Broadcasting
Four Nigerians, Others Make Finals of CNN/Multichoice Award
Four Nigerian journalists have emerged among other Africans in the final list of the prestigious CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008 Competition.
They include Lucas Ajanaku, Tell Magazine, Deji Badmus, Channels Television, Emmanuel Mayah, Sun Newspaper, and Godwin Nnanna, BusinessDay.
Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene, chairperson of the independent judging panel, said the competition, now in its 13th year, received a record number of 1912 entries from 44 countries across Africa, including French and Portuguese speaking countries.
The winners of the competition will be announced at a gala awards ceremony schedule to hold in The State Banquet Hall, Osu, Accra , Ghana on Saturday 19th July.
The hosts for the evening will be CNN correspondent Zain Verjee, joined on stage by popular Nigerian TV personality and talk show host, Soni Irabor.
According to Ishiekwene ‘I have followed the CNN MultiChoice Awards for the past four years and watched them grow steadily to become the gold standard of excellence in journalism awards on the African continent, especially for young professionals who want to make a difference. Increasingly, the entries are speaking to the continent’s needs, and the echoes are far-reaching’.
The competition is held in partnership with MultiChoice, and in collaboration with The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The prestigious sponsors include: Celtel; Coca-Cola Africa; Ecobank; Ghana Tourist Board; Holiday Inn Accra; IPP Media, Tanzania; MIH Print Africa; Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD); Safebond Africa Ltd; Global Media Alliance and Camerapix.
Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International said that there is a healthy increase in entries each year for the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards from a diverse array of countries across the continent. "The quality and excellence of the work submitted continues to rise year on year, ensuring that the 2008 competition maintains its place as the most prestigious Pan African Awards for journalists," he said.
Eben Greyling, Chief executive officer, MultiChoice Africa said the awards have become the standard for excellence for pan-African media. "Our investment underlines MultiChoice Africa’s active commitment to the development of an effective and valuable media in the continent. We are proud to be associated with the oldest and most diverse journalism awards on the continent," he added.
The CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was founded in 1995 by Edward Boateng, formerly African Regional Director for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., CNN’s parent company and the late Mohamed Amin, to recognise and encourage excellence in journalism throughout Africa.
Broadcasting
MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.

Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.
The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.
Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.
Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.
By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.
Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.
“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.
“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”
MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.
Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.
Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.
The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.
Broadcasting
IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.
Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.
According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.
He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.
Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.
According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.
He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.
Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.
IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.
Broadcasting
NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.

The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.
Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.
Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.
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