Broadcasting
Principal Photography Begins on SHIJUWOMI

Filming on SHIJUWOMI, a post colonial cinematic adaptation of Rasheed Gbadamosi’s book, Behold My Redeemer has began, under the stylish direction of Niji Akanni (Aramotu, Heroes and Zeroes), an award winning theatre/TV/film director and screenwriter.
When a pampered girl, Shijuwomi, who has travelled to England to study attempts suicide, prompting the decision to repatriate her home. At home, she is moved to an institution where she meets Dr. Ilori, a lecturer in Anthropology who eventually marries her.
The marriage does not however provide the desired harmony and succor as Shijuwomi and Ilori are on a parallel scale in terms of pursuing their interests, forcing her to make another suicidal attempt.
Emotive, Intriguing and Thrilling, SHIJUWOMI is riddled with love and conflict from start to finish. It is a cerebral metaphor for Nigeria as a nation state and many African countries whose dreams of Utopia after freedom from colonial powers have all but evaporated, leaving behind hopelessness and frustration.
Rounding out the cast are rising female actress, Judith Audu as the titular Shijuwomi, veteran actors, Ayo Lijadu and Bimbo Manuel, and a host of other acting talent, including Femi Adebayo, Olu Okekanye, Tina Mba, Jude Chukwuka etc,.
Niji Akanni, who has been described by commentators as Nigeria’s own Akira Kurosawa is the director. Akanni has written many award-winning films including Dangerous Twins and Playing Games, Saving Alero and Narrow Path. He has also featured as Director in many Reality TV shows in Nigeria – Amstel Malta Box Office (Season One, 2005), Big Brother Nigeria (2006) and The Apprentice Africa (2008).
With films like Abobaku, Aramotu, which won Best Feature Film at the Africa International Film Festival (AIFF) in 2011, Heroes and Zeroes, a 2012 flick starring Nadia Buari, Bimbo Manuel and Olu Jacobs which was nominated in 6 categories at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards, winning awards for Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Editing and earning him an Official Selection in the video category at FESPACO 2013, Niji Akanni looks set to deliver another cinematic masterpiece.
Adapted for the screen by the trio of Prof. Ola Rotimi, Dr. Femi Olugbile and Bayo Awala, the man behind the project, Awala is neither new to adaptations nor directing.
As a filmmaker, he acquired a lot of experience at the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, where he directed such successful drama series as Village Headmaster, as well as independently produced series such as Winds against My Soul, Adio Family, By the Road Side, The Turning Wheel, The Young Ones, Jagua Nana’s Daughter, Tight Rope, Trauma and Doctors Quarters.
In 2005, Awala directed the award winning political thriller, Prince of the Savannah, written by Yinka Ogun and starred Tunde Laniyan, Sam Loco Efe, Teni Aofiyebi, and Chidi Ukwu, who won the Best Actor Award at the ZUMA Film Festival 2011 for his role in the movie.
“This project has been in the works for over two decades. I have always being fascinated with this story since I first directed it on stage in 1969. Its thematic relevance, the tempo-spatial canvass against which the narrative plays out and an opportunity to increase the volume of works adapted from our rich literary traditions are some of the reasons why we have decided to showcase this piece,” Awala said.
Renowned economist and accomplished art collector, Chief Rasheed Abiodun Gbadamosi serves as Executive Producer for this project. Gbadamosi is the author of many short stories and plays for radio, television and the theatre, including Tree Grows in the Desert, Behold my Redeemer, Echoes from the Lagoon, and Sunset over Nairobi, which won first prize in Radio Netherlands Golden Windmill short story competition.
SHIJUWOMI has received support from the Nigerian government’s Nollywood interventionist project; ProjectActNollywood’s Film Production Fund (FPF) and is being produced with the active collaboration of Ogun State Government.
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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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