Brand

Airtel Africa Delivers FIFA World Cup 2022™ Matches To Subscribers On The Go

Published

4 months ago

November 18, 2022

Airtel, Microsoft, TD Africa Unveil Office Internet Smartbox Bundles To Boost SMEs Productivity In Nigeria

Olushola Okunlade Writes

Airtel Africa has today launched a new content package that will provide exclusive, live access to all FIFA World Cup 2022™ matches to Airtel TV subscribers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Chad, Niger, Madagascar, and Seychelles.

The service, in partnership with New World TV, enables Airtel TV subscribers to watch the matches conveniently on their devices, wherever they are. All the games will be aired in French, and Airtel Africa is also developing special data packages at competitive rates for streaming the matches.

Under the terms of the agreement with New World TV, an official broadcast partner for the FIFA World Cup 2022™, Airtel TV subscribers in these markets will also be able to watch UEFA national team competitions until 2028 and FIFA 2022 and 2023 competitions.

Thierry Diasonama, the Managing Director of Airtel DRC said: “We are thrilled to deliver the excitement of the FIFA World Cup 2022™ conveniently to all our customers. We are combining our innovative Airtel TV content platform with unbeatable data packages to deliver the best value and ensure that lovers of the beautiful game can conveniently follow the matches on the go”.

“This offering demonstrates our commitment to transforming the lives of our customers by ensuring their convenience. It is the reason we are continually investing in expanding our network and distribution network to deliver connectivity and financial services closer to our customers as we drive digital and financial inclusion. In DRC, for instance, one of our goals is to ensure that none of our customers travels more than one kilometre to access our services”.

Airtel TV is a one-stop platform for live TV, music videos, news, sports, and lots more. The Airtel TV app, which is available on Android and iOS, is subscription-free and offers registered users unlimited access to the entire Airtel TV content library as well as enabling them to stream different content categories on the robust Airtel 4G network.

In 2019, the Southern Swamp Associated Gas Solutions project was commissioned, and the SPDC JV is planning to reduce associated gas flaring further through its Forcados Yokri gas-gathering project, of which large parts are set to be completed in 2022. Despite such efforts to reduce continuous flaring, unfortunately flaring intensity (the amount of gas flared for every tonne of oil and gas produced) at both SPDC- and SNEPCo-operated facilities increased in 2021 owing to short-term operational issues. Flaring from SPDC-operated facilities increased by around 5% in 2021 compared with 2020. The increase was primarily because of the extended outage of the gas compression system in SPDC’s shallow-water operations. The system was restored and became operational from January 2022. Flaring at SNEPCo-operated facilities rose by around 160% in 2021 compared with 2020. This was mainly because of an increase in flaring on the Bonga floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Repairs to a flex-joint on the Bonga FPSO’s gas export riser in the second quarter took longer than expected, in part because of weather conditions. While repairs were under way, the FPSO continued to produce oil and therefore flaring was necessary for safety reasons. The repairs were safely concluded in July 2021. Although flaring intensity levels rose in 2021, SPDC and SNEPCo over the last 10 years have almost halved the combined amount of hydrocarbons they flare from 1.5 million tonnes in 2012 to 0.8 million tonnes in 2021. This reduction is the result of a strict flaring reduction management process and both SPDC and SNEPCo will continue to work in close collaboration with joint-venture partners and the government to make progress towards ending routine flaring of associated gas. NIGERIA LNG EXPANSION UNDERWAY Global demand for LNG continues to grow as the world increasingly seeks reliable supplies of lowercarbon energy. Shell’s investment in Nigeria’s gas infrastructure for export is expected to help 6 This is according to a data provided by global research and consultancy business Wood Mackenzie. the country benefit further from revenues. Shell Gas B.V. and its partners took a final investment decision in 2020 on a new LNG processing unit – known as Train 7 -- at NLNG. The expansion is expected to create around 12,000 jobs for Nigerians during construction and stimulate growth of the local oil and gas service sector, with 55% of engineering and procurement of goods and services being sourced in-country. Train 7 is expected to ensure Nigeria’s continued place as a global player in a lower-carbon energy source. Once operational, Train 7 will add around 8 million tonnes per annum of capacity to the Bonny Island LNG facility, taking the total production to around 30 million tonnes per annum. In 2021, NLNG began awarding procurement and construction contracts. Early works started at the site. The first phase of the worker village is expected to be ready for occupancy in 2022 and the new material offloading facility ready for use by the end of 2022. NLNG’s Train 7 is expected to come onstream in the middle of the 2020s. KEY LICENCE RENEWED FOR DEEP-WATER SNEPCo has interests in four deep-water blocks in the Gulf of Guinea, two of which it operates. Today, nearly one-third of Nigeria’s deep-water oil and gas production comes from the Bonga and the nonoperated Erha fields.6 Since production began in 2005, Bonga alone has produced more than 950 million barrels of oil with the 2021 average oil production per day at 105,000 barrels. The Bonga FPSO vessel has a total production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil per day and 150 standard cubic feet of gas export per day. In 2021, the availability of the FPSO vessel increased to 80% from 70% in 2020. In addition to Bonga, SNEPCo’s exploration activities have led to several significant discoveries of oil and gas over the last two decades, including the Bolia and Doro fields (Shell interest 55%). Nigeria Briefing Notes Helping to power Nigeria’s economy 13 In the right investment climate, SNEPCo believes that there are opportunities to expand. In 2021 the OML 118 (Bonga) production sharing contract was renewed and the lease extended for 20 years. Bonga North and Bonga South West Aparo (BSWA) oil fields are two such potential opportunities. Bonga North is a proposed tie-back project to the existing Bonga FPSO with Phase 1 comprising 14 wells. BSWA is a development of a new FPSO with Phase 1 comprising 23 wells. SUPPORTING RENEWABLE ENERGY STARTUPS Millions of Nigerians are excluded from the country’s power grid and Shell Companies in Nigeria have established and provided substantial funding for a not-for-profit, impact-investing company called All On. Operating as an independent company, All On works to bring reliable electricity – often from renewable energy sources -- to off-grid urban and rural customers. This support aims to build a solid pipeline of viable businesses that can create the scale required to address Nigeria’s access to energy gap. In December 2019, SPDC and SNEPCo made a significant additional 10-year financing commitment of $160 million in All On, bringing the total commitment to $200 million. By the end of 2021, All On had provided investment capital to over 40 renewable energy start-ups in its portfolio – an increase of more than 30% from 2020. One such company is Infibranches Technologies Limited, to which All On has committed $2 million, which is expected to enable the indigenous technology company to expand sales of solar home systems via its more than 13,000 agent banking partners across Nigeria. With the support of the Rockefeller Foundation, the All On Hub was established in 2020 to provide nonfinancial support and build the capabilities of off-grid energy entrepreneurs. In 2021, the hub supported 81 ventures – nearly double the 41 supported in 2020. Also in 2021, All On, Odyssey Energy Solutions and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet launched a $10 million equipment financing facility as part of the DART pilot programme in Nigeria. 7 Hydraulic flying leads support the delivery of hydraulic fluid and/or chemicals between subsea equipment. 8 Subsea trees are an assembly of valves and other components used to monitor and control the production of a subsea well. DART will combine demand pooling, aggregated purchasing of solar equipment, and access to affordable finance to unlock economies of scale for solar companies, achieve cost savings for end-users, and accelerate the growth of the renewable energy sector in Nigeria and beyond. DEVELOPING LOCAL CONTENT AND SKILLS Shell Companies in Nigeria contribute to the growth of Nigerian businesses that can provide technical and support services to the industry. This includes the manufacture of tools and technical kits, the operation of helicopter flights in the Niger Delta, and strategic partnerships between foreign and local companies to stimulate technology transfer and capacity development. While there are government-required programmes in some areas, such as the Nigerian and Community Content Strategy embedded in the Assa North/Ohaji South gas development project, Shell Companies in Nigeria deliberately seek to contract local businesses wherever possible. In 2021, Shell Companies in Nigeria awarded $800 million worth of contracts to Nigerian-registered companies. Of these, 92% were companies with at least 51% Nigerian ownership. SNEPCo has awarded major engineering and construction contracts to companies that are indigenous, have local staff, or possess domestic capabilities in the country. At present, the manufacture and rebuild of hydraulic flying leads7 (HFLs) is being carried out in-country by wholly indigenous companies. Pressure Controls Systems Nigeria Limited, another Nigerian company, continues to refurbish old subsea trees.8 Sometimes, a lack of access to capital hinders Nigerian companies from competing for and executing contracts effectively. Shell Companies in Nigeria have provided access to nearly $1.6 billion in loans to 901 Nigerian vendors under the Shell Contractor Support Fund since 2012. These loans help improve their tendering opportunities.

Know More About Airtel Africa: Airtel Africa is a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services, with a presence in 14 countries in Africa, primarily in East Africa and Central and West Africa. Airtel Africa offers an integrated suite of telecommunications solutions to its subscribers, including mobile voice and data services as well as mobile money services both nationally and internationally. The Group aims to continue providing a simple and intuitive customer experience through streamlined customer journeys. www.airtel.africa

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Related Topics:#airtel #airtelafrica #airtelnigeria #airteltv

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The Voice Africa To Launch On TV Screens This Month, With Promise Of Showcasing African Talent, Entertainment, And Excitement

Published

10 hours ago

March 24, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

The Voice Africa To Launch On TV Screens This Month, With Promise Of Showcasing African Talent, Entertainment, and Excitement

Olushola Okunlade Writes

Airtel Africa, a leading provider of telecommunications and mobile money services with a presence in 14 countries across Africa, announces today that the highly anticipated show, The Voice Africa, will debut on 26^th March 2023.

Airtel Africa, as the title sponsors, has partnered with FAME Studios Africa to broadcast the show on free-to-air TV stations across its markets and Airtel TV.

The Voice Africa received 78,804 registrations from Nigeria, Kenya, Seychelles, Tchad, Uganda, Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Rwanda, Gabon, Madagascar, Malawi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. 12,308 talents were then selected for auditions and a total of 100, seven per country in addition to two wild cards, were chosen to proceed to the live shows in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Voice Africa will follow the format of the global show, starting out with blind auditions, battle rounds, knockouts, and playoffs, and concluding with the live shows. The show will run for 25 weeks, airing one show per week, with the first shows running the blind auditions based solely on the talents’ voices and not looks. The Voice Africa is expected to attract both a pan-African and global audience, featuring a high-profile panel of coaches and TV hosts who will witness one of the 100 selected talents eventually crowned The Voice Africa.

Anthony Shiner, Group Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Africa said: “We are thrilled to finally bring Africa’s exceptional musical talents to the world through the continent’s version of the global award-winning show, The Voice. The Voice Africa will display African musical talent, delivering excitement and entertainment to millions across the world, whilst showcasing amazing voices, performances, and intrigues. It is an opportunity to celebrate and contribute to Africa’s music scene through real-life stories of resilience, persistence, struggle, and success that some of you can relate to and will undoubtedly impact your lives.”

Airtel Africa believes in enabling the youthful talent on the continent and has continuously supported the notion that Africa’s youth are future leaders, not only on the continent but worldwide. To show commitment and the organisation’s support, Airtel Africa has invested in various initiatives that aim to promote youthful talents and expertise in education, sports, and the innovation sectors.

In 2021, Airtel Africa announced a groundbreaking $57m investment in education in partnership with UNICEF that aims to provide and increase access to digital education for the betterment of Africa’s children’s futures. Other initiatives Airtel Africa has been involved in over the years include the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), the Zain Africa Challenge, which brought university students together in a quiz contest, and the Airtel Rising Stars, a football tournament for Under-15 boys and girls.

For more information on the Voice Africa, please visit https://www.thevoice.africa/en

Post Views: 6

Brand

BUA Cement Records Fastest Profit Expansion Among Cement Competitors

Published

3 weeks ago

March 3, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

Olushola Okunlade Writes

BUA Cement Nigeria Plc has proven to be resilient in the face of macroeconomic headwinds as it recorded the fastest profit expansion among the dominant players in the industry.

The company has been recording double-digit growth in earnings since it was listed on the Nigerian stock exchange in January 2020 to become one of the most capitalised firms in Nigeria.

BUA Cement sustained its excellent performance in 2022, delivering a profit after tax (PAT) expansion of 12.42% year on year (yoy), relatively better performance when compared to Lafarge Africa (+5.10% yoy) and DANGCEM (4.90 % yoy).

In short, BUA Cement continues to outpace its rivals with double-digit growth at the bottom line (profit), it will overtake Dangote Cement as the largest firm by profit in the cement industry.

The cold commissioning of the Sokoto line 4 cement plant earlier in 2022 raised BUA Cement’s total installed capacity to 11.0MMTPA from 8.0MMTP, according to data from the company website.

Looking ahead, the company’s management plans to diversify energy sources by integrating solar energy on a limited scale of up to 10MW in 2023.

Of course, cost management and sales expansion will underpin profit margins this year, and such improvement is expected to deliver higher returns to shareholders in the form of bumper dividends and share appreciation.

It is worth noting that the company and peer rivals benefit from a price hike, which is significantly responsible for the revenue uplift.

However, inflationary pressures and volatility in currency still remains a downside risk to operating cost.

Analysts at Chapel Hill Denham Limited in research note said BUA Cement’s volume is now expected to come in at 7.4mmt, translating to a capacity utilisation of 52.0% based on an installed capacity of 14.0mmt per annum.

The cement maker’s operating profit spiked by 24.46 percent to N129.71 billion in December 2022 from N104.22 billion as of December 2021.

It trades at a price-to-earnings multiple of 33.30 while its shares trade at N92.45 as of March 1, 2022.

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Brand

7up Rebrands Logo, Unveils New Exciting Identity

Published

3 weeks ago

February 28, 2023

Business Echo Magazine

Olushola Okunlade Writes

Seven Up Bottling Company has announced a rebranding of its 7Up product with new packaging and identity.

According to the company, the rebranding exercise happened to be 7Up first major overhaul in over seven years

PepsiCo, an international distributor has announced the rebranding of the 7Up product. The rebranding exercise is said to be the first major redesign in the last 7 years. Mauro Porcini, who spoke about the rebranding exercise said that the decision to rebrand aligned with the new “UPliftment’ brand strategy which would increase its international positioning.

He added that the new design which was launched with the expression, ‘New Get Up, Same 7UP’ would be used everywhere 7UP and 7UP Zero Sugar are sold.

“UPliftment is a concept that resonates with people globally. Our new visual identity for 7Up was inspired first and foremost by the brand’s creation of moments of UPliftment throughout its history.

“The PepsiCo design and innovation team created a bright and confident visual identity system that will echo across cultures, regions, and languages. The new 7UP features the brand’s signature punchy green, but with added citrus hues and distinct high-contrast lines that portray a feeling of upward energy.”, Porcini said.

7UP Vice President, Global Brand Marketing, Eric Melis also commented on the rebranding exercise saying ” “We’re excited to shine a light on our international positioning and reveal our visual identity system to the world. 7UP has always provided people with refreshing UPliftment through consumption and that’s why it feels like a natural fit for us to drive this narrative forward and center UPliftment within everything we do.

“We’ve got one brand with two great product offerings, and we can’t wait for the world to see what else we have planned.”

Melis also disclosed that the new identity would be taking effect globally on 7Up products in March 2023.

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