Facebook Launches Nigeria Initiative in its Ambition to Drive Innovation, Skills Development and Economic Impact

PRESS RELEASE

Facebook Launches Nigeria Initiative in its Ambition to Drive Innovation, Skills Development and Economic Impact

Facebook to open its very first Community Hub space on the continent, in addition to a series of long-term impact training programmes for 50,000 Nigerians

LAGOS, Nigeria, November 22, 2017/ -- Today, Facebook (www.Facebook.com) announced a new nationwide initiative in Nigeria (http://APO.af/2y13ue) to further cement its commitment and investment in the country, and across the continent. Incorporating a series of high profile partnerships, training programmes and a physical space that will serve as a center for learning and skills development, this set of initiatives is aimed at helping to develop and nurture communities, including small businesses, the tech and start-up ecosystem, youths and creatives.

Remarks By John J. Sullivan at the U.S.-Nigeria Bi-National Commission Meeting in Abuja

U.S.-Nigeria Bi-National Commission

The United States-Nigeria Bi-National Commission (BNC) met on November 20, 2017, in Abuja, Nigeria. The BNC was co-chaired by Geoffrey Onyeama, Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Nigeria and John J. Sullivan, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of State, United States of America.

This year’s BNC focused on advancing U.S.-Nigerian shared prosperity, including discussion on three areas of focus:

• Security Cooperation,
• Economic Growth and Development, and
• Governance and Democracy

Africa / -- Thank you for your warm welcome, Foreign Minister Onyeama.

 John J. Sullivan, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of State, United States of America.

Geoffrey Onyeama, Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

WASHINGTON, 20 November 2017 / PRN

It is a pleasure to be here in Nigeria and an honor to lead the U.S. delegation to this year's U.S.-Nigeria Bi-National Commission.

I am joined by colleagues from the State Department, USAID, the Departments of Defense, Commerce, and our Trade Representative. As the interagency makeup of our delegation makes clear, the U.S.-Nigerian relationship is broad and deep. The United States is committed to expanding our cooperation as we look to the future.

Two Off Grid Projects To Electrify Rural Communities in Nigeria

Two Off Grid Projects To Electrify Rural Communities in Nigeria

Two off grid projects were recently announced in Nigeria, one consisting of a partnership between Pan Africa Solar and BBOXX (PAS BBOXX), adding to the growing momentum of the off grid sector across Africa

LAGOS, Nigeria, November 22, 2017/ -- The first project - headed up by Pan Africa Solar (www.PanAfricaSolar.com) – is an 80MW utility scale Photovoltaic Power Plant located in Katsina State, near the town of Kankia. The project focuses on a stable state in the north of the country, where – due to lack of available hydro resources and gas supply – renewables are the only long term sustainable option. The project will integrate panels mounted on tilting structures that track the path of the sun throughout the day, constructed on 210 hectares of land.

Nigeria's Purple Capital Receives US$12.5 Million Funding from Vantage Capital

Vantage Capital provides $12.5 million of funding to Purple Capital, a leading Nigerian property development company

Purple Capital represents the 24th transaction executed by Vantage across three generations of mezzanine funds with aggregate capital deployed to date of $277 million (R4 billion)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 21, 2017/ -- Vantage Capital (www.VantageCapital.co.za), Africa’s largest mezzanine fund manager, announced today that it has provided $12.5 million of funding to Purple Capital (www.PurpleCapng.com), a prominent Nigerian real estate company and financial service provider. Purple Capital is the developer of the iconic 6,000m² Maryland Mall (www.MarylandMallng.com), a neighbourhood shopping centre in the Ikeja district of Lagos.

Access Power and FMO Launch Second Edition of Solar ‘Shark Tank’ Competition for Innovative Solar Projects

Access Power and FMO Launch Second Edition of Solar ‘Shark Tank’ Competition for Innovative Solar Projects

Submission window opens as Solar Projects Compete for US$ 100,000 Grant to Develop their Projects

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, November 20, 2017/ -- FMO (www.FMO.nl), the Dutch development bank, and Access Power (www.Access-Power.com), a leading developer, owner and operator of power projects in emerging markets, today announced the launch of the 2018 FMO Access Power Solar 'Shark Tank' Competition following the competition’s successful first installment in 2016 at the ‘Making Solar Bankable’ conference. The initiative is aimed at helping local solar power developers that require development support to make their innovative solar projects more impactful.

'Unity, Solidarity and Collaboration' Can Turn Tide On Terrorism Says UN Chief

'Unity, Solidarity and Collaboration' Can Turn Tide On Terrorism, Bolster Human Rights, Says UN Chief 

NEW YORK, 16 November 2017 / PRN Africa / -- Noting that at least 11,000 terrorist attacks occurred in more than 100 countries last year, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stressed on Thursday that “terrorism is fundamentally the denial and destruction of human rights.”

“Terrorism has been unfortunately with us in various forms across ages and continents,” Mr. Guterres said in a lecture on counter-terrorism and human rights at the School of Oriental and African Studies of the University of London.

Ecobank Group Research Reveals Three Key Emerging Trends for Africa

PRESS RELEASE
Ecobank Group Research Reveals Three Key Emerging Trends for Africa
Digital innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa is being driven by the explosion in mobile phone usage, enabling African consumers to leapfrog existing business models and technologies

LONDON, United Kingdom, November 16, 2017/ --

• Rebounding economy after a trying year
• Gas is West Africa’s new oil
• Africa’s evolving role in FinTech leadership

The 2017 version of Ecobank Research’s Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities (FICC) Guidebook, which provides expert knowledge and analysis on African markets for investors and businesses, was launched today at AfricaFICC. Indicating a positive outlook for the continent, three key trends are forecast to take hold during the next 12 months.

BBM Messenger Driving Instant Messenger Growth in Nigeria

PRESS RELEASE – 16 NOVEMBER 2017

BBM Messenger Driving Instant Messenger Growth in Nigeria
Youth market dominate growth statistics

The United Nations predicts that by 2050, Africa will have the largest population globally. With 15,5 million smartphone users in Nigeria, the market is burgeoning with growth opportunities, particularly in the youth segment.

Creative Media Works, operating as BBM Messenger, recently hosted its first Digital and Mobile Innovation information session in Nigeria. Well attended by mobile marketing players in the industry, delegates were eager to understand and learn more about BBM Messenger’s mobile ecosystem and the power of Instant Messaging (IM).

Adam Pattison, Vice President for the Americas and EMEA at BBM Messenger.

Feyl Olubodun, Managing Director/CEO of Insights Publicis.

Youth segment: innovators and trend drivers
Feyl Olubodun, Managing Director/CEO of Insights Publicis, shared powerful perspectives on the next stage in the digital and mobile space in Nigeria. Olubodun said that the trend is an exciting one given that Africa will soon have the largest youth demographic globally.

“The youth market is not only the larger sector, but they’re also innovators and trend drivers,” Olubodun said. The prominence of social media is a good example. “The majority of social media users globally are millennial, and it’s no different in Nigeria. In reality, by 2025, the youth segment will make up 75% of the African workforce and they will have considerable purchasing power.”

Nigerian Officials Join Global Big Shots in China Hi-Tech Forum Held at CHTF 2017

Nigerian Officials Join Global Big Shots in China Hi-Tech Forum Held at CHTF 2017

SHENZHEN, China, Nov. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The China Hi-Tech Forum hosted by the 19th CHTF will be held at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center from Nov.16 to Nov.21, 2017. The forum is composed of the following five parts: China Hi-Tech Opening Forum, Innovation Upgrade for Supply Quality Forum, Innovation and Future Technology Forum, Technology Transforming Our Lives Forum, and Future Technology Summit. China Hi-Tech Forum will include topics on international cooperation in science and technology, the Belt and Road Initiatives, industry restructuring led by science and technology, science and technology's influence on lifestyles, and other hot topics.

As a vital part of CHTF, China Hi-Tech Forum is famous for its high profile and authoritative guest speakers. Focusing on the popular topics, well-known domestic and international guest speakers are invited this year, including senior officials from Nigeria, Argentina, Prof. Dr. Hans Uszkoreit, Chief AI Advisor of Lenovo, Andrew Chi-Chih Yao, 2010 Turing Award Winner. Prof. Konstantin Novozolov, 2010 Nobel Laureate in Physics will also present to share the secret stories behind graphene. Meanwhile, senior managers from famous enterprises, such as Google, Huawei, and representatives of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Renmin University of China will deliver speeches.

Visa Welcomes the Nigerian Women's Bobsled Team to Team Visa for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018

Visa Welcomes the Nigerian Women's Bobsled Team to Team Visa for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 

 Inspired by their determination, Visa helps pave the way to PyeongChang for this group of Olympic hopefuls

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and SINGAPORE, Nov. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Visa (NYSE: V) today announced the addition of three athletes who make up the Nigerian Women's Bobsled Team to Team Visa, currently training to become the first ever African representatives, men or women, to qualify for the Olympic Winter Games in the sport of Bobsled. Together, Bobsled pilot Seun Adigun, and brakemen Ngozi Onwumere and Akuoma Omeoga, combine their elite track backgrounds to chase their bobsled dreams.

Without access to proper training equipment or valuable ice time to perfect their skills, the members of the Nigerian Women's Bobsled Team started their journey on the snow-less grounds of Houston, Texas, in a wooden sled they nicknamed 'The Maeflower.' Once the team set their sights on the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, they established a crowdfunding website hoping to raise the much-needed funds to get to PyeongChang. Upon discovering the page, Visa was inspired by their story and determination to carve out a place in history and pledged to help solidify the team's trip to the Olympic Winter Games.