A pan-African payment system that would allow African nations to trade among themselves, using their own currencies, is gaining momentum.

The African Export-Import Bank expects 15 to 20 countries to have joined the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System by the end of the year, Afreximbank President Benedict Oramah said in an interview ahead of the lender’s annual meetings in Accra, Ghana’s capital, that runs Sunday through June 21. The platform has started commercial operations with nine countries signed up so far, he said.

The system, known as PAPSS, is using dollar exchange rates for now, said Oramah, whose bank funds the system. “But we are working with central banks to develop an exchange-rate mechanism” that would allow Africa’s 42 currencies to be convertible among themselves. “What we are doing is to domesticate intra-African payments,” he said. 

The vast majority of Africa’s intra-regional trade is done through conversions to the dollar. Initiatives like PAPSS and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which would create the world’s largest free trade zone by area, seek to boost internal trade by reducing barriers, including the need for intermediaries such as the US dollar. 

The free trade zone and the payment system are ambitious projects in a fragmented region of 54 countries, with different languages, currencies and regulations. Africans trade more outside the continent than among themselves, with just 17% of exports going somewhere else within the region, according to a McKinsey Global Institute report published this month. That excludes informal trade, which is difficult to quantify.

Africa isn’t alone in looking for ways to break its dependency on the US currency; there’s been a de-dollarization push across emerging markets, including India’s efforts to clear trade through the rupee, Sweden’s SEB AB said in a May 2 note. China and Malaysia have played with the idea of an Asian Monetary Fund, while Brazil and Argentina announced a project for a common currency called the “sur.”

These alternatives are unlikely to unilaterally dethrone the dollar as the global reserve currency, SEB Chief EM strategist Erik Meyersson wrote, without referring to PAPSS. But if emerging markets “are instead more interested in simply reducing their relative dependence on the USD as well as finding alternatives as a potential hedge against the West’s weaponization of sanctions and other economic measures,” there are signs they may be achieving some results.

Oramah bucked against the idea that PAPSS might seek to bypass the dollar. “We’re not bypassing anybody,” he said. “Not the dollar, not the yuan, not the euro. That’s not the objective of the project.” It does, though, aim to cut dollar reliance over time, he said.

Afreximbank is budgeting $3 billion to clear trades so that anybody requiring dollars will get their dollars, Oramah said. As intraregional trade picks up, the hope is that “the net settlement position after clearing should turn to zero, so that there will be no need to pay any dollar to anybody.”

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which tracks the performance of a basket of 10 leading global currencies versus the dollar, has declined 2% so far this year. Half of the ten worst-performing currencies in the world have been African, including the Nigerian naira, the Angolan kwanza, the Burundi franc, and the Egyptian pound. 

The depreciation of many African currencies has added to the region’s inflationary pressures, which in turn spurred tighter monetary policy, with higher interest rates at home, in addition to the increased cost of external debt.

The creation of a concessional loan window, which will allow the bank “to blend” its own resources, is among the tools being deployed to cut borrowing costs, Oramah said. Afreximbank shareholders will vote on aspects of this window during this week’s annual meetings. 

But the ultimate relief would be a new injection of reserve assets from the International Monetary Fund, he said, adding to the voices of African leadersclamoring for fresh support.

“What will work best is for access to funding to improve in the system overall,” he said. “That’s why it’s very important for the IMF to issue new Special Drawing Rights.”

 

Bloomberg

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said cash deposits into domiciliary accounts will no longer be restricted.

The apex bank said this in guidance to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) after a meeting with the bankers’ committee on Sunday.

The guidance includes allowing all visible and invisible transactions to be eligible for the Investors’ and Exporters’ window, granting unrestricted access to funds in ordinary domiciliary accounts, and permitting cash deposits not exceeding $10,000 per day or its equivalent via telegraphic transfer.

According to the CBN, the policy changes aim to promote transparency, liquidity, and price discovery in the FX market in order to improve FX supply, discourage speculation, enhance customer confidence and ensure overall stability in the FX market.

“All visible and invisible transactions (medicals, school fees, BTA/PTA, airline, and other remittances) are eligible for the investors’ and exporters’ (I&E) window.”

“DMBs shall ensure expeditious processing of all eligible invisible transactions on behalf of their customers using the applicable rate at the I&E window. Ordinary domiciliary account holders shall have unfettered and unrestricted access to funds in their accounts. Domiciliary account holders are permitted to utilise cash deposits not exceeding $10,000 per day or its equivalent via telegraphic transfer.

“DMBs shall provide returns to the CBN including the purpose for such transactions. Cash deposits into domiciliary accounts will not be restricted, subject to DMBs conducting proper KYC (know your customer), due diligence, and adhering to the spirit and letter of extant anti-money laundering/ combating the financing of terrorism laws and other relevant rules and regulations.

“The CBN will prioritise orderly settlement of any committed FX forward transactions as they fall due in order to further boost market confidence.”

The CBN said it remains committed to ensuring a stable and efficient FX market that meets the needs of all legitimate users.

 

Daily Trust

Binance has issued a cease and desist order to "Binance Nigeria Limited", Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said in a tweet on Sunday, calling the Nigerian company a "scammer entity".

Earlier this month, Nigeria's markets regulator ordered Binance to halt its operations in the country, saying local unit "Binance Nigeria Limited" that courted Nigerian investors through a website was not registered or regulated, making it illegal.

Binance, the world's biggest cryptocurrency exchange, has faced a string of setbacks recently, announcing plans to leave the Netherlands, Cyprus, Canada and Australia, and being charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

The SEC sued Binance and Zhao earlier this month alleging that the company artificially inflated its trading volumes, diverted customer funds, and misled investors about its market surveillance controls. Binance disputes the SEC charges.

 

Reuters

Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared June 19, 2023 as the first day of Dhul-Hijjah 1444 AH.

This is contained in a statement Sunday night from the council.

“The Sultanate Council Sokoto has declared Monday 19 June, 2023 as the first day of Zul-Hijjah 1444 AH.”

“The Sultanate Council Sokoto has declared Monday 19 June, 2023 as the first day of Zul-Hijjah 1444 AH.”

“Accordingly Wednesday 28 June, 2023 will be the day of Eidul Adha 1444 AH. His Eminence The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa‘ad Abubakar, wishes the entire Muslim Ummah happy Eidul Adha Mubarak in advance,” the statement said.

The Sultan had on Saturday directed Muslims to look out for the new moon of Dhul-Hijjah 1444 AH from Sunday.

The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia had on Sunday announced that Monday, June 19, as the first day of Dhul-Hijjah, after sighting the new crescent in the Kingdom on Sunday night.

”Arafat Day falls on Tuesday, June 27, while Wednesday, June 28, will be the first day of Eid Al Adha,” the Saudi Arabia apex court said in the statement.

 

Daily Trust

Many people were feared killed and properties worth millions of Naira destroyed Sunday night in yet another cycle of attack in Mangu town Plateau State.

The cause of the crisis was not immediately clear but it was gathered that some young men were attacked on motorcycle leading to the death of one, a situation that later snowballed into wanton killings and burning of properties in Mangu town.

“They brought the corpse of somebody into the Mosque and before we knew it, they started macheting people. Our house is just close to the Mosque, it took the grace of God for us to escape from being macheted too.

“We are currently at the Palace of Mishkaham Mangu at the moment facing the Mangu Police station waiting to see what God will do,”  Reyit Lengtu told our correspondent via telephone.

Another resident, Lawrence Kyarshik, also confirmed the attack saying, “Mangu town is in a state of confusion at the moment.”

Interim Management Committee Chairman of Mangu Local Government Council, Markus Artu has imposed a 24-hour curfew to arrest the unfortunate situation.

“As such there will be no vehicular movement of any sort. Only Security personnel and workers on essential duty will be allowed to move,” he declared

Governor Caleb Mutfwtang has charged security agencies to perform their duties diligently by adequately protecting lives and properties in the state.

He spoke against the backdrop of attacks by bandits on some communities in Barkin-Ladi local government area.

In a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, the governor expressed concern over the recent attacks on Kak, Ranyam, Nging, Lohala and Buka communities in Barkin-Ladi LGA and directed security agencies to put a stop to the menace.

 

Sun

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine sustains massive single-day losses – Russian MOD

Ukrainian military forces have sustained heavy casualties across the frontlines during the last 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry has said. Russia’s Zaporozhye and Donetsk regions have seen the most intense fighting, with Kiev losing more than 800 soldiers in those regions.

“Over the past day, enemy losses in the Southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions amounted to more than 800 Ukrainian servicemen, 20 tanks, four infantry fighting vehicles, [and] 15 armored fighting vehicles,” the military stated on Sunday during a daily media briefing. The ministry did not elaborate on whether its figures for casualties includes those killed and injured or fatalities exclusively.

As well as these setbacks in personnel and equipment, Ukrainian troops also lost two US-made M777 howitzers and several Soviet-made artillery systems, the military added.

The immediate vicinity of Donetsk city has also seen intense fighting, with Ukrainian forces losing over 200 soldiers on this axis, according to the ministry. The Russian military has destroyed multiple soft and armored vehicles on the outskirts of Donetsk, it also said, as well as two major ammunition stockpiles to the northwest of the city.

The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has intensified after Kiev launched its long-heralded counteroffensive in early June. Thus far, the Ukrainian military has failed to make any major gains, sustaining heavy losses in the process and losing large amounts of Western-supplied hardware. According to the estimates of Moscow’s military, some 7,500 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded amid the counteroffensive effort.

** Russia’s military operation virtually turns into Russia-West war - Kremlin

Russia’s special military operation started to defend the Donbass region and now it has virtually turned into a war with the collective West, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with RT commenting on the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine.

"In fact, the special military operation against Ukraine, against the Kiev regime, was launched to ensure the safety of the people of Donbass. This is correct. Now it is practically a war between Moscow and the collective West," the Kremlin spokesman said.

Recalling Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement about establishing a "cordon sanitaire" on the territory of Ukraine if the shelling of Russian regions continues, Peskov said that as the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine expands, so will the buffer zone, "that is, the distance that we will have to move Ukrainians away from our territories."

 

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia reports fierce fighting, Zelenskiy praises troops, counter-offensive

Russia reported fierce fighting on Sunday on three sections of the front line in Ukraine while Ukraine's president praised his troops for repelling enemy advances and said their counter-offensive was progressing well.

The assesments of action along the 1,000-km (600-mile) long front were made a day after an African peace mission wrapped up talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The mission failed to spark enthusiasm from either Moscow or Kyiv.

The United Nations, meanwhile, accused Moscow of failing to allow it to provide assistance to Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine affected by the breach of a big power dam that flooded vast areas of land and left thousands homeless.

A Russian-installed official said Ukraine had recaptured Piatykhatky, a village in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, and were entrenching themselves there while coming under fire from Russian artillery.

"The enemy's 'wave-like' offensives yielded results, despite enormous losses," the official, Vladimir Rogov, said on the Telegram messaging app.

Russia's defence ministry made no mention of Piatykhatky in its daily update, in which it said its forces had repelled Ukrainian attacks in three sections of the front line. Russia's Vostok group of forces said Ukraine had failed to take the settlement.

The evening report by the general staff of Ukraine's armed forces also made no mention of Piatykhatky. Last week, Ukraine said it had recaptured a nearby settlement, Lobkove, and villages further east, in the Donetsk region, at the start of its counteroffensive.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy praised his troops for being "very effective in repelling assaults" near Avdiivka, one of the hot spots in the fighting in eastern Ukraine.

The long-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive was proceeding well, he said in his nightly video address.

"Our troops are on the move: position by position, step by step, we are going forward," he said.

Reuters could not independently verify battlefield reports.

Ukrainian officials have imposed an information blackout to help operational security, but say that Russia has suffered much greater losses than Ukraine has during its new assault.

A regional official said Ukrainian forces had destroyed a Russian ammunition dump in occupied Kherson region, part of a weeks-long effort by Kyiv to disrupt Russian supply lines.

British defence intelligence said fighting had focused on Zaporizhzhia, western Donetsk and near Bakhmut, captured last month by Russian mercenaries after the war's longest battle.

"In all these areas, Ukraine continues to pursue offensive operations and has made small advances," it said on Twitter.

Russia's defence, it said, was "relatively effective in the south", with both sides suffering heavy casualties.

PUTIN TRIES TO REASSURE RUSSIANS

Putin, who rarely comments on the course of the war, made two unusually detailed remarks last week in which he derided the Ukrainian push and said Kyiv's forces had "no chance" despite being newly equipped with Western tanks.

His comments appeared intended to reassure Russians, nearly 16 months into the conflict, as Ukraine seeks to take back the 18% of its territory that remains under Russian control.

At talks in St Petersburg on Saturday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa presented Putin with a 10-point peace initiative from seven African countries and told him it was time for Russia and Ukraine to start negotiations to end the war.

Putin responded with accusations long denied by Ukraine and the West and saying it was Kyiv, not Moscow, that was refusing to talk. He thanked Ramaphosa for his "noble mission".

In his video message, Zelenskiy said the talks in St. Petersburg had demonstrated that only Ukraine's peace plan calling for a withdrawal of all Russian troops was realistic.

"Everything discussed in Russia was about the war, about how to destroy lives further," he said.

In Kyiv, Zelenskiy had told the African delegation - the first since the start of the war to hold face-to-face talks with both leaders - that talks would just "freeze the war".

The gulf between the two sides was further underlined when Putin used an economic forum on Friday to slur Zelenskiy and to restate the aims of "demilitarising" and "denazifying" Ukraine, rejected by Kyiv and the West as a pretext for invasion.

AFRICANS TO KEEP TRYING

Ramaphosa tweeted on Sunday that the mission had been "impactful and its ultimate success will be measured on the objective, which is stopping the war". He said the Africans would keep talking to both Putin and Zelenskiy.

The war has destroyed Ukrainian towns and cities, forced millions of people to flee their homes and taken heavy but undisclosed casualties among both armies.

Each side accuses the other of blowing up the Kakhovka power dam on June 6 in Kherson region and flooding vast areas of the war zone. Russia seized Kherson region in the early days of the invasion and still controls parts of it.

The U.N. statement, issued by its humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, said the world body "will continue to engage to seek the necessary access" to Russian-controlled areas

"We urge the Russian authorities to act in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law. Aid cannot be denied to people who need it."

 

RT/Reuters

Start of truce period brings lull in fighting to Sudan's capital

The start of a 72-hour ceasefire aimed at calming more than two months of conflict between rival Sudanese military factions brought a lull in clashes in Khartoum early on Sunday following battles and air strikes overnight, residents said.

Sudan's army and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to refrain from attacks and from seeking military advantage during the ceasefire period, which started at 6 a.m. (0400 GMT), as well as allowing for delivery of aid, Saudi and U.S. mediators said. Several previous truces have failed to stop the fighting.

The power struggle between the two sides has turned the capital into a war zone plagued by looting, led to outbursts of fighting in other regions, and triggered a sharp escalation of violence in Darfur in western Sudan.

In the hours before the truce period began witnesses reported clashes and air strikes in several areas of Khartoum and Omdurman, one of two adjoining cities that make up the wider capital at the confluence of the River Nile.

"The situation in Khartoum is calm, especially because last night there were air strikes and it was terrifying," 49-year-old resident Salaheldin Ahmed told Reuters by phone on Sunday morning, expressing hope that the truce could be the "beginning of the end" of the war.

"We are tired," he said. "Enough of war, death and looting."

Previous ceasefires brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States at talks in Jeddah have allowed for the delivery of some humanitarian aid as fighting has subsided, but both sides have repeatedly violated the agreements.

The conflict, which erupted over disputes about a plan for a transition to elections under a civilian government four years after long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir was overthrown during a popular uprising, has intensified since early June.

On Monday, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Nations are hosting a donors conference in Geneva that aims to attract pledges of funding for humanitarian relief in Sudan.

The U.N. says more than half the population of 49 million now needs humanitarian assistance within Sudan, requiring some $3 billion in funding until the end of the year.

It has also appealed for nearly $500 million for the refugee crisis caused by the conflict. More than 500,000 people have fled into countries neighbouring Sudan, in addition to nearly 1.7 million who have been internally displaced.

 

Reuters

Ganesha Kanojia does not consider himself a Bharatiya Janata Party supporter. The 58-year-old auto-rickshaw driver has mostly voted for the Congress party, as members of his low-caste Dalit group tend to. In local elections in Delhi, where he lives, he still disdains the BJP, because he dislikes its Hindu supremacist ideology. But in general elections, including one due next year, Mr Kanojia is a safe BJP vote. “Because of Modi-ji,” he explains.

This illustrates one of the most remarkable developments in global politics. Over the past nine years the BJP has emerged, in two general elections and dozens of state ones, as India’s biggest party. Yet it is far short of having a popular majority. It controls only half of India’s 28 states. In general elections, it seems nonetheless to have a lock on power, for the next five years and probably more, thanks to the popularity of Narendra Modi. With an approval rating of 77%, the prime minister is more than twice as popular as his party. He is by far the world’s most popular elected leader.

Conversations with political scientists and a cross-section of Modi fans suggest three main reasons for this phenomenon. Modi is benefiting from a combination of good luck, political brilliance and ruthlessness.

He is lucky in his opposition, which is not merely a shambles, but a sort of shambles that plays to his strength. Contrary to the story he tells, India’s economyhas not done better under his government than under its Congress-led predecessors. Yet under its weak, uncharismatic fourth-generation dynastic leader, Rahul Gandhi, Congress has failed to lay claim to this success, let alone promise a repeat performance.

It has also been tarred by Modi’s most effective populist claim, that he represents the triumph of vernacular, battling India over its complacent Anglophone former rulers. Gandhi is half Italian and, like his father, grandmother and great-grandfather, all Indian prime ministers, Oxbridge-educated. Modi was born poor, is largely self-taught and, partly because that describes millions of Indians, hugely admired for it. Another Cambridge-educated Congress luminary once dismissed him as a chaiwala (tea-seller)—which he was. No political barb has backfired more disastrously.

Modi’s genius is his ability to capture the political narrative in such ways. He is adept at reading mass sentiment and, as a relentless campaigner, courts it as no other Indian leader has since Indira Gandhi, or ever. Also like Mrs Gandhi, he claims credit for everything his government has achieved—and much that it has not. His smiling image, ubiquitous on billboards, is the face of welfare schemes, infrastructure projects and diplomatic shindigs. In a time of tumultuous change, many Indians crave a kingly figure whom they can thank for the progress they hope for, and trust to manage the uncertainties they fear. “Only Modi knows how to implement things,” says Rajdip Ghosh, a 34-year-old IT professional in Kolkata (who was named after Mr Gandhi’s father, Rajiv). “Modi-ji is providing so many houses for the poor,” says Narendra Yadav, a 55-year-old driver in Delhi. “During the pandemic Modi-ji saved so many lives.”

Asked to give a relative weighting to these factors, Sanjay Kumar, a psephologist, attributed 20% of Modi’s popularity to the ineffectiveness of his opponents and 65% to his political skills. He attributed only 15% to the prime minister’s ruthlessness—which could seem surprising, given how conspicuous it is.

Modi is closely associated with his party’s Hindu chauvinism, owing to a vicious pogrom against Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, while he was the state’s chief minister. He denies having any link to the atrocity, but has never really condemned it. Nor does he chastise the Hindu zealots who man his campaigns while openly inciting violence against Muslims. It is good to know most Modi fans are not mainly drawn by his party’s Muslim-bashing. It is sobering to ask why, then, does he not stop it?

Modi has also ranged into other sorts of illiberalism. His critics in the media have been cowed into silence. India’s parliament, civil service and judiciary have been bent to his will—as demonstrated in March, when Mr Gandhi was convicted of bogus charges levelled by a BJP lawmaker and disqualified from parliament. Again, the fact that Mr Modi’s popularity is not dependent on such activities is comforting only to a degree. It suggests his illiberalism is less strategic than compulsive.

Striker Kelechi Ihenacho scored a stoppage time winner as Nigeria beat Sierra Leone 3-2 in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to become one of four countries on Sunday to be added to the list of finalists for next year’s tournament.

Guinea Bissau also qualified from Group A, as Sierra Leone’s hopes of catching them were ended, while the Cape Verde Islands are through from Group B and Mali from Group G.

They join hosts Ivory Coast, holders Senegal, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia in the finals in January.

Iheanacho’s winner brought relief to Nigeria who had let a 2-0 lead, courtesy of a Victor Osimhen double, slip as Sierra Leone made a gutsy comeback to 2-2 and came close to scoring a third.

But their slim hopes were ended by a simple back post tap-in by the Leicester City striker just before the final whistle.

Guinea Bissau, who had beaten Sao Tome e Principe on Wednesday, were then also guaranteed a top two finish and a fourth successive finals appearance.

Cape Verde, who also draw heavily on players from their migrant population in Portugal, beat Burkina Faso 3-1 at home to book their place.

Former Manchester United midfielder Bebe opened the scoring before goals from Joao Paulo and Cle ensured progress.

Mali won 2-0 away against Congo to qualify for a ninth successive finals with Ibrahima Kone and Nene Dorgeles scoring in the final 30 minutes in Brazzaville.

DOGGED HOST

The return of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Gabon was a bid to help them qualify at the expense of the Democratic Republic of Congo but they lost 2-0 at home instead.

DR Congo’s goals came from London-born Aaron Tshibola and Tanzania-based striker Fiston Mayele and they now top Group I.

Ghana would have qualified from Group E had they won in Madagascar but were held to a goalless draw and must wait for the last round of qualifiers in September to win their place.

Victory for both Mozambique and Tanzania also enhanced their chances of going to the finals with one group game left.

Algeria are the only country left with a 100% record in the qualifiers as they made it five wins out of five by beating Uganda 2-1 away with Mohamed El Amine Amoura netting both and Riyad Mahrez providing an assist.

The top two teams in each of the 12 qualifying groups qualify for the finals. There are three more matches to complete the fifth rounds of qualifiers, which will all be played on Tuesday.

 

Reuters

When Robert Sampson and his co-founders were thinking up the name for their New York City restaurant, they wanted something that aligned with what the establishment offered – fresh and delicious Thai food, a welcoming ambiance and excellent service. What they came up with was simple: Thai Food Near Me.

The restaurant went viral prior to opening when a passerby uploaded a picture of their papered work-in-progress restaurant to Twitter. Sampson says that the idea for the name came up in one of his brainstorms with his co-founders. "We all thought about it and it was this instant, 'This is perfect,'" he says.

Not everyone agreed. On Twitter, people debated if the restaurant's name would be effective for search engine optimization – or completely detrimental. But Sampson and others say SEO ultimately doesn't matter because the name has other key elements that have driven its virility and traffic both physical and online. "If you're around there, I guarantee you – if you type 'places near me,' we're gonna pop up," says Sampson. 

Your business's name is its first impression and above all else, it needs to authentically reflect you and your business. Here are the key strategies to follow when devising an effective business name.

Decide what you need to communicate

A name is "very personal, very important and foundational to the brand and identity of whatever it is you're doing," says Sampson. That's why a good name should feel intrinsically tied to the overall mission or essence of your business.

Sampson says that a tongue-in-cheek name like Thai Food Near Me works because it hits on what the business is in its barest form: local Thai food.

But that approach might not work for all businesses, he says: "If you're a high-end, sophisticated white glove service, you probably shouldn't take a name with comedy value, because that wouldn't make sense."

Sampson's is not the only business with a simple, direct and comedically obvious name. Consider ScanMyPhotos.com, an Orange County, California-based digital photo and film scanning company.

Prior to transitioning their business to focus on photo-scanning in 2007, co-founders Mitch Goldstone and Carl Berman's company was called 30 Minute Photos Etc., because – as one would expect – the business developed photos at an average of 27 minutes.

This name clearly conveyed what the business did and also set them apart from the numerous one-hour photo development companies.

So, when Goldstone and Berman considered what name would attract customers for their new photo-scanning business, they took a similarly straightforward approach. In their first year of business, they did 300,000 scans. Now, they do about a million scans per week, says Goldstone. 

Confirm the availability of the name

After Goldstone landed on ScanMyPhotos.com as a business name, he next ensured the domain name he wanted for its website was available. Depending on the size and purpose of your business, you might also want to confirm the availability of a trademark. 

Local mom-and-pop restaurants, for example, often don't need to file a trademark, Laurel Sutton, co-founder of Catchword, a naming and branding firm headquartered in Oakland, California, explains.

Because many restaurants have similar names and are, for the most part, local as opposed to national, they don't need a name as unique as a company with broader recognition. She says you should avoid infringing on well-known brands and always consider consulting an attorney if you're unsure. 

Trademarks are also expensive and may not be worth the investment for some businesses. But that doesn't mean they're necessarily a bad idea, especially if you're planning on expanding.

Thai Food Near Me, for instance, has filed for a trademark on its name. Sampson says this is a safeguard in case he decides to expand the business or if competitors pop up. 

Ensure your choice is accessible

Don't make your brand's name difficult to pronounce. If you can, make it easy to spell. Don't make it too cryptic or difficult to understand. Avoid words that mean something bad in English or any other language. And, most important, make it easy to find, says Sutton.

"It shouldn't be confusingly similar to other businesses of the same type locally and it shouldn't be so generic that you can't distinguish the name from a description of the business."

Search engine optimization can be a great tool for customer acquisition, she adds – but its importance varies for different kinds of businesses.

"SEO is important, but not so much for something like a local restaurant," she says. "You type in 'Thai food' and what you get is a map that shows you the places that are near you. You're not looking for rankings based on keywords. You're looking for what's closest." 

For a business like ScanMyPhotos.com, having the right keywords in a business name presents an opportunity to rank higher in Google search results – though ranking isn't an exact science, Sutton adds.

Sampson says that a business's reputation – which depends on many factors such as length of time in business, reputable customer reviews and press mentions – all factor into its ranking on Google.

The organic online chatter about Thai Food Near Me, as opposed to the keywords in its name, helped improve its reputation, pushing up its ranking. But, at the end of the day, Sampson says providing a quality product or service is the most essential aspect of your reputation. 

Stay true to your brand

Sutton says your business name should reflect what a business is at its core, whether it alludes to a founder's name, the goal of the business, or what its products or services do.  

Above all, a name needs to be reflective of a business, Sampson says: "The most important thing is finding a name that matches who you are and how you want to [accurately] present yourself." Going viral – while not his goal – is a nice bonus.

 

Inc