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Understanding that sharing brings blessings, Maltina, a brand centred on sharing happiness, connected with Muslims across Nigeria this Ramadan season. This year’s Ramadan was such as Nigerians have never experienced before. In these challenging times, Nigerians are staying home to stay safe from the pandemic, and many do not have access to the necessary refreshments and essential food items to keep them nourished and happy as they break their fast. Many Muslims are seeking platforms for them to learn how to navigate this ever-changing world in the face of the pandemic.
Thus, in the true spirit of Ramadan, Maltina worked to empower diverse Muslim influencers with food boxes from Maltina, healing prayers, free Maltina drinks, and a letter of hope to enjoy and pass on to others in their community. The influencers were tasked to identify people in their communities to continue the cycle of sharing of the Maltina care packs, drinks, and prayers. By starting the giving to share happiness, Maltina created a ripple effect of sharing, encouraging Nigerians to come together in support of each other as we all face a global pandemic.
Some of the influencers include iconic Kannywood actors, Ali Nuhu, Rahama Sadau, Maryam Booth, Femi Adebayo, to celebrated Nigerian artistes like Sound Sultan, Reminisce, Kaffy Shafau, and others. The selected influencers were chosen to reach Nigerians across the country in places like Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, and Kano.
The Maltina care boxes contained enriching food essentials like rice, beans, fruits, vegetables, letters of hope, prayers, and Maltina drinks. The gifts were specially planned to share Maltina’s happiness physically through nourishing food, emotionally through a letter of hope, and spiritually through a prayer card, calling for people to come together to pray for the healing of the world, especially in these times of a global pandemic.
Apart from sharing food and drinks, Maltina highlighted another important item to be shared—knowledge. Across Nigeria, many students and young business owners are feeling stranded and seeking knowledge. Maltina noticed the gap and worked to host a ‘Day of Learning’ where three Nigerian Breweries employees volunteered their time and expertise to teach three learning sessions to an online community school with over 30,000 northern Nigeria youths, women, and SME businesses. The topics were relevant and engaging, ranging from Bookkeeping and Simple Finance, Sales & Customer Service, to Marketing & Social Media 101.
9mobile, Mobihealth extend telemedicine to combat health care challenges in Kano
One of Nigeria’s leading telecoms service providers, 9mobile, and award-winning telemedicine provider Mobihealth international, have partnered with the Association of Resident Doctors of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH, SHYO, and Northfield Health Services, to support the efforts of Kano State Government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and other health care challenges in the State.
The partnership is part of concerted efforts aimed at protecting healthcare workers and citizens by providing access to telemedicine consultation to curb the further spread of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Kano State. This service will enable doctors to diagnose, conduct investigations, treat and remotely monitor patients for general medical problems. It will also help to decide the order of treatment for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related illnesses.
Speaking on the partnership, Alhaji Nasir Bayero, Chairman of 9mobile, HRH, explained that citizens and residents of Kano would have access to highly-trained and experienced medical doctors for primary care consultation via web, app, voice or video call from the comfort of their homes simply by downloading Mobihealth Consult App or dialling to the toll-free lines for consultation.
He said, “Mobihealth’s Telemedicine service marks a new beginning for the people of Kano because it provides them access to doctors both in Nigeria and diaspora.”
9mobile recently, granted its customers free access to health and educational websites to support the increasing recourse to online learning by a growing number of academic institutions during this period of restricted movements.
The company also zero-rated access to the website of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), provides free information on COVID-19 on its network and presented over 600 lines and free data access to the NCDC.
APCON set to conduct PDA examinations
In line with its mandate to provide and refocus professional excellence for the marketing communications industry, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) is set to conduct the May/June 2020 Professional Diploma in Advertising (PDA) examinations.
In a recent statement made available to the press, Mrs. Ijedi Iyoha, acting registrar, said “the exams previously set to hold June 1 to June 5, 2020, could not take place due to the temporary suspension of our operations, in compliance with Federal Government’s directive to curb the spread of coronavirus by locking down the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states, thus making us to reconsider this decision and move the date forward to Monday, June 22, to Friday, June 26, 2020.”
She stated that “the council is determined in its resolve to ensure quality service delivery, by providing the needed knowledge and skills in a bid to give every deserving candidate an opportunity to become a registered member of the advertising profession in Nigeria.”
First Bank out with virtual bank account opening
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced that it has reinforced its technology infrastructure to enable anyone in the country open a FirstBank account through their mobile phones, without visiting any of its branches nationwide.
The investment in the bank’s mobile banking infrastructure is in furtherance of the need to deepen financial inclusion in the country, enabling account opening to be carried out on its *894# USSD banking, FirstMobile (self-service telephone banking) as well as its Bank’s staff, through the Direct Sales Executive (DSE) application installed on their mobile phone, ATMs and the bank’s over 55,000 FirstMonie Agents spread across the country. Opening an account with FirstBank through any of these means is seamless, convenient, fast, and user-friendly.
The DSE App is an end to end encrypted mobile application installed on the phone(s) of FirstBank staff which enables them to open an account for to-be customers. Upon the completion of the account opening process via the DSE App, the customer is notified of his or her account number through a text message on the mobile phone used to register the account.
With FirstBank’s *894# USSD banking, various banking activities are carried out on a mobile phone – across the four major GSM network operators in the country – without the use of the internet. The Bank currently has over 9.5 million of its nearly 20 million customers on its USSD banking platform.
The FirstMonie agent banking is an initiative from the bank to take banking closer to people, thereby bridging the gap between the banked and unbanked. FirstMonie is a channel through which various banking activities like FirstBank account opening, funds transfer, bill payments, data and call credit recharge services, amongst others are carried out.
P&G partners FMWASD, governments, non-profits to commemorate World Menstrual Hygiene Day
One of Nigeria’s leading consumer goods companies, Procter & Gamble, has partnered the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, state governments and non-profit organisations to celebrate the 2020 Menstrual Hygiene Day. With this initiative, P&G will provide over 150,000 Always® sanitary pads to its partners to promote menstrual hygiene management in the country. The announcement was made ahead of the celebration of the menstrual hygiene day and the distribution of menstrual hygiene kits to girls and women in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
Over the years, P&G has delivered several programmes in Nigeria aimed at educating citizens on effective health and hygiene practices. In line with the company’s commitment to doing good, this initiative will impact thousands of adolescent girls to ensure adequate menstrual hygiene.
Speaking about the partnership, Dr. (Mrs.) Temitope Iluyemi, P&G Africa director for government relations and public policy, said, “At P&G, we continue to deliver on our promise of making everyday life better for our consumers. More than ever, we are extremely glad to partner the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to celebrate the World Menstrual Hygiene Day, which advocates the importance of good menstrual hygiene management.”
“As a company, P&G is a force for good and a force for growth in the communities where we live and work. This year, not only do we acknowledge that periods do not stop even amid the current global pandemic, we are driving the global theme, ‘It’s Time for Action’. To this end, we have given out over 150,000 sanitary pads to drive menstrual hygiene awareness and have invested in menstrual health education through our Always® Keeping Girls In School (AKGIS) programme and our Always® School programme – which jointly impact over one million girls annually.
“So many myths and taboos arise around menstruation, making it a potentially frightening experience for young girls. It’s imperative we debunk these through the ongoing awareness that opens up the dialogue on periods and the need for MHM as a basic requirement in human dignity.” Iluyemi added.
In her remarks, Dame Pauline Tallen, OFR, KSG, Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, stated that, “Menstruation is not a curse, but a blessing, which every girl and woman should live with utmost dignity confidence and pride, while observing the highest rate of hygiene and safety. The lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, lack of sanitation infrastructure, and lack of menstrual hygiene education can impact negatively on their ability to reach their full potential in school, in the workplace, or at home. Therefore, menstrual hygiene management is key to healthy, productive and dignified lives for women and girls.”
“This menstrual hygiene day is particularly significant as it affords me the opportunity to launch the distribution of a ‘One Million Girls Pads Distribution Project’ aimed at cushioning the effect of COVID-19 on our women and girls. It is expected that each of the beneficiaries will receive at least four packs of sanitary towels. This project targets adolescent girls in all states of the federation. As a result, P&G’s contributions not only reflect our priorities, but also catalyze our efforts as we kick off the first phase of this project,” she added.
Other governments, agencies and non-profit organisations supported by Procter & Gamble for the 2020 Menstrual Hygiene Day include the National Centre for Women Development, the Northern Governors’ Wives’ Forum, Ogun State government, Bauchi State government, the ACIOE Foundation, United Way for Greater Nigeria, Purple Girl Foundation, Women Inspiring Impact Network, Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF), and the Nigerian Girl Guides Association.
