Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Link Commerce Partners with Cellulant To Provide Digital Payment Options To Online Shoppers in Africa To Improve Cross-Border Trade

PRESS RELEASE

In a bid to Improve Cross-Border Trade Across Africa, Link Commerce Partners with Cellulant To avail relevant digital payment options to online Shoppers

The partnership between Cellulant and Link Commerce aims to break barriers between local and international commerce by addressing payment needs

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 27, 2021/ -- Pan-African payments company, Cellulant (www.Cellulant.io), has partnered with Link Commerce, a turn-key B2B eCommerce platform, to avail relevant digital payment options to consumers in Africa; making it possible to purchase goods directly from global retailers online.

The number of online shoppers in Africa has surged annually by 18% since 2014, according to a report by UNCTAD. As of 2019, the number of digital buyers in Africa experienced an increase to 233 million. The number of e-commerce users in the continent was projected to grow significantly in the next few years, according to a Statista forecast. In 2021, there might be some 334 million online shoppers in Africa. By 2024, there could be roughly 478 million, about double the number in 2019.

The most significant contributor to this surge in e-commerce is the rapid growth in smartphone penetration over the past decade in Africa and the shift in consumer-spend behaviour. They are turning more and more to online shopping for their goods. The payments infrastructure has also evolved to offer payments solutions that enable more consumers across Africa to participate in online shopping without a bank account.

The partnership between Cellulant and Link Commerce aims to break barriers between local and international commerce by addressing payment needs and enabling African consumers to shop directly from their favourite global stores using local payment options.

Link Commerce CEO Chris Folayan stated, “With a global surge in online sales, and travel restrictions, finding the right partner to enable our customer the ability to pay locally and via mobile payment platforms is important to us. We are excited to be partnering with Cellulant as we grow cross-border trade across Africa. Removing payment and delivery barriers by ensuring everyone can pay for and receive products directly from US/UK retailers via Link Commerce powered apps.”

Commenting on the partnership, Cellulant’s Acting CEO, Akshay Grover, stated, “In Africa, there are over 150 different payment channels, and in most cases, very fragmented for the consumers. Therefore any global retailer looking to reach African consumers needs to prioritise local payments such as mobile money into their strategy. Through our partnership with Link Commerce, we can connect consumers in two-thirds of the countries in Africa with global retailers on a single payments platform. Consumers can shop from US or UK retailers or any global businesses of their choice and pay easily with digital methods already familiar to them.’’

eCommerce platforms can leverage the partnership between Cellulant and ink Commerce to power trade and eCommerce activity to last mile-consumers. Retail platforms such as DHL eShop and Mall for Africa are some of the eCommerce businesses benefitting from this partnership.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Cellulant.

About Cellulant:

Cellulant is a leading Pan-African financial technology company providing a one-stop digital payments platform. Cellulant uses technology to connect people and their resources, making it easier to do business across Africa. Cellulant provides a single digital payments platform - named Tingg- addressing the complex payments needs of businesses. Tingg makes it easy to collect and make payments across multiple payment methods in different currencies, with the best customer experience for any business looking to digitise their payments. 

Today, Cellulant has an office presence in 18 African countries with a payment’s platform connecting thousands of businesses with 154 payment options across 35 countries. The platform powers payments for 220M consumers on a single inclusive network allowing for interoperability across Africa.

For further information contact:

Andrew Lala

media@cellulant.io

About Link Commerce:

Established in 2016, Link Commerce is an award-winning eCommerce platform that enables buyers in emerging markets to shop from US/UK retailers without any stress, hassle or worries with payment and delivery. The Link Commerce patented product ensures customers can pay for and receive products locally from over 250 US/UK stores. Link Commerce is pioneering how global cross-border e-commerce trade excels in emerging markets by providing easy ways to pay and last-mile delivery charges. Link Commerce operates across various markets in Africa, Latin America, Middle East, Caribbean Islands and Russia.

For more information:

Please email info@linkcommerce.com

SOURCE

Cellulant


Can A #Transgender Woman Get Pregnant?

Can A #Transgender Woman Get Pregnant?

Trans Women and Fertility: What We Know, What We Don't Know, and What You Can Do - Family Equality

On average, transgender women want to become parents at the same rates of other LGBTQ+ people 

The research shows that 97% of transgender adults think that fertility should be discussed prior to transition (no surprises there) and 51% of transgender women wish they had preserved their fertility before transitioning.

Only 3% of transgender people actually do preserve their fertility, and it does seem liketransgender women in general may have lower sperm quality and quantity even before starting hormone therapy.

Hormone therapy contributes to loss of volume, concentration, motility (ability to move), and total count of sperm, even after you stop taking it


https://www.familyequality.org/2019/10/02/trans-women-and-fertility-what-we-know-what-dont-know-and-what-you-can-do/

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Netflix Needs To Partner with MTN andd Airtel To Increase Subscribers in Nigeria

Netflix Needs To Partner with MTN andd Airtel To Increase Subscribers in Nigeria

Nigeria has about 101 million mobile internet users on the GSM networks in Africa's most populous country with the largest economy. But the high cost of data for viewing videos online is making the leading video streaming services to be out of reach for majority of the teeming population who prefer to subscribe to cable TV services. 

There are an estimated 15 million subscribers of cable TV networks in Nigeria with 10 millon of them shared by Multichoice and StarTimes.

MultiChoice streams satellite TV to between 4.5 million and 6 million Nigerian subscribers from the database reports of the cable TV subscribers in the country.

In Nigeria, satellite TV reception was the choice for 11.8 million households in 2019, a 23% increase compared to 2017, and a further 4.7 million in Ghana, up by 19% from 2017.
The study also highlighted that High Definition (HD) TV sets are becoming increasingly popular, already present in approximately 50% of Ghanaian and Nigerian TV homes.

Paying less than N3, 000 to subscribe to Netflix is not expensive, but including the costs for internet data have discouraged majority of people in Nigeria.

The following analysis on data usage is useful.
"Data consumption is different from speed. If you have a fast connection, that doesn't necessarily mean you use a lot of data per month. However, services like video streaming adapt to the available speed, so having a fast connection often does increase your data usage (and video quality), even if your habits don't change.

Streaming video:
Video uploads and downloads:
If you download a movie rather than streaming it or if you upload one to YouTube or Vimeo, the data consumption is similar, and it's always based on the full quality of the movie. If you make a video on your phone, you probably aren't creating HD quality or running for streaming video. The data consumption will depend on the quality of the video you receive. If you have a slow connection, most providers will adjust the quality so you won't have to pause for buffering too often. High-definition video can run as high in bandwidth consumption as 8 megabits (1 megabyte) a second. That's 60 megabytes a minute, if your connection is fast enough to handle it. A two-hour movie, at that rate, will consume 7.2 gigabytes. That's an upper bound, and usually it will be less, but a feature movie is a lot of data no matter what.

Video uploads and downloads:
If you download a movie rather than streaming it, or if you upload one to YouTube or Vimeo, the data consumption is similar, and it's always based on the full quality of the movie. If you make a video on your phone, you probably aren't creating HD quality or running for hours. Still, if you upload a lot, it will add up hours. Still, if you upload a lot, it will add up."

Netflix has partnerships with Telkom and Vodacom in South Africa and these deals have increased the subscriptions to the video streaming service. A similar partnership with MTN and Airtel in Nigeria will attract the millions of the middle class subscribers of the GSM networks in the country so include subscription to Netflix in their monthly budget.


- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor, 
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 
247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter
https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

Saturday, July 24, 2021

My First Original Digital Art For Sale

New Original Digital Art: ART IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH

#digitalart

#nftsstories
#bitcoin
#eth
#ethereum
#blockchain

#nftart
@nft
@binancenfts
@nft.collectors
@nft_news
@christiesinc
@sothebys

I have created this digital art work for #NFTs I see as time capsules
Non-fungible tokens are tokens of our digital civilization: the time capsules of our history for the benefit of every entity of humanity for our posterity. 
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Author of Uli Si Naka Chi

Image: ART IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH Uli Si Naka Chi series
Original artwork created online by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

I am an internationally exhibited Nigerian artist since 1983 when I represented Nigeria with my illustrations exhibited at two International book fairs in Japan and I was the youngest artist. My artworks were insured by the UNESCO for the exhibitions. 

I was the curator of the first Arts Against AIDS Art Exhibition in Nigeria to celebrate the 1993 World AIDS Day at the National Museum and National Arts Theatre in Lagos. The artworks sold out, including my own paintings on canvas like the "Eruption of the Love Virus" and "Condomania".

I am also a prize winning writer, author, publisher and film/TV producer.

I have done two NFTs in my Uli Si Naka Chi series which are available for auction.

Contact Me:

EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima 
The CEO,
International Digital Post Network Limited
Publisher/Editor, 
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 

Friday, July 23, 2021

Yorùbá Ronu, Yorùbá Párápọ́ Yorùbá United

 #sundayigboho

#yorubas

#Yoruba

#yorubanation

#Nigeria

@officialbolatinubu

@profosinbajo

@thesamadeyemi

Yorùbá Ronu, Yorùbá Párápọ́

Yorùbá United

Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, on Thursday formed a committee to look into the Sunday Igboho situation.


The 28-member think tank comprises prominent individuals from the South-West.


They will monitor Igboho’s arraignment in Benin Republic, the moves to extradite him to Nigeria and likely prosecution.


DAILY POST gathered that a plan of action is being mapped out.


The team is expected to provide updates to the Ooni as events unfold, offer counsels, mediate with the Yoruba Nation agitator’s legal team and interface with Nigerian and Beninese authorities.

The full list below:

1. Olugbon of Igbon, Oba Olusola Alao

2. Senator Biodun Olujimi

3. Toyin Saraki

4. Segun Awolowo

5. Doyin Okupe

6. Otunba Gbenga Daniel

7. Prince Oye Oyewumi

8. Muyiwa Ige

9. General Olu Okunnowo

10. DIG Taiwo Lakanu (rtd)

11. Sola Ebiseni, Afenifere Secretary

12. Jimi Agbaje

13. Sola Lawal

14. Debola Oluwagbayi

15. Dupe Adelaja

16. Dele Momodu

17. Senator Tolu Odebiyi

18. Dr. Olusegun Mimiko

19. Dr. Seun Obasanjo

20. Makin Soyinka

21. Dele Adesina (SAN)

22. AIG Tunji Alapinni (rtd.)

23. Reuben Abati

24. Eniola Bello

25. Bimbo Ashiru

26. Senator Tokunbo Ogunbanjo

27. Dapo Adelegan

28. Professor Akin Osuntokun

PS:

I Orikinla Totally Support The Resolution To Defend And Protect Yoruba Land From #Bandits And #Terrorists Trespassing On Yoruba Land And Killing Yoruba People.

@usinnigeria

@statedept


Integral Secures Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Exclusive Free to Air Media Rights Package from Infront

PRESS RELEASE

Integral Secures Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Exclusive Free to Air Media Rights Package from Infront

Integral will once again work with Nigeria's most popular broadcaster the NTA Network, to deliver all content on its free-to-air-platform

LAGOS, Nigeria, July 23, 2021/ -- Integral (www.Integralsande.com), Nigeria’s leading sports marketing and management company, has secured the exclusive rights to broadcast the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on free-to-air television.


This sub-license deal from Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company and the IOC's exclusive rights holder for free-to-air distribution rights in Sub-Saharan Africa, is in addition to Integral’s existing Premier League sub-license free-to-air media rights agreement on NTA.


The exclusive package includes TV broadcast of live events as well as repeats and highlights from the Olympics. Integral will once again work with Nigeria's most popular broadcaster the NTA Network, to deliver all content on its free-to-air-platform.

Over 200 hours of content will be available on the NTA Network with 6 to 9 hours of daily content throughout the period of the Games from July 23rd to August 8th, 2021

Christophe Van Rothem, Infront Associate Director Media rights said: “Our objective is to maximize the reach of the Olympic Games 2020 and this partnership with our trusted partner Integral, will ensure we are able to bring this unique and thrilling event to millions of households in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the deal, the Managing Director of Integral Abimbola Ilo: “Following our partnership for the Premier League free-to-air rights, we are pleased to be working with Infront again to deliver high-quality sports moments to Nigerians. This is an important avenue to showcase the talents and tell the stories of exceptional athletes as they compete on the world’s biggest stage in Tokyo”.

Also speaking on the deal, Mallam Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, the Director General of NTA stated: “As Nigeria’s most popular broadcaster, we are committed to delivering quality content to our viewers and proud to be partnering with Integral again on what promises to be yet another exciting sports event. With this partnership, we will once again be bringing the best of premium sports to the widest distribution in Nigeria”.

Chichi Nwoko Integral’s Associate Director, Sports Rights and Media Partnership added: “We are happy to partner with Infront to bring another exciting major sports event to passionate Nigerian fans. As we add to our growing media rights catalogue, Integral is delighted to be at the centre of delivering live sports content to Nigerians yet again”.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Integral.

For more information, please contact:

Deolu Lamikanra

deolu@integralsande.com


About Integral:

Integral, based in Lagos, Nigeria, is a leading sports marketing and management practice. Known for its high standards of delivery, the company has varied expertise and works in all aspects of the industry – events, corporate hospitality, sponsorships, media rights and athlete representation. Integral’s track record includes hospitality experience specific to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, 2014 FIFA World Cup™ and more recently, as exclusive sales agent in Nigeria of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 ™ Official Hospitality Programme delivering first class solutions to a variety of individuals and blue-chip companies in Nigeria. Integral is the current rights holder of the Premier League sub-license free-to-air media rights in Nigeria.


About Infront:

Connecting fans and consumers to the greatest sports events, Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company, offers everything an event or commercial partner needs to be successful. With a team of over 1,000 experts working from 45 offices across more than 16 countries around the world, Infront is equipped to tackle any challenge – be it innovative digital solutions, world-class event operations, international media rights distribution, sponsorship sales and activations or cutting-edge media production. Headquartered in Switzerland, Infront is passionate and AllAboutSports. @infrontsports www.infront.sport.

SOURCE

Integral


Thursday, July 22, 2021

New Original Digital Art: Uli Si Naka Chi

 Uli Si Na Ka Chi


Come my beloved

Beloved maiden of Aforugiri

Aforugiri of Ohuhu.

Ohuhu of Umuahia.

Umuahia, land of the rising sun 

Rising sun of the Eastern region 

Eastern region of the River Niger.


Come to me Ola OMA.

OMA , beautiful daughter of Umu-Uda.

 Umu-uda of Nsigwu  

Nsigwu of Umu Udara.

Udara, the sweet fruit of Chrysophyllum albidum,

Chrysophyllum albidum of Chrysophyllum africanum,

Chrysophyllum africanum of the Chrysophyllum cainito.


I will decorate you with the hollow shaft.

Hollow shaft of the beautiful feather 

Beautiful feather of Ekwuru ụlọ.

Ekwuru ụlọ, the enchanted bird of my Chi.

My Chi will decorate you with Uli Okorobian of Rothmania hispida,

Rothmania hispida, twin sister of Uli Oba.

Uli Oba of Rothmania whitfieldi.

- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima,

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

PS:

I have composed this panegyric poem on the beauty of Uli body art on an Igbo maiden in original Igbo form of poetic verse.  And including the sources of the Uli paint and the two types of the Uli.

The Igbo title of ʊ̙lɪ̙ Si Ṅàkà  Chɪ̙ mmeans that Uli is from the hands of destiny. 

My father was a native of Aforuguri and mother was of Umuda Nsigwu of Ohuhu in Umuahia North of Abia State in Eastern region of Nigeria. 

I am an internationally exhibited Nigerian artist since 1983 when I represented Nigeria with my illustrations exhibited at two International book fairs in Japan and I was the youngest artist. My artworks were insured by the UNESCO for the exhibitions. 

I was the curator of the first Arts Against AIDS Art Exhibition in Nigeria to celebrate the 1993 World AIDS Day at the National Museum and National Arts Theatre in Lagos. The artworks sold out, including my own paintings on canvas like the "Eruption of the Love Virus" and "Condomania".

I am also a prize winning writer, author, publisher and film/TV producer.

I have done two NFTs in my Uli Si Naka Chi series which are available for auction. Unique signature will be made on the artwork for the art collector which is not on this image.

Contact Me:

EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima 

The CEO,

International Digital Post Network Limited

Publisher/Editor, 

NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 

247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter

https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi

Tel: +2347066379246

©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima. No copying, duplicating or republishing any part of the sentences in this poem without the authorisation and permission of the author.

Video:Unge Leo: #1 Action Hero in African Cinema



Africa's number one action hero, J Leo Uche and one of the fast rising young filmmakers in Nigeria.


J Leo Uche is one the fastest rising ambitious young filmmakers in Nigeria, action actor/director, a stunt director,  a producer who was born and raised in Lagos, Africa's largest megacity.
A five times national champion in martial arts,  a martial arts expert and trainer .

Filmography:
Rough chase, 
Unges War, 
Dangerous Men, 
Spirit of the Jungle, 
Systemic Lies, 
The Unknown, 
Sarafina's Nightmare,
Wrong Idea, 
A Trip To Libya
The Legend of Gatuso
African Bodyguard
Revelation

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series
@247nigeria Twitter
@Nigeriansreport Facebook

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

NFTs Are Beyond Digital Art

 #NFT

#nftsstories
#bitcoin
#eth
#ethereum
#blockchain

#nftart
@nft
@binancenfts
@nft.collectors
@nft_news
@christiesinc
@sothebys

#NFTs Are Time Capsules
Non-fungible tokens are tokens of our digital civilization: the time capsules of our history for the benefit of every entity of humanity for our posterity.
- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Author of Uli Si Naka Chi

Image: ART IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH
Original artwork created online minutes ago by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.

Contact Me:

EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima 
The CEO,
International Digital Post Network Limited
Publisher/Editor, 
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 



Nollywood is Not Hollywood

#movietheaters

#cinema

#movies

#moviegoers

#Hollywood

@theacademy

@amctheatres

Having a cinema is one thing; attracting moviegoers to the cinema is another thing.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima

Nigerian film distributors and exhibitors banking on the followers of the A-List actors on Instagram and Facebook has not attracted majority of them.to the movies they featured in. Because, many the actors buy followers, views and likes and majority of the  followers are not going to the cinemas to spend N4000 to watch a movie that they can watch later on #Netflix with a subscription that is not up to N3000 monthly, including hundreds of other movies and series.

70% of the #Nollywood movies playing in the cinemas in Nigeria are actually teleplays without cinematic quality. 

Dramatic scenes are often mistaken for cinematic scenes in Nollywood. And actors having a  shouting match in a scene is not an #Oscar performance, but may be good enough for an #emmy . Nollywood is not Hollywood.🤩

Frankly speaking, Nollywood movies are best viewed on @netflix, @showmaxonline and cable TV channels.

- Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.