Broadcasting
Hitv Exceeds 100,000 Subscriber Base
Hitv has recorded over 100,000 people on its subscription base with a further promise to give customers value for money through compelling content and technical quality.
Owned by Entertainment Highway Limited, it commenced transmissions on February 1, 2007 with a pledge to providing qualitative, informative and entertaining content to Nigerians at affordable rates, all aimed at serving as a catalyst for the growth of the entertainment industry in Nigeria.
Olumide Amure, chief operating officer of the company, disclosed that an unprecedented patronage has propelled the subscriber base from 25,000 in August last year to 47,000 in December; over 70,000 in February 2008 and 122,000 at the end of July 2008.
Amure said that having overcome such start-up challenges as freezing of satellite signals and late kick off of live matches, the platform is poised to offer subscribers quality services having invested heavily in equipment and infrastructure, as well as recruitment of tested hands.
The firm’s phenomenal growth, he said, has been driven largely by such crucial elements as robust technology, compelling content, competitive pricing, aggressive marketing, financial clout and management savvy.
He said the company has strengthened its technical base, adding that over the next 12 months, the company will be adding more content in different areas of interests to customers such as sports, movies, news and entertainment.
Hitv operates on two platforms – the cable service, which is currently in operation in Lagos only, and the satellite Direct-To-Home (DTH) service, which is available all over the country.
The station jolted the Nigerian broadcasting market when in 2006; it won the rights to the English Premier League for three seasons, and the Spanish Liga for the whole of Africa. It became the first television platform in Africa to deploy the new terrestrial pay per view decoder system technology known as the MMDS Hypercable, which makes pay TV viewing cheaper.
Since Wednesday, August 15, 2007, Nigerian viewers, who waited for 15 years to have access to affordable pay television, started enjoying the pleasure of watching their soccer idols live on three Hitv channels – Hi-Soccer, Hi-Sports and Hi-Sports 2, and two additional channels on standby just in case several matches are played simultaneously.
Overall, Hitv made a hit in content development when its parent company acquired the broadcast rights to the English Premier League for three seasons beginning from the 2007 season. The company clinched Package A of the EPL offerings, which gave it the right to beam live 80 percent of the games totaling 380 matches a season and eight per week.
For the 2008/2009 season which gets underway August 15, the firm has acquired new wardrobe for its presenters and analysts, built two new sets to accommodate more analysts and added more commentators for prompt analysis of games. There will also be audience participation and feedback through live contributions to ongoing matches, as well as SMS competitions.
In thanking its subscribers for their patronage, Amure said the company will consistently respond to meet the wishes of consumers, adding that the transformation of the country’s television and broadcast industry remains on course from content to programming, and technology to platforms.
Dragon’s Den: From Classroom of Fire, Cash Episode 3 of the Dragon’s Den was packed with more dramatic energy, more ambitious smooth-talking entrepreneurs, and more ruthless dragons. The first entrepreneur Aniekeme Friday Bassey came in search of 8 million naira in exchange of 20% equity in a business he believed would solve Nigeria’s electricity problem for good. He came hoping to convince the dragons to invest in a business that would make wind turbine power-generating sets available in Nigeria. He revealed that the wind turbine apparatus generated up to 2 mega watts of electricity, and was currently being employed in Europe, where this technology is responsible for generating more than 40% of the continent’s energy. Femi Tejuoso’s question initiated his undoing and before long, it was obvious that this entrepreneur’s idea was not only unoriginal to him but he lacked faith in his business plan. He was sent home with only a piece of advice from Ibukun Awosika.
Emmanuel Achukwu barely escaped being scorched by the infuriated dragons who felt enormously insulted by his bizarre demand for 5 million naira in exchange for 60% equity in a company that would specialize in writing business plans for other businesses when the business plan he had presented to the dragons for this business was flawed by an overwhelming dose of mediocrity, incompetence, and severe lack of any fundamental knowledge in the art of business writing. It was not long before this entrepreneur went crashing down with yet another advice from Awosika, "please don’t try again. Go back to school. Make yourself more qualified to do this kind of work- but for now, you don’t have a business." The third entrepreneur, Alao Olatunji had the idea of starting what he dreamt was a ‘Modern Day Carwash’, and in order to turn his dream into an growing enterprise, he requested for 31 million naira in exchange of 70% equity. During his presentation he had revealed his plans to roll out a bouquet of car-washing services under the glam titles ‘Flexi’, ‘Supreme’, ‘Instanta’ etc. He pegged the prices for his services at N1, 000. Attacks came from Chris Parkes, Awosika and John Momoh and Olatunji could not keep up. He lost out! Michael Ijegwua and his partner Idu Paul went into the den, looking smart, and confident that they were going to secure an investment in a business they had tagged the "Mobile Aided Mail-Box", which was ear-marked to provide a service that would replace the conventional Private Mail Box (PMB) addressing system with a subscriber’s mobile phone number. The idea sounded very brilliant but confusing at first. However, on closer examination the Dragons discovered it was just a value added service which would prove profitable if only they made plans to work with the postal agency to introduce this concept to their subscribers. The fifth entrepreneur, Walter Asikaro, the chairman of Consolidated Gems Limited, came to expand his business of exporting rough and processed gem stones with a 6 million naira investment from the dragons. But his undoing was not being able to convince the dragons on the legality of the business. He lost out! Abiodun Bolaji came to ask for 6 million naira in exchange for 60% equity in his refuse disposal business. But indications that he would use bribery to advance his business put the dragons off whom of course, opted out. The seventh entrepreneur, Jumobi Daniel and his "Jumoby Fruity Eatery" left a fruity taste in the den when he came asking for 5 million naira in exchange of 30% equity in his business, an outlet where fruits can be savored by customers all day long The dragons on a closer look discovered that his business plan was not feasible, and his idea was not well-researched. They advised him to allow his business to grow from bottom upwards instead of jumping from start-up to becoming a conglomerate. However, he went home with Chris Parkes 1Million Naira advice only after the dragons had opted out.
iTunes and Rick Dees Shows: Two Peas in Pod hilary okeke
iTunes download radio show has been launched by Premier Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channels Communications; and will debut on top 40 radio stations in America.
The three-hour weekend music countdown show will feature the 30 most downloaded songs in America as featured in iTunes Store.
Hosted by Alex Luke, iTunes director of music programming, the show will be transmitted on Saturdays and Sundays, from Los Angeles, where Luke will interview high profile music artists.
The show will also feature a celebrity playlist and iMixes created by iTunes Store listeners.
Music fans in Nigeria however, can have a delightful music experience on the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 music show, originating from California.
Rick Dees is broadcast every Saturdays and Sundays on the Cool FM 96.9 dial.
Countdown usually begins on Saturdays at 12pm, going all the way down to number 21 while the Top 20 countdown continues the next day, same time.
The Top three songs on this week’s countdown are Leaving by Jesse McCartney, I Kissed a Girl by Kate Perry and Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield.
So, music lovers in Abuja, Lagos and its environs who may not have access to the iTunes Download show; can tune into Cool FM on weekends for same wonderful music experience on radio.
Enugu State Government has approved an increase in the minimum wage for workers of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) from N32,000 to N82,000 monthly, effective Sept. 1, 2026.
The approval was contained in a letter dated Aug. 11, 2026, signed by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, and addressed to the Accountant-General of the state.
According to the letter, the decision followed a report submitted by the Joint Action Committee on Trade Union (JACTU) at ESUT on issues surrounding a one-month strike ultimatum issued by the university’s unions.
The state government also approved an across-the-board salary increase of N50,000 for all other categories of staff at the university.
Onyia directed the Accountant-General to fully implement the approval of Gov. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
The directive referenced an earlier Government House letter dated Aug. 7, 2026.
A copy of the approval was also forwarded to the Vice-Chancellor of ESUT, Prof. Aloysius-Michaels Okolie, for information and necessary action.
Speaking on the development at the 278th Regular Meeting of the University Senate on Wednesday, Okolie said the university was continuing discussions with the state government to secure improved welfare for its workforce.
He disclosed that governors in the South-East had agreed to provide at least a 20 per cent salary increase for workers in state-owned universities across the region.
The vice-chancellor, however, noted that individual governors could approve salary increases above the regional benchmark.
Okolie thanked Gov. Mbah for implementing the N80,000 minimum wage and for his interventions in infrastructure and academic development at the university.
He also appealed to union leaders to allow the university management to conclude its ongoing negotiations with the state government on staff welfare.
The vice-chancellor said continued engagement between the university management, government and labour unions remained important to resolving outstanding welfare issues and sustaining industrial harmony at ESUT.
David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has declared that no Nigerian artiste has more hit songs than him, challenging his peers to a hit-for-hit contest with $1 million at stake.
The Afrobeats superstar, made the declaration during a recent online interaction with streamer Davrel, where he expressed confidence in the strength of his music catalogue.
Key Highlights:
- Davido says he is ready to stake $1 million in a hit-for-hit battle.
- The singer claims no Nigerian artiste has more hit songs than him.
- His challenge could reignite comparisons with Wizkid, Burna Boy and Olamide.
- No major artiste mentioned in the debate had accepted the challenge as of the time of filing.
“I will put up a $1M on the table. I will do it versus anybody. A million dollars cash, nobody has more hits than me,” Davido said.
The declaration is likely to renew the long-running debate among Afrobeats fans over which Nigerian artiste has the strongest catalogue of commercially successful songs.
Davido, whose career spans more than a decade, has recorded several commercially successful songs, including Fall, If, FIA, Risky, Blow My Mind, Unavailable, Assurance and Feel.
His claim could set up a potential catalogue battle with some of Nigeria’s biggest music stars, including Wizkid, Burna Boy, Olamide, Runtown and Tekno.
The statement also recalls the hit-for-hit debate involving Burna Boy during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020.
Burna Boy had called for a competitive song battle, while former Mavin Records artiste Reekado Banks reportedly expressed interest. Burna Boy, however, rejected him as an opponent.
Six years later, Davido’s $1 million challenge has brought the idea back into the spotlight.
As of the time of filing, none of the major artistes indirectly referenced by Davido had publicly accepted the challenge.
Whether the proposed contest becomes reality remains uncertain.
For now, Davido has made his position clear and is willing to attach $1 million to his claim that no contemporary Nigerian artiste has a stronger catalogue of hit songs.
Nigeria’s pay-TV industry is facing one of its toughest periods in years as consumers increasingly migrate from conventional antenna and decoder-based television services to cheaper, more flexible and on-demand streaming platforms
The shift is putting pressure on established operators, such as MultiChoice, owners of DStv and GOtv; StarTimes and other traditional pay-TV providers, whose business models have long depended on recurring monthly subscriptions as per report by Business Hallmark.
According to Business Hallmark, the changing consumer behaviour is being driven by a combination of factors, including demographic transition, rising subscription costs, declining household purchasing power, improved internet access and the growing popularity of streaming services that allow viewers to pay for specific content or watch programmes at their convenience.
Streaming platforms are steadily expanding their appeal, offering consumers access to movies, sports (especially football matches and wrestling bouts), local content and international programs through smartphones, smart televisions and other internet-enabled devices.
Also, the proliferation of affordable data packages and connected devices has lowered the barrier to entry, allowing consumers to bypass traditional decoders altogether and consume content directly online.
Three of the major factors behind the changing behaviour of Nigerian television consumers are growing internet access, economic squeeze and changing demography.
Pay-TV subscriptions, once regarded by many households as a relatively affordable source of entertainment, are now competing with several other demands on disposable income.
For instance, entertainment spending are increasingly being subjected to tougher scrutiny with household budgets under pressure from food, tuition, transportation, electricity, housing and other essential costs.
Business Hallmark checks revealed that frequent price reviews by MultiChoice Nigeria’s have pushed the firm’s products beyond the reach of many Nigerians.
One of its products, GOtv, initially designed for average Nigerians, has six packages, namely GOtv Supa Plus, GOtv Supa, Gotv Max, GOtv Jolli, GOtv Jinja and GOtv Smallie.
GOtv Supa Plus with over 85+ channels currently goes for a monthly subscription fee of N16,800; GOtv Supa N11,400; Gotv Max N8,500; GOtv Jolli N5,800; GOtv Jinja N3,900, while GOtv Smallie subscribers choose between the N1,900/monthly, N5,100/quarterly and N15,000/annually options.
Similarly, following multiple tariff reviews, DStv Premium currently goes for N44,500 monthly; DStv Compact Plus N30,000; DStv Compact N19,000; DStv Confam N11,000; DStv Yanga N6,000 and DStv Padi N4,400.
On the other hand, StarTimes, which serves its customers through antenna signal transmission and satellite transmission, has only three bouquets, Nova, Basic, and Classic.
While Classic, the most expensive bouquet on the StarTimes’ shelf currently cost N6,000 monthly, Basic costs N4,000, while Nova costs N2,100.
While speaking to our correspondent on the major shift, some consumers explained that the choice is no longer between different pay-TV providers but between maintaining a television subscription and cancelling it altogether.
Eighty-two Nigerians, representing 68% of the 120 Pay-TV subscribers, who participated in an online survey conducted by Business Hallmark, said they opted for less expensive and more flexible alternatives, including YouTube and a growing range of streaming platforms, using smartphones, laptops, smart televisions and other internet-enabled devices to access entertainment.Geographic Reference
According to the respondents, the shift towards streaming lies partly in its flexibility. Instead of waiting for a program to be broadcast at a scheduled time, viewers now search for specific films, series, sporting events or other contents, which can be watched immediately, or downloaded to be watched or listened to later.
“I now watch contents when I want, across multiple devices, without necessarily being tied to the traditional channel and time-based television experience”, said Tolu Olamiti, an accountant in an audit firm in Lagos.
Another factor that is fueling the exodus from pay-TV model is the growing youth population. Checks revealed that online streaming is particularly attractive to phone-savvy younger viewers, whose television consumption habits are markedly different from those of previous generations.
While underage children watch cartoons and educational programs mostly from their parents or older siblings internet-enabled gadgets, teenagers and adults now watch news, sports programs and films through live streaming or download preferred programs to be watched later.
“With N200 data, I can download several new films to be watched at my convenience, instead of the old films, which providers always repeat on their channels. I also listen to music through out the day without worrying about electricity as my phone can go 2 days after full charge”, said Chukwuemeka Ibe, a student of Lagos State University (LASU).
In the same vein, access to fast and cheap internet plans is helping to drive the streaming surge. For instance, a subscriber can get a daily 1G data plan on the MTN Nigeria platform for just N200. This data plan can be used to download up to 1,000MB movies, or for streaming several hours of music online.
According to official statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), internet consumption in Nigeria reached 13.2 million terabytes in 2025, representing a 35 per cent increase from 2024, while average monthly data usage per active subscriber increased from 3.3 gigabytes in January 2023 to 7.4 gigabytes by May 2025.Geographic Reference
The NCC data indicates growing reliance on mobile internet services and digital platforms across the country with active internet subscriptions rising from 169.3 million in January 2025 to 182.2 million by January 2026.
Also, active internet subscriptions also surpassed 142 million.
Before the advent of internet, traditional pay-TV operators had ruled the television viewing industry largely through channel packages, exclusive content and decoder penetration. However, the rise of streaming has fundamentally altered the competitive landscape of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Fueled by the spread of smart devices and improved internet connectivity, streaming companies have been able to compete with traditional TV and radio providers through original programming, on-demand access, convenient timing and increased personalized viewing experiences.
A subscriber, who previously needed a satellite dish or digital terrestrial television decoder to access premium entertainment, can now use a smartphone or smart television and an internet connection.
The proliferation of affordable smartphones has further accelerated the process. Mobile phones have become entertainment devices for millions of Nigerians, particularly younger consumers, who spend more time watching short-form videos, movies and online programs than conventional television.
Also, social media platforms have become important competitors for consumers’ limited attention. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and other digital platforms provide enormous volumes of free or relatively inexpensive video content, forcing traditional broadcasters to compete not only for subscribers but also for viewers’ time.
Several pay-TV subscribers, who spoke to our correspondent on the matter, said providers can no longer justify the traditional model of paying a fixed monthly fee for hundreds of channels they rarely watch.
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