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Adhering To Standards’ll Boost e-Commerce – SON

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The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says there is the need for stakeholders in the e-Commerce space to adhere strictly to standards to grow the sector.
The organisation made the call when it met with the stakeholders at a forum in Lagos, tagged “The Role of Standards and Quality Regulation in Electronic Commerce’’.
The organisation said that it had become imperative for stakeholders to provide solutions that would ensure safe and secure transactions, assurance of quality, consumer protection and boost the sector.
The Director General, SON, Mr Osita Aboloma, said that imbibing standards in e-Commerce would go a long way to facilitate trade, promote global competitiveness, economic growth and development.
He said the need to promote awareness on standards and quality regulations in the sector was to ensure a safe and secure online platforms for sales of goods and services.
It will also enhance trade within Nigeria and across borders that will ultimately increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the nation, he noted.
The SON boss, represented by the Director, Corporate Affairs, Dr Paul Angya, said e-Commerce was a business that is on the rise, hence, it was apt and crucial for the standardisation and regulation of the quality of products and services traded through the cyberspace.
According to him, the promotion of awareness on standards and quality regulation has become necessary as the drive for digitalised market places increase and the pressure on the standards community mounts.
“This requires that all stakeholders reckon fully with the realities of the competitive and fast-paced global economy,’’ he said in a statement.
“Having identified that the roles played by stakeholders in this sector is key to the growth and development of the nation, the participants and this forum have been carefully selected.
“From consumers to consumer groups, telecommunications companies, banks, airlines, regulatory bodies, advertising practitioners, embassies and trade charters and online marketers and dealers are expected to chart a way forward for e-Commerce in Nigeria.’’
Aboloma said that with the increasing volumes of consumer complaints being received on the quality of products and services sold online, it has become necessary to have a robust regulatory framework to drive e-commerce.
“For instance, products like mobile phones, electrical and electronic devices cannot be physically viewed and tested before purchase online, while the claims on what they can do have been found in many cases to be inaccurate or sometimes outrightly false.
“It is expected that decisions reached at this forum today, will foster positive change that will ensure improved customer satisfaction and consumer protection.
“That will ultimately guarantee the safety and security of online sales and marketing as well as ensure that only quality goods and services are provided for the consumers,’’ he said.
He urged the participants to take optimum advantage of the forum to discuss pertinent issues with online marketers and the regulatory bodies to attract more investors into the sector.
An official of the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), Mr Babatunde Irukera, said e-commerce was the way of the future, noting that technology was disrupting the traditional ways of commerce and trade.
Irukera noted that as consumers were becoming more sophisticated, so also is the role of consumer protecting authorities all over the world to ensure that they were as dynamic as the sophistication of consumers.
“What we believe at CPC is that any e commerce platform must capture the responsibilities of providing consumers good quality for money spent.
“This is why the question of returns, refunds and warranties are very important to us.
“We are in the process of writing new regulations with respect to returns, refunds and warranties while paying rapt attention to e-Commerce with respect to that.
“We must find a way to promote e-Commerce, while at the same time, promote the interest and safety of the consumer,’’ he said.
On his part, the Director, Product Certification Directorate, SON, Tersoo Orngudwen, said standards were global, and noted that Nigeria must embrace standards as it was done everywhere.
He said the forum was aimed at making e-Commerce seamless, while taking cognisance of standards.
The president, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, Shola Ajulo, said that Nigeria had caught up with e-Commerce businesses and also possess the skill required to ensure protection not just for physical markets, but for the online markets.
“I hope today, the consumers, regulators and service providers come up with agreements that will go a long way to protect the consumers and the online markets.
“We want to address things like warranties, refunds, returns, misleading adverts, because on-line marketers are taken undue advantage of so many consumers are being taken advantage of,’’ she said.
The Tide source reports that the awareness event on digital marketing was attended by operators and relevant stakeholders in business, commerce, trade, investment, communications and other relevant sectors of the nation’s economy.

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Eazipay  Offers Zero-Interest Loans To  150,000 SMEs, Employees

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With a mission to ignite growth, encourage business continuity and help businesses and employees thrive, Eazipay is gearing up to propel the dreams of 150,000 SMEs and employees to new heights through her relief fund.
Gone are the days of financial constraints and stifled dreams. With Eazipay’s support, SMEs and employees alike can bid farewell to limitations and embrace a world of endless possibilities.
Whether it’s start up,  business expansion or personal development, Eazipay is here to make dreams come true.
The mind-blowing initiative, which  kicked off this month, would end in December, and will also offer a range of perks and benefits designed to put a smile on the faces of SMEs and employees alike.
From exclusive discounts to various advisory services and beyond, Eazipay is committed to spreading happiness and creating lasting impact in people’s lives and to the growth of businesses.
The technology company which offers products and services that range from payroll management to IT/Device management and assessments, “Eazipay isn’t just providing financial support but also unleashing a wave of growth and prosperity for SMEs and employees across the nation.
“Interested businesses and individuals can take part in this initiative directly from the Eazipay website: www.myeazipay.com”.

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SMEs Critical For Sustainable Dev – Commissioner

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The Commissioner of Finance, Lagos State, Abayomi Oluyomi, has described Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a critical engine for sustainable development in any economy.
He said this recently at the 10th anniversary of the Alert Group Microfinance Bank and the opening of their new head office in Lagos.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, SMEs accounted for about 50 per cent of Nigeria’s gross.
He commended the positive impact of the Alert MFB as it empowers SMEs in the State.
“Alert MFB in the past 10 years has been at the forefront of empowering SMEs in Lagos State, disbursing over N30bn in loans to over 30,000 individuals having small to medium businesses over that period, which is quite remarkable”, he said.
Speaking, the Group Managing Director of Alert Group, Dr Kazeem Olanrewaju, revealed that the financial institution commenced business in 2013 as a microfinance bank.
“We started this journey in 2013 and it has been expanding. Today, they have about 10 branches across Lagos. They have supported well over 30,000 clients and have disbursed over N30bn.
“The company has been profitable since the second year. Looking at the market and the available opportunity, the Alert MFB board decided to come together to establish a Microfinance Institute (MFI), which is the Auto Bucks Lenders”, Dr. Olanrewaju said.
The GMD further stated that the company was focused more on supporting businesses and small and medium enterprises.
“The loan to support business represents over 98 per cent. The consumer loans you will see are the ones given to entrepreneurs. So, the area of focus of Alert MFB and Auto Bucks Lenders is to support businesses across the country.
“With the establishment of Auto Bucks Lenders, we have the opportunity to also do business outside Lagos. So, presently, we have offices in Ogun State and Oyo State. We intend to go to every part of Nigeria to support what we are doing”, he declared.

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Retailers Explain Price Drop In  Cement Cost

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The cement market, in the last couple of weeks, has seen a significant turnaround with prices tumbling from between N10,000 and N15,000 per 50kg bag to between N7,000 and N8,000.
The sudden rise in the prices of cement and other major building materials in February this year upsets  the construction industry, especially in real estate, where many developers were forced to abandon building sites.
A recent market survey conducted by The Tide’s source in different locations across the country confirmed a price drop, ranging between N7,000 and N7,500 per bag, though BUA cement is selling for N7,500 to N7,800 per 50kg bag, depending on location.
Both entrepreneurs and major distributors who were interviewed,  explained that the price drop is due to low demand and government’s intervention.
At the peak of the price hike, the Federal Government called a meeting with major producers where it was agreed that a bag of cement should be between for N7,000 to N8,000, depending on location.
But the producers did not comply with this agreement immediately, followin which “Nigerians stopped demanding for cement; many project sites were abandoned as developers sat back and waited for the prices to come down.
“So, what has happened is an inter-play of demand and supply with price responding, which is Economics at work”, Collins Okpala, a cement dealer, told the source in Abuja.
In the Nyanya area of the Federal Capital Territory, a 50-kg bag of Dangote cement now sells for between N7,000 and N7,500, while BUA cement sells for between N8,500 and N9,500, down from between N11,000 and N12,000 respectively.
In Lagos, the product has seen significant price drop too. In Ojo area of the state, Sebastin Ovie, a dealer, told our reporter that what has happened is a crash from the January price, attributing the crash to low demand and stronger naira.
“The current price of the product is between N7,000 and N7,500 per 50kg bag, depending on the brand. This is a significant drop from the average of N12,000 which most dealers were selling in February and March”, he said.
A dealer in Agege area of the state who identified himself as Taofik Olateju, told the source that sales are picking up due to the drop in price.
He recalled that Nigerians at a point stopped buying due to the high price of the product at N15,000 per bag.
“I am sure most dealers ran at a loss then because we had mainly old stocks which we wanted to offload quickly”, he said, confirming that the product sells for between N7,500 and N8,000, depending on the brand and the demand for the brand.
Continuing, Olateju noted that “because the naira is now doing well against the dollar, it will be unreasonable for manufacturers to continue to sell the product at the old prices. I also believe that the federal government’s intervention and the threat to license more importers may have worked, leading to the reduction in price”.
In Enugu, the source reports that the product sells for between N7,200 and N7,500 depending on the brand and location.
“This is a city where the price of a 50kg bag went for as high as N12,000 and N13,000 in some cases in February and March”, Samuel Chikwendu said.
He added that the prices of other building materials, especially iron rods, have also dropped considerably which is why, he said, activities are picking up again at construction sites.
The story is slightly different in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, where Innocent Okonkwo told the source that low demand was also driving the price drop, adding that a 50kg bag was selling for N9,000 on the average in the state.
Sundry market observers are optimistic of further price reductions, but they remain cautious as manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers continue to play critical roles in setting prices for end-users.
They lamented, however, that despite Nigeria’s status as one of the largest producers of cement in Africa, the price of the product continues to rise, particularly in the face of high inflation impacting the building materials market generally.
Okpala in Abuja highlighted the variations arising from direct sourcing from manufacturers versus procurement through dealers, with traders holding old stocks selling products at prices ranging from N8,500, N8,300 to N8,000 per bag.
Lucy Nwachukwu, another dealer in Abuja, said the significance of  procurement volume in determining cement costs, noting that stability in prices has been observed over the past month, with the product retailing for between N7,000 and N7,800 depending on the brand.
In Port Harcourt also, a customer, Daniel Etteobong Effiong, said the price goes between N7500 to N8500, depending on the brand and the location one is buying from.

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