Category: Business

Globally, governments are striving to ensure that peoples and tribes are able to feed themselves through sustainable food supply and clean agricultural practices.
For African countries which have had to face multiple challenges occasioned by climate change and human induced adversities, food security has become a major priority for people oriented governments.
It is generally held that no man is one unless and until he is able to feed himself on a sustainable basis. This inclination applies to individuals as it does to communities and even societies.

Initially, this concept of self-sustenance was limited, in practical application, to food security, and even though humankind has significantly evolved along the line of history, it has remained as vital today as when it was first held, a long way back in time.

Over time, especially in advanced climes, this concept of self-sufficiency, which Eastern bloc medieval-era Development Economists prefer to call autarky, has evolved to include other vital elements of development, including shelter, education and health facilities and the efficiency of their institutional structures.

Today, despite breath-taking innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), all of which are at the steering wheel of man’s breath-taking developments in all sectors, the defensible concept of food sufficiency as the vital basis for the overall development of man and his society remains enduringly stoic.

Perhaps, that is why many organized societies, through the agency of their governments and related institutions, understandably lay due slant on the development of various forms of agriculture (apiculture, horticulture, poultry, market gardening, crop farming etc ) as the veritable pathway for the wholesome development of the society, especially the manufacturing sector, to which the agricultural sector is intertwined as its primary source of raw materials.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, latching on to this trend, has set out initiatives aimed at retrofitting Delta State along this trajectory, for the overall benefit of the state and its people, going forward. This followed his recent announcement of the availability of a N2 billion Special Agricultural Intervention Fund for the development of the vital sector in the state.

Governor Oborevwori broke news of this great tiding in an interview with journalists shortly after his visits to the Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS), at the Mbiri Farm Settlement in Ika North East Local Government Area, and the Agro-Industrial Park, Aboh-Ogwashi in Aniocha South Local Government Area, both of Delta State.

At the occasion, the governor said that his administration would continue to take initiatives that would ensure the state derived maximum benefits from its engagements along the entire value chain of the agricultural sector, and that actual disbursement of the N2 billion would soon begin.
He added, “If you go through my MORE agenda, I said there is going to be sustainable agricultural sector reforms. I also said that the agricultural value chain will be sustained.

“And seeing what the immediate past administration has done here, it gladdens my heart. The Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture has briefed me before coming that we have this kind of settlement in the three senatorial districts.

“We are going to support them because we have N2 billion Special Agricultural Intervention Fund Available now and we will disburse that money this month.”

Oborevwori, who was also at the Agro-Industrial Park at Aboh-Ogwashi, emphasized that aside from roads and related infrastructure, his administration would equally prioritise other key infrastructure aimed at boosting food security and job creation.

The disclosure on the intent to disburse N2 billion to boost the agricultural sector is significant and raises the prospect of brighter days ahead for the state and its people.

This is particularly important in the sense that it is the first time in the history of the state that efforts at the reactivation of the once thriving Farm Settlements, especially the one at Mbiri (modeled after the Israeli type), would be consolidated as critical investments in the efforts at revolutionizing the agricultural sector in the state.

This is highly valuable in that the farm settlements and the facilities they warehouse will now be fully utilized for the development of the state.

The initiative of the Oborevwori government also finds importance in its alignment and, in fact, amplification, of a critical element of its MORE Agenda which has to do with vital agricultural reforms.

It is expected that the initiative of the administration in this regard would not only be realized but, importantly, be extended to its other settlements in Kpakiama and Deghele, and, perhaps, many more that can be set up to raise the tempo of modern agricultural engagement in the state.

The move of the Oborevwori government also, in a way, represents a credible attempt at the diversification of the economy of the state which had, just as the rest of the country, been tied to earnings from the unpredictable crude oil and gas sector. In fact, it is worthy of note that this noble effort at reactivating the farm settlements and greenhouses comes just weeks after the administration, with the same object and desire in mind, signed a deal with the NNPCL and UTM Offshore Nigeria Ltd, for the building of the first indigenous Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) Plant in the history of the country.

The FLNG, in which the state holds eight per cent equity, is expected, among others, to raise extra financial receipts for the state, create jobs for some of our teeming unemployed youths and transfer viable technology to locals. Job creation will help to whittle down unemployment levels, alleviate poverty, create wealth, ensure social cohesion and tackle violent crimes and insecurity.

The initiative of the government is equally expected to help conserve the ecosystem and the environment, generally. This will be achieved via the greenhouses which are expected to produce tonnes of farm-fresh tomatoes for the local market, deploying environment-friendly modules and technology.

Large-scale production of fresh tomatoes (as envisaged at the 30 greenhouses at Mbiri, 11 of which are ready to go, ) can trigger the establishment of industrial outfits to process them into finished products, thus enhancing the reach of the state on the agricultural value chain and also, hopefully, ensure that Deltans are not just able to feed themselves in a sustainable manner but earn extra income by selling farm produce to states across the country.

Dangote Industries Limited has emerged as Nigeria’s most valuable brand for the sixth consecutive year. This achievement was confirmed by the brand and marketing firm, TOP 50 BRANDS NIGERIA, as part of its comprehensive 2023 Top Brands perception assessment.

Winning the award for a record 6th time confirms the foremost African indigenous Conglomerate’s unwavering dominance of the domestic brand space.

TOP 50 BRANDS NIGERIA, is a qualitative, non-financial evaluation of top corporate brands in the country.
The annual top brands league table which has become like a report card, with which top corporate brands have a feel of their ranking in the market is done with a special purpose model, the Brand Strength Measurement (BSM Index).

The rating firm in a statement said that Dangote got an impressive aggregate score of 86.2 on the Brand Strength Measurement (BSM) index, reinforcing its position at the forefront. The score reflects the consistent excellence of the brand

MTN remains a strong contender, securing a close second place with an 85 BSM index score. This year’s third and fourth positions are secured by Airtel Nigeria and Globacom, both with BSM index scores of 77.9 and 77 respectively. Interestingly, this reaffirms the prominence of telecom brands, with three out of the top four hailing from this sector. Among the Top 10 brands are Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Coca-Cola, GTCO, and First Bank, Globacom was adjudged the Most Popular Brand following the outcome of a Top of Mind (TOM) Survey, where respondents mentioned 10 brands that came to their mind or that they could easily recall.

This year’s survey had as respondents Chief Marketing Officers and Head of Corporate Communications of major companies across the land.

TOP 50 BRANDS NIGERIA announcing the ratings said, “this annual top brand evaluation provides a qualitative, non-financial assessment of the value of leading corporate brands in the country. It gauges consumers’ perceptions of brands and their impact on overall brand strength, using the Brand Strength Measurement (BSM) index—a model designed to assess a brand’s ability to deliver on its promises from the consumer’s perspective.”

In today’s market, brands have woven themselves into the fabric of our daily lives, from dawn to dusk and even in every consumer choice. This phenomenon is amplified by the rise of concepts like consumer awareness, differentiation, and the dynamics of the global economy, making brands pivotal actors.

Chief Executive Officer of TOP 50 BRANDS NIGERIA Taiwo Oluboyede, speaking on the outcome of this year’s evaluation, likened brand to a person. He said, “A brand is like a person with all the traits that define his/her personality to the audience. When you hear someone’s name, you are likely not just going to remember their faces or apparel, but who they really are and what they mean to you.”

“Someone may claim to be the best man in the world, and could even go as far as doing paid advertising to attract attention. However, the real description of the person to you is your experience. Perception about a person could change from like to dislike or the other way round, the same is also true for a brand. That is why promoters go the extra length consistently remain in the target audience like-list” he added.

He elaborated that the onus lies with brand owners and promoters to uphold compelling propositions and consistently deliver on promises. “It’s not just about making pledges anyway; it’s about steadfastly living up to them—a commitment that separates the top brands from the rest,” he stated.

A breakdown of the 2023 evaluation report indicated that Nigerian-owned brands continued to shine among the top 10, with 10 brands. These are Dangote, Globacom, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTCO, and First Bank.

Five of the top ten brands are Banks, while three are Telecoms. Impressively, 9 of the 10 were among the top 10 last year, while 4 maintained their previous position. Airtel Nigeria made a remarkable ascent to third place. Also, six brands have consistently maintained top 10 positions for a remarkable 7 years in a row.

Overall, 26 or 52% of the 50 brands are multinational, while 24 or 48% are Nigerian brands.

Rite Foods Limited stands out as the highest gainer this year, leaping 14 places from 46th to 30th. Notably, Wema Bank makes a noteworthy debut in the annual brand ranking. Furthermore, nine brands maintained their 2022 positions, they are Dangote, MTN Nigeria, GTCO, First Bank, Multichoice, Fidelity, Toyota Nigeria, FMNPLC, and AXA Mansard.

A breakdown of the report indicated that Banking Services, as usual, had the largest entries with 12 entrants, representing 24% of the total. Access Bank topped the category. This is followed by Consumer Goods with 9 brands, that is 18%, with Dufil Prima Foods leading the charge.

The Conglomerates category has 6 brands, making up 12%, with Dangote Group on top. The Oil and gas, Beverages, and Telecom sectors each contribute 4 brands, with Oando, Coca-Cola, and MTN leading their respective categories

The Insurance sector has 3 brands, with AIICO at the forefront. Meanwhile, the Building & Construction Services, Media, and Electronics categories had 2 brands each, featuring Julius Berger, Multichoice, and Tecno Nigeria leading their respective categories.

Automobile, Agricultural, and Aviation/Logistics sectors had 1 brand each —Toyota Nigeria, Olam International, and Air Peace.

Of note in the report also is a class called Brands to Watch, a set of 10 brands that have shown some level of vibrancy in recent times and are gaining momentum in consumer acquisition with the possibility of achieving the 50 top Brands League Table in a few years. It should be noted that, while these brands have considerable mentions in the TOM survey, they were not strictly subjected to the rigorous BSM evaluation