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Nigeria’s Burna Boy, Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz Lead the Pack in MAMA Kampala 2021

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The second list of nominees for the upcoming MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 (MAMA) on 20 February spotlights Nigeria’s Burna Boy and Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz who top the list with three nominations each.

Five talented African musicians – Innoss’B, Master KG, Nomcebo Zikode, Simi, and Wizkid – also topped the second nominees list with two awards each.

Consistent to previous MAMAs, category announcements are phased over several weeks in lead up to the main event on 20 February. The six categories in total announced in the second round of nominations comprise – Best Collaboration, Best Alternative, Best Fan Base Award, Best International Act, Personality of the Year and Song of the Year.

The remaining three categories – the MAMA Legend Award, the Video of the Year Award and the MAMA Generation Change Award – will be revealed on the night of the MAMA Kampala 2021.

Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager at ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) said, “Congratulations to all our nominees who have been recognised as we build up to the MAMA Kampala 2021 virtual awards ceremony. African artists deserve the recognition and must be celebrated for their commitment and dedication in driving the power of creativity and music to inspire the youth on the continent to take African culture to the world.”

For the category of Best Collaboration, Burna Boy was nominated twice, for his song ‘Monsters You Made’, with global artist Chris Martin, and with South Africa’s Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode for ‘Jerusalema Remix’.

Diamond Platnumz also made this list with his collaboration with Innoss’B, ‘Yope Remix’. Other nominees in this category include Yemi Alade and Angelique Kidjo for ‘Shekere,’ Wizkid and H.E.R. for ‘Smile,’ and ‘Already’ by Beyoncé, Shatta Wale and Major Lazer.

The Best Alternative category features some of the continent’s most successful alternative artists, including Nigeria’s Adekunle Gold and Simi; Ami Faku, who hails from South Africa; Ghana’s Amaarae; AfrotroniX from Chad and Kenya’s Matata.

The most highly contested category is the Song of the Year, which features 12 nominees in total, including artists from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

Equally a heated contest category is the Best Fan Base Award which features a diversity of 10 nominations across the continent from eight countries to compete for fan favourite.

“Uganda, the Pearl of Africa, is excited to bring the best of Africa’s musical talent to the world,” noted The Honourable Godfrey Kiwanda, State Minister for Tourism Uganda. “It is an honour to be part of the MAMA Kampala 2021 and support its commitment to the growth of African music. This is also a great opportunity for Uganda to share its heritage and culture beyond music to its people, landscapes, wildlife and history.”

The nominees are selected by the MAMA Kampala 2021 Academy, an esteemed group of music industry, opinion formers and tastemakers from across the African continent who are tasked with selecting the very best of African talent who have received airplay on MTV Base over the previous year. In addition, the nominees they select must bring Africa’s culture, music and pulse to a global audience and serve as an inspiration to the youth.

Voting for MAMA KAMPALA 2021 is open at www.mtvmama.com, and affiliated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Voting in all categories closes on 31 January 2021.

The MTV Africa Music Awards Kampala 2021 will be broadcast on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) and MTV Africa (DStv Channel 130) on Saturday 20 February 2021 at 20:00 WAT / 21:00 CAT / 22:00 EAT. The show will also be aired on MTV channels across multiple continents as a one-hour MAMA-themed MTV World Stage feature.


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Broadcasting

Showmax Unlocks Easier Payments for Nigerian Subscribers via Baxi

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Showmax, Africa’s leading streaming service, has expanded its payment options in Nigeria through a partnership with Baxi by Onafriq, giving customers an easier and more convenient way to subscribe and stay connected to world-class streaming entertainment.

Started Monday, 22 December 2025, existing Showmax customers can log into the Baxi by Onafriq app, select and pay for any of Showmax plans including: Showmax Entertainment Mobile, Showmax Entertainment (All Devices), Showmax Premier League Mobile, Showmax Entertainment (All Devices) + Premier League Mobile, Showmax Entertainment Mobile + Premier League Mobile.

This update allows customers to complete their entire subscription process within the Baxi app, delivering a more efficient payment experience.

Alternatively, existing customers with verified mobile numbers can top up their Baxi by Onafriq app or through its Baxi POS agent device to load funds directly into their Showmax account. These funds can then be used to pay for a Showmax plan.

For new customers, subscribing is also seamless. After creating a Showmax account on their mobile device, they will receive an OTP via SMS or WhatsApp, which allows them to verify their mobile number and immediately return to the app to top up and activate their subscription.

Speaking on the announcement, Tope Oshunkeye, Executive Head of Marketing, West Africa, MultiChoice, said: “With these new payment options from Baxi by Onafriq, we are making streaming on Showmax more accessible, allowing our customers to pay quickly and securely through a trusted financial service provider. This is a significant step forward in our mission to deliver world-class streaming experiences for our customers”.

“This launch is about making entertainment access seamless,” said Mxolisi Msutwana, Managing Director, Anglophone West Africa, Onafriq. “By automating the renewal process, we are not only providing greater convenience for customers but also helping to drive the adoption of digital payments across Nigeria.”

With more people turning to digital services, Showmax is doubling down on its commitment to make it affordable and effortless for customers to access and stream the stories they love. By partnering with Baxi by Onafriq, a popular agent and digital payment network, Showmax is meeting subscribers where they already are.

Showmax, launched in 2015 and available in more than 40 markets across the continent, is a leading African streaming service. It offers a unique combination of original African content, first and exclusive international series, popular movies, premium documentaries and the best kids’ shows, plus a mobile-only product to watch the Premier League.

Onafriq is an omnichannel network of networks, making borders matter less by providing our partners with a single pathway to unlock the full power of cross-border and cross-platform payment solutions. With a network spanning 43 African markets, Onafriq connects over 1 billion mobile money wallets, 500 million bank accounts, and over 400,000 agents in Nigeria, enabling domestic and cross-border disbursements and collections, card issuing and processing, agency banking, and treasury services.

In Nigeria, Onafriq operates as a B2B payments enabler with an extensive agency banking network through its flagship product, Baxi. Baxi connects over 400,000 agents nationwide, offering essential financial services such as bill payments, airtime and data purchases, funds transfers, cash-in and cash-out transactions, and more, driving financial inclusion and providing seamless access to digital financial services for millions.

 


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DStv Offers Instant Package Upgrade for Customers from January to February

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DStv has launched a new campaign tagged “We Got You”, aimed at giving customers more entertainment value at the start of the year without additional cost.

DStv Offers Instant Package Upgrade for Customers from January to February

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The campaign, which runs from January 1 to February 28, 2026, allows subscribers who pay for their current package in full to enjoy an automatic upgrade to the next DStv package.

The initiative is designed to ease the pressure that often comes with January, a period marked by school resumption, tighter budgets and increased household demands.

Through the offer, DStv is rewarding customer loyalty by unlocking more channels, stories, sports, children’s content, local productions and international programmes at no extra charge.

Speaking on the campaign, Tope Oshunkeye, Executive Head of Marketing, West Africa, MultiChoice, said, “We want our customers to step into the year feeling valued.

“When you buy your package, we upgrade you because you deserve more. This is our way of bringing extra excitement, choice and convenience into your home.”

According to DStv, the offer is open to existing subscribers who remain active during the promotion period, customers who reconnect their decoders, and new subscribers who join between January 1 and February 28.

Under the offer, subscribers who pay for DStv Yanga will be upgraded to DStv Confam, Confam customers will receive DStv Compact, Compact subscribers will be upgraded to Compact Plus, while Compact Plus customers will enjoy access to DStv Premium.

The upgrade applies only to decoder viewing, and subscribers will revert to their original packages at the end of the promotion period.


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FIRS Transforms into NRS as Nigeria Ushers in New Tax Era

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Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has officially given way to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), signalling a pivotal shift in the country’s revenue administration framework as the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 takes full effect from January 1, 2026.

FIRS Transforms into NRS as Nigeria Ushers in New Tax Era

NRS


President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the landmark legislation in June 2025, alongside a comprehensive package of tax reforms designed to streamline compliance, expand the tax net and bolster federal revenue for critical infrastructure and social services.

At a colourful ceremony in Abuja on December 30, 2025, NRS Executive Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, unveiled the agency’s new logo and corporate identity, describing it as a beacon of modernisation and efficiency.

Adedeji, who doubles as the pioneer helmsman, stated that the fresh branding embodies “a renewed commitment to a unified, service-driven revenue system” in line with global standards and Nigeria’s economic aspirations.

“The new identity underscores continuity in mandate, enhanced capacity and proactive taxpayer support, fostering trust and shared prosperity,” he added, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Dare Adekanmbi.

The NRS emergence caps decades of advocacy for tax overhaul, repealing the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 and vesting the new body with broader powers for revenue assessment, collection and accountability.

Judicial hurdles were cleared when an FCT High Court dismissed suits seeking to stall implementation, paving the way for the four key Acts — Nigeria Revenue Service, Tax Administration, Nigeria Tax and Joint Revenue Board — to roll out seamlessly.

Despite pockets of controversy, including claims of bill alterations, the Budget Office affirmed the laws’ authenticity, prioritising fiscal stability and investor confidence.

For ordinary Nigerians and enterprises, the NRS promises simplified processes, digital innovations and reduced red tape to ease compliance burdens while curbing evasion.

Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Chairman, Mrs Aderonke Atoyebi, reassured that core values of integrity, fairness and professionalism persist, with staff nationwide driving the transition.

Industry watchers anticipate a surge in non-oil revenue, crucial as Nigeria navigates global headwinds, with the NRS positioned to elevate the tax-to-GDP ratio through transparent engagement.


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