General News
DHL Global Technology Conference Highlights African Market Potential
DHL, the world’s leading logistics service provider, held its 5th annual Global Technology conference in Dubai last month, featuring a number of key sessions on doing business in Africa.
Under the theme of “Connecting Markets, Trends & People”, the conference hosted some 300 delegates, including many DHL customers from leading global technology companies, for a three day program of plenary sessions and workshops.
Topics covered included the latest trends, innovations and solutions impacting the technology supply chain and focusing on the Middle East and Africa as key regions of interest with high growth potential.
The “Rise of Africa” plenary session and several workshops set out to explore the potential of and expectations for the African continent, with discussions on how to best navigate existing challenges and trade barriers and tap into growth.
Speakers from a number of African companies illustrated how they successfully operate in various African markets.
Ashish Thakkar, founder and CEO of Mara Group, gave conference delegates interesting and thought-provoking insights with his keynote themed: “Inspiring Africa: Capturing Chances.”
Konga’s Sim Shagaya and Tayo Oviosu, CEO of Paga, made the case for doing business in Africa, advising companies to move beyond negative media hype and become familiar with African countries on the ground in order to explore and tap into the tremendous potential that exists.
Experts predict continued strong growth in the technology sector across Africa, with savvy entrepreneurs such as Shagaya and Oviosu leading the way in e-commerce and mobile payments, and technology segments such as mobile phones still growing at a rapid pace.
It is predicted that internet usage on mobile phones will increase 20-fold in the next five years in Africa, which is double the rate of growth in the rest of the world.
Delegates at DHL’s Technology conference learnt about African consumers’ preferences, such as paying retailers via mobile phone rather than cash and an increasing appetite for well-priced mobile devices, fuelled by a rapidly growing middle class.
Discussions were also held around Africa’s potential for becoming a manufacturing destination for technology goods.
Rob Siegers, president, Global Technology Sector, DHL said: “The technology sector is a highly dynamic industry and the pace of change is rapid. We currently see two distinct trends: the advance of new technologies, such as the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing and others which are changing business models as technology companies are looking to enhance their products by building services around them – and an increasing focus on tapping into growth in emerging nations
“While growth is slowing in some of the traditional markets, emerging nations are gaining importance for technology companies, and Africa is of particular interest to many of our customers. At this year’s conference, we aimed to connect customers with experts who are already successfully running their businesses in Africa.
“Our plenary sessions and workshops were tailored to give unique insights into doing business on the continent and facilitate knowledge sharing and networking.”
Charles Brewer, managing director of DHL Express Sub Saharan Africa added, “We had a team of logistics experts from across Africa on hand to facilitate knowledge sharing and networking, demonstrating that DHL is a strong partner to the technology sector across the continent. We have been in Africa for 37 years and are well positioned to support customers with their end-to-end supply chains and tailor-made logistics solutions to help them overcome challenges and tap into the continent’s tremendous growth opportunities.”
Federal government has temporarily suspended the controversial annual dues imposed on public interest enterprises by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) after fierce opposition from businesses.
Jumoke Oduwole, minister, Industry, Trade, and Investment, announced the decision during a Ministerial Consultative Meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
The move follows mounting pressure from private sector groups, including the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), who slammed the Financial Reporting Council (Amendment) Act 2023 for burdening companies with excessive fees.
The Act mandates cumulative annual charges for non-listed entities and imposes a harsh 10% monthly penalty on unpaid dues, compounding until full payment, a provision that sparked widespread backlash.
At the meeting, major industry players like NECA, MAN, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce (NACCIMA), oil producers, and telecom operators warned that the fees would cripple businesses already struggling in a tough economy.
Oduwole clarified the suspension, stating, “The government has decided to direct the Financial Reporting Council to pause in the implementation of the new annual dues. You know that I am a lawyer, and a suspension request by the organised private sector would be in contravention of legislation duly passed by the National Assembly. A pause is an administrative process simply to review, in line with what we discussed today.”
She assured stakeholders that the halt would last no longer than 60 days, with a technical working group—including FRC officials and private sector representatives—set up to reassess the policy.
“We are a listening administration. The private sector has requested a range from three months to an indefinite suspension. We are not going to do that. So, at the most, 60 days is in my estimate. We are going to set up a technical working group comprised of the FRC and the organised private sector who have formally written in, and this will be reviewed,” Oduwole emphasized.
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it is intensifying efforts to standardise locally manufactured products, including Made-in-Aba brands, in order to enhance both local and international acceptance.
Aharanwa Chuks, Director of Region (South East), SON, communicated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Chuks said through the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), SON ensured that all Nigerian-made products conformed to the relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS).
According to him, MANCAP involves direct engagement with manufacturers to certify that their products meet established quality benchmarks.
“This process includes inspecting production facilities, sampling products and testing them against NIS requirements.
“Successful compliance results in the issuance of the MANCAP certification, signifying adherence to quality standards.
“In Aba, SON has been proactive in educating manufacturers about standardization.’’
The director said SON also conducted stakeholder interactions; gathering manufacturers from various sectors to provide guidance on producing goods that met both local and international standards.
“For instance, leather manufacturers in Aba have been sensitized on standardization practices to enhance the global competitiveness of their products.
“Manufacturers are encouraged to collaborate with SON to obtain MANCAP certification, ensuring their products are not only marketable within Nigeria but also competitive internationally.
“This initiative aims to boost consumer confidence and promote the acceptance of Made-in-Aba products globally,” Chuks said.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has busted a Ponzi Scheme Academy and arrested 133 suspects in Abuja.
They were arrested at the Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, following actionable intelligence on the existence of the Academy.
The Academy, named Q University (a.k.a Q-Net) is in the business of recruiting gullible young Nigerians who are trained to recruit more gullible citizens into the scheme with the promise of getting unrealistic profit returns.
The suspects are enrolled into a training codenamed: “Special Training for New Generation Billionaire” and brainwashed to believe that they would graduate into the league of billionaires.
They got into the training by obtaining a form the promoters called “Independent Representative Application Form” with promotional slogans such as: “I’m a Champion” “I’m Unstoppable”, “I’m Infinity”, among others.
The EFCC carried out the operation in collaboration with officers and men of 176 Guards Battalion, Nigerian Army.
Items recovered from the suspects include phones, computers and other electronic gadgets.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
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