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Dangote’s Goodies Bag: Fuelling Joy and Fairness Across Nigeria

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Dangote Group

By Abiodun Alade

Just when Nigerians thought their wallets were running on fumes, Aliko Dangote comes to the rescue with a festive fuel price cut that’s like a vital breath of fresh air.

In a move as timely as it is generous, Dangote Petroleum Refinery slashed the ex-depot price of petrol from N970 to N899 per litre. This reduction followed an earlier cut barely a month ago when the price dropped from N990 to N970 per litre.

But wait, there’s more! Dangote, in partnership with MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, is also offering petrol at N935 per litre across all MRS filling stations nationwide, providing relief that extends from Lagos to Maiduguri, from Sokoto to Port Harcourt. From Okpella to Kano, Numan to Arochukwu, the ripple effect of this price drop will be felt nationwide. This marks a major shift in Nigeria’s fuel pricing landscape, addressing the long-standing issue of price disparities across states.

This price reduction could be the best holiday gift Nigerians have ever seen coming. As the holiday season begins, families across the country are packing their bags and heading to their hometowns to celebrate with loved ones. And with the ever-volatile price of petrol, travel costs can quickly spiral out of control. Enter Dangote’s timely intervention: a cut that ensures every Nigerian, from the bustling streets of Abuja to the far corners of rural Nigeria, enjoys a fair price at the pump.

Before this reduction, many Nigerians were forced to pay wildly different prices for petrol depending on where they lived. In some states, petrol prices were as high as double the national average, leaving citizens in remote areas to foot the bill for a situation beyond their control. Dangote’s partnership with MRS filling stations levels the playing field, ensuring that every Nigerian has access to affordable fuel, regardless of their geographical location.

The reduction in petrol prices is not just about saving money at the pump. It is about boosting productivity, reducing business costs, and, ultimately, helping to revive the economy. When fuel costs go down, it impacts everything from the delivery of goods to the pricing of services. Transporters, farmers, and small businesses all stand to benefit from this reduction, which could lead to lower overhead costs and increased economic activity. Think of it as a booster shot for the nation’s economic health – small steps like this have the potential to trigger long-term, positive change.

For Nigerians already struggling with inflation, this price cut is like a breath of fresh air. It means less money spent on travel, fewer expenses on goods, and more Naira left in people’s pockets for the things that really matter, like celebrating the season with family and friends.

Dangote’s latest move is more than just a testament to his business acumen; it is a clear demonstration of his support for the Nigerian government’s economic revival efforts. In a time when the government is working to stabilise the economy, lower inflation, and revitalise the nation’s industries, Dangote’s partnership with MRS filling stations is a welcome show of solidarity and appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the positive impact of the naira-for-crude swap deal on the Nigerian economy.

It is a pleasant example of how private enterprise can play a pivotal role to help government achieve its economic targets. This move could inspire other businesses to follow suit, showing that a little less profit can sometimes mean a lot more goodwill.

Dangote’s bold step may just ignite a chain reaction of corporate responsibility that could push Nigeria closer to economic recovery. Taking a cue from Dangote’s generosity, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) is reported to have reduced its ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N1,020 to N899 per litre.

In the grand scheme of things, this is a classic case of “when you reduce the price of petrol, you fuel the economy.” It’s the kind of win-win situation that Dangote, with his sharp business acumen, knows well. As Nigeria faces challenges, Dangote is showing that sometimes, the best way to overcome them is through thoughtful, impactful actions – like lowering prices to give people more breathing room.

It is just another chapter in Aliko Dangote’s long-running story of giving back to Nigeria. Aliko Dangote isn’t just about cement, sugar, and salt – he is about making a tangible difference in the lives of everyday Nigerians, in line with the vision of his conglomerate. His philanthropic efforts, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, have seen him tackle issues ranging from education to healthcare, and from water sanitation to job creation.

Whether it is building hospitals to improve healthcare access or offering scholarships to empower the next generation, Dangote’s fingerprints are all over projects that uplift Nigeria and her numerous citizens. He’s a businessman with a heart the size of his empire, consistently proving that his wealth isn’t just for personal gain – it is a tool for national and continental progress.

And let us not forget Dangote’s contribution to Africa’s infrastructure. His huge investments in refineries, petrochemical plants, and cement production not only boost Nigeria’s economy but help the entire continent. His commitment to reducing Africa’s dependence on imports is part of his larger vision: to create a more self-sufficient, prosperous Africa.

With the recent price reductions and the consistent nationwide distribution, Dangote is doing more than just easing the financial burden of fuel costs – he’s helping create a more equitable Nigeria. By tackling the disparity in fuel prices, he’s making sure that no Nigerian gets left behind. It’s a level of corporate social responsibility that is as rare as it is commendable, proving that when one man takes bold steps for the collective good, the whole country can benefit.

So, as Nigerians gear up for the holiday season, they can rest easy knowing that Dangote’s festive fuel gift is more than just a price reduction – it is a statement. A statement that fairness matters. A statement that Nigerians, regardless of their state or circumstance, deserve a shot at a better life. A bold statement of confidence in the government’s plans to revamp the economy. And perhaps most importantly, a statement that Dangote, with his sprawling empire and mighty heart, is committed to making sure that every Nigerian gets a little piece of holiday joy – one fair-priced litre at a time.

The reduction in fuel prices is a gift that extends beyond the festive season – it is an act that will continue to ripple through the economy long after the yuletide decorations are brought down. And who knows – maybe next year, he may jolly well surprise us again with even more goodwill. After all, when you are as generous as Dangote, the gifts just keep on coming! What a gesture of goodwill!

Abiodun writes from Lagos

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Leveraging Kendrick Lamar Blueprint: How African Artists & Brands Can Maximize Global PR Impact

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Kendrick Lamar Blueprint

By Philip Odiakose

If you followed, watched, or were live at the Super Bowl you will agree with me that Kendrick Lamar’s presence at the Super Bowl was not just another high-profile performance; it was a masterclass in media influence, narrative control, and cultural imprinting. His ability to spark conversations, drive digital engagement, and shape public discourse proves the power of deliberate strategic media positioning. Through the lens of media intelligence and PR measurement, we can dissect how African artists and brands can replicate this effect to elevate their global presence. Beyond the entertainment factor, Lamar’s performance provided key lessons in media reach, sentiment shifts, and strategic PR execution—areas that African PR professionals and communicators must internalize to maximize value from major events.

PR measurement data from the event shows a surge in Lamar-related conversations across digital and traditional media. His name dominated print, web, and social trends, appearing in over 1.2 million posts within 24 hours, with a sentiment distribution leaning 67% positive, 21% neutral, and 12% negative. The performance’s impact was amplified by major media outlets covering the event in North America and Europe, as well as select African countries, particularly Nigeria and South Africa. This media traction is a testament to the significance of strategic placements, showing how a single moment can redefine public perception and commercial value. For African artists and brands, the ability to secure a presence at major global events must be seen as more than a mere appearance—it is a PR opportunity that must be measured, optimized, and aligned with long-term communication objectives.

One of the biggest takeaways from Lamar’s Super Bowl presence is the deliberate storytelling approach. He was not just performing; he was communicating a narrative. African artists and brands must be intentional about their messaging when engaging global platforms. Media intelligence specialists can help track how narratives evolve, what themes resonate with audiences, and how to pivot when necessary. Sentiment analysis also plays a crucial role, revealing how different audience segments react and allowing for swift reputation management. Many African brands struggle with post-event PR impact analysis, often focusing solely on momentary buzz without extracting long-term insights from media data.

The concept of “The Kendrick Lamar Effect” speaks to leveraging credibility, cultural influence, and performance metrics to sustain media momentum beyond a single event. African PR professionals must learn from this by ensuring that every global engagement translates into measurable brand equity. This means that artists, influencers, and corporate brands must work with media intelligence teams to quantify their impact, benchmark against industry standards, and ensure PR campaigns are not just reactive but proactive. The challenge many African entities face is the lack of structured measurement frameworks that tie media exposure to business or career objectives. This knowledge gap is where PR measurement must step in to bridge the disconnect.

A vital lesson from Lamar’s Super Bowl impact is the role of multi-channel amplification. The performance itself was one layer, but the true media influence was built through post-event interviews, media engagement, and collaborative content syndication. African PR teams must adopt an omnichannel approach to PR execution, ensuring that media exposure is not short-lived. This requires a strategic mix of traditional media placements, influencer partnerships, and digital storytelling. In PR measurement, it is crucial to analyze which media channels drive the highest engagement and conversion rates, ensuring that communication strategies are data-driven rather than intuition-based.

Looking at case studies from both African and global perspectives, we have seen how the absence of media intelligence has led to missed opportunities. Burna Boy’s Coachella moment, for instance, was a landmark global exposure, yet the post-event PR lacked the necessary follow-through in structured PR measurement. In contrast, brands like Nike and Pepsi have perfected the art of extending media relevance beyond an event moment by employing predictive analytics, sentiment tracking, and engagement mapping. This difference in execution is a key area where African PR professionals must evolve—ensuring that global opportunities do not just end with event visibility but translate into long-term influence and business value.

Beyond just media coverage, there is also the crucial aspect of audience behavior analysis. Lamar’s performance was not just about numbers; it was about how his audience engaged, shared, and created conversations. African PR professionals must shift from vanity metrics to behavioral metrics, focusing on how audience perception changes post-event. Did the media narrative drive new brand partnerships? Was there an uptick in music streaming or product purchases? These are the questions that media intelligence must answer, ensuring that PR efforts are aligned with tangible outcomes.

The overarching lesson for Africa’s PR and communications industry is that major events are PR goldmines—but only if approached with precision, backed by intelligence, and measured effectively. Lamar’s Super Bowl presence serves as a playbook for how media influence can be engineered through strategic PR planning, near real-time sentiment tracking, and multi-platform amplification. African artists and brands have the talent and potential; what remains is the intentional use of media intelligence to ensure that every opportunity is maximized to its fullest potential. PR measurement is not an afterthought—it is the foundation for sustainable media success.

Philip Odiakose is a leader and advocate of PR measurement, evaluation, and media monitoring in Nigeria. He is also the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, a member of AMECNIPR, AMEC Lab Initiative, AMCRON and ACIOM

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The Future of Product Management: Key Industry Trends to Watch in 2025

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Princess Akari

By Princess Akari

If you had told me five years ago, when I was just transitioning into product management, that the role would look like this today, I might not have believed you. But after five years working as a Product Manager (PM), I’ve seen how fast the industry moves, and 2025 is set to bring even bigger changes. Product managers who stay ahead of these changes will build better products and grow their careers. Those who don’t may struggle to keep up.

Here are some key trends to watch and how to adapt.

1.    AI, AI, AI!

AI has rapidly gained popularity and continues to grow in influence. For product managers, understanding and using AI tools is now becoming essential, as AI is transforming how we work. Understanding what we can achieve with AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), is essential. Some of the top use cases include content generation, customer support automation (e.g. chatbots), code assistance, research summarization, personalized learning, virtual assistants, data analysis, creative brainstorming, language translation, and much more. Also, as a PM, AI can be introduced into your product to improve user experience and in turn business outcomes.

You might be asking yourself, what can I do to stay in touch with this AI trend? You can start by learning how AI tools can improve your daily workflow, do your own research on the numerous AI tools available and their capabilities. Experiment with AI-driven analytics, user feedback tools, etc. Be very curious and get your hands on as many AI resources as possible.

I recently got an AI micro-certification from Product School. If you’re interested, You can take the course here. Recently as well, I hosted a podcast episode on building AI products, transitioning into AI, and using AI in product development. For Apple podcasts, you can listen here, and for Spotify, you can listen here. These are great resources to give you a good head start.

Other resources; deeplearning.ai, Hugging face, Alpha signal, The Neuron.

2.    The definition of “Product Manager” is changing

A few years ago, we had a fairly standard definition of who a PM was and what a PM does. The role of a PM was more standardized, with a clear set of expectations and responsibilities. But as the years have come by, the world has changed and so has the role.

Today, we’re seeing an increased number of specialized PM roles. Some PMs focus on emerging technologies like AI, while others work deeply within data, design, growth, engineering, or operations. Beyond skill-based specializations, some PMs are industry-specialized, such as Fintech PMs, Healthtech PMs, or E-commerce PMs. No two PM roles look the same anymore.

Companies are increasingly hiring specialized PMs to tackle specific challenges, prioritizing specific skill sets and industry experience over conventional backgrounds. Instead of looking for a PM generalist who can adapt to anything, they create detailed role descriptions with targeted skill requirements, tailoring the role to solve specific business challenges. As a result, we’re seeing more unconventional hires stepping into PM positions because they have the exact expertise needed to tackle a company’s unique problems. This highlights an important reality for generalist PMs, specialization is becoming more valuable.

If you’re currently a generalist PM, it’s worth considering how you can narrow your focus, whether by choosing a particular industry or developing expertise in areas like AI, data, growth, design, or technical product management. The demand for specialized skills is growing, and upskilling in these areas will make you more competitive in the job market.

3.    PMs are now taking ownership beyond product development

Product managers used to mainly focus on the tech team (engineers, designers, QAs, etc) to build and launch products. But these days (and even in recent years), the role has grown much bigger. PMs are now more involved in the business side of things, leading and guiding business verticals. The role now extends into profit and loss (P&L) considerations and the overall commercial success of a product. They work closely with marketing, sales, finance, and customer support to make sure the product succeeds, not just in how it’s built but also in how it’s launched, sold, and maintained.

PMs are now more involved with how the product will reach customers and profitability. They work closely with marketing and sales teams to ensure a strong product positioning and a seamless launch. It’s no longer just about building a great product, it’s about making sure it reaches the right customers, at the right time, with the right messaging. Ensuring people understand what the product does and why they should use it. This requires PMs to understand their competition, pricing strategies, and customer acquisition channels.

I am well aware that in some companies PMs are now responsible (fully or partially) for pricing and revenue strategies, just as much as the product features. They work with finance and business teams to figure out pricing options and ideas on how that business unit can make a profit. As these companies look for sustainable growth, PMs are also expected to collaborate with customer success teams to improve retention and customer lifetime value.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, product management is constantly changing and so are we as PMs. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give, it’s to stay curious and adaptable. We should be open to continuous learning and new ways of thinking. The more we adapt, learn, and refine our skills, the more valuable we become. There’s always something new to explore, and that’s what makes the role so dynamic.

And if you’re looking for the best place to put your product management skills to practice, join me at Moniepoint – https://www.moniepoint.com/careers

Princess Akari is a product manager at Africa’s fastest-growing financial institution, Moniepoint

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Content Piracy: A Global Initiative Against a Global Enemy

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Content Piracy

By Temiloluwa Olajide

It’s no longer news that piracy is a global enemy, one that has destroyed and continues to destroy the work and livelihoods of countless creatives. From film and music to sports broadcasts and television series, piracy robs rightful owners of their earnings and threatens the sustainability of entire industries.

As a global scourge, it requires a global response and fortunately, powerful partnerships are being forged across the planet  and across sectors  to protect content creators and the industry they work in. These partnerships involved digital content platforms, law enforcement bodies, cybersecurity firms and tech companies,  all working together to ensure the viability of the industries that inform, educate and entertain audiences.

At first glance, piracy might seem like an easy way to access free entertainment, but its consequences run deep, affecting both individuals and society as a whole. On a personal level, streaming a sports event or show from an illegal site can expose users to serious risks, such as malware infections, identity theft, or financial fraud. Hackers can gain access to sensitive information, including bank details, potentially wiping out accounts. The damage caused by such crimes far outweighs the satisfaction of watching a football match for free.

Beyond personal risks, piracy also cripples the creative sector by siphoning revenue away from legitimate rightsholders. When movies, music, and sports events are illegally distributed, producers and creatives do not receive their due earnings. This lack of compensation disrupts the industry, leading to fewer productions, job losses, and weakened investment in new content.

Nigeria has one of the most vibrant entertainment industries in the world, with Nollywood ranking as one of the biggest film industries globally and Afrobeats taking center stage in international music charts. The potential for even greater success is huge, but piracy poses an obstacle.

MultiChoice, a key investor in local content, has spent years bringing high-quality productions to audiences, yet piracy continues to threaten the industry.

Illegal streaming of sports events, reality TV shows, and locally produced series remains a major concern. This is particularly critical as the platform regularly broadcasts live feeds of many of the most popular sporting events on earth—F1, the Olympic Games, Euro, World Cup, and Champions League football, as well as popular local leagues.

Beyond sports, Africa Magic and Showmax Originals have become home to some of Africa’s most beloved entertainment shows, including hits like The Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOLagos), Big Brother Naija, and Nigerian Idol.

With content available in 40 languages and a growing library exceeding 84,000 hours, these platforms play a vital role in African storytelling. However, the rise of illegal streaming not only impacts revenue but also threatens the sustainability and growth of the creative industry.

To counter this, MultiChoice has joined forces with Partners Against Piracy (PAP) and cybersecurity firm Irdeto, actively tracking and shutting down illegal operations in multiple African nations.

With piracy tactics evolving, the fight against content theft must also advance. Strong collaborations, advanced technology, and public awareness are key to protecting the creative industry. By shutting down illegal operations and promoting legal alternatives, organizations like MultiChoice, PAP, and Irdeto are ensuring that content creators receive their rightful earnings and that audiences can continue to enjoy high-quality entertainment.

Ultimately, safeguarding creative content is not just about protecting businesses—it’s about securing the future of storytelling, preserving jobs, and ensuring that Africa’s thriving entertainment industry continues to grow. The fight against piracy is a shared responsibility, and by supporting legal content, we all contribute to a stronger, more sustainable creative economy.

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