Broadcasting
E-Commerce: How Konga Saved My Family During the Peak of COVID-19
Nigeria has fared fairly well with the COVID-19 pandemic, especially when compared with its counterparts in other parts of the world and against the backdrop of some worrisome predictions which pegged the country’s shabby public health care system as a potential source of concern.
India, for instance, is battling a terrible resurgence of the pandemic while the UK and others are only just lifting some severe restrictions.
Till date, Nigeria has recorded a little over 2,000 deaths, which for a country of an estimated 180 million people, represents a very good figure. For many, divine providence is one of the reasons that Nigeria has remained fairly immune from the sad tales being told by other countries who have racked up huge casualties since the pandemic began its rampaging run across the globe. This is so because the Nigerian primary, secondary and tertiary health care systems, as highlighted earlier, fall short of the standards that obtain globally. Moreso, the predilection of many to flout basic preventive measures, such as wearing of face masks, observing social distance and improvement of personal hygiene is well known in this part of the world; with many Nigerians attending parties and other gatherings even at the height of the pandemic and the social status of the majority meaning that public transportation systems are often crammed with passengers and open air markets filled to the brim, with scant regard for the principles of physical distancing.
The foregoing, however, does not mean that we did not suffer some of the ravaging effects of the pandemic. A number of prominent Nigerians, many of them with underlying ailments, lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the efforts of some of the best hospitals in Nigeria and beyond to save them.
Many families also lost loved ones, especially after one or two of their members had the misfortune of contracting the dreaded virus.
The above would have been the fate of my family but we have Konga to thank for seeing us through one of the darkest periods of our life. One Tuesday morning in June 2020, we had woken up to my husband coughing and sneezing heavily. This was in the middle of the government-imposed lockdown. My husband and I, both white-collar professionals, had been taking stringent measures to guard against being infected with COVID-19. At the first hint of trouble, all our kids had been withdrawn from schools and were being home-schooled by their teachers virtually.
Also, my husband and I had started alternating the days we went to the office. Both of us, by virtue of our positions at our respective places of work, could not work from home totally. Therefore, we selected the days on which we went to work, which did not exceed thrice in a week. In addition, we made sure we strictly observed all laid-down measures to prevent infection. We even stopped our official drivers at the time in order to reduce the possibility of contracting the virus from exposure to them. Our home was fumigated and all visitors were barred.
So, when my husband woke up with that recurring cough and sneezes, we dismissed it as a potential case of common cold. However, when it got worse upon his return from the office that day, we feared the worst. Our fears were confirmed after a couple of days when his test result came back positive for COVID-19. Before then, I had started isolating myself and the kids from him, solely as a preventive measure but that seemed like a measure too late.
After three days, I lost all sense of taste and smell, which had also been identified by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as a symptom of COVID. Consequently, I submitted myself as well as our kids for sampling. Of the family of seven, five of us tested positive to the virus, leaving only two of the kids negative at the time.
It was a shattering discovery and one of the most depressing periods of my life. But we could not keep wallowing in self-pity. We had to take action. Immediately, my husband and I took the decision to protect the two kids who had managed to evade contracting the virus. One of our relatives who resided close by in Lekki had come to pick up the two kids after another round of tests which confirmed their negative status.
The next couple of weeks proved to be arguably the hardest and most nerve-racking I have faced as a mother and care-giver. We had reached out to the NCDC hotline to notify them of our status but we were told at the time that bed spaces at the isolation centres were a bit limited. Consequently, we were given a list of medications to be taken on a daily basis, while being asked to hold on for an update on our evacuation to the isolation centre.
But that was the beginning of our worries.
Barely 24 hours after discovering our positive COVID-19 status, a power surge wreaked havoc in the house, damaging the large TV set in the living room and a few other appliances. Our depression levels went up a notch as the TV set was one of our major sources of keeping up with developments in the outside world.
In view of our status, we could not risk going out to the markets in order to limit the chances of infecting others. Our supplies were running dangerously low, however, and we needed to replenish them. We also needed to get the medications recommended by the NCDC. The youngest member of the family, my two-year-old toddler, also had some special dietary needs and other requirements which we urgently needed to source.
Having being exposed to e-Commerce, my husband and I had reached out to one of the players in the market and explained our plight.
It seemed, however, that informing them of our COVID-19 status was a mistake. We were told by the agent who picked up the call that they would get back to us shortly. It was after we had waited nearly 18 hours without a feedback and placed another call – which was dropped abruptly after we repeated our request – that we realized we were in trouble.
At this stage, our little baby was almost down to the last tin of food and his diapers were already exhausted. He had resorted to crying for long hours. For the rest of the family, we were also on the verge of starvation. We could not get a family member or friend to source the items as news of our COVID-19 status had spread and many were keeping their distance from us, as was expected.
My husband and I were confused and at our wit’s end.
Suddenly, my husband had a brain-wave and recalled seeing a Konga advert on TV, urging Nigerians to stay safe by observing all laid-down COVID-19 preventive measures. I must confess, at this juncture, that prior to that moment, we had never shopped with Konga, even though a couple of our relatives had often talked up the company and their services.
My husband decided to take a chance and placed a call through to the Konga call centre after checking up the number online. The soothing but professional voice of the call centre representative at the other end of the line was a relief. Shelistened to our story and proceeded to reassure us that our request would be given special attention. The agent took down our orders which was a fairly long list. There were food supplies, diapers, disinfectants, antibiotics and other items for the baby, while the rest of the family required groceries, a bag of rice, FMCG products, cooking oil, a laptop for one of our kids, the medications recommended for us, as well as a new TV set to replace the damaged one and a UPS. She also took down our address and contact details.
Barely a few minutes afterwards, my husband’s phone rang again.
On the line was a young man who introduced himself as Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, co-CEO of Konga. He had proceeded to empathise with my husband over our condition and promised to personally deliver the items. We were dumbfounded! Even when we pressed to pay online due to the fear of being disappointed a second time, he assured us not to worry, adding that we can pay on delivery.
True to his words, Prince Ekeh called up my husband in the evening at about 6pm, notifying him that he was at our Ajah residence. Could this be true? We almost fell over ourselves in the rush to get outside. Outside, we saw a young man, fully kitted in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), complete with goggles and gloves, with a Konga-branded vehicle parked on our front porch. We were over the moon with delirium.
While keeping the recommended distance, he proceeded to drop all of the ordered items and handed over a delivery note which we cross-checked. All of the items we ordered were intact and Konga even added a free bottle of hand sanitizer to the items.
Never in my wildest imagination did I expect such quick, thoughtful and professional service from an e-Commerce company led by Nigerians. To cap it all, our needs were delivered by the CEO of the company! A lot of people are quick to write off Nigeria or Nigerians as good-for-nothing, but I am inspired to share this experience as a way of boldly declaring that right here in this country, there are people and corporate organizations delivering great service.
Before we allowed him leave, my husband, myself and the kids showered prayers on Prince Ekeh and Konga. It is hard for this business not to succeed as it is evident that Konga is blessed already.
Two weeks after that incident, my entire family started feeling better from the effects of the COVID-19. Two rounds of test afterwards, we were all certified negative and returned to our normal lives after welcoming back our two estranged kids.
I have followed the massive strides of Konga in the e-Commerce sector till date and I can see one of the best businesses to emerge out of Nigeria. Even with all that Konga is doing in the market today, I believe more is yet to come. Lest I forget, my entire family and I are loyal customers of Konga and I have also succeeded in converting most of my friends, colleagues and other relatives.
Without Konga, my family and I would have probably been victims of COVID-19. God will continue to lift this great company to bigger heights!
My very civilized man of God advised me to make this testimony public in appreciation of God’s favours and I am happy I have finally done this. I held back the family’s real name for privacy sake.
Mrs. X, a Chartered Accountant and mother of five, writes from Lagos
Nigeria has launched FreeTV, a broadcasting platform, designed to provide households across the country with free access to digital broadcasting, improved picture quality, and a wide range of local and international content without subscription fees.
The announcement was made in a post on the official X handle of the Presidency, describing the initiative as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusion, expanded access to opportunities, job creation, support for local enterprise and the use of technology to improve daily life for citizens.
According to the statement, FreeTV forms part of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme and is intended to ensure that no Nigerian is excluded as the country transitions fully from analogue to digital broadcasting.
The platform will offer access to more than 100 national, regional and state-owned channels, covering news, sports, films, music, children’s programming, educational content, as well as dedicated Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo language channels.
The Presidency noted that the service will be accessible through satellite, terrestrial transmission and a dedicated FreeTV mobile application, enabling coverage for users in urban centres, rural communities and previously underserved areas that were not fully captured in earlier DSO pilot phases.
It also clarified that Nigerians will not need to purchase new television sets to access the service. Existing televisions can work with compatible DVB-T2 or DVB-S2 decoders, while users with already compatible free-to-air devices may not require additional equipment.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Charles Ebuebu, director-general, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said the initiative reflects the administration’s broader digital inclusion strategy.
“FreeTV speaks directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of Renewed Hope towards expanding access, creating opportunity and ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, can benefit from the digital economy. With FreeTV, families across Nigeria can enjoy quality digital television without a monthly subscription, while our local content producers, technicians and young creatives gain new platforms and new jobs,” he said.
The statement added that the platform will also strengthen Nigeria’s creative and broadcast industry through regional production hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin, creating employment opportunities for content creators, editors, camera operators, sound engineers and other media professionals.
The Presidency further disclosed that the final analogue switch-off remains scheduled for December 31, 2028, urging Nigerians to begin preparations by confirming decoder compatibility and downloading the FreeTV mobile application ahead of rollout.
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s broadcasting industry have endorsed a hybrid digital broadcasting model that combines Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite services, and digital application-based platforms for the country’s Digital Switch Over (DSO) programme,
The resolution was reached at a high-level stakeholder meeting convened by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation at NICON Luxury Hotel, Abuja.
The meeting, chaired by Alhaji Mohammed Idris, minister of Information and National Orientation, brought together regulators, broadcasters, signal distributors, set-top box manufacturers, content producers, satellite operators, and industry associations to chart a sustainable path for Nigeria’s long-delayed digital migration project.
Addressing stakeholders during the closed-door engagement session, the minister described the meeting as a collaborative effort aimed at finding practical solutions to challenges facing the DSO project.
“This engagement is a family discussion aimed at finding practical solutions to ensure the success of the Digital Switch Over project. Government has no hidden agenda, and all decisions will be guided by national interest, stakeholder inclusion, and the long-term sustainability of the broadcasting industry,” he said.
The minister acknowledged concerns raised by industry players regarding stakeholder consultation and participation in previous phases of the project, noting that while broader engagement should ideally have commenced earlier, there remained an opportunity to build consensus and move forward together.
“While there may be differing views on implementation approaches, there is broad agreement that Nigeria must complete its digital migration journey. We must work collectively to achieve this national objective,” he stated.
Mr Charles Ebuebu, director general, NBC, described the stakeholder meeting as “iconic”, noting that it marked a turning point in Nigeria’s efforts to complete the digital migration.
He said the country had spent over a decade on the DSO journey, missing several deadlines, but expressed optimism that a clear implementation plan was now being developed.
Ebuebu said the commission, in collaboration with stakeholders, is working toward a sustainable model that ensures return on investment for industry players while delivering value to the nation.
He said that the outcome of the consultation process would produce a unified framework for implementation and communication going forward.
Mrs Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, managing director, Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), said the DSO initiative forms part of broader federal interventions aimed at building a sustainable broadcasting ecosystem.
She explained that government investments had supported satellite coverage, national call centres, and regional production studios across the country.
According to her, the objective is to address gaps in content distribution and ensure that Nigerian broadcasting reflects the country’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
“We are not departing from the original plan. We are innovating on how it is implemented,” she said.
She also highlighted efforts to expand access to production facilities across geopolitical zones to support content creators and reduce dependence on major urban centres.
The meeting attracted 128 participants, including the Director-General of the NBC; Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Dr. BRM Ukire; Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abdulhamid Dambos; Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr Olalekan Fadolapo; Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Chief Tony Akiotu; Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT Ltd, Mrs Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen; and representatives of licensed broadcasters and other industry stakeholders.
During deliberations, stakeholders agreed that the DSO project remains both necessary and desirable for Nigeria, emphasising that the transition should prioritise national interest, industry sustainability, local content development, local manufacturing, and job creation.
Among the key resolutions reached was the affirmation that Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) remains a critical component of the DSO framework and should not be discontinued. Participants also agreed on the need to reconstitute the DigiTeam implementation platform to provide a structured mechanism for consultation, collaboration, and industry participation.
Stakeholders further called for stronger engagement between regulators and industry players, with an agreement that stakeholder meetings would be held at least quarterly to ensure continuous alignment on implementation strategies.
The meeting also welcomed ongoing efforts by the NBC and ARCON to develop a sustainable business model aimed at improving audience measurement systems, strengthening advertising revenue generation, and enhancing the long-term viability of broadcasting organisations.
In addition, stakeholders were assured by NIGCOMSAT of the reliability of satellite infrastructure supporting the DSO platform.
The company disclosed that backup arrangements with alternative satellite operators were already in place to guarantee uninterrupted service and eliminate the need for subscriber dish realignment.
As part of the agreed next steps, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Information and National Orientation, will reconstitute the DigiTeam stakeholder platform, while the NBC will continue consultations with set-top box manufacturers and other industry stakeholders to address concerns relating to existing investments and future participation in the digital broadcasting ecosystem.
The stakeholders expressed confidence that the renewed collaborative approach would accelerate Nigeria’s digital migration, improve broadcasting services, expand audience reach, attract investment, create jobs, and deliver greater value to Nigerian consumers.
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.
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