By Emmanuel Udom

It is no longer news that Prime Mart Superstores officially opened it outlet to the public few days to Christmas.

The outlet is located along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, near Ifo Area Police Command in Ifo, Ogun State. It was declared open by the High Chief of Ifoland, Mr Semiu Ogunjobi.

At the event on Saturday, December 21, 2024, Mr Ogunjobi praised the management of the outlet to high heavens, for setting and meeting its target.

According to him, “Prime Mart Superstores set out to achieving what was possibly seen as an impossible mission around August this year, when constructions works on the outlet began with the target of opening it by December and hit the its target.”

He also debunked the impression that Ifo is a no-go area for business, possibly due to the activities of area boys, and assured that the new outlet in Ifo will open up soon.

However, in a strategic marketing mantra, the outlet promised low prices shopping experiences to customers on all its numerous products and services, this yuletide period and always.

Also ahead of the opening, dancers and drummers were spotted at major bus stops and crowded areas around Vesper, Coker Ibogun, Pakoto, Ifo Market area, St Mary Catholic Church junction at Alaja, Ewekoro, old bank, distributing fliers to residents of various communities in Ifo.

Beyond the jamboree that greeted the opening of the outlet. close observations by some of those who stormed the place on shopping spree showed that there are some urgent tasks the management of the superstores must sort out.

Indeed, children, youths, women, men, had fun since Saturday, shopping, dining, wining, taking pictures, dancing to the beating of the drummers and generally showing off.

But, let’s spotlight some of the tasks for immediate redress for the ultimate good of the outlet.

Security

Yes, the outlet is located near Ifo Police Area Command, in Ogun State. But, it is along the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway and with the movement of people and vehicles around the area in the night, security should be beefed up.

I am sure Seyi Williams, an Assistant Commissioner of Police and Ifo Area Police Commander, is already thinking in this direction with his officers.

Yes, this writer spotted some So-Safe officials, undercover police officers, SSS operatives and TRACE officials during the day. But, some of them were not there when this writer visited the outlet around 8.15 pm on Christmas day.

Pedestrian Bridge

Crossing the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, especially at certain points is hellish and dangerous. You all know these dangerous points. Some reckless, restive and possibly drunk commercial and other drivers, do drive on both sides of the expressway in order to meet targets.

The outlet opens 8 am to 9 pm daily and the Ogun State and the federal government should tinker at this point in time with the idea of constructing a pedestrian bridge at Prime Mart Supermarket bus-stop, so that those going on shopping could shop and get home in one pieces.

Water Management 

On the opening day, it was observed that the water system in some of the toilets was not functioning in optimum capacity. It is understandable.  But, as at December day when I went shopping with my family, the issues have been successfully sorted out.

Wastes Management

Observe carefully while driving or walking through Lagos-Abeokuta expressway. The wastes dumped around Sango bridge near the markets are huge and clearing the wastes has not been easy for the state management guys. The expressway is littered with wastes at various points. I only hope the wastes generated at the outlets could be promptly cleared.

Continuous Orientation for the workers

Mr Adeyemi Moshood, a management staff told this reporter that those hired were screened and interviewed October this year. According to him, some of the posts advertised were that of bakers, store staffers, cleaners, security officer, marketers, and admin officers, among others.

But, independent interactions reveal that some of the workers need continuous orientations, on how to relate with customers, knowing the exact prices of items displayed for sale, not over flashing and showing off their lovely designer’s uniforms with the intention of attracting attention or whatever.

Emmanuel Udom, the Editor of Global News Agency, can be reached via: [email protected] 

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Nigerian shoppers now have more payment options on the popular e-commerce platform, Jumia, with the integration of PalmPay after a strategic partnership sealed by both organisations.

It was gathered that this collaboration underscores both parties’ commitment to developing the digital payment ecosystem in Nigeria and growing the use of the cashless economy.

PalmPay is a leading Africa-focused fintech operating Nigeria’s most used mobile wallet and its addition to the Jumia payment gateway will allow shoppers to pay for their purchases with the option to check out with their PalmPay wallet, ensuring a seamless user experience and transaction reliability through the direct integration.

This alliance marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration between two industry giants, aiming to drive innovation, increase convenience for consumers, and foster the adoption of digital payments across Africa.

To celebrate the launch of the partnership, PalmPay and Jumia are launching a special Christmas campaign, running from December 11 to 30.

During this period, customers who make purchases on Jumia using the PalmPay payment method will stand a chance to win exciting cash rewards.

“We are proud to partner with Jumia as we bring together the best of fintech and e-commerce to redefine the online shopping experience.

“This strategic alliance aligns perfectly with our shared commitment to delivering a superior user experience and exceptional value to our customers,” the Chief Marketing Officer of PalmPay, Ms Sofia Zab, said.

“At Jumia, we are dedicated to creating value for our customers by ensuring a convenient, reliable, and secure shopping experience.

“This partnership with PalmPay strengthens our commitment to enhancing the digital payments within our platform.

“By integrating PalmPay, we are providing more options for customers to access affordable and quality goods with the convenience of cashless transactions,” the chief executive of Jumia Nigeria, Mr Sunil Natraj, stated.

By Dipo Olowookere

High-quality pasta made from high-quality wheat, Mama’s Pride Macaroni, has been introduced into the Nigerian market by Crown Flour Mill Limited.

The product was launched at an event in Lagos on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, almost a year after the wheat milling and pasta business of Olam Agri in Nigeria unveiled Mama’s Pride Spaghetti.

The brand ambassador for Mama’s Pride Macaroni is Bimbo Ademoye, an actress, who is expected to use her influence in the Nigerian showbiz industry to drive sales.

Crown Flour Mill disclosed that it manufactured this new brand because of its continued commitment to delivering affordable, tasty, and nutritious food options.

It offers a non-sticky experience for lovers of pasta. It can be enjoyed plain with sauce, jollof, fried, or paired with vegetables.

“I am proud to identify with the business and Mama’s Pride Pasta. We share a common trait, a focus on enriching people’s experience and spreading joy across homes. I can assure consumers that this is the best pasta product in the market in terms of taste and preparation,” the brand ambassador stated.

“We put in so much effort into developing the Mama’s Pride Macaroni brand to build on the success of the spaghetti variance introduced about a year ago.

“This brand continues to garner rave reviews from trade partners and consumers. The Mama’s Pride Macaroni certainly will redefine its segment,” the Managing Director for Wheat Milling Business at Olam Agri in Nigeria, Nitin Mehta, stated.

Also, the B2C Business Head for Grains and Animal Feed at Olam Agri in Nigeria, Siddarth Suri, said, “We are delighted to be releasing the Mama’s Pride Macaroni to the market after careful product research, development and production processes.

“The effort put into the manufacturing of this rich product underlines our commitment to providing superior, top-quality and affordable products to feed the teeming local population.”

Further, the General Manager and Head of Marketing for Olam Agri in Nigeria, Bola Adeniji, stated, “Consumer responses after various product testing engagements show that the Mama’s Pride Macaroni is unrivalled in its segment. This gave us the confidence to go ahead and launch the product on the market.

“Considering pasta meals have become popular among households, our brand is positioned to provide culinary delight across dining. It is versatile and combines perfectly with a variety of sauces and toppings.”