Runway Jazz 2017: UBA Powers Music And Business Masterclass Facilitated By The Berklee College Of Music

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Runway Jazz 2017: UBA Powers Music And Business Masterclass Facilitated By The Berklee College Of Music

Nagee and Josh stone to headline the Jazz runway show
… as Donald Duke introduces daughter Xerona unto the scene

The countdown has begun to the most anticipated and insightful learning experience at the Runway Jazz 2017 Music and Business Masterclass, taking place on April 29, 2017 in the Grand Ballroom of Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos, Nigeria.  The Masterclass is a prelude to the Runway Jazz Concert, a special celebration of the International Jazz Day.

Powered by UBA, the Music and Business Masterclass is being facilitated by George W. Russell Jr, Professor and Chair of the Harmony Department at Berklee College of Music, California (the most prestigious music institution in the world), which has produced Grammy award winners Quincy Jones, Lalah Hathaway, Nick Baxter, as well as Nigerian talent like Tiwa Savage and Kaline Akinkugbe to mention but a few.
The Runway Jazz 2017 Music and Business Masterclass is open to individuals, groups, record labels, established and emerging musicians as well as students of music. It will seminar and open up dialogue that will encourage talented musicians and lovers of music to enhance their abilities and turn their gifts into profitable ventures.

“The education is key as it enables the fulfilment of UNESCO’s mandate to encourage peaceful relations and foster the education, participation and creation of unity through the celebration of Jazz Music”, says the convener, Afolabi Oke.

Professor George Russell holds many accolades and is the recipient of the highest award that Berklee gives to faculty, the Most Distinguished Faculty Award. Russell served as a Professor of Harmony and Piano, prior to becoming Chair.  He holds the Ted Pease Award for Excellence in Teaching, along with the Curriculum Development Award for the Writing Division at the Berklee College of Music.

Najee, a Grammy Award winner and American saxophonist, who will be headlining the Runway Jazz Concert on April 30, will join the Professor to facilitate this unique and inspiring Masterclass.

Speaking about the event, Professor Russell says, “Many people understand, or think they understand music, some understand business, but there is a Business of Music that when you get the formula right, will open doors that you never even knew were there in the first place”.

This Masterclass is a result of a strategic partnership with Berklee College of Music and Runway Jazz, partnered by the United Bank for Africa. It will allow participants get a better understanding of the access to scholarship opportunities at Berklee College as they learn how to turn their talent and passion into business opportunities. It promises to be interactive, fun, instructive and inspiring.

To register for the Masterclass, visit www.runway-jazz.com. For group bookings and discounts, call 08180694465 or email runwayjazz@gmail.com.

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(Brandessencenigeria)

Quickteller Paypoint Agents Get All-Expense Paid Kenya Trips, Cash Rewards, Generators and More

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Quickteller Paypoint Agents Get All-Expense Paid Kenya Trips, Cash Rewards, Generators and More

3 Quickteller Paypoint agents have been recognised and rewarded with cash prizes and all-expense paid trips to Kenya. This was announced at the maiden national agents forum which held in Lagos recently.

Organised as a platform with which to fully engage agents, understand their overall experience, recognise and reward outstanding agents and encourage all agents, the maiden event had in attendance over 300 active agents from around the country.

Nwokoma Nkechi of Ezehop Integrated, Port Harcourt who came 3rd was rewarded with NGN100,000 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to Kenya; Ajayi Modupe Temitope of Shoduts Nigeria ltd. who was 2nd was rewarded with NGN200,000 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to Kenya while Ridwan Lateef of RMAX Systems Ikorodu, who emerged the over all winner, having completed the highest number of transactions was rewarded with NGN300,000 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip to Kenya.

It was also revealed that while in Kenya, the star agents would be attending training on advanced digital financial services courtesy of Quickteller Paypoint.

Other agents present were recognised and rewarded with Generators, GOTV decoders, Standing fans and rechargeable fans.

Ridwan Lateef of RMAX Systems who emerged the 2016/17 Topmost Platinum star agent commended Quickteller Paypoint saying that the difference is now clear between Quickteller Paypoint and others.

“To all agents present here, I can guarantee you that you are with the right team” he added.

Divisional CEO, Interswitch Financial Inclusion Service, Mike Ogbalu in an address to the agents said.

“We are very thankful to you our agents as we are in business today because of you. We have taken all your feedback and we promise to continue improving our service, making it better to allow you earn much more and we will continue to recognize and reward you”

(Brandessencenigeria)

Infinix Mobility introduces worlds first Wefie smartphone ‘Infinix S2 with Runtown in Nigeria

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Infinix Mobility introduces worlds first Wefie smartphone ‘Infinix S2 with Runtown in Nigeria

Africa’s first Dual front camera smartphone

Infinix Mobility ushers in its first product for 2017 with the world’s first wefie smartphone; the Infinix S2! The new smartphone is the 2nd product from the brand’s hugely successful lifestyle ‘HOT S’ series.

The ‘Infinix S2’ marks new innovation and also lifestyle upgrade for consumers with the introduction of a Dual front camera which reinvents the notion of selfies bringing about a whole new concept now known as the ‘Wefie’.

The first smartphone crafted with ‘Wefie’ functionalities helps users capture the best moments with their group of friends and is also infused with beautification features all crafted into its 8MP and 13MP dual front cameras. The camera quality also covers 135 degrees wide angle for the perfect Wefie.

According to Bruno Li Regional Country Manager Infinix Mobility, ‘Infinix S2 is the first of its kind in Africa and we are always happy to bring the best innovation to our fans. Also unveiling artist ‘Runtown’ as the product face who is fashionable and trendy, he has the perfect personality for the product with his large fan base eager to take on ‘Wefie’. He also represents young & vibrant youths excited about technology innovation.‘

Infinix S2 comes in two variations, the S2 & S2 Pro featuring Dual front 8MP and 13MP cameras with front flash (Wefie), 13mp back camera, 4G (LTE), Octa core processor, 16GB + 2GB – 3GB RAM, 5.2 HD Screen, 3000mah battery, XOS 2.2  (Infinix user interface) on Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

The new smartphone comes in four unique fashionable colors ranging from Black, Blue, Sunset pink & Champagne Gold.

The new Infinix is available on Jumia.com.ng and also at all Infinix partner stores nationwide.

See Specifications:

Infinix S2 & S2 Pro:

 S2 & S2 Pro
X522
Dual front camera 8MP + 13MP with front flash (Wefie)
13MP 135 wide Angle
Group beautification
Yes introducing Picture browsing
32GB ROM,2GB- 3GB RAM (External up to 128GB)
3000mah (Talk time 17.1Hr)
Octa-core Cortex 1.3GHz, 64bit
5.2’HD 2.5D Glass
Android 6.0 Marshmallow
Black, Blue, Sunset pink & Champagne Gold
4G / 3G
X-charge
Magic movie 2.0
XOS 2.2
Metal frame

 

 

 

 

(Brandessencenigeria)

Stanbic Ibtc Posts N16.1b PAT In Q1

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Stanbic Ibtc Posts N16.1b PAT In Q1

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, a member of Standard Bank Group, has posted Profit After Tax (PAT) of N16.1 billion in its first quarter operations, against N7.8 billion achieved in the corresponding period in 2016.

Specifically, the bank’s performance for the first quarter ended March 2016, showed 106 per cent rise in profit, from N7.8 billion to N16.1 billion while pre-tax profit stood at N18.6 billion, an increase of 78 per cent over the N10.2 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016.

The bank attributed the improved performance to sustained focus on the bank’s objectives, as well as heavy investment made on digital channels upgrade for enhanced operations.

Gross earnings stood at N47.0 billion, representing an increase of 35 percent over the N34.8 billion recorded in the comparable period of last year.Similarly, total assets went up 11 per cent to N1.2 trillion from N1.1 trillion in December 2016.

The Chief Executive of the bank, Yinka Sanni, said: “I am delighted to announce another strong performance for the first quarter of 2017 following the recent release of our FY 2016 results. Stanbic IBTC Group achieved significant growth in profit after tax by over 100 per cent, despite the challenging trading environment which was characterised by challenges with FX liquidity, difficult credit environment and an increasing cost of operations.”

He added: “We remain positive that economic activities will improve as the Nigerian economy is beginning to show signs of positive outlook due to an increase in the supply of foreign exchange to both retail and corporate users and decreasing headline inflation.

According to him, “As we focus on driving our objective to be the leading end-to-end financial solutions provider in Nigeria, we will continue to leverage on our upgraded digital channels and our membership of the Standard Bank Group.”

He explained that the group’s liquidity ratio closed at 94.35 percent, while the bank’s liquidity ratio was at 83.99 percent at the end of Q1 2017. These ratios are significantly higher than the 30 percent regulatory minimum.
He added that the group’s capital adequacy ratio remained above the minimum statutory requirement of 10 percent, with total capital adequacy ratio of 21.69 percent.

Medallion wins Nigeria’s Best Interconnect Service Provider award

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Medallion wins Nigeria’s Best Interconnect Service Provider award

In recognition of its effort in providing advance technology and secure interconnect switching centers to enable the exchange of telecom traffic amongst the different operators in Nigeria, Medallion Communications has been awarded the Best Interconnect Service Provider in Nigeria.

Medallion, whose core service areas include establishment of interconnect exchange clearinghouses, establishment of carrier hotels and data hosting facilities, telecommunications infrastructure development and other Value added services like Mobile Banking, Number Portability, Emergency Communications Services clinched the award at this year’s Beacon of ICT Distinguished Lecture/Awards Series.

Organized by Communications Week Media Ltd., publishers of the Nigeria Communications Week, the awards series recognizes corporate organizations and individuals who are contributing immensely to the growth of ICT sector.

“The Beacon of ICT Distinguished Lecture is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global information and communication technologies map, while the award ceremony rewards best practices and recognize outstanding contributions to the growth of the sector, said Mr. Ken Nwogbo, Editor in-Chief/CEO, Communications Week Media.

Commenting on the award, Mr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, The Chief executive Officer of Medallion Communications said he is delighted for Medallion to have been selected for the award by the panel of judges, saying the award only goes to show Medallion is doing something, especially as it concerns interconnection and exchange of traffic between the various operators in the Nigeria’s telecom market.

Speaking on what the award means to Medallion, Ikechukwu said the award is a motivation for Medallion to do more in contributing to the ICT ecosystem because to whom much is given, much is also expected.

“We are delighted to have won this award. For me, it is a motivation for us to do more,” he said.

The business of Medallion involves setting up Interconnect Houses where operators have the opportunity to interconnect with multiple operators in one location, thereby reducing overhead.

While most interconnect operators focus on only transiting of calls, Medallion’s model offers full financial settlement and reconciliation of interconnect traffic. This greatly eliminates interconnect indebtedness in the industry and lead to accurate and timely processing of interconnect charges.

 

 

 

 

(ITpulse)

StarTimes ready for Bundesliga cracker

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StarTimes ready for Bundesliga cracker

German Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich travel to   Wolfsburg on Saturday for a tough clash at   Volkswagen Arena.

Bayern, who were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Real Madrid,  have struggled  on the road  thereafter.

Wolfsburg  have also been  struggling  this term as three defeats in their last four means that they are  down to 14th.

The Volkswagen Arena encounter dubbed  the Battle of  Managers will see home team coach Andries Jonker and  his Bayern counterpart Carlo Ancelotti dishing instructions from  the sideline.

Also on Saturday, Cologne take on  Borussia Dortmund. Cologne manager Peter Stoger has built his team around defensive stability over the past few seasons, and will look to striker Anthony Modeste to lift the team again.

In  the Italian Serie A, Atalanta  host leaders  Juventus at the Atleti Azzurri d’Italia Stadium.

Acting Brand and Marketing Director, StarTimes, Qasim Elegbede,  said StarTimes would  be showcasing the best of German Bundesliga football live from the various match centres.

“We are confident that football  fans will enjoy every moment of the game,” Elegbede  said.

Google Maps Now Tells You Where You Parked Your Car

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Google Maps Now Tells You Where You Parked Your Car

Always forget where you parked?

A new Google Maps feature has you covered. Google (GOOG) officially rolled out the new feature on Tuesday, which it reportedly beta-tested for Android users last month.

Tap the blue dot showing your location to see an option to save your parking place on the map. A label will pop up showing where you parked your car.
By tapping on that label, you can open up a “parking card” to add additional details about the parking spot. Users can save an image of the spot and send their parking location to friends.

Last November, Apple (AAPL,  Tech30  ) launched a similar but automatic parking-detection tool for Apple Maps. If iOS users connect their iPhones to their cars using Bluetooth, their parking spots will be automatically added to the map with a pin when they disconnect and get out of their car. Google offers a similar feature for iOS owners using Google Maps.

Credit: CNN

How Effective Is Net Promoter Score (NPS)?

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How Effective Is Net Promoter Score (NPS)?

On a scale of zero to 10, with 10 being highest, what’s the likelihood that you would recommend us (our company) to a friend or colleague?

That is the basic Net Promoter Score (also known as NPS) question that was created by Fred Reicheld and Bain & Company. I’ve always found it to be powerful survey question to determine overall customer sentiment. Did the company, or whomever the customer was interacting with, do a good enough job to garner a nine or a 10?

First, you should know that I’m a fan of NPS. I like simple surveys that provide broad insight. From the broader information, we can go vertical and gather specific feedback. My experience is that most customers will take the short NPS survey. They may even answer another question or two. Two of my favorite questions to follow the standard one-to-10 survey are to ask, “Why?,” and if the number is lower than a 10, “What would it take to raise our score just by one point?” In other words, go from a six to a seven, or a nine to a 10.

That is important feedback that any company can use.

Before we go further, let’s make sure everyone understands how an NPS score is calculated. The score, on a scale of one to 10, falls into three groups. If a customer scores you as a nine or a 10, they are promoters. If they score you as a seven or an eight, they are passive. You don’t know if they are leaning toward loving you, leaving you, or they just don’t care. And, a score of a six or lower means you have a detractor.

To determine your official NPS score, take the percentage of promoters (nines and 10s) and subtract the percentage of detractors (sixes and lower). That number is your Net Promoter Score.

All of this brings me to an article recently written by my friend, colleague and customer experience expert, Bruce Temkin, about his latest recommendations regarding NPS. In the article he has a list of nine. Five of these stood out to me and I thought they would make for a worthwhile article that might compel you to consider using NPS in your organization (if you’re not already doing so).

1. The choice of metric is not as important as people think. Temkin states that he rarely sees companies succeed or fail based on a specific metric the company chooses. That said, he is neither pro nor con regarding NPS. He knows that the metric works and his organization’s data show that good NPS scores correlate to customer loyalty. I agree, and furthermore realize that this simple survey concept doesn’t give deep data. If you want specifics, you will need to add other survey methods or additional questions such as those I mentioned above.

2. Driving improvements is what’s critical. It’s not about the metric you are using to acquire and measure feedback. The NPS measurement means nothing unless you do something with it. As Temkin says, “Instead of obsessing about the specific metric being used, companies need to obsess about the system they put in place to make changes based on what they learn from using the metric.” The ultimate goal is twofold: increase promoters and decrease – and ultimately eliminate – detractors.

3. Promoters and detractors need individual attention. Beyond the NPS score, you must understand what is driving the score. What is causing promoters to give you the nine or 10? What do the detractors dislike about your company or the service? What are the people in the middle, the passives, passive about: the service, product, etc.? What drives a promoter is likely to be different than what might turn around a detractor. And, don’t just focus on fixing the detractors. Temkin says, “By focusing on what causes promoters, you will get the opportunity to engage the organization in uplifting discussions – instead of just beating the drum about what’s broken.”

4. NPS is for relationships, not transactions. Asking people about recommending you isn’t about the most recent interaction. It’s about the entire experience. So, be careful about when and where you ask the question. For example, if a customer loves your company, but the most recent experience with a support rep wasn’t stellar, the NPS score asked right after the interaction may be lower because of that one employee and may not reflect the overall sentiment the customer has for the company. It’s not about the most recent experience. It’s about the overall experience. Use the NPS question in the right place, at the right time and for the right reason.

5. NPS is for teams, not individuals. NPS asks about the likelihood to recommend a company, not an individual. While the individual can impact the NPS score, keep in mind that you aren’t using NPS to rate an employee. The beauty of the NPS question is that it is short. So ask a different question to rate the employee. It could be on a zero-to-10 scale as well, but reserve the NPS question for the overall experience.

As mentioned, I’m a fan of NPS. For the customer, it’s a quick and easy survey, taking 15-20 seconds versus surveys that take 15-20 minutes. In addition to the short NPS question, consider using one of the follow-up questions mentioned above. Then, take advantage of the information. Don’t just look at it. Use it to build an extension of your sales force with customers who are willing to recommend you!

(Forbes)

Nigeria Breweries To Intensify Local Raw Materials Sourcing For Improved Earning

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Nigeria Breweries To Intensify Local Raw Materials Sourcing For Improved Earning

To mitigate foreign exchange challenges encountered during the 2016 financial year, Nigerian Breweries Plc, has announced plans to intensify its local sourcing of raw materials as well as seek further improvements in its sorghum value-chain.

Besides, the brewer also noted that it would be consolidating its earnings and profitability through improved market penetration with its innovative products, adding that it would carefully assess its price adjustment strategy in ensuring a balance in the management of input costs and price consumers are willing to pay for its products.

At a current sourcing level of about 50 per cent of its raw materials locally, the brewer is optimistic of achieving its 60 per cent target before 2020. Speaking to journalists ahead of the firm’s yearly general meeting, the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries, Nicolaas Vervelde, said the company is making progress with its partners – International Fertilizer development Centre (IFDC), and Psaltry International, a local processing company, on value extraction from cassava.

Vervelde said Nigerian Breweries was also making progress in the deployment of new hybrid sorghum varieties, adding that yields have increased over time in line with the firm’s growth projections.

He also expressed optimism in the company adapting to policies in the operating environment in order to deliver good return on investment to stakeholders. “It is anticipated that economic activities will improve in 2017 considering the far reaching fiscal and monetary measures being planned and implemented by the Federal Government. It is therefore hoped that with the gradual rise in the price of oil and a steady increase in the volume of oil output, the Naira will be strengthened and forex will be more available for businesses.

“The brewed product market would remain competitive and consumers are expected to continue the down-trading as they seek for more affordable brands. Cost leadership and market leadership supported by innovation remain our key strategic pillars”, he added.

On the company’s Q1 results, Vervelde explained that the cost of goods sold increased by 25 per cent as a result of higher input costs while results from operating activities and profit after tax grew by seven per cent and nine per cent respectively, impacted by lower net finance charges and a continued focus on its cost efficiencies.
Revenue for the period grew by 18 per cent due to the impact of price increases implemented in 2016, to cushion the effects of the operating environment. He further said that Nigerian Breweries has developed a set of competing portfolio to address the needs of a diverse consumer base, even as he decried the low per capita consumption of beer in the country.
He said while Nigeria has a large population of over 170 million people, it only consumes 11-litres per person, while other countries with large population have far higher consumption per capita.

Dangote Rolls Out Nigeria-Assembled Trucks, Targets 10,000 Vehicles

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Dangote Rolls Out Nigeria-Assembled Trucks, Targets 10,000 Vehicles

Dangote Sinotruck West Africa Limited on Tuesday rolled out its first set of locally assembled Chinese trucks as it began an eight-hour shift, assembling between four and five trucks per day at its Lagos-based plant.

The Group General Manager, Projects, Mr. Hikmat Thapa, who spoke in company with other senior managers of the company after conducting journalists round the assembly plant in Ikeja, said it was the first phase of the project.

He said that the second phase would begin in June with two shifts per day and hoped to do 24 hours daily operation moving from Semi-Knocked Down components to Completely Knocked Down (parts) assembly.

“As soon as we move on to 24-hour daily operation, we will churn out between 20 and 30 trucks per day. We are starting with SKD and now waiting for the CKD parts coming at the end of the month,” he said.

Thapa said the project was a joint venture between Dangote, owned by Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Sinotruck of China, with the former controlling 65 per cent, and the later, 35 per cent.

According to him, the plant, with installed capacity to assemble 10,000 trucks annually, will take care of local demand as well as produce for export to some West African countries.

Thapa also hinted about the company’s plan to start producing the cabin needed by the locally assembled vehicles, which would signal the inclusion of local content in the truck production venture.

He said engine production was part of the programme of the company but did not give details.

The company said, in a statement, it would assemble and produce full range of commercial vehicles covering heavy duty truck, medium truck, light truck and other semi-trailers, which would create 3,000 jobs for Nigerians.

“It will also provide new employment opportunities, improve local automobile technology, equipment and technology level, promote the economic development in Nigeria,” it added.

Giving a background of the technical partner, it stated, “Sinotruk (Hong Kong) Limited, which was eestablished in 1960, has the largest production and export base for heavy-duty truck in China.”

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