Broadcasting
International Film Festival Centres on Nollywood
Nollywood, for its creativity and vibrancy, is generating positive excitement among the Omcomm crew, organizers of ION International Film Festival (IONIFF) Port Harcourt 09.
The Port Harcourt event is the 6th edition running, and is scheduled to hold between 9th and 12th December 2009 – a four-day programme of international films, workshops, forums and glamour.
ION will bring together over 200 international guests including Nollywood, Hollywood, Bollywood and European celebrities, artistes, producers and distributors.
The Nigerian film industry is now said to be the second largest movie industry in the world after Bollywood – Hollywood ranked at number 3 – for titles released.
According to Valentine Charles, partnership director at Omcomm studio in Lagos, Nollywood represents the positive energy of the country and has become the primary face of Nigeria in the international circle portraying the huge potentials of Nigeria particularly in the creative entertainment and film industry. “Artistes are carrying messages to the world, inspiring the people.”
“ION International Film Festival’s choice of Port Harcourt as the first African city to host the festival that started in Los Angeles in 2004 and moved to Dubai in 2008 is based on our observation of the growing reference point of Nigeria and Nollywood as a creative hub for talents and creativity.”
The city, according to her, represents what ION film festival stands for – promoting peace, unity and global awareness. “We want filmmakers from all over the world to feel the energy of Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta that we have felt from the first time we visited. Our production team is on ground, and we are working towards improving the standards we set in Dubai in 2008 with Nollywood’s exceptional growth and rating as one of the biggest movie industry in the world, which reflects the vast untapped potential and impact this industry will generate.”
This year’s theme of the official selection is ‘Movies That Move,’ and entries are scheduled to close on 30th September 2009.
Valentine revealed that movies from all over the country have been submitted for the different categories and that the IONIFF/Omcomm team is very pleased with the movies that have been sourced so far.
ION International Film Festival was established in 2004 by Chris David of Shout Studio, and was in 2007 acquired by the Farmani Group, founder of several charities and art-related organizations.
The film festival is a touring one that is dedicated to promoting independent films, documentaries, animation, music videos and student films; and is held annually in different locations to promote global awareness and unity.
ION International Film Festival welcomes ardent industry professionals, film enthusiasts and the general public to experience the art and passion of some of the world’s most talented filmmakers.
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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