General News
Access Bank Brings Africa to Lagos For BAFEST 2018
Access Bank, One of Nigeria’s foremost financial institutions, on December 16, 2018, celebrated the maiden edition of the Born in Africa Festival (BAFEST).
The festival which was held at the Eko Atlantic City, had over 25,000 people in attendance.
Social media has been abuzz with tweets and pictures from fans at the venue.
Over 300,000 tweets and Instagram posts were shared between 12 noon on Sunday 16th and 4am on Monday 17th reaching over 3 Million individuals with the #BAFEST2018 and #BorninAfricaFest hashtags.
Attendees were treated to about 19 hours of non-stop quality African-themed entertainment, with art exhibitions, fashion shows, film screenings, and all culminating in a jaw-dropping music and runway infused concert!
Art lovers admired contemporary artworks exhibited by some of Africa’s most talented visual artists; Tolu Aliki, Uche Edochie, Ibe Ananaba, Isaac Emokpae, Olumide Onadipe, and Obi Chigozie.
At the creative park, enthusiastic fashion lovers were not left out, as there were cutting edge styles on display from designers like Torlowei, Tiffany Amber, Blingshiki and David Tlale.
20 intriguing short films were screened throughout the day, as film lovers sat comfortably in the BAFEST screening room.
BAFEST 2018 was a great avenue for networking, as friends reconnected and families bonded over food and drinks from the food court, games, exhibitions, and much more.
One of the spectacular highlights of the night was the aerial drummers’ performance which featured 10 drummers and an aerial dancer suspended 150 feet above the ground level.
The stunning opener to the concert was a sight to remember, as attendees were left astounded.
Another major highlight of the night was the giveaway by Kia Motors, as a brand new Kia was given to a lucky attendee.
The attendee, who participated in the BAFEST treasure hunt, was presented with the keys to her brand new car at the festival.
Falz the Bahd Guy opened the show with an energetic performance of his hit songs, as supermodels simultaneously blazed the stage with designs by South Africa’s David Tlale.
The rollercoaster of performances had only just taken off when Olamide, Kizz Daniel, Yemi Alade, Congo’s finest, Awilo Longomba, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, D’Banj and South Africa’s Sho Madjozi took guests on a journey with their energetic performances.
The renowned international dancer and choreographer, Diddi Emah flew in from the U.S to thrill fans with titillating dance routines.
Diddi, who had previously worked with Beyonce, Missy Elliot, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar and other international stars, expressed how excited she was to be performing at one of Africa’s biggest festivals and thanked the awesome crowd for the warm reception.
Hosts of the festival, Shody the Turnup King and the Real Energy Gad Do2dtun, did a fantastic job getting the crowd hyped from the beginning of the show till the end. DJ Crowd Kontroller was on the wheels of steel.
In his closing remarks at the festival, Livespot’s Executive Creative Director, Darey Art Alade thanked everyone for attending and announced that the world should look forward to a bigger 2019 edition.
He also showed appreciation to Access Bank for establishing and supporting the Born in Africa Festival, while also thanking other supporting sponsors, Tiger Beer, Pepsi, Martell, Eko Atlantic, and Kia Motors.
Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director and CEO, Access Bank, closed the event, saying, “We at Access Bank have always been committed to driving innovation, supporting creative talents, and retelling the African story.
“It is time we let the world know that there is so much to celebrate in Africa.
“Born in Africa Festival is one of the ways of demonstrating our commitment and we are glad it was a huge success.”
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a forward-looking strategy that places satellite-enabled mobile connectivity at the heart of the country’s drive to bridge its long-standing coverage gaps.
The draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector for 2025 to 2030 lays out how satellite technologies could help deliver reliable voice and data services to millions of Nigerians who live beyond the reach of conventional mobile networks.
The direction is outlined in the Commission’s draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector covering the period.
The proposed approach highlights non-terrestrial networks as a complement to existing mobile infrastructure, especially in areas where terrain, insecurity, or high costs limit the deployment of base stations.
The NCC said D2D satellite technology, which allows standard mobile phones to connect directly to satellites, is gaining traction globally as a means of delivering voice and data services without reliance on ground towers.
According to the regulator, the technology could help close persistent coverage gaps in rural, riverine, and border communities that remain outside the reach of conventional networks.
It also noted that satellite-backed connectivity could improve network reliability by providing alternative links during fibre cuts, power failures, or other disruptions affecting terrestrial systems.
The Commission added that wider adoption of D2D services could support emergency communications, public safety operations, Internet of Things applications, and services such as smart agriculture in underserved regions.
It also pointed to potential investment opportunities through partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, including more efficient use of shared spectrum resources.
Beyond D2D services, the roadmap places emphasis on Low-Earth Orbit satellites to expand broadband access to remote parts of the country.
It also proposes better utilisation of Geostationary Orbit satellites and the exploration of high-altitude platforms, such as stratospheric balloons, to support mobile backhaul and rural connectivity.
The policy signals come shortly after Airtel Africa announced an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink-powered direct-to-cell services in Nigeria.
The NCC’s roadmap is expected to shape future spectrum allocation, licensing decisions, and technology adoption across the telecommunications sector.
General News
House of Reps Releases Certified Copies of Tax Reform Acts amid Gazette Discrepancy Claims
House of Representatives has released certified true copies of the four tax reform Acts signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, addressing public concerns over alleged discrepancies between legislative versions and circulated gazetted documents.
Tax Reform Acts
House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, disclosed this in a statement, noting that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas directed the immediate publication of the Acts—including endorsement and presidential assent pages—for public verification, in collaboration with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The move followed allegations raised by Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki on the House floor, highlighting inconsistencies between Bills passed by the National Assembly and executive gazetted versions, which he warned could erode legislative integrity and public trust.
Abbas constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee chaired by Rep. Aliyu Betara, with members including Idris Wase, Sada Soli, Adedeji Faleke, Igariwey Iduma, Fred Agbedi and Babajimi Benson, to investigate the alleged alterations, unauthorised circulation and preventive measures.
The committee’s mandate includes probing circumstances around the discrepancies, while Abbas ordered internal verification and public release of certified copies to dispel doubts and safeguard legislative records. Legal experts, tax professionals and civil society had demanded clarification and implementation suspension amid heated debates triggered by Dasuki’s intervention.
The released laws comprise the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; National Revenue Service Establishment Act, 2025; and Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act, 2025, described as foundational to modernising Nigeria’s tax system.
These reforms aim to enhance compliance, curb inefficiencies, eliminate overlaps and bolster fiscal coordination across federal, state and local tiers, following extensive stakeholder consultations, committee reviews and plenary debates under Abbas’s leadership.
Rotimi reassured Nigerians: “The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory. Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway.”
He emphasised that only National Assembly-certified versions hold authority, urging the public, institutions and stakeholders to disregard all other circulating documents as unofficial.
MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has retained the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels following the signing of a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership.
MultiChoice
The new deal, which spans several regions across Africa and Europe, covers the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of selected Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels. It represents a major milestone in the companies’ international collaboration and strengthens content offerings across MultiChoice Group territories.
MultiChoice disclosed that this agreement builds on earlier partnerships concluded in Europe. “It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024,including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ group offers – as well as in Poland in 2025, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels (including TVN 24 and Eurosport) and 4 free-to-air channels (including TVN).”
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice Group will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with some channels offered on an exclusive basis. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa while being distributed non-exclusively in other markets. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique and non-exclusive elsewhere. Other channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, ID and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis.
According to the partners, the deal reinforces CANAL+ Group’s channel portfolio on the continent. “This agreement enables CANAL+ Group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets.”
The agreement is also expected to improve access for CANAL+ Group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium content through HBO Max and selected channels, including globally recognised series and films, further extending the studio’s international reach while consolidating MultiChoice’s content offering in key markets.
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