Broadcasting
Essential functions for AI transformation to fuel Africa’s growth
By Linda Saunders, Country Manager & Senior Director Solution Engineering, Africa, Salesforce
I’ve just returned from Dreamforce 2025 in San Francisco, where leaders from around the world were talking about what comes next in the “agentic era” – a future where AI systems don’t just automate tasks, but plan, reason and act independently to achieve complex goals. What struck me most is how relevant these conversations are to Africa right now.
Across the continent, businesses are being asked to do more with less. They’re expected to grow faster and serve more people, but budgets and teams aren’t growing at the same pace. AI can help bridge that gap: not by being a shiny new tool, but by becoming a dependable partner that takes on the heavy lifting. To get there, we need more than technology. We need the right functions inside our organisations to guide and manage this adjustment so that it remains safe, ethical and genuinely useful.
From where I sit, these five functions are essential for any African business preparing for this new era:
1. AI agent management: Turning ideas into action
This role ensures that AI is used for the right reasons and for clear business outcomes. It starts with identifying where AI can make a measurable difference, whether that’s improving customer service, speeding up internal processes, or advancing financial inclusion, something we’ve already seen by companies like Absa, which is using AI to deliver faster, more accessible banking services.
Given the understandable skepticism around AI in Africa, especially concerns about job losses or data misuse, anyone using an AI agent must show real, practical benefits. It’s time to move from experiments to work that actually matters.
2. AI risk and governance: Building trust from the start
AI use is impactful when people trust it, which requires strong safety barriers from the very start.
Africa faces a unique challenge: many global AI models are trained on data that doesn’t reflect our languages, cultures or contexts, which can create bias, errors, and even harm in some cases, as we’ve seen with content systems that fail to moderate hate speech in African languages.
Robust AI governance, people, process and technology puts the right checks in place: bias testing, transparency reviews, data protection and ongoing monitoring. This isn’t about introducing more red tape; it’s about building and maintaining trust. If AI tools are going to act and make decisions independently, the safeguards must be solid, visible and consistent.
3. AI operations management: Scaling for dependability
The reality is that most – almost 95% – AI pilots fail. Often it’s because companies try to build everything from scratch, only to run into security risks, bad data or runaway costs.
In Africa, failed pilots are even more painful because budgets are tighter. The AI operations management function prevents this. It handles the day-to-day running of AI systems, by deploying them properly, keeping them stable, monitoring performance and making sure they stay secure.
Working inside this function is the AI platform engineer, whose job is technical and hands-on: they connect agents, data and applications into a single, reliable workflow. They make sure the system runs smoothly around the clock and can deploy digital labour when demand grows.
AI management teams must keep the operation steady and aligned with the organisation’s needs; the platform engineer makes the machinery actually work.
4. AI Workforce Training & Development: Bridging tech and talent
Technology only works when people understand how and when to use it. This is where the training function becomes critical.
A significant digital literacy gap exists, with only half of African countries including computer skills in their school curricula. The AI learning and development manager must prioritise structured training, moving from basic AI awareness to role-specific capability development, ensuring employees are prepared for the “human-agent collaboration” that defines the future of work. Salesforce’s latest Slack Workforce Index shows people using AI are 81% more satisfied with their job than those who aren’t, making training a critical function for talent attraction and retention.
5. AI workforce integration: Augmenting human potential
This is about fostering seamless, productive collaboration between human employees and AI systems. The goal is to augment human capabilities, enabling employees to focus on creative and strategic tasks and reduce friction.
By automating repetitive and time-consuming activities, AI can free employees to focus on high-value work and strategic initiatives. We’ve seen real-world success, such as Secret Escapes increasing autonomous resolution rates from 10% to 30%, which allows human employees to focus on higher-value interactions. The AI collaboration strategist defines the essential interaction points and optimises collaboration models to ensure AI enhances our human ingenuity.
Africa’s opportunity in the agentic era
The move toward agentic systems isn’t just another tech upgrade. It changes how work actually gets done. For Africa, it’s a real opportunity because it has the potential to deliver better public services, faster responses, and the ability to grow without inflating limited budgets.
These five functions, from governance to workforce integration, give organisations the structure they need to use AI safely and effectively. Without them, AI is guesswork, but with them, it becomes something that can genuinely support growth.
After witnessing many AI success stories at Dreamforce, one thought kept surfacing: while success and profit are noble causes, Africa has a duty to set the bar higher and use AI as an opportunity to elevate its people and solve real human problems.
Can we, as Africans, afford to miss this opportunity to make meaningful change on a continent that knows too well the price we pay for being left behind? Africa’s AI success starts with each of us taking up the responsibility to participate, develop ourselves, train our people, rethink our workflows, and place skills where they’ll make the biggest difference. We need AI solutions that reflect our values and serve our people.
Broadcasting
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
Following an expanded partnership between CANAL+ and Samsung Electronics, the DStv Stream app will now be pre-installed on new Samsung Smart TVs sold in Nigeria and 17 other African countries.
The agreement covers English and Portuguese-speaking African markets, including Nigeria, Kenya, Angola, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It marks the first pre-installation rollout of a MultiChoice Group streaming application on Samsung Smart TVs.
The development comes after the completion of the combination between CANAL+ and MultiChoice Group. It also extends an existing relationship between both companies that already spans 40 markets across Europe, French-speaking Africa, and Asia.
Through the integration, Samsung customers can now access DStv Stream directly from the television home screen. The app provides access to premium sports and entertainment content, including coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, English Premier League football, domestic and international rugby, and local and international television programming.
With the introduction of this connected television which kicked off on June 1, televisions can now connect to the internet, allowing users to stream content directly without requiring a separate decoder or satellite dish. The pre-installation of the app removes the need for users to search for and download it themselves, reducing friction and improving content discoverability.
The rollout is one of the first major distribution initiatives following the integration of CANAL+ and MultiChoice. The combined group has identified streaming growth and enhanced digital distribution as key priorities across Africa, where connected television adoption continues to increase.
David Mignot, CEO of CANAL+ Africa and CEO of MultiChoice Group, affirmed, “We are delighted to extend our longstanding partnership with Samsung across new English and Portuguese-speaking African countries. It marks a significant milestone in the synergies created by the combination of CANAL+ and MultiChoice Group.
“Mignot added, “As viewing habits continue to evolve rapidly across the continent, strengthening the accessibility and discoverability of our content offer on connected devices is key. By expanding the availability of our applications on Samsung Smart TVs across key African markets, we are making it even easier for millions of MultiChoice Group’s subscribers to seamlessly access the content that define the uniqueness of the CANAL+ and MultiChoice Group experience.”
This extended partnership is expected to strengthen Samsung’s position as a key distribution partner for streaming services globally while providing CANAL+ and MultiChoice with a broader route to market as competition intensifies among international and regional streaming platforms across Africa.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) challenging a Federal High Court judgment that restrained the commission from imposing fines on broadcast stations.
Delivering judgment, Justice Jane Esienanwan Inyang held that the appeal was fundamentally defective and therefore incompetent.
The appeal stemmed from a Jan. 17, 2024 judgment delivered by Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which barred the NBC from enforcing N5 million fines imposed on several broadcast stations in 2022.
The sanctions had been issued over allegations that the stations aired documentaries on banditry and insecurity considered by the commission to be capable of undermining national security.
The affected broadcasters included Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DStv, TelCom Satellite Limited, Trust TV Network Limited and NTA StarTimes Limited.
The suit was instituted by Media Rights Agenda (MRA), which challenged the legality of the fines imposed by the commission.
In her ruling, Justice Inyang pointed to a discrepancy in the appeal documents, noting that the respondent before the Federal High Court was listed as the “National Broadcasting Commission,” while the notice of appeal identified the appellant as the “Nigerian Broadcasting Commission.”
According to the court, the inconsistency was substantial enough to deprive it of the jurisdiction required to entertain the appeal.
“The notice of appeal is the foundation of an appeal and a condition precedent to the exercise of appellate jurisdiction by this court,” the judge held.
Consequently, the appeal was struck out without consideration of the substantive issues raised by the commission.
The ruling represents another setback for the NBC in its efforts to defend its authority to sanction broadcast organisations through administrative fines.
In April 2026, the Court of Appeal similarly dismissed a separate appeal by the commission against another judgment that restricted its powers to impose fines on broadcasters.
Earlier, in May 2023, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the NBC lacked the judicial authority to impose penalties on media organisations without recourse to the courts.
The controversy over the commission’s sanctioning powers dates back to March 2019 when the NBC imposed N500,000 fines on 45 broadcast stations for alleged violations of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code during the general elections.
At the time, the then Director-General of the commission, Is’haq Kawu, said the sanctions were imposed for ethical breaches and violations of broadcasting regulations.
Legal analysts say the latest judgment reinforces previous court decisions limiting the commission’s authority to impose fines on broadcasters without judicial intervention.
Nigeria has launched FreeTV, a broadcasting platform, designed to provide households across the country with free access to digital broadcasting, improved picture quality, and a wide range of local and international content without subscription fees.
The announcement was made in a post on the official X handle of the Presidency, describing the initiative as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises inclusion, expanded access to opportunities, job creation, support for local enterprise and the use of technology to improve daily life for citizens.
According to the statement, FreeTV forms part of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme and is intended to ensure that no Nigerian is excluded as the country transitions fully from analogue to digital broadcasting.
The platform will offer access to more than 100 national, regional and state-owned channels, covering news, sports, films, music, children’s programming, educational content, as well as dedicated Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo language channels.
The Presidency noted that the service will be accessible through satellite, terrestrial transmission and a dedicated FreeTV mobile application, enabling coverage for users in urban centres, rural communities and previously underserved areas that were not fully captured in earlier DSO pilot phases.
It also clarified that Nigerians will not need to purchase new television sets to access the service. Existing televisions can work with compatible DVB-T2 or DVB-S2 decoders, while users with already compatible free-to-air devices may not require additional equipment.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Charles Ebuebu, director-general, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said the initiative reflects the administration’s broader digital inclusion strategy.
“FreeTV speaks directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of Renewed Hope towards expanding access, creating opportunity and ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, can benefit from the digital economy. With FreeTV, families across Nigeria can enjoy quality digital television without a monthly subscription, while our local content producers, technicians and young creatives gain new platforms and new jobs,” he said.
The statement added that the platform will also strengthen Nigeria’s creative and broadcast industry through regional production hubs in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin, creating employment opportunities for content creators, editors, camera operators, sound engineers and other media professionals.
The Presidency further disclosed that the final analogue switch-off remains scheduled for December 31, 2028, urging Nigerians to begin preparations by confirming decoder compatibility and downloading the FreeTV mobile application ahead of rollout.
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