HiPipo Money

——————————————————

Vivo Energy Kenya Managing Director flags off train transporting diesel by operator Rift Valley Railways. Looking on is RVR Group CEO Darlan De David. Vivo Energy Kenya is the frontrunner of RVR’s tank-wagon restoration programme that the company is implementing in partnership with a number of major oil distributers and transporters in the region. 

————————————————

The ninth edition of Africa’s biggest reality series BIG BROTHER AFRICA kicks off in September and already fans are asking…who will the new housemates be? Who will find their names and their faces gracing newspapers? Who will become the subject of drive time radio and just who will find themselves trending on all social media platforms?

Unlike previous years, this year’s entry process is slightly different as potential housemates are invited to come in their numbers for auditions in their respective country venues. Auditions will take place at Sheraton Kampala Hotel on 7^th – 8^th July 2014.  

AfricaMagic has always been associated with unearthing, nurturing and recognizing talent from around the continent; and Big Brother Africa is one of the shows that have become known for transforming ordinary citizens into stars.

“We are very grateful and remain pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response that the show has been receiving over the years. We look forward to the selection of our potential housemates coming in large numbers to auditions at the specified venues and take that chance at being the next Big Brother star,” says M-Net Africa Regional Director (West Africa) Wangi Wa-Uzoukwu. “The fact that the fans truly adore the show is all the motivation we need to keep it fresh and that is always made possible by the enthusiastic and fun-loving young Africans who will answer to Big Brother. We are rearing to go and we know that this will definitely be another exciting season that is full of quality entertainment!” she adds.

Her sentiments are echoed by Endemol MD Sivan Pillay who says, “We have been producing this series for M-Net for a number of seasons now and as partners, together we have seen this show grow to the phenomenon that it has become. We hope the season will be even better as we strive to improve on our offering season after season. We will not hold back on the quality and exciting unpredictability that has become synonymous with Big Brother Africa. Audiences and fans can expect yet another high quality production and of course, another group of fun-loving housemates who will keep you guessing on who will be left standing come day 91.”

MultiChoice Africa CEO Nico Meyer says: “As MultiChoice Africa we are always pleased to welcome each new season of Big Brother Africa onto our platforms and we applaud its amazing success and ability to bring together audiences from all across the continent. The inclusion of Rwanda in this season is even more exciting as this displays that our reach and growth into the various sub-Saharan markets is going from strength to strength. We look forward to seeing further growth as well as the impressive social media presence that the show enjoys.”   

All persons over the age of 21, who are citizens of one of the participating countries and have a valid passport, can enter Big Brother Africa 9. If you are open-minded, bold and adventurous, that’s even better! Previous editions of Big Brother Africa have boasted huge cash prizes for winners and this it is no different as the prize money is USD 300 000.

Remember, entries are open to the following 14 countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

BIG BROTHER AFRICA 8 will be screened live 24/7 on DStv channels 197 and 198 while GOtv audiences will see highlights of the show, which begins on Sunday 7 September and is scheduled to run for 91 days. Big Brother Africa is produced by ENDEMOL SA.

Audition Details:

Casting Information:

• Botswana – Gabarone (Cresta President Hotel):                                                                       4 and 5 July 2014
• Ethiopia – Addis Ababa (Capital Hotel and Spa):                                                                        30 June 2014
• Ghana – Accra (Holiday Inn Hotel Airport):                                                                                  5 and 6 July 2014
• Kenya – Nairobi, The Hilton Nairobi:                                                                                               3 and 4 July 2014
• Malawi – Lilongwe (The Crossroads Hotel):                                                                                30 June and 1 July 2014
• Namibia – Windhoek (Hilton Hotel):                                                                                               8 and 9 July 2014
• Nigeria – Lagos (Protea Hotel Leadway, Ikeja):                                                                          30 June and 1 July 2014
• Rwanda – Kigali (The Lemigo Hotel)                                                                                               9 July 2014
• Sierra Leone – Free Town (The Country Lodge Complex):                                                    9 July 2014
• South Africa – Johannesburg (The Pyramid Venue and Conference Center):              30 June and 1 July 2014
• Tanzania – Dar Es Salaam (New Africa Hotel):                                                                             11 and 12 July 2014
• Uganda – Kampala (Sheraton Hotel):                                                                                             7 and 8 July 2014
• Zambia – Lusaka (InterContinental Hotel):                                                                                   4 and 5 July 2014
• Zimbabwe – Harare (The Meikles Hotel):                                                                                     12 and 13 July 2014

———————————–

London, June 10 2014:  His Excellency Yoweri Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda, will be one of a number of African leaders who will converge on London in October to meet with global investors and project developers at the inaugural Global African Investment Summit.

The Global African Investment Summit is designed specifically to present global investors with bankable projects in Africa.  Representatives of some of the biggest asset managers and pension funds, who are looking to increase their exposure to Africa’s emerging markets, will meet with H.E.Museveni and senior representatives from relevant ministries and parastatals.

“The aim is to catalyse investment into Africa through a trusted forum that focuses on real opportunities,” said Paul Sinclair, Director of The Global African Investment Summit.

“If you want to attract the world’s best investors you have to profile your country on the world stage.  London, as a global financial hub, presents the perfect location for African governments to meet and discuss with investors from across the globe.” Mr Sinclair added.

H.E. Museveni will be joined by the Presidents of Rwanda, Tanzania and Ghana and President OlusegunObasanjo, former leader of Nigeria, as the heads of the formal government delegations.  The Global African Investment Summit will provide the opportunity for the governments to attract investors into key sectors including agribusiness, power, natural resources and transport infrastructure.

“Investors from across the world will be looking at these projects; African governments will be seeking those partners who can bring the most value to their countries in terms of funds, expertise, technology and job creation.  Leveraging the power of the global market creates a win-win for African governments seeking to secure maximum benefits for their countries.”  Mr Sinclair concluded.

———————————-

Uganda Shippers Council today held  a comprehensive one day training of Ugandan shippers and freight forwarding agents on recent Regional Customs developments and procedures including; Single Customs Territory, Electronic Cargo Tracking System and Electronic Single Window System.  This has arisen out of high trade logistics costs in the EAC.

African economies generally have the highest trade logistics costs in the world and the EAC is not an exception to this trend. In a recent study, estimates for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda placed the average cost of trade logistics services at the equivalent of a tax of between 25 and 40% on value added. The key factor for the ability of a country to participate in supply chains is the efficiency of local trade facilitation and logistics services. Improving logistics performance and facilitating trade have been estimated to have positive effects in expanding country trade, increasing trade impacts of lowering remaining border barriers by a factor of two or more. For landlocked countries to increase exports, infrastructure to facilitate rapid entry is required. However, landlocked countries are challenged by a lack of sites for production, low level of skills and high costs of power.

“Delays still exist on the logistics chain with 52.4% of respondents indicated that they sometimes experienced delays while 33.3% indicated that they often experienced delays when moving shipments[1].  A lot of concern also exists on the manner with which disputes between shippers and government agencies are handled with some 36.4% of respondents indicating that they are not satisfied with the manner with which complains and disputes are handled. The trading community does not receive adequate and timely information when regulations change with 56.5% of respondents indicating they rarely receive accurate and timely information when regulations change”

In light of this, Uganda Shippers Council, supported by TradeMark East Africa, is implementing a project to enhance competitiveness in the supply chain for importers and exporters (cargo owners) in Uganda. 

The training was held at the Holiday Express Hotel in Kampala and facilitated by Uganda Revenue Authority and coordinated by the Uganda Shippers Council whose obligation is to ensure that the Ugandanshippers (i.e importers & exporters) are kept up to date with information which promotes efficiency in the logistics environmentand of supply chains in international trade.

Speaking at the opening of the training,Uganda Shippers’CouncilChairman Charles Kareeba thanked participants for attending the training which was so enlightening. “This information is quite timely for us as major stakeholders in the trade industry, and more so now than ever when we participate in the East African Community integration. Various policies have been tailored to ease the integration and create equal opportunities for all member states, it is these various initiativesthat will facilitate faster clearance of cargo and reduce the cost of doing business in the region”

Stephen Magera, Asst. Commissioner International Trade- URA said “ amongthe many benefits of the Customs developments and procedures, the shippers in Uganda should be assured of a swift process of managing goods in transit by providing real time feedback to the business community;  reduction in transit time and the cost of doing business; elimination of duplication of processeswhereby the assessment and collection of tax revenues on  consignments is done at the first point of entry”.

TradeMark East Africa is supporting Uganda Shippers Council on capacity building with a grant worth $130,000. The project aims to effectively represent shippers, design/implement program based interventions including advocacy; to develop position papers pertinent to shipping and logistics for example commissioning studies into East African alternative transport networks, review multi-modal systems including railways & shipping on Lake Victoria which in the past were viable alternative modes of transportation for Ugandan shippers; to improve compliance by shippers and freight forwarders to port and transit procedures in order to reduce costs of penalties arising from documentation and processing errors by shippers and forwarders.

———————————–

As part of its business skills training programme, MTN Business has completed its first round of regional trainings with a session for SMEs in the Central region that took place at Kampala Sheraton Hotel on 18^th July 2014. The programme, which has been running for the past three years is intended to pass on relevant and practical business skills that will help Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) grow their businesses.

The training, which followed similar sessions in the Northern, Western and Eastern Regions over the past eight months, attracted 100 participants from the areas of Kampala, Mukono, Wakiso and Entebbe, and was carried out in partnership with Summit Consulting Limited.  The participants received training in internal controls,working capital management,value creation and preservation, business taxation and using the internet to grow their businesses.

Speaking at the close of the training, Hon. Amelia Kyambadde, Minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives appreciated MTN Business for the unmatched initiative it has committed itself to and applauded the team for the great work they have done in passing on essential business skills to SMEs in Uganda.

“SMEs are a backbone to any economic development because all big enterprises start small. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives is fully braced to support this sector to see that Uganda shines economically. I want to encourage MTN to continue with this programme, so as to avail this knowledge to as many small business owners as possible”, added Hon Kyambadde.

Reiterating MTN’s interest in SMEs, the Ag. Senior Manager, Enterprise, Mr Steven Kirenga said, “Over the years, there has been a phenomenal growth in the SME segment, making it a cornerstone of Uganda’s economic growth. The successful implementation of this training program in the past three years has encouraged us to continue supporting the SME business segment, so as to support the economic development of our country”. 

Explaining the selection criteria of the participants, MTN Business General Manager- Mr Reginald Kafeero said the participants were asked to apply for the training, and thereafter vetted through the Summit Consulting team as to whether they are indeed a registered and progressively growing business and stand to gain from the training.

Kafeero said MTN Business has initiated a number of products and services aimed at introducing SMEs to new ways of doing business.  He highlighted the recently launched IP Multimedia Services as one of the offerings that is increasingly becoming popular with the business community, as a means to ensure more efficient and cost effective business communications.

The evening cocktail held at the close of the training provided opportunity for interaction and networking between the participants and representatives from MTN Business, and other MTN Business corporate and SME customers.

-End-

About MTN Uganda

Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading communications operator in Uganda, offering Mobile and Fixed telecommunications, Mobile Money Services and Internet Service Provisioning. As of 31 March 2014, MTN Uganda recorded 9.5 million subscribers across Uganda. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug and for our football fans www.mtnfootball.com. Customers can also follow us on www.youtube.com/mtnug and www.twitter.com/mtnugandacare for assistance.

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN. As of 31 March 2014, MTN recorded 210.1 millionsubscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. More info onHYPERLINK “https://www.mtn.com/Pages/Home.aspx” www.mtn.com

———————————-

Johannesburg –MTN Business has enhanced its Cloud offering with the addition of five new services to the MTN Cloud bouquet. The services, which range from marketing tools to security and accounting products, aim to simplify and improve how customers run their businesses.

“MTN Business’s Cloud-based products and services are already offering heightened convenience to customers and helping businesses across our markets to reduce operating and infrastructure expenses. The addition of the new services will further enhance our offering and increase value for our customers, particularly those in the trade and retail, and professional services sectors,” says Elia Tsouros, Acting Executive of the MTN Group Enterprise Business Unit.   

Among the new Cloud services on offer is a marketing automation tool which will enable businesses to send customised messages and campaign information to up to 1000 contacts. This is expected to add immense value to the trade and retail sector by offering a cost effective way to improve communication with customers. In addition to the marketing automation tool,a financial accounting service has also been added to the MTN Cloud bouquet, which will enable businesses to manage customers, suppliers and inventory items online. Both services are available in English and French.

The other new services include is a lightweight Customer Relationship Management tool, enabling businesses to perform actions including sales tracking, a collaboration tool which allows individuals in the business to share files and a security tool which provides encryption and lightweight packet inspection services.

“These new services will enable our business customers to manage a range of their business functions utilising just one service provider, MTN. In addition to simplicity, we offer customisation and convenience. For instance, MTN customers across Africa can pay for the Cloud Services they use, with either prepaid airtime or MTN Mobile Money.We always aim to offer customised and simplified solutions to our customers to help make small business bigger and big business better,” says Tsouros.

The five new services are available in all nine markets where MTN offers Cloud services i.e.Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Cameroon, Guinea Conakry, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa and Swaziland.

The MTN Cloud services bouquet also includes MTN Cloud Email, which allows businesses to access their email accounts from anywhere via the desktop application or online via web access; MTN Cloud Collaboration Video Conferencing, which enables customers to hold virtual meetings with their customers, vendors and employees; and MTN Cloud Security which keeps customers’ data safe with state-of-the-art software.

END

– Issued by MTN Group Corporate Affairs

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN.” As of 31 March 2014, MTN recorded 210.1 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. Visit us at, www.mtnbusiness.com,www.mtn.com and www.mtnmmo.com