Business
World Milk Day: Nestlé Dairy Programme Achieves Milk Collection Milestone
June first every year is World Milk Day. This year’s celebration is notable for Nestlé’s Nigeria Livestock Development Project (NLDP), with the milestone of 2,500 litres of fresh milk per day from only 200 litres collected on the first day of milk collection on June 1, 2021. A collaboration between Nestlé Nigeria, ‘CBiIL’ and 2SCALE, NLDP delivers 1,500 L/day at Paikon Kore Grazing Reserve and 1,000L/day at Kachia Grazing Reserve.
Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Nestlé Nigeria, affirms that the collection of 2,500L/day was made possible by 25 cooperatives comprising over 625 households milking between 4,000 and 6,000 cows every day. These cooperatives have been trained and nurtured for over 18 months to achieve the good quality fresh milk now produced through the project.
The celebration of World Milk Day 2022 at Paikon Kore provided a platform for recognising and rewarding the farmers who excelled in various aspects of milk production. Categories of awards included Highest Producing Male (Abdulrahman Rabia), Highest Producing Female (Rabia Raga), Best Aggregator (Shehu Muhammed), Best Cooperative Kosan Denko, Best Milking Community, and Aggregator with Least Spoilage (Adamu Abdullah). The recipients were delighted and expressed their thanks to Nestlé and the NLDP.
The ceremony was attended by stakeholders and dignitaries, including The Mandate Secretary, ARDS, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, and Permanent Secretary, FCT, Mr Olusade Adesola, ably represented by Mr. Samuel Atang, Director, Operations, Planning and Strategy. Representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development were also at the event.
Mr Olusade Adesola, The Permanent Secretary, FCT, said, “It is glad to note that milk production has steadily increased from 150 to 1,500 litres daily within the past two years of this partnership. I have been made to understand the products from this centre are being sold in markets within and outside the Federal Capital Territory.”
Also speaking, The Mandate Secretary, ARDS, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim, said, “It may interest you all to know that since the reactivation of the MCCC in 2021 in partnership with Nestlé Nigeria PLC, daily milk production has risen from between about 300 to 1,500 litres. This is a result of continuous training and improvement initiatives by both partners and support from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. If plans by the NLDP partnership to introduce new cattle breeds and a demonstration farm are anything to go by, milk production in the FCT will receive a boost.”
Nestlé continues to leverage its expertise in dairy to help build a sustainable dairy ecosystem through the NLDP to achieve its objective of Creating Shared Value with Nigerian dairy value chain stakeholders. The program contributes to the local economy by providing the training and empowerment of the locals and then purchasing services from them.
NLDP is built on three pillars: Better Fodder, Better Quality, and Better Products. This will be achieved by improving cooperative dynamics, promoting better herd health, and engendering hygienic milk collection and handling practices.
The NLDP has trained over 1,400 producers in modern Milk Handling and Milking Hygiene techniques to help them produce to industry standards, thereby opening more routes to market. Nestlé pays a premium above the market rates in addition to helping the families increase production and improve the quality of their products.
Nestlé has helped improve cattle health within the NLDP by deworming and vaccinating over 6,000 cattle against Foot and Mouth Disease. They were also treated against Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP) in collaboration with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat (ARDS). The 6,000 cattle also received vitamin and mineral blocks (salt licks).
Another significant investment by the NLDP is the provision of Better Fodder which includes sufficient clean water, balanced pasture, silage, and hay. Over 250 hectares of Napier Grass and Bracheria have been cultivated and 5 Industrial boreholes built and commissioned. Three of the boreholes are fitted with drinking troughs for the cattle and taps to provide portable water to the communities. To further boost milk production, Nestlé is providing Cotton Seed Cakes which have the potential to increase milk productivity by up to 2L per cow.
To maintain milk quality from milking to the processing centre, milk must be handled carefully and kept at a temperature of about 2 degrees Celsius. Each of the 23 aggregators employed under the NLDP project is trained to maintain these quality standards. They test for spoilage and adulteration at the collection point. A motorbike, milk churns, and lactometers are also provided to facilitate their work.
The aggregators get the milk to the Milk Collection and Cooling Centers (MCCC) in the shortest possible time for cooling and bulking at the requisite temperature after a 4 step quality check.
Nestlé equips the MCCCs with modern laboratory equipment to ensure food safety is maintained at industry standards. The staff are trained and issued the right gear to conform to the set safety standards.
In line with Nestlé’s commitment to protecting the planet for future generations, the NLDP has adopted climate-friendly practices: A 30KVA solar power system has been installed to reduce the fossil fuels used at the MCCC in Paikon Kore. The industrial boreholes are also solar-powered.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has imposed a withdrawal charge of between N100 and N600 for every N20,000 worth of interbank ATM withdrawals.
The new policy eliminates the three free monthly withdrawals that customers enjoy on interbank ATM withdrawals.
According to a CBN circular, FPR/DIR/GEN/CIR/001/002 with title, ‘Review of Automated Teller Machine Transaction Fee,’ dated February 10, 2025, the new fees would take effect March 1, 2025.
The apex bank said: “In response to rising costs and the need to improve the efficiency of Automated Teller Machine (ATM) services in the banking industry, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reviewed the ATM transaction fees prescribed in Section 10.7 of the extant CBN Guide to Charges by Banks, Other Financial and Non-Bank Financial Institutions, 2020 (the Guide)”.
The CBN said customers withdrawing at the ATM of their financial institution in Nigeria would not be charged.
“Withdrawal from another institution’s ATM in Nigeria (Not-On-Us): On-site ATMs (within bank premises): A fee of N100 per N20,000 withdrawal will apply,” the apex bank further directed.
For Off-site ATMs (outside bank premises), the apex bank said a charge of N100 plus a surcharge of not more than N500 for every N20,000 withdrawal would be applicable.
It said that international withdrawals would be based on the exact amount imposed by the international acquirer.
The CBN added: “This review is expected to accelerate the deployment of ATMs and ensure that appropriate charges are applied by financial institutions to consumers of the service.
“Accordingly, banks and other financial institutions are advised to apply the following fees with effect from March 1, 2025.”
Glo, Samsung Unveil Exclusive Galaxy S-25 Offer for Customers
Digital solutions company, Globacom, has teamed up with Samsung, world’s leading manufacturer of electronic devices, to bring a new offer to Glo subscribers. This tantalising deal allows Glo customers to pre-order the highly sought-after Samsung Galaxy S-25 smartphone and enjoy unique benefits.
Samsung Electronics unveiled its newest flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S25 series which comes with cutting-edge advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and was designed to elevate user experience and set new standards in the industry on January 22, 2025.
The pre-ordering exercise kicked off on January 22 and closes on February 18, 2025 at Gloworld shops across the country. It gives customers the opportunity to select from the Galaxy S25 lineup, including the S25 Ultra, the top-tier and most sophisticated model, as well as the S25+ and the standard S25. They, however, come with different processors and storage options.
Customers who pre-order the Galaxy S25 or S25+ will receive complimentary gifts, including a Buds FE, a suit cover, and Samsung Care, while those opting for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, will receive a free Buds 3, a standing grip case, and Samsung Care.
Globacom is also delighting customers who purchase any model from the Galaxy S25 series with 18GB bonus data for 6 months under smartphone festival data plans, while they can also secure their pre-order at any Gloworld shop with an advance payment of ₦500,000. Pre-ordered phones will be delivered to customers from February 19 onwards.
“We are thrilled to bring this offer to our subscribers, who will enjoy unparalleled benefits, including innovative packaging. This partnership with Samsung reinforces our commitment to providing value-added services that cater to the evolving needs of our customers”.
The company advises other phone lovers who are yet to pre-order the new device to visit any Gloworld outlet close to them and join the list of the new owners of the Samsung S-25 phone before the expiry date.
Technology company, Globacom, on Wednesday opened another Gloworld retail outlet in the Borno State capital, Maiduguri.
The new Gloworld shop is the latest in Globacom’s trademark customer interface shops, and is equipped with the latest technology for fast and efficient customer service and complaints resolution.
According to Mr. Augustine Mamuro, Globacom’s Regional Sales Coordinator, North East, the opening of the centre is in line with its “desire to bring its services closer to the people, create more platforms for customers to have access to Globacom’s wide range of products and services and give them more exciting experience on the network.”
He added that Globacom’s approach to customer service “is one that is underpinned by innovation and total inclusiveness. This is why we are consistently seeking innovative channels to make available our array of services to them”.
Mamuro assured the people of Maiduguri that the office is manned by well-trained, polite and customer-friendly staff who will provide first-class services and attend to customers’ enquiries as well as their service and product needs.
He also said the new shop will offer affordable Glo products, devices, smartphones and accessories, adding, that the people are assured of quick and satisfactory resolutions of all issues ranging from SIM replacement and registration to recovery of over-scratched cards, refill, unblocking of phones and laptop configurations for internet, as well as post paid bill payments and purchase of all Glo and other complementary products”.
The Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Umar Umar Kadafur, who was the Special Guest at the event, eulogised Globacom for deeming it fit to open a new Gloworld in Maiduguri for the benefit of the people.
He lauded the management of the company for its thoughtfulness in bringing its products and services close to the people of the state.
