Celtel to rebrand to  Zain

Celtel International, a leading mobile telephone service provider across Africa could be in a major re-branding strategy before the end of this year. The move could see the company drop the Celtel brand and adopt a completely new identity - Zain. The new name is used by celtel’s parent company MTC Group in other nations except the African market. MTC group says the re-branding is meant to re-invent the regional brand into a global brand. “We have a new single global brand for all our operations,” Dr Saad Al-Barrak, MTC's deputy chairman and chief executive officer, said recently. Experts described the new logo as too dark and moody. The re-branding process has reportedly begun in Kuwait and is expected to spread to other MTC-branded operations in the Middle East then Africa.

Tourism Event Ends in South Africa

South Africa’s largest tourism fete closed earlier this week in Durban city. INDABA, an annual tourism exhibition showcases Southern African tourism products and services for international travel trade. Exhibitor categories include accommodation, tour operators, game lodges, transport, online travel, media publications and industry associations. Outdoor exhibitors included transport, camping and safari companies.

EALA Seating in Nairobi

The 6th session of 2nd EALA (East African Legislative Assembly) is currently holding its seating in Nairobi. On its agenda is the actualization of the benefits accruing to joining the East African Community. Ratification of the common markets protocol will is also feature on the agenda to ensure that the majority East Afriacns  feel the benefits of joining the EAC. The meeting is being held after a delegation of regional ministers wound up a trip to China whose aim was to learn from the Chinese experience in infrastructure development and to garner support and partnership.  The two week's meeting will see the legislators implement budgetary allocations to facilitate its operations. 

Nigeria Pushing for More Cassava Production

The Federal Government of Nigeria is targeting to increase cassava production from its present 49 million to 100 million metric tonnes annually. The Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Sayyadi Abba Ruma said the improved production would not only go a long way in guaranteeing food security for the nation but will also have a multiplier effect on bread making where a new government policy requires a 10 per cent inclusion of cassava flour in wheat flour for bread making. Nigeria is enhancing food security for the nation by setting out to meet its annual rice demand of 4.64 million metric tonnes at 32 kilogrammes per person annually as recommended by Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). The ministry has also set a target 6.5 million metric tonnes of millet through improved farming inputs and irrigation with a local target of wheat put at three million metric tonnes to replace excessive dependence on food importation.