Business
Nestlé Professional Takes Business of Food to Port Harcourt
The importance of canteens and ‘bukas’ who serve those with limited disposable income in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Yet, these food vendors and caterers who help to meet the nutrition needs of busy urban communities every day, do not always get the support they need to build successful businesses.
The business of food goes beyond just cooking. Nutrition, pricing, styling, taste, hygiene, are essential to the growth of the business and the safety of the consumer.
To help bridge this gap, Nestlé Professional’s food and product education workshop which held for the first time with over 200 Canteen and food Vendors in Ibadan, Oyo State in August 2022, was packaged to equip food vendors and caterers with the knowledge needed to optimize their food business while using MAGGI powders effectively.
Nestlé Professional Business, Nestlé Nigeria’s Out of Home business arm, took its Business of Food roadshow to Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, to deliver food education to over 300 canteen and food vendors in collaboration with the Association of Caterers and Food Vendors.
Participants in the workshop received tips on how to grow their food service businesses. The caterers and food vendors were shown how to cook tasty meals that will delight their customers as experts shared knowledge and techniques for managing the complexities of food systems. Topics included Food-Preneur, Food Styling and Food Plating.
“The women of Port-Harcourt are amazing, and we are super-excited to be here,” said Funmi Osineye, Manager, Nestlé Professional Nigeria. “The Business of Food workshop is an initiative we developed in response to the need to provide the support micro, small and medium scale food vendors need to scale their businesses. We are also conscious of our responsibility as the Good Food Good Life Company, to contribute towards increasing knowledge of the role food plays in improving Nutrition, Health, and Wellness. We have brought these two objectives together in the Business of Food which we are hosting in Port-Harcourt today. Our customers and other stakeholders can count on us to consolidate this partnership with caterers and food vendors to ensure better services in the industry.”
In the words of Chef Oroma, a member of the Association of Caterers and Food Vendors and CEO of Oromski Kitchen, “We have been looking for a platform like this for a long time and are excited that Nestlé Professional Business of Food has come to Port-Harcourt today. We would like this workshop to continue so we can encourage and train the upcoming chefs from the rural areas. This will help us create more employment to take our youth off the streets.”
The workshop combined knowledge sharing with a lot of fun, engaging activities to make it memorable for the participants. It kicked off with a masterclass, followed by a cooking demo where Chef Lilian demonstrated how to prepare native jollof rice.
Then came the exciting, cooking competition! The meals presented by the groups were judged based on Tasty Meal, Meal Presentation and Plating.
Access Bank Plc has responded to the reports making the rounds on social media concerning a former contact agent, who was alleged to have violated the privacy of some women in the organisation.
In a statement the management made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the bank said the matter has been handed over to the appropriate authorities for investigation while cautioning the general public to rely on updates communicated through their channels only.
The statement reads in full:
Our attention has been drawn to reports circulating on social media regarding an alleged offence involving a former Contact Centre Agent.
The matter has been handed over to the appropriate authorities, who are conducting an investigation.
We are fully cooperating with them in this process.
At Access Bank, we uphold a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment and any form of privacy violation.
We are also actively engaging with the affected employees to provide all necessary support.
The safety, dignity, and well-being of our employees and customers remain our highest priority.
We appreciate the concern and support of the public and our stakeholders.
For accurate information, we encourage everyone to rely only on updates communicated through our official channels.
MANAGEMENT
Moruf Oseni, managing director/CEO, Wema Bank, says the lender is committed to continued service and value delivery to Nigerians beyond its 80th anniversary.
Wema Bank, one of Nigeria’s oldest indigenous institutions, is set to mark 80th anniversary on May 2, 2025.
Founded on May 2nd, 1945, as Agbonmagbe Bank Limited by Late Matthew Adekoya Okupe, and two others, the bank was established to bridge the gap in access to financial services for indigenous Nigerians during the colonial era.
Over the years, Wema Bank has built a legacy of impact, empowering Nigerians with quality financial services tailored to their needs and supporting the Fintech industry to innovate to remain valuable to customers and stakeholders.
Oseni, speaking on the journey of the bank so far, expressed commitment to continued delivery of optimum value to stakeholders beyond the anniversary.
According to him, Wema Bank’s founding principle of empowerment and its creed to “be with you all the way” speak to resilience, timelessness, and perpetuity.
“At Wema Bank, we have our creed, which is to be with you all the way. Anything that has the creed to be with you all the way simply means it is something that is built to last. Wema Bank rose against all odds in colonial Nigeria to cater to indigenous Nigerians and succeeded.
“Today, we are not just Nigeria’s oldest indigenous bank but also Nigeria’s leading innovative bank, a testament to how committed we are to reinventing and adapting to provide value. On this, we will never relent,” Oseni noted.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reduced its premium motor spirit price in Abuja.
Some motorists in Abuja confirmed the new fuel price adjustment at some NNPC retail outlets.
Reports quoted Abdullahi Hashim, a resident of Kubwa, Abuja, to have said: “I observed the drop in the fuel price to N935 per litre on Saturday morning. It is a welcome development.”
“I think I first saw this new price adjustment in Town, Wuse Zone 4 area, on Friday. NNPC filling station at Kubwa Expressway is just reflecting it,” Bukola Adewole also said.
The development comes after Dangote Refinery announced in its ex-depot petrol price to N835 per litre from N865.
The 650,000 barrels per day refinery had announced that its partners, such as MRS and AP filling stations, are expected to sell petrol between N890 and N920 per litre, depending on the location.
Meanwhile, MRS filling stations in Abuja have not been dispensing petrol since Wednesday, April 16, 2025, when Dangote Refinery announced a slash in ex-depot petrol price.
