News
Sheyi Shay Unveiled as Face of Gionee in Nigeria
Gionee in a strategy move to reach out to teeming consumers in Nigeria, has unveiled Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua (a.k.a Sheyi Shay), the iconic Nigerian singer, writer, performer and R&B Artist with a superb blend of lyrics, as the new brand ambassador.
The choice of the iconic artist according to the Gionee, is to make products of Gionee appealing to Nigerians and create a stunning brand reputation locally.
The new brand ambassador is expected to lead the brand’s promotional activities, become a spokesperson for the brand, and help reach the targets many Nigerians, who are music lovers and fans of Sheyi Shey.
Speaking on the choice of the brand ambassador for Gionee in Nigeria, Somoye Habeeb, marketing director, Gionee Nigeria, expressed confidence that Sheyi Shey has all it takes to Gionee brand to the apex, where it belongs.
He said the choice of Sheyi is justified in all ramifications considering the criteria and yardstick provided by the company, adding that the iconic singer stood out amidst other contenders.
“We needed an ambassador to localize the brand. To tell it around the world that Gionee is in Nigeria to stay. Gionee is one of the top five mobile phone brands in the world. We had a list to pick from but we wanted somebody that will sell the value we stand for, he said.
“We needed a popular artist, beautiful, energetic, of good age and a socially responsible person. We looked at the demography of this artist and that of our target customers. We also considered the psychographic factors. And Sheyi Shay combines all these and that was why she won the chance to be the face of Gionee brand,” Chukwuka Austin, managing director, Gionee Nigeria added.
Speaking at the event, Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua, the new face of Gionee said, the brand matches the uniqueness of her style of music and her personality; adding that she will do everything within her power to make the brand a household name in Nigeria.
“I got to where I am today by hard work and I’m very grateful for the position I’m in today. For me, Gionee represents freshness, strength, agility and the future. So when I was approached to take up this role, I had to oblige because this is everything I built my brand up to be.
“My brand of music is organic and I appeal to a wide segment of the market ranging from age 12-50. I intend on pushing with all my might to make Gionee the number one phone here in Nigeria. I look forward to a great and productive relationship with Gionee,” she said
Sheyi Shay
She has several musical hits in her kitty, her single ‘Irawo’ released in 2013 is still enjoying waves and it is no surprise the singer chose the name ‘Irawo’, meaning ‘Star’ in Nigerian native language Yoruba because she’s a star. Known for her stage energy and power, she has performed in some of the finest A-list events in Nigeria and across Africa, including The Big Brother Africa show and the MTV Mama 2015 Awards in Durban, where she performed with Grammy-award winning international artist, Neyo. She was also nominated for Best Female and Best Music Video at the MTV Mama 2015 Awards.
She has been selected because of her success over the years in the music industry and far being an inspiration to millions of Nigerians, she will work towards the attainment of the interest and attention of the customers.
Her duty is to make the products, services, and other offering of Gionee more appealing, so as to draw the customer’s preferences towards the brand, representing the organization at the time of celebration events, trade displays, exhibitions, and other promotional events. Her primary function is to be spokespersons for Gionee.
She will appear in regional and local media like magazines, periodicals, public shows, television shows, etc., and advertise the products of the Gionee.
Gionee
Gionee Communication Equipment Co. Ltd. was founded in September 2002 by Liu Rong. It is a high-tech enterprise that focuses on R&D, production and sale of cellular mobile devices. In 2005, Gionee obtained the GSM and CDMA mobile phone production license.
R&D Centres are set up in Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou among several other places. In 2006, the first phase of the project had a total investment of more than 1 billion RMB, covering an area of 500 acres at the Gionee Industrial Park. The production capacity currently stands at 40 million units per year.
Once the entire industrial park is completed and put into production, production capacity will reach 80 million units per year, making Gionee Industrial Park the largest mobile phone production site in China.
In addition, Gionee has 41 provincial general sales agents and 40 provincial service centres with over 500 franchised outlets. In 2007, we received the honorary title of “Guangdong Province Famous Trademark”. In 2011, Gionee achieved an overall market share of 7.2% and GSM market share of 11.2%. These accolades put Gionee in the third place in the overall cellular market, and in the first place in terms of the domestic market.
Since 2011, Gionee has grown rapidly, expanding its presence in countries including India, Nigeria, Vietnam, Taiwan, Myanmar, Thailand and Philippines. Gionee products are currently on sale in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Russia, Middle East and Africa, with exports reaching 1 million phones per month for the overseas markets.
Gionee believes that products should be as unique as the people who use them. We define ourselves as a global provider of mobile and internet technology that is user-friendly, stylish, and wallet-friendly. In other words, we strive to help consumers make their lives better.
Bismarck Rewane, renowned economist and chief executive officer of the Financial Derivatives Company, has warned that the recent outbreak of the tomato leaf miner, commonly referred to as “Tomato Ebola,” is a disruption to Nigeria’s agriculture value chain.
Bismarck Rewane, CEO, Financial Derivatives Company
Speaking on Channels Television’s Business Morning programme on Thursday, Rewane emphasised that the impact of the outbreak extends far beyond tomatoes, triggering a cost ripple effect across the broader food basket.
“The effect of an increase in the price of tomatoes leads to cost elasticity which means that the price of other substitutes will begin to increase, including the price of carrots, the price of tomato paste, price of tomato puree and other things.
“One for the reddening, two for the effect and the thickening on the sauce you’re making.
“However, because tomato is a perishable commodity, it also means that if there is tomato ebola, then the price has increased, and also the supply has reduced, it has a knock-on effect on so many other things,” Rewane explained.
He added that Nigeria’s lack of food storage and preventive mechanisms has worsened the crisis, causing severe supply chain disruptions.
Rewane’s comments come amid a sharp increase in the price of tomatoes, with a 50-kilogramme basket of the commodity which used to sell for N5,000, now selling for N10,000 to N30,000, thereby compounding food inflation and straining household budget.
The Federal Government said Nigeria has so far lost over N1.3 billion to the outbreak of the invasive pest in key tomato-producing states like Kano, Katsina, and Kaduna.
Abubakar Kyari, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, explained that the outbreak has significantly disrupted tomato supply chains, causing a surge in prices.
He noted that the outbreak of tomato Ebola highlights the fragile nature of Nigeria’s horticultural systems, and that the invasive pest can destroy tomato crops within 48 hours, resulting in catastrophic yield losses.
He added that this crisis highlights the urgent need for integrated pest management strategies, investment in resilient crop varieties, and enhanced support for farmers to safeguard the country’s food supply chains.
A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has adjourned the N12.3 billion loan controversy case involving the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Oba Otudeko, and three others, to June 11, 2025.
Oba Otudeko,
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke postponed the case to allow time for either a peaceful settlement or the formal arraignment of the suspects.
The decision followed reports that negotiation are still ongoing between the parties involved for out-of-court settlement as advised by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), who is trying to mediate.
During Thursday’s hearing, Otudeko’s lawyer, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), told the court that negotiations for an out-of-court resolution were still in progress.
Similarly, the lawyer for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bilikisu Buhari, acknowledged the discussions but asked the court to set a new date for arraignment in case the negotiations fail.
It will be recalled that at the last sitting of the court on March 17, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) had informed the judge that a meeting involving all counsel had been convened at the instance of the Attorney General of the Federation.
He said that this was aimed at reaching a peaceful settlement of the case.
Olanipekun had also stated that substantial progress was made, and the AGF directed all parties to refrain from actions that could jeopardize the resolution process, including filing further applications.
The court will reconvene on June 11 to hear the outcome of the settlement talks or proceed with the arraignment if no agreement is reached.
The Zamfara State government has signed an agreement with Oracle to invest in youth development, workforce capacity building and the digital economy under Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative (SDI).
The agreement was signed at Oracle’s Offices in London, United Kingdom, with Governor Dauda Lawal representing the Zamfara State government.
A statement on Wednesday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, explained that the development will foster collaboration between the Zamfara Information and Technology Development Agency (ZITDA) and Oracle.
Secretary to the State Government, two Special Advisers and the Executive Secretary of ZITDA were also present at the event, along with Siobhan Wilson, Oracle UK Country Leader and Senior Vice President, EMEA.
The statement said, “Zamfara State government has signed a strategic agreement with Oracle to drive digital skills development across the state.
“Facilitated through the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, the collaboration will use the expertise and learning services of both Oracle Academy and Oracle University in their digital transformation efforts.
“The collaboration signifies a commitment to education and a strategic investment in the future of Zamfara’s youth, workforce and digital economy.
“Oracle Academy, Oracle’s global philanthropic educational programme offers a robust portfolio of technology education teaching and learning resources, including curriculum and software access, to educators and students worldwide.
“With the support of the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, these resources will be made available to validate higher education institutions across Zamfara.
“ZITDA will help lead efforts to integrate Oracle Academy offerings into Zamfara’s higher education curriculum, equipping educators with the tools and resources they need to guide students in learning hands-on tech skills and toward Oracle’s professional certifications and foster a new generation of tech-savvy leaders.
“In addition, Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative, a global programme that provides access to world-class learning and certification programmes at no cost to eligible learners, will further expand opportunities for learners in Zamfara.
“Through a co-branded Learning Portal in collaboration with ZITDA, Oracle University plans to provide free access to digital learning paths and foundational certifications for eligible participants across Zamfara. This includes curated learning journeys offering over 200 hours of professional-level training in high-demand areas such as Cloud, AI, Data Science and APEX development.”
In his remarks at the ceremony, Governor Dauda Lawal restated that the collaboration with Oracle is part of his administration’s commitment to transforming Zamfara into a hub of innovation, education, and digital excellence.
He said, “on behalf of the government and the good people of Zamfara State, I extend my deepest appreciation to Oracle for believing in our vision and for partnering with us on this transformative journey.
“What we are doing today goes beyond technology, it is about giving hope, creating opportunities and unlocking the future. By investing in digital education and innovation, we are offering real alternatives to poverty, to joblessness and to despair. I sincerely thank Oracle for standing with us, believing in the power of partnership, purpose, and shared dreams.
“Today, we are not just signing a document, we are making a promise, promise that every child in Zamfara will have a fair chance to dream, to learn, and to succeed. A promise that technology will be our bridge to a stronger, more inclusive economy. And, a promise that Zamfara will not merely participate in the digital revolution, we will lead it.”
Airtel Reveals Mechanism of Spam Alert Service
Nigerian Tech Prodigy sets World Record with Smallest GPS Tracker
Minister Seeks Digital Tech Adoption to Improve Agriculture, Boost Food Security
Africa Looks to Solar Amid Electricity Challenges
Fidelity Bank grows PBT by 167.8% to N105.8 billion in Q1 2025
News2 days agoTomato ‘Ebola’ May Disrupt Nigeria’s Agric Value Chain- Rewane
Broadcasting2 days agoMultiChoice vs FCCPC: Only President has Power to Fix Prices- Court
Telecom2 days agoSEO Secrets: How Media Professionals Can Make Their Blog Posts Rank High
News2 days agoLoan Controversy: Court adjourns Otudeko, others’ case to June 11
General News1 day agoFCMB Group Posts ₦35bn Q1 Profit as Revenue Surpasses Forecast
E-Financial2 days agoIMF Confirms Nigeria’s Full Repayment of $3.4bn COVID-19 Loan
E-Business2 days agoNEPC, NBS Sign MoU on Data Capturing
Telecom2 days agoAirtel Africa Records Customer Base Increase of 8.7Percent to 166.1m