Broadcasting
Four Reasons Project Management Skills Should be a Priority in Early Education
By Brantlee Underhill, Managing Director, North America
The pandemic has revealed a plethora of urgent needs across various aspects of society, and one of those needs that cannot be ignored is the importance of school-aged children feeling a sense of independence and ownership when it comes to their education.
Brantlee Underhill, Managing Director, North America
As a working professional, I’ve always been more effective when I have a routine and schedule to adhere to. It is simply about creating a plan and executing it. As a mom, I realized that doing the same with my elementary school-aged son was going to help both of us be more successful when school and work became virtual in March 2020. We needed a schedule we could both follow to help manage these new expectations of living, working, and schooling in the same location. Waking up around the same time each day, fueling with breakfast, buckling down for work and school, respecting one another’s space, and taking breaks (outdoors if possible) kept us all focused and engaged in our work and school. On the days when we ignored the schedule, frustrations were high, and we exhausted ourselves more than we needed to. It takes discipline to plan the schedule and stick to it.
Assessment data from the Curriculum Associates i-Ready platform and analyzed by McKinsey & Company shows that “Students in their sample learned only 67 percent of the math and 87 percent of the reading that grade-level peers would typically have learned by the fall [of 2020].” By McKinsey & Company’s estimates, this equates to a potential of three months of learning loss in math and one-in-a-half months of learning loss in reading.
While we can attribute several factors to these statistics, the fact remains that students only stand to benefit from learning and applying project management skills to their studies: to initiate, plan, execute, monitor, and close. This process is the nature of what project management professionals do every day, and these steps can seamlessly translate to students’ coursework at every stage of education.
But how do we make this a reality? The education system is already saturated with various curriculum requirements, state tests and graduation milestones. And equally important, why should this be a priority?
Simply put, students are our future. If we want to equip the next generation of changemakers — those who, regardless of their role, are inspired and equipped to drive change — with the necessary tools and skills to lead the way in their respective industries, it’s critical to prioritize project management in schools right now. These are skills that will serve any individual for life.
Project Management Institute (PMI) understands this urgent need. For more than 30 years, Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF) has helped young people on the path to success by incorporating project management skills into their daily lives. PMIEF offers free learning resources, facilitates mentoring programs, and works with youth-serving nonprofits to champion these efforts.
What if this was the norm in schools? What if we provided teachers, school leaders and curriculum writers with the tools and knowledge they need to guide students on this path to project management in hopes that they not only consider a career in project management, but learn necessary power skills — like empathy, collaboration, and communication — to effect real change in their professional and personal lives?
Young people are tomorrow’s leaders.
Youth who learn project management skills are better equipped to become these leaders the world so desperately needs. It’s no secret that the most successful and empathetic leaders have experience and expertise in successfully managing projects and teams, so making this a priority in education as early as possible can result in these skills being second nature by the time they are implemented into a professional setting.
While project management is team-centric, it teaches independence.
One major difficulty in online learning throughout the course of the pandemic has been students learning to adjust to their workload and assignments without a teacher in the room to guide them through the process. Whether setting up the building blocks to write a research paper or working on a project virtually with a peer, students were forced to navigate these uncharted waters in the blink of an eye. With the appropriate project management skills as a crucial aspect of their education, students will have the knowledge and confidence to plan and own their work and feel a sense of independence in their studies. They will know what to do when things don’t exactly go as planned, to manage and mitigate risks.
Power skills enhance a student’s ability to effect change.
Our experience at PMI and within PMIEF proves that these power skills are life skills that can truly change lives. It’s a domino effect — as students begin to hone these skills, the skills transfer to those with whom they come into contact. These skills — including empathy, communication, collaboration and critical thinking — are necessary in furthering the change we wish to see in schools and beyond.
Project management builds community.
With the rise of project-based learning, it only makes sense that we teach students how to initiate, plan, execute, mitigate and close projects; these are core project management skills. One of the benefits of schools that operate in project-based learning is that it facilitates community, much like we see in the project management industry. Allowing students the room for growth in terms of working with others, troubleshooting problems together, and growing as a unit through a shared vision are direct benefits we see in teams centered on project management.
This is a call to parents, to educators, to school leaders, to youth mentors: providing students with project management tools, skills and knowledge can inspire a force of good in future generations, and it starts with those of us who are equipped to set them on their path to success. And it can start at no cost using the Project Management Toolkit for Teachers, a modular, user-friendly resource that teachers (and anyone who works with youth) can use to help prepare students aged 12-18 to be college and career ready.
From virtual learning at home to navigating projects with their peers, the door is open to teach students the skills they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
Lebara Nigeria has announced the launch of Lebara Play, described as Africa’s first telecoms-owned micro-drama platform aimed at expanding opportunities for African storytellers and distributing local content to global audiences.
The company said the platform is designed to support creators by providing a new distribution channel for African narratives while making content accessible to both subscribers and non-subscribers worldwide.
Lebara Nigeria added that the platform will debut with an original production titled Imported Bahu, produced by Forever 7 and starring Osas Ighodaro.
The project is directed by Hamisha Daryani Ahuja, known for her work on Namaste Wahala, and is positioned as the first in a series of original content offerings.
According to the company, Lebara Play is built to serve both creators and audiences, with a focus on showcasing African stories to a global market and strengthening the continent’s growing digital entertainment ecosystem.
Speaking on the company’s vision at the launch, Teniola Stuffman, chief executive officer, Lebara Nigeria, said the organisation was focused on building a telecommunications ecosystem that combined innovation, connectivity, and customer-centric digital experiences.
Stuffman said, “This platform represents an important step in our vision of building a telecommunications brand that delivers more than connectivity. We are creating an ecosystem where technology, innovation, and entertainment come together to provide meaningful experiences for customers while unlocking new opportunities for creative talent and content development across Africa.”
Beyond entertainment, she said, industry stakeholders believed the initiative demonstrated how global telecommunications expertise could be adapted to local market realities.
“Drawing from decades of experience across multiple international markets, Lebara is expected to introduce additional innovative services aimed at enhancing convenience, engagement, and value for Nigerian consumers,” she said.
Stuffman added that the company’s strategy reflected growing recognition that today’s telecom customers demanded more than network access, pointing out that consumers increasingly seek brands that offer seamless digital experiences, personalised services, and access to content that enriches everyday life.
Stuffman stated that LebaraPlay also aligned with the company’s commitment to supporting Africa’s creative economy by creating new distribution channels for content creators, producers, and digital storytellers.
“Through a combination of original productions and strategic partnerships, the platform seeks to create opportunities for talent while delivering quality entertainment to audiences,” she said.
Hamisha Daryani, founder of Forever7 Entertainment, expressed excitement over the partnership with Lebara Nigeria and the premiere of her latest micro-drama series on the LebaraPlay platform.
She stated that Lebara’s customer-centric vision aligns closely with the values of Forever7 Entertainment, making the collaboration a natural fit for both organisations.
Daryani revealed that the new microdrama featured a star-studded cast drawn from both Bollywood and Nollywood, in a compelling romantic story designed specifically for mobile audiences.
According to her, the production is developed with mobile-first consumers in mind, delivering premium entertainment in short, engaging formats at an affordable cost.
“Microdrama, which typically consists of short episodes of about three minutes, is redefining how audiences consume entertainment. It offers a convenient, immersive, and affordable viewing experience for people who increasingly access content through their mobile devices,” she said.
She added that the platform was created to support seamless creative expression while providing new opportunities for content creators across the continent.
Daryani further explained that the microdrama format has already achieved significant success in Asia and the Americas and is now gaining traction across Africa.
She said the initiative would create opportunities for emerging creatives through knowledge sharing, skills development, content curation, and industry collaboration, with the Nigerian rollout of the featured series expected to commence in July.
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.
NDIC Says 281m Depositors Protected against Bank Failure
Wema Bank Suspends Telegram Operations over Scams
Akara Business Can Pay More than Bank Jobs – Governor Aide
OPay Unveils Emergency Lock, Safety PIN to Boost Customer Protection
FG Captures 32m Students DNEMIS ahead July 1 Rollout
London Strengthens Global Investment Ties with Africa @ First Ever London-Africa Business Summit
Mobile Internet Gender Gap Widest in Africa – GSMA
FG Targets Alleged N3tn Capital Flight, Opens Airtime Credit Market to Nigerian Fintechs
Japan, UNESCO Boost Digital Learning in 15 CoEs with Donation of ICT Equipment
Good News for DStv Users: Watch over 160 Channels Without Paying Extra
E-Business1 day agoLG Showcases AI-Powered Smart Living Innovations @ Africa Technology Expo 2026
E-Financial1 day agoUBA mobilises employees across Africa for environmental clean-up, wellness campaign
Telecom1 day agoOADC Reaffirms Abundant Capacity in Data Centres in Nigeria to Host Financial Data
General News1 day agoLASTMA Launches 3367 Toll-Free Hotline for Emergency Response, Traffic Management
E-Financial1 day agoPalmPay Calls for Trust, Infrastructure and Responsible AI to Drive Payment Ecosystem Innovation
Telecom1 day agoALTON Backs NCC’s Local Smartphone Manufacturing Drive to Widen Digital Access
E-Financial1 day agongCERT Raises Alarm over Surge in Banks’ ATM Cyberattacks
E-Business1 day agoWant a Business Loan Without Interest? SMEDAN Launches N500m Fund