BUSINESS

What to do if you lose your job after Covid-19

Published

11 months ago

May 14, 2020

editor

The coronavirus is still ravaging the entire globe, throwing up new cases and deaths almost every minute of the day. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that at the end of this pandemic, Africa alone would have lost close to 200,000 people.

The deaths are not the only things to be lost to the novel coronavirus as experts warn that up to 5 million jobs may be lost at the end of the day, owing to the pandemic. Already, many employers are beginning to shed weight by either slashing salaries into half or lesser and in many cases, outrightly sacking their staff in places where they have not been asked to proceed on compulsory leave without pay.

A top bank who recently acquired another bank has been in the news with its announced plans to sack some of its workers amidst the pandemic. Although this has attracted widespread reactions, one cannot pretend to say all is well with all businesses and employers in Nigeria.

So, the question to ask yourself at this point is, what happens if I end up being one of those that will lose their jobs at the end of this coronavirus era? What would i do? What will i fall back to? How will i cope with my bills and responsibilities?

These and many questions should be racing through the mind of anyone who earns a salary today in Nigeria because as long as the business is not your own, you are bound to be separated from it at some point in life, whether you like it or not.

The first thing you are advised to do, if the eventuality eventually happens, is to see how to convert your skills into something that can earn you money, no matter how small.

That thing that has always attracted your employers to pay you regular salaries, is what i am talking about here. It may be your creativity, it may be a secret that you have always applied in your role as an employee, it may be a skill you learnt but you have not been using, it may even be a trade secret you have mastered during your days as an employee…. it could be anything!

Think about how you can apply such skills as a money making venture.
Another thing to do,is to engage yourself in a brainstorming session with the motive of identifying and outlining on a piece of paper, what you think are the problems or challenges of people around you. That problem is what you are interested in identifying and then search for a solution to the problem. Now, offer the solution and you are in business!

Note here that you really do not need to be solution provider yourself, but you can be the link between the solution provider and the people with the problem or challenges. That can make you a regular earning too.
Yet another thing to do, is to start a freelancing or consultancy business.

Remember the skills we mentioned earlier? That is the most important thing you need to do this. Look around for established businesses (including your last employer, if possible), give them your complimentary cards (it is not difficult or expensive to design and print one in your new business name) and share to those you have identified, telling them you can render the service at a reduced rate, if they are interested.

Trading is another thing you may want to consider. All you have to do, is to look for where you can buy what you think people need at a subsidized rate and sell to those who need or want them. You may not need too much money to start this as the commodity you want to trade will determine what amount you need to put into it.

You may want to build on any of the foregoing and come out with what best suits you.

Drop other ideas below in the comment section, if you have them.
Thank you for reading

BUSINESS

“Lekki Free Zone will open to commercial activities in 2023”

Published

3 weeks ago

March 20, 2021

editor

Commercial operations at the Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos Free Zone (LFZ) will begin in the first quarter of 2023, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, got the assurance from Tolaram Group – the frontline investor handling the project.

The Governor and members of the State’s cabinet are currently on a two-day working tour of the three free trade zones established in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos.

The port, which is being constructed by China Habour Engineering firm, is occupying 90 hectares in the entire 830 hectares of land carved out for the Lagos Free Zone, created in 2012 to enhance economic position of Lagos as manufacturing and logistics hub in West Africa.

The first phase of the seaport project, which is being financed by $629 million facility from China Development Bank (CDB), is at 48 per cent completion.

After going through the project master plan, Sanwo-Olu said his administration remained committed to delivering project, stressing that the deep seaport and other investments happening in the corridor had the potential to increase the State’s GDP in multiple folds.

He said: “Given the report I got and what I have seen here, I can say that Lagos Free Zone has made tremendous improvement. We have seen the level of partnership Tolaram Group is bringing in terms of international investment and local brands on this corridor.

“I commend all stakeholders that are with us on this journey we have found ourselves. With the level of work we have seen, I’m truly excited. It is more gratifying that, we are taking up this assignment with all energies required and we all can see what we can achieve when we work together.

“Since we signed a loan agreement less than 18 months ago, we have demonstrated strong capability in bringing the project to reality. This is the first quarter of 2021 and we have seen the project in about 48 per cent completion. The investors have given us the commitment on first quarter of 2023 completion date. We will fulfill all our parts to make sure this date becomes reality.”

Sanwo-Olu, who noted that he had been part of the conversation for the development of the free zones as a Commissioner for Commerce and Industry in 2006, said his administration had recorded significant progress in bringing the projects to reality.

The Governor said the priority accorded to the construction of complementary infrastructure projects along the corridor was a demonstration of his Government’s fulfillment of its pledge to Lagos residents. He promised the State would work with the timeline to ensure all projects mapped out in the zones are deliver.

Sanwo-Olu said the size of the deep seaport will allow 18,000 TEU capacity vessels, which are four times bigger than the ones berthing at Apapa seaports, thereby scaling down the cost of container transportation from any part of the world.

He said: “The interesting part is that, our youths and young women will be the beneficiaries of this project. The project managers have engaged large number of our citizens in the construction parts of the work; all personnel are not expatriates. All the technical work and technology deployed have local component to it.

“For us a Government, this is the strongest point we have made with the project. I am fully convinced that the delivery of this project will transform commercial architecture of West Africa and bring about quick turnaround time in maritime sector.”

When it is completed, the deep seaport is expected to generate more than 170,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for Lagos residents, and serve as alternative in an effort to decongest the Federal Government-owned seaports in Apapa.

Chief Executive Officer of Lagos Free Zone, Mr. Dinesh Rathi, said Tolaram Group, a Singaporean coy, initiated a $2 billion investment in the Lagos Free Zone, out of which the investor committed $950 million to developing manufacturing hub in the zone.

When the deep seaport is completed, Rathi said the maritime project was expected to generate more than 170,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for Lagos residents, and would serve as alternative in an effort to decongest the Federal Government-owned seaports in Apapa.

Chairman of Lagos Free Zone Development Company, Mr. Biodun Dabiri, hailed the State Government for its commitment towards changing face of commerce in Africa, stressing that all statutory permits, licences and endorsement for the Lekki port project were already secured.

“There is strong guarantee that the port will be delivered before time, going by the inflow of capital investment and technical services,” Dabiri said.

The Governor and his entourage also visited Africa’s second largest manufacturing plant of Kellogg Tolaram, manufacturer of cornflakes, which is built in Lagos Free Zone. The Governor toured the processing unit of the firm and inspected the production chain.

Also joining the Government’s team in the tour are the Chief Executive Officer of Lekki Freeport LFZ, Mr Du Ruogang, and Head of Marketing for LFZ, Ms. Chinju Udora, among others.

BUSINESS

If you’re African and use WhatsApp, you need to read this

Published

3 months ago

January 9, 2021

editor

A new app built by an African for Africans is out. Its name is SupFrica!

The app, just like WhatsApp, has all the features that WhatsApp has. But one thing that it has that WhatsApp doesn’t is, it’s 2× faster than WhatsApp.

Sending a message on Supfrica is faster than sending a message on WhatsApp, the report claims. You can add up 2348055441309, after installation for a test. The voice and video call in Africa is of high quality just as WhatsApp. This is the time to embrace our own. It is proudly made by a Sierra Leonean!

The company, Techfrica, which is owned by Mr. Hassan Hafiz Bakarr-Kanu Sr., released the app on Google Play Store on December 11, 2020, with fewer downloads.

The app is also amazingly rated number 1 on Google Play Store Top Free Apps; leading the world’s top messaging apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, Facebook, Telegram, WeChat, etc.

You can forward messages to more than 20 contacts at once, unlike WhatsApp. With Supfrica, you can create a Supfrica group and add an unlimited number of contacts to your group, unlike WhatsApp. You can add up 2348055441309, after installation for a test.

BUSINESS

Alaba Amalgamated Council commiserates with Ojo police station, donates items for rebuilding

…thanks Gov. Sanwo-Olu for re-opening Lagos markets

Published

6 months ago

October 29, 2020

editor

By Adeola Oluwaseun Oluwole

A week after a widespread arson which left many public utilities burnt in Lagos including police stations, the Alaba Amalgamated Council of Sectional heads have commiserated with Ojo police station and donated items to fast-track the rebuilding of the station.

The Council which visited the dilapidated police property on Tuesday 27th of October, 2020 to see the level of damage and to show their support to the command also facilitated the re-roofing of the station

The council of sectional heads led by the president Ichie Fabian E. Ezorjika donated office tables, chairs, electronics and a power generating set to the station.

Also, the roofing of the police station was changed and sponsored by Evang. Paulilus Ugochukwu ( a.k.a Sound Prince).

Ojo local government Chairman Hon. Rosulu Idowu donated and an Ilux van to the station as their patrol van was also burnt during the incidence.

In another development, the Alaba International Amalgamated Traders Association (Council of Sections) has expressed appreciation to the Lagos state government, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the promptness in re-opening markets in the state after last week’s riots.

Th association commended governor Sanwoolu for yielding to the cries of its members on the inconveniences the one-day on, and one-day off pattern characterized by the pandemic caused them economically.

They promised to adhere to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)’s rules guiding against Covid-19 and ensure full compliance of traders in tax payment.