LG Electronics, a global leader in consumer electronics, recently hosted its LG Showcase MEA 2024 at the Conrad Hotel in Abu Dhabi. With the overarching theme “Reinventing Together,” the event focused on showcasing the latest innovations and extending relationships with its stakeholders. Hosting over 500 esteemed guests, the event offered hands-on experience with its latest products.

A key focus area during the exhibition was LG’s line-up of home entertainment products, which ranges from its televisions, audio and gaming products.

Commenting on the event, Chief Executive Officer, LG MEA Region, Mr. Il Hwan Lee, said, “We design each product with the goal of enhancing the daily lives of our customers. This LG Showcase MEA 2024 event is a testament to this commitment, and we are proud to exhibit our flagship products today.

“Each of these home entertainment products are designed with practical innovations while keeping customer use-case requirements at heart, which aligns with our goal of creating a better life by elevating everyone’s entertainment experience and the interior of their homes.”

During the event, LG brought to the region its latest innovations in OLED technology; including its flagship 97-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED M, the world’s-first consumer TV with Zero Connect technology which enables the transfer of 4K video and audio, wirelessly at 120Hz.

This iconic feature resolves all cable management nightmares and allows for an uncluttered space by having all devices connected to the Zero Connect Box and positioned away from the TV.

Also featured during the event is LG’s innovative StanbyME Go, the 27-inch FHD smart screen that boasts a unique carry bag design that allows users to easily use them on-the-go. It keeps mobility in mind with its unique design and a built-in battery that lasts up to three hours of screen time. It comes with various connectivity options such as wireless mirroring and NFC, which can be activated with a simple tap.

The screen itself also rotates, giving users the option of a vertical or horizontal orientation. In addition to the streaming options, the screen is also ideal for listening to music with its turntable skin or for playing chess with the pre-installed Chess game. Customers can also control the unit through voice control, even from a distance. The unique design of the StanByME Go promises enhanced durability, keeping the screen safe from bumps, temperature fluctuations, low pressure, dust, salt fog and vibrations.

During the course of the event, LG also showcased its latest LG webOS which brings to the table a completely revamped home screen with wider title cards and smoother tiles for categories such as Game, Music and Home Office. The smart operating system, now celebrating its 10th anniversary, expanded into 300 TV brands and 3,500 content partners, including local partners and has an active user growth increase in the MEA region by 20 times.

LG also showcased its new á (Alpha )11 processor that will be used in its flagship TVs, one that will deliver powerful AI capabilities and enhance the overall viewing experience. This new processor is four times more powerful than its predecessor and will refine clarity, color and sharpness, as well as providing a 70 percent improvement in graphics performance and a 30 percent faster processing speed.

LG displayed its range of XBOOM speakers which deliver bold and loud sounds with strong bass and massive sound. For instance, the LG XBOOM XL9T, the most powerful-in-class party speaker, produces an immense sound of 1000W with booming bass and high notes. Additionally, the pixel art and multi color ring lights further step up the party. Its smaller variant, the LG XBOOM XL5S with a 200W output for powerful party music, complete with the series’ iconic party lighting.

Amongst these audio products, LG presented their portable speakers, such as the XBOOM Go XG8T, a 120W speaker with 15 hours of battery life. This on-the-go speaker not only packs a powerful punch in audio but can also boost sound further and turns up the party with its studio light feature. Also on display were the LG XBOOM Go XG7Q and the compact XG5S with a 30W output and 20W output respectively, which comes in a unique design with ambient lighting, perfect to set the mood. It is also IP67 rated, making it the perfect musical companion for the outdoors.

Additionally, LG showcased the LG TONE Fit TF7, which focuses primarily on comfort, convenience and immersive sound. The LG TONE Fit TF7 offers a superior fit for fitness enthusiasts, ensuring customers can focus solely on their workout without any distractions.

Featuring a patent-pending skirt shape hook, these earbuds offer optimized fit and usability for various outdoor activities. Apart from its superior sound quality, these earbuds are also focused on health, with the UVnano technology integrated into the earbuds’ cradle actively sanitises the ear gel surfaces, creating a more sanitary listening experience.

LG Electronics also showcased the LG CineBeam Q, the much awaited, stylish and smallest 4K portable projector from LG. This mighty 4K laser projector not only delivers stunning picture quality, but also a range of streaming features, while its minimalist design fits into any home design ethos.

This was all be topped off with LG’s innovations in monitors, with the new LG UltraGear™ OLED gaming monitor and LG MyView Smart Monitor.

The latest lineup of LG UltraGear OLED gaming monitors is a true testament to LG’s commitment to the gaming industry. Available in sizes of 32-inch (model 32GS95UE), 34-inch (model 34GS95QE) and 45-inch (model 45GS95QE), these OLED gaming monitors are the pinnacle of gaming displays, bringing in a true immersive experience.

The new 32GS95UE, the world’s first VESA certified Dual Mode gaming monitor, which enables it to switch between 4K (3840 x 2160) up to 240Hz and Full-HD (1920 x 1080) up to 480Hz with one simple click. It also comes with a range of other features such as the LG’s Pixel Sound technology, which projects sound directly from the display using vibrating film components built into the monitor itself.

Meanwhile, the LG MyView Smart Monitor, a must-have for productivity and entertainment even without having to connect to a PC, was showcased alongside. Available in sizes of 27-inches with FHD and 32-inches with 4K resolution, these smart monitors pack in LG’s webOS software along with support for AirPlay 2, ScreenShare and Bluetooth.

Designed for multi-tasking, this monitor will allow you to do your daily work, control home gadgets and even stream your favorite content, all from one display. Also, the 27SR50F is available in four color options (beige, pink, green) to cater to various tastes and seamlessly blend into any interior design.

What’s more, LG unveiled the LG MAGNIT (model LSAL006), a stunning 118-inch, 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution Micro LED display. Delivering unparalleled picture quality through the brilliance of Micro LED technology, the LG MAGNIT allows customers to enjoy complete viewing immersion in the comfort of their own spaces, be it personal or professional.

The National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) on Monday said it would soon picket offices of airlines across the country that had disallowed their staff from joining trade unions.

The National President of NUATE, Mr Ben Nnabue, made the disclosure during the National Campaign for the Unionisation of Private Domestic Airlines in Nigeria during the week in Lagos.

Nnabue told the workers that the union had received the backing of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) based in London on unionisation.

According to him, it is against labour law for some airlines to make employment conditioned upon not joining a trade union,

He said that those who threatened workers with sack if they joined unions were acting contrary to Nigerian laws.

Nnabue recalled that participants at the last global labour unions conference held in Singapore observed that a lot of organisations were not unionised.

He said that this was what informed the mandate to ensure that slave labour was eliminated on the African continent.

“In Nigeria, we have come to terms with the reality that the majority of our domestic airlines do not want their workers to join unions.

“While some have allowed their staff to unionise, other airlines, at the point of entrance, warn their staff against joining any trade union of their choice.

“We have been doing this for the past five years. We have reported to the ministers of labour and that of aviation.

“All of them have been promising us that something will be done, but you can’t be following up a project for five years; it means that they don’t want to do anything,” he said.

The union leader said that the international body in London was in support of their fight for unionisation.

“They also sent their regional Secretary, Comrade Itsafianu to come and monitor the process and also Comrade Dayo was sent from London to come see what we are doing about it.

“That shows how serious the global body views the decisions of our airlines not to allow their workers to join the trade unions.”

He warned that this was the last olive branch to be extended to them, saying that the next time, they would have to use what the laws allow them to use.

“We will picket them, but we have to exhaust all the channels of dialogue first, then we are at liberty to use the last resort, which is to picket those organisations,” he said.

The NUATE General Secretary, Mr Ocheme Aba, affirmed that it would be in the interest of airlines and organisations in the aviation sector to allow their workers to join the labour unions.

He said that no airline that had allowed its staff to join trade unions ever went under, apart from Nigeria Airways that was deliberately run down.

All the airlines that have gone under in the country were not unionised.

“An airline worker that is unionised, that has the backing of the union does not cut corners, they do not take orders from the owners to cut corners.

“They work according to the rules because if you give them a query, they will answer the query and if the company will carry out any action there is usually fair hearing, so they are protected.

“Those airlines that folded up are the ones that did not have any organised structure, no organised maintenance structure, no workforce structure, no director of administration, everything is one person in one office.

“That is why many of these people do not want unions, because they want to do things as they like.

“We must also understand that a worker who does not have negotiated terms of employment is just a paid slave,” he said.

Members of the union carried placards bearing inscriptions such as: ‘To belong to a trade union is a right, no negotiation;’ ‘The worker needs trade union protection,’ among others.

The Minister of Steel Development, Mr Shuaib Abubakar, says Nigeria spends $8 billion to import steel into the country annually, saying it has become necessary for the Ajaokuta steel company to work.

The minister disclosed this during an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Steel Development in Abuja on Thursday.

According to him, the revival of Ajaokuta steel will cost money, and we have written a 10-year document for the revival. We will present the document to Mr President.

Abubakar said that it was in his own interest for Ajaokuta Steel to work, adding that he was from Kogi State and must push for such interest.

He said that the Federal Government paid $500 million dollars to terminate the concession agreement with Ajaokuta, adding that the ministry was working very hard to find a solution for Ajaokuta Steel.

“It is a problem that has persisted for 45 years. We have gone to China to come and invest in the steel company, including setting up a new plant, and we have gone to seek financing.”

He said that the challenges had changed as new technology had come up, and with innovation and discussion around it, but it had not been finalised.

“Funding is a big challenge to the ministry of steel development. The steel industry will be the bedrock of industrialisation if we have proper funding.

“I am still at a stage where I need to find a solution for the Ajaokuta steel company.”

On the $2 billion being requested to receive the Moribund steel company, the minister said it was just a preliminary calculation, adding that the figure might not be up to that.

According to him, this is an estimate that may not be accurate at the last decimal point. It is just a process that will allow us to arrive at the right destination.

“The president has asked me to find a solution to Ajaokuta, so the figure will change pending the outcome of the technical audit.

“It’s clear to Nigeria that for this to happen, we need funding and all the help we can get from the two chambers; this is why we need it. I need all your support to make this a reality.”

The Chairman of the House Committee on Steel Development, Rep. Zainab Gimba, urged the ministry to provide it with all the procurement processes and other responses demanded by the committee.

The committee said that Ajaokuta had remained a nightmare to many, adding that now that the minister had accepted to supervise it, Nigeria expected more from him.