Nokia and Microsoft join forces to empower local talent with the midnight developer challenge

Winners of the on-going Nokia and Microsoft’s mobile app development competition will be announced on May 6^th 2013.

The competition dubbed The Midnight Developer Challenge is aimed at providing university students with exposure and training in the latest mobile and app development technologies. The challenge will see university students from 25 Africa (Kenya included) and Middle East countries come up with the next big mobile app idea. Some of the African countries taking part include Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

The final submissions for the competition are expected to close this Thursday and the apps need to be published by mid-next month. The competition was launched in December last year and the participating students have been receiving advanced technical training and coding sessions with Nokia and Microsoft software experts through weekly webinars and dedicated online support to help them conceptualize their ideas. 

Both Nokia and Microsoft have been working closely with the universities to ensure faculty support is provided for students who entered the competition.

Commenting on the competition, Head of Developer Experience, Nokia IMEA Joe Devassy said the challenge is providing students an opportunity to get real life experience in designing, developing and distributing a mobile app for consumers in an emerging app economy.

"We designed this competition to maximize the learning process of this entrepreneurial journey - that is, how to go from an abstract idea to a fully-developed Windows Phone 8 app available to millions of consumers worldwide," he added.

"This initiative, which empowers young local talent with world-class opportunities to develop and learn about the latest advances in mobile app technology, is testament to our commitment to the region. Windows Phone 8 is a great mobile platform and there is immense opportunity for developers to leverage and utilise the innovative features of the Nokia Lumia range including augmented reality navigation, NFC and imaging," said Amintas Lopes Neto, Academia and Startups Lead, Microsoft MEA.

The contest is divided into two categories - Apps and Games. Each category will have a winner and a runners-up prize. The winning team will walk away with $10,000, a trip to a Nokia Global event, plus an XBOX and Lumia 920 for each team member. The runner-up team will receive $5,000, an XBOX and a Lumia 920 for each team member.

Additionally there will be a People's Choice category, whereby the winner will receive $3,000 plus an XBOX and a Lumia 920 for each team member. Participants of The Midnight Developer Challenge also have the opportunity to be eligible to participate in the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2013 Windows Phone Challenge - a high level global Window Phone app development contest organised by Microsoft.

Teams of up to three members were required to register online for The Midnight Developer Challenge. The apps and games must be developed using the newly released Windows Phone 8 SDK (Software Development Kit).

Global DHL CEO optimistic about Africa’s potential

·         Kenya seen as a strategic business hub for DHL business in Africa

·         DHL Express posts EBIT of EUR 1.11 billion in 2012

·         Concedes infrastructure is the major area of focus for Africa to become globally competitive

DHL Express, express and logistics provider will leverage on the strategic position of Kenya as a regional hub to grow its business in Africa.

DHL Express global Chief Executive Officer Ken Allen while on a business visit to the country said Kenya will play a major role in the general growth of business and investment in the continent.

Allen however said infrastructure development on the continent must be prioritized if the growth is to be realized.

“Africa is the last bastion for business globally and, over the next few years, will prove its potential as a stable, lucrative continent for international commerce.” said Allen.

Allen is in Sub-Saharan Africa to visit countries including Zambia, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa, as the operator continues to expand into the continent and increase its already vast footprint into the far-flung, rural areas. The global head will also attend DHL’s internal employee celebration in Livingstone, Zambia, which acknowledges the company’s ‘superstars’ from over 60 countries.

Allen’s visit follows the March 5^th announcement by Deutsche Post DHL that the DHL Express division made an EBIT contribution of EUR 1.11 billion in 2012, a 21 percent improvement over 2011.  He is also upbeat about commerce in Africa and eager to use this proven global business approach to further entrench DHL in the continent, spurring on trade and connecting the markets to increase the continent’s global competitiveness. 

Allen is upbeat about commerce in Africa and eager to use this proven global business approach to further entrench DHL in the continent, spurring on trade and connecting the markets to increase the continent’s global competitiveness. 

“Much has been said around Africa’s potential and, while it currently only contributes 3 per cent of the global GDP, it is still the fastest growing continent. We have seen positive economic indicators from countries across Sub-Saharan Africa – Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and Uganda to name a few – and I believe we will continue to see Africa improve its standing on the international business stage.”

He continues, “The major challenge for Africa and, primarily for us as logistics operators, is to improve infrastructure - whether this is road infrastructure or air capacity. Current road conditions are responsible for approximately 40 percent of transport costs in coastal countries and 60 percent in landlocked countries, and we know that transport costs can make up 50 to 75 percent of the actual retail price of goods in countries such as Malawi, Rwanda and Uganda. We are currently transporting over 80 percent of our cargo by air, which can be between 3 and 9 times more expensive than road or rail. For Africa to become competitive, this situation needs urgent review, with a strong focus on the developments of the transport infrastructure.”

He said the company’s major focus over the next few years will be to continue motivating and engaging employees, in both Africa and abroad.

“We have seen the culture of DHL Express reformed and reshaped through employee engagement and training, and the financial turnaround of the business is testament to this. Putting your human capital at the centre of your company leads not only to great service, but loyal customers and unparalleled business returns.” he said.

DTB PRE-TAX PROFIT UP BY 40%, CROSSES KSHS 6 BILLION MARK

Diamond Trust Bank has had another year of record-breaking results, with 2012 group pre-tax profit rising by a significant 40%, to Kshs 6billion, up from KShs 4.3 billion in 2011.

The group asset base went up by 26% to stand at Kshs 135 billion up from Kshs 108 billion in 2011. DTB group’s customer deposit base rose by 24%, from Kshs 86 billion in 2011 to Kshs 107 billion over the corresponding period ending December 2012. The loan book for

the Group grew by a significant 23%, to stand at Kshs 88 billion; the total group operating income rose by 29% to Kshs 12.2 billion up from Kshs 9.5 billion realized over the same period in the previous year.

Announcing the Group’s annual results, DTB’s Managing Director and Group CEO, Mrs. Nasim Devji said: “2012 has been yet another exceptional year for DTB, with notable growth achieved across all key balance sheet parameters, as well as earnings, on the back of a growing market share of assets and profitability across the East African region.”

Mrs. Devji added that DTB’s underlying growth benefitted from a continuously expanding customer base serviced through branches as well as, technology- anchored, alternate delivery channels including mobile banking, internet banking and card services. The group results have also benefitted from the continuing growth of and share of results from, DTB’s subsidiaries in Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi.

Following the announcement of the results, the Bank’s board of directors has recommended a dividend rate of 47.5%, equating to KShs 1.90 per share, compared to KShs 1.70 (42.5%) paid last year.

This translates into a 26% increase, year on year, in the amount of dividend payout as the proposed dividends will also be paid on the additional shares allotted to shareholders in September last year, following a rights issue.

“The capital raised through the rights issue will be used to fund the Bank’s strategic expansion plan, which has already seen DTB Kenya recently increase its investments in its subsidiaries in Tanzania and Uganda”, said Mr. Abdul Samji, DTB Group Chairman.

Mr. Samji said that DTB would continue to focus on its branch expansion programme, adding that the Group’s branch network in East Africa stood at 91 presently, up from 76 branches at the beginning of last year. In Kenya, the bank operates 44 branches whilst in Uganda and Tanzania, DTB has 27 and 16 branches respectively; DTB Kenya’s

subsidiary in Burundi operates 4 branches. In Kenya, the Bank plans to leverage its growing agency banking network to increase its outreach to customers.

DTB is an affiliate of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), the economic development arm of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). Amongst the bank's key

shareholders are Habib Bank Limited and Jubilee Holdings Limited, both affiliates of AKFED, and the International Finance Corporation, a subsidiary of the World Bank

DTB opens five more branches to enhance footprint in Kenyan market

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has opened five more branches in its continuing effort to increase footprint in the local and regional market.

The bank which is on an ambitious expansion programme has opened four new branches in the coast region and another one in Nairobi aimed at taking services closer to its fast growing customer base.

In the coastal region, the new branches are located in Mariakani, Mtwapa, Lamu and Kilifi whereas the banks customers in Nairobi’s Westlands area and its environs will access the bank’s services at the newly established Courtyard branch.

The opening of the four branches brings total tally of branch network in Kenya to 44. DTB also has a presence in Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi with branches spread across the region.

With the new branches, customers will enjoy the bank’s revolutionary services among them Mobile Banking Service, Value Chain Finance, Cash Management Service and Leasing Product for Asset Finance.

According to DTB Managing Director Ms Nasim Devji, the new branches are part of the bank’s comprehensive and strategic expansion programme that targets both the local market and the east Africa region.

She said enhancing efficiency and increasing accessibility to its innovative products and services was the drive behind the expansion programme.

“The new branches are in line with the bank’s overall vision to increase our footprint across the country and the region over the next few years.  The new branches are testimony of our commitment to ease access to our products and services while at the same time enhancing customer convenience and experience,” said Ms Devji.

DTB has in the past been voted the best bank in customer care scooping the coveted Western Union Club 500 Top Location Award a record five times in a row. The award recognizes the Western Union agent location which scores highest for customer service, product knowledge, performance, and employee skills in the annual competition.

“We will continue to aggressively implement our network expansion plan across Eastern and Central Africa region in line with the bank’s strategic objective of becoming a recognized Pan African Bank,” said Ms. Devji.

DTB is one of the few players in the banking sector to device tailor-made products for the SME sector. The banks provide the SME Banking Service which helps the SME market to have an all-inclusive one stop shop banking facility. This will be among other cutting edge services to be provided at the new branches.