Broadcasting
Technology and the Revolution in Big Brother Africa
If the earliest psychologists had Big Brother, perhaps some of their conclusions would have been different. Technology as it relates to this very popular reality television show has turned many viewers into what could be referred to as pseudo-psychologists.
The Big Brother Africa season is nigh and there have been animated discussions concerning the airing of the hugely popular reality television show on DStv. This year’s edition will be the fourth in the series, and the discussions have swung from extremes.
In the last two seasons, the debate was on the propriety of including all the scenes captured by television cameras in the 24-hour reality TV show, seeing that parental guidance was necessary to prevent minors from seeing scenes of supposedly indecent exposure of flesh or scenes that may be considered sexual. The scenes Nigerians strongly objected to, as articulated by some members of the legislature and sections of the media, were the bathroom sessions and uncut versions. With the announcement of the fourth edition, which is scheduled to start in September this year, at a media launch recently, another uproar followed? M-net, owners of the content said that the shower hour and uncut versions had been expunged. What would people look forward to if shower hour and uncut versions of Big brother Africa are removed? Many of the journalists queried.
The reality show is not different from other reality shows on television, especially those programmed along the same lines as the BBA. Indeed, there is Big Brother reality show in Europe as well as the United States. Many more countries are signing up to staging their version of the very popular show which sequesters people of different backgrounds for a certain period of time. Based on the rules of the house, the most persevering of the housemates, or the one with the most guile, based on viewers’ perception and determined by their votes, wins and goes home with the prize money and unto subsequent fame. But the process leading up to the finale reveals the housemates in their basic characters and looks, sometimes without their cloths to the viewing public.
When human beings are sequestered for that long – BBA usually runs for three months – their tact concerning exposing only a part of the part of their body they want people to see falls. Sometimes, they get carried away and fall in love with other housemates and what follows thereafter are not left to the imagination of the viewing public but are brought to their living rooms in bright colours and sensual scenes.
But this time around, BBA will have nothing of that. All manner of sexual relationships have been banned. Shower hour, which used to beam the behaviour of housemates while in the bathroom to viewers, has also been deleted. The uncut versions which are unedited recordings of the house which may not be appropriate for young viewers that in the past were beamed late in the night have been cut. Replacing these are innovations that are set out to make this edition of the reality show even more enjoyable. But what is BBA without the shower hour and uncut versions?
What is New in BBA4?
The biggest innovation and one that will have the most impact in the new season of BBA tagged “Big Brother Africa: The Revolution” is the technology. There will be 40 all-seeing, all-knowing cameras, and 100 microphones to search out all the sights and sounds that are open and hidden. There will be no hiding place for any of the housemates, nor will they have the ability to hide conspiracies, intrigues, plots, and even whispers! All will be laid bare before the viewing public! The technology accompaniment promises to be bigger than the seasons 1, 2 and 3 of Big Brother Africa combined.
To put this into perspective, a football match of clubs in top European leagues are usually covered by about 20 cameras. Now, the standard football pitch is bigger than the BBA house and has more players (25, including the referee and his assistants), than the Big Brother House. All the actions missed by the referee and his assistants are captured by the cameras. Then how much more in a smaller environment with fewer participants?
In addition to the number of cameras and microphones is the prize money, which has been upped from US$100,000 to a massive, life-changing US$200,000 winner-takes-all. Also, the old rules banning conspiracy in the house has been lifted. Contestants will be free to forge alliances, discuss strategy openly and play the game in an entirely different way. The voting pattern has also changed. This season, audiences will be asked to vote for the housemates they want to see remain in the house rather than the housemates they want to see leave the house. Fourteen housemates, an increase of two from previous seasons, will compete for the ultimate prize.
“The team has been working for months already, fine-tuning the latest edition, focusing on delivering the ultimate Big Brother Africa. We’ve got quite a few secrets this time around…After three seasons; it was time for a fresh spin, time for bright ideas. This series is for the fans, to say thank you for supporting Big Brother since it began. So we are giving them the best gift we can – a show to beat others,” said Biola Alabi, director of M-NET Africa. Following up on this vision, the producers Endemol have also been busy analysing and observing other Big Brother successes around the world to develop innovative elements in order to inject fresh new creativity into the production of BBA season 4.
In the new season, housemates will once again be asked to nominate their fellow housemates for eviction, based on whom they want to see evicted from the house. This time around, viewers will then vote for the housemate they want to see remain in the house. This is expected to keep the best housemates in the house for as long as possible.
Another innovation, although making a return, is the head of the house role. This will allow the player who wins the Head of House task each week the special power to save a housemate who is up for eviction and replace this housemate with one of their own choosing. In addition, the head of the house will have extra powers and other special privileges this season.
But without the new technology, the promises made by Alabi will not materialise because this edition will not be different from previous editions. The technology underpins everything that has been put together to make this year’s edition the best ever.
The All-Seeing, All-Knowing Big Brother
The Big Brother in this year’s edition of Big Brother Africa has 40 eyes and over 100 ears to search out and record everything the housemates do or say. This will be recorded and broadcast on television and the internet. The housemates cannot eat, rest or sleep without viewers seeing their every move. With the higher scrutiny the housemates will receive this year, it is even possible for viewers to literarily see into their minds to explain the motivations for the actions they will take. And this one of the most interesting feature of this year’s series.
The general format of Big Brother provides interesting demographic and sociological perspectives on human behaviour. Confining 14 people from different backgrounds and countries, with the only connection being the English language, to a house for three months, they are forced to interact with one another. Living together under continuous observation, the programme relies on four basic props for providing these perspectives: the stripped-bare back-to-basics environment in which they live; the evictions; the weekly tasks set by Big Brother and the Diary Room in which the housemates individually convey their thoughts, feelings, frustrations and of course their nominees for eviction. Forced to live with total strangers for three months, Big Brother helps viewers see how people react when they are removed from their usual environment and placed among total strangers. Without the aid of cameras and microphones and the television and the internet, it is not normally possibly to observe such interactions vividly. But with the aid of technology, insights are gained into the motivations and actions of people when removed from their comfort zones and forced to put up with strangers for a lengthy period of time.
Predictably, many of the airs the housemates came with to the house, which are facades that cover up their real self, fade within a very short time. Alliances in the form of friendship are struck for many reasons. For some, it is to survive for as long as long as possible in the house, or somebody to simply bond with, or in some cases, real attraction between some of the housemates and they then go on to become friends. As the show progresses and the number of housemates thin out, strategies are devised by the housemates to eliminate other housemates that they consider a threat to their ultimate goal of going home with the prize. All these mirror, to a smaller or larger extent, the competitive nature of man in the real world.
BBA housemates will be drawn from Nigeria, Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Ethiopia, a collection of diverse people from countries with different histories and cultures, languages, ethos, and aspirations, creating a melting pot of personalities, tempers, and ambitions. It is a psychologist’s delight as he will be presented innumerable opportunities to watch and analyse the human mind and the motivations behind many of the actions we take.
If Freud had Big Brother…
The growth of technology and its application in many human endeavours have helped to create deeper insights into behaviour, greatly contributing to the understanding and growth of the behavioural sciences. The Big Brother reality television series is a platform that has turned many viewers into pseudo-psychologists, generating issues that are argued via text messages and internet.
If Sigmund Freud, still regarded as the doyen of behavioural sciences had had help from Big Brother, perhaps many of his conclusions would have been different. Freud was quite influential in two related but distinct ways: he simultaneously developed a theory of how the human mind is organised and operates internally, and a theory of how human behaviour both conditions and results from this particular theoretical understanding. His theories laid the foundation for the growth of psychology and psychoanalysis. But he operated in an era technology was not as advanced as it is now. Moreover, he had no help from hundreds of cameras and microphones to capture the expressions of the thoughts of his subjects.
But audiences will have more powers than Freud had with his subjects in that they can determine to vote out of the house housemates whose behaviours in their estimation falls short of their expectations. This they will do by voting for the housemates they want to see remain in the house, while the housemates that is not as well liked is evicted.
Technology, that great leveller of divides, has made the Big Brother television series a phenomenal success.
Nigeria’s pay-TV industry is facing one of its toughest periods in years as consumers increasingly migrate from conventional antenna and decoder-based television services to cheaper, more flexible and on-demand streaming platforms
The shift is putting pressure on established operators, such as MultiChoice, owners of DStv and GOtv; StarTimes and other traditional pay-TV providers, whose business models have long depended on recurring monthly subscriptions as per report by Business Hallmark.
According to Business Hallmark, the changing consumer behaviour is being driven by a combination of factors, including demographic transition, rising subscription costs, declining household purchasing power, improved internet access and the growing popularity of streaming services that allow viewers to pay for specific content or watch programmes at their convenience.
Streaming platforms are steadily expanding their appeal, offering consumers access to movies, sports (especially football matches and wrestling bouts), local content and international programs through smartphones, smart televisions and other internet-enabled devices.
Also, the proliferation of affordable data packages and connected devices has lowered the barrier to entry, allowing consumers to bypass traditional decoders altogether and consume content directly online.
Three of the major factors behind the changing behaviour of Nigerian television consumers are growing internet access, economic squeeze and changing demography.
Pay-TV subscriptions, once regarded by many households as a relatively affordable source of entertainment, are now competing with several other demands on disposable income.
For instance, entertainment spending are increasingly being subjected to tougher scrutiny with household budgets under pressure from food, tuition, transportation, electricity, housing and other essential costs.
Business Hallmark checks revealed that frequent price reviews by MultiChoice Nigeria’s have pushed the firm’s products beyond the reach of many Nigerians.
One of its products, GOtv, initially designed for average Nigerians, has six packages, namely GOtv Supa Plus, GOtv Supa, Gotv Max, GOtv Jolli, GOtv Jinja and GOtv Smallie.
GOtv Supa Plus with over 85+ channels currently goes for a monthly subscription fee of N16,800; GOtv Supa N11,400; Gotv Max N8,500; GOtv Jolli N5,800; GOtv Jinja N3,900, while GOtv Smallie subscribers choose between the N1,900/monthly, N5,100/quarterly and N15,000/annually options.
Similarly, following multiple tariff reviews, DStv Premium currently goes for N44,500 monthly; DStv Compact Plus N30,000; DStv Compact N19,000; DStv Confam N11,000; DStv Yanga N6,000 and DStv Padi N4,400.
On the other hand, StarTimes, which serves its customers through antenna signal transmission and satellite transmission, has only three bouquets, Nova, Basic, and Classic.
While Classic, the most expensive bouquet on the StarTimes’ shelf currently cost N6,000 monthly, Basic costs N4,000, while Nova costs N2,100.
While speaking to our correspondent on the major shift, some consumers explained that the choice is no longer between different pay-TV providers but between maintaining a television subscription and cancelling it altogether.
Eighty-two Nigerians, representing 68% of the 120 Pay-TV subscribers, who participated in an online survey conducted by Business Hallmark, said they opted for less expensive and more flexible alternatives, including YouTube and a growing range of streaming platforms, using smartphones, laptops, smart televisions and other internet-enabled devices to access entertainment.Geographic Reference
According to the respondents, the shift towards streaming lies partly in its flexibility. Instead of waiting for a program to be broadcast at a scheduled time, viewers now search for specific films, series, sporting events or other contents, which can be watched immediately, or downloaded to be watched or listened to later.
“I now watch contents when I want, across multiple devices, without necessarily being tied to the traditional channel and time-based television experience”, said Tolu Olamiti, an accountant in an audit firm in Lagos.
Another factor that is fueling the exodus from pay-TV model is the growing youth population. Checks revealed that online streaming is particularly attractive to phone-savvy younger viewers, whose television consumption habits are markedly different from those of previous generations.
While underage children watch cartoons and educational programs mostly from their parents or older siblings internet-enabled gadgets, teenagers and adults now watch news, sports programs and films through live streaming or download preferred programs to be watched later.
“With N200 data, I can download several new films to be watched at my convenience, instead of the old films, which providers always repeat on their channels. I also listen to music through out the day without worrying about electricity as my phone can go 2 days after full charge”, said Chukwuemeka Ibe, a student of Lagos State University (LASU).
In the same vein, access to fast and cheap internet plans is helping to drive the streaming surge. For instance, a subscriber can get a daily 1G data plan on the MTN Nigeria platform for just N200. This data plan can be used to download up to 1,000MB movies, or for streaming several hours of music online.
According to official statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), internet consumption in Nigeria reached 13.2 million terabytes in 2025, representing a 35 per cent increase from 2024, while average monthly data usage per active subscriber increased from 3.3 gigabytes in January 2023 to 7.4 gigabytes by May 2025.Geographic Reference
The NCC data indicates growing reliance on mobile internet services and digital platforms across the country with active internet subscriptions rising from 169.3 million in January 2025 to 182.2 million by January 2026.
Also, active internet subscriptions also surpassed 142 million.
Before the advent of internet, traditional pay-TV operators had ruled the television viewing industry largely through channel packages, exclusive content and decoder penetration. However, the rise of streaming has fundamentally altered the competitive landscape of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Fueled by the spread of smart devices and improved internet connectivity, streaming companies have been able to compete with traditional TV and radio providers through original programming, on-demand access, convenient timing and increased personalized viewing experiences.
A subscriber, who previously needed a satellite dish or digital terrestrial television decoder to access premium entertainment, can now use a smartphone or smart television and an internet connection.
The proliferation of affordable smartphones has further accelerated the process. Mobile phones have become entertainment devices for millions of Nigerians, particularly younger consumers, who spend more time watching short-form videos, movies and online programs than conventional television.
Also, social media platforms have become important competitors for consumers’ limited attention. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other digital platforms provide enormous volumes of free or relatively inexpensive video content, forcing traditional broadcasters to compete not only for subscribers but also for viewers’ time.
Several pay-TV subscribers, who spoke to our correspondent on the matter, said providers can no longer justify the traditional model of paying a fixed monthly fee for hundreds of channels they rarely watch.
Awba-Ofemili Development Union (ADU) Health Committee has officially announced the launch of the Awba-Ofemili Health Awareness Campaign 2026, a community-wide initiative designed to promote preventive healthcare, disease awareness, early detection, health education, and healthy living across Awba-Ofemili.
Awba-Ofemili Health Awareness Campaign
The campaign, themed “Beyond Elu-Ulee (Buruli Ulcer): Building a Healthier Awba-Ofemili,” will be held on Thursday, 17 September 2026, at the Civic Centre, Awba-Ofemili, beginning at 9:00 a.m.
The programme builds on the success of the committee’s maiden Elu-Ulee (Buruli Ulcer) Awareness Campaign, which raised awareness on Buruli ulcer and strengthened community engagement on preventive healthcare.
According to the Chairman of the ADU Health Committee, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, KSM, the 2026 campaign represents a significant expansion of the committee’s health intervention agenda.
“This campaign is about moving beyond awareness to action. We want to deepen community health education, encourage early detection of preventable diseases, strengthen school health initiatives, promote First Aid awareness, and build sustainable partnerships that will improve the health and well-being of our people,” he said.
The 2026 campaign will feature community health education, free basic health screening, school health support, First Aid awareness programmes, and stakeholder engagement with healthcare professionals, development partners, and community organisations.
The committee has called on sons and daughters of Awba-Ofemili, residents, friends of the community, corporate organisations, philanthropic individuals, NGOs, healthcare institutions, and development partners to support the initiative through financial contributions and strategic partnerships.
To support the implementation of the campaign, the ADU Health Committee has opened a dedicated fundraising channel through Fidelity Bank Plc, with donations payable to Awba-Ofemili Education Volunteers (Account No. 6060490921).
The Committee appealed to all supporters to use “HEALTH FUND” as the transfer narration so that contributions can be properly recorded and accounted for under the ADU Health Committee Health Fund.
Secretary of the ADU Health Committee, Mr. Cornelius Nwakonobi, emphasized that every contribution would make a meaningful impact.
“No donation is too small. Every contribution will support community health education, medical outreach, school health programmes, First Aid support, and preventive healthcare initiatives. Together, we can build a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Awba-Ofemili,” he stated.
The ADU Health Committee reaffirmed its commitment to working with government agencies, healthcare professionals, development organisations, the Nigerian Red Cross, community stakeholders, and the Awba-Ofemili diaspora to advance sustainable health interventions in the community.
For partnership enquiries, sponsorship, or additional information, interested organisations and individuals are encouraged to contact the ADU Health Committee Secretariat.
Broadcasting
NBC Files Fresh Appeal against Judgment Barring it from Imposing Fines on Broadcast Stations
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has filed an application seeking the permission of the court of appeal to file a fresh appeal against the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja barring it from imposing fines on erring broadcast stations.
In the application filed at the court of appeal in Abuja by Dapo Akinosun, counsel to the NBC, the commission argued sanity in Nigeria’s broadcasting sector is under threat and that the public interest would be better served if the court grants the application.
On January 17, 2024, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja, restrained the NBC from imposing a N5 million fine on broadcast stations sanctioned in 2022 over allegations of “undermining Nigeria’s national security by broadcasting documentaries on banditry in Nigeria”.
The affected broadcast stations were Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV; TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV); Trust-TV Network Limited; and NTA StarTimes Limited.
The suit was filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the NBC appealed the judgement filed an appeal at the court of appeal in Abuja.
In June, the court of appeal dismissed the commission’s appeal, holding that it was “fundamentally defective” and incompetent.
Jane Inyang, lead judge of the panel, held that the parties before the lower court were identified as “Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda (as applicant) and National Broadcasting Commission (as respondent)” but in the notice of appeal the purported appellant was described as the “Nigerian Broadcasting Commission”,
The judge held that the discrepancy was significant and that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the commission’s appeal.
In the application, the NBC urged the court to grant it leave to raise and argue a fresh issue on appeal relating to the legal capacity of MRA to institute and maintain the original suit before the lower court.
The commission argued that the defect in the earlier notice of appeal, which resulted in the dismissal of its appeal, arose “solely from an inadvertent misdescription” of its name by its lawyer.
The NBC told the court that the subsisting judgement raises questions on the commission’s statutory powers to regulate broadcasting and enforce compliance with broadcasting standards in Nigeria.
The commission argued that the subsisting judgment is capable of creating uncertainty regarding its regulatory powers if it is allowed to stand.
The NBC also argued that without the pronouncement by the appellate court on the issues raised in the appeal, its regulatory framework would be weakened.
“A weakened regulatory framework may embolden non-compliance with established broadcasting standards, thereby increasing the dissemination of false, misleading and unverified information capable of causing unnecessary public anxiety, panic and social unrest,” the NBC said.
“Absence of effective regulatory oversight may further encourage irresponsible broadcasting practices and the misuse of broadcast and digital media platforms by persons who deliberately publish sensational, inaccurate or inflammatory content to intimidate, harass or unduly influence individuals, institutions and public discourse.”
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