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Nigerian Idol: Kingdom, Francis Begin Race To Final Showdown As Akunna Bows Out

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Sunday night’s show was as special as it was emotional for fans and viewers of the Nigerian Idol Season 6 show.

The show kicked off with a lively performance of Bruno Mars’ “24K Magic” by the top 8 contestants – Beyonce, Comfort, Clinton, Daniel, Dotun, Emmanuel, Faith Jason and Faith Mac – who were eliminated at different stages in the competition.

All eight of them displayed great chemistry as they performed to the delight of viewers and the judges who gave them a standing ovation.

And then it was time for the business of the day. The viewing public clearly put in the work this past week with over 11 million votes recorded.

The first person confirmed as part of the Top Two was Kingdom, who struggled to contain his emotions.

The fans had also chosen to save Francis Atela, who heaved a huge sigh of relief. It was, sadly, the end of the road for Akunna, the 23-year-old entertainment lawyer who was the last girl standing in the competition.

Akunna was described by the veteran music producer Cobhams Asuquo as “a powerful singer”. Kingdom praised her work rate and performance ability, while DJ Sose noted that she had awesome stage presence.

For her farewell performance, she covered Adele’s hit single “Set Fire To The Rain”, with vocal assistance from the live band.

The top two contestants were each mandated to perform three songs. Kingdom’s first performance of the night was a soulful cover of A Great Big World’s “Say Something”. Seyi Shay described it as “perfect”, and Obi Asika lauded the confidence on display.

Francis Atela, whose voice was described by Obi Asika as a “lethal weapon”, opted for John Legend’s “So High” as his first song for the night. DJ Sose described it as “emotive”.

For the second round of performances, Kingdom went with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight”, which he described as the song which he enjoyed covering the most during the course of the season.

Obi Asika appeared overly delighted, and DJ Sose seemed pretty pleased with what he heard.

Francis Atela was more than happy to hand in another performance of Bryan Adams’ classic “Please Forgive Me.” DJ Sose noted that he didn’t walk the stage enough, but Obi Asika commented on how he “owned the song”.

Kingdom’s final performance of the night was a cover of Bruno Mars’ 2010 hit “Just The Way You Are.” Seyi Shay found it difficult to contain her excitement, and Obi Asika acknowledged the growth in his performance and stage presence.

Francis Atela closed out proceedings with a high-pitched rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing”. Obi Asika commended him for his unique spin on the classic, and DJ Sose found no fault with the performance.

It’s the final voting week, and the power to determine who emerges the winner of this competition is solely in the hands of the viewers.

Voting on Nigerian Idol is via the website, mobile site, MyDStv, and MyGOtv apps and via SMS on participating networks – Airtel, MTN, and 9mobile. Voting ends on Thursday, July 8, 2021.


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MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

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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.

MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

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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IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

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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 Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World's Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

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.


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NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

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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.

NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers 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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