Broadcasting
Lagos Boosts Creative Industry with Interest-free Loans, Free Training
The Lagos State Government has urged film makers, movie producers, content creators as well as others in the creative sector to take advantage of the intervention funds approved for film production purposes and also explore the windows of opportunities and free trainings provided by the present administration for creative practitioners.
Commissioner for Tourism Arts and Culture, Pharm. Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf made gave the advice while speaking at the event commemorating the second year anniversary of Mr. Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration at Alausa, Ikeja.
She said that the present administration is greatly committed to improving the quality and standard of film production and the advancement of the huge potentials in the State’s entertainment sector to international standard with its recent partnerships with some household names in the creative sector.
Akinbile-Yussuf disclosed that the Ministry recently entered into partnership with two creative firms, reputable for film production in the country and beyond; Delyork Academy and EbonyLife Academy to train 1,480 creative practitioners in Digital Film making, Documentary, Fashion, Arts and Craft etc.
She informed that this gesture by the government is informed by the need to bridge identified skill-gap in the creative sector and to position residents of the State who are in the creative field to compete globally with their contemporaries.
“As an additional palliative and support for film makers, Governor Sanwo-Olu, earlier this month, approved the constitution of 9-man committee members comprising of veteran film makers and some senior government officials to oversee a seed fund that would be dedicated for film production purposes,” Akinbile-Yussuf added.
According to her, this initiative by Governor Sanwo-Olu, is aimed at addressing financial challenges inhibiting quality film production in the State, stressing that Governor Sanwo-Olu has said that a support up to 40million naira could be accessed based on the recommendation of the committee.
Reiterating that the several interventions by the State Government to the creative sector of the State was in line with the THEMES Agenda of the present administration, especially the Entertainment and Tourism Pillar, the Commissioner called for the involvement of corporate organizations and individuals in empowering more creative practitioners through Lagos State Creative Industry Initiative, LACI.
Akinbile-Yussuf explained that LACI is a concept of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and an umbrella for the coordination of all creative partnerships with the Ministry.
She noted that the activities of the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board, LSFVCB, an Agency under the Ministry is essential to the fulfillment of ideas, innovations and programmes being implemented in the Creative Industry.
“LSFVCB oversees the activities of the film industry in the State and had in the last two years carried out its duties of ensuring that filming activities by all movie producers are achieved within appropriate guidelines and conditions established by law”, Akinbile-Yussuf stated.
The Commissioner added that the agency issued 60 film shoot permit to individuals and corporate organization to shoot their films within the State between 2020 to date, stressing that the figure would have been more but for covid restrictions.
She noted that, “Although the COVID19 pandemic dealt with the entertainment sector last year when we have to shut down sector basically, however, the agency was able to license 15 Associations and Practitioners to fully go about their businesses of improving the film industry.”
Speaking on the importance of registering as movie practitioners with LSFVCB, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Agency, Adebukola Agbaminoja said that registered practitioners have an edge over unregistered filmmakers in benefitting from the government.
Agbaminoja advocated meaningful film contents, capable of bringing about positive and desired changes in the society, just as she frowned at the way the business of filming activities is done by some practitioners across the metropolis without recourse to the ethics of film making.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
Paramount Africa is officially shutting down at the end of December 2025, drawing the curtain on more than two decades of operations in South Africa and Nigeria.
The company, which once reached over 100 million viewers across 52 African territories, confirmed it will close its doors as part of a massive global restructuring at its parent company, Paramount Global.
This is the same Paramount Africa behind channels like BET, MTV, MTV Base, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and more.
Its digital footprint has also been significant, with millions of monthly page views, social media engagements, and content partnerships across Africa.
But despite that scale, rising costs and a global strategic reset have caught up with the business.
Paramount’s retrenchment has been building for months.
Earlier this year, plans to launch a standalone Paramount+ app in South Africa were quietly shelved.
Then in August, the company said its content would remain available only via DStv and Showmax.
And last month, MultiChoice confirmed that BET Africa and MTV Base will disappear from DStv and GOtv on January 1, 2026, as Paramount Africa winds down entirely.
The shutdown is tied to aggressive cost-cutting after Paramount’s merger with Skydance. The company is targeting a 15% reduction in global staff and $3 billion in savings.
International divisions, including Africa, have taken the hardest hit as the business pivots away from linear TV and doubles down on a more streamlined streaming-first model.
At the same time, the global media landscape is being shaken by Warner Bros. Discovery’s chaotic auction. Netflix, Paramount, and Comcast have all submitted fresh bids for WBD, with some offers reportedly focusing on the studios-and-streaming division, home to HBO, HBO Max, DC, and Warner Bros. Pictures.
Analysts say the crown jewel bundle could go for as much as $70 billion, a deal that would reshape Hollywood and accelerate the decline of traditional TV.
DStv subscribers may lose access to 12 major Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) channels, including CNN International, Discovery Channel, TLC, and Cartoon Network, from Jan. 1, 2026, if MultiChoice and WBD fail to conclude a new distribution agreement.
DStv
MultiChoice, now owned by Canal+, issued a notice to customers on Monday, warning that its current carriage deal with WBD will expire on Dec. 31, 2025, and negotiations to renew the contract remain inconclusive.
“While discussions between the parties continue, no agreement has been reached at this stage. If this remains unchanged, several Warner Bros. Discovery channels may no longer be available on DStv from Jan. 1, 2026,” the company said.
The channels at risk include Discovery Channel, CNN International, TLC, Discovery Family, Real Time, TNT Africa, Food Network, HGTV, Investigation Discovery, Cartoon Network, Cartoonito, and Travel Channel.
The development comes amid subscriber losses for MultiChoice, which has shed 2.8 million active linear subscribers over the last two financial years.
This includes 1.2 million customers lost in 2025 alone, representing an 8 per cent decline across South Africa and the rest of Africa.
In Nigeria, MultiChoice has lost 1.4 million subscribers in the past two years, largely due to repeated subscription price increases, according to Nairametrics.
The broadcaster is also set to lose additional content in the coming months. Paramount Africa will discontinue BET Africa and MTV Base from Jan. 1, 2026, while CBS Reality and CBS Justice will cease operations on Dec. 31, 2025.
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