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Institute for Fiscal Studies to Set Up N5 Billion Fund for Entrepreneurship

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BWN
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President of Institute for Fiscal Studies, Mr Godwin Ighedosa, has said that the institute is putting together five billion naira to be disbursed as loans to help young entrepreneurs start businesses.

He made the statement in Abuja on Thursday when members of the Institute visited the National Productivity Centre.

Ighedosa said that the fund, which would be sourced from other partners, would help these entrepreneurs access money to engage in businesses.

The partners are Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and some other foundations and NGOs that were largely focused on entrepreneurship and enterprise development.

He said that the loan was aimed at empowering students and retirees.

“We have put together an initial capital of about five billion naira and we are engaging various firms that will be working as business incubators.

“The young students and retirees after retirement instead of waiting for pension have a lot of ideas that they can put to use in terms of business development and economic planning,’’ he said.

He noted that collateral and interest rates were the major obstacles to establishing businesses in Nigeria.

“So what we intend to do is to provide them access to some kind of seed money that they can use to start these businesses.

“As for the collateral, we are working with some government agencies to find a way to strengthen property rights law in the country where you can get to a position where the idea itself can serve as collateral for the money.’’

He said that the interest rate would be single digit.

He added that this will provide people access to the money to further assist them through the formative years of the business until they could pay the money back.

Ighedosa said that the aim of the visit to the centre was to seek partnership with it to add value to the programme.

Responding, the Director-General of the Centre, Mr Kashim Akor, said that the centre was fully ready to cooperate with the institute by providing an enabling environment for the success of the project.

Represented by the Director, Planning and Policy Analysis, Mr Samuel Oyibo, said that the centre would provide human capital and
other resources.

He, however, noted that the centre would consider the benefits of the project to Nigerians before it could be granted

Lagos Assembly Tasks Education Ministry on Dilapidated School Buildings

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BWN
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Lagos state House of Assembly has called for a meeting with the Ministry of Education to as a matter of urgency commence an integrity test on the two-storey dilapidated building of Ogba Primary School,Ogba in Ikeja Local Government Area of the state.

According to the lawmakers the building, was showing signs of collapse just 23 years after its construction and needed urgent attention. The news as presented by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi recommends that where the dilapidated building meets the test, it should be immediately renovated before the pupils are returned to their classrooms at the earliest possible time. The House also directed the State Ministry of Environment to deflood the school as it had remained flooded.

Ogunyemi said his committee visited the school following a petition by the school’s Parents-Teachers Association, PTA and that it observed that “the building is in a state of repair and therefore not conducive for learning. Besides, it is also unsafe to the lives of the pupils and teachers in the school.

“The pupils have to be transferred to share classrooms in Ogba School II”, Ogunyemi later said. Some of the lawmakers observed that some of the classrooms were overcrowded thus endangering the lives of the pupils.

It was also noted that there were no toilet facilities in the school and that the pupils are forced to use the facilities at the school II. “The only toilet in the school is blocked and the school shares convenience with Ogba Primary School II,” the report states.

Adding to the report, Hon. Rasheed Makinde suggested that integrity test should be carried on all schools in the state adding that a school in the Ojokoro area was suffering same fate. Some of the lawmakers noted that a part of the building was falling off. Hon. Abiodun Tobun said part of the recommendations should be that if the building fails integrity test, it should be urgently demolished.

6 Things To Know When Renting Your First Apartment

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BWN
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Renting your first apartment comes with a feeling of satisfaction and responsibility, giving you that fantastic confidence of possession.

It is important to understand that renting your first apartment goes beyond siting the location and making payments. It also involves several other research and considerations, as well as taking calculated risks to fully enjoy all of its potentials.

As someone with plans of renting an apartment soon, it is imperative that you put into utmost consideration these vital suggestions, so you can save up even in the process of purchase.

Budget

Ensuring that you know what your budget is before renting an apartment is important; it will help cut short unnecessary expenses and set your mind on not exceeding stated financial plans. Renting an apartment has to evolve around your income after other pressing needs have been well sorted out, and as such you have to scout for houses that are affordable. The price of the apartment annually has to be scrutinized in other to be sure if keeping up with it won’t be excruciating.

Location

Before renting an apartment, you have to put into consideration its accessibility. Its proximity to your daily ventures has to be calculated. The location of your apartment has to be centered on reliable security and provision of other amenities such as electricity, water and good roads. All these have to be factored into the selection of an apartment as it will help prevent future inconveniences.

Must Haves; Nice to Have; Not Necessary to Have

When we get into the interior decoration, house appliances and other varieties that spice up an apartment you have to be more definite. There are lots of things you want to have installed in your newly rented apartment, but it is also profitable to analyze and select categorically the most viable. You have to be able to distinguish between what is of pressing importance and what isn’t, so you don’t have to spend beyond your budgeted plans. After you are fully settled in and recovered from your expenditures, you can then pursue other desires.

Ask Questions

Having limited interaction with people in your purposed vicinity wouldn’t help your research on the environment where your apartment is situated. You have to venture into esoteric conversations with others in the environment, familiarize yourself with a considerable number of people. Find out how it’s been coordinated and programmed. Speak to the woman who owns the provisions store down the street, or the security guard who mans the gate into the street. Get acquitted with your soon-to-be neighbors and create a bond even before moving in.

Future Growth

This is one thing everyone aiming to rent an apartment must be conscious about. You have to create provision for future expansion, having a contingency plan will help work the magic. Whichever apartment you are planning on renting must be spacious enough to contain any sudden growth and inclusions. There are a million and one tendency that as the years roll by you are liable to change and the growing need to increase. Hence, to avoid constant movement and transfer of property, you must put this into consideration.

Renting a new apartment can be quite a challenging and rigorous experience, but getting it right make all the difference in just having a house, or a place you can truly call home.

Top 5 Tips for A Safe Gaming Experience  

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BWN
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Games are enjoyed by everyone. They can be interactive, social and fun. However, excessive gaming can be addictive. This addiction has been accelerated by the introduction of online games which is not helped by the fact that many phones are now internet compatible.

If you use your system for regular gaming, it is important to protect yourself as well as your personal computer. Jovago.com, Africa’s No 1 hotel booking portal shares tips on how to have a secure and safe gaming experience.

gam

Only play on trusted sites 

The rule of thumb for surfing the internet is that you should only visit trusted sites. This is the same thing for gaming. If you have doubts about the site do not bother to play any games as hackers can take over your system. If possible, you can use a site advisor extension like McAfee. The site advisor will immediately alert you if the site is unsafe.

Security software 

If you are surfing the internet without any antivirus, you are exposing yourself to internet attack. So, this should be one of the first things you should do if you want to have a safe gaming experience. The better the security software, the safer and more secure the gaming experience will be.

online-gamers

Don’t Share Personal Information 

Creating an online identity means you will be releasing your personal information which may include name, addresses, age, pictures, passwords and other private information. If it is possible to use  pseudo-information, do so, rather than providing all your information online.

Watch out for cyber-bullying

Today, many children are being bullied online by friends, and classmates without the knowledge of their parents. If your children play online games, it is important to check if they are being harassed. Some game software  allows users to block players that are abusive or foul-fingered when playing games.

playing-games

Be Careful when making in-app purchases

Quite a number of gaming platforms make money by selling things like extra guns, extra firepower, and extra lives. There are no limits to these purchases especially of you are addicted to it and you want to continue the game at all cost. However, you know that when making these purchases, you are required to provide your credit card number. It is advisable to think about this gaming purchase carefully before you buy any of these things online.

E-commerce Offers Unique Opportunities for Women – Kaymu

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BWN
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In the last decade, e-commerce has changed millions of people’s lifestyles globally as thousands of internet companies have facilitated buying and selling and revolutionized daily transactions through the use of technology and the internet.

The continuous growth in e-commerce can offer unique opportunities for women of all ages and backgrounds to transform their lives and become breadwinners. As Kaymu – Nigeria’s top online shopping community- celebrates a month dedicated to women and mothers everywhere, they have taken the time to identify the rising importance of the role of women in e-commerce and the benefits that the industry can bring specifically for women.

When it comes to e-commerce purchasing trends, women drive both online purchases and overall purchase decisions globally. Women account for 58 percent of all online purchases, and decide 83-87 percent of consumer purchases. Since they are the major stakeholders in purchasing, it follows suit that they also be the major stakeholders in selling.

This is the case at Kaymu, where more than half of merchants on the sites are women. A majority of our top merchants are women and some shared their stories in this video in celebration of International Women’s Day. While sharing their stories, these women shed light on the benefits of setting an online shop for women and called other women to not feel intimidated by their lack of experience or capital and do the same.

Women undoubtedly have innate management and entrepreneurial skills as historical homemakers. E-commerce sites like Kaymu enable them to leverage these skills and apply them to a money-making business.

For the single mother or the stay-at-home mom, an e-commerce shop is a means of making income and pursuing a business passion from the comfort of her home, while continuing to be dedicated to raising her children.

For working women, e-commerce is an avenue to make more money on the side, while exerting little effort, and in an attempt to combat the global gender pay gap whereby on average, women get paid just over 50% of what their male counterparts earn for doing the same job. In Nigeria, the average woman earns only 57% of what the average man earns.

For retired women, starting a home business is a way to remain independent and stimulated and partake in the economy. For all women, especially those that end up in circumstances incompatible with their passions, starting an e-commerce business is a viable way to take ownership of their business interests, experiment with different products, and succeed as money-making business people.

Getting an e-commerce business started is as easy as going to the market and purchasing 10 pieces of a single good, whether that is a natural hair product or a fashion item. “The beauty of e-commerce is how easy it is and how much potential it has, especially with sites like Kaymu providing partners who handle logistics and payments. This enables women to focus on their core businesses and become better traders” – Sefik Bagdadioglu, MD of Kaymu Nigeria.

Aregbesola Renames All Tertiary Institutions in Osun State

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BWN
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The Governor of Osun state, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has renamed all tertiary institutions, with the state-owned university Osun State University UNIOSUN named after the slain minister of justice and attorney general of the federation, Chief Bola Ige.

He also renamed all the tertiary institutions in the state at the convocation ceremony of the university where Mrs, Folorunsho Alakija was also announced as the new chancellor of the institution.

The institutions renamed are: Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke now Bisi Akande College of Technology; Osun State Polytechnic Iree now, Sunday Afolabi Polytechnic; College of Education, Ila Orangun now Adeyemi Oyeduntan College of Education and the College of Education Ilesa which is now to be known as Lawrence Omole College of Education.

Others also include UNIOSUN College of Law, Ifetedo now Kayode Esho College of Law; College of Social Sciences and Management Okuku, now Olagunsoye Oyinlola College of Social Sciences and Management; College of Agriculture Ejigbo, now Isiaka Adeleke College of Agriculture; College of Education Ipetu Ijesa, now Ezekiah Oluwasanmi College of Education and College of Humanities and Culture, Ikire, now Eniola Atanda College of Humanities and Culture.

The new chancellor, Alakija has described her conferment and the award of honorary doctorate degree in business administration as unique.

Earlier, Aregbesola had congratulated Alakija for her accomplishments.

With her rank she becomes the first female chancellor in public universities in Nigeria. for counting the University worthy and accepting to serve as the Chancellor of the university when she could have easily turned down top universities in Europe and America with the same request.

FG Appoints Dakuku Peterside as New NIMASA DG

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BWN
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The Federal Government has appointed Dr Dakuku Peterside as the Director General of Nigerian Maritime administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

A statement signed by Yetunde Sonaike, the Director, Public Relations, Ministry of Transportation in Abuja said that the appointment was with immediate effect.

Peterside was the governorship candidate of APC in April.11, 2015 governorship election in River state and also a former member, House of Representative from 2011 to 2015.

According to the statement, Peterside has a Doctorate Degree in Management Science from the University of Port Harcourt and MBA in Business Administration.

He also holds a Bachelor Degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences (B.MLS) in Hematology from Rivers State University of Science and Technology.

Reps Insist on Payment of N1.04 Trillion Fine by MTN

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BWN
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The House of Representatives has reiterated that MTN pay the N1.04 trillion fine imposed on it by the Nigeria Communications Commission for defaulting in deactivation of unregistered SIMs.

The Chairman, House Committee on Telecommunications, Hon. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, noted that the down payment of N50 billion paid by MTN for out of court negotiation was not adequate for undermining government’s efforts at tackling terrorism challenges in the country.

“The law is there for you to abide by and not for you to go against them. MTN has been trying to circumvent the process and find a way of running away from the law instead of them facing the music’’, Akinade-Fijabi stated.

Hon Johnson Agbonayinman, a member of the committee, posited that MTN violated sections 19 of the Telephone Subscribers Regulations under the Communications Act, which states that “Any licensee who fails to capture register, deregister or transmit the details of every individual or corporate subscriber to the central data base as specified in the regulation or as may be stipulated from time to time by the Commission is liable to a penalty of N200 000 for each subscription medium”.

 “MTN’s failure to deactivate 5.2 million SIM cards should be liable to a fine of N2.8 trillion.’’

NECO Releases Nov/Dec SSCE Results as 43.52% Pass credit Level

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BWN
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The National Examinations Council (NECO) yesterday released results of the 2015 November/December Senior School Certificate Examination. About 43.52  per cent of candidates passed at credit level.

Prof. Abdulrashid Garba, NECO’s Registrar/Chief Executive, announced the results at its headquarters in Minna, said of 50,060 candidates that registered, 47,507 sat for English language and 47,554 sat for mathematics.

Garba said 29,718 (62.55 per cent) got credit passes in English language. Also, 32,484 candidates  obtained credit passes in maths.

Garba added that 43.73 per cent got credit passes in biology, and in chemistry, 11,951(53.63 per cent), obtained credit passes.5

Also, about 22,201 candidates, who sat for physics, 818 (3.68 per cent) passed at credit levels.

In geography, 19,781 sat for the examination and 3,851 or 19.46 per cent passed at credit levels.

In economics, 39,406 sat for the examination and 23,991 or 60.88 per cent passed at credit levels.

The registrar said malpractice was high as against previous years, adding that the council was devising ways to curb the malaise.

He concluded by saying that candidates should access results on NECO’s website using their registration number and scratch cards.

NNPC Undergoing Restructuring, Not Unbundling – Kachikwu

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BWN
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Minister of state for petroleum resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has denied reports of the unbundling of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), rather what the ministry has carried out is a reorganisation of the NNPC.

He said: “We have not unbundled NNPC. We had a press conference yesterday (Tuesday) where I explained this. What we have simply done is reorganisation. We have five business entities focused on business – Upstream, Downstream, Refineries, Gas and Power – that are there before.

“There is also Ventures that captures all our little companies that were not having proper stewardship. They are run by individuals who report to the group managing director (GMD).

“The NNPC is still a whole. There is nothing new that has happened. I have tried to explain this and I am sure the NNPC workers are members of the family; they will understand. We are going to have a meeting, and they will be made to understand. Perhaps the engagement has not been good enough.

“NNPC has not been unbundled in the sense of breaking up NNPC into distinct institutions. I am concerned; I don’t want the industry shutdown. I am sure we are going to resolve the issues very soon.”

 

FG Won’t Import Food to Facilitate School Feeding Programme – Osinbanjo

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BWN
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Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has announced that the Federal Government would not import food to implement the school feeding aspect of its social investment programmes. He made this statement while receiving a delegation of the World Food Programme at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The delegation was led by its Executive Director, Ms. Ertharin Cousin.

He said the Home-Grown School Feeding, through which primary school pupils would receive one full meal a day would “energise the agriculture base in the state so that the farmers can benefit.”

Osinbanjo noted that the programme would also create jobs, not only for farmers, but caterers, adding that the entire value-chain would be beneficial to the local communities.

He added that the Federal Government would partner with the World Food Programme, a UN agency, in the implementation of the feeding programmes. He further emphasised the importance of such partnership because “nutrition is important for school children at that tender age”.

Ms. Ertharin Cousin lauded the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration in addressing the plight of Internally Displaced Persons in the North East, adding that the UN agency is committed to strengthening the school feeding programme in Nigeria.

Ekiti State House of Assembly Summons Fayemi over N852 Million UBEC Fund

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BWN
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Fayemi

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has handed out a 13-day notice to Dr. Kayode Fayemi to avail himself and explain the alleged misappropriation of N852 million the state accessed from the Universal Basic Education Commission fund during Fayemi’s tenure. The lawamakers asked Fayemi, who is currently the Minister of Solid Mineral, to appear before it on March 22.

The Leader of Government Business, Mr. Tunji Akinyele, stated that the misappropriated UBEC fund had caused the state to be blacklisted by the commission.

Fayemi, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Yinka Oyebode, had said Fayose’s administration should be blamed for the blacklisting.

“The Fayose government is to blame for this. Its crude approach to governance, careless utterances and verbal threats to financial institutions shortly after the June 21, 2014 election made many banks to review their relationships with the state.

“The issue of diversion does not occur, the bank simply withdrew its support because of the negative signal it got from the Fayose administration. So, Fayose should be blamed for everything.”

Transport Ministry to Audit Maritime Agencies

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BWN
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The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the maritime industry agencies will from next week undergo a performance audit.

The agencies to be audited include the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Authority, National Inland Waterways Authority, and the Nigerian Shippers Council.

The minister made this know on Tuesday at the opening of a regional training course on port state control organised by the NIMASA and the Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African region.

Amaechi said, “I have received a written approval from President Muhammadu Buhari to commence the performance audit and carry out massive reforms in the maritime sector of Nigeria’s economy.

“ Also, For that reason, I don’t want to step on too many toes; I want to make sure that for every step I take, I have prove, which inform my actions. So, NIMASA, NPA, NIWA and NSC will be audited from next week.”

Amaechi also hinted of a likely purge of the leadership of the various Federal Government agencies operating in the sector, adding that it was important for all Nigerians to benefit from the maritime sector instead of a situation where a few people were benefiting.

 

FCMB To Empower Communities Through Training Programmes

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BWN
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First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has said the social intervention training programme it organised for the people of Bayeku community in Ikorodu, Lagos state has begun to yield positive results. The project, which trained beneficiaries was aimed towards the conversion of water hyacinths to make handicrafts, was in partnership with MitiMeth.

The training was initiated and sponsored by the bank as part of its environmental sustainability and poverty alleviation effort to curb the menace of water hyacinths (that is, weeds that infest waterways that disrupt water transportation and fishing, while promoting general increase in several diseases). Infestation by water hyacinth is usually heavy on the waters surrounding Bayeku community at various times of the year, negatively impacting livelihoods – transportation, fishing and health – in the area.

Upon successful completion of the workshop, co-operatives focused on converting the hyacinth to handicrafts such as baskets, lamps, vases, etc were established in the affected communities. With the new skills learnt, women and youths of Bayeku community have been empowered to turn a disadvantage into a source of income.

The Team Lead, CSR and Sustainability of FCMB, Mrs. Temitayo Ade-Peters, expressed excitement about the development.
According to her the bank’s intervention was borne out of its CSR mantra of, “Teach a man to fish,” she added that,

“With this capacity building and empowerment programme, we have been able to preserve the environment and empower people in the community to create additional sources of income thereby reducing poverty.”

nTel Announces Pre-Launch Number Reservation Campaign for

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BWN
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ntel

Nigeria’s latest entrant into the telecoms scene and advanced 4G/LTE network operator, ntel, has announced an exciting pre-launch opportunity to early pre-subscribers as it prepares to enter the market.

According to the telecoms operator, the first batch of subscribers to reserve their numbers on the network and subsequently SIM-activate after launch, will be recognised as pioneers on Nigeria’s newest mobile network, marking them out as among those to reap the company’s promise of abundant broadband on it’s pure-play Advanced 4G/LTE network.

In a statement, ntel’s Chief Executive Officer Kamar Abass said: “ntel is a proudly Nigerian company fully committed to empowering Nigerians through a technologically advanced pure-play 4G/LTE network. We are offering pioneer status to the first batch of subscribers. Those who reserve their numbers, and subsequently SIM-activate with us, will be the vanguard of a select corps. of privileged subscribers.”

The number reservation campaign, which opened yesterday, for the next one month, offers subscribers, who log on to ntel’s website, www.ntel.com.ng, the opportunity to pick and reserve up to five numbers and, provided they register on time, will become ntel pioneers.

The company, which made its first voice over LTE call in Lagos on February 25, is leading the way as Nigeria’s most advanced 4G/LTE network.

ntel is entering a vibrant market, with four established players, but it hopes to make a mark with its full commercial launch of high-definition voice, video and high-speed Internet Access over Advanced 4G/LTE. ntel’s network is built on the 900/1800 Mhz, which is recognised as the most widely used frequencies for the deployment of 4G/LTE technology.

Commenting further, Abass noted that “We expect to see more than 50m 4G/LTEsubscribers in Nigeria by 2020 and ntelis delighted to be leading this transformation towards that critical mass of customers.”

MasterCard Start Path on a Mission to Engage Best Startups from Middle East and Africa

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BWN
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Technology and data are transforming the way consumers and businesses interact with each other, driving a need to bring new ideas to market with greater speed.  The right corporate-startup partnership gives startups an accelerated path to scale innovative solutions.

The MasterCard Start Path Global 2016 program has been designed with that objective and has launched a call for applications across the globe. Since 2014, Start Path has provided more than 60 startups a variety of operational support, mentorship, and investment to develop the next generation of commerce solutions.

Middle East and Africa (MEA)                                                                                                                              

Start Path has seen success in the MEA region and is intensifying its search as a continuing reminder of the innovation potential of local startups. In MEA, the program is currently working closely with startups including Saida, a startup that has developed an app that uses the data on the customers’ smartphones to underwrite loans to them in minutes. The app has just launched in Kenya and has been instrumental in providing over 16,000 loans.

“Startups are actively experimenting with new solutions aimed at transforming the status-quo across a wide variety of industries including financial services, retail, and healthcare” said Stephane Wyper, global lead of MasterCard Start Path. “We can provide critical support through operational expertise and access to a steady pipeline of customers, channels and partners. In just two years, Start Path Global has a strong record of helping startups transform innovations into sustainable business propositions.”

Apply Now

Each quarter, MasterCard Start Path recruits a new class of startups to embark on the six-month virtual program. The program is currently accepting applications for its next class. The application window to join the next class is open until Monday, March 21, 2016.  To apply, visit: www.startpath.com. The program is open to all non-US based startups.

How to Apply to Start Path Global:

  1. Submit your application at www.f6s.com/mastercardstartpathglobal2016 by 5 pm GMT on Monday, March 21, 2016
  2. Receive email confirmation of your application from the Start Path team
    • For some companies, the Start Path team will contact you for a call to further discuss your application.
  1. The Start Path team will invite 20 companies to a Pitch Day in Toronto on May 11 and 12, 2016
    • The Pitch Day is an opportunity not only to pitch for selection into the program, but also to meet with big-brand partners of the program.
  1. Eight companies will be provided with an offer to join the program.
  2. The program will kick off with an immersion week in June 2016 (location to be confirmed)

Two information sessions will be held to walk interested groups through the application process:

  • Wednesday, March 16, 9am GMT
  • Wednesday March 16, 5pm GMT

To register, please click here:  www.startpathglobal.youcanbook.me

ICAN Pledges to Support OAGF on Forensic Auditing

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BWN
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The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria has promised to support the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation in the area of forensic inspection of transactions in the public sector.

Mr. Samuel Deru,The President, ICAN, made the pledge when he led a delegation of the institute on a visit to the Auditor General for the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, in Abuja on Wednesday.

Mr Deru also called on auditors in the public sector to always sharpen their auditing skills by upgrading their knowledge in the area of international audit standards.

The AGF said his office had helped the training of auditors on performance and environmental auditing with the aim of improving their technical know-how.

 

 

Obtain BVN Or Risk Non Payment Of Salaries – Kwara Governor

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BWN
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The Kwara State Government has urged state and local government workers and pensioners that are yet to provide their Bank Verification Number (BVN) for the ongoing staff verification exercise to do so within seven days or risk non payment of salaries.

The state governor, Alh Abdulfatah Ahmed stated that government has no intention of withholding any worker’s salary without justification, adding that the affected workers and pensioners will still be credited with their salaries and pensions but will not be able to access the money until they obtain BVN.

He said the intention behind the personnel database system is to give the government an accurate picture of the state and local government councils’ payroll and ensure that only those properly employed receive salaries and pensions.

The alternate chairman of the committee, Alhaji Isiaka Gold disclosed that of the 82, 642 workers so far verified by the committee, only 49, 579 have valid BVNs while 124 were discovered to have fake BVNs.

 

Stanbic IBTC Offers Nigerians in Diaspora More Access to BVN Registration

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BWN
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To ensure that its teeming customers in the Diaspora are not denied access to their accounts and other financial services in Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Bank, a member of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, has expanded the registration process for the Biometric Verification Number (BVN) for its customers at designated centres across the world.

The bank assured its customers that efforts have been made to ensure that the registration is easy, seamless and fast through the strategic location of enrolment points at VFS Global and Online Integrated Solutions (OIS) centres across the world.

The Central Bank of Nigeria had earlier announced extension of the BVN registration deadline for bank customers who live abroad till June 2016 to ensure that they are all reached and their biometrics captured. The registration guidelines provided by the CBN for clients in Diaspora show that BVN enrolment can be done at offshore branches of any Nigerian bank and through the service centres of the two service providers, Online Integrated Solutions (OIS) and VFS Global, the apex bank engaged.

The centres provided to further drive enrolment are: London, Leicester and Manchester in the United Kingdom; Dubai; Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China; Jeddah, Riyadh and Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia; Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the US. Others are: Toronto and Vancouver in Canada; Paris, France; Rome, Italy; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Ankara, Turkey; Kiev, Ukraine; New Delhi, India; Moscow, Russia; Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney in Australia   

Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Babatunde Macaulay, said the bank will continue to provide the necessary support and assistance to its clients in Diaspora to ensure that they are all properly registered.  “It is our desire to ensure that no customer is denied access to their accounts or other financial services as a result of failure to do the BVN enrolment, which is why we are doing everything possible to speed up the registration process by providing relevant information and support to account holders who live abroad,” Macaulay said.

Diamond Bank Calls for Enhanced Quality Healthcare for Nigerian Women

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BWN
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Diamond Bank

Diamond Bank has brought to the fore the importance of improved and enhanced quality healthcare for women, drumming the urgent need for increased support and awareness of the ravaging effect of Endometriosis, a silent but growing health condition that exposés women to cancer, infertility and severe periodic pains.

Highlighting the significant role that good healthcare plays in stimulating the economic contribution of women to the gross domestic product, GDP, Diamond Woman, a female-friendly initiative of the Bank, stated that there is an urgent need for a collective strategic refocus and concerted action against the disease through increased awareness.

In a five kilometer trek with Endometriosis Support Group of Nigeria (ESGN), the Bank, the major sponsor of the event, restated its commitment to the total wellbeing of women, noting that their importance in the business place and society generally, cannot be downplayed by ignoring the pains and challenges that confront them in their collective and individual pursuits to contribute to the growth of the economy.

The Bank’s chief spokesperson, Ayona Trimnell, stated that Diamond Bank is very passionate about the health and economic wellbeing of women, pointing that as an invaluable force in the production circle of the society women deserve unhindered access to affordable and good healthcare. According to her, an enhanced and good quality healthcare for the women will translate to total wellbeing of the family.

“At Diamond Bank, we view the life of the woman as a total package that encompasses her economic, health and social wellbeing. Diamond Woman, as an initiative that caters for the complete woman, is very passionate about the education and awareness level of the woman especially in dealing with health conditions like Endometriosis. This march is to raise awareness of the disease and keep women on the alert.”

Reiterating Ayona, Aishah Ahmad, Head, Consumer Banking, stated that only a healthy woman could succeed in her career and family, adding that Diamond Woman, is not just a platform for enhanced financial lifestyle and healthcare but also, a networking platform meant to improve the welfare of women.

“For a woman to succeed in her business or family she needs to be healthy, so drawing her attention to endometriosis also impacts on her from the financial perspective.”

According to Dr. Abayomi Ajayi of Endometriosis Support Group, endometriosis is a condition in which tissue which normally grows inside the uterus grows outside, pointing that most women are not aware of the condition until it is diagnosed at the advanced stage.

“It involves our women and it is a lifelong condition women need to know how to manage it so that they can have quality life and enjoy their marriages. It is a chronic disease where tissues that are normally found lining the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body forming lesions. During menstrual flow, these lesions bleed in their locations leading to pain. The most common symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, painful bowel movement, menstrual pain and sometimes some degree of infertility.” Research shows that the condition affects about 176 million women worldwide.

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