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GTB, HiTV Row Deepens as CBS Claims Studio
The battle for the soul of HiTV, the embattled pay TV Company, owned by Hi Media has taken a new turn as Continental Broadcasting Service (CBS), owners of Radio Continental and Television Continental, claims it owns some parts of the properties under receivership by GTB Plc, Nigeria CommunicatonsWeek can report.
CBS claimed that HiTV had signed an agreement to use part of its premises as studio for some of HiTV’s live programmes but that the pay TV Company could not meet up its part of the deal.
CBS is therefore enraged that its premises is locked up even with the judgement obtained against Hi Media for allegedly defaulting in the terms of a co-location agreement in the sum of N188 million.
The twist is coming months after GTB obtained a court order to take over HiTV for failure to discharge its outstanding indebtedness (to GTB) in the sum of N9 billion.
While not opposing the take over of HiTV by Chief Ajibola A . Aribisala (SAN), the GTB appointed receiver/manager; CBS claims that the presence of the managers on its premises is affecting the smooth running of its broadcasting businesses.
It also claims frustration at attempts to levy the execution of the judgment against Hi Media for failing in the terms of a co-location agreement
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek recalled that HiTV had last year had its operations turned over to a receiver after GTB sued it over alleged debts totaling N9 billion.
HiTV, a celebrated broadcast business module and once seen as rival Multichoice, operators of DSTV suddenly wobbled under the weight of the nation’s banking liquidity stagnation and the subsequent inability of creative entrepreneurs to access capital from banks to fund projects.
After losing the lucrative English Premier League (EPL) franchise to Multichoice, the local pay TV Company, was on course to re-vegetation through its entertainment centric programming before the GTB’s blow.
But it looks more like a case of business relations gone sour.
GTB sought and obtained a ruling against HiTV over the alleged debts at the Federal High Court sitting in Ikeja, presided over by Hon. Justice S.J. Adah on September 11, 2011.
And pursuant of the ruling a public notice by Aribisala, of A.O.S Practice, Lagos acting as ‘the Receiver/Manager’ said Hi Media Ltd has been placed in receivership due to its “failure to discharge (its) outstanding indebtedness in the sum of N9, 228, 269, 021. 00 as at November 16, 2011 in respect of credit facilities granted to it by Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.”
GTB appointed Aribisala, as “Receiver/Manager over the entire undertakings, stock, goodwill, plant and machinery, howsoever called floating and fixed assets moveable and unmovable inclusive of money and assets kept in any bank in Nigeria and/or all assets belong to Hi Media Ltd, the operator of HiTV.”
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that before the big blow on HiTV, it has had a running battle with rival Multichoice over rights infringements and won.
But then Multichoice also won the battles over broadcast rights of CNN, Discovery and EPL.
In 2010 after paying an initial deposit of $40 million over a year, it lost the EPL franchise to Multichoice for the 2011 – 2013 seasons following its inability to provide bank guaranty to the Premiership owners for the other two years.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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