Red Star Express to Host SME 1000

Red Star Express Plc is set to host entrepreneurs and owners of Small and Medium Enterprises to a forum to give them support by sharing insights, information and industry advice as it affects them in relation to the growth of their business. This event will seek to provide advice and logistics resources from Red Star Express, other industry leaders and concerned regulatory agencies so as to assist in creating an excellent opportunity to interact and network.

Tagged “Breaking Boundaries”, the event will be held on July 7 in Lagos at the Welcome Centre, International Airport Road. Apart from being a form of Corporate Social Responsibility for Red Star Express, SME1000 is a groundbreaking medium by the company to bridge the logistics gap faced by SMEs.

The Group Managing Director of RedStar, Mr Sola Obabori elucidated on the reason behind the project. “Red Star chose to embark on this SME 1000 project in order to promote and create a platform to connect these SMEs globally, because RedStar is a global business that can connect with any part of the world in 72 hours. We want to bring 1000 SMEs together to partner with them and create opportunities and network for them in order to enable them understand the process of running an SME”.

“We understand that some of the challenges of coming up with an SME is infrastructure, inconsistency, succession plans, lack of focus, all amongst others. In international countries there are usually plans for succession but it’s hardly done in Nigeria. However, we can’t say Nigerians have done badly because we have had good SMEs that have grown and stood the test of time. For instance, we have Dangote, Globacom, FCMB, and the likes.”

According to the Head, Projects and New Ventures, Ngozi Ochokwu, the SME sector is a major part of Nigeria's economy and has the potential to spur the country out of recession. With SME1000, Red Star Express, as a foremost logistics company in Nigeria, will reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the development of the indigenous market.

"As we undertake all concerns regarding logistics, we urge businesses to take advantage of SME1000 whilst focusing on building robust trading platforms. All they simply need to do is to register at http://sme1000.redstarplc.com  and from there; they can get the opportunity to participate. Attendance is free and there are lot of experts on ground to assist these entrepreneurs with business ideas and opportunities", she said.

Red Star Express has been a major e-commerce delivery backbone for a large number of SMEs, by ensuring hassle free order fulfillment. The SMEs will be availed the opportunity of choosing from a bouquet of services depending on their business needs and requirements ranging from deliveries within 3 to 6 hours in Lagos, door-to-door deliveries nationwide, Cash-On-Delivery, Prepaid Delivery, Drop off & Pickup Centres, Freight, Warehousing, Inventory Management, Outsourcing, among others.

Obabori Wins Courier Personality award

(L-r): Olufemi Oluwole, head, Marketing and Communications, Red Star Express receiving ‘Courier Personality Award’ on behalf of the GMD of the Company and presented by Sunday Dare, commissioner, Stakeholders Management for Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) at BoICT Awards 2017 held at Eko Hotel, Lagos.

The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Red Star Express Plc, Sola Obabori, has been named the Courier Personality of the year at the 9th edition of the Beacon of Information and Communication Technology award organized by foremost ICT Weekly news publication, CommunicationWeek.

According to organizers, the award is “merit-centric and designed to reward individuals and firms that have helped make life better for Nigerians” in terms of service offerings and performance.

Obabori was chosen for the award because of his exceptional leadership in spearheading new frontiers in the Courier and logistics industry.

An astute management professional with long and outstanding Sales and Marketing career with an accounting and finance background, he has consolidated the Red Star Express Group as the leading brand in the courier industry in the country.

Red Star Express under the leadership of Obabori has invested in new infrastructures to further actualize the objectives of the company in providing world class one-stop logistics solutions to both private and corporate clients. The company holds the franchise of two great brands in Nigeria. It is a licensee of FedEx, the world biggest air cargo logistics solution provider, and TNT, with Europe’s largest land connection.

Red Star restates commitment to service delivery after Abuja Airport closure

Nigeria’s foremost indigenous courier and logistics company, Red Star Express Plc has assured its clients and customers nationwide that the closure of the Abuja Airport will not affect its business.

Abuja is a major destination for all courier business. Most packages emanate from Lagos and other economic cities such as Port Harcourt, Kano, Kaduna, Ibadan for next day delivery to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while others transit through Abuja to core northern states. The FCT also generates a lot of traffic in terms of shipments going to other regions which makes the Abuja Airport very vital for smooth operations in the courier industry.

In an interview with the Assistant General Manager (AGM) Operations and Services, Mrs. Inemesit James-Okoro, she stated that Red Star Express has in place, modalities that ensure prompt deliveries of client’s packages anywhere in major cities across the country. She explained that apart from the option of land transportation, there are other air services to neighbouring cities around the FCT to facilitate early morning deliveries.

“We are out to provide Speed, reliability and ‘peace of mind’ for customers shipping in and out of the FCT during the closure of Abuja Airport as announced by the Federal Government” she stated.

Red Star Express Group is a premium logistics solution provider in Nigeria with an unrivalled local network coverage and a large market share in the domestic and international market. It enjoys a domestic strength of over 240 offices in Nigeria, delivers to additional 1,800 communities, with over 2,400 highly trained personnel and over 600 delivery vehicles in its fleet. The company has four business units including The Red Star Express which is a licensee of FedEx, the world’s largest express transportation company with over 650 aircrafts and more than 250 delivery destinations globally. FedEx has consistently been rated among the top 10 most admired companies in the world over the past 10 years. Red Star Express has four subsidiaries – Red StarFreight, Red Star Lo gistics and Red Star Support Services.

One Million Residents to receive Computer Coding training- Lagos State

The Lagos State Ministry of Education on Tuesday stated that, the much anticipated roll out of CodeLagos programme would seek to teach at least one million Lagos residents to code by 2019 and also foster necessary skills to create sustainable solutions to social challenges and create employment opportunities.

The government also announced the commencement of the screening and selection exercise for facilitators for the programme.

 In April 2017, three hundred (300) Coding Centers across six (6) Education Districts in Lagos State will be commissioned, marking the beginning of the CodeLagos after-school programme in both public and private schools – primary, secondary & tertiary. Centers will also be set up at State public libraries and other community spaces.

 Speaking at a press briefing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, said that; “CodeLagos will not only cultivate a savvy workforce to drive our mega-city, but it will generate employment and business opportunities as we mobilize up to 1,500 facilitators in 2017 alone.”

 “CodeLagos is an initiative of the Lagos State Government which aims to teach one million Lagos residents to code by 2019. The program will foster necessary skills to create sustainable solutions to social challenges and create employment opportunities.”

Bank-Olemoh also underscored the commitment of the State Government, under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to position Lagos State as the technology frontier in Africa saying it was also in line with the Lagos Smart City initiative in partnership with Dubai Smart City.

 He said the application process, which is primarily online, entails a submission of bio-data and completion of a general assessment, while successful applicants will receive world-standard trainings on the necessary skills areas.

 “Qualifying candidates must be available to participate in all the required trainings which would be provided by the State in collaboration with private sector partners within the technology sector. They must also be willing to commit at least 12 hours weekly to facilitate CodeLagos courses at designated centers upon the launch of the initiative in April,” he said.

Emirates opens access to its premium lounges at Dubai International Airport

Emirates has launched an additional privilege to extend the usage of its luxury lounges at Dubai International Airport to its Loyalty Programme members and their guests at a minimal fee regardless of their class of travel. 

The pay-per-visit access will be available to Emirates Skywards members and their guests travelling on Emirates. Business Class travellers now also have the option to pay an upgrade fee to access the First Class lounges.

Dubai International Airport is home to seven Emirates lounges spread over three concourses - A, B and C. In each of the concourses there is a dedicated Emirates First Class and Business Class lounge. 

Eligible guests can access the Emirates Business Class lounges in Dubai for a fee of US$ 100 and the Emirates First Class lounges for a fee of US$ 200. Business Class customers can also upgrade to First Class lounge access for a fee of US$ 100. Guests who have paid a fee for entry can stay for up to four hours. 

Currently, First and Business Class customers as well as Silver, Gold and Platinum Skywards members receive complimentary access to the lounges in Dubai.

“Our premium lounges here at our hub in Dubai are some of the best in the world and we are pleased that more of our customers can now experience them. We made the decision to expand access to our lounges in Dubai based on our customer feedback, and after a careful review to ensure that the same quality experience can be maintained. We are pleased to see many of our customers appreciate the opportunity to be able to pay for their additional guests and access the lounge which enables them to enjoy a relaxing space and indulge in delicious meals before their flight,” said Adel Al Redha Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer.

All Emirates lounges have been designed with careful attention to detail, with elegant architectural features, stylish interior spaces, timber trellis work and bespoke furniture from Italy.

Emirates also continually invests to upgrade and refresh its lounge experience. The Emirates Business Class lounge in Concourse B recently underwent an US$ 11 million makeover. Besides a full range of gourmet cuisine - prepared on-site by Emirates Chefs – a complimentary full bar service, shower facilities, a health spa, wine cellar and a dedicated children’s play area, the newly refurbished lounge also features three distinct concept areas: a barista experience in partnership with Costa Coffee; a Health hub with Voss water featuring healthier food and beverage options; and an exclusive first-of-its-kind Moët & Chandon champagne lounge designed for Emirates, all of which are complimentary for guests.

The First Class lounges in Dubai are also a must-visit with a premium cigar lounge in Concourse A, a la carte dining and shoe shining services – all complimentary for guests once inside.

Emirates has the largest network of airport lounges worldwide. In addition to the seven in Dubai, there are 33 other dedicated Emirates Lounges in major airports across the globe. The airline has plans to extend pay-per-visit access to its outstation lounges in the future.

Olashore Principal Harps on Habit and Habitat Change To Increase Educational Creativity

                             The Principal, Olashore International School, Mr Derek Smith

The Principal, Olashore International School, Mr Derek Smith canvasses the change of habits and habitats of schools and students in order to increase creativity. According to him, the habits of our institutions and the habitats they occupy have a way of influence what they think and what they do. He stated this during his speech on ‘The Future Of Education’ at the 2016 Africa Outstanding Primary School Awards recently held in Lagos.

“We need to consciously change our habits and habitats in order to increase creativity. We think teaching is all about having teachers stand in front of willing recipients, but it’s more than that. Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity will help students learn better. The world is changing very fast. Every Child is an opportunity. We don’t need to copy the developmental stages of any country, rather we should think of how to move ahead. The greatest challenge when you are good at something, is how to keep being the best.”

“The solution to make students successful is that we need to engage our learners, transform our schools, employ efficient and easy use of tools, and connect to the real world. There’s no right way to do this than to introduce the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Technological Knowledge (TK), Technological Content Knowledge (TCK), Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK). The three (3) legs of the school’s 21^st century learning are Pedagogy, Content and Technology, and that is why we need if and when we are going to create a revolution in education, he reiterated.”

He pointed out that teachers need to be trained on the use of technology so they can impact on the children. “Learning will be effective with technology, however training teachers should be a pre-requisite for one on one e-learning project. Do not put technology in any school until teachers are trained in order to give them the confidence to train the students. Let them know how to combine pedagogical and technology in teachers whether they are PHD holders or not. Technology can make teaching real”.

He admitted that Olashore International School spent about eighteen (18) months planning the implementation of iPads in the school, and sent teachers for trainings, before the implementation of the iPad usage in the school. He explained that the importance of the iPad to Olashore students cannot be far-fetched from Technology Empowered Training, Apps that enhance learning, Collaborative learning, Engaged learners, Instant feedback and Happy Learners. He mentioned the core skills of blending technology with education to include Critical thinking and problem solving, Collaboration and Communication, Creativity and Imagination, Global Citizenship, Digital Literacy, and Student leadership and personal development.

He reiterated further “Change takes time and deep change may take longer. In future, no one will pay you for knowledge they can look up. We are however creating graduates perfectly developed for a world that no longer exists. At the World Economic Forum (WCF) which brings Business leaders together every year at Davos, plans are made to see the opportunities that lie ahead of business in five (5) years’ time. In the same vein, as educationists, we should ascertain what becomes of our children in five (5) years’ time, this is because the future of education lies in the continuous application of creativity. He listed some of the expectant top skills of students as at the year 2020 to include, Complex problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management, coordinating with others, emotional intelligence, judgment and decision making, Service Orientation, Negotiation, and Cognitive flexibility”. He stated clearly that divergent thinking is different from creativity.

Established in 1994, on 60 acres of land, Olashore International School is a co-educational school which offers high quality education in a wide range of subjects at Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary along with a University Foundation Programme in partnership with Lancaster University and the Institute of Education, Dublin. Over the past 20 years, the school has succeeded in developing a cluster of world class services around the school including a first class hotel, a golf course and a leadership training centre that all combine to give the school a unique identity. The school is particularly appealing to discerning Nigerians at home and abroad, as well as expatriates residing in Nigeria, who desire a school with a strong value system, demonstrable track record and a clear sense of purpose. @olashore_s

Emirates offers Nigerian customers 50 per cent discount on Dubai flights

Emirates, voted the World’s Best Airline in the 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards, is offering Nigerian customers return airfares of up to 50 percent off to Dubai, one of the world’s most iconic cities.

This special offer, which is available for both Economy Class and Business Class travel, must be purchased from now to 30^th November 2016 for travels until 31^st May 2017.

 Known as a city of contrasts, from futuristic architecture to vibrant traditional culture and diversity, Dubai is a place that caters to all types of travellers. The city offers everything a visitor could want, from shopping at some of the largest malls in the region to dining options which will spoil anyone for choice, a trip to Dubai is a must for families, friends and individuals.

 The city also offers visitors several new and exciting experiences, such as the recently-opened IMG Worlds of Adventure, the world’s largest indoor themed entertainment destination, and the soon-to-be-opened Dubai Parks and Resorts, which will offer a range of attractions and experiences. Other attractions in the city include the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, traditional souks and the clear water beaches of the Arabian Gulf.

 A wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets are available throughout the city.

 To book, or for more information on fares, terms and conditions, please visit www.emirates.com/ao or visit the local Emirates office or your travel agent.

On all Emirates’ flights, customers can look forward to hours of entertainment on the airline’s ice system, which offers over 2500 channels of on demand audio and visual entertainment, from the latest movies, music, audio books and games, as well as family friendly products and services for children, including complimentary toys, kids’ meals and movies, priority boarding for families and the use of free strollers at Dubai International Airport.

In addition to the on-board comforts and products, customers will also experience the world famous hospitality from Emirates’ multinational cabin crew while enjoying chef prepared regional and international cuisine, using the freshest ingredients, accompanied by a wide range of complimentary wines and beverages.

EK 784 departs Lagos daily at 18.35hrs and arrives at Dubai International Airport at 05.05hrs. The return flight, EK783, leaves Dubai at 10.30hrs and arrives in Lagos at 15.40hrs