The Girl Child – A beacon of hope

The Girl Child – A beacon of hope

They are the smiling faces that peddle wares while their mates are in the classrooms. They are the victims of sexual violence and rape you read about in the papers. They are the bodies that birth the future. They are the trail-blazers in decision making positions. They are more than the weaker sex. They are women who were once girls.

This October 11, the world celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child. A day that recognizes the right of girls, the unique challenges facing them in actualizing their dreams and to promote their empowerment to fulfill their human rights and compete favorably with their male counterparts.

It is a fact that 43 percent of Nigerian girls are married off before they are 18 years? These girls become women even before they have been given the chance to be girls. What if they had been allowed to go to school to the level they wanted and make decisions for their own lives?

What if the decisions they make would bring a turning point to their families and the world as a whole? A lot of what ifs…

Education is the basic right of every human being irrespective of gender. But sadly, research has shown that Nigeria holds the global record of the highest number of children out of school with a huge number of 10.5 million children most of which are girls.

According to statistics from UNESCO, improvement in girls’ education saved 2.1 million girls under the age of five between 1990 and 2009. This shows that education is crucial in equipping the girl child with the needed knowledge and power to become all that she can be.

As a parent, education is a worthy investment that you can make in the life of your girl child to prepare her socially, morally and politically for the future no matter what it takes for her to get there.

Every additional year of schooling for the average girl child increases her earning potential giving credence to the saying that empowered girls are a sure way to breaking the cycle of poverty for families in Nigeria and all over the world.

Join us on this week’s episode of ARM Life Living Benefits show as we look at issues that affect the girl child and how to deal with them. There is a gift voucher to be won at the end of the show. Look forward to it!

 

 

 

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Six types of people you see at a run

Six types of people you see at a run

It’s run day and people gather in their numbers. On your mark, get set, go! They take off. Each towards their own specific goal for participating.

Let’s group our runners in categories based on specific running goals:

 

Those who came for the snacks:

Yipee! There will be free snacks and these lot are not missing out on it. What is life without freebies?

Those who came to network:

For these ones, there’s no better place to find connections and make new friends. They come armed with their phones, business cards and enthusiasm to collect numbers.

Those who came to find bae:

It’s possible that good old cupid shot his love arrow into the crowd of marathon runners and these ones are set to find their own match. They run with vigilance inspecting their love interest with every mile. Once they find chemistry, the rest of the run is history.

Those who came to look for work:

If ARM Pensions is organising the Run For The Future run/walk, there has to be company executives present right? These job seekers come ready for an on-the-run interview. Since they’ve not gotten any response from all their LinkedIn effort, a physical casual meet may work.

Those who are just bored at home:

These ones live for fun. They’ve probably seen Season 7 of Game of Thrones and every other exciting series available and have no hope of excitement for the weekend… But they need some fun and adventure. What better way to have these than at ARM Pension’s Run For the Future?

Those who came to win:

These go-getters have only one goal. They came to play and win. From the first step, their eyes are on the prize. They are possibly team ‘fitfam’. These are the ones you see with earphones and absolute focus as they launch giant strides after another. They overtake and conquer.

Which category do you fall under?

 

If you haven’t done so already, you can still register here! www.armpension.com/rftf

 

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Starting a business later in life

starting a business

Even if retirement is still a world away from you, the time will eventually come when you will wind down your career and retire.  As retirement approaches, the question of what to do with all the time and money that would soon be at your disposal cannot be ignored.

Is it too late to follow your dreams? Can you survive a life different from the very structured one you have lived over the last few decades? What about rest, family and the jolly good time that should come after years of dedicated service? How long can you comfortably live on your retirement benefits? Several thoughts run through your mind, such as starting a business.

While many find that they might not be able to pursue the dreams they had as youths, lots of retirees discover businesses they can do to keep busy and maintain an income stream. Regardless of your age or interests, opportunities abound for you to tap into post retirement. You might however want to tread cautiously as you are no longer as young and agile as you once were. Since you cannot risk losing your capital, your retirement benefits should be invested in a venture that is guaranteed to bring consistent returns. Low risk should be the watch-word.

Before you make that all-important decision of what business to venture into, consider the points highlighted below:

What lifestyle changes are you willing to make?

There are certain lifestyle habits you have built over the years that might be hard to drop. Such should be considered in the choice of a business venture. If for instance your job is one that entails a lot of travel, would you be comfortable leading a business that keeps you in one place? Are you looking forward to relaxed mornings post retirement or would you rather a business that allows you keep up the early morning schedule you have run for years? Do you want a business that occupies you every day or one that allows you leisure and travel time as often as you desire? All these and more should inform your decision.

What does it cost to run your household?

Do you still have dependents or are you an empty-nester? Whatever business venture you settle for must be one that can conveniently cater to your needs and your household’s. While you may not be able to maintain the same lifestyle you enjoyed while in service, the plunge shouldn’t be too deep. You and your loved one should still be able to enjoy your lives together.

Do you have concerns about adequate capital to start your dream business?

It is often unsafe to just assume what it will cost to start a business. It is wise to research extensively and make projections based on adequate information. You might find that you do not have efficient capital to properly float your business idea. Perhaps you could consider a more cost effective way to execute that business idea or a new business line.

What about a Franchise?

Have you considered buying a franchise instead of a start-up? A franchise allows you tap into the goodwill of an already established business. It also mitigates the challenges associated with registration of a new business entity. It could also guarantee a ready market for your business. Buying a franchise can significantly reduce the risks inherent in a start-up.

 Large or small scale?

Do you plan to launch out big or you just want something to keep body and soul together? While a shop in front of your house or even a home office might suffice where subsistence is the objective. On the other hand, a large scale business could be capital intensive. It is advisable to pre-determine all these factors in relation to your health status and available resources, bearing in  mind that you may not be able to recoup financial losses at this stage of your life.

 

Bringing it all together, a comprehensive financial plan is needed to set the tone right for starting a business. It will clearly define the resources available to you vis-à-vis the resources needed, thus enabling you to make apt projections and draw up an actionable plan.

Let us get you started immediately. Contact us today for that tailor-made comprehensive financial plan with a wide range of investment opportunities you can explore.

A rewarding investment…

Educationtrust

August heralds a new school year. A time to travel with the children, put them in summer camps or have those schooling abroad come home for some family time. While engaging the children during the holiday requires a bit of planning and budgeting, we are relieved the children are returning to school, but we are also aware of the financial commitment that will accompany the new school year.

In less than a month, school fees, hostel fees and other educational levies must be paid. If we are at that stage where the children are going off to university or secondary school next year, we may want to start planning now. It is never early to start planning for the years ahead. You might want to buy property in the country where you would like your children to school or put funds away for retirement.

Although you might not consider it as such, but the thousands of Dollars/Pounds or millions of Naira you shell out regularly to finance your child’s education is in every way an investment. It is an investment in your child’s ambition, a deposit made into their future. While the returns may not be measurable in currency notes, this investment is by all means the most rewarding of your investments and should not be handled with levity.

An investment of such great magnitude deserves to be protected in every way possible. It is important that regardless of the turn of events, your child is able to get the quality of education you desire for him/her.

Whatever stage your child is on the education ladder, a Trust is extremely beneficial. You could want to build up funds for your child’s education in the future or ensure continuity of the same quality of education in the face of unforeseen circumstances. There is so much you can benefit from setting up a Trust.

Wondering what a Trust entails and how it can benefit you particularly? Talk to us today, let us collaborate with you to map out a fool-proof plan to finance their education and secure your children’s future.

Click here to schedule a meeting with your Relationship manager.

 

JOB HUNTING TIP 3: Say the truth and nothing but!

JOB HUNTING TIP 3: Say the truth and nothing but!

Dear job hunter, are you prepared for that moment in your job hunting quest you sit face to face with an intended employer?

Preparation involves crossing all your T’s and dotting all your I’s; and one of the first things to get sorted is the accuracy of the information on your documents/resume.

In this video, job hunter Fish wants a job so bad but endangers an opportunity he had to get it. Why? His information on paper didn’t tally with his answers.

Don’t be put in this precarious situation.

Ensure that all information on your documents are up to date and accurate.

Don’t search the ceiling for answers when your interviewer asks if he can call one of your referees, and his choice happens to be that one referee who passed on three months ago but you forgot to edit your resume and replace his name.

Don’t be tempted to lie about your age just because you’ve searched endlessly for a job and the organization specified a certain age which is above or below your current age. You may end up blurting it out during your interview under pressure and spoil any chance of getting hired. Bottom line, be truthful with every information you share whether written or verbal. Lies always have a way of coming back to bite you.

It’s a tough world out in the labour market. When job hunting, make the best of an opportunity you get for an interview by doing a basic cross-check and a few necessary edits.

Need more helpful tips as you search for your ideal job? Then follow the Diary of a Job Hunter series every week. You’ll learn a few things that will come in handy when that job interview email, call or text hits your phone.

Meanwhile, watch Fish’s interview blunder in this funny video and don’t forget to stop over next Friday for job seeker tip three. Till then!

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Source: Articles

ECONOMIC UPDATE: JULY 2017

ECONOMIC UPDATE: JULY 2017

According to this Economic Update, the spread between BDC and I&E window rates narrowed from 4% in April to 0.1% in July 2 save for the official rate.

FMDQ ignites further FX liquidity flame:

In more recent development, the FMDQ selected Bloomberg as a partner saddled with the responsibility to report transactions in the I&E window electronically and enhance price discovery and transparency. Consequently, Bloomberg’s USDNGN reporting became based on the I&E window as opposed to the CBN-determined SMIS interbank rate. In our view, the increase in FX turnover at the I&E window and an overall improvement in liquidity level guided the decision. We also think the move was effected to fast-track the synchronization of FX rates  in Nigeria.  This, in our view, should boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s currency markets in the near term and, by extension, bolster portfolio flows into naira assets as well as leave the I&E window relatively greased with dollar supply.

 

Transport inflation to bow to lower diesel prices:

In June, headline inflation moderated 15bps from prior month’s reading to 16.1% YoY following temperance in core inflation which more than offset extended pressures on food inflation. Going forward, the more robust cut in diesel prices effected by the NNPC in late June should positively impact the HWEGF division as well as stoke moderation in transport inflation in the coming reading. Thus, we project sustained downtrend in core inflation.  Similarly, a strong correlation between transport prices and food inflation speaks to softer food price growth farther out. Overall, impact of our expectations for the duo should sustain the currently moderating inflation trajectory in the coming months with headline reading expected to print at 15.8% YoY in July.

 

CBN goes tough on banks to extend tightening drive:

The naira yield curve contracted at the fastest pace since the turn of the year in July, largely reflecting yield downtrend at the short end of the curve. In our view, the decline in T-Bill yields reflected increased purchase of bills by banks following sustained issuance of stabilization securities which raised the opportunity cost of sitting on excess liquidity. The CBN, faced with increases in market liquidity, forced debited banks to the tune of N471 billion via stabilization securities in June—with 61% of the issuance occurring on the 29th of June and at below market rate of 16%.

 

July PMI: Tentative signs of an economic recovery:

PMI sustained its expansionary trend in July, with manufacturing and non-manufacturing readings printing at 54.1 and 54.4 points respectively. Although the PMI is not always a seamless guide, sustained improvements in its reading provide some support to expectations of imminent economic recovery. Given the optimistic outlook for business at the start of the H2 17, which was largely hinged on improved dollar liquidity and higher prices, we see scope for further improvements in manufacturing and services GDP growths in Q3 17. Juxtaposing the mentioned with expectations of higher oil production and sustained CBN support to the agricultural sector, we now forecast GDP growth of 0.4% YoY in the third quarter of 2017.

 

Read more on our economic update here

 

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Source: Blog

Job Hunting tip – Avoid Surprises!

Job Hunting tip – Avoid Surprises!

There are certain things that should never come as a surprise to you in your job hunting journey.

Never wait till get to the interview venue to find out about the organisation you are interviewing with.

With a world of information available online, getting basic information about the organisation should be at your fingertips. Information like company’s full name, address, scope of operation, years of operation, philosophy, and the like should not be new to you. Apart from the fact that any of these can pop up during the interview session and you want to come across as adequately prepared, you will also be able to avoid embarrassing situations such as ‘Fish’ experienced in today’s episode of ‘Diary of a Job Seeker (Not seen it yet? Watch it here).

Ritualists, human traffickers, and scammers have also used the interview method severally on unsuspecting job-seeking Nigerians. Proper research into the organisation will disclose if it is indeed a legitimate ‘job offer’ or if it is the kind of ‘job’ you are hoping for.

Follow the ‘Diary of a Job Hunter’ series for more helpful tips on your quest for your new job. We hope that soon, you experience an upgrade from job-seeker to gainfully-employed. We will be excited to talk to you about the Pension options and benefits available to you.

Recently found a job? Find out what you should do next in this hilarious video.

Stop by next Friday for job seeker tip two and another dose of Fish and his travail to land his dream job. Feel free to share this post with your friends as well.

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The post Job Hunting tip – Avoid Surprises! appeared first on Realising Ambitions.

Source: Realising Ambitions

African Economies: on Course for Divergent Fortunes

In today’s cut-out of our core strategy document – The Nigeria Strategy Report, we review developments in African Economies: Sub Saharan Africa as well as in North African climes over H1 17.  The section also provides insights on what we believe will be major drivers of both growth and overall investor sentiment for the rest of the year.

Given recently released data and forecast, Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is on course for a modest recovery in 2017 led by ongoing recoveries in some of its major economies. Specifically, powerhouse constituent—Nigeria—posted its slowest GDP contraction in four quarters in Q1 17 (-0.5% YoY) following slower contraction in crude production (Q1 17: -11% YoY to 1.83mbpd) and currency-led rebound in non-oil GDP (YoY: Q1 17: +0.7%) while its balance of trade extended its surplus position to a second consecutive quarter. In similar vein, the Angolan economy leveraged the OPEC-induced crude price rally to a position of relative comfort in Q1 17 with its government reportedly ramping up spending ahead of the country’s election in the period.

Elsewhere, growth picture in North Africa remained largely mixed with recent recovery in Tunisia and Morocco at one extreme.  The recent growths in Tunisia and Morocco were supported by increases in mining/phosphate production, agriculture, and tourism as well as surge in agricultural output. In Egypt, the economy is believed to have expanded 3.9% YoY in Q1 17 (vs. 3.8% YoY in Q4 16) as influx of investment capital greeted the country’s tilt to currency floatation towards the close of last year.

On balance, the IMF projects improvements in current account balances across SSA in 2017 following recovery in commodity prices with SSA oil exporters in pole position to benefit. Of note, OPEC’s nine-month extension of its November’s production cut deal appears to have provided a much-needed relief to SSA oil exporters in the form of higher export proceeds. This should be aided by pass-through from gradual implementation of pro-market policies in climes such as Nigeria, wherein improvements in FX liquidity have been observed following the introduction of the IEW and its apex bank’s sustained sales of dollars at all segments of the market. Irrespective, current growth expectation for the region is less sanguine relative to predictions in January with the IMF cutting its SSA growth forecast 20bps to align with World Bank’s estimate of 2.6% YoY over 2017.

In North Africa, Egypt’s pro-market policies appear to be generating desired responses from portfolio investors as well with the March influx into the country’s bond market a case in point. This is even as Morocco leverages on its resurging agriculture which has already underpinned its strong growth in Q1 17. Thus, although patches of weaknesses are still expected in Libya and Algeria, mean growth in North Africa should remain strong in 2017.

 

Read detailed report on African economies here

Nigeria Strategy Report: See H2 2017 Outlook

Nigeria Strategy Report – After bullish run, portfolio flows to EM look set to moderate.

In today’s cut-out of our core strategy document – The Nigeria Strategy Report, we review developments pertaining to the direction of FPI flows across developed and emerging markets. In addition to delineating the drivers of portfolio flows over H1 17, this section presents our outlook on drivers of FPI flows over the rest of the year.

According to the Institute of International Finance (IIF), net portfolio flows sustained its positive trend for the seventh consecutive month in June 2017, with combined flows of $121 billion over H1 17 being five-fold higher YoY. The strong capital flows emerged despite three rate hikes in the US and political worries in Britain, as investors cheered the strong economic picture across Emerging markets. Against the backdrop of improved fundamentals, which lessened default risk, foreign demand for local denominated fixed income instruments also tracked higher.

Across the various regions, EM Asia witnessed improved portfolio inflow following investors reassessment of India’s growth prospect while portfolio outflows from China reduced against the backdrop of better than expected economic growth, monetary tightening and capital control curbs implemented in 2016. Over in Latin America, capital flows continued to exit the Brazilian economy (January to May 17: -$1.8 billion) against the backdrop of lingering economic recession , lower interest rate and rising political instability. Emerging Market Europe witnessed higher portfolio inflows (+80% QoQ to $54 billion) in Q1 17 largely reflecting favourable economic picture across member countries. Over in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, Egypt concluded its largest public bond issuance, a multi tranche bond of $4 billion, in January and an additional $3 billion in May 2017.

After two years of reticence, foreign investors’ appetite for Sub-Sahara Africa’s (SSA) assets appear to have improved following the upswing in commodity prices. The rebound is expected to bolster economic recovery, narrow the widening trade deficit and by extension stabilise the frail currencies in the region. Largely reflecting these improved fundamentals, Eurobond issuances across SSA rebounded strongly (+133% YoY to $3.5 billion) over H1 17 with Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal’s offer been oversubscribed by 4x, 8x  and 8x times respectively.

Going into the second half of the year, the demand for EM equities is expected to remain strong amidst expectation of improving growth prospects. However, the outlook for capital flows to EM debt is less sanguine. The expected slowdown in FPI flows to EM debt instrument is set against the backdrop of anticipated decline in commodity prices, which should increase the vulnerabilities of resource-rich countries, as well as an increasingly divergent outlook on global monetary policy.

On balance, we expect the impact of hawkish monetary policy outlook in the US as well as the UK, aided by the rising spate of political uncertainties across the various regions, to moderate growth induced rise in portfolio flows to EM markets.

Read detailed report here