Broadcasting
Paradigm Initiative Opens Application for Scriptwriters and Movie Producers for Fifth Short Film Production

Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has launched calls for the production of its fifth short film, aimed at amplifying digital rights and inclusion awareness in Africa. Paradigm Initiative, a non-profit organisation that shapes policy, defends rights and builds capacity in the digital environment towards a digitally inclusive and rights-respecting world, produces an annual report on digital rights and inclusion in Africa, Londa.

The organisation is seeking talented scriptwriters and producers for its fifth short film, which will be based on the 2023 report on digital rights and inclusion in Africa, Londa. Through its calls, PIN seeks to enhance the quality of its output, offering distinct opportunities for creative minds to contribute to the cause.
Scriptwriters are invited to submit a synopsis and full script inspired by the Londa 2023 report. The report, which documents digital rights challenges and advancements across Africa, offers rich material for storytelling that can resonate with our broad audience. Submissions should provide narratives that bring the crucial issues highlighted in the Londa report to life, contributing to PIN’s mission of promoting digital rights on the continent.
Simultaneously, PIN is calling on experienced movie producers to take these scripts from page to screen. Producers will be selected based on their ability to translate the written word into powerful visual stories that align with PIN’s objectives. This initiative offers a chance for producers to collaborate with top scriptwriters, bringing together expertise from different fields to create a film that makes a lasting impact.
All submissions, including synopses, scripts, and production proposals, must be based on the themes and findings of the Londa 2023 Report. Entries for both calls should be submitted via the PIN website ensuring a streamlined and efficient process for all participants.
For four years in a row, PIN has produced captivating short films inspired by the Londa reports, as a means to raise awareness of digital rights and inclusion in Africa. The fourth short film, Undersight, which is the latest in PIN’s stable, is inspired by the 2022 Londa Report that summarises the state of digital rights and inclusion in 24 African countries. The movie follows the journey of Omar, a brilliant Computer Programmer who creates revolutionary data collation software, which is in high demand.
The other short films released by the organisation are Training Day, Focus and Finding Diana.
Training Day, the first of the short films, is based on the organisation’s 2019 Digital Rights in Africa report. It features the story of Jude, whose job hunting seems to have been proved fruitful only for his first day of work to take an unprecedented turn, leaving him in a deep moral dilemma.
Focus tells the story of Mark, a budding young man who works for an enterprise facilitating financial payment across Africa. Caught up in his bubble with little to no attention to the situation around him, he soon experiences first-hand the dark side of internet shutdowns, censorship, surveillance, and cyberattacks. The short film is inspired by the 2020 Londa report.
Based on the findings of the Londa 2021 report, Finding Diana is about Aisha Coker, a 28-year-old journalist who stumbled upon the ambition of powerful individuals leveraging data interception and aggregation for selfish purposes, In her quest for a better society, Aisha is intent on exposing the truth, a move that would put her life in danger.
Screened at various events and platforms, PIN’s short films have received extensive feedback from viewers who have cited the creativity, relevance, and impact they possess. The short films have also received multiple accolades and awards, with the latest being a Bronze recognition for Finding Diana at the 2023 Summit Creative Awards.
Broadcasting
MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.

Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.
The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.
Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.
Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.
By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.
Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.
“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.
“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”
MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.
Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.
Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.
The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.
Broadcasting
IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.
Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.
According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.
He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.
Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.
According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.
He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.
Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.
IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.
Broadcasting
NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.

The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.
Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.
Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.
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