Netflix has amended its takeover offer for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) into an all-cash proposal worth $27.75 per share, removing the stock component in an effort to counter a hostile bid from Paramount Global.

Netflix

The revised proposal maintains an enterprise value of roughly $82.7 billion and targets WBD’s film and television studios, HBO, and HBO Max, while excluding several cable networks that would be spun off into a separate entity called Discovery Global.Entertainment center

WBD’s board has unanimously approved the amended Netflix offer and set a shareholder vote for April 2026. Meanwhile, Paramount is continuing its own hostile campaign with a competing all-cash offer valued at $108.4 billion at $30 per share, alongside legal and proxy efforts aimed at derailing Netflix’s bid.

The development carries downstream implications for Nigeria’s pay-TV landscape. Following weeks of speculation over expiring carriage agreements, MultiChoice, now operating under Canal+ control, secured a multi-year deal with WBD on December 31, 2025, preserving 12 channels on DStv and GOtv and avoiding a blackout at the start of the year. Channels retained include CNN International, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, TNT Africa, and several Discovery-branded networks.

Separately, four channels from Paramount Africa and CBS AMC , BET Africa, MTV Base, CBS Reality, and CBS Justice, were removed from DStv on January 1, 2026. The MultiChoice–WBD agreement also includes plans to launch HBO Max as a dedicated tile on MultiChoice platforms in 2026, ensuring ongoing access to HBO programming despite Netflix’s attempt to acquire WBD’s production assets.

The near-blackout scenario had raised concerns among Nigerian subscribers, who frequently cite international news and children’s programming as central reasons for maintaining DStv subscriptions. The continued availability of these channels averted disruption to school-time content and global news coverage.

However, some customers argue that prices have not declined despite the permanent removal of four Paramount and CBS channels, intensifying debates over value in a market where pay-TV represents a considerable household expense.

Industry analysts note the episode underscores the fragility of regional content pipelines, as global mergers, acquisitions, and carriage negotiations can swiftly reshape African programming lineups and accelerate migration toward standalone streaming or cheaper alternatives.

Attention now turns to April 2026, when shareholder votes on the Netflix proposal and Paramount’s challenges could determine which assets remain bundled for international carriage. For Nigerian viewers, key uncertainties include whether MultiChoice will reprice or restructure packages to reflect the altered channel mix and how the HBO Max tile will be bundled or charged when it rolls out locally.

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted seven-year satellite operating permits to Amazon’s Project Kuiper and BeetleSat, according to the office of the special adviser on social media to the president.

In a post on X, the office said the licences will enable the companies to provide “non-geostationary satellite broadband services in Nigeria from 2026”.

“Issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission, the licences signal a major push to expand internet access, boost competition with providers like Starlink, and improve connectivity, especially in underserved and remote areas across Africa’s largest telecom market,” the office said.

Information available on the NCC’s website shows that the licences will be valid from February 28, 2026, to February 28, 2033.

The commission said the operators were granted Ka-Band spectrum for their frequency band operations.

According to NCC, Amazon’s Project Kuiper received a landing permit for its satellite constellation space segment of up to 3,236 satellites, which will beam broadband signals over Nigerian territory from 2026.

“This landing permit has been issued to NSL for the Beetlesat-1 Constellation Space Segment of 264 Satellites to beam their signals over Nigerian Territory from 2026,” the NCC said.

The commission also granted a permit to Satelio IoT Services.

The approval, which covers S-band operations, is said to be valid from February 28, 2024, to February 28, 2030.

According to the NCC, the landing permit allows Satelio’s constellation space segment of 491 satellites to beam signals over Nigeria, adding that Satelio has so far launched only one satellite.

The commission added that the approvals are in line with global best practices.

As part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and accelerate the country’s push towards a $1 trillion digital economy, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a new Spectrum Roadmap for 2026–2030, alongside draft guidelines for opening the lower 6GHz and 60GHz bands.

Stakeholders in the telecommunications sector on Monday converged in Abuja for the Consultative Forum on the Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 and the Guidelines for Opening the Lower 6GHz and 60GHz Bands, where the Commission presented the proposed policy frameworks and sought industry input.

Speaking at the Forum, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, described spectrum as an invisible but indispensable national resource that powers mobile communications, broadband networks, satellite services, financial platforms and smart technologies across the country.

Represented by the Head of Spectrum Administration, Engr Atiku Lawal, the EVC said rising demand driven by data-intensive applications, cloud services, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things has made forward-looking spectrum planning inevitable.

“The Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 is about creating a transparent, predictable and enabling regulatory environment that supports investment, encourages innovation, expands access and improves service quality for all Nigerians,” Maida said.

He explained that the roadmap is designed to give industry players confidence to invest and the flexibility to innovate, while ensuring that Nigeria’s digital growth remains inclusive, sustainable and aligned with national development priorities.

On the draft guidelines, Maida said the proposed opening of the lower 6GHz band for Wi-Fi 6 and the 60GHz licence-exempt band for multi-gigabit wireless systems marks a bold step towards expanding spectrum available for unlicensed use.

“These bands will significantly expand the spectrum available for high-speed, affordable and reliable connectivity, enabling faster Wi-Fi and innovative services across homes, schools, businesses, healthcare facilities and public spaces,” he noted.

The EVC added that with Wi-Fi carrying a large share of global internet traffic, opening the new bands would help Nigeria prepare for future data demands, not only on mobile networks but also across campuses, enterprises and public infrastructure.

Linking the initiative to national policy, he said the roadmap and guidelines support the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ambition of building a $1 trillion digital economy by 2030.

In a keynote address delivered by the Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Engr Abraham Oshadami, he said the engagement reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that spectrum resources benefit every community.

Represented by the Head of Fixed Networks and Converged Services at the NCC, Engr Gidado Maigana, Oshadami described spectrum as the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy and a scarce national asset that must be managed with transparency, prudence and collaboration.

“The way we plan, assign and regulate spectrum will determine our ability to achieve national targets, stimulate innovation and strengthen global competitiveness,” Oshadami stated.

While acknowledging progress in mobile broadband penetration, 5G deployment and quality of service, he warned that rising data demand from fixed wireless access, real-time applications and emerging technologies requires deliberate and forward-looking planning.

He said the Spectrum Roadmap 2026–2030 provides clarity, predictability and transparency, while aligning spectrum management with national priorities such as bridging the digital divide, enhancing quality of experience, promoting innovation and encouraging market-driven investment.

On the opening of the lower 6GHz and 60GHz bands, Oshadami said the move would help ease congestion on existing Wi-Fi bands, with the lower 6GHz offering wider channels and higher data rates, and the 60GHz band enabling multi-gigabit wireless connectivity for advanced use cases.

According to him, the draft guidelines clearly outline deployment scenarios, power limits, interference mitigation measures and compliance frameworks to ensure efficient and safe use of the bands.

Both speakers stressed that the success of the proposed frameworks would depend on sustained collaboration with industry stakeholders, noting that feedback from the consultative process would shape the final policies.

“The decisions we make today will shape Nigeria’s digital trajectory for years to come,” Oshadami remarked.