News
Guinness Nigeria Records 29% Growth in Revenue in Q3

Guinness Nigeria Plc, the nation’s leading alcoholic beverage manufacturer and a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, has released its unaudited results for the nine months ended 31 March, 2017.
The results detail revenue growth of 29% and a 6% increase in gross profit when compared to the same nine-month period in 2016. While the first half volume growth continued in the third quarter, the third quarter also benefited cycling a weak third quarter last year.
Cost of sales increased by 47% in the nine months due to the challenging economic environment. Finance costs also increased significantly versus last year. As a result the financial statement released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday included a company loss after tax of N2.6 billion for the nine months under consideration.
Commenting on the results, Mr. Peter Ndegwa, the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer noted that the company’s significant revenue growth was striking in the challenging operating environment.
“We have been able to deliver strong sales growth even in a challenging operating environment marked by a significant erosion of consumer disposable income.
This encouraging result is attributable to increased volumes and the realisation of pricing benefits. We have started to see the benefit of our broader portfolio product offerings across beer and spirits and across an increased variety of formats. We have also seen resilience in the performance of our premium core brands and improving growth of our more accessible brands.”
He added, “Our gross profit continues to be impacted by the significantly higher raw material costs as a result of devaluation and the significant local input inflation, but benefitted in the quarter from supplier rebates. The company continues to make progress on its commitment to drive out costs across a number of areas as shown by distribution expenses that are down 16% compared to the previous year. Our financing costs at N6.7 billion for the year to date include N1.9 billion of unrealised foreign exchange losses on hard currency liabilities. As a result, we have reported a N2.6 billion post tax loss versus a N0.9 billion profit in the prior year.”
“While we are encouraged by the performance and results recorded this quarter, we remain realistic in our expectations for the full year. We are however confident that we have the right strategy to return to sustainable profitability and shall stay focused on its efficient implementation as we drive out costs, build out our portfolio and ensure we provide our consumers with options in the current pricing environment ”.
The company continues to consolidate its unique position as the only Total Beverage Alcohol Company in Nigeria.
This position has been strengthened over the past year since Guinness Nigeria acquired the right to distribute Diageo PLC’s international premium spirits (IPS) brands, including Johnny Walker, Baileys, Ciroc Vodka and Smirnoff Vodka in Nigeria in December 2015. Investment in its position was further entrenched in November last year when Guinness Nigeria commissioned a spirits manufacturing line at its Benin plant.
These investments strengthen and capitalise on the spirits brand base of Guinness Nigeria, allowing the business to compete across all categories of the alcoholic beverage market thereby deepening its operations and creating the capacity and a strong pipeline for long term growth.
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News
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira

National Reading Culture (NRC), an online investment platform targeting Nigerians has collapsed, resulting in the loss of billions of Naira for investors.

The website unexpectedly shut down, blocking users from withdrawing their funds and locking in their investments.
Just like all other investment scams, victims were lured with promises of doubling their money in few weeks.
When National Reading Culture eventually crashed, the operators vanished with users’ funds, leaving investors devastated.
How the Platform WorkedTask-Based Earning:
According findings, National Reading Culture lured users with promises of making money by completing simple daily tasks like reading articles, clicking links, or inviting friends.
They also offered investment tiers to earn higher daily profits, where users had to deposit their own money into the platform.
Evidence showed the website previously operated as a Chinese job search platform before rebranding into an “earning” scheme.
News
NSITF Partners South African Insurer on Digital Transformation

The Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) to collaborate on digital transformation aimed at strengthening worker protection systems and support economic growth.

According to RMA, the agreement was concluded during a visit by its delegation to Abuja.
The partnership will focus on institutional capability development, modernising operating models, improving service delivery and sharing knowledge between the two organisations.
Through the partnership, RMA and NSITF will collaborate to strengthen institutional capability, modernise operating models, accelerate digital transformation and improve services for workers and employers.
The organisations will also explore opportunities for knowledge exchange and the adoption of best practices in social security administration.
RMA said the agreement forms part of its broader engagement with governments, regulators and social security institutions across Africa to support improvements in governance, operational resilience and service delivery.
“Our partnership with NSITF reflects much more than the signing of an agreement,” said Mandla Shezi, group chief executive officer of RMA. “This partnership is not simply about sharing knowledge. It is about co-creating the next generation of African social security systems.”
He added: “By combining our respective strengths, we can help build institutions that are more resilient, more responsive and better equipped to protect workers while supporting national development.”
Shezi said the future of social security depends on integrated systems where prevention, insurance, healthcare, rehabilitation, technology, investment management and institutional capability work together.
News
Microsoft to Lay Off 4,800 Workers

Microsoft has announced plans to cut about 4,800 jobs, representing roughly 2.1 percent of its global workforce, with Xbox, its gaming division, expected to bear the largest share of the layoffs.

The company said more than 1,600 positions at Xbox would be eliminated immediately, while another 1,600 jobs would be phased out over the next year as part of a major restructuring of the gaming business.
In a memo to employees, Amy Coleman, executive vice president, Microsoft, said the company was streamlining its operations to focus on areas that deliver greater value to customers in a rapidly changing technology industry.
Asha Sharma, chief executive officer, Xbox, described the move as “the most significant restructure in Xbox history,” saying the changes are intended to position the gaming business for long-term growth rather than downsizing.
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