Lagos Motor Fair, Autoparts Expo Africa target Africa markets

As arrangements for the hosting of the 12th  edition of the flagship auto- fair in West Africa ‘The Lagos Motor Fair’ & Autoparts Expo Africa billed to take place at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos from April 24-29, 2017 gathers momentum; the organizers of the annual event, BKG Exhibitions has revealed that the scope of the event has been widened to cover the entire continent of Africa. According to the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the event, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Agwu, their research shows that Nigerians are virtually visible in the auto spare parts sales across the Continent and with most of them having their source of supply from the Nigerian market.

“Our target is to make them and other dealers in Africa get their supplies from Nigeria and thereby supporting the aim of making Nigeria the hub of autoparts production, distribution and sales in the continent, hence the theme “two even continental spread,” he said. •Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu, MD, BKG Exhibitions Contacts and serious promotions of the event are ongoing at the various countries and both Nigerian embassies in those countries and the embassies of the countries in Nigeria have been reached out to and responses so far have been quite encouraging, he said. He said, “strategically, we are laying great emphasis on the Spare Parts sector in this edition as the current challenges confronting the automobile companies have seen a huge number of them with little or no sales, with some closing down or downsizing while the surviving ones are relying on after sales.

To this end, he said we are using this edition to push further the importance of after-sales which heavily rests on the availability of quality autoparts and accessories used in servicing and or repairing vehicles. “We are using this slant to enhance the catalyzing of the development of cottage industries in the spare parts sub-sector of the automotive business sector of the economy with the attendant multiplier effects on the economy of the nation. The need to ginger activities in the sub-sector to complement the setting up of auto clusters as espoused by the automotive policy is another factor we took into consideration. The chairman of the Organising Committee further noted, “our target is to attract many reputable Original Equipment Manufacturers of Spare Parts from across the globe to participate in this edition as well as in subsequent ones. Quite a large number of confirmed  Original Equipment Manufacturers from all over the world are already booking for space to be at the show.

The aim of bringing them to Lagos which is the hub of automotive business in Africa is to enable Nigerians and other Africans engaged in auto spare business work out rewarding and lasting business relationships with the main companies engaged in the manufacture of auto spare parts. On the Motor Fair, Mr. Agwu who is also the Managing Director of BKG Exhibitions Limited stated “we are equally packaging this edition to add more value to their participation.”  Though majority of them are having deeply tough time in business I still urge them to be part of this show so as to use it to tell their stories better as they demonstrate capabilities and display potentials to attract the needed attention from the policy makers.” Nobody can tell our story better than us.

The dynamics and current developments in the sector makes it imperative that we all should join hands to bring the issues confronting the sector to the front burner of economic discuss in the nation and seeing to the possibility of attracting the needed attention.” He however, disclosed that all strategies have been deployed to ensure that the fair more than ever before receives the needed attention from participants, institutional cum professional and individual buyers as well as visitors.

“We are packaging a show that could effectively be used by the participants and visitors to maximize the benefits that they drive from the fair. This edition will bring out all the potentials and investment opportunities that abound in the Nigerian automobile industry, which we know are very attractive so that the existing and potential stakeholders will utilise the opportunities offered by the Lagos Motor Fair and Autoparts Expo Africa holding at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos from the 24th to the 29th of April 2017, to drive them to the maximum”, he announced. According to him; this edition of the annual event is set to provide the litmus test to the shape of things in the industry with the current paradigm shift in the economy, government and the automotive sector.

“The quality and quantity of showcased automobiles is undoubtedly the primary yardstick of measuring the success of any auto exhibition. This means that auto enterprises showcasing at any exhibition must ensure visibility, wholeness and completeness, not leaving anything to chance”. “The Fair remains the unparalleled gathering of established brands as well as new entrants, ranging from passenger buses, cars, trucks, spare parts, accessories, lubricants, financials and many more; adding that the importance of continuously staging the show cannot be over-emphasized as all hands must be on deck to promote and support investments into the sector, as it occupies a strategic position in enhancing the economic development of Nigeria”.

(vanguardngr)

7 signs you are drinking too much alcohol

Many people consider themselves moderate drinkers without knowing that their ‘simple’ one or two or three glasses have slipped into something harmful.

Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares 7 signs you are going overboard with your alcohol consumption.

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  1. Constantly needing to pee at night

The human body makes something known as an anti-diuretic hormone to regulate the amount of urine in our bodies. At night, more of this hormone is produced to help reduce the volume of urine produced so you wouldn’t have to pee so much or at all in the night. Alcohol decreases the production of this hormone and causes you to produce more urine, which therefore makes you wake up to pee constantly at night.

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If you are under 65, even if you naturally drink a lot of fluids like water, fruits etc during the day, at night you really shouldn’t have to wake up to pee. You may have to wake up to pee on odd occasions but definitely not every night. If you notice this constant need to pee every night, check your alcohol consumption.

  1. Regularly waking up with dry eyes

Alcohol dehydrates your entire body and also ends up in your tears, interfering with the lubrication of your eyes. When you notice that your eyes become sticky and you regularly wake up with dry eyes, check that your alcohol intake isn’t to blame.

  1. Spending time in the day thinking of having a drink

You might not necessarily be drinking multiple glasses of drinks all day, but if the thought of a glass of drink is what gets you through the day or any difficult situation, that’s a warning sign. Your mantra becomes, “When I get home, I can have a drink”, “Let me just deal with this and I can have a drink” etc. Using alcohol to self-medicate depression or anxiety only ends up making things worse because alcohol is a depressant itself.

  1. Not sleeping well

Constant alcohol consumption, especially when in excess, can cause your brain to forget how to sleep efficiently and fragmented sleep cycles. You, thus, tend to miss out on the ‘restorative’ parts of your sleep, even on nights you haven’t even had a drink.

  1. Tiredness and forgetfulness

While in your body, alcohol becomes a stimulant when the body breaks it down. In the process, it releases sugars and other substances that cause you to wake up more and most times stops you from getting into REM (the most active part of sleep), which is very important for helping the brain to process mood and for memory. Without getting enough REM, you wake up feeling more grumpy, tired and forgetful.

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  1. Being able to hold your drink

While most people are cheered for this, being able to have a couple of drinks without feeling tipsy is a sign that you are drinking regularly. You are thus able to ‘hold your drink’ because your body has built up a tolerance to the short-term effects of alcohol. The process of your body building up this tolerance increases the production of enzymes that break down the alcohol and in the long-term increases the risk of liver damage.

  1. People close to you are concerned

If your friends, family, co-workers or anyone close to you has hinted or voiced out that it’s time to cut back your alcohol consumption, you should listen. You can ask for their help in helping you cut back and think of ways they can help to hold you accountable.

Editor’s note: Visit here for help with alcoholism

(QED)

Volkswagen looks to team up with Tata in India

German carmaker Volkswagen and India’s Tata Motors plan a future “strategic partnership” in the subcontinent to jointly develop parts and vehicles, the two firms said in a joint statement Friday.

Europe’s and India’s largest auto manufacturers signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) “to unite the expertise of the two carmakers in developing joint vehicle components and even possible concept vehicles,” the statement read.

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Working with Tata will offer the Wolfsburg-based group “specific market knowledge as well as local development expertise,” the statement continued, adding that VW wants to expand its product range in India.

VW aims to “create the conditions to offer appropriate mobility solutions for the new, fast-growing car markets” with the deal, chief executive Matthias Mueller said.

While the path to neighbouring China is well-trodden by western carmakers, India still offers plenty of room for expansion.

Annual car sales are expected to double from just under 3.0 million in 2016 to more than 6.0 million in 2030, said industry expert Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer of Germany’s CAR research centre.

“Even before 2020, India’s car market will be bigger than Germany’s,” Dudenhoeffer said.

But with lower average incomes than in China, the world’s second-most-populous country demands a different approach.

Indian buyers prefer affordable “budget cars”, Dudenhoeffer explained, while Chinese drivers are more interested in high-tech features like internet apps and mobile connectivity.

Czech Republic-based VW subsidiary Skoda — which operates an Indian plant in Aurangabad, Maharashtra state — will take the lead in working with Tata, hammering out the details of the partnership “in the coming months”, Skoda CEO Bernhard Maier said.

As well as the Skoda factory in India, VW already turns out its own-brand cars at a facility in Pune and has several sites belonging to truck units MAN and Scania.

Sales at the auto giant have suffered since it admitted installing software to cheat regulatory emissions tests in 11 million vehicles worldwide, leaving it hunting new sources of growth.

(independent.co.ug)

Investments In Shopping Malls Hit N1.5trn

In spite of the nation’s ailing economy, the retail market has continued to witness increased investment as shown by the rise in the size of portfolios and number of shopping malls and online channels springing up in Nigeria.
Findings by LEADERSHIP Weekend reveal that investment in shopping malls is now estimated to be over N1.5tn, even as investors in hypermarket having Shoprite as one of the anchor tenants would have spent over N354.4bn on only the physical structures of 12 malls between the second quarter of 2015 and early 2018.

The Palms Shopping Mall in Lekki, Lagos is currently undergoing extension with an outlet to be known as the Palm 2 of a 40,000-square retail space, a project which is put at an estimated cost estimated of N50.1bn.
The growth, it was gathered, is in the attempt to satisfy the needs of an emerging middle class, which accounts for approximately 23 per cent of the nation’s roughly 180 million population, estimated to have a combined buying power in excess of N8.5 trillion.

According to statistics from Estate Intel, it costs an average of N1, 253, 245 per square metre to complete a shopping mall in Nigeria, with cost of doing same being a bit higher in Lagos.
The cost involved notwithstanding, Shoprite recently said it was planning to have about 700 outlets in Nigeria in a few years to come. Artee Group, owners of Spar, also hopes to expand the frontiers of its business in Nigeria with about 100 outlets.
This is even as indigenous retailers have also continued to swell their number with names such as Justrite, Addidie, Goodie, Park ‘n Shop, Eneano, Blenco, Bestsavers, Aliba and others that are now changing the shopping experience in Nigeria.
Also, broadband penetration has to a great extent contributed to the growth of supermarket without walls with names like Konga, Jumia, Kaymu, Yudala, Deal Dey, Olx Nigeria, Jiji, Vconnect and many others operating through the online channel delivering goods at buyers’ doorsteps.

“The current status is a journey that has taken these second generation of retailers about 30 years to attain”, John Goldsmith of Artee Group said, while speaking about the growth of hypermarket stores in Nigeria, shortly before the start of holiday sales in a recent year.
A conservative estimate put the number of hypermarkets in Nigeria at 21, each with size at least covering between 10,000 and 40,000 square meters of shop space and parking lot, usually located in the upscale neighborhoods of the cities they are. The Tinapa Shopping Mall alone covers 80,000 square metres.
Goldsmith said as of today, Modern Trade Stores contributes around 2 – 2.5 percent of retail trade in Nigeria vis-à-vis other African countries where Modern Trade Stores’ share of retail sale is much higher. “In Nigeria, being the largest African country in terms of population and economy, we firmly believe that the brick and mortar retailers will continue to grow for years to come”, he added.
One of the challenges of retail industry he identified was that government had so far failed to understand and acknowledge retail as an industry. This has to change because, according to him, retail generates employment and has huge potential to generate huge employment in the coming years.

He said retail has been recognised globally as one of the largest employers of labour and setting up a mall is equivalent or even bigger than setting up a manufacturing factory. Retail is also the conversion point – point of interface between other drivers of economy like manufacturing, real estate, finance and the consumer.
However, many believe that the spread of the big shopping malls is a kind of revolution that may efface the largely unregulated and informal channels of retail mart as the popular names in foreign supermarket chains have continued to spread in the nation’s retail marketing.

These foreign retail franchisees stock wide varieties of consumer goods in larger quantities with cheaper, unbeatable prices in their extra-large, ultra-modern shopping outlets usually characterized by large parking lots, banks and lots of ATMs. In some cases, customers are assured that the deal would be made good if the articles are sold at any cheaper price by other retailers.
Hypermarket stores differentiate themselves as the largest retail store format as opposed to the smaller ones that are in mere supermarket and convenience store format. Hypermarket stores have a wide product assortment ranging from food and grocery, wines and spirits, bakery and butchery, fruits and vegetables, ready meals and snacks, electronics, mobiles phones, IT products, clothing, perfume and watches, gaming products, furniture and many more. In Nigeria, there are only two retail chains operating with hypermarket store format.

However, a Lagos-based public analyst, Henry Boyo, told our correspondent that this trend would only make Nigerian industrialist uncompetitive as government seems to be guarding the foreign retailers. “They have no factories here. They will tell you they are not manufacturers, yet most of the products they stock are not locally made. Economic policy here allows up to 100 percent importation of retail mart and NAFDAC seems less stringent on them than the indigenous retailers”, he said.
The activities of the foreign shopping malls in Nigeria are only helping the supply level of employment of another country, all under the guise of attracting foreign direct investment. “The incursion of the supermarket giants does nobody any good in the long run. They import about 70 or 80 percent of their goods to Nigeria. Except at least 60 percent of articles stocked in these outlets are locally manufactured, we should not be talking of foreign investment”, added Boyo.

Visits to some of the shopping malls around Lagos and the newly opened Palm Shopping Mall, Sango Ota, showed that Nigerians of all social status now throng the malls, especially on weekends. The long lines of shoppers checking out of the malls and the time it took to do so also testify to the fact that hypermarkets are really booming in the country.
It will, however, require effective regulation from the government to check any excesses that may set in from the part of the foreign franchisees. In the same vein, the traditional retailers will need conscientious review of their contents, packaging as well as pricing so as to be relatively competitive in the retail business.

Only then can they withstand the retail giants whose spread and reach pose a threat to the existence of the traditional retailers and key in on the evolving and attractive Nigeria retail market

(Leadership Nigeria)

New Nigerian cement plant planned

A new cement plant and associated limestone quarry are being planned in the state of Ogun, Nigeria, by Southport Cement Ltd, close to existing plants owned by Dangote and Lafarge Wapco.

According to the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), kiln capacity would be 5000 tpy of clinker, providing nominal production capacity of 1.68 million tpy of CEM I cement and 2.13 million tpy of CEM II cement. Raw materials would be sources from the adjacent limestone quarry, which has an expected 40-year’s worth of reserves.

Construction of the plant is expected to take about 25 months with site preparation to begin in 2017 and production to follow in 2019. It would be just 10 km from a Dangote cement plant and 14 km from a Lafarge Wapco cement plant, according to the ESIA.

Nigeria is a growing market for cement with local cement major, Dangote, recently reporting overall demand for cement in the country grew by 5.7% in 2016. Dangote currently controls around 65% of the market, after boosting its share of sales last year – with sufficient capacity spare to begin exports to neighbouring Ghana.

Growth in demand for cement was named as the rationale for building the new plant in the ESIA, with the plant aiming to supply “local areas, as well as markets in the north of the country”.

During operations, the plant and quarry would be operated on an 8-hour, 7 days a week basis, according to the ESIA, providing employment for both skilled and unskilled workers, who are to be housed in accommodation near to the plant.

The plant will be powered by a small captive power plant, fuelled by gas or diesel, a potentially expensive and risky option, although traditional in the Nigerian cement sector. Dangote, recently reported that it has recently completed a conversion from gas and fuel oil to locally-sourced coal, following disruptions to gas supplies and the higher costs associated with using fuel oil.

Southport Cement Limited a wholly Nigerian owned private limited liability company. The Main Business of the Company is Cement Manufacturing, Marketing and Distribution. The Proposed location of the cement manufacturing plant is situated in the southwestern part of Nigeria, Ogun State which is re known for immense limestone deposits (the main raw material for cement production). The Cement Plant is to produce 1.2 million tons of cement annually with local content, sustainability and environmental impact considerations being paramount considerations (High Grade Ordinary Portland Cement particularly PO 42.5)

Planograms – Meaning, its Need and Types of Product Placements

How do you think buildings are constructed ?

With the help of architectural drawings.

An architectural drawing creates a rough print of the building on paper which gives an idea about the floor plans, location of rooms, lobby and so on.

In retail, a planogram replaces architectural drawings. Once a retailer opens a store, he needs to have a rough idea about the store plan. A planogram helps in the same.

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Planograms are similar to architectural drawings and help the retailer to understand where the merchandise should be stocked in order to catch the customer’s attention and make the maximum impact.

Planograms are nothing but diagrams which give the retailer an idea how and where to place the merchandise to attract the customers into the store.

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Need for Planograms – Why Planograms ?

Presentation of product plays an important role at the retail store. With the help of Planograms; a retailer can actually know where to place the products for the maximum effect.

Planogram enables the retailers to stock the products at the right place and at the right time to attract the customers and prompt them to buy.

A retailer can make the best possible use of the available space with the help of planograms.

The merchandiser can actually create an attractive display to entice the customers with the help of planograms.

Planograms indirectly also contribute in maximizing the sale of the merchandise and thus generate revenues for the store. A cluttered store fails to attract the customers. The planograms help the retailer to arrange the products in the best possible way for the customers to pick up almost everything.

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When is a Planogram Prepared ?

A Planogram ideally should be prepared before the merchandise reaches the retail store. The retailer should be very clear where he wants to place his products to impress the customers.

How is a Planogram Prepared ?

There are various softwares available which help to create planograms. These softwares help the retailers to draw three dimensional diagrams of the store and help them visualize the overall image of the store.

Types of Merchandise Placement

Visual Product Placement – Visual Product Placement refers to a technique where the products are placed in a way to immediately catch the attention of the customers walking into the store.

Types of Visual Product Placement

  1. Horizontal Product PlacementAccording to horizontal product placement, products are placed side by side on shelves to offer a wide range of options to the customers.
  2. Vertical product placementThe vertical product placement displays the merchandise on more than one shelf level.
  3. Block PlacementAccording to block placement of products, the related products or merchandise belonging to a similar family are stocked at one place together under one common umbrella.
  4. Commercial Product PlacementCommercial product placement takes into account the brand value of the merchandise. Every customer has a perceived image of the merchandise which decides its placement in the store. A product which has several takers would definitely get the best position as compared to something which does not contribute much to the revenue of the store.
  5. Market share product placementMarket share product placement plan works on a simple strategy:A product which generates the maximum revenue for the store should ideally be placed at a prime location for the customers to notice it and immediately buy it.
  6. Margin Product PlacementAccording to Margin product placement, the more a product earns profit for the retailer, the better the location it is(managementstudyguide)

“The Wedding Party” Movie Loses Over N200 Million

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The Producers of ‘The Wedding Party Movie’, have been hit with major financial setback to the tune of 200 million Naira.

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Just weeks after the crew and cast of the record breaking movie celebrated their N500 million profit, Pirated versions have started selling for N500 in Lagos, N400 in Benin, N300 in Abuja and Port Harcourt, and the cheapest price goes for N200 in Warri, Delta State. It is also available for illegal streaming and downloading on Facebook and earlier on Youtube which reached over 200k views before it got flagged off for copyright and taken down.

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That’s over 200,000 people that would have paid the #1,000 ticket price to watch it at the cinemas which would have earned the producers an extra N200 million.

Due to the volume of funds lost to these dubious means the producers have made plans to take the movie to NETFLIX and then put original CDs out for sale.

(Tunezmedia)

Choosing The Right Washing Machine: A Guide For The Nigerian Consumer

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Today, washing machine is a must-have in the house. The benefit of having one at home is immense for families in Nigeria. As vital as this is, it is equally very important to be sure that you acquire a washing machine that meets your specific laundry requirement.

Hope the following guide helps you to take the right decision in this regard.

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Space

What available space do you have in your house? This factor is key to deciding on the type of washing machine to acquire. So make sure you know what size machine you have room for. If you have limited space, a top-loader may be more viable.

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Size

The size of the drum usually varies between 5kg and 11kg. However, a 7kg normally suffices for most household laundry. If you like to wash few clothes regularly then a smaller drum may be sufficient. If you own plenty of clothes, then larger washes in bigger drums less frequently may be more efficient.

Water Efficiency

Top loaders are very great in minimizing use of water. This feature is especially important onsidering the poor water supply situation in Nigeria. Top loaders allow you to regulate the amount of water used for every set of laundry as water can be manually poured into the drum (just the quantity you need) and drained by turning the “drain selector” knob at the top that allows water to flow out through a hose connected to the back of the machine.

According to Waterwise, a machine that uses less than 7.5 litres of water per kg is considered efficient.

Power Efficiency

Consider buying an Energy Star-labeled washing machine. Using less electricity is both environmentally and financially friendly.

Manufacturers’ Warranty Offer

In Nigeria, you generally get a one-year warranty across board. An extended warranty might be considered for the complex and multiple-feature machines.

Additional Features

  1. You may like to consider settings according to the fibre of clothes, temperature and spin rate required depending on your need.
  2. An additional feature is the delay timer, especially good if you electricity bills aren’t so high (not so great for prepaid meters). You can use this feature to coincide the end of a wash with when you will be available to finish the laundry to reduce the time wet clothes are left in the drum.
  3. Combined washer dryers are useful if you want both.
  4. In addition to the timer that stops the spinning when the spin cycle is complete, some are fitted with safety locks. This feature prevents children from opening the lid during the spin cycle.

In closing, according to The Guardian, a good machine should do the basics well, while more complex ones have increased potential to go wrong and can be more expensive to fix.

(NigeriaConsumers)

7 Reasons Molfix Diaper is Best For Your Baby

All mums will agree that ‘A happy baby equates a happy Mum’. At Molfix Diapers, we believe that babies are the leaders of tomorrow and keeping them happy and free goes a long way in fostering their development.

Our diapers guarantee these and so much more because of its anatomic structure and other features detailed below:

1. Special Umbilical Cord Notch, which seats below your newborn’s umbilical cord, allowing it to be aerated and heal properly. Available only in the newborn (size 1)

2. Extra absorbent green layer, soaking up all your baby’s pee

Leak-proof barriers, to prevent leakages of any sort

3. Super elastic sidebands, giving your baby freedom of movement and also allows the diaper to adjust to your baby’s changing tummy size as they feed. No need to re-adjust

4. Breathable back sheet, allowing free flow of air and prevent diaper rash

5. Soft Top sheet, which is friendly with your baby’s skin and very comfortable too

6. Colourful designs, to give your little one’s wardrobe some zing!

Molfix diapers are available in 5 sizes – Newborn, Mini, Midi, Maxi & Junior.

So, be a smart mum by using the right diapers! Get Molfix diapers for your precious babies now and join the Mo clan. You’ll thank us later. We’re taking over Nigeria, one baby bum at a time.

(ffl)

Penzaarville Africa to teach Nigerians ‘proper use of social media’

Penzaarville Africa, a digital marketing agency, is set to host a conference to help entrepreneurs and business owners understand how to properly use social media.

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The first edition of the conference, which is tagged Handle it Africa and themed ‘Social Media: Language of Expression’, will hold on March 31 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Olufemi Oguntamu, chief executive office of Penzaarville Africa, said the conference will bridge the gap between innovation, communication and development.

“Over the years, we have looked for avenues that people with common interests can meet to share innovative ideas on the future of social media, that is why we created Handle it Africa,” he said.

“The conference will bridge the gap between innovation, communication and development, hence facilitating the growth of industry at large.

“The conference will bring together brands, organizations and pop-culture influencers.

“A segment of the conference will feature a panel discussion with some of the most respected industry key players as panelists.”

According to the organiser, registration for the conference is free and can be done on www.handleitafrica.com.

(thecable)