Business
Diageo Launches 2012 Africa Business Reporting Awards
Diageo, a global premium drink, has launched its 2012 Africa Business Reporting Awards. The Awards, initiated by Diageo in 2004, recognise journalists and editors who provide high quality coverage of business environment in Africa.
Diageo believes that better and accurate reporting plays a critical role in framing Africa’s economic prospects and challenges. It encourages greater interest in doing good business, which in turn, creates the right environment for sustained prosperity on the continent.
President, Diageo Africa, Nick Blazquez outlined the importance of the awards: “Business interest in Africa has clearly accelerated as the world focuses on the continent’s impressive growth prospects. As a company that operates right across Africa, we understand the increasingly important role business journalism has in creating the right environment to operate successfully and to attract long-term investment.
“As I look back over the development of these Awards, I recognise a sizeable shift in the standards of business journalism and the increased efforts of the media both inside and outside of Africa to promote trade and enterprise on the continent.
I take great pride that Diageo can celebrate these achievements and look forward to another year of outstanding contribution.”
As the Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards approach its tenth anniversary, the company is continually thinking about ways to evolve its relevance, impact and reach. Diageo hopes to build on the success of previous years, welcoming entries from all media platforms and from all over Africa and beyond.
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.