Brand

Don’t Compromise Quality, Standards – Dangote Cement, SON Admonish Block Moulders

Published

1 year ago

June 3, 2022

Business Echo Magazine

Don’t Compromise Quality, Standards – Dangote Cement, SON Admonish Block Moulders

Olushola Okunlade Writes

Block moulders and artisans nationwide have been enjoined to adhere strictly to quality and shun acts that could compromise the standard of their products. They were also given hints on how to detect fake or adulterated cement.

Against the background of constant building collapse across the country, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) said block moulders occupy a strategic position in the building industry and therefore should make quality their watchword.

The SON gave the advice in Port Harcourt, Rivers State during a recent sensitisation workshop organised by Dangote Cement Plc in collaboration with the regulatory organisation for the block moulders and other artisans from Bayelsa and Rivers states.

Speaking during a presentation at the workshop, SON’s Asst. State Director, Engr. Lillian Gua emphasised the need for the artisans to know the right mixes in the production of blocks so that they would be able to achieve the expected quality.

The SON boss took the participants through the work of her organisation and how products are certified as being standard while citing Dangote cement as an example of a certified product whose quality has been tested and found to be accurate.

She enjoined the participants to acquaint themselves with the steps and processes involved in getting a product certified so that they would not be deceived into buying fakes. Gua added that every certified product is issued a certificate of standard as proof of having gone through the quality test conducted by the SON.

Gua thanked the management of Dangote Cement Plc for the workshop, saying the participants need such sensitisation sessions from time to time to keep them abreast of developments especially as it affects the quality and standard of products.

In his presentation, Technical Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Adeiza Aniki explained that the sensitisation workshop was meant to update and refresh the block moulders and artisans’ recent events in the industry, as much as standard and quality are concerned.

He stated that Dangote Cement holds the participants dearly as a critical point in the cement value chain and has therefore made the workshop a periodic exercise so that the company could also get feedback from the market and help in meeting the demands of the customers at all time.

Aniki told the participants of the need to contribute to the efforts at stemming building collapse in the country and one of the ways they can do that is by adhering to quality and exposing bad eggs wherever they see any.

He told the block moulders and artisans that they can rely on Dangote Cement at any time and went ahead to give them hints on how they can ascertain the quality of cement as a significant component in the block making process.

According to him; “check the manufacturing date of cement because the strength of cement reduces with age, and also the cement expiry date should not be exceeded as at the time of use. Ensure batch codes are available on the bags found at the site.

“Check for the presence of lumps in the cement. Check for hydration of cement by checking for the presence of lumps, which is a sign of absorption of moisture from air or environment, due to poor storage or damaged bags.

“Check for the excess amount of dust in cement, which is called float test. To do this, put a small quantity of cement in a bucket of water. If the cement floats on the water for some time before it sinks, the cement is of good quality. If the cement sinks immediately after it touches the water, the cement is a bad quality cement.

“Check for temperature. If it is cool inside the bag, the cement should be considered as good quality, but if it is warm inside, the process of hydration is taking place, hence strength will be affected. Make sure you keep the cement in a dry environment.

“Check for cement adulteration, it makes the cement poorer in quality by the addition of another substance. Rub the cement between the fingers and if it gives a smooth feeling, the cement is of good quality; but if it feels gritty or rough, it means other substances have been added. This is a sign of bad quality cement. It will lower strength.

“And lastly, check for odour. This can be used to evaluate the presence of clay or silt. If the cement contains too much clay and silt as an adulterant, it will give an earthy smell,” he added.

Aniki explained that Dangote cement has made available different grades and varieties of cement to suit the use of its customers in many ways, citing 3X, Falcon and BlocMaster as some of the varieties in the market.

Brand

Airtel Nigeria Appoints Kemi Ariyo And Dhillon Hermanpreet As Directors

Published

2 weeks ago

September 7, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

Airtel Nigeria Appoints Kemi Ariyo And Dhillon Hermanpreet As Directors

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

Leading telecommunications service provider, Airtel Nigeria, has announced the appointment of two directors to join its executive leadership team.

The company named Kemi Ariyo as the new Director of Information and Technology and Harmanpreet Singh Dhillon as Director of Network Transformation and Planning.

According to Airtel, both appointments are set to bring about a new era of innovation and growth within the business.

Speaking on the recent appointments, Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Carl Cruz, said the notably experienced Kemi Ariyo will play a pivotal role in driving Airtel Nigeria’s digital transformation efforts and the company is pleased to elevate an excellent female leader within its ranks to the position.

On his part, Cruz stated that Mr. Harmanpreet will spearhead the telecom giant’s network transformation initiatives, geared towards strengthening its infrastructure and ensuring steady services for subscribers.

“We are thrilled to welcome Kemi and Harmanpreet on board. Their in-depth expertise and experience will be invaluable in driving our technological transformation and delivering exceptional experiences to our over 60 million users. We are confident that, with their experience and expertise, Airtel will continue to innovate and stay ahead while developing cutting-edge solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” Cruz said.

Kemi Ariyo

Harmanpreet Singh Dhillon, the company revealed, brings an impressive background experience of over 23 years in the telecommunications industry and a passion for driving technological advancements.

Previously, he had served in various capacities across different organizations, including Vodafone, Nokia, Huawei, and was Chief Technology Officer at One Airtel in Karnataka, India, where he was responsible for leading the technology strategy, forecasting, expansion, operations, cost optimization, and capex planning for the networks team.

Kemi Ariyo also brings years of cross-industry and cross-continental career experience across the IT value chain with a track record of providing technical solutions geared towards service efficiency, customer experience, and business profitability.

Her contribution to Airtel started from her days as a Business Operations Analyst, under the management service at IBM, where she moved into several leadership roles until she fully joined Airtel in 2017.

Recall that Airtel recently completed the first batch of staff promotions for its financial year 2023/24. This promotion cycle saw the elevation of no fewer than 20 employees into senior leadership roles, out of whom three were women, and one out of these women was elevated to a vice president position.

Brand

Airtel Nigeria Partners Top Device Manufacturers To Drive 5G Adoption

Published

2 weeks ago

September 7, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

Airtel Nigeria Partners Top Device Manufacturers To Drive 5G Adoption

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

Airtel Nigeria has announced its partnership with renowned manufacturers of 5G-enabled devices. The partnership is in line with Airtel’s commitment to enhance innovation, improve customer experience, and drive the adoption of 5G technology to transform various aspects of customers’ daily activities.

According to the Chief Commercial Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Femi Oshinlaja, the strategic partnership is not only to increase access to the latest technological advancements but also to encourage consumers to take advantage of the vast potential of 5G connectivity.

“Our partnership with leading 5G device manufacturers like Samsung, Tecno, and Infinix is a testament to Airtel’s commitment to providing our customers with access to the latest technological advancements. We believe that through this partnership, consumers will not only gain awareness about the potential of 5G but also access devices that enable them to fully embrace the benefits of this transformative technology,” he said.

A notable highlight of this partnership is the exclusive data package provided for users of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. For just 2000 naira, customers can enjoy a generous 10GB of data, allowing them to explore the vast potential of 5G connectivity.

Airtel’s partnership with smartphone manufacturers has also enabled the introduction of the lowest-priced 5G device in Nigeria such as the Samsung A14 5G, Samsung’s flagship fold and flip 5, Infinix Hot 30 5G, Tecno Camon 201 and Tecno Spark 101.

Brand

Jumia Kicks Off Brands Festival 2023

Published

2 weeks ago

September 4, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

…Consumers enjoy exclusive offers from several top brands

Rashidat Okunlade Writes

Jumia, the leading e-commerce platform in Nigeria, has announced the launch of its annual brands festival campaign, targeted at promoting authentic products across a wide range of categories at the best prices directly from top brands on the platform.

The campaign tagged “Beta products, Beta savings,” starts on Monday, September 4th and will run through September 17th, 2023, offering millions of consumers nationwide the opportunity to buy original products from the official stores of several top brands such as Adidas, Oraimo, Nivea, Xiaomi, DeFacto, Tecno, Pernod Ricard, Infinix, Diageo, Itel, L’Oréal, Bacardi, Binatone, and Haier Thermocool.

“In these challenging times, the essence of the Jumia Brands Festival takes on even greater significance. We are not only championing authentic products, but also making them accessible at the most competitive prices. We understand the constraints faced by today’s consumers – the need for quality products that don’t break the bank. Our collaboration with renowned international brands bridges the gap, ensuring that consumers can work within their budgets while obtaining genuine items,” said Massimiliano Spalazzi, CEO Jumia Nigeria.

“As a young Global Company, TECNO is in the process of rapid growth. Our target consumers are motivated and non-stop pursuing innovation. Bonding between brand and our target consumers, non-stop for Excellence,” said Thompson Ani, Brand Marketing Manager TECNO.

Consumers can take advantage of the amazing offers during the campaign by simply downloading the Jumia App. The campaign will feature Treasure Hunt, Brand Days, Deals of the Day, and Flash Sales, where consumers can get further discounts on a number of products. The campaign is also providing free shipping on a wide range of products to consumers within Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan, Warri, Benin, Abeokuta, Akure, and Port Harcourt.