Broadcasting
AFRIMA Demands Justice For Slain AKA; Urges Governments In Africa To Protect Music Stars
The International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), has implored governments of African countries to arrest the growing cases of violent deaths against music stars on the continent just as it urged the South African authorities to expedite the process of prosecution of the killers of rapper Kiernan Forbes popularly known as AKA.
AFRIMA recalls that the 35-year-old AKA was killed in a cold-blooded shooting on February 10, 2023, at a nightclub in Durban, South Africa and the awards body is demanding that everyone linked to his gruesome murder be expeditiously brought to justice.
President and Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mike Dada, in a statement, said governments of African nations must make deliberate efforts to prevent violent attacks against music talents, averring that the disturbing trend could potentially erode the gains recorded in the creative industry over the years if not checked.
Dada said the murder of AKA is a wake-up call to governments across the continent to scale up their security architecture to encourage the protection of talented individuals. He suggested that efforts should be sustained to checkmate the proliferation of small arms especially.
AFRIMA said the senseless killing of AKA utterly hurts African creative space, insisting that South African authorities must arrest and prosecute everyone involved in the dastardly act.
“We strongly demand from the government of South Africa to arrest and prosecute all the persons involved in the killing of AKA to serve as a deterrent to criminally-minded individuals who cut short the lives of talents at their prime. The crime deterrent is for criminals to know that there is a big chance for them to be arrested, prosecuted and convicted; we strongly call for justice to be sufficiently served in this case.
“However, this is also a call to the governments of various countries across the continent of Africa to react to this gruesome killing by addressing the challenge of the proliferation of small arms. The trend of arms proliferation in Africa has had an impact on the continent’s internal security, which has led to violence and the deaths and injury of thousands of innocent citizens including our music stars and we encourage steps that will lead to the protection of the lives of our talented stars.
“Our ideals include using the platform of AFRIMA to promote the strength of Africa and tell a positive story of the continent and we believe we can tackle poverty, inequality, unemployment, climate change and other challenges bedeviling our dear continent through music but the lives of creative talents should be protected to fully realise these lofty dreams,” he said.
Similarly, speaking on AKA’s killing, AFRIMA’s Country Director, South Africa, Lekunutu Seboko, said the government of the country must back up its promises and assurances with concrete action by solving the murder case in good time. He believes bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book will deepen the trust and belief in a better future for not only the music stars in the country but all South Africans, where they can feel safe and secure in their homes and communities.
“AKA’s sudden death is a deeply disturbing tragedy and development in South African music; the ghastly manner of his death has had international reverberations and our government must endeavour to bring his assailants to book to prove to the world that we indeed operate a system that uplifts justice and sanity.
“Undoubtedly, the African music landscape is diminished by his untimely death; but it is now the responsibility of South African authorities to ensure that justice prevails. We understand that some arrests have been made, but the process of bringing everyone connected to his death to book must be swift because justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.
AFRIMA also reacted to the sudden death of another South African rapper Costa Titch who died in March while performing on stage.
Dada said the invaluable contributions of Costa Stitch, whose real name was Constantinos Tsobanoglou, and AKA to Africa’s creative and music ecosystem would be sorely missed.
He added that African music was yet to come to terms with the sudden demise of the two great artists, describing them as true musical giants whose incredible songs and voices touched countless lives.
He added that AKA set the bar high for South African hip-hop just as Costa Titch took it up a notch and the two superstars collectively and collaboratively projected African music and culture on the world stage with many songs they did together.
He added that the two music icons were prominent figures in the AFRIMA community, recalling that AKA was a winner while Costa Titch won multiple nominations.
Dada said: “The deaths of AKA and Costa Titch will continue to cause significant reverberations across the African music fraternity because their contributions to the art were simply magical. Their music, messages, and successes gave hope to young Africans mired in poverty, violence, and uncertainty. Their works did not only elevate the hip-hop genre to the mainstream of South African music but impacted the global music audience in a manner that deepened the acceptance of African music and culture on a large scale.
“Their losses are personal to us in AFRIMA because they have been part of our journey. We recall that AKA won the Best African Collaboration award in the 2015 edition of AFRIMA for his effort on ‘All Eyes on Me’ which features Burna Boy, Da LES and others, while Costa Titch got a historic six nominations in the recently held 2022 edition. The greatness of their crafts is still being acknowledged even in their graves.
“We are still sombre and sad about their sudden departures. They inspired the whole of our continent; full of faith, courage, and strength, they have left a huge void in the music industry and their invaluable contributions to the African music ecosystem would be missed forever.”
Broadcasting
CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” crosses the billion-stream mark on Spotify: A global icon, rooted in Africa
Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer CKay has officially surpassed one billion streams on Spotify with his breakout hit Love Nwantiti, making him one of the few African artists to reach this milestone and the first Nigerian solo act to do so.
Ckay
The rise of the emotional Afrobeats anthem
Originally an early hit when it dropped in 2019, “Love Nwantiti” (released on CKay’s EP – CKay the First) began as a slow-burn masterpiece that captured a global audience. The song broke out by blending the grooving rhythm of Afrobeats with an emotional feeling and an entrancing melody, a sound CKay himself pioneered and coined as “Emo-Afrobeats,” fusing African rhythms with raw, heartfelt emotion.
The song, which translates to “sweet gentle love” in the Igbo language, communicates an intense desire for a love interest. Its journey from a homegrown Nigerian track to a cultural sensation fueled by countless dance challenges, social virality, and international remixes is proof of the widespread power of its sound. The song remains a fixture on playlists globally, with over 3.9 million playlist adds and sustained streaming momentum across continents.
A solo milestone, a global legacy
Love Nwantiti’s sustained global appeal is undeniable: in the last 28 days alone, listeners from the United States , India,, Indonesia, Brazil , and the United Kingdom continue to press play, proof of the track’s staying power well beyond its viral peak.
This achievement places CKay in an elite group of African artists with billion-stream records on Spotify, which includes hits driven by collaborations with Nigerian artists, such as Drake’s One Dance (featuring Wizkid and Kyla), Future’s Wait For U (featuring Drake and Tems), and Rema’s Calm Down (featuring Selena Gomez), and solo song Water, by Tyla.
CKay achieved this historic mark with a solo, non-collaborative lead release by a Nigerian artist. This distinction highlights his unique vision and singular impact as both a writer and performer, making him a true torchbearer for the new generation of African music talent.
“Love Nwantiti” is more than a viral hit; it is a cultural reset. Demonstrating the rich storytelling and emotional depth of his sound, CKay didn’t just break borders, he built a powerful bridge for the global crossover of authentic African music, proving its resonance on the global stage.
CKay’s success is a signal for the future of African music on the global stage. Let us know if you’d like more on CKay’s journey or the song’s global streaming story.
Broadcasting
Global South Alliance Launches $72,000 Datafication and Democracy Fund to Support 2026 Research Projects
The Global South Alliance, a coalition of 26 digital rights organizations, launched today the second edition of the “Datafication and Democracy Fund” on December 9.
Global South Alliance
The Fund will provide more US$ 72,000 to support research and advocacy projects focused on datafication and democracy to be implemented in 2026.
The Datafication and Democracy Fund was launched during the fourth edition of the Data Privacy Global Conference, organized in São Paulo, Brazil. The Global South Alliance is jointly managed by Data Privacy Brasil, Aapti Institute, and Paradigm Initiative.
The members are Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, Bolo Bhi, Center for Communication and Governance, CIPESA, Derechos Digitales, Digital Rights Foundation, Dukingire Isi Yacu, Internet Bolivia, Pollicy, Research ICT Africa, Fundación Multitudes, InternetLab, Thraets, Jokkolabs Banjul, Aláfia Lab, Centre for Policy Alternatives, KICTANET, Tech Global Institute, Freedom Forum, TEDIC, Digital Access, Center for AI and Tech Innovation for Democracy and Masaar.
The call for proposals is open to non-profit, non-governmental organizations based in the Global South working on digital rights and related public policy issues. Previously supported organizations have addressed topics such as online child protection, data governance in electoral processes, biometric technologies in stadiums and large events, mandatory biometric data collection of migrants, and discriminatory surveillance and datafication practices.
According to the launch announcement, the Datafication and Democracy Fund “aims to finance research and public policy analysis projects that address critical questions arising from the impact of datafication on democracy.” The Alliance emphasizes that “datafication is a deep and complex process of social transformation: it shapes the provision of public services mediated by information technologies, the emergence of digital public infrastructures, the data-driven nature of elections, the reconfiguration of markets and platforms, and many aspects of civic life. Beyond deliberative processes and elections, datafication exacerbates democratic challenges such as transparency, due process, and respect for citizens’ autonomy.”
Selected applicants will receive grants of up to US$ 8,000 to support their research projects. Depending on the proposals submitted, between 8 and 12 projects will be funded. All funded projects must be carried out during 2026.
Applicants are required to submit:
A one-page cover letter outlining the organization’s background, experience, and motivation for participating in the research program;
A proposal of up to five pages detailing the topic, scope, methodology, expected results, and relevance of the project to digital rights and democracy in the Global South;
A detailed budget, not exceeding US$ 8,000, specifying how resources will be allocated across the proposed project’s components.
Applications must be submitted in English by January 30th 2026, through the designated online form.
South Africa’s leading pay-TV operator, Multichoice, owner of DStv and Showmax, will officially delist from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) this week following its acquisition by French media giant Canal+.
DStv
The delisting, scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, also applies to Multichoice’s ordinary shares on the A2X Markets.
The move comes after Canal+ completed a Squeeze-Out of remaining shareholders, securing full ownership of the company after nearly two years of acquisition efforts.
According to the company, the delisting remains subject to regulatory approvals from the JSE, the A2X, and the South African Reserve Bank. Canal+ has pledged to comply with conditions set by South Africa’s competition authorities and intends to proceed with a secondary inward listing on the JSE within nine months of the delisting.
Founded in 1985 with the launch of M-Net, Multichoice has been a household name across Africa for four decades. It introduced DStv in 1995, expanded into multiple African markets, and launched its streaming platform, Showmax, in 2015.
In 2019, Multichoice was spun out of Naspers, South Africa’s most valuable company, and later began secondary trading on A2X in 2020.
The acquisition by Canal+ marks a significant shift in South Africa’s media landscape. Local investors will no longer be able to hold direct stakes in Multichoice, but will only gain indirect exposure once Canal+ completes its planned inward listing.
Industry analysts say the takeover underscores the growing consolidation in global media markets, with Canal+ strengthening its footprint across Africa through Multichoice’s extensive subscriber base and sports broadcasting rights via Supersport.
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