The Office of the African Union Chairperson’s Youth Envoy and Google today announced the launch of the #DiscoverMyAfrica Shorts Challenge, a month-long initiative to celebrate the rich diversity, heritage, and vibrant spirit of the African continent. Throughout May, YouTube creators across Africa are invited to share short videos capturing their unique perspectives, using the hashtag #DiscoverMyAfrica.

“#DiscoverMyAfrica empowers African youth to share their stories and rich cultural heritage globally,” said Chido Mpemba, African Union Chairperson’s Youth Envoy. “Partnering with Google fosters creative expression and dialogue on content responsibility, digital preservation, and AI’s impact on Africa’s creative industries. This aligns with our vision for a digitally-enabled Africa harnessing cultural wealth for economic growth and social progress.”

The YouTube Shorts Challenge encourages creators to showcase various facets of African life, from music and art to food, fashion, and local landmarks. To further celebrate Africa’s vibrant music scene, YouTube is turning up the energy with YouTube Music Nights in Nigeria and South Africa, showcasing the infectious rhythms of Afrobeats and Amapiano. Two dedicated playlists, “Africa’s Next Wave” and “Africa Superstars,” will highlight both emerging talent and iconic voices that have made the continent a global music powerhouse.

Nollywood superstar and style icon Osas Ighodaro will immerse viewers in the luxurious side of Lagos with her new show “Spa with Osas.” Enioluwa and The Geng will unravel the drama and secrets of high school elites in their highly anticipated series “All of Us.” And comedy superstar Broda Shaggi is guaranteed to bring the laughs with his hilarious new project, “Shaggi’s Palava.” These exciting new shows will premiere exclusively on YouTube.

Aspiring filmmakers and content creators can also take advantage of specialized workshops designed to hone their skills and expand their reach. A dedicated Nollywood workshop in Nigeria, and broader #DiscoverMyAfrica workshops for content creators will offer valuable insights and resources to creators at all levels.

“We are committed to supporting the diverse voices and talents that make up Africa’s creative landscape,” said Addy Awofisayo, Head of Music for Sub-Saharan Africa at YouTube.

“These initiatives provide valuable resources and platforms for African filmmakers, musicians, and content creators to share their stories and connect with global audiences.”

To learn more about #DiscoverMyAfrica and how to get involved, visit www.blog.google/africa or follow #DiscoverMyAfrica on social media.

In a remarkable acknowledgment of its excellence in public relations and communications, QNET, a leading lifestyle and wellness direct selling company, proudly announces its victory in three distinguished categories at the 11th annual PR  Awards. Demonstrating its prowess in crisis management, corporate strategy, and technological innovation, QNET is setting new standards for excellence in Direct Selling.

This year, QNET was honoured with the following recognitions:

Silver Award for Best Corporate Strategy – An endorsement for QNET’s Fingreen financial literacy programme that has been rolled out in three countries over the last 18 months and has helped over 7000 people, including college students, home makers, street vendors, and female small traders, with the tools they need to take charge of their financial future.

Silver Award for Best Use of Technology – An important recognition for QNET’s QBuzz Blog, an innovative platform that leverages technology to foster community engagement and provide insightful company and industry content.

 Bronze Award for Best Crisis Management Strategy – Celebrating the success of the “Truth About QNET” campaign, which effectively navigated the company through challenging times with transparency and integrity.

The PR Awards, renowned for highlighting the best in the PR and communications sector across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, saw entries from the most prominent brands and organisations in the region. An independent panel of senior industry experts from leading brands selected this year’s winners, underscoring the credibility and prestige of the awards.

Trevor Kuna, Chief Transformation & Reputation Officer at QNET, expressed his enthusiasm: “We are profoundly honored by the recognition at the PR Awards 2024, which reflects our unwavering dedication to excellence, innovative strategies, and our commitment to providing outstanding value to our customers.

“These awards are a testament to the hard work and ingenuity of our team, and they motivate us to continue setting new benchmarks in the industry.”

QNET’s success at the PR Awards is not just a celebration of its achievements but also a promise to its stakeholders of its dedication to excellence and innovation. As the company looks forward to future challenges and opportunities, it remains committed to upholding the highest standards of quality and service in the industry.

For more information about QNET and its achievements, please visit QNET’s website.

Bismarck Rewane, managing director/chief executive officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited has backed telecommunication companies’ move to increase tariffs.

Recall that telecom companies recently reiterated calls for an increase in prices of calls, data, and other services.

They argue that current prices are insufficient to maintain their business operations.

This request is contained in a communique signed by the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

The telecom providers are advocating for cost-reflective tariffs, claiming that adverse economic headwinds are threatening their financial viability.

The operators stated that its general service pricing framework has not been reviewed upward in the last 11 years because of regulatory constraints.

“For a fully liberalised and deregulated sector, the current price control mechanism, which is not aligned with economic realities, threatens the industry’s sustainability and can erode investors’ confidence,” the telcos said.

The telcos called on the government to facilitate a constructive dialogue with its industry stakeholders to address pricing challenges and establish a framework that balances consumers’ affordability with their financial viability.

This push for higher prices coincides with MTN Nigeria reporting a loss due to foreign exchange losses in 2023 and Airtel experiencing declining profits amid an economic downturn in the country.

While the development has triggered a backlash in some quarters, Rewane said telco pricing needs to reflect current realities.

He was a guest on weekend’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today