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Interview

With Women Exclusion in Politics, Nigeria Operating at Half-Capacity – Gender Rights Activist

by Women Times on

Gender rights activist, and former Commissioner for Women Affairs in Ekiti State, Mrs Fola Richie-Adewusi, tells ABIODUN NEJO in this chat that women will create and implement programmes that will be more beneficial to all if in positions of authority

You are involved in advocacy or campaigns to increase the participation of women in politics and leadership; what do you believe the marginalisation or low participation of women in politics has robbed Nigeria of?

Nigeria is being robbed of the opportunity to have the full benefit of all the potential God has endowed the country with. There is a saying that a bird does not fly with one wing.

As a result, Nigeria has been operating at half capacity. Women’s marginalisation or low political participation has denied Nigeria the opportunity to fully realise her greatness.

But really, what do you think has been holding women back from participating in politics?

There are many factors responsible. There is a power relationship between men and women. This power relationship is still embedded in patriarchy, where the man, as the head, is not supposed to lift a finger to assist the woman at home.

So, creating a work-life balance might pose some challenges for women who are interested in politics but need to keep the home front going because the children are young and the man is not providing the necessary support. There is also the aspect of the economic factor. Women do not have the same access to financial resources as men. So this limits the chances of the women.

Participation in politics requires money, even if it is for basic logistics. Political violence, on the other hand, scares many women off the field of politics. Many women are not interested in do-or-die politics.

Looking at these, do you see equity, equality or inclusion as really attainable?

Yes, by creating a level playing field for all, intentionally allocating seats for women, and looking out for and including those who are marginalised, such as female persons with disabilities.

Do you have any appeals for women’s support and encouragement for groups and organisations?

My appeal will be that women are smart and have a lot to offer. So, they should do all within their power to encourage and support them.

Taking a cue from Ekiti, which has a female deputy governor, House of Assembly Speaker, and Secretary to State Government, what do you think the impact of women will be on women, children, and the state as a whole?

The impact on women and children will be positive. Women in positions of authority, because of their nurturing abilities, will create and implement programmes that will be beneficial to all.

For example, within one month of her assumption of office, the first female Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olubunmi Adelugba implemented a programme to mark the 16 Days of Activism on Violence against Women. The Assembly was involved for the first time.

Within the same month, she led her members for a comprehensive health check at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital to forestall sudden deaths among the parliamentarians. She even spoke of the possibility of a law to that end, making it compulsory for all government workers to go for medical examinations in the interest of their health.

But if I may ask, do women really have the strength for the murky waters of Nigerian politics, especially looking at it from the angle that violence has been part of Nigerian politics?

The answer is simple: It is that the more women we have the less violence the country will witness in politics.

With the 2023 elections around the corner, the major parties still engage largely in personality-focused campaigns as opposed to issue-based campaigns. Do you think Nigeria can ever get its politics right?

I believe Nigeria can get its politics right. It is all about doing the right thing. I am aware that the All Progressives Congress candidates for the 2023 general elections have been meeting with stakeholders across the board to sell their manifestos and candidacies. So, I believe it is not all the candidates who are not doing the right thing.

What advice do you have for the political parties as they gear up for the polls and the citizens as well?

Let the political parties sell their manifestos to the electorate, and let the electorate review what each candidate has to offer. Allow citizens to collect their Permanent Voter Cards and vote based on their verifiable voting history.

What can you make of the constant verbal attacks on your party’s presidential candidate as the election approaches?

It is part of the game of politics all over the world to look for something negative to say about your opponent to distract him and gain an advantage. However, a serious candidate will not be distracted.

That is why the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima are focused on telling the people what they will do based on their verifiable track record of achievements.

Do you see him winning the 2023 election?

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is one politician who understands politics and has a positive track record of accomplishments compared to others in the race. I believe he will win the 2023 election; he is working hard to win, and he has all it takes to win.

What gives you that assurance? I mean, why do you think Nigerians should vote for him, and what do you think he will do differently?

The Yoruba have a saying that if someone promises to buy you a dress, you will first look at what he/she is wearing so you can judge if he/she can fulfil the promise. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu transformed Lagos under very difficult circumstances, to the admiration of all.

He displayed an uncommon ability to identify great talents resident in Lagos, irrespective of tribe or religion, to create a benchmark that no other state has yet to beat since 1999. I think Nigerians should not gamble with their votes. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and his running mate will make the desired positive difference in Nigeria.
Despite laws, efforts, and implementation, rape and other gender-based violence cases have continued to be an issue in Ekiti State.

What is the way forward?

The implementation of the laws has given people confidence that they will get justice. What we are witnessing is a surge in the reporting of cases, which was not the case before. The other area of gender-based violence that has also come to the fore is female genital mutilation. The FGM Law needs to be revised to give stiffer penalties to perpetrators. Criminalising FGM in all its forms will help curb the practice. Continuous and sustained implementation of the laws will greatly help reduce GBV in Ekiti State.

While the Ekiti State governor’s wife, Dr Oyebanji, is seeking a special court for GBV cases, some people think that they should be settled out of court. What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of the two options?

I agree with Her Excellency, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, on the need for a special court for GBV cases because such a court would provide confidentiality while also reducing shame and embarrassment, which often prevent victims of GBV from reporting.
It will also make for a quick dispensation of justice, unlike the regular courts.

Settlements out of court will continue to give perpetrators power over their victims if they know they can always buy their way out. Perpetrators should be made to face the full wrath of the law!

How has the brain drain in the medical sector (among doctors and nurses) affected women’s and children’s access to quality healthcare delivery?

The brain drain is affecting all sectors of healthcare delivery, not only women and children. However, since one of the indicators tracked to measure the success of a healthcare delivery system is maternal and child mortality, morbidity, and the number of patients to doctor ratio, the brain drain is impacting negatively women’s and children’s access to quality healthcare.
For example, in Nigeria now, according to a statement by the Nigeria Medical Association in one report I read, the ratio is 1 medical doctor to 4,000 patients instead of the World Health Organisation recommendation of one doctor to 600 patients, while for nurses, it is one nurse to 1,160 patients instead of the recommended one nurse to 5 patients. Governments and all stakeholders in the healthcare delivery sector must address this and save the health of the country.

 

 

 

 

 

Credit: The Punch

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Appointment

Toyin Abraham, Destiny Etiko Unveiled As Quickteller’s Brand Influencers

by Women Times on

Nollywood sensations Toyin Abraham and Destiny Etiko have been unveiled as brand influencers of Quickteller, a leading consumer digital payments platform, powered by Interswitch, in a bid to expand its message of convenient and secure payment to a wider audience.

The unveiling ceremony, which was held at Interswitch’s office on Monday, December 12, 2022, kicked off with the signing of contracts, and had in attendance representatives of the company’s Group Marketing and Corporate and Communications department, who welcomed the actresses into the Quickteller family.

Speaking on the unveiling, Priscilla Iyari, Brand Manager, Quickteller, Interswitch Group, noted that as a brand that takes the business of payment convenience seriously, there is an ever-increasing need to ensure that more Nigerians become aware of the opportunities that abound with Quickteller.

Iyari shared, “We are thrilled to have Toyin Abraham and Destiny Etiko as part of the Quickteller family where we will work together to get their fans and even more people to join our expanding family, while getting more Nigerians to explore the possibilities and benefits that come with being a part of this ‘Everything Is Possible’ community.

“At Quickteller, we are keen on providing Nigerians with the easy life, and we are relentless in our efforts in ensuring that this message reaches a wider pool of Nigerians who seek easier ways to conduct daily transactions and pay their bills.”

L-R- Priscilla Iyari,Brand Manager, Quickteller; Chidike Oluaoha, Group Head, Growth Marketing Inclusion and Paytoken, Interswitch Group;Toyin Abraham, Quickteller Ambassador; Destiny Etiko, Quickteller Ambassador; Olawale Akanbi, Group Head, Growth Marketing, Merchants and Ecosystem, Interswitch; Paul Okoye, CEO One Africa Prime Entertainment Nigeria Limited at the signing ceremony of the Quickteller brand ambassadors at the Interswitch head office

Iyari also added that the brand will continue to tell its stories by using familiar faces, which will in turn build consumer-brand trust and improve user uptake.

Quickteller continues to place high value on payment convenience through its online and mobile payment channel that enables Nigerians to make electricity bills payments, airtime and data top-up, TV cable subscription, buy and rent homes, book flights, among others.

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Award

Nigeria’s Bunmi Oke Joins Global Brand Leaders As Gerety Awards Jury

by Women Times on

Nigeria’s Bunmi Oke, Chief Executive Officer/Lead Consultant of Ladybird Ltd will join other global brand leaders from Philips, Heineken and PepsiCo on next year’s Gerety awards jury.

She was the 17th (and 2nd Female) President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) and presently a Board/Council member of the association. She is also a Council member of WIMBIZ.

Oke before founding Ladybird was the pioneer Chief Operating Officer/Executive Director of one of the leading integrated marketing communications agencies in Nigeria – 141 Worldwide (now NITRO 121) (an international agency which is a member of the WPP group, the largest communications group in the world).

“We could not be prouder of the jury of personalities from around the world that will be choosing the 2023 winners” explained Co-Founder Lucía Ongay. “Next year we celebrate the 5th year of the Gerety Awards and just like in previous editions, our jury includes some of the advertising and marketing industries most respected and awarded leaders.”

The 2023 Grand jury includes:

  • Antoinette Beatson, VP ECD, BETC, Havas, FRANCE
  • Brogan Simpson, Global Communication Manager, Heineken, NETHERLANDS
  • Cristina Reina, EVP, Global Executive Creative Director, McCann New York, USA
  • Diana Ceausu Caverly, Global Chief Strategy Officer, MRM, USA
  • Gabrielle Fenton, Head of LATAM, VaynerMedia, MEXICO
  • Jo Wallace, Global Executive Creative Director, Media.Monks, UK
  • Joan Colletta, Senior Director, Global Brand Marketing, McDonalds, USA
  • Kinga Grzelewska, Managing Director & Creative Director, MullenLowe, POLAND
  • Maya Karanouh, CEO/Co-Founder, Tagbrands, LEBANON
  • Nicky Bullard, Group Chief Creative Officer, MullenLowe Group UK
  • Ghada Wali, Creative and Co-Founder, Wali Studio, EGYPT
  • Marcela Morales, Sr Brand & Digital Manager, Whirlpool, MEXICO
  • María Luján Donaire, Executive Creative Director, HOY, ARGENTINA
  • Masako Okamura, Creative Director; Dentsu Inc, JAPAN
  • Nancy Delhalle, Founder & Chief Marketing Officer, Serviceplan BELGIUM
  • Sann Sava, Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Montreal, CANADA
  • Sorada Sonprasit, CEO
  • Publicis Groupe THAILAND
  • Stephanie Nadi Olson, Founder and CEO, We Are Rosie, USA
  • Syeda Ayesha Ikram, Executive Creative Director, PAKISTAN
  • Vanessa Vankemmel Sebban, Head of Creative Works France Google, FRANCE
  • Nathalie Lam, Global Head of Sponsorship, Lead for Inclusion & Diversity Marketing Transformation, Philips Global, NETHERLANDS
  • Rana Hamarneh, Group Executive Director & Partner, AdPro, JORDAN
  • Tomoko Arikazawa, Managing Director, MSL Japan Publicis Groupe, JAPAN
  • Uma Rudd Chia, Executive Creative Director and Co-founder, KVUR, SINGAPORE
  • Zubeida Goolam, Founder and Creative Managing Partner, Valiant Agency, SOUTH AFRICA
  • Jennifersy Hu, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy, TAIWAN
  • Josefina Casellas, Executive Creative Director, RGA, ARGENTINA
  • Lone Tvedergaard Bach, Strategy Director and Partner, &Co, DENMARK
  • Natalie Wills, Brand VP, Booking.com, NETHERLANDS
  • Patricia Moura, Head of Content, GUT, BRAZIL
  • Begoña Aristy, VP & General Manager, Pepsico, MEXICO
  • Bunmi Oke, CEO/Lead Consultant, Ladybird Ltd, NIGERIA
  • Cassandra Zawadowski, Co-Chief Creative Officer, Wunderman Thompson, CANADA
  • Dana Koll, Owner and Founder, DIBOOR, ISRAEL
  • Jeannine Shao Collins, President, SeeHer, Association of National Advertisers, USA
  • Rina Marie Simon, Partner, GroupM INDONESIA
  • Stephanie Yung, Executive Creative Director, Zulu Alpha Kilo, CANADA
  • Carole Giroud, CEO, Serviceplan FRANCE
  • Hà Nguyễn Thị Hải, CEO, VMLY&R, VIETNAM
  • Helen Pak, Senior Vice President of Creative – Marketing, Design & Content, Disney, USA
  • Helga Sasdi, Co-Leader of Le Pont and Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Groupe HUNGARY
  • Mar Frutos, CCO, El Taier DDB, GUATEMALA
  • Merve Puhaloğlu Eraslanoğlu, Chief Everything Officer, TVekstra, TURKEY
  • Natalie Lam, CCO Asia, Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Publicis Groupe, HONG KONG
    • Rosalina Tornel, VP & General Manager Gamesa-Quaker-Sonric’s Mexico and Biscuits Latam, Pepsico, MEXICO

    Once again Gerety will be holding in-person jury sessions in 10 different cities; the locations and judges for the executive jury will be announced in the new year. Entries are judged on the originality of the creative ideas and the quality of their executions and all types of advertising campaigns can be entered.

    As well as defining the shortlist, the executive jury sessions each select the agency and production company of the year from their country. This is chosen from the entrants of the Portfolio Cut.

    The 2023 Gerety Awards will open for entries and announce the full jury in January, in the meantime entrants are invited to learn more about the Grand jury and download the 2023 entry kit at www.geretyawards.com

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Appointment

Buhari Reappoints Ahmad, Lametek As Deputy Governors, CBN

by Women Times on

President Muhammadu Buhari has reappointed Mrs. Aishah Ndanusa Ahmad, Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, Central Bank of Nigeria and Edward Lametek Adamu, Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Central Bank of Nigeria to serve second terms at the apex bank.

In a letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan on the floor of the Senate during Tuesday’s plenary, Buhari requested that the Senate screens and confirm the nominees to serve for a second and final term as deputy governors at the apex bank.

Ahmad, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter-holder was first nominated deputy governor in October 2017. She was confirmed as the first female DG in charge of the Financial System Stability directorate which is responsible for ensuring a safe and sound financial system in Nigeria, a core mandate of the CBN. With over 25 years policy and financial industry experience, she holds an MSc in Finance & Management from Cranfield University UK, MBA (Finance) from University of Lagos and a second class upper Bachelors degree in Accounting from University of Abuja. Ahmad has been credited with bringing dynamism and a strong combination of academic qualifications and private sector experience to her role as deputy governor FSS.

Adamu, a quantity surveyor by training was nominated to the role of deputy governor, in February 2018. He was later confirmed as DG in charge of the Corporate Services directorate following a 25 year career culminating in his role as HR Director at the CBN. He is a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Kaduna and fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors and the Institute of Credit Administration. He began his career with the Unified Public Service in 1983.

Both nominees are expected to be screened for confirmation by the relevant Senate committee.

 

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Appointment

Asha Mweru Mbowa Becomes Managing Director of AMI Enterprise

by Women Times on

The African Management Institute (AMI), one of the continent’s leading business learning companies has launched AMI Enterprise, a new division dedicated to boosting workplace and professional skills for growth-stage and established companies.

To oversee the activities of the new division, Kenya’s Asha Mweru Mbowa has been appointed as Managing Director. She was promoted from her role as AMI’s Director of Operations and Talent, where she oversaw a 118% growth of AMI employees from 2020 to 2022. Asha’s promotion continues the precedent set by AMI in which women represent over 60% of all senior leadership positions at AMI.

The new division, AMI Enterprise, leverages AMI’s long-standing position in the continent’s training sector and its Africa-focused approach, proven to drive performance among leaders, managers, and Africa’s growing workforce.

AMI was founded nearly a decade ago with a vision for enabling Africa’s ambitious enterprises to thrive through practical management tools and training. We’ve grown rapidly, supporting leaders and managers at thousands of organisations, from Raddison Blu and Uber to Africa’s own rising stars such as MKOPA and RwandAir. Our practical business learning is proven to accelerate Africa’s entrepreneurial economy. The recent establishment of AMI Enterprise as a core division will allow us to scale up our support for these companies as they grow to be a force in the global economy,” said Rebecca Harrison, AMI’s CEO and co-founder. “There’s no one more qualified than Asha Mweru Mbowa to lead AMI Enterprise as we respond to the rapid growth and demand across Africa for AMI’s corporate and growth-stage business training programmes.”

AMI’s Enterprise clients can select from AMI’s 4-6 month flagship leadership, management and workforce performance programmes, shorter 1-2 month focused professional power skills programmes, and AMI’s Enterprise Academy solution which provides virtual, on-demand and localised blended learning for hundreds of participants. AMI also develops bespoke learning programmes rooted in AMI methodology and leveraging its proprietary online learning platform, which includes over 3,000 downloadable tools, over 80 online courses and content in 5 languages. AMI learning programmes incorporate African-contextualized content and case studies based on African businesses and management experiences.

Asha Mweru Mbowa joined AMI in 2020 after extensive experience working in Africa’s investment sector and with business education providers. She served as an Investment Advisor with Novastar Ventures and in key leadership roles with Kenya’s business education company, Sinapis Group. Asha is active as an experienced entrepreneur and is the co-founder of Women Work Kenya, a technology-driven company focused on the advancement of African women entrepreneurs and professionals through digital communities and access to growth opportunities. She also serves as an Advisory board member of LendHer Capital and Profish Ghana Limited.

Mrs. Mweru Mbowa is currently pursuing a Masters in Liberal Arts, Management from the Harvard Extension School and is a graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Information Technology from Strathmore University.

She will lead an AMI Enterprise division with a deep bench and an ever-growing footprint across the continent, including sales and learning delivery team members in Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, and Nigeria. AMI Enterprise will compliment AMI Impact, the company’s other internal division which works alongside development partners to deliver large-scale learning and business growth programmes to support the entrepreneurial economy.

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Appointment

FG Appoints Christy Uba As Acting Director Of NYSC

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The Federal Government has appointed Mrs Christy Uba as the Acting Director of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) pending the appointment of a substantive director.

Recall, her appointment become necessary following the sack of the former the Director-General of the scheme, Brigadier-General Mohammed Fadah.

Fadah’s removal came only six months after he was appointed NYSC boss. His appointment came in May 2022.

Mrs Uba’s appointment was announced in a statement released by Eddy Megwa, Director, Press and Public Relations for NYSC.

The statement explained that Mrs Uba was asked to take over the scheme because she was the most senior official.

“Following the removal of Brigadier General Muhammad Kaku Fadah as Director General, National Youth Service Corps by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, Mrs Christy Uba, Director, Information and Communications Technology, the most senior Director in the Scheme has taken over the leadership of the Corps in the capacity of Overseer, pending the appointment of a substantive Director General by Mr President,” the statement stated.

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Appointment

Chinwe Altraide Appointed MD of Hope Payment Service Bank

by Women Times on

The Board of Directors of Hope Payment Service Bank Ltd, a foremost payment service Bank in Nigeria, has appointed  Mrs. Ogechi Chinwe Altraide as its Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer.

Announcing the appointment, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank, Shehu Abubakar, stated that Mrs. Altraide brings to the Board and the Bank over two and a half decades of unbroken experience in Nigeria’s dynamic banking industry and will provide valuable insight to the Board and the Management of the Bank from her wealth of experience.

He further noted that the appointment of Mrs. Altraide is one of the measures geared towards positioning the Bank as a leading payment service Bank in Nigeria.

“Ogechi has over 25 years’ experience in Banking and has worked in different Banks such as Ecobank, Diamond Bank and United Bank for Africa where she was a Deputy General Manager until her current appointment as Managing Director/CEO of Hope PSBank. She has held several roles, which include Group Head Personal Banking, Head Retail Banking, Group Head Direct Sales, Head Sales, Regional Manager and Branch Manager. She has managed different portfolios including Agent Banking, International Remittances, SME, Customer Acquisition and Retail Growth. She was also a Non-Executive Director of UBA, Tanzania.

“She holds a B.Sc. in Management and an MBA in Banking and Finance both from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Ogechi is a Certified Management Consultant, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB) and a subject matter expert in retail sales and campaigns, “he added.

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Interview

‘Yanga Came from Six-Month Research on Women, Banking Services’

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Divisional Head, Retail, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and eBusiness, Unity Bank Plc, ‘Funwa Akinmade, speaks with GEOFF IYATSE on retail banking in a tough economy and the social impacts of Yanga, a product of the bank.

There is an assumption that Nigerian banks profit from the difficulties people go through during tough times rather than support them. To what extent do you think this is true?

The money banks lend belongs to people and not the banks. So, when we lend, we want the money to come back to where it was taken. If we don’t get it back, there is a problem. So, banks need to take precautions in ensuring that they do not lose customers’ deposits.

People say banks ought to be more supportive when things go bad. We agree but there are limits to how banks can play with money. At Unity Bank, we are doing a lot of corporate social responsibilities (CSRs) as part of our way of supporting Nigerians in this trying time.

Everywhere we go with Yanga, we go with our HMO partners. And the service is affordable. The partners are very supportive. We render free health checks. The health checks cost about N10,000 per person. But they are rendered at no cost to Nigerian women who are struggling to cope with the economic challenges. That is part of our way of giving back to society.

The HMO subscription is also extremely cheap. It is about the cheapest you can get in the country. We discovered that when a woman visits a hospital, the least she spends is over N10,000. She will pay for a card, a consultation fee, run a test and pay for drugs. But with an N1,000 monthly subscription on the HMO our partners provide as part of Yanga, their basic medical needs are covered.

What has been your experience managing the Yanga campaign?

It has been a fantastic experience. So far, there have been a few learning points. But overall, it has been a huge success anywhere we go. And it is a win-win situation. A win for Unity Bank, a win for the women and a win for the financial inclusion drive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Individuals who have never operated bank accounts own all the accounts that we have opened. When we are opening Yanga, we take the bank to the market rather than waiting for the market women to come to us.

We go along with a mobile BVN machine to enrol unregistered women who need BVN for account opening. This is a win for women who do not have the time to visit a bank. That is also deepening the financial inclusion drive. Everywhere we go, we create what we call Yanga woman who is a female banking agent.

Why is the product only for women?

Yanga is a product of extensive research and peer review. From the name to its features, it is driven by research. According to CBN data, more than 52 per cent of unbanked people in Nigeria are women.

There are various reasons adduced to support this but the most prominent revealed by our research was that men make the money and only give to women to spend. I don’t know the extent to which this is true.

For six months, we were with the Lagos Business School on research across 18 cities. We also did a focus group study. Mainly, we wanted something that will resonate with Nigerian women. Several names were suggested but research showed that Yanga strikes better than the other names that were considered.

There is no product by any bank that is specifically created for women even though more percentage of women have bank accounts than women. That is the gap Yanga wants to fill. We aspire to take the product to a point when it will be synonymous with women’s retail banking. Our managing director is the longest-serving female in any bank. This is something she will look at for some years to come and be proud of.

There will be a gap in KYC protocols when you go to the market to convince individuals to open accounts. How do you deal with this?

The CBN has made KYC much easier. Some years ago, it launched what is called the tiered KYC guidelines. So we have tier one, tier two and tier three KYC requirements. Tier one means one can open an account with only a passport photograph. That is the minimum KYC required to operate an account. The second tier requires an ID but no reference while the third KYC requires references.

About 99 per cent of women open a tier-one account, which has the lowest level of KYC. They only need a bank account where they can pay in money and withdraw when they need it.

Yanga is about market women who are into small trading and not necessarily big shop owners. There are cases where some women say they want a higher version of Yanga because their business turnovers have increased. At that point, all they need is to provide additional documents and other requirements to upgrade the accounts. But Yanga is a sufficient starting point for every market woman who has not operated a bank account.

Why Yanga and not any other retail banking product?

There are three added values. Every quarter, we organise a capacity-building programme where experts train women on how to manage a business. We also have an agreement with highly-rated HMO operators to offer health insurance services as an added value. It is the cheapest anybody can get. We also offer free health checks as part of the health package.

So to answer your question; one we do capacity building; number two, we are the only bank product that offers an HMO. With the HMO subscription, operators can access services at different hospitals, both private and public, across the country.

At every area or market, there is a Yanga woman, where you can withdraw money. You don’t need to visit the banking hall. That saves time and money. No other bank offers these services in one package.

We issued a dedicated debit card that also serves as an HMO card. We noticed that many women misplace their HMO cards easily so we creatively come up with a debit card that is tied to HMO. The last five digits of the card serial number are the HMO number.

Credit: The Guardian

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Award

MAN’s PRO, Omotayo Okewunmi Clinches Most Efficient OPS Image Maker Award

by Women Times on
The Public Relations Officer of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Omotayo Okewunmi has clinched the Most Efficient Organized Private Sector (OPS) Image Maker Award at the 2022 Annual Workshop/Awards & Recognition organized by the Commerce & Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN).

 

The award ceremony was held at Sheraton Hotels & Towers, Ikeja on CICAN on 3rd November 2022 and had individuals and organisations awarded and recognised for their outstanding performance and contributions to their various sectors, the economy, and the country at large. It also had a general theme “Manufacturing: Despite FX & Recognition” which captured the discussion of the workshop with prominent industry stakeholders dissecting the challenges facing the manufacturing industry and proffered solutions.

 

 

CICAN Chairman, Charles Okonji said Omotayo who manages the public image of the association was awarded for her contribution to managing the MAN image professionally and its stakeholders which included the media. He pointed out that her contributions have further helped MAN grow its presence and champion its course in the country.

 

While receiving the Award, she expressed her appreciation for the recognition and pointed out that it would spur her to do more. “It came as a surprise and I am deeply honoured by the kind gesture. It is always a privilege to be at your service.”

Omotayo is a certified Public Relations and communications expert with a strong passion for broadcast, arts, and communication. She currently works with the MAN where she not just handles strategic communications, but also serves as a Media Relations expert for the Association.

 

Her dogged experience in the broadcast space launched her passion for compere; now she also doubles as the Official Master of Ceremony of the MAN.

 

Omotayo is a multi-skilled communicator, with strong coordination in administrative duties. She among other responsibilities, co-manages the Annual Nigeria Manufacturing and Equipment Expo; plans and executes the Association’s Annual General Meetings, host the Annual MAN Reporter of the Year Award, and serves as liaison personnel with Embassies.

 

She served as secretary to the organizing committee for MAN at 50 Ceremony, recently represented MAN at the intra-African Trade Fair in Durban, South Africa, and initiated value-adding webinars for corporate communication experts for Member Companies.

 

She holds B.Sc in Mass Communication/Media Studies and a Master of Science, in Social Science both from the University of Lagos.

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Award

MPXM CXO, Nana Biyang Bags ‘Experiential Marketer of the Year’ Award at 2022 NMNA

by Women Times on

In what looks like a fulfilling business year for the leading experience company, MPXM, the chief experience officer of the firm, Nana Milagrosa Utomi Biyang has emerged the Experiential Marketer of the Year’ at 2022 Nigeria Media Nite-out Award (NMNA).

Noteworthy, in the last 3 weeks she has bagged two major industry recognitions.
She emerged one of the top 50 women in the integrated marketing communications in Nigeria by Women in Marketing Communications Awards (WIMCA) organized by the Brand Communicator Magazine.

Speaking after picking up the award, Nana said, “I am delighted to see women doing amazing things in their chosen professions and fields. I am particularly grateful to God for this award because I’ve found myself in a male dominated industry but I still manage to operate and stand out.”

She said that “Congratulations to all the women who have won an award tonight. This is a testament that we cannot be held back by any form of diversity, adding that “I would like to thank the organisers for finding me worthy of the laurel. The result of hard work is more work,” Nana added.

Nana has put in over 18 years demonstrated experience and skill in curating Experiential Initiatives, Strategy and Customer Experience Management (CXM). Nana develops brand experience strategy both for the company and key client accounts.

She believes in a consumer-centric, strategic approach for brands, creating meaningful experiences across all channel touchpoints. A creative artist’s heart with a strategist’s soul, Nana’s vision integrates innovative ways of solving longstanding challenges.

CXO focuses her efforts on improving the overall consumer experience. Adept in both experiential, digital and interactive design, and delivered outstanding brand and economical solutions for FMCG, Fintech, Alcohol Beverage, Beauty, Healthcare and Retail Organizations across the country.

Nana loves sharing her passion for fresh approaches to empowering clients and sparking chemistry between brands and consumers such as Maybelline, Soft Sheen Carson, Molfix, Absolut Extract, Martel, Hennessy, Glenmorangie, Dark and Lovely, Garnier, Sanofi Aventis, Chi Pharma, Sygen Pharmaceuticals, BAXI, Imperial Leather, Cussons Baby, Black Opal etc. She has a strong history of working in the Integrated Marketing Communications industry in Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

In 2020, she was appointed as Advisor Communications, Marketing and Business Development for GEPETROL – The National Oil Company for Equatorial Guinea, Africa for 3 years. One of her major successes was to develop the National SME/ MSME Business Incubator project for the Oil and Gas Servicing Industry in Equatorial Guinea.

Nana is a board member for RED ONION MEDIA FIRM – An integrated live marketing company that creates and distributes content across multiple platforms. She is a Founder and Marketing Director of Alpha Y Omega {AOSL} an Oil and Gas Non-Destructive Testing and Lifting Inspection Service Indigenous Company in Equatorial Guinea.

Nana serves as Advisory Marketing for POST BIRD West Africa – a digitalized APP for Logistics. She was recently offered Advisory Board Member Mood Africa Productions – an ecosystem for Curators.

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