Monday, 6 March 2017
Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Wakanow set to launch commercial operations in UK
In a bid to consolidate its foray into the European markets, Wakanow, Africa’s fast-rising tourism giant and Nigeria’s No.1 online travel company has announced plans to formally launch commercial operations in the United Kingdom, as part of her global expansion moves.
This is coming barely few months after it launched DestinationsAfrica(R), a global booking platform that aggregates the best of African packaged holidays from over 23 African countries.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Obinna Ekezie, founder and group managing director of the firm, said the new addition to the travel brand would allow the company to serve the European markets and demonstrate its capacity to compete favorably on the global stage.
“We are very delighted about the forthcoming launch of Wakanow UK, and this excitement stems from our conviction that this addition has the capacity to offer something different to the European market when it comes to travelling into Africa.
”Our protocol services into Africa is built on very strong relationships and will ensure our prospective customers get hitch-free and hassle-free movement in and out of the continent. Wakanow has honed its skills in African travel over the last eight years and will bring that to bear in offering best priced deals and making sure that her interactions with travelers will deliver a more positive narrative for African businesses,” he said.
He explained that currently, a good number of bookings on the Wakanow Nigeria booking portal, were coming from the UK and other countries outside of Nigeria and it was therefore a natural progression for Wakanow to cater for this market.
He further stated that, “Not only are we going to replicate the same excellent customer service for which the Wakanow brand is known for, but we are also going to take the lead in expanding the frontiers of travel and driving significant traffic to Africa through our broad mix of custom-fit and themed vacation offerings available on our DestinationsAfrica platform. We will leverage our vast knowledge of the African space and her wealth of untapped destinations to create exclusive travel products that offer fresh and incredible experiences for our customers.”
The post Wakanow set to launch commercial operations in UK appeared first on Vanguard News.
Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2lj1Izc
Fitch revises BoI outlook to negative
By Franklin Alli, with Agency Report
GLOBAL rating agency, Fitch, Wednesday, revised Bank of Industry’s (BOI) Outlook to Negative from Stable, due to the health of the country’s economy. Fitch, however, reaffirmed the bank’s National long-term rating at AA+, as well as its Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at ‘B+’.
Reacting, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, Acting Managing Director of BoI, said the reaffirmation of the bank’s National Long Term rating by Fitch at ‘AA+(nga)’ is the most important thing for the development bank.
He stated: “It reaffirms that our bank is well managed and our books are good. However, because we are owned by government and Nigeria’s outlook was reviewed from stable to negative, therefore, it also affected the bank’s rating because we are government owned.”
Revision of Nigeria’s Outlook
“Because Nigeria’s outlook has been revised it follows that BoI, too was downgraded. There is nothing we can do about that because we are government owned, but on standalone, they reaffirmed our bank AA+. We also know that the downgrade of the country’s outlook was because of the recession.”
Fitch in its latest rating, said: “The revision of the development bank’s outlook to negative is premised on “The recent revision of Nigeria’s Outlook to Negative. BOI is a state-owned development bank and its IDRs are driven by its Support Rating Floor (SRF) of ‘B+’, which reflects a limited probability of sovereign support.
“The SRF factors in BOI’s 99.9 per cent state ownership, policy role and strategic importance to Nigeria’s economic and industrial development. It also reflects the authorities’ stronger ability to support BOI than for commercial banks, as BOI’s operations are almost entirely in local currency.
“BOI’s funding is long-term and almost exclusively sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). BOI’s Negative Outlook mirrors that on the sovereign rating. BOI’s National Ratings reflect the bank’s creditworthiness relative to the best credits in Nigeria. Fitch does not assign a Viability Rating to BOI as its business model is entirely dependent on the support of the state. “BOI’s IDRs, SR and SRF are sensitive to a weakening in the ability of Nigeria to support the bank, which would be indicated by a downgrade of Nigeria’s sovereign rating.
“The ratings could also be downgraded if Fitch’s view of the state’s willingness to support the bank changes adversely, for example in the event of a material change in the government ownership or a change in the bank’s policy role.
“BOI’s National Ratings are sensitive to a change in Fitch’s opinion of BOI’s creditworthiness relative to the best credits in Nigeria. The rating actions are as follows: Bank of Industry Long-Term IDR affirmed at ‘B+’, Outlook revised to Negative from Stable Short-Term IDR affirmed at ‘B’ National Long-Term Rating affirmed at ‘AA+(nga)’ National Short-Term Rating affirmed at ‘F1+(nga)’ Support Rating affirmed at ‘4’ Support Rating Floor affirmed at ‘B+,” said the statement.
The post Fitch revises BoI outlook to negative appeared first on Vanguard News.
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Tuesday, 14 February 2017
Benfica sneak win as Aubameyang fluffs Dortmund’s lines
Dortmund's Polish defender Lukasz Piszczek (CR) vies with Benfica's Brazilian defender Luisao (CL) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match SL Benfica vs Borussia Dortmund at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on February 14, 2017.<br />FRANCISCO LEONG / AFP
Benfica pulled off a classic smash and grab job as they beat Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in their Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday.
Greek striker Kostas Mitroglou scored the only goal of the game, prodding home from close range at the second attempt just after half time after Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki stopped his initial effort.
Benfica goalkeeper Ederson, who has relegated former Brazil first choice shot-stopper Julio Cesar to the bench this season, was the star of the show making a slew of crucial saves.
But Dortmund will have many regrets after a wasteful performance, in particular from striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who had a torrid evening, missing three gilt-edged opportunities.
Dortmund had the first clear chance of the night on 10 minutes as French youngster Ousmane Dembele slipped Aubameyang in on goal, but the Gabon striker lifted his shot not only over Ederson but also the bar.
Dortmund were well on top in the early stages but poor control cost Raphael Guerreiro and Erik Durm when well placed to shoot.
The visitors then fashioned a chance with Guerreiro picking out Dembele 10 yards from goal but reported Manchester United target Victor Lindelof bravely threw himself in front of the shot to deflect the ball behind for a corner.
Dortmund should have gone in front on 38 minutes when Benfica centre-back Ljubomir Fejsa dallied allowing Guerreiro to cross from the byline. But with Ederson stranded, Aubameyang was inches away from converting the ball into an empty net from two yards out.
Moments later, Ederson was a relieved man to see Italian referee Nicola Rizzoli wave away Dortmund protests after the goalkeeper clattered into Dembele on the edge of his box.
Having produced nothing in the first half, Benfica went in front three minutes into the second after Mitroglou was left unmarked two yards out to poke home Luisao’s header from a Pizzi corner.
Thereafter, the one-way traffic continued heading towards the home goal was relentless.
Ederson saved a point-blank effort from Dembele inside the six yard box before Aubameyang lifted a carbon copy of his first half chance again just over the bar.
Ederson made smart stops to deny Marco Reus and then Lukasz Piszczek before Dortmund were given a lifeline when Fejsa handled a cross from Marc Bartra.
But Aubameyang’s miserable night continued with a woeful penalty stroked nonchalantly down the middle that the static Ederson merely punched clear.
Aubameyang was put out of his misery a few minutes later as coach Thomas Turchel replaced him with Andre Schuerle just past the hour mark.
Dortmund continued to press but Reus hooked a volley wide before Ederson showed lightening reactions to save one-handed from a Christian Pulisic volley that took a wicked deflection.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2kQML6v
Di Maria stars as brilliant PSG stun Barcelona
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CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP
Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP
Lionel BONAVENTURE / AFP
CHRISTOPHE SIMON / AFP
Angel Di Maria scored a brilliant brace on his birthday as Paris Saint-Germain sensationally destroyed Barcelona 4-0 at the Parc des Princes in their Champions League last 16 first leg on Tuesday.
Di Maria, the former Real Madrid star, opened the scoring in the 18th minute and curled in another 10 minutes into the second half to celebrate his 29th birthday in style.
January signing Julian Draxler also netted in between while Edinson Cavani marked his 30th birthday by adding his name to the scoresheet in the 71st minute in the French capital.
Barcelona were completely stunned, the defeat their biggest European humiliation since losing 7-0 on aggregate to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals in 2013.
They are now staring at a first exit from the competition before the quarter-finals in a decade, unless they can pull off a miraculous escape in the second leg at the Camp Nou next month.
This was PSG’s night, though, and Unai Emery’s side will surely go on to secure a fifth successive appearance in the quarter-finals.
PSG had twice been eliminated from the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona in the last four seasons, and the Catalans also had a fearsome record in games against sides coached by Emery, losing just one of 23 before this.
But Luis Enrique’s team, for all the brilliance of Lionel Messi, have recently looked more fragile than in a long time and the French champions showed no fear.
They were without injured captain Thiago Silva and the suspended Thiago Motta, meaning a start for Adrien Rabiot in midfield and a Champions League debut in defence for 21-year-old Presnel Kimpembe.
Draxler also made his European debut for the club and the German was superb as PSG pressed Barcelona high right from the off — the home side had already worked Marc-Andre ter Stegen in the Barca goal before they got the opener.
The menacing Draxler was fouled just outside the area and Di Maria bent the resulting free-kick over the wall and in for his third goal in the Champions League this season.
Crocked following an early foul by Rabiot, Neymar was off the field receiving treatment as the Parc des Princes crowd erupted.
He was able to continue, but the visitors were lacklustre, Luis Suarez starved of service, Messi quiet and skipper Andres Iniesta struggling to cope.
One Neymar acceleration did lead to an Andre Gomes shot that was turned behind by Kevin Trapp, but otherwise the chances were at the other end.
Ter Stegen saved from Draxler after a counterattack, but there was nothing he could do as the German made it 2-0 five minutes from half-time, exchanging passes with Marco Verratti and rifling a shot past the goalkeeper from the right side of the area.
The expectation was that Barcelona would come out fighting after the restart but instead they fell further behind in the 55th minute to a piece of brilliance from Di Maria.
The move started with Trapp rolling a goal-kick out to Rabiot on the edge of his own box and the midfielder turning away under pressure from Messi. It ended with Di Maria curling a left-foot shot high into the top-left corner of the net from the edge of the other area.
Di Maria then came off to a standing ovation, but Paris were not finished. Thomas Meunier surged forward from right-back and set up Cavani, who thumped home his 34th goal of the season in all competitions.
A miserable night for Barcelona was compounded when Samuel Umtiti hit the post late on.
Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2lN3lmh