Broadcasting
Energy Spending Reduces for Nigerians with Smart Meters, says PPC
PPC Limited, Nigeria’s leading engineering and infrastructure development company, says that Nigerians who have replaced their old prepaid energy meters with new smart meters are enjoying premium energy savings.
In a statement on Monday, Engr Kelechi Onuigbo, Head of Power Division at PPC, said the ability to pay only for the units of energy used and control energy usage is just one of the numerous benefits of migrating to smart meter technology.
He explained that the real-time data produced by smart energy meters is crucial to reducing energy consumption and driving greater efficiency in utility management.
The energy expert said the ease and convenience smart prepaid meters offer are some of the reasons why PPC is supporting local manufacturers of smart metres with high-quality live wire sets that improve connectivity and data collection.
Onuigbo said, “We are committed to bridging the metering gap, increasing energy savings for Nigerians, reducing the revenue leakages, and ultimately improving last-mile electricity supply. PPC’s investment in high-quality live wire sets for prepaid meters is driving the quick rollout of prepaid meters and ensuring accountability in energy consumption.”
“The live wire sets are key components of any smart prepaid meter. The factory for the production of live wire sets is Located in Ojota, Lagos. The combined efforts of PPC and other industry stakeholders is driving the quick rollout of prepaid meters to electricity consumers in the country.”
Onuigbo added that the advanced technology for energy monitoring offers a cost-effective solution that can help businesses achieve tangible financial savings and support facility managers to optimise operations for maximum efficiency.
He added that power distribution companies are able to utilise the data from the smart meters for the optimisation of power networks.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) introduced the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) programme in 2018 in order to close the metering gap, and eliminate estimated billing. The initiative encouraged the local manufacturing of smart meters by companies in the country.
The scheme aims to address the issues of estimated billing of customers, close the metering gap, attract private investment in the provision of metering services, protect the revenue stream of the Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) and improve revenue optimization in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
PPC is keen on accelerating the robust upgrade of power infrastructure in the country and enabling widespread electricity access.
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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