Get a free website for your business at Africa's first ever webfair holding in Lagos on October 31st, 2011

MTN, Ecobank and Google are set to launch Nigeria and Africa's first ever webfair on October 31st, 2011. The event is part of the Google sponsored Get Nigerian Businesses Online Program which launched last month.

The webfair is targeted at Nigerian small business owners. Nigeria's ICT Minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnson will be the event's Chairwoman.

Venue: The Grandeur Events Center

17 Billings Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos

Time: 8:30 am

In keeping with the GNBO program, participating businesses at the webfair will get:

Free easy-to-build and maintain, professional website

Free matching mobile website

Free gnbo.com.ng sub-domain

Free website hosting

Interested businesses are advised to sign up at www.gnbo.com.ng/event to secure a spot. Spots are limited

Watch the video below to know more about the initiative.

MIH Internet Sub-Saharan Africa to close down Kalahari Kenya and Nigeria

Stefan Magdalinski

South African media giant, Naspers, has revealed that it is closing down one of its entities (Kalahari - an online retail property) in Kenya and Nigeria.

This was revealed in a press release via a blog post on its Dealfish site in the two countries by the GM, E-commerce, Sub-Saharan Africa for MIH Internet, Stefan Magdalinski.

On 24 October 2011 MIH Internet (Sub-Saharan Africa) advised that, following a strategic review of its investment priorities, it will be closing down the Kalahari Kenya and Kalahari Nigeria operations with immediate effect.

MIH launched online retail services in Kenya and Nigeria under the Kalahari brand in October 2009 and January 2010, respectively. This was pioneering work which carried considerable risk. As the performance of the service has been below expectation since launch and reaching profitability was not a reasonable near-term prospect, a decision was made to refocus efforts on other group businesses within the region. Specifically, our Dealfish and Mocality sites will continue to operate.

Contact details:

Stefan Magdalinski
, GM, E-Commerce, Sub-Saharan Africa MIH Internet

Email: Stefan@mihinternet.com

“The Avengers” Trailer Breaks iTunes Trailer Record With Over 10 Million Downloads In 24 Hours

I am a "Marvel" fan and I love all the films that have come out of Stan Lee's stables. I am one of the fans that is anxiously waiting for the "Avengers Assemble", the coming together of stars under one roof, on one screen, at the same time. And I am definitely not the only one. Imagine Captain America, Iron Man, The Mighty Thor, Hulk e.t.c. But we have to wait for the film scheduled to hit the cinema screens next year in May 2012.

The trailer, which debuted on iTunes exclusively on Tuesday (11th October 2011), was reported to have broken Apple's iTunes site record for most viewed trailer with 10 million views in just 24 hours.

See the trailer of "The Avengers" below and an excerpt of the Disney's full press release about the record.

Burbank, Calif., October 14, 2011 — Marvel Studios announced today that the trailer for next summer’s most highly anticipated movie, “Marvel’s The Avengers,” has been downloaded over 10 million times in its first 24 hours on iTunes Movie Trailers (http://www.apple.com/trailers), shattering the most-viewed trailer record in the site’s history.

The trailer, which debuted Tuesday, October 11, exclusively on iTunes Movie Trailers, gives fans a sneak peak at “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime—based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since.

The film unites the world’s greatest Super Heroes when Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) join S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) to protect the world from the dangerously powerful villain, Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

An exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is from Marvel Studios in association with Paramount Pictures, produced by Kevin Feige and directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay by Joss Whedon.

“Marvel’s The Avengers” will be released on May 4, 2012.

About “Marvel’s The Avengers”:

Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.

Nigerian Federal Government makes available N50 billion for youth empowerment scheme.

President Goodluck Jonathan launched the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (You WiN!) Programme today in Abuja.


The Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (You WiN!) Programme is a collaboration of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Communication Technology (CT), and the Ministry of Youth Development that will launch an annual Business Plan Competition (BPC) for aspiring young entrepreneurs in Nigeria, in line with the Federal Government’s drive to create more jobs for Nigerians. The programme is being implemented in partnership with Nigeria’s private sector, who will be requested to provide funding support.


Objectives of the programme 
The main objective of the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (You WiN!) Programme is to generate jobs by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas that will lead to job creation. The programme will provide aspiring youth with a platform to show case their business acumen, skills and aspirations to business leaders, investors and mentors in Nigeria.


Specific Objectives of the Programme include to

•  Attract ideas and innovations from young entrepreneurial aspirants from Universities, Polytechnics, Technical colleges, and other post-Secondary institutions in Nigeria;
• Provide a one-time Equity grant for 1,200 selected aspiring entrepreneurs to start or expand their business concepts and mitigate start up risks;
•  Generate 40,000 to 50,000 new jobs for currently unemployed Nigerian youth over the three years during which the three cycles will be implemented;
•  Provide business training for up to 6,000 aspiring youth entrepreneurs spread across all geo-political zones in Nigeria;
• Encourage expansion, specialization and spin-offs of existing businesses in Nigeria; and,
• Enable young entrepreneurs to access a wide business professional network and improve their visibility.

A road show is expected to commence in the six geopolitical zones to sensitize the youth about this scheme. The scheme will run for three consecutive years.

Check www.youwin.org.ng for more information.

Omobola Johnson, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications Technology, speaks at the ITU Telecom World 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland

Omobola Johnson, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications Technology, is part of a panel of experts that will be discussing about “The vital role played by the public sector in driving the roll-out of networks and services”. This is scheduled to take place at the ITU Telecom World 2011 taking place from the 24^th to the 27^th of October 2011 in Geneva, Switzerland.

A press statement released recently about the event stated that the action-packed agenda would be focusing on the major global issues reshaping the information and communication technology (ICT) landscape. The event will bring together Heads of State and Government, ICT ministers and regulators, global business leaders and some of the industry’s brightest young innovators for a dynamic series of debates led by some of the industry’s biggest names.

The event will kick off with a Broadband Leadership Summit featuring Heads of State, Heads of Government and ICT ministers, who will join luminaries including Mexico’s Carlos Slim; Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission; Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the OECD; Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO; and many members of the ITU/UNESCO BroadbandCommission for Digital Development.

Internet pioneer, Robert E. Kahn, will join Web 2.0 innovators such as Juliana Rotich, CEO of Ushahidi, an open source project which allows users to crowdsource crisis information via mobile devices, in sessions such as the power of social media and the Internet of the future. Director-General of WIPO, Francis Gurry, will lead another stimulating debate on the evolution of frameworks for intellectual property and convergence of online content.

In the development sphere, a strong mix of speakers like Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the UN Population Fund; Doyle Gallegos, Global Practice Leader, Connectivity Infrastructure at the World Bank; and Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General for the Millennium Development Goals, reinforces the fact that ICT access has become central to development across a whole range of spheres.

Delegate registration is open at http://world2011.itu.int/be-there/register-now. The Forum agenda is online.

Follow ITU Telecom World 2011 event activities on Facebook at www.itu.int/facebook and through the @ITU_News twitter account #ITUworld11.

For more information on ITU Telecom World 2011, visit http://world2011.itu.int.

Steve Jobs - Innovation Personified (R.I.P)

I heard about his death on the radio as I was driving to work this morning. I wondered how I had missed the news since it happened yesterday, October 5, 2011. Later on, I picked up my BB and realised that most people had changed their BBM profile picture to that of the man of the Apple fame. I read all the eulogies written about him. I checked on my Facebook page and it was the same. Even though many people did not know him personally, many alluded to the fact that he had affected his generation and generations yet unborn. Not many people had unsavoury things to say about him.

I didn't know him personally. In fact living most of my life in Nigeria, I was introduced to the Apple Mac about 4 years ago and I have still not been able to switch from my Dell, HP to the Mac. A friend even recently gave me a Mac to convince me to change but having considered the switching cost and time, I have not invested enough time to do this. But I must say the Ipod has been a very good gadget that I am attached to. I must confess that I have not used the Iphone but I find that people who use it find it difficult to switch to a non-Apple product.

Now considering the fact that I have not used his products, why do I like him? I like him and what he represents. I like the fact that he pursued his passion and used the God-given gift resident in him. I loved the fact that he was able to affect his generation and generations thereafter.

The world will miss him and I know his family will miss him more. To his tribute, I changed my BBM display picture, my Facebook profile to salute the great icon. Even if possible, someone said we should observe a minute silence on the Internet for him

I saw a story about him on "The Next Web"and decided to share it also. Please click and read on

http://thenextweb.com/apple/2011/10/06/on-steve-jobs/

Adieu, Steve Jobs.