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Public Relations: How APO Group Grew Revenue by 88% in the First Half of 2022

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4 years ago

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APO Group

APO Group is the largest African-related Primary Information Provider, with the largest media network in the continent

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, August 29, 2022/APO Group/ — 

By Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard (www.Pompigne-Mognard.com), Founder, Chairman and owner of APO Group (www.APO-opa.com), the leading Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service

I recently read this mind-blowing article (https://bbc.in/3CJ0Iff)  on the BBC website.

It describes the story of E Bruce Harrison and his work for the Global Climate Coalition – an international lobbyist group of businesses that opposed action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and publicly challenged the science behind global warming in the 1990s.

Harrison’s plan was as ingenious as it was audacious, and it demonstrates the sheer power of Public Relations.

But it also shows that, when that power is wielded without responsibility, the results can be devastating, and irreversible.

Working with a small team of PR professionals and paid scientists, Harrison’s vision to protect the interests of his shadowy paymasters in the US Oil industry has had dire consequences for the whole existence of mankind. The small seeds of doubt they sowed about the accuracy of climate change data fooled the media, discredited the mainstream scientific community, and ultimately delayed the implementation of policies and legislation that might have saved us from the climate disaster we now face.

Of course, there have been numerous instances in the past where Public Relations professionals have used blatantly unacceptable tactics to push the agenda of their clients, however nefarious they might be.

Working for the wealthy Gupta brothers, British PR firm Bell Pottinger infamously used a network of fake bloggers, commentators and Twitter users (https://nyti.ms/3e4iyyX), in an attempt to influence public opinion, exacerbate racism, and sow racial division in South Africa. Ultimately, they were found out, and the agency was forced to shut down in shame. But the scale of the scandal shows us the fine line some PR professionals walk between the interests of their client and the ‘greater good’ of society. 

APO Group is the largest African-related Primary Information Provider, with the largest media network in the continent. We distribute content to 400,000 journalists, and our newsfeed is published simultaneously on 300+ African-related news websites, as well as Bloomberg Terminal, Thomson Reuters Eikon, and many more. We have a HUGE responsibility to ensure that the news we distribute is fair and accurate. Any misstep on our part can mean disinformation is distributed far and wide across Africa, and beyond.

It is why, at APO Group, we have implemented an ethical policy that prohibits organizations from certain industries engaging our services or using our network. For example, no companies involved in the sale of tobacco, alcohol, weapons, or gambling services, can distribute press releases via APO Group.

Our editorial checks are rigorous, and we pride ourselves on spotting content that might mislead or – worse – deceive our media and public audiences. Instead, we focus our attention on positive content that informs and inspires and helps to change the narrative about Africa. The vast majority of people in the African PR community are right alongside us in that mission.  But, despite our strict protocols, some people will always try to slip through the net. 

We focus our attention on positive content that informs and inspires and helps to change the narrative about Africa

According to the World Health Organization, more than 8 million deaths a year are caused by tobacco – with over a million of those being non-smokers killed by passive smoking.

Last year, we were approached by a South African PR agency claiming to represent an anti-tobacco organization. They had a press release to issue, and on the surface, it looked legitimate and worthy. But when our team dug a little deeper, they discovered a more ambiguous message about tobacco. Further investigation revealed that their client was an organization funded by the major multinational tobacco company Philip Morris International.

This not only upset me; it enraged me. That someone could so brazenly attempt to mislead us.

I immediately phoned the CEO of the PR agency to make it clear we would never run content from his agency again.  

Of course, there is a pattern in all these examples of malpractice. These people are clever. They know that extreme rhetoric will never work, but by making their story seem plausible, they can fool the media and spread the deception to an unsuspecting public.

E Bruce Harrison made the world believe that the science of climate change was uncertain and flawed. Thirty years later, as wildfires rage, and the world is gripped by flooding, famine, and drought, we are living out the consequences of his actions.

As for our own brush with PR malpractice, we remain steadfast in our ethical policy. The bottom line is this: we don’t need to work with these industries.

There are plenty of organizations operating in Africa with important stories that deserve to be told. These are the organisations the entire APO Group team is proud to work with, and there are easily enough of them to sustain the growth of the entire African PR industry.

We have the World Health Organization, Greenpeace, and the African Development Bank on our books – to name just a few. By supporting those clients, and hundreds like them, we are participating in a wider movement that is having a lasting positive impact on our continent.

According to the United Nations, Africa will represent 40% of all humanity by 2100. We know, therefore, that Africa is becoming a key target for the tobacco, alcohol, weapons, and gambling industries. But the African PR industry can grow without helping these companies increase their profits at the expense of the African people.

APO Group recorded 88% revenue growth in the first semester of 2022, compared to the first semester of 2021. To me, that is comprehensive proof that no PR agency owner is ‘forced’ to do business with industries that have a negative impact on mankind.

We all have the choice.

For more information about Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, please visit: www.Pompigne-Mognard.com

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of APO Group.

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First WATT Renewable Limited and MTN Nigeria Launch Renewable Energy Infrastructure Programme for Critical Operations and Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Sites

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5 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

By

WATT Renewable Limited

The programme is expected to support the avoidance of an estimated 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO ₂e) over five years, subject to operational performance and final emissions calculations

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 15, 2026/APO Group/ –First WATT Renewable Limited (www.WATTRenewables.com) and MTN Nigeria have announced a strategic renewable energy infrastructure partnership designed to reduce diesel dependence, improve operational resilience at MTN’s critical facilities and supply renewable energy systems to power electric vehicle charging infrastructure across selected MTN locations in Nigeria.

 

The programme comprises two major project components. The first is an Energy- as- a- Service deployment that will provide approximately 34 MWp of solar photovoltaic as a generation capacity and 40 MWh of battery energy storage across selected MTN facilities nationwide. These sites include data centres, switch facilities, cable landing stations, customer service centres and other network critical locations.

The second is the supply of renewable energy infrastructure to power 60 kW EV charging stations across eight MTN facilities located at Ikoyi, Matori, Ojota, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Asaba, Kano and Ibadan

Together, both components are designed to reduce dependence on diesel-based systems, lower operating emissions, support operational uptime, strengthen business continuity, and increase the contribution of renewable energy across MTN’s operational sites, including selected EV charging locations.

As digital demand continues to grow, reliable energy infrastructure remains critical to the performance of telecommunications networks and the wider digital economy. This partnership will support MTN Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen the resilience of critical operations while increasing the use of renewable energy across selected facilities.

This programme helps address one of the key requirements for wider EV adoption: reliable and cleaner energy supply

Based on current project assumptions, the programme is expected to support the avoidance of an estimated 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO ₂e) over five years, subject to operational performance and final emissions calculations.

Commenting on the partnership, Oluwole Eweje, Chief Executive Officer of WATT Renewable Corporation, said:

“This partnership is a defining milestone for First WATT and an important step in strengthening the energy infrastructure that supports Nigeria’s digital economy. By deploying solar photovoltaic generation and battery energy storage across selected MTN facilities, we are helping to improve energy reliability at critical locations where uptime is essential.

“The EV charging component also demonstrates how renewable energy infrastructure can support Nigeria’s transition to lower-carbon mobility. By providing renewable power systems for EV charging sites, this programme helps address one of the key requirements for wider EV adoption: reliable and cleaner energy supply.”

Speaking on the initiative, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, said:

“As Nigeria’s energy and mobility landscape evolves, renewable energy will play an important role in building cleaner and more reliable infrastructure. This partnership supports our efforts to reduce diesel dependence, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen the resilience of the systems that power connectivity.

“It is also aligned with Project Zero, under our Doing for Planet sustainability pillar, through which we are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, and increasing the use of renewable energy across our operations.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WATT Renewable Corporation.

 

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RusselSmith Formally Transitions to Arridex

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8 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

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Nigeria

The change reflects the significant expansion of the organisation’s capabilities and the breadth of industries it now serves

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 12, 2026/APO Group/ –Arridex (www.Arridex.com), formerly RusselSmith, recently announced its formal change of name, registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria. The change reflects the significant expansion of the organisation’s capabilities and the breadth of industries it now serves, which extend well beyond the oil and gas services with which it began operations in the early 2000s.

 

Founded as an asset integrity company serving Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the organisation has grown into a multi-sector industrial technology group operating across oil and gas, maritime, aerospace, defence, construction, and manufacturing. Its subsidiaries cover engineering and construction delivery, autonomous systems development, and advanced technology products, in addition to its industrial additive manufacturing and asset integrity operations.

Arridex is the name of the company built over two decades and raised intentionally to enable industrial resilience in Africa

The organisation holds Pioneer Status in additive manufacturing, granted by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and is the first company qualified by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for additive manufacturing deployment in the oil and gas sector. Both represent formal recognition of Arridex’s capabilities and its role in building indigenous industrial capacity at scale. With more than twenty years of continuous delivery, Arridex holds certification to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018, underpinning an integrated management system that governs its operations across all sectors, and has recorded zero lost time incidents across over seven million man hours of operations.

The name change coincides with a significant operational milestone. The Arridex Omnifactory, West Africa’s first multi-technology industrial additive manufacturing facility, has been commissioned in Lagos. The Omnifactory integrates multiple additive manufacturing technologies including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), Cold Spray, Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) under one roof, enabling on-demand production of industrial components, spares, and improved part designs for critical industries. The Omnifactory’s large-format additive manufacturing capabilities also enable the production of large-scale structures, including full-size marine components. Its commissioning is the clearest measure of the distance that Arridex has travelled from its origins.

Africa’s critical industries have for decades depended on components and specialist expertise imported from outside the continent, with supply chains that routinely extend across multiple jurisdictions and lead times that affect operational continuity for asset owners when dealing with legacy parts. The Omnifactory manufactures industrial components and parts on demand in Lagos, helping to build operational resilience in critical industries.

Kayode Adeleke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Arridex, said: “The name RusselSmith defined what we were at the start. Arridex defines what we have built. The dependency of African industry on fragile supply chains is a structural problem that this continent has accepted for too long. The Omnifactory is a concrete answer to the challenge of manufacturing sovereignty. Arridex is the name of the company built over two decades and raised intentionally to enable industrial resilience in Africa.”

Arridex is a Designated Strategic Partner of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) and serves clients across Nigeria and the wider African region. The organisation has a joint venture partnership with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) for military-grade additive manufacturing, is a member of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and is also a member of the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN). With the Omnifactory commissioning in June 2026, Arridex enters its next phase of operations under a name that reflects the full scope of what it has built.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Arridex.

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New Quality, Shared Future – Beijing CBD Extends a Global Invitation for Cooperation

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8 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

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Beijing

If there are only three days to understand China’s economic development, Beijing CBD is a good place to start.
BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 June 2026 – In mid-June this year, 2026 Beijing CBD Forum Annual Conference will be held as scheduled. Nearly ten thousand participants from five continents will gather here, with international speakers accounting for more than 50% of the lineup. Yet the Forum is but a window; the true landscape worth the world’s attention lies just outside – the central business district itself.

“International Density” on Seven Square Kilometers

In the core area of Beijing CBD – a mere seven square kilometers – nearly 16,000 foreign-funded institutions and 125 regional headquarters of multinational corporations (MNCs) are located. This represents half of all MNC headquarters resources in Beijing.

This is no coincidence. The district is one of China’s most internationally oriented, service-rich, and mature international business zones. From law firms and consultancies to financial institutions, the world’s top professional services firms have formed a complete ecosystem here.

What makes the area even more valuable for overseas companies and organizations is that policies here are not just written on paper – they are embedded in actual processes.

From pilot schemes on cross-border data flows, to facilitated access for foreign financial institutions, to one‑stop service desks for international talent – Beijing CBD has long served as a pilot zone for institutional opening‑up. Foreign enterprises find that issues they encounter here tend to be addressed and resolved more quickly.

During this year’s Beijing CBD Forum annual conference, the Ambassadors’ Roundtable Dialogue will establish a regular communication mechanism, and the “International Delegations’ China Tour” will allow overseas business representatives and zone managers to conduct in‑depth site visits and exchange experiences. What is even more noteworthy, however, is that such exchanges are not confined to the Forum – they continue year-round here.

Beijing CBD: A Sincere and Pragmatic Invitation

Artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green technologies – these areas, known as “new quality productive forces,” are not empty buzzwords here. The Forum includes dedicated sessions on technological innovation, financial opening‑up, law-business integration, cultural industries, and international consumption. Yet what truly deserves the attention of potential international partners is the industrial foundation behind these topics.

Beijing CBD is home to the densest concentration of foreign financial institutions and cross‑border capital in China. A large number of tech companies are engaged in cross‑sector collaboration with traditional industries here. High‑end professional services – international law, arbitration, compliance – are highly concentrated, providing support for both inbound and outbound business activities. Moreover, as the starting area of the city’s international demonstration zone for law-business integration, the district continues to focus on strengthening the rule of law in commercial affairs, improving its legal services framework, enhancing the resolution of international commercial disputes, and fostering a stable, transparent, predictable, and internationally competitive business environment. In the future, Beijing CBD will build a one‑stop legal and commercial service platform that integrates legal, auditing, intellectual property and other professional resources to precisely serve companies going global and managing cross‑border operations.

Here, you will find that its vitality derives mainly from genuine business judgments about market opportunities. For enterprises, the cooperation logic here is predictable, commercial, and sustainable.

Beijing CBD is not merely a striking poster – it is a real‑world district where hundreds of thousands of business people move every day, thousands of foreign‑funded institutions operate, and countless cross‑border transactions take place.

If you are looking for a stable gateway to the Chinese market, or a high-level hub to connect global resources with local applications, it deserves your consideration.

The Forum’s 2026 annual conference lasts only three days. But Beijing CBD is open all year round.

 

 

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