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Business – Africa: Sports as a business and a brand

By
Guest Writer
-

 

 By Victor Oladokun

At the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, the visual imagery of almost empty stadiums is a powerful narrative. But not the kind that African sports, African football, or corporate sponsors deserve.

The empty seat syndrome in suggests that football fans are voting with their feet, or better still with their backsides. Fans are choosing not to watch live football events, and instead are opting in increasing numbers for the ‘intimacy’ of their crystal clear digital flat TV screens, or not all.

Before Egypt’s stunning 0-1 loss to South Africa in the round of 16, the host country was the only team able to attract 70,000 fans. Other than when Mo Salah and the Pharaohs have been on the field, most stadia across Egypt have at best attracted an average of 5,000 to 7,000 fans.

Official broadcast camera crews have done a creative job minimizing the visual gaps of empty seats. But wide camera angles reveal the obvious … a lack of attendance and public enthusiasm, in spite of the presence of some of the biggest names in world football on the field.

In European football leagues, where many of the stars in Egypt ply their trade, fans pay mega bucks to see the likes of John Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Sadio Mane, Ryahd Mahrez, Nicolas Pépé, Wilfred, Zaha, and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Which is why the empty seats in Egypt are both stunning.

Admittedly, Egypt bailed CAF out and should receive well-deserved credit for coming to the rescue and hosting the African Cup of Nations, with barely 6 months notice, when the original hosts were sanctioned due to shoddy preparations.

Nevertheless, the lack of attendance in Egypt speaks volumes high ticket costs; the timing of matches bang in the middle of work days; the difficulties faced by national team supporters in obtaining entry visas to Egypt; and challenges with the Confederation of African Football’s complicated online ticket purchasing system.

It should not be so. This after all, is the most important event in Africa’s sports calendar. At least, it used to be before England’s Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, and Germany’s Bundesliga captured our collective imaginations.

The end result is that where once 30,000 to 70,000 fans a week watched highly competitive domestic football leagues across Africa, the empty seat syndrome has been the norm for almost two decades. It is not unusual to have less than a thousand fans in a stadium that seats 30,000.

The lack of fan attendance has obvious economic and financial implications across the sports value chain for team owners, sports federations and confederations, players, sponsors, advertising and marketing agencies, merchandisers, vendors, and local communities who once counted on fan attendance to boost fledgling economies.

What’s responsible for the increasing slide in fan attendance?

1. Poor facilities

2. High ticket costs

3. A lack of reliable transportation to and from venues. As well as sufficient and secure parking.

4. Increasingly crude behavior and violence at event locations.

5. Technology. Mobile phones and Apps that carry events live as well as a plethora of entertainment alternatives. In other words, once big events are no longer the main gigs in town.

So, what can be done to reverse the trend? Here are 5 quick suggestions.

1. It can no longer be business as usual. Africa must run sports as a professional business. This includes the right infrastructure, training facilities, attractive pay scales for professional athletes who now consider anything less than a European league appearance, a professional failure.

Regrettably, as with Africa’s overall propensity to simply export raw materials instead of adding value to what we produce, we are doing the same with football and many other sports. Africa has a tremendous abundance of potential talent that for the most part (with the exception of South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia) we add little or no value to. Instead, millions of genetically blessed athletes are simply waiting or begging to be ‘found’ on the cheap by European and American sports teams. Why? Simply because we fail to see diamonds in the rough and because we are unable to add value to the potential of what for now seems to be rough stones.

2. Modern and professionally maintained facilities: In sizzling hot Africa, we must invest in covered stadia. When I can sit in front of my big screen TV in my air conditioned living room, why would I want to subject myself to temperatures that I swear have gone up a number of notches in recent years?

3. Sport is a spectacle. This includes everything including pre-event and half time entertainment to keep fans with short attention spans upbeat and engaged.

4. Give back to the fans: Essentially, engagement in the 21st century must change. Its time to give something back to fans rather than fleecing them at every opportunity with sub-standard services and products. It would seem to me that sports teams could offer something as simple as raffle draws that reward fans with extra game tickets, signed player jerseys, visits with select players, or products from local sponsors. Professional marketing firms can come up with an endless list.

5. Make sports big and make it a win-win proposition.

Real Madrid F.C. and Barcelona F.C. for example, are not owned by a few rich individuals. Instead, they are owned and supported by thousands of shareholders known as ‘socios.’ Across Africa, it’s time to change the numbers game – in ownership, money, and attendance – by giving fans a seat at the table.

These are just a few quick ideas. However, the running of sports in general and football in particular as a business and a brand proposition, will require honest analysis, political and financial will, and a collective approach.

It must be if Africa is to unlock potential and turn millions into billions.

The writer is the Director of Communication and External Relations at the African Development Bank

 

 

 
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Siemens partners with Plan International to deliver humanitarian aid initiatives in Sudan

By
Our Reporter
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Fuel crisis in Sudan

 

 

German multinational conglomerate company, Siemens and Plan International Germany have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on future humanitarian projects to assist marginalized populations across Africa, with initial emphasis on Sudan, specifically displaced communities affected by conflict in neighboring South Sudan.

The partnership will start by addressing educational and infrastructure needs of communities in the White Nile state, including hybrid solar solutions in areas where access to decentralized energy is urgently required to enable sustainable development; Plan International is a child-centered community development organization that assists the most vulnerable in more than 50 countries, including Sudan

Siemens has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Plan International Germany that will see the two organisations working together to provide education, aid and infrastructure to marginalized communities in Africa. Initial focus is on remote regions in Sudan, where Siemens and Plan International will provide aid in the educational and training sector, starting in White Nile state. Plan International is a child-centered organization that aligns with Siemens’ goal to support sustainable growth in the region.

With this agreement, Siemens further solidifies its commitment to significant humanitarian efforts in Sudan to address basic human needs and essential infrastructure. Siemens follows a clear business-to-society model in all countries and communities where it operates, and the goal is to directly impact the quality of life of the citizens of Sudan. Siemens and Plan International will focus on the renovation and modernization of 2 schools in the White Nile region incorporating a hybrid electrification solution for the schools and surrounding community.

According to 2018 data collected by Plan International, Sudan continues to receive ongoing significant influxes of refugees into areas such as the White Nile State. The majority of refugees are women and children (88%), who arrive in poor health after traveling many days to reach Sudan, often by foot, and who are in urgent need of protection, nutrition, shelter and health support.

There are over 170,000 refugees living across 8 camps in White Nile. Over-congestion remains a serious concern, with all camps currently hosting populations beyond initial capacity.

According to Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO of Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa, “This area is in desperate need of sustainable solutions. While short-term aid is welcome and much needed, our aim is to provide self-sustaining solutions in education, skills development and training as well as a hybrid energy solution to state benefit the marginalized populations in areas struggling to keep up with the influx of refugees.”

As a technology company with a footprint across Africa, Siemens has a keen understanding of the impact energy infrastructure has in marginalized areas. Access to electricity is the catalyst that enables access to education, food security, healthcare and sustainable growth.

 
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Priorities maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) strategy to manage costs for your company

By
Guest Writer
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Brian Andrew
 

By Brian Andrew

 

It does not matter if times are good or bad – waste is never welcome at any proactive business. Business is primarily driven by profit and efficiency, and waste is an attack on both. But many businesses, particularly among manufacturers, overlook a major cost hidden among their operations: that of MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) procurement.

MRO or indirect procurement concerns those many small parts needed to keep equipment running. It’s fundamentally a supply chain/procurement discipline, but not often considered as a cost centre. Individual MRO items – small parts in big machines such as light bulbs, safety switches, connectors, push buttons, power supplies etc. – tend to be inexpensive and not attract much attention. Yet as a pool, MRO procurement can represent a significant purchase base for companies.

The days of MRO being overlooked are numbered. According to a survey conducted by RS Components and UK-based CIPS (the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply), the focus is on to reduce MRO spend. Over half cited pressure on operation budgets or reducing inventory costs, followed by asset performance (42%) and continuous improvement (38%) as motivations.

This message is less apparent in the South African market, but given the current tough economic conditions, it’s well worth discussing. What can local businesses do to curb their MRO spend?

Taming MRO

Many businesses underestimate the amount they spend on MRO products over the course of a year. They also rarely understand the significant hidden costs associated with MRO procurement. In reality, the overall process of procuring a part can be double that of the actual part. Our research shows that an organisation spends £2 on the MRO procurement process for every £1 spent on the MRO product itself. Bigger footprints such as multiple locations amplify this effect. South African patterns are unlikely to buck the trend.

What causes such a poor ratio? It may be because too much time is being spent on finding the cheapest product, or using the wrong strategies for example category management and contracts negotiated on price alone to manage unplanned indirect spend. This may negate any actual savings made as extra processes and delays accrue costs.

Another reason is that MRO purchases often happen under the radar and tend to ignore official procurement channels. It may seem faster for an engineer on the floor to quickly acquire a spare part and get operations running again, using a convenient supplier. But amplify this over many instances and the purchases can compound into astounding inefficiencies.

Every company can meet this challenge with a good MRO strategy. It requires a new way of thinking and saving: a successful MRO strategy relies on all stakeholders involved in indirect procurement to collaborate. It must focus on improving the whole process of buying parts, involving stakeholders such as engineering, operations and finance functions, with buy-in at the c-suite level.

The strategy itself should aim for several objectives, which may include:
·         Reducing ‘maverick’ spend, where the user selects vendors outside the agreed supplier framework.

·         Consolidating suppliers so procurers can make quick decisions without having to consider the bigger MRO picture.

·         Procurement teams must communicate with users to understand what they need – this ensures suppliers with appropriate catalogues are chosen.

·         Deploying an integrated eProcurement system to streamline ordering processes, which in turn will help users change their own procurement habits.

·         Reducing items held in storage by only keeping critical spares and the items that will be used on a regular basis and then using suppliers that deliver on demand. This frees up working capital and space in your premises.

Without MRO, production can grind to a halt. A small part can stop everything for practical, health & safety, compliance or many other reasons. But sometimes the can-do attitude to keep lines going can result in inefficient MRO procurement choices.

Don’t disturb that spirit on the work floor that keeps your business moving. Instead, establish an MRO strategy that compliments proactive workforce attitudes while establishing a framework which pursues efficiency and significant cost savings. Partner with a supplier who can develop these solutions with you and support you on the journey of taming your MRO procurement.

The writer is the Managing Director South and Sub-Saharan Africa at RS Components.

 

 
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MPs urge CAOs of punish staff over Youth Livelihood Project as beneficiaries flee to Kenya

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Local government committee at a previous sitting
 

Members of Parliament’s Local Government Accounts Committee have asked Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to penalize staff who has failed to properly supervise the youth livelihood projects in Eastern Uganda.

The Committee members were in Soroti where local government accounting officers from the districts of Kapelebyong, Katakwi, Moroto, Amuria, Serere, Sironko, Kween and Bukwo converged to consider the Auditor General’s Report on the performance of the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP).

The Committee observed that non-payment of YLP funds was partly due to some technical officers neglecting their duties. This was evidenced by Soroti District Sub County Chief of Tubur, Julius Apetu, who appeared before the committee while drunk.

“If you can get drunk in the morning when you are to appear before us, what about when on your normal business,” said MP Franca Judith Akello, the Committee’s Chairperson.

She ordered for his arrest and was detained at Soroti CPS. Soroti CAO, Henry Ddamba, was directed to relieve Apetu of duties as Tubur Sub County Chief.

Soroti District received up to Shs302.1 million meant for youth groups in the financial year 2014/2015 but had only recovered Shs66 million or 22 per cent by the end of the 2017/2018 financial year.

In his report, the Auditor General said that a physical inspection to some youth groups revealed that some groups collapsed without paying back any money to government.

There was also lack of books of accounts, documents to prove accountability or copies of contracts awarded in some sub counties in Pallisa district, contrary to the Local Government Financial and Accounting Manual.

The Committee directed Pallisa CAO, Joseph Mukasa, to investigate the Principal Internal Auditor Emmanual Kiirya and Senior Accounts Assistant Agapitus Keedi who absconded from duty at Gogonyo Sub County. They were referred to the District Service Commission for further management.

In Amudat District located in Karamoja region, the CAO, Masokoyi Waswa Matanda, said some beneficiaries of the funds had crossed into Kenya to avoid arrest.

“Apart from Amudat bordering Kenya, it’s also a pastoralist community which has made it more complicated to trace beneficiaries,” said former district CAO, Saraphine Aliya, who was in charge during the audit period.

 

 

 
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Museveni gives Shs3.7b to Uganda Cranes

By
Our Reporter
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President Yoweri Museveni Yesterday evening hosted the Uganda Cranes team and officials at Entebbe State House following their arrival from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The Cranes were eliminated at the round of 16 stage by Senegal 1-0 at the Cairo International Stadium but the President Museveni hailed their efforts and donated one million dollars (about Shs3.7 billion) to be shared between the team and officials.

“I’m very happy the Uganda Cranes went up to the last 16. I know we will perform better next time. I will organize $1 million with the government to distribute it among the players and officials. Of course, the officials will not get as much as the players,” Museveni said.

The team’s performance was an improvement from the previous tournament in Gabon 2017 and Museveni urged them to keep their momentum.

“Although we didn’t win all our fixtures, we made a good effort and achieved some reasonable success. I don’t know how Senegal got that goal. I see our players are all fit young people. All they need is more stamina. I thank the team once again,” the president said.

On the road to the knockout round, Uganda Cranes picked a 2-0 win against DR Congo, 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe and lost 2-0 to the host Egypt before falling 1-0 to Senegal.

The team will now focus on Somalia in the first round of 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers on July 27.

 

 

 
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Kagame’s daughter weds Bertrand Billy Ndengeyingoma

By
Our Reporter
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The Rwandan President’s daughter, Ange Kagame has finally wedded her longtime lover Bertrand Billy Ndengeyingoma in the country’s capital Kigali.

The civil wedding took place at Kigali City Council offices in Kigali where the two exchanged vows and promised to take care of each other for the rest of their life.

Upon their wedding, Ange took it to her twitter account and expressed joy and excitement over remarkable step in marriage.

“A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness. I have found the one whom my soul loves”– Songs of Solomon 3:4,” She tweeted earlier today.

In December last year, Rwanda’s only first daughter got off the market after marrying her better half Bertrand ‘Billy’ Ndengeyingoma during  traditional ceremony in Ntebe.

Gusaba in the Tutsi traditional culture, was held at the President Kagame’s rural home in Kayonza district and was attended by close friends and family only. Ange Kagame is the only daughter to President Paul Kagame and First Lady Jeannette Kagame.

“To the Love of My Life- I look forward to continuing to do life with you. To us and to forever,” she tweeted last year.

Billy holds a Bachelor of Science Civil Engineering degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a PhD from the London School of Economics and Ange, on the other hand, is a political science graduate from Massachusetts’ Smith College.

Billy who has been living in USA is currently working in the central bank of Rwanda

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Tanzania part ways with head coach Emmanuel Amunike

By
Our Reporter
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Emmanuel Amunike

 

Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) and the national team head coach Emmanuel Amunike have parted ways following the Taifa Stars’ failure to progress past the group stages at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Amunike has been coach of Tanzania August 2018. At AFCON 2019 in Egypt, Tanzania Taifa Stars lost all the three group matches against Senegal, Kenya and Algeria.

The country’s federation said in a statement; “The Tanzania Football Association (TFF) and the National Team Coach, Emmanuel Amunike, have reached a joint agreement to terminate the contract between us.

“TFF will announce the head coach who will lead the National Team for CHAN matches.

“The head coach will be announced after the Emergency Committee meeting meets on July 11, 2019.

“The search for the new Coach has started immediately.”

Amunike becomes the third coach to be dismissed after Egypt and Uganda also parted with their head coaches after a disappointing campaign in AFCON 2019.

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The Best New Series Coming to a New Online Streaming Service This Year

By
Our Reporter
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For a long time, Netflix was the only online movie streaming service that mattered. It had some competitors at the time – Hulu, Amazon Prime, and some others – but none had the same winning combination of a huge content library, many original movies, and series, and global availability. Today, it’s no longer the only one but it’s still the biggest: Netflix has more than 155 million paying customers in 190 countries around the world. I bet there are many Ugandans, too, who have the Netflix shortcut between Betway casino and Facebook on their phones. This year, in turn, the online movie streaming market is becoming much more crowded – at least in the US. Netflix competitors are popping up like mushrooms after the rain, each one with its own amazing original programming to show. Here are some of the most interesting ones that we can look forward to this year.

Apple TV+

Set to be launched this fall, Apple TV+ will be a streaming service available in more than 100 countries filled with tons of exciting original content. Its programming will include content already available on Apple TV – like Carpool Karaoke and Planet of the Apps – but the truly amazing things will be brand new, exciting, and intriguing.

Among many others, Apple plans to launch its new service with series like “For All Mankind” (a science fiction drama where America loses the space race to Russia), “Amazing Stories” (an anthology series backed by Steven Spielberg), “Prehistoric Planet” (a docu-series based on the BBC’s amazing “Walking with Dinosaurs”), along with many others.

The most exciting one, though, is an ambitious series that can become the new Game of Thrones: a series adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation. The novel series was never adapted to the screen before – it is highly anticipated by every single classic science fiction lover in the world.

Disney+

Disney sits on a huge pile of amazing content, both animated and live-action, and the pile has just grown a lot with the integration of the properties owned by Fox. And Disney wants to make the most out of its huge collection of intellectual property by launching its own streaming service to compete with Netflix this fall.

Disney has a great line of programming in store for the launch of Disney+, all of them from franchises beloved by their fans. Among others, it will have content from Pixar, Marvel, and classic Disney series like 101 Dalmatians. But the most exciting series – a first for its franchise – will be “The Mandalorian”, the first ever live-action series in the Star Wars universe.

“The Mandalorian” takes place in an unexplored time of the Star Wars timeline, in an unexplored area of the galaxy: between the “Return of the Jedi” and “The Force Awakens”, on the rim. The title role of the series will be played by Pedro Pascal, who played Oberyn Martell in the HBO’s Game of Thrones, along with big names like Nick Nolte, Carl Weathers, Werner Herzog, and director Taika Waititi as the voice of the droid “IG-11”.

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African leaders launche a continental free-trade zone

By
Our Reporter
-

 

African leaders have launched a continental free-trade zone that will unite 1.3 billion people, create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc and usher in a new era of development.

The launch happened after a day-long summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in the Nigerien capital.

The AfCFTA will be governed by five operational instruments, i.e. the Rules of Origin; the online negotiating forum; the monitoring and elimination of non-tariff barriers; a digital payments system and the African Trade Observatory.

Each one was launched by different Heads of State and Government that included President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi of Egypt who is current Chairperson of the AU; Mr. Moussa Faki Makamat, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission; and President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, who is the Champion of the AfCFTA.

The launch ceremony included “a roll call of honour”, at which the 27 countries that have ratified the instruments of the AfCFTA were announced, and those that have signed but not yet ratified were mentioned. A commemorative plaque of the signing was also unveiled.

The AfCFTA agreement was adopted and opened for signature on 21 March 2018 in Kigali. The AfCTA entered into force on 30 May 2019, thirty days after having received the twenty-second instrument of ratification on 29 April, 2019 in conformity with legal provisions.

“The speedy entry into force of the AfCFTA is a source of pride for all of us”, said AU Commission Chairperson Mr. Moussa Faki Mahamat. He described the free trade agreement as one of the instruments for continental integration in line with the objectives of the Abuja Treaty and the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

The Chairperson also highlighted the importance of peace building and security on the continent, adding that “it would be a delusion to talk of trade and development without peace and security”.

He also stressed that, for the AfCFTA to be effective, there is need to open borders to other Africans. In this light, host President Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou, said the free trade area will tear down borders inherited from Africa’s colonial past and ensure full continental integration.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi stressed the need for the establishment of linkages with the private sector and the business and investment communities, while also calling for the involvement of the youth who will “continue the march” towards development.

The United Nations Deputy Secretary General Ms Amina Mohammed noted that the AfCFTA is a tool to drive growth and innovation for Africa, and to create opportunities for sustainable development and realizing Agenda 2063.

The AfCFTA will be one of the largest free trade areas since the formation of the World Trade Organisation, given Africa’s current population of 1.2 billion people, which is expected to grow to 2.5 billion by 2050.

Meanwhile Ghana has been confirmed by the Heads of State and Government as the host of the secretariat of the AfCFTA, having prevailed over six other countries that had also expressed interest in hosting it.

 

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Gen. Tumukunde thrills Kampala youth as he makes inroads for Mayoral seat

By
Isaiah Mwebaze
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Gen. Meeting market vendors.

Former Security Minister, Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde has greatly made inroads with several Kampala groups as gears up for Mayoral seat.

Gen. Tumukunde who is known for his mobilization skills has addressed several audience with the latest being the youth known as ‘Kawempe Republic’. Contrary to the known approach where politicians approach the voters, For Gen. Tumukunde, it is the opposite, the voters schedule appointment with him seeking to be addressed by him and listen to his message on what he intends to do for the city.

The Kampala mayoral race has proven to be a rather contentious and chaotic affair over the years as many viable candidates from various political parties run for the office. The office that has mainly been dominated by the Democratic Party over the years has also come to serve as a point of power for Uganda’s opposition. 

The ex soldier, was also part of the mastermind behind the security operations that led exposed loops in the security gaps under former Police Inspector of General Police-Kale Kayihura, an indomitable figure had created a number of unofficial police bodies such as Boda-Boda2010 and kiboko squad that only mimicked the institution and further increased the capitals insecurity with the gangs running amock perpetually violating the human rights of thousands of Ugandans. 

The stabilization of the Capital’s security left many residents indebted towards the General, who spearheaded the investigations that led to the downfall of kale Kayihura.  Tumkunde continues to thrill Ugandnas as he visit various areas of Kampala including Katanga, Makindye and Nakawa where he engaged the various locals in productive dialogues that will enable him provide better services to its people if he is elected Lord Mayor. 

Distinguished by his hands on approach, Gen. Tumukunde shows a side to politics that is only common with moderate modern leaders. The Rukungiri born retired army general understandable among a few national leaders that cuts across the political divide of modern Ugandan political class. He remains true to his word and that is why he has always been perceived by the power that be that he assertive and a straight talker.

Gen. Tumukunde, meeting members of the ‘Kawempe Republic’ in his ongoing consultation.

In his ongoing fact finding mission,  Gen. Tumukunde engages with his people as this gives him as  leader a better understanding of problems and challenges of a particular society and how best to solve them.

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