Brands/Products
Airtel Lightens Ogun Community After 15 Years in Darkness
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
For 15 years, the inhabitants of Isokan community in Ogun State were in darkness after the public equipment that supplies electricity to their homes broke down.
Frantic efforts made by members of the area to reconnect them to the national grid so as to make their livers brighter were futile until a leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, intervened.
Today, the people of Isokan in Ogun State can now heave a sigh of relief and this is because Airtel Nigeria has positively touched the lives of young, old, men, women and every living thing in the community through its flagship television programme, Airtel Touching Lives.
“Airtel Touching Lives has really touched our lives beyond our imagination.
“It still feels unreal because we had been in this situation for so long and nobody came to our rescue.
“I just want to thank Airtel for such generosity. This means so much to the people of Isokan. May God bless Airtel always,” the Secretary, Electrification of Isokan Community, Mr Bamidele Olusegun Moses, who could not hide his joy, stated.
The ordeal of Isokan community was brought to the attention of Airtel Nigeria after a member heard about the Airtel Touching Lives initiative and beckoned on the organisation to intervene.
The story was featured in an episode of the award-winning show earlier in the year on national TV and showed community members narrating how livelihood had been adversely impacted over the years, throwing homes, families and businesses in distress.
During the moving episode, Airtel pledged to support the community with the sum of N7 million to bankroll the electrification project which had been abandoned due to lack of funds.
The telco has since delivered on its promise, restoring power to the community following the erection of 29 utility poles and connection of the high tension and low tension cables to the main power grid transformer.
This singular act of Airtel Nigeria has been applauded by residents of Isokan because the company has restored their long lost hope and has given hundreds of families a chance at a better life as businesses can now thrive with the prospect of stable electricity in the community.
“The Airtel Touching Lives initiative has a singular vision of providing relief for communities and individuals who require them.
“We are excited that life has returned to the Isokan Community and we will not relent in our efforts of reaching out to underprivileged persons and communities across the country,” the Director of Corporate Communications & CSR at Airtel Nigeria, Mr Emeka Oparah, said.
Airtel Touching Lives is an inspiring corporate social responsibility initiative that seeks to offer practical relief, succour, hope, opportunities and credible platforms to liberate and empower the underprivileged, disadvantaged and hard-to-reach persons in the society.
Recall that the company also transformed the life of a little boy, Master Sadiq Usman, who was kidnapped in 2016 and blinded by unknown persons suspected to be ritualists in Kaduna.
Airtel took up the boy’s case and today, as one of his teachers said, “Sadiq is one of our best students in the school –we have a nickname for him; we call him Professor.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The chief executive of Canal+ Africa, Mr David Mignot, has disclosed that MultiChoice is now fully integrated into the media group.
Mr Mignot disclosed this via a statement issued on Thursday, noting that this development marks a new phase in the evolution of one of Africa’s leading pay television operators.
He noted that the integration positions MultiChoice within a global media organisation with an extensive international footprint.
“MultiChoice is now a full subsidiary of a truly international media group operating in 70 countries. The group was founded in France, is listed in London and Johannesburg, and has a strong African presence with operations in more than 45 countries,” Mr Mignot said.
The statement underscores the scale of the combined business, highlighting Canal+’s global reach alongside its significant investments across Africa.
The completion of the transaction is expected to strengthen MultiChoice’s position in the African media and entertainment market by giving it access to the broader resources, expertise and international capabilities of the Canal+ Group, while reinforcing the group’s commitment to the continent.
MultiChoice operates across sub-Saharan Africa through platforms including DStv and GOtv, serving millions of subscribers with entertainment, sports and news content.
By Adedapo Adesanya
FoodCourt, a Nigerian cloud kitchen startup backed by Y Combinator, has suspended operations after months of unpaid salaries and mounting debts to vendors triggered a staff strike and forced the company to halt customer orders, according to a report by TechCabal.
The publication reported that customers first noticed on March 4 that they could no longer place orders through the FoodCourt app after the company disabled ordering as kitchen workers, delivery personnel and branch staff embarked on strike over unpaid wages. The company also owed outstanding payments to vendors.
By April 19, FoodCourt had temporarily shut its last operating branch after suspending activities across its Lagos and Abuja locations while seeking fresh funding and restructuring the business, according to the report.
The company’s chief executive, Mr Henry Nneji, said the decision to pause operations was not caused by a single issue but by a combination of operational, organisational and working-capital challenges.
“It’s important to clarify that the decision to pause operations wasn’t driven by one single issue. We reached a point where it became clear that continuing to patch those issues while operating wasn’t the right long-term decision,” he said.
“The objective is to build a stronger business than the one that existed before the suspension. We fully intend to bring FoodCourt back,” he added in an emailed response.
The company acknowledged outstanding obligations to employees, vendors, riders and service providers, but declined to disclose the number of affected workers or the total amount owed. It said efforts were underway to resolve the liabilities as part of its restructuring process.
It was also reported that the startup’s financial difficulties worsened after expansion into additional locations increased operating costs, while its cloud kitchen model came under pressure from rising labour, logistics, food and marketing expenses.
Despite the shutdown, Mr Nneji said FoodCourt intends to relaunch after completing its restructuring, adding that the company believes demand for its products remains strong.
Founded in 2021 by Henry Nneji and Paul Adokiye Iruene, FoodCourt operates cloud kitchens under multiple virtual restaurant brands through its consumer app. According to TechCabal, the startup had previously disclosed raising $1.7 million, delivering more than one million meals and reaching $4.3 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of 2024.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
To further reinforce its commitment to continuous enhancement of customer experience through menu innovation and quality improvements, Chicken Republic, Nigeria’s leading quick-service restaurant brand and a flagship brand of Food Concepts Plc, has improved its Smokey Jollof recipe across restaurants nationwide.
As a customer-centric brand, Chicken Republic regularly evaluates consumer feedback, dining trends, and product performance to ensure its menu continues to deliver the quality and value to which customers have become accustomed.
The updated Smokey Jollof is part of this ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.
The refreshed recipe represents the latest evolution of one of the brand’s most popular offerings.
Developed with a focus on richer flavour, greater consistency and an even more satisfying eating experience, the improved Smokey Jollof reflects Chicken Republic’s dedication to meeting the evolving tastes and expectations of its customers.
“At Chicken Republic, our customers are at the heart of every decision we make. We are constantly listening, learning and looking for ways to improve the experience we deliver.
“The improved Smokey Jollof is a reflection of that commitment. We’ve refined the recipe to deliver an even richer, more enjoyable taste experience while maintaining the flavour profile our customers know and love,” the Managing Director of Food Concept, Mr Olumide Aniyikaiye, stated.
“Great brands evolve with their consumers. This update is not about changing what people love, but about making it even better.
“We are confident that customers will enjoy the improved recipe and appreciate the attention we continue to invest in delivering quality meals every day,” Mr Aniyokaiye added.
The improved Smokey Jollof is now available at Chicken Republic outlets nationwide, allowing customers to experience a more flavourful and consistent version of a fan-favourite menu item.
This latest enhancement underscores Chicken Republic’s broader commitment to innovation, quality and creating memorable meal experiences for customers across Nigeria.
