Broadcasting
Alex Okosi Named One Of UK’s Most Influential Black Persons For Second Year Running

Alex Okosi, one of Africa’s tech leaders, has been honoured as a member of the UK Powerlist 2023. Okosi, who is Managing Director, Emerging Markets, YouTube EMEA, received the honour for the second year running at the Black Excellence Awards at the Savoy Hotel in London on 28 October 2022.

Alex Okosi,
Awarded annually since 2007, The Powerlist, in partnership with J.P. Morgan, honours incredible men and women across a wide range of industries including business, science, technology and the arts. Each year it recognises and celebrates 100 of Britain’s most influential black people and showcases black role models to young people.
Open to Black Britons wherever they live in the world and to anyone in the UK who is black, The Powerlist is regarded as the leading authority on issues of black influence in the UK.
Commenting on The Powerlist Okosi said, “Growing up first in Nigeria and later in the USA in the mid-1980s, I found black role models were few and far between; I chose my role models from sportspeople and entertainers because those were the only black faces I saw in the media, in films, and on TV.
Fast forward to now, and I am beyond thrilled to see the incredible range of representation and diversity highlighted by the UK Powerlist 2023.
Recognising extraordinary leaders of African, Afro-Caribbean and African-American heritage, the list goes beyond sports and entertainment to encompass Management, Retail, the Arts, Finance, Tech, History, Academia, Fashion, Design, Politics, Law, Entrepreneurship, Social Investment and much more.
While the goal of equal representation is still a way off, I am thankful that my kids and your kids and their kids after them will have these shining role models and many more to inspire and lead them. Kudos to Michael Eboda, the Powerful Media team, J.P. Morgan and judges Dame Linda Dobbs, Tim Campbell, Dr Heather Melville, Ijeoma Okoli, Cecil Peters, Nicola Rollock, Matthew Ryder, Alwin Swales and Daniel Taylor for their involvement in this important initiative and for considering me worthy to be on the Powerlist for the second year running.”
Okosi is one of multiple black tech leaders making the Powerlist 2023, including Apple’s Ije Nwokorie, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE (CEO & Co-Founder, STEMettes), Nneka Abulokwe OBE, Founder and CEO, MicroMax Consulting, Rob Pierre (CEO, Jellyfish), Simon Hepburn (CEO, UK Cyber Security Council), Dr Claudia Natanson MBE (Chair, UK Cyber Security Council), Linda Morant (Chief Digital Officer, The Crown Estate).
Nigerian-born Okosi was first selected for the Powerlist in October 2021 after joining YouTube in 2020, following a long and illustrious career at Viacom International Media Networks Africa (now Paramount International Networks), where he introduced powerhouse entertainment brands like MTV Base, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and BET to the African continent.
A staunch champion of African creativity, culture and empowerment, Okosi was instrumental in persuading Viacom to introduce localised channel brands in Africa, starting with MTV Base in 2005. After moving to YouTube, he has continued to support initiatives that empower African creators and businesses via initiatives such as the Black Voices Fund.
He is a regular speaker on diversity and inclusion, and is an Executive member of the Google and YouTube committees that drive and deliver the brands’ racial equity commitments across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
This year’s Powerlist was headed by Dame Sharon White, Chair, John Lewis Partnership. Other well-known names on the list include actors Idris Elba (OBE), and David Kaluuya, grime artist and philanthropist Stormzy, politician and activist Lord Simon Wooley, and Royal ballet soloist Precious Adams.
Broadcasting
CCPT Dismisses Class Action Suit against MultiChoice over Tariff Hikes

Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCPT) in Abuja has dismissed a class action suit filed by one Uche Diala and 961 other DStv and GOtv subscribers against MultiChoice Nigeria and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), citing lack of jurisdiction.
The suit challenged MultiChoice’s subscription price increases in November 2023 and May 2024, which the claimants described as arbitrary, exploitative, and unfair.
Diala and others sought to reverse the hikes and compel the company to adopt a more flexible billing model, such as a pay-as-you-view system used in other countries like South Africa.
They also accused MultiChoice of price discrimination against Nigerian consumers.
MultiChoice, through its counsel, raised a preliminary objection, arguing that pricing decisions do not fall within the tribunal’s remit and that the suit was improperly filed as a class action without first seeking the tribunal’s leave.
In its ruling on Thursday, the tribunal’s three-member panel led by Justice Thomas Okosun held that the core issues raised, which were pricing and tariff regulation, fall under the exclusive purview of the executive branch, particularly the President, as stipulated under the Price Control Act.
“The issue of price regulation is a matter that falls within the exclusive purview of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Okosun stated.
While the tribunal acknowledged it holds both original and appellate jurisdiction under the FCCPC Act, it emphasized that such authority does not cover general price control unless abuse of market dominance is established—a point the claimants failed to prove.
On the procedural matter of filing a class action without prior approval, the tribunal noted that although it is ideal to obtain leave, failure to do so was not fatal in this instance since the claimants demonstrated a shared grievance and common interest.
Nonetheless, the tribunal upheld MultiChoice’s objection, ruling that it lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter.
“The preliminary objection of the first defendant succeeds,” the panel held. “This suit is accordingly struck out for want of jurisdiction.”
This ruling follows a similar outcome on May 8, when a Federal High Court in Abuja upheld MultiChoice’s price increases after the company sued the FCCPC.
In that judgment, Justice James Omotoso declared that the FCCPC lacked the authority to fix or suspend subscription rates.
Broadcasting
MultiChoice Nigeria Slashes Decoder Price by 50 Percent, Offers Free Upgrades

MultiChoice Nigeria has slashed the price of its DStv decoder from N20,000 to N10,000, representing a 50 percent drop, in a aim at attracting attract more customers and curb declining subscriptions.
The campaign, titled “We’ve Got You,” was launched on June 16 and will continue until July 31.
Also, as part of its efforts to ease economic pressure on households and improve access to digital TV services, the campaign offers a free upgrade for both active and returning customers.
Speaking on the campaign, John Ugbe, chief executive officer (CEO) of MultiChoice Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to rewarding loyalty and enhancing daily viewing experiences.
“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day,” Ugbe said.
“The ‘We’veGot You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.
“By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news.
“This means more channels, more shows, and more reasons to tune in every day.”
The development comes amid MultiChoice Nigeria’s legal battle with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over price hike.
Broadcasting
Qatar Airways Top Brass Face Court Action in Nigeria Over FCCPC Charges

Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will, on Oct. 7, arraigned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatar Airways, Mr Temi Birdzell, alongside the company and its top officers, over allegations bordering on breach of FCCPC Act, 2018.
The defendants will be arraigned before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Others to be arraigned with Birdzell are Stella Ihediwa, the Account Manager of the airline; Kennedy Chirchir, the Country Manager and Eva Ojeje, who is the Sales Manager of the company.
Although the arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, the matter could not proceed.
Upon resumed hearing, none of the defendants was in court.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, none of the defendants was in court due to improper service of the court documents, including the hearing notice, on them.
FCCPC.’s lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, told the court of their inability to serve four of the defendants, although the company was served.
Nsitem then sought an adjournment to enable them do the needful and the judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for the defendants to take their plea.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/200/2025, dragged Qatar Airways, Birdzell, Ihediwa, Chirchir and Ojeje to court as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
FCCPC, in the application dated May 26 but filed May 27, had preferred a two-count charge against the defendants.
The defendants were alleged to have failed to appear before FCCPC in compliance with a lawful summons of the commission dated Sept. 6, 2024, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 (3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Act, 2018.
They were also accused to have on Sept. 18, 2024, intentionally withheld the production of documents in compliance wth a lawful summons of the commission, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 111 of FCCP Act, 2018.
In count three, they were alleged to have on Sept. 18, 2024, engaged in the contravention of the consumer rights, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 124(1) and punishable under Section 155 of the same Act.
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