Broadcasting
CADEF Promotes Financial Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities @One-day Workshop
Consumer Advocacy & Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) hosted a one-day workshop on “Improving Access and Inclusion for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Digital Financing” in Lagos.
L-R: Bunmi Adebiyi, Senior Manger, Development Finance Office, CBN; Chinonso Umeh, Head, Retail Services ,Zenith Bank; Lukeman Salami, representative of Association for the Blind; Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, Executive Director, CADEF; Adeola Aina, Vice-chairman, Association for the Blind and Lovelyn Okafor, Director of Programmes and Communications, CADEF at workshop on Improving Access and Inclusion for PWDs in Digital Financing in Lagos, recently.
The event brought together government officials, financial institutions, disability organizations, and experts to discuss strategies for enhancing financial inclusion for people with disabilities.
Speaking at the workshop, Safiu Babatunde, Head of Legal Services at the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, emphasized the importance of financial inclusion for people with disabilities.
He highlighted the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing traditional and digital financial services and called for innovative solutions to address these barriers.
“Disability related obstacles affect the participation of individuals at every stage of developmental interventions intended to boost livelihoods of people,” Babatunde said.
“Key among the resources essential for enhancing the livelihood of individuals is having access to financial resources for undertaking economic activities.”
He continued, “Unfortunately over the years, traditional banks do not seem to have served people with disability related obstacles.
“Persons with disability have limited access to financial services, including traditional and alternative banking, online payment services, and financial transactions as well as mobile banking applications.”
Babatunde emphasized the need for public-private partnerships to promote financial inclusion for people with disabilities.
“This partnership can bring together government agencies, financial institutions, and disability organizations to collaborate on developing and implementing initiatives that promote financial inclusion for these concerned populations,” he said.
Professor Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, Executive Director of CADEF, underscored the organization’s commitment to advocating for the rights of marginalized groups.
She emphasized the need for inclusive financial products and services that cater to the specific needs of people with disabilities.
“CADEF has been empowering individuals with financial literacy, including those with disabilities.
“Our goal is to create inclusive financial systems that meet the needs of all Nigerians”, she said.
The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, LASODA, also called for increased public-private collaboration to address the financial barriers faced by PWDs.
General Manager of LASODA, Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, emphasized the need for tailored financial products and accessible services.
Oyetunde-Lawal, who was represented by Mr. Safiu Babatunde, Head of the Legal Department, urged the banking sector to be more responsive to the needs of PWDs.
Participants discussed the challenges faced by people with disabilities in accessing financial services, such as limited awareness of available products, inaccessible ATMs and branches, and discriminatory practices.
They also explored potential solutions, including the development of accessible mobile banking applications, financial education programs in sign language and Braille, and partnerships with disability organizations.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants agreed on the need for concerted efforts to improve financial inclusion for people with disabilities.
They pledged to work together to develop and implement practical solutions that will empower individuals with disabilities to participate fully in the financial sector.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
Paramount Africa is officially shutting down at the end of December 2025, drawing the curtain on more than two decades of operations in South Africa and Nigeria.
The company, which once reached over 100 million viewers across 52 African territories, confirmed it will close its doors as part of a massive global restructuring at its parent company, Paramount Global.
This is the same Paramount Africa behind channels like BET, MTV, MTV Base, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and more.
Its digital footprint has also been significant, with millions of monthly page views, social media engagements, and content partnerships across Africa.
But despite that scale, rising costs and a global strategic reset have caught up with the business.
Paramount’s retrenchment has been building for months.
Earlier this year, plans to launch a standalone Paramount+ app in South Africa were quietly shelved.
Then in August, the company said its content would remain available only via DStv and Showmax.
And last month, MultiChoice confirmed that BET Africa and MTV Base will disappear from DStv and GOtv on January 1, 2026, as Paramount Africa winds down entirely.
The shutdown is tied to aggressive cost-cutting after Paramount’s merger with Skydance. The company is targeting a 15% reduction in global staff and $3 billion in savings.
International divisions, including Africa, have taken the hardest hit as the business pivots away from linear TV and doubles down on a more streamlined streaming-first model.
At the same time, the global media landscape is being shaken by Warner Bros. Discovery’s chaotic auction. Netflix, Paramount, and Comcast have all submitted fresh bids for WBD, with some offers reportedly focusing on the studios-and-streaming division, home to HBO, HBO Max, DC, and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Analysts say the crown jewel bundle could go for as much as $70 billion, a deal that would reshape Hollywood and accelerate the decline of traditional TV.
DStv subscribers may lose access to 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) channels, including CNN International, Discovery Channel, TLC, and Cartoon Network, from Jan. 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD fail to conclude a new distribution agreement.
DStv
MultiChoice, now owned by Canal+, issued a notice to customers on Monday, warning that its current carriage deal with WBD will expire on Dec. 31, 2025, and negotiations to renew the contract remain inconclusive.
“While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, several Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from Jan. 1, 2026,” the company said.
The channels at risk include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel.
The development comes amid subscriber losses for MultiChoice, which has shed 2.8 million active linear subscribers over the last two financial years.
This includes 1.2 million customers lost in 2025 alone, representing an 8 per cent decline across South Africa and the rest of Africa.
In Nigeria, MultiChoice has lost 1.4 million subscribers in the past two years, largely due to repeated subscription price increases, according to Nairametrics.
The broadcaster is also set to lose additional content in the coming months. Paramount Africa will discontinue BET Africa and MTV Base from Jan. 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will cease operations on Dec. 31, 2025.
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