Nigerian oil businessman Kase Lawal on starting his own business and its rise to becoming a multi-billion dollar empire.
Related story: Adebayo Ogunlesi, 56, acquires London Gatwick Airport
Investing in Nigeria promo video
CNBC coves investment in Nigeria
Video report on growing middle class in Nigeria
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
A Nigerian politician has been arrested for trying to smuggle almost five pounds of cocaine in his stomach in a scheme to finance his election campaign, authorities said Monday.
Eme Zuru Ayortor, a 52-year-old pharmacist and a hopeful for Nigeria's Edo State House of Assembly, was arrested at the international airport in Lagos, drug officials said.
Officials became suspicious of the politician when a scanning machine in the airport revealed that he was carrying 2.120 kilograms (4.7 pounds) of cocaine in his stomach, according to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Ayortor was trying to fly to Frankfurt, Germany, the agency said.
"After undergoing observation, the pharmacist turned politician excreted 100 pieces of powdery substance that tested positive to cocaine," the agency said in a statement.
"Preliminary check on him revealed that he was preparing himself financially for the forthcoming election into the Edo State House of Assembly."
The suspect told authorities that he was hoping his status as a politician would help him avoid being arrested.
"We do not look at faces in conducting drug screening and we are not moved by credentials. Whoever is dealing in narcotics shall be exposed and prosecuted," said Ahmadu Giade, chairman of the Nigerian drug agency.
Related stories: Pregnant woman swallows 350 grams of cocaine
Nigerian drug enforcement agency arrest 50 year old woman with 585g of cocaine
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan gave kudos, yesterday, to Nigerian youths for their role in and contribution to national growth,and described the current democracy as a gift from them.
"There is an unchallengeable power of good in the Nigerian youth",he said in a keynote address, entitled Nigerian Youths: A Call to Possibilities" at the 26th Convocation of the University of Port Harcourt.
He was a pioneer student of the institution where he went on to add a masters and doctorate degrees. President Jonathan stated that in his determination to set a new developmental agenda and the conduct of free and fair election for the country he would commit himself to work with all Nigerians, especially the youths to bring the sad days of electoral malfeasance to an end.
To this end, Jonathanpromised to relate more often with the youths with a view to sharing ideas with them on socio-economic and political values best for Nigeria, saying that "as part of my contribution to this debate I will set up a facebook account that will focus primarily on the exchange of ideas".
Expressing joy at "the brilliance, innovation, patriotism, sacrifice and the passion for excellence that the youths of Nigeria have demonstrated time and again", the president said: "with over 70 per cent of our population below the age 35 we are a strong and sturdy community determined to defend our collective interest"
He said as he settled down to the duties of office, "I will be depending on the ideas, energy and cooperation of all Nigerians to bring our dreams to reality"; insisting that "there can never be a better time for national transformation than now".
Related stories:
Video report - Goodluck Jonathan takes over from Yar'Adua
Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolves cabinet
Goodluck Jonathan pledges to resolve power crises
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
Mikel Obi has returned to training, but will miss this week's first squad meeting with Technical Adviser Lars Lagerback as well as the Presidential Dinner in Abuja.
The midfielder has started light running but is continuing his rehabilitation from knee meniscus surgery. Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to send off the team at a dinner in Abuja on May 20.
The day before the dinner, Lagerback will meet up with his squad for the first time since being appointed in March but Mikel's representative John Shittu told KickOffNigeria.com that the Chelsea midfielder would be unable to make the gathering
"He has started running and is training again but he is still undergoing rehab after his surgery and he will be unable to come to Abuja this week," Shittu told KickOffNigeria.com.
Mikel, who told KickOffNigeria.com that he would be out for two only weeks, is making good progress after having his torn meniscus repaired.
Shittu says he will be fit to take part in Nigeria's World Cup build-up.
"Everything is going well, there are no complications and he will be available to take part in the preparations for the World Cup."
On Saturday, Mikel picked up an FA Cup winners medal with Chelsea despite missing the Final.
"I just got my medal in the dressing-room," he told KickOffNigeria.com after picking up the prize piece of silverware.
Nigeria play Saudi Arabia, Colombia and North Korea before their opening game on June 12 against Argentina.
Related stories: Super Eagles squad list for the 2010 World Cup
The World Cup comes to Nigeria
Video overview of Group B in the 2010 World Cup
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
With a few developments in recent times, Nigeria is still setting the pace in technological developments in Africa and indeed the Middle East and African emerging markets. This is as Nigeria can now join a few other countries of the world to provide its citizens the opportunity of watching the 2010 World Cup LIVE broadcasts on their cell phones.
This opportunity was facilitated by a recent partnership between DStv Mobile, Nokia and MTN Nigeria to push the boundaries of entertainment by making compelling live TV available to Nigerians on their mobile devices.
Announcing the partnership last week in Lagos Nigeria, the partners said that with the launch of the Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition, Nigerians would be able to watch 3 LIVE Super Sport channels and all the sporting action in the palm of their hands.
The deal means that Super Sport, the exclusive pay tv broadcasters of the World Cup will now be seen on an additional platform apart from the traditional television space.
The interesting aspect of this offering is that it would provide solution to the awkward broadcast times of the world cup games, as most games would be played when Nigerians are either in their offices, work or in traffic. However, the DStv Mobile runs only on MTN network.
The Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition is an entertainment hub that combines mobile broadcast TV (DVB-H), social networking, music and gaming in a compact 3G device.
The partners said the desire to team up in providing the mobile tv was fuelled by the rise of mobile broadcast TV consumption and the forecast that by 2012 there would be over 300 million people worldwide watching TV on their mobile phones. For instance, General Manager, DStv Mobile, Mr Mayo Okunola, noted that "Africa is making waves in the new and exciting area of Mobile tv and Nigeria is leading the way. We at DStv Mobile strongly believe in the importance of mobile television in the Nigerian market and the effect our success will have on the global stage."
Also, the General Manager, Consumer marketing, MTN Nigeria Kola Oyeyemi, added that "MTN as the first and only African Global sponsor of the world's biggest football event; FIFA 2010 is not leaving any stone unturned in its quest to enrich the lives of its customers via the promotion of their passion for football. In this regard, MTN is bringing the pleasures, intrigues, surprises and fun associated with the best of world class football from the South of Africa to her teeming customers while on the go".
MTN has consistently blazed the trail in innovations that add value and enrich the lives of her customers. This new service is a further reinforcement of our innovation leadership status in the telecom industry and it joins the leagues of many "firsts" from MTN like Google SMS, MTN Back Up, MTN Video cam e.t.c
Corroborating his fellow partners, Nokia West Africa General Manager, Mr Phillip de la Vega, said that enhancing the daily lives of Nigerians was at the heart of the partnership.
According to him, "the introduction of the Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition responds to the arrival of DVB_H broadcast mobile TV networks in new markets, including Nigeria , and offers an affordable device for new and existing customers alike. Customers are increasingly watching a variety of programmes on their mobiles for a longer period of time.
The Nokia 5330 Mobile TV Edition has the sound and image quality to hold audiences captive, and we are excited to be here today, together with MTN Nigeria and DStv Mobile, to bring this exciting package to Nigerian consumers".
DStv Mobile is broadcast on a dedicated network. This service differs from mobile tv streaming and so, as many people as possible can watch DStv mobile at the same time without dropping the picture and audio quality. This also means that viewers will not be using their credit when they watch live TV on their phone. DStv Mobile announced that apart from the cost of acquiring the mobile phone, the service runs free of charge till April 2011.
The DStv Mobile service is currently available in Lagos , Abuja , Ibadan , Port Harcourt , Aba , Asaba, Enugu , Onitsha , Benin City and Kaduna .
Related stories: All Nigerians to own phones by 2020
Super Eagles squad list for the 2010 World Cup
The World Cup comes to Nigeria
Video overview of Group B in the 2010 World Cup
src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js">
