Broadcasting
OMG Winds Up Nigerian Idol Season 5 Nationwide Auditions

Franchise owners of Nigerian Idol, Optima Media Group (OMG) have announced the conclusion of the nationwide auditions for the leading TV music reality show which commenced a month ago in Benin City, Edo State.
This is coming following the successful staging last weekend of the last leg of the auditions at the company’s Dream Studios, Bamako Estate, adjacent Omole Phase 1.
The Nigerian Idol auditions train berthed in five designated Nigerian cities between January 10 and February 9, accompanied by the celebrity judges, the trio of Afrobeat sensation and Delta-born, DedeMabiaku, renowned vocalist and Singer, Yinka Davies and R’n’B Hit maker, Dare ‘Art’ Alade alongside Show Presenter and AOP, Illsrhymz.
The auditions presented windows of opportunities for first-hand assessment of the thousands of youths with music talents who had thronged the respective venues to compete for places in the next phase of the competition.
A total of 100 most outstanding contestants will be pooled from the auditions.
After series of group performances to be hosted in Lagos, this number will further be pruned down towards arriving at the last final twelve.
“It was not a surprise to see the hundreds and thousands of immensely talented youngsters that turned up at the centres. We are glad to have created for them a global platform to showcase their music potentials,” stated Ugochi Pedro, executive director, OMG.
A remarkable highlight of the auditions was the award of flight ticket by the judges to AmehIgiri, a contestant at the Abuja auditions.
The 24 years-old Ediba native, in Cross River State had failed to scale the first screening hurdle at the Port Harcourt auditions a week earlier.
Spurred on by some quiet confidence and sheer resilience, she travelled from her residence in Enugu State to the Abuja auditions courtesy of a friend who picked up the bill.
Ame was also the first contestant at the Abuja auditions to be awarded a Golden Ticket by the judges, thus making her one of the top 100 contestants for the top 12 slots.
The Golden Ticket is usually awarded to any exceptional talent identified by the judges in a unanimous decision.
There were about 30 golden tickets won from the five auditions centres
The auditions were designed as multi-layered screening process beginning with opening registration of participants on the first day followed thereafter by the first round of screening to determine the most outstanding talents from the lot who were then madeto have scheduled performances before the judges in batches.
Nigerian Idol is in its fifth season after a successful debut in 2010 won by YekaOnka. In the following years which saw the emergence of Mercy Chinwo, Moses Adigwe and Zebili Evelyn (Evelle), it has grown in popularity and followership on the basis of the unique platforms it offers to young Nigerians with exceptional music talent.
It is the only music TV reality show in Nigeria with a global appeal that currently cuts across 46 countries.
Nigerian Idol focuses on discovering Nigerian youths with talent in music and giving them a unique platform to take shots at stardom.
The eventual winner goes home with N7.5 million cash reward, a brand new car, a recording deal worth N7.5 million and some high-end devices.
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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