President Muhammadu Buhari’s media team has announced a weekly programme that will focus on the policies of the current administration, reports Gabriella Opara.
Muhammadu Buhari
Weeks after the release of a documentary titled The Human Side of President Buhari, Abiola Olusola, deputy director of media in the office of the vice-president, has revealed that the show is set to launch on a number of TV networks in the country.
According to Olusola, the programme will promote the policies and steps taken by Buhari to attempt to ensure the growth of Nigeria.
The show, whose name and release date have yet to be revealed, will air on Channels TV on Mondays at 16.30, NTA on Thursdays at 18.30, Core TV News on Saturdays at 12.30 and Liberty TV on Sundays at 16.30.
Pan-African cable network Kwesé TV has commenced operations in Jalingo, Taraba State, reports Gabriella Opara.
Emeka Chinweokwu, a Kwesé TV dealer in Taraba, said: “The official inauguration is an attempt to keep Taraba’s people abreast of the competitive digital world, which offers a lot of opportunities. Kwesé TV offers customers a unique package where they can pay for three days, seven days or 30 days.’’
Mazeli Joseph, Kwesé TV’s head of sales, said the move ensured that customers are guaranteed all-round entertainment from the convenience of their home.
Kwesé TV, which is owned by Econet Media, launched in Nigeria in October and has since added more channels to its platform and collaborated with MTN Nigeria to offer more of its services to subscribers.
Kwesé Free Sports holds exclusive free-to-air rights to the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia and the UK’s Premier League. It is also a broadcast partner of the National Basketball Association in sub-Saharan Africa.
Veteran Nollywood actor Chika Okpala (fka Zebrudaya) has called out foreign TV networks like Telemundo and Zee World for causing Nigerian viewers to ignore indigenous content.
Chika Okpala
In an interview with News Agency of Nigeria, Okpala shared his concerns over sitcoms produced in Nigeria and their lack of sponsorship.
“Foreign soaps, like Mexican ones, Telemundo, Zee World and the rest of them have flooded our TV screens and our indigenous TV drama series are suffering. Popular programmes The New Masquerade, Cockcrow at Dawn, The Village Headmaster and others were left to slip away,” said Okpala.
“The dwindling economy is the major problem for production in this country and lack of sponsorship has contributed to the death of programmes. Without the economy being vibrant, you cannot push programmes forward. People cannot do productions without it yielding something substantial to take care of their families.”
Okpala believes sponsorship is vital to producing top-notch TV drama, saying that most of the old sitcoms stopped airing because they lacked support from sponsors.
Foreign networks are not helping matters because they have drawn Nigerian viewers to them, he claimed, leaving very little viewership for the indigenous sitcoms still airing.
Okpala insisted that if local sitcoms are produced and sponsored it will support the livelihoods of many more people, which will boost the country’s economy.
Okpala is best known for his role in 1990s sitcom New Masquerade.
Play TV, the Lagos-based pay TV platform formerly known as ConSat, is to air some of its comedy programming for free.
Dec Imafidon
The platform is set to give content creators an opportunity to air their programming for free via African comedy channel 1 Comedy, it was announced on Play TV’s Instagram page this week.
Asked about this development, 1 Comedy producer Dec Imafidon said: “There are many talented young people who are into sketch comedic acting, popularly called skits, and are in need of a platform to showcase their talent. 1 Comedy has decided to be that platform; we provide the opportunity by airing their skits for free.
“There are terms and conditions and we have guidelines, but if your content is of quality and meets with our approval, then we will have it broadcast. 1 Comedy will be churning out fantastic and rib-cracking content all year long.”
Imafidon explained how to provide material to 1 Comedy: “Interested comedy content creators can bring over their skits to the Play office at 1 Continental Way, Ikosi Ketu, Lagos and give it to Mr Seyi.”
1 Comedy airs via channel 291 on Play TV, which has more than 50 channels with a range of entertainment for the family.
Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos (Unilag), has announced that Unilag TV will launch in February, reports Gabriella Opara.
Oluwatoyin Ogundipe
Recently granted a licence by Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari, Unilag TV will be the first campus-based television channel in Nigeria. It will focus on research-oriented education and ease communication within and outside the university community.
Professor Ogundipe said: “The approval to operate a television station will improve our branding; we are bringing in professionals to help kick-start the station.”
According to the vice-chancellor, Unilag competed against 19 universities to win a US$5m grant from the World Bank in order to supply Unilag TV with a world-class studio, equipment and other gadgets. He also said the university has paid N10m to have its station licensed.
Professor Ogundipe also expressed his gratitude to the former vice-chancellor, Professor Rahamon Bello, and Professor Ralf Akinfeleye of the Department of Mass Communication for their work in pursuing the dream of getting a TV station for the university.
“It is now on record that the present administration signed the first campus TV licence and we remain deeply grateful to the president. The university is a brand. We want the university to be the research hub in Africa, and we are working towards being among the best three in the entire continent,” the vice-chancellor said.
Dr Olubunmi Ajibade, senior lecturer in the communication department, said: “We train people for the industry, so we are in the best position to attract the best hands.”
Unilag TV will air on MultiChoice-owned DSTV, one of Nigeria’s leading pay TV platforms, ensuring that everyone within and outside the country has access to the channel.
An information and communication technology (ICT)-themed reality TV show is set to launch in Nigeria.
Geek or Guru will begin broadcasting this year, after being unveiled at the 10th anniversary of non-governmental organisation SEITAC Initiative.
The show will feature 15 contestants competing for a prize of N10m in seed funding, sponsored training abroad and other cash prizes.
The contestants will live together in a house for eight weeks and the show will air on TV channels including Africa Magic, AIT and STV. It will also be available on social media platforms
Geek or Guru is geared towards discovering the talent and enthusiasm in Nigerian youth that will help revolutionise the country’s ICT industry.
“Over the years, we have carried out ICT trainings and empowerment for young men and women in various ways. We tutor them on how to become independent in certain businesses,” said a representative of SEITAC Initiative.
“We also partner with other NGOs to teach our youth how to be more creative through the use of technology. The whole idea is about providing indigenous solutions to the decline in technology adoption in the country.
“Instead of going across the Mediterranean to seek greener pasture abroad, our youths can now look inwards to realise their dreams. We have lost so many talented people to other countries, to the detriment of our economy.”
The launch date of Geek or Guru is yet to be announced.
Nollywood actress and TV presenter Adediwura Adesegha, popularly known as Blarkgold, has held a lunch party to celebrate becoming a brand ambassador for Play TV, reports Gabriella Opara.
Adediwura Adesegha
The celebration was held on January 17 at Gei8 Hotels in Surulere, Lagos, and was attended by Adesegha’s friends and family.
Asked why she decided to have a party, Adesegha told 1 Music channel: “When I was given the crown of being a Play TV ambassador, I thought of the calls, well-wishes and support I got from all my friends. This is what led me to celebrate with them today and, of course, all this is sponsored by Play TV.”
She added that she is currently producing movies and presenting talkshows – The Ladder and Injinji Aiye Mi – that will be exclusive to Play TV. Injinji Aiye Mi will air on Irawo TV on the Play platform and will be about the lives of various Nigerian celebrities.
It was announced last month that Adesegha would be a brand ambassador for the cable platform alongside Labi Olayori. 1 Music and Irawo air on channels 400 and 300 respectively on Play TV.
The ban prohibiting screen star Rahama Sadau from acting has been lifted by the governor of Kano State, Abdullah Ganduje, reports Gabriella Opara.
Rahama Sadau
The award-winning actress was banned from acting in October 2017, after appearing in a music video by artiste Classique, which was declared to be “immoral and unethical” by the Hausa film industry.
The chairman of the Kano Actors Guild, Alhassan Kwalli, last week expressed his gratitude to Ganduje for lifting the ban after she wrote a letter of apology to the state government, Kano Emirate Council and the Motion Practitioners Association of Nigeria.
“The development was timely as stakeholders and practitioners in the Hausa movie industry are using films as a tool for national development,” Kwalli said.
Sadau wrote in her letter a month after being suspended by the guild: “I am human and liable to make mistakes and as a daughter who stands to be corrected, I wish to plead and ask my colleagues, the executive member of all guilds, the entire people of the north and audience at large to forgive me.”
Sadau features alongside Patrick Doyle, Mofe Duncan and Sani Muazu in TV series Sons of Caliphate, where she plays the character Binta Kutigi.
Sons of Caliphate is a 13-part drama series set in the northern part of Nigeria about power struggles and family drama. It is exclusive to EbonyLife TV and produced by Mo Abudu.
Lagos-based production company Ultima has picked up rights to long-running US gameshow format Family Feud and plans to launch a Nigerian adaptation.
Ultima is the company behind the Nigerian version of popular TV gameshow Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and Project Fame West Africa, but said its adaptation of Family Feud will gain more success than its previous shows.
“Ultima is ready to launch the format for Nigerian audience later in the year, and this move promises to be another success, even bigger than Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, Project Fame West Africa and any other from our stables.”
The Nigerian version of Millionaire has aired on NTA since 2004, while talent show Project Fame West Africa, an adaptation of Fame Academy, has aired since 2008 in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone on broadcasters including TVC, MITV, DBN, SoundCity, ONTV and GetTV.
Family Feud, distributed by FremantleMedia International, is a gameshow in which two families of five contestants compete to name the most popular responses to survey questions in order to win cash prizes and goody bags. The original version premiered in 1976 on ABC in the US.
Ultima has yet to announce when Family Feud will be premiered or on which channels it will air. Ultima is one of the leading media production companies in sub-Saharan Africa, delivering end-to-end TV programmes, post-production facilities and multi-platform distribution channels.
Nollwood actress and producer Judith Audu, star of 2016 film Just Not Married, has announced she will be moving into the world of film directing.
Judith Audu
The CEO of Judith Audu Productions will make her directing debut with the release of a short film titled Mirabel.
Mirabel is a movie adaptation of a poem of the same name by Moses Akerele, an actor and TV presenter who will also be acting a lead role in the short film. It is an emotional drama that will be produced and directed by Audu.
According to Audu, directing the film is “a new terrain for me and I’m only too glad to take on the responsibility. I’ve never been afraid of a challenge so I urge all my fans to look out for this short movie.” The release date of the film is yet to be announced.
Audu has featured in numerous TV sitcoms, including Tinsel, Emerald, Seekers, Burning Spears, Huzzel, 4 Walls, Comfort Zone, Rush, Funtime, Life is Beautiful, Case File, House Apart and Queens Drive. She has also produced a number of movies, such as Obsession, Just Married and Stormy Hearts.
Mirabel will star Omowunmi Dada, Tunbosun Aiyedehin, Maimuna Yahaya, Naomi Ojochide Yahaya, Chris Iheuwa and Steve Enagbare, among others.
Ekemini Ekerete, the former housemate from Big Brother Naija season two and now CEO of 6 Packs Nigeria, is set to launch a fitness show on TV.
Ekemini Ekerete
Ekerete, better known as Kemen, told reporters he will be launching a 30-minute fitness TV programme to be aired every morning on weekdays. The show will focus on giving viewers an opportunity to work out daily without having to go to the gym.
“This is because we are in a society where people go through a lot of stress; one can only survive when you make fitness a part of your life. This is because it keeps away depression, adverse effects of stress and also helps the individual to become a better and happier person,” he said.
According to Ekerete, the TV show “will involve different kind of workout, from aerobics to yoga, strength training, dance fitness to high-intensity interval training, table and all kinds for different days.”
The former reality star added that the TV show will be broadcast across major TV channels and on YouTube. “I am also working on a few shorter workout skits on some new media channels to help with explanatory workout,” he said.
Ekerete has yet to disclose the launch date of the TV show or what channels it will air on, but has said to expect it some time this year.
The Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN) is set to convene the first edition of Africa Creative Summit, aimed at filmmakers and technical experts, in April.
Fred Amata
DGN will hold the event in Nigeria in collaboration with Brainz & Lloyds International, a Dublin-based TV and film consortium. The Summit is a partnership between the Kaduna state government and CAVS, an audiovisual service in Ireland.
According to the organisers, the event will focus on the economic development of the technical and creative aspect of the entertainment industry. DGN president Fred Amata said the event is scheduled to run over three days and will take place in Lagos, Kaduna and Asaba sometime in April 2018.
Supported by Don Pedro Obaseki, a film producer and former MD of Daarsat and executive director of Daar Communications, the seminar will focus on the technicalities of film, television, audiovisual, music, radio, entertainment law and creative investment.
Brainz, a representative of Brainz & Lloyds International, said: “The workshops will be delivered by top players in this field who will be able to provide practical knowledge and skills as well as valuable insights into how we can go about ensuring improvements in the Nigerian creative industry.”
The objective of the event is to structure an alliance between foreign technical experts and Nigerian creatives in order to strengthen the business partnerships between them, she added.
Nigerian pay TV platform StarTimes has expanded the channel line-up in its Classic bouquet at no extra cost to subscribers.
Qasim Elegbede
StarTimes recently confirmed the addition of five channels from the Unique bouquet to Classic. The new entertainment and movie channels are: Fox, ST Movie Plus, ST Kung Fu, ST Novella Plus and Star Plus.
Speaking about the latest upgrade, Qasim Elegbede, brand and marketing director at StarTimes Nigeria, said: “Our subscribers can consider this a new year gift from StarTimes.
“All these channels were previously exclusive to Unique bouquet subscribers, which cost about N3,800 monthly, but can now be accessed by the Classic bouquet for just N2,600.”
China-owned StarTimes TV is one of Africa’s leading pay TV platforms with more than 80 channels offering all-round entertainment for families. StarTimes also has the exclusive rights to broadcast the 2018 Fifa World Cup Russia.
A new Nigerian reality TV show, Celebrity Housemates, is set to launch on January 12 and air until February 11.
Celebrity Housemates will feature participants from across Nigeria
Described by its producers as the “convergence of culture, lifestyle and entertainment,” the reality show will have 12 celeb housemates from different sectors of the entertainment industry competing for a cash prize of N7m.
Promoting peace and unity, Celebrity Housemates will feature contestants from the six regions of Nigeria to showcase the nation’s strengths. The reality show is set to air around the clock online and will also include a one-hour daily show on TV nationwide.
The show’s broadcasters are yet to be announced but producers said it will air on 14 stations across Nigeria, plus via Dope TV, a dedicated YouTube channel and a mobile app.
The celebrity contestants will include Emmanuel Ikubese, Yomi Fash Lanso, Funky Mallam, Doris Simeon, Ruggedman, Muma Gee, Ada Ameh, Peggy Ovire, Eniola Badmus, Bolanle Ninalowo, Ogenna Ekwubiri and Frederick Leonard.
Sponsored by travel agent Fly for Value, Lagos Internal Revenue Service, Dope TV, Masters Entertainment, Royalsec Security and Amen Estate, the show is put together by Lagos-based management consultancy Heartlink Ventures.
The 30-day series will involve daily tasks and challenges, focusing on lifestyle, interpretation of culture, education and games. Other celebrities will visit the contestants weekly to share entrepreneurial and career-oriented ideas on whatever project they have in mind.
The contestant who wins the fewest viewer votes each week will be evicted. Every weekend, a party will be held to celebrate the end of the week and other guest stars will be brought in to celebrate with contestants.
The winner of the prize money will donate N2m to charity and N1m to selected viewers. Other contestants will go home with cash prizes too.
Kemi Otegbade, MD of Heartlink and executive producer of the series, said: “We are using this show to converge the Nigerian cultural values with the ideal lifestyle of celebrities and entertain Nigerians in an educating and exciting way.
“We have been working on the format and I can assure Nigerians of an engaging and exciting experience on television and online. We can also confirm it will be an annual event,” Otegbade added.
The team behind the show includes Danladi Bako, as co-executive producer, and Sola Fajobi, as consulting producer, with an advisory board comprising media execs such as Mayor Akinpelu, Funke Egbemode and Jahman Oladejo.
“Our celebrities are normal human beings. Although their fans adore them and grant them a larger-than-life perception, it is imperative that we create a platform for their fans to connect, engage and get a peep into their lifestyles, hence the creation of the reality TV show,” added a representative of Fly for Value.
Nigeria’s vice president Yemi Osinbajo has spoken about the challenges faced by the country’s media at a forum marking the 50th birthday of top journalist Kadaria Ahmed.
Yemi Osinbajo, vice president of Nigeria
Speaking at the forum, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) on Victoria Island in Lagos, keynote speaker Osinbajo addressed the audience on the topic ‘A Conversation on Media Renewal in Nigeria.’
Commending the Nigerian media for contributing to the movement and development of the nation since colonial days, Osinbajo said: “The democracy we enjoy today would not have been possible without the guerrilla efforts of some of our finest and most irrepressible journalists.
“The Nigerian press is and has always been one of the most vibrant in the world. You can always take it for granted that no matter the intensity of the clampdown on press freedom in Nigeria, there will always be a prominent group of journalists who will refuse to be cowed, and will seize every tool at their disposal to hold the authorities to account.”
He then went on to note the challenges and drawbacks in the media industry that journalist face, highlighting the lack of innovation and vision as well as poor financial provision.
Osinbajo noted that the media’s response to technological advancements and innovations has been slow and it must do well to reinvent itself to overcome declining sales.
He added that the media is not spared from the corruption affecting the nation, saying: “The Nigerian contemporary press is caught up in a crisis of confidence. The faith in the media is at all-time low because faith in all things in the country is at all-time low.
“The crisis of corruption is systemic and every institution is infected. Justice can be bought so headlines can also be bought. Wherever you find a judiciary that is poorly paid, you will find a judiciary that is compromised. The same applies to the media – a poorly paid journalist should not be expected to be ethical.”
After his speech, the VP joined other dignitaries, including Hajiya Hadiza El-rufai, Dr Wale Babalakin and John Momoh, to present Kadaria Ahmed’s scholarships and book.
With over 20 years of experience in media, award-winning Kadaria Ahmed is one of Nigeria’s top journalists. She started her career at BBC before moving on to become an editor of the now defunct Next newspaper. She was also a presenter of Straight Talk on Channels Television.
She is currently one of the board members of Premium Times and also hosts The Core on Channels Television.
A Nigerian documentary about terrorist group Boko Haram was the sixth most-viewed video on YouTube in the country in 2017.
Almost a year after Channels TV first aired Boko Haram: Terror Unmasked, YouTube listed it as one of the 10 most-watched videos in Nigeria.
Presented by Ini Thompson, the four-part doc was uploaded to Channels TV’s YouTube channel in February 2017 and has since attracted more than one million views.
Boko Haram: Terror Unmasked explores the deadly attacks the group has carried out over the years in the northern part of Nigeria since its inception in 2002.
The doc was packaged by Washington DC-based Voice of America (VOA). The videos have aired on several VOA platforms during 2017.
Greek gaming company Vermantia has teamed up with the UK’s Arena Racing Company (ARC) to launch a live greyhound racing channel in Africa.
The two companies have partnered with Nigerian betting site Yangabet to broadcast the channel in Nigeria, with the network focused on a daily schedule of greyhound racing. This content comes from accredited UK and Australian greyhound tracks, enabling betting on at least 120 live races per day.
Vermantia and ARC said the service would be the first live greyhound racing channel in Nigeria. The move comes several months after an exclusive deal was agreed between Vermantia and ARC to distribute the latter’s racing content worldwide.
Antony Hopkins, ARC’s director of international markets, said: “Our premium greyhound content is already adopted by major UK and international operators, and adding Africa to our reach is a further testament of its value and global appeal.”
The channel will be powered by Vermantia’s Connect platform, comprising live video and racing data from more than 4,500 greyhound racing fixtures in the UK and Australia.
The channel will be delivered to betting shops using Vermantia’s high-efficiency video coding (HEVC) technology, allowing maximum broadcast quality at minimum satellite bandwidth, according to the company.
Vermantia said it will provide a fully populated odds service, seamless integration with any bet acceptance system and automated scheduling capabilities in the production.
“We are delighted that through our recent cooperation with ARC, we will be launching the first live greyhound racing in Africa,” added Spyros Stavropoulos, Vermantia’s key accounts director.
“Our offering is uniquely positioned to meet the market’s demand for a new live product for all types of players, by enabling betting on a comprehensive schedule of races throughout the day that are both frequent and fast, easy to bet on and exciting to watch.”
Yangabet started operations in May 2017 and offers an online portfolio of products including sports betting, lottery, online casino and more than 50 virtual games. The launch date of the greyhound racing channel is yet to be released.
Pay TV platform StarTimes TV Nigeria is working with the Abuja-based VOE Foundation to host the FC Bayern Youth Cup.
Qasim Elegbede
The football tournament, organised by German club FC Bayern, is for U-16 males born between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2003. It is scheduled to begin on January 13 and conclude March 10.
The competition will be held in eight locations across Nigeria in two stages, the national qualifiers and the national finals. It will then progress to the world finals in Germany.
The locations of the Nigerian tournament include: Kaduna, Kano, Jos, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Lagos Island and Mainland, and Abuja.
According to Qasim Elegbede, brand and marketing director at StarTimes Nigeria: “The national qualifiers will commence on January 13 in Abuja and end on February 25 in Lagos, while the national finals will be played on March 10 and 11 in Abuja.”
After the national finals in Nigeria, the best 10 players selected by a FC Bayern representative will represent Team Nigeria at FC Bayern Youth Cup world finals in Germany. This marks the first time an African country is taking part in the competition.
Speaking about the tournament to be held in Nigeria, FC Bayern sports director Hasan Salihamidzic said: “The FC Bayern Youth Cup is a great platform for young players from all over the world to showcase their talent.
“The chance to win a trip to Munich and take part in a five-day training camp with FC Bayern is unique. The young players from Nigeria will meet FC Bayern first team players, visit the last Bundesliga match of the season and play the final tournament just one day afterwards in the Allianz Arena.”
The FC Bayern Youth Cup has had teams from Asia, Europe, North and South America participate since its inception in 2012. Registration for the tournament will end on January 5.
StarTimes TV is one of the leading pay TV platforms in Africa with over 80 channels. StarTimes TV also has exclusive rights to broadcast the 2018 Fifa World Cup, to be held in Russia.
Telecomm Satellite Television (TSTV) has commenced commercial distribution of its decoders following a free test run last month.
TSTV representative Ernest Essein said the Nigerian pay TV company had concluded testing its services and was set to distribute its decoders nationwide for the fixed rate of N5,000.
He promised “awesome packages and additional channels” on TSTV, adding that the surprise packages would remain secret until the decoders have been more widely distributed.
Essein also pledged that TSTV would ensure its decoders reach customers before Christmas Day.
“We are informing Nigerians they must enjoy their Christmas with their decoders. So before Christmas, the decoders will be everywhere in the market. Everything is in place; we have done everything we needed to do before coming out and I want to let you know that TSTV is still on course.’’
Tchouaaa, a broadcasting company launched recently in Ivory Coast, is set to launch a regional TV network dedicated to African food, reports Gabriella Opara.
The company has yet to confirm which TV platforms the channel, also titled Tchouaaa, will air on but said the brand will be available on cable and satellite TV, print and digital next year.
The Abidjan-based channel – calling itself “the first pan-African food network” – already has video content on YouTube and other social media platforms.
The bilingual network will air in English and French and will focus exclusively on innovative and creative food content in Africa and the African diaspora.
“Riding between daytime shows and a primetime line-up featuring food-related entertainment programmes, such as cooking competitions, food trips and reality shows, Tchouaaa will display the diversity of pan-African food and its actors from all over the world,” said the company in a statement.
Tchouaaa plans to air the channel in Africa, Europe, the US and the West Indies. Aiming to carry 60% original productions, it has invited producers to pitch ideas for original shows relating to African, American or West Indian cuisine.
Focusing on African meals cooked by Africans, Tchouaaa aims to air the channel on top cable TV platforms across Africa and is encouraging anyone interested in being a part of channel to join its creative team.
TSTV representative Ernest Essein said the Nigerian pay TV company had concluded testing its services and was set to distribute its decoders nationwide for the fixed rate of N5,000.
The company has yet to confirm which TV platforms the channel, also titled Tchouaaa, will air on but said the brand will be available on cable and satellite TV, print and digital next year.