Latest news with #Nigeria-based
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Woman who lost 95 kg credits skipping at home for her rapid weight loss without gym: 'Jumping rope works like magic'
Nigeria-based digital creator Zainab Jaiyesimi 'lost over 95 kg of weight' and keeps documenting her fitness journey on her Instagram page, Zainylee. In an impressive April 5 video giving a glimpse of her progress, she spoke about 'the power of skipping'. Sharing her experience, Zainab highlighted how skipping or jump roping, can be an effective way to aid in weight loss. It's also fun. Also read | Hansal Mehta reveals secret to 10 kg weight loss: Mounjaro, intermittent fasting, high-protein meals and less alcohol Zainab, who has dropped 'from size 28 to size 18/16', said, 'Skipping and walking was my go-to exercise. I highly recommend. I skipped from the comfort of my home and look how far I have come.' Doling out her tips, she added, 'Calorie deficit and exercise – you get the result you want.' You can achieve a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories, expending more energy through movement and exercise, or a combination of both. Click here to know more. Zainab further said she could lose weight at home by starting with '500 skips'. 'I enjoyed skipping and I did not have to go to the gym. I recommend skipping a 100 percent, but don't forget your diet,' she said. She further spoke about her weight loss journey and said, 'The power of skipping! Jumping rope works like magic. Skipping is a game-changer. When I first started, every jump felt like a struggle, but I kept going. Step by step, skip by skip, I pushed through. Looking back and seeing how far I have come, my weight loss journey videos make me happy.' Check out her post: A post shared by ZAINAB JAIYESIMI (@zainylee) Jumping rope or skipping is a full-body workout that can improve your cardiovascular health and strengthen your muscles. According to a May 31, 2023 report on it will not only improve your cardio and muscle strength but also help burn calories to support weight loss. According to the portal, along with helping with weight loss, there are many other benefits to jumping rope: ⦿ Strengthens muscles ⦿ Improves cardio fitness ⦿ Builds stronger bones ⦿ May improve your coordination and balance Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Business Insider
01-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Nigeria's central bank slams Paystack with record fine over fintech compliance
Nigeria-based payment processor Paystack has been fined ₦250 million by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), marking its largest known penalty since its founding in 2016. Paystack fined ₦250 million by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Fine follows launch of Paystack's peer-to-peer transfer app, Zap, raising concerns over regulatory compliance Nigerian authorities are cracking down on fintechs for KYC compliance, fraud prevention, and operating licenses This fine follows the launch of Paystack's peer-to-peer transfer app, Zap, which has raised concerns over regulatory compliance. The CBN claims that Zap functions like a wallet, a category reserved for companies with banking or microfinance licenses. While Paystack holds a switching and processing license, allowing it to facilitate transactions between financial institutions, it is not authorized to hold customer funds. CBN inspectors determined that Zap, launched in March 2024, effectively operated as a digital wallet in violation of regulatory guidelines. Although Paystack maintains that Zap was developed in partnership with Titan Trust Bank—a CBN-regulated institution licensed to hold deposits—the central bank held Paystack accountable for the breach. This fine is part of a broader crackdown by Nigerian authorities on fintechs, focusing on know-your-customer (KYC) compliance, fraud prevention, and operating licenses. CBN Intensifies Scrutiny of Fintech Industry The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ramped up its regulatory scrutiny of fintech companies, emphasizing compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols, fraud prevention, and licensing requirements. This intensified oversight has resulted in significant penalties, including a ₦250 million fine for Paystack, marking its largest known sanction to date. In an effort to bolster transaction monitoring and ensure stringent KYC adherence, the CBN instructed the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) to begin debiting the settlement accounts of banks and fintechs found to have processed fraudulent transactions, effective from January 2025. Furthermore, in April 2024, the CBN directed four major fintech companies—OPay, Kuda Bank, Moniepoint, and PalmPay—to suspend new customer onboarding due to inadequate KYC procedures.
Business of Fashion
24-04-2025
- Business
- Business of Fashion
How to Get Beauty PR Right in Africa
In 2013, the remit clients gave to Bola Balogun, the founder of Nigeria-based PR agency Glam Brand Networks, was usually small. '[Brands] were just doing adverts at the mall or inside of Essenza [a beauty retailer in Nigeria],' recalled Balogun. 'Nobody was connecting to the audience on an international level.' Now, that's all changing. Over the past ten years, global prestige beauty brands like MAC Cosmetics and Tom Ford have ramped up their presence in Africa, building distribution networks, selecting retail partners and forming local subsidiaries. Now, the market is showing its readiness for more premium players, global brands are ready to make their presence felt, and shifting their focus towards finding the right PR partners. 'These are brands that would have been scared to launch [in Africa], but they've seen years and years of work that we've done,' said Balogun, whose agency has worked with the likes of Hermès and Paco Rabanne. The growing appetite for international beauty products is awakening brands, many of whom have had a small presence in the market for years but never engaged with local consumers. This increased interest in the continent is now being reflected in higher marketing budgets, as well as creative teams dedicated to Africa, said Lena Gnininvi, a marketing manager of luxury cosmetics across West and Central Africa. Earlier this month, Ivorian beauty retailer Zino held an intimate cocktail event in-store to launch Givenchy's new Gentlemen Society Ambrée fragrance; in February, Hermès Beauty held its first private event in Lagos, Nigeria, to celebrate the launch of its fragrance, Barénia. The exclusive event brought together some of the biggest and buzziest names in the city, including beauty and lifestyle influencers Diana Eneje and Powede Awujo, and Nollywood actress Idia Aisien. South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are the leading beauty markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to research firm Euromonitor. Yet, efforts to engage with African consumers have been minimal. The beauty and personal care market in the Middle East and Africa is forecasted to grow 14.9 per cent this year, and is expected to hit $48 million. With distribution under control, beauty giants are now focusing on enhancing their marketing and PR strategies. However, brands are struggling to get it right, as many fail to adapt the marketing playbook to the market, but local PR agencies and consultants are stepping up to help brands create successful marketing activations that drive sales and boost brand awareness among a new generation of beauty consumers in Africa. 'You cannot pick [an idea] from Europe and think it's going to work in Africa,' said Nuel Bans, founder of the Ghanaian marketing and PR agency Debonair Afrik, which has worked with beauty brands such as Elizabeth Arden and Kering Beauté's Creed. 'Our consumer behaviour is different from European consumers,' Bans said. A Localised Strategy Brands often fall short of market expectations when they do not tailor their strategies to the local market. While it may seem daunting for brands who lack centralised knowledge of a particular market to outsource so much decision-making power, the expertise of local PR agencies and consultants is key to creating a winning strategy. One of the biggest mistakes international brands make when entering the African market is not localising their strategies, said Gina Mosley-Groenewald, co-founder of South Africa PR agency Sinnanon. 'What lands overseas doesn't land here with our consumers. We need to be as authentic as possible to the South African market,' she said. 'You cannot lead Africa without being in Africa,' — Issima Oniangué, L'Oréal's general manager for makeup and inter-beauty brands of Sub-Saharan Africa. Brands shouldn't try to control the granular details such as guest lists or influencers, she added. 'They really need to lean into their local partners like us, and trust that we understand the brand and how it translates locally,' Mosley-Groenewald said, adding that local agencies can better curate a guest list that's both on brand but representative of the cultures we have here. Localisation has helped French beauty conglomerate L'Oréal enter the beauty market in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2021, the beauty giant split up its MEA division and formed a local team in South Africa. 'You cannot lead Africa without being in Africa,' said Issima Oniangué, L'Oréal's general manager for makeup and interbeauty brands of Sub-Saharan Africa. 'That's the mistake L'Oréal [made over] the past 10 years before building this zone [in South Africa].' As well as having a local team, it also partners with local PR companies and consultants in Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya. Brands may also need to reevaluate their desire for uniformity across all markets. Challenges can arise in the small details, Bans said, recalling a brand that had provided him with guidelines for an event that included a cocktail made with cherries. 'Do you know how much a cherry costs here [in Ghana]?' he said, noting that the fruit is not native to the country and therefore imported and sold at an inflated price. Leveraging the expertise and market knowledge from local talent can help ensure every dollar of marketing spend is more used judiciously, he said. An Experiential Affair Whether it's an educational masterclass or a pyjama party at a luxury hotel, African consumers want a unique and memorable event. 'We are very experience-driven here, so you have to lead with experiences,' said Ijeoma Balogun, founder and chief executive of Redrick PR, which works with Lancôme, Armani Beauté and Ralph Lauren. In March, it launched Lancôme Cafe, a week-long Mother's Day pop-up that blended the culinary experience with beauty, allowing consumers to get limited edition hot drinks and shop Lancôme products. In December, YSL Beauté held a buzzy activation in Lagos to celebrate its launch in the market. 'It was a whole Lagos party,' said luxury brand consultant Tanya Rupani, adding that the brand tapped into the African consumers' love for music by having popular Afrobeats musician Fireboy perform. In February, Hermès Beauty held its first private event in Lagos, Nigeria, to celebrate the launch of its fragrance, Barénia. Debonair Afrik hosted an event for Creed. In March, Redrick PR launched Lancôme Cafe, a week-long Mother's Day pop-up that blended the culinary experience with beauty, allowing consumers to get limited edition hot drinks and shop Lancôme products. (ogunz) A Paco Rabanne event in Ghana. (Liyan 13) But that strategy doesn't work for every brand. A vibrant party would not work for niche perfume clients, said Rupani, as they usually prefer to create intimate events for VIP clients. Rupani hints that an upcoming private event with the UK-based luxury perfume brand Clive Christian will create a sensory dining experience. Strengthening the brand's relationship with its top clients has a direct impact on sales. 'Because [Clive Christian has been] nurturing the VIP clients here, we have people from Nigeria who spend [thousands of pounds] on their absolute perfume from their private collection,' she said. For brands, the goal is always to boost sales and generate a return on investment – both in the long and short term, said L'Oréal's Oniangué. This means an activation can lead to a product selling out immediately or increase visibility and credibility among consumers, ensuring the brand is top-of-mind for their next purchase. There's a cultural renaissance happening that brands don't want to miss out on, said Sade Teyibo, founder of Fola PR, who established her agency after working 14 years in the luxury industry, including stints at Kering, Net-a-Porter and Farfetch. Teyibo said that brands need to allocate generously for their marketing budget for Africa, and ensure there's a budget for each region, not the continent as a whole. 'We're not a market that [brands] should be scared of,' she said. While brands are increasing their investment in the market, spending alone is not enough: any efforts need to be highly curated and engaging, Balogun said. 'Don't come and give us anything that is less than the global standard just because we're in Africa … give us something that is qualitative and unique," said Balogun. Sign up to The Business of Beauty newsletter, your must-read source for the day's most important beauty and wellness news and analysis.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Witchcraft accusations putting hundred at risk of attacks, death
Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalize accusations and ritual attacks. In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offense to declare, accuse, name, or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law. "The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death," Amnesty said. "Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles. In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person," it added. The majority of victims are "marginalized individuals, particularly older women," in areas in country's northern and northeastern regions, the report said. Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana, and elsewhere in the continent. Earlier this year, two men in Zambia were charged with practicing witchcraft and possessing charms intended to harm the country's president. People accused of witchcraft are usually banished from their home areas and in Ghana they seek refuge in camps run by traditional priests "where they remain until they die or a family member or another community accepts them," the rights monitor said. Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitization campaign in vulnerable areas. It also said the government had failed to "ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water" for people living in these camps. "The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims," said Genevieve Partington, Amnesty's country director in Ghana. Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana. Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa. Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died. Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people. This is a reflection of how "we treat elderly people," Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP. Samadu Sayibu of Ghana's rights group Songtaba, said it also "highlighted issues such as gender and poverty." Belief in witchcraft is also common in some rural communities in Angola despite strong opposition from the church in the predominantly Catholic former Portuguese colony. Last year, police said about 50 people died in Angola after being forced to drink an herbal potion to prove they were not sorcerers. During a 2009 trip to Angola, Pope Benedict urged Catholics to shun witchcraft and sorcery. Savannah Bananas pack stadiums with their zany twist on baseball | 60 Minutes American retirees expand their world overseas Trump's chaotic tariffs week
CBS News
14-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Witchcraft accusations putting hundreds at risk "physical attacks or even death" in Ghana, Amnesty International says
Hundreds of people suspected of witchcraft in Ghana, especially older women, face rampant human rights abuses including murder, Amnesty International said Monday, asking the government to criminalize accusations and ritual attacks. In 2023, the Ghanaian parliament passed a bill making it a criminal offense to declare, accuse, name, or label someone as a witch but the bill is yet to be signed into law. "The accusations, which can lead to threats, physical attacks or even death, usually start within the family or among community members following a tragic event such as an illness or a death," Amnesty said . "Older women living in poverty, with health conditions or disabilities are at greater risk, as well as women who do not conform to stereotypical gender roles. In some cases, accusers even base their claims on having had a bad dream about a person," it added. The majority of victims are "marginalized individuals, particularly older women," in areas in country's northern and northeastern regions, the report said. Belief in witchcraft remains common in many rural communities along the west African coast, including Ghana, and elsewhere in the continent. Earlier this year, two men in Zambia were charged with practicing witchcraft and possessing charms intended to harm the country's president. People accused of witchcraft are usually banished from their home areas and in Ghana they seek refuge in camps run by traditional priests "where they remain until they die or a family member or another community accepts them," the rights monitor said. Amnesty said Ghana had not done enough to protect victims, stressing the need for a sensitization campaign in vulnerable areas. It also said the government had failed to "ensure access to adequate food, safe housing and clean water" for people living in these camps. "The authorities should pass legislation specifically criminalizing witchcraft accusations and ritual attacks, including protective measures for potential victims," said Genevieve Partington, Amnesty's country director in Ghana. Partington is also a member of the Coalition Against Witchcraft Accusations, an association set up following the lynching of a 90-year-old woman in July 2020 in northern Ghana. Similar attacks occur in other parts of Africa. Eight women blamed for the death of two ailing boys in Guinea Bissau last year were forced to drink poison and died. Also last year, two women in their sixties were publicly stoned and their bodies burnt in the Democratic Republic of Congo for allegedly causing the deaths of several people. This is a reflection of how "we treat elderly people," Leo Igwe, founder of Nigeria-based non-profit Advocacy for Alleged Witches, told AFP. Samadu Sayibu of Ghana's rights group Songtaba, said it also "highlighted issues such as gender and poverty." Belief in witchcraft is also common in some rural communities in Angola despite strong opposition from the church in the predominantly Catholic former Portuguese colony. Last year, police said about 50 people died in Angola after being forced to drink an herbal potion to prove they were not sorcerers. During a 2009 trip to Angola, Pope Benedict urged Catholics to shun witchcraft and sorcery .
