Broadcasting
Ikegwuonu Makes Nigeria Proud, Bags Yara Award for Agric Radio
Nigeria’s Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, founder and CEO, Smallholders Foundation in Nigeria has been recognized for his entrepreneurial work of using radio as transmitter of sustainable agricultural development and environmental conservation beneficial to rural poor small farmers in the Imo State.
He is to be awarded the Yara Prize, which this year has a specific focus on young women and men who are making a particular effort within agriculture paying particular attention to innovation and entrepreneurship.
Ikegwuonu along with Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) also honoured for advocating for impact will receive their awards at Yara Prize ceremony in Maputo, Mozambique, on September 4 in connection with the African Green Revolution Forum 2013.
The Yara Prize Committee selected the two prominent African laureates for their works for African farmers and for the continent’s green revolution.
The award recognizes their effective entrepreneurial work which has spread knowledge that has inspired smallholder farmers and youth to improve their lives, and their policy dialogue and advocacy which has enabled change in the African agricultural sector.
Both laureates have, through personal commitment and special efforts, translated ideas on the development of African agriculture into impactful results in their respective areas of work.
They are both examples of the can-do spirit and drive that is playing a vital role in transforming agriculture in Africa.
“Yara creates impact by addressing global challenges. By awarding the Yara Prize, we salute the champions of sustainable agricultural development. I wish to extend my personal congratulations to the laureates,” Jørgen Ole Haslestad, president and CEO of Yara and chairman of the Yara Prize Committee, said.
Ikegwuonu and the Smallholders Foundation develop and broadcast 10 hours of educational radio programs daily to 250,000 listeners.
The radio programmes are held in the local Igbo language. Since 2007, 65 percent of his radio programme listeners have increased their agricultural yield by 50 percent and their household income by 45 percent.
Ikegwuonu has a goal of reaching 3.5 million farmers in almost 5000 villages in his own region. Since 2008, 4,500 students have been trained and 10 school gardens of Nigeria have been established.
Through the Future Farmers Program, Ikegwuonu imparts sustainable agricultural, environmental management, entrepreneurship and financial management skills to young people through the establishment of the School and Community Gardens in secondary schools and rural communities across Nigeria.
Sibanda is awarded the prize for her many years of work generating knowledge and facilitating dialogue to develop informed, research-based development through policy and advocacy across Africa as CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), where she has served since 2004.
FANRPAN is perceived to be one of the most influential policy networks across the African region.
Its focus areas include policy research and advocacy work on food policy, agricultural productivity, natural resources and environment, and the impact of HIV/AIDS on farmers’ livelihoods.
Sibanda has played a global leadership role in increasing the visibility and importance of agriculture as a key development driver.
In 2009, Dr. Sibanda led the global “No-Agriculture, No-Deal” campaign and mobilized African civil society organizations to push for the inclusion of agriculture in the UNFCCC climate change negotiations.
Sibanda has built the advocacy capacity of FANRPAN through her innovative use of strategic outreach and communication activities, which help leverage and amplify the work done by the organization and its partners at the ground level. Through this multi-pronged approach Sibanda has effectively built recognition for FANRPAN as one of the most recognized and trusted voices on African agriculture and food security, including a strong focus on women farmers.
FANRPAN extended its mandate to become Africa-wide in 2012, and has identified youth as an important stakeholder group to be further nurtured and included in agricultural policy processes, launching the FANRPAN Youth in Agriculture Award in 2012.
The Yara Prize for an African Green Revolution seeks to contribute to the transformation of African agriculture and food availability, within a sustainable context, thereby helping to reduce hunger and poverty.
The Yara Prize is based on nominations of candidates who are carefully evaluated by the Yara Prize Committee.
The Yara Prize consists of $60,000, which will be split between the laureates, a crystal trophy and a diploma.
The Yara Prize was handed out in Oslo from 2005 to 2009. In 2012, it moved to Africa where it was handed out as part of African Green Revolution Forum 2012 in Arusha, Tanzania.
Showmax, Africa’s leading streaming service, has expanded its payment options in Nigeria through a partnership with Baxi by Onafriq, giving customers an easier and more convenient way to subscribe and stay connected to world-class streaming entertainment.
Started Monday, 22 December 2025, existing Showmax customers can log into the Baxi by Onafriq app, select and pay for any of Showmax plans including: Showmax Entertainment Mobile, Showmax Entertainment (All Devices), Showmax Premier League Mobile, Showmax Entertainment (All Devices) + Premier League Mobile, Showmax Entertainment Mobile + Premier League Mobile.
This update allows customers to complete their entire subscription process within the Baxi app, delivering a more efficient payment experience.
Alternatively, existing customers with verified mobile numbers can top up their Baxi by Onafriq app or through its Baxi POS agent device to load funds directly into their Showmax account. These funds can then be used to pay for a Showmax plan.
For new customers, subscribing is also seamless. After creating a Showmax account on their mobile device, they will receive an OTP via SMS or WhatsApp, which allows them to verify their mobile number and immediately return to the app to top up and activate their subscription.
Speaking on the announcement, Tope Oshunkeye, Executive Head of Marketing, West Africa, MultiChoice, said: “With these new payment options from Baxi by Onafriq, we are making streaming on Showmax more accessible, allowing our customers to pay quickly and securely through a trusted financial service provider. This is a significant step forward in our mission to deliver world-class streaming experiences for our customers”.
“This launch is about making entertainment access seamless,” said Mxolisi Msutwana, Managing Director, Anglophone West Africa, Onafriq. “By automating the renewal process, we are not only providing greater convenience for customers but also helping to drive the adoption of digital payments across Nigeria.”
With more people turning to digital services, Showmax is doubling down on its commitment to make it affordable and effortless for customers to access and stream the stories they love. By partnering with Baxi by Onafriq, a popular agent and digital payment network, Showmax is meeting subscribers where they already are.
Showmax, launched in 2015 and available in more than 40 markets across the continent, is a leading African streaming service. It offers a unique combination of original African content, first and exclusive international series, popular movies, premium documentaries and the best kids’ shows, plus a mobile-only product to watch the Premier League.
Onafriq is an omnichannel network of networks, making borders matter less by providing our partners with a single pathway to unlock the full power of cross-border and cross-platform payment solutions. With a network spanning 43 African markets, Onafriq connects over 1 billion mobile money wallets, 500 million bank accounts, and over 400,000 agents in Nigeria, enabling domestic and cross-border disbursements and collections, card issuing and processing, agency banking, and treasury services.
In Nigeria, Onafriq operates as a B2B payments enabler with an extensive agency banking network through its flagship product, Baxi. Baxi connects over 400,000 agents nationwide, offering essential financial services such as bill payments, airtime and data purchases, funds transfers, cash-in and cash-out transactions, and more, driving financial inclusion and providing seamless access to digital financial services for millions.
DStv has launched a new campaign tagged “We Got You”, aimed at giving customers more entertainment value at the start of the year without additional cost.
DStv
The campaign, which runs from January 1 to February 28, 2026, allows subscribers who pay for their current package in full to enjoy an automatic upgrade to the next DStv package.
The initiative is designed to ease the pressure that often comes with January, a period marked by school resumption, tighter budgets and increased household demands.
Through the offer, DStv is rewarding customer loyalty by unlocking more channels, stories, sports, children’s content, local productions and international programmes at no extra charge.
Speaking on the campaign, Tope Oshunkeye, Executive Head of Marketing, West Africa, MultiChoice, said, “We want our customers to step into the year feeling valued.
“When you buy your package, we upgrade you because you deserve more. This is our way of bringing extra excitement, choice and convenience into your home.”
According to DStv, the offer is open to existing subscribers who remain active during the promotion period, customers who reconnect their decoders, and new subscribers who join between January 1 and February 28.
Under the offer, subscribers who pay for DStv Yanga will be upgraded to DStv Confam, Confam customers will receive DStv Compact, Compact subscribers will be upgraded to Compact Plus, while Compact Plus customers will enjoy access to DStv Premium.
The upgrade applies only to decoder viewing, and subscribers will revert to their original packages at the end of the promotion period.
Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has officially given way to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), signalling a pivotal shift in the country’s revenue administration framework as the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Act 2025 takes full effect from January 1, 2026.
NRS
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the landmark legislation in June 2025, alongside a comprehensive package of tax reforms designed to streamline compliance, expand the tax net and bolster federal revenue for critical infrastructure and social services.
At a colourful ceremony in Abuja on December 30, 2025, NRS Executive Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, unveiled the agency’s new logo and corporate identity, describing it as a beacon of modernisation and efficiency.
Adedeji, who doubles as the pioneer helmsman, stated that the fresh branding embodies “a renewed commitment to a unified, service-driven revenue system” in line with global standards and Nigeria’s economic aspirations.
“The new identity underscores continuity in mandate, enhanced capacity and proactive taxpayer support, fostering trust and shared prosperity,” he added, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Dare Adekanmbi.
The NRS emergence caps decades of advocacy for tax overhaul, repealing the FIRS (Establishment) Act 2007 and vesting the new body with broader powers for revenue assessment, collection and accountability.
Judicial hurdles were cleared when an FCT High Court dismissed suits seeking to stall implementation, paving the way for the four key Acts — Nigeria Revenue Service, Tax Administration, Nigeria Tax and Joint Revenue Board — to roll out seamlessly.
Despite pockets of controversy, including claims of bill alterations, the Budget Office affirmed the laws’ authenticity, prioritising fiscal stability and investor confidence.
For ordinary Nigerians and enterprises, the NRS promises simplified processes, digital innovations and reduced red tape to ease compliance burdens while curbing evasion.
Technical Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Chairman, Mrs Aderonke Atoyebi, reassured that core values of integrity, fairness and professionalism persist, with staff nationwide driving the transition.
Industry watchers anticipate a surge in non-oil revenue, crucial as Nigeria navigates global headwinds, with the NRS positioned to elevate the tax-to-GDP ratio through transparent engagement.
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