers and are at the heart of everything we do today and will do tomorrow.”
John WilliamsDiageo’s Global Scotch Director
The Johnnie Walker 200th Anniversary Releases
Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design
Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design
The new 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design for the iconic Johnnie Walker Blue Label features bespoke illustrations that bring to life the bold journey and pay homage to some of the great cities and countries that have been part of the Johnnie Walker story. There are also incredible illustrations of geographical landmarks and cultural symbols which represent progress in our time in each of their respective countries.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Legendary Eight
An exclusive release celebrating 200 years of bold and passionate craft. It is a smooth, mellow Scotch crafted using some of the very rarest whiskies in the unparalleled Johnnie Walker reserves.
Each whisky is hand-selected from only eight legendary distilleries that all existed when John Walker made the first steps on his journey, including some very rare expressions from long-closed “ghost” distilleries.
John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend
John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend
This exclusive release is inspired by a breakthrough moment in John Walker & Sons’ history – the launch of Old Highland Whisky in the 1860s, the company’s first commercial blend to travel from Scotland to the four corners of the world.
This rich and complex whisky is inspired by the flavours found in the Walker family’s grocery store in the 1860s and uses whiskies from distilleries which were operating at that time. The exclusive pack design reveals the only existing image of the Kilmarnock grocery store 200 years ago.
John Walker & Sons Bicentenary Blend
John Walker & Sons Bicentenary Blend
A celebration of where it all began; this exceptional whisky is a sensorial journey down the fragrant aisles of John Walker’s original grocery store in Scotland. Master Blender Jim Beveridge and his team have drawn inspiration from John’s store and meticulously crafted a whisky with rich layers that re-imagines the exotic flavours that shaped his imagination.
It is crafted with rare and exceptional whiskies, all aged for at least 28 years, including whiskies from long-closed “ghost” distilleries such as Pittyvaich, Cambus and Port Ellen.
The Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) has reiterated its commitment to product quality and integrity, pledging that this would remain the gold standard of its operations.
Country General Manager, NBC, Matthieu Seguin, affirmed this on Tuesday while speaking during the company’s 2020 Stakeholders Forum themed ‘Product Quality and Integrity: Challenges and Opportunities’ which held virtually.
The event also featured key contributions from the Vice President, Quality, Safety and Environment, The Coca-Cola Company, Zoltan Syposs; Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Moji Adeyeye, and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Babatunde Irukera.
Seguin explained that quality remains the hallmark of the operations of the Coke System. “At NBC, we understand that only products and services valued and accepted by our customers and consumers will deliver help our business grow.
We are committed to driving our business forward by continually improving quality control across the organisation, working together with Coca-Cola Nigeria, local authorities, partners, suppliers, customers and consumers,”he said.
Seguin disclosed that a survey NBC conducted earlier in the year showed that product quality and integrity ranked highest among the demands of its stakeholders, hence its decision to continue prioritising it.
“Our commitment to quality and integrity is from production to delivery. Everyone at NBC works hard to procure the finest ingredient, equipment and services from some of the industry’s most respected suppliers. We also complement this with our state of the art local production and distribution system,”Seguin said.
He added that the NBC achieves the highest product quality and integrity through compliance with local and international standards, certification of its systems, auditing and regular feedback from customers.
“We keep the line of communication open to our consumers for regular feedback which we get a lot, and this also guarantees the prompt resolution of complaints they may have. As the world evolves and consumers’ preferences change, we believe in continuous improvement of our system.”
Speaking in the same vein as Seguin, Syposs said that the Coca-Cola System comprising Coca-Cola and NBC is vigilant about product quality and integrity because research has shown that about 200 different types of diseases are spread through contaminated food and beverages, with about 420,000 deaths recorded annually from contaminated food, 125,000 of them among children under the age of five.
Syposs further noted that The Coca-Cola System was building a total beverage company and that it would continue to maintain the highest product quality to further earn consumers’ trust.
In his presentation, the CEO of FCCPC, Mr Babatunde Irukera stressed the importance of product quality and integrity, noting that it helps in sustaining brand loyalty. He explained that the most basic obligations of manufacturers to consumers is to provide clarity of information, legitimacy of both direct and indirect claims, consistency of product delivery and consumer satisfaction derived from product usage.
Also speaking at the event, Professor Adeyeye who was represented by the Director, Food Safety and Nutrition, NAFDAC, Mr Sherif Olagunju said it is important for businesses to look for ways of gaining and sustaining brand loyalty by increasingly building quality into their products and consequentially building customer trust.
Furthermore, he said,“to survive in severe competition brand loyalty is a powerful tool and there can be no loyalty without product quality and consumer satisfaction”.
They both commended NBC for its conscious self-regulation and internal audit, noting that this explains why consumers trust the company’s products.
Picodi team examined the change in petrol prices in several dozen countries and calculated how many litres of petrol an average Nigerian can afford in 2020.
Cheaper petrol
Due to the volatility of prices in the petrol market, just like last year, we gathered data about petrol prices in the first half of the year. In 3 out of 7 considered African countries, petrol prices in the first half of the year 2020 were lower than in 2019. The largest decrease was noted in Nigeria (−10.1%), then South Africa (−4.1%), and Kenya (−3.2%).
Interestingly, in Tunisia and Algeria, the prices of petrol noted a moderate increase (1.2% and 1.7% respectively), and in Egypt and Zambia petrol went up by as much as 11.5% and 13.9%.
Petrol Index 2020: who can fill up the biggest amount of petrol in Africa?
Petrol Index 2020: who can fill up the biggest amount of petrol in Africa?
(click the arrows to see data from the remaining 6 countries)
Algerians can enjoy the cheapest petrol in Africa — the average petrol price in their country, converted from dinars to American dollars is 0.33 cents. Kenyans pay the highest price — $0.96.
We contrasted the average prices of petrol in the first half of the year 2020 with the latest data on average salaries. For the second year in a row, South Africa and Algeria can boast the best petrol price to an average salary ratio in Africa. The average pay in those countries allows their citizens to buy 1,345 and 804 litres of petrol respectively.
In Nigeria, according to Numbeo, the average salary amounts to 70,060 nairas. It means that an average Nigerian can buy 539 litres of petrol with their pay (3rd place). Lower in the ranking were Kenyans with 536 litres.
Tunisia, Egypt, and Zambia took the last three places. The average salary in these countries is worth 411, 403, and 219 litres respectively.
World petrol ranking
(Hover over the country to see the information)
In the world ranking, top positions are taken by Persian Gulf countries. In Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, you could buy from 5,112 to 8,210 litres of petrol for the average pay. It is worth noting that Kuwaitis can afford 139 litres less than last year. On the other hand, in 2020 Saudis and Qataris can buy around 4,933 and 1,605 litres more.
The worst situation was noted in Cuba where the average salary is equal to the price of only 28 litres (an increase of 2 litres). Despite the fact that Tajikistan and Zambia accompany Cuba in the lower part of the ranking, their citizens can afford even seven times more petrol than Cubans (151 and 219 litres respectively).
It turns out that being an oil tycoon does not always mean easier access to petrol for the citizens. Nigeria produces the biggest amounts of petrol in Africa. Despite one of the lowest prices of petrol in the whole world ($0.34), the relatively low average salary ($182) does not allow Nigerians to buy many litres of petrol — just 539.
It is similar to the European oil heaven, Russia. In a country which is the second-biggest oil producer in the world, for the average salary you can afford only 919 litres.
Another interesting fact is the situation in Venezuela. In this South American country, there are limits which allow buying only 120 litres of petrol per capita in a month for the price amounting to around 0.025 dollars per litre.
Once the limit is exceeded, petrol can be bought only at the “market” price which is 0.5 dollar per litre, and only in 200 petrol stations in the country.
Our calculations show that the average salary in Venezuela is enough for just 148 litres of petrol (120 litres subsidised and 28 litres fully paid), which is a drastic difference compared to theoretical 14 billion litres from the last year.
This report uses the average net wages according to the latest available data provided by offices for national statistics or relevant ministries. The average prices for the first half of 2020 in over 100 countries are based on data from globalpetrolprices.com and other local sources.
In order to obtain the number of litres, we divided the average wage by the average price of 1 litre of petrol. For currency conversion, we used the average exchange rate for the last 90 days.
Partnerships with development agencies and government efforts to boost the digital economy are helping soften the economic blow of the pandemic.
David Akanshumbusha sells groceries at a stall in Nakawa market on the outskirts of the Ugandan capital, Kampala.
He’s also on SafeBoda, a motorcycle (‘bodaboda’) taxi-hailing app that recently launched an e-commerce platform to connect market vendors with customers after the country went on lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19.
Customers place orders through the SafeBoda app and pay through its mobile wallet feature, then riders based at the market deliver the groceries.
“Thanks to the app, I now have more customers than ever before,” Mr. Akanshumbusha said.
The ‘bodaboda’ hailing app that has evolved into an e-commerce platform has boosted sales for him and hundreds of other small traders, benefiting thousands of customers as well.
E-commerce platforms such as SafeBoda are helping soften the economic blow of COVID-19.
And the Ugandan government is helping them flourish by fostering an enabling environment for e-commerce and the digital economy, in line with recommendations of a UNCTAD eTrade Readiness Assessment.
David Akanshumbusha at his groceries’ stall in Kampala, Uganda.
The triple-digit boom in business
SafeBoda and other e-commerce platforms have seen a triple-digit increase in business following the outbreak of the pandemic.
By giving market vendors access to the app, it allows them to sell goods while sustaining the livelihoods of 18,000 ‘bodaboda’ riders whose incomes have been affected by the pandemic.
The app’s e-commerce platform is the result of a partnership between the United Nations Capital Development Fund and SafeBoda Uganda, supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
“We are pleased to see such collaboration between different stakeholders,” said Shamika N. Sirimanne, UNCTAD’s director of technology and logistics. “They show the importance of public-private cooperation with development partners.”
Ms. Sirimanne said the collaboration shows the added value of partners under the eTrade for all initiative, which empowers developing countries to benefit from e-commerce.
From crisis to opportunity
According to the World Bank, Uganda’s real GDP growth in 2020 is projected to hover below 2% compared with almost 5.6% in 2019, due to COVID-19.
As part of its response to the pandemic’s economic fallout, the Ugandan government is at the forefront of promoting e-commerce and digital solutions for faster recovery from the crisis.
For instance, it has worked with mobile phone operators to reduce fees for digital services and offer complimentary internet data packages to consumers to facilitate cashless transactions.
It’s also using digital media to disseminate health messages and fight misinformation.
Besides, the government is strengthening public-private sector cooperation to improve trade logistics and enhance the supply of digital services, in line with UNCTAD’s recommendations.
Ugandan authorities are also bolstering entrepreneurship by supporting innovation and start-up-driven solutions.
Further, the country has boosted internet connectivity by extending infrastructure that has enabled firms to lower the costs of their services.
Uganda is also improving trust in online transactions. Last year, it enacted data protection and privacy law to enhance the security of these transactions.
An e-payments law recently approved by the country’s parliament is expected to come into effect soon to level the playing field for providers.
In addition, Uganda plans to develop a national e-commerce strategy with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
“We’re banking on e-commerce to catalyse innovation, growth and social prosperity in the digital economy,” said the country’s minister of trade, industry and cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde.
Digital payments on the rise
Uganda has seen a boom in e-payment solutions in recent years.
Between 2015 and 2019, mobile money transactions in Uganda more than doubled in value, from about $9 billion to $20 billion, according to the country’s central bank.
COVID-19 has amplified the uptake of e-payments and growth of local fintech solutions.
Among the beneficiaries of the growth is Xente, an e-commerce and financial services mobile app with more than 50,000 subscribers.
It allows people to buy goods from marketplaces using methods such as mobile money, credit cards or bank transfers, and to access loans within the app.
Following the COVID-19 outbreak, the company waived set-up and commission fees for small businesses for three months.
This saw it record a 10% increase in business-to-consumer transactions and a 200% jump in business-to-business turnover, said its chief executive officer, Allan Rwakatungu.
The company also launched a new service to ease online and mobile transactions and payments for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) hardest hit by COVID-19.
Partnerships for inclusive e-commerce
In another partnership, a food delivery startup Jumia Food Uganda joined forces with UNDP to boost its services, introducing contactless delivery and cashless payments in response to the pandemic.
Under the partnership launched in May, UNDP aggregates seller groups and provides technical assistance to improve the firm’s capacity in packaging, tracking sales and technology adoption.
Over 3,000 market vendors from seven markets are now connected and selling their produce on the Jumia platform. More than 60% of them are women, people with disabilities and the youth.
“Such partnerships help build the capacity of MSMEs through market-based digital solutions,” Ms. Sirimanne said. “We need more of them to strengthen e-commerce and digital ecosystems across Africa.”
Orange and Google Cloud today announced a strategic partnership to accelerate the transformation of Orange’s IT infrastructure and the development of future cloud services, in particular edge computing.
The agreement reinforces Orange’s commitment, as set out in its Engage 2025 plan, to drive its internal transformation through the innovative and widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in order to improve operational efficiency and the customer experience.
The collaboration will also pave the way for the development of new advanced cloud, edge computing and cybersecurity services that will open up business opportunities for both Google Cloud and Orange.
Google Cloud and Orange will closely collaborate to ensure the partnership’s success. Google will provide its know-how in cutting-edge cloud technologies, world-class analytics and AI tools, as well as proven digital transformation methodology and dedicated resources.
Orange will contribute its deep expertise in information and communication technology services and its multi-national network infrastructure.
The agreement signals a firm commitment to use AI and data to increase the pace of transformation across Orange’s European footprint, placing data at the heart of the Group’s innovation model.
To do this, Orange plans to build a next-generation data analytics and machine-learning platform with Google technologies. The partnership will also benefit consumers and businesses across Europe by bringing powerful cloud-computing capabilities to the edge of the network, such as in retail, gaming, and other industries.
The strategic partnership will also strengthen Orange Business Services’ portfolio of offers by bringing value-added analytics and additional cloud services based on Google Cloud solutions, building on Orange’s position as a multi-cloud services provider for its enterprise customers across the globe, and strengthening Orange Cyberdefense’s leading capabilities. With this agreement, Google Cloud further reinforces its presence in Europe as a significant player in the cloud sector providing advanced technologies and services across all major industries, including businesses both small and large.
Driving the next generation of cloud services
The partnership will also work on the development of future edge computing services as 5G networks are rolled out across Europe and cloud computing increasingly benefits from integration into the network.
Edge computing is set to become key in the race to meet new consumer and enterprise requirements for low-latency and high-speed services. The cooperation will combine the strengths of Google Cloud and Orange to provide flexible, secure and cutting-edge solutions for the B2B, Wholesale and B2C markets.
It will contribute to the enhanced connectivity offerings that Orange provides to its wholesale, B2B and retail customers.
Orange and Google Cloud also agree to jointly create an Innovation Lab and a Center of Excellence that will both foster innovation and growth:
The Innovation Lab will enable new industry solution development based on data and AI within the broader framework of the evolving 5G / edge computing ecosystem.
The Center of Excellence will provide Google Cloud support for Orange France and other Orange affiliates as they engage in their cloud transformation. The centre will provide training in data, AI and cloud services for several thousand Orange employees.
Commenting on the partnership, Stéphane Richard, Chairman and CEO of Orange, said:“Orange is a pioneer of digital transformation and is pleased to partner with Google to accelerate its data and AI transformation and continue towards better service for its customers.
Google has been a long term partner of Orange and, as Google is eager to invest in Europe – and especially in France – to develop new data centres, this is the perfect time to work on new services and opportunities in French and European markets.”
Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, said:“The strength of Orange’s network, combined with Google Cloud’s platform, will help pave the way for new advanced cloud and edge computing services for the telecommunications industry in Europe.
We look forward to working together with Orange to bring new services and applications to customers and businesses alike, while also continuing to grow our support for European enterprises in their digital transformation journeys.”
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