Broadcasting
Minister Charges Task Force on Content, Publicity For DSO

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, has charged the Ministerial Task Force on the Digital Switch Over (DSO) to ensure that the project offers very rich content for Nigerian television viewers, saying the success of the project depends on the content it offers.
In his opening comments at the inaugural meeting of the Task Force in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister also charged it to ensure adequate publicity for the DSO project in order to keep Nigerians well informed about it.
”Let me say, straight away, that the success of this project is hinged on content. If the content is right, the 24 million TV households in the country will embrace it. If the content is wrong, they will not.
”Even the purchase of the Set Top Boxes (STBs) by Nigerians will depend on the richness of the content offered. Before now, we either gave out the boxes free or at subsidized rates. But now that the project is being commercially-driven, the sale of STBs will depend on the content,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed said rich content in sports, entertainment, children’s programmes as well as local and international news were necessary to attract subscribers, with the added advantage of non-payment for subscription.
The Minister also charged the Task Force to tap into the great opportunity offered by the project to help popularise the local professional football league.
”We can work with the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) to have all their weekly matches shown live. I have no doubt that they will be willing to work with us in this regard,” he said.
The Minister announced the establishment of the 14-member Task Force, which he is personally chairing, in Abuja on Feb. 23rd 2021 to take charge of the DSO rollout across the country.
Broadcasting
MultiChoice Reportedly Testing Weekly Subscriptions amid Use Decline

MultiChoice is reportedly testing weekly subscription plans in Uganda, aiming to ease financial pressure on customers struggling with monthly payments.
If successful, the pay-TV giant may expand the model to other African markets as it fights to retain subscribers amid economic challenges, according to the Sunday Times.
The company, which operates in 16 African countries, has seen its subscriber base shrink by 1.2 million in the past year, dropping to 14.5 million.
Half of those losses came from South Africa, where high unemployment and rising living costs have forced households to cut discretionary spending, including DStv subscriptions.
Calvo Mawela, group CEO, MultiChoice, confirmed the weekly subscription trial has been running for seven weeks.
“Within three to six months, we’ll have a good idea if it’s working,” he told the Sunday Times.
“If successful, we’ll expand it to other markets. We believe this approach can help customers in the same way prepaid mobile services revolutionized telecoms.”
MultiChoice faces financial strain from currency depreciation in key markets like Nigeria, Angola, and Ghana, alongside rising inflation.
In South Africa, economic stagnation has further squeezed consumer budgets.
Despite a recent 31% price hike in Nigeria, Mawela remains optimistic, noting that the naira has stabilized and subscriber recovery may follow.
While the new payment option could improve affordability, Mawela dismissed the idea of letting users customize channel bundles, stating, “We still don’t think it works.”
However, MultiChoice is researching tiered packages, including separate sports and entertainment offerings, to boost revenue.
The company is also streamlining costs, targeting R2 billion in savings by 2026 through reduced satellite expenses, better content deals, and fewer decoder subsidies.
As broadband penetration grows, MultiChoice reports a 38% surge in DStv Stream users.
However, its standalone streaming platform, Showmax, has underperformed initial expectations despite a 44% increase in paying subscribers. Mawela admitted the venture’s high costs are unsustainable, prompting talks with partner Comcast NBCUniversal to adjust funding.
“Streaming is the future, but data prices must improve for it to thrive in Africa,” MultiChoice stated.
For now, the company hopes flexible subscriptions and cost controls will stabilize its business as it navigates a tough economic climate.
Broadcasting
Multichoice Nigeria Faces Revenue Decline Amid Economic Challenges

MultiChoice Nigeria’s subscription revenue declined by 44 per cent to $197.74m in the financial year ended March 2025, down from $355.93m recorded in the same period a year earlier, as rising inflation and a worsening economic climate triggered a mass exit of subscribers.
The sharp revenue drop was driven by “sizeable customer losses in Nigeria as high inflation adds more pressure on consumers,” the company said in its latest financial report. Inflation stood at 23.71 per cent in April 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
The pay-TV provider has lost 1.4 million subscribers in Nigeria since its financial year ended in March 2023.
Nigeria alone accounted for 77 per cent of the 1.8 million subscribers lost across MultiChoice’s Rest of Africa segment, which includes markets such as Kenya, Zambia, and Angola.
Between April and September 2024, the company lost 243,000 subscribers in Nigeria, as macroeconomic and consumer conditions deteriorated further.
At the close of its 2025 fiscal year, MultiChoice reported 14.5 million total subscribers, with 7.5 million of them in RoA. The group attributed part of the overall decline in performance to foreign exchange losses resulting from a 44 per cent depreciation of the naira against the US dollar.
MultiChoice said it incurred foreign exchange losses of $158.19m and managed to remit only $133m from Nigeria at an average exchange rate of N1,589 per dollar, compared to $184m at N1,044 per dollar in the previous year.
“Nigeria’s economic challenges had a significant impact on our Rest of Africa operations, contributing to a 23 per cent drop in RoA subscription revenue to $779.66m,” said Chief Executive Officer, MultiChoice Group, Calvo Mawela.
Total subscription revenue, including South Africa, declined by 11 per cent year-on-year to $2.27bn. Overall group revenue fell nine per cent to $2.87bn, while operating profit declined by 34 per cent to $263.50m. Trading profit dropped by nearly half to $228.14m.
“Our performance reflects both the challenges we’ve faced and the resilience of our teams,” said Mawela. “While macroeconomic pressures and currency volatility have weighed on our results, our disciplined execution, cost management, and investment in new long-term growth opportunities position us well for the future.”
In spite of its declining linear subscriber base, down 2.8 million across two financial years, MultiChoice reported notable growth in its digital and streaming businesses.
DStv Internet revenue rose 85 per cent, KingMakers grew by 76 per cent in constant currency, DStv Stream increased 48 per cent, and Showmax saw a 44 per cent year-on-year rise in active paying customers.
“Our strategy is shaped by developments in our industry, such as changes in technology which are driving shifts in consumer behaviour, as well as the impact of a rise in piracy, streaming services, and social media,” Mawela said.
Broadcasting
LASERC Takes Full Control of Electricity Regulation in Lagos

Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission (LASERC) has issued a new directive establishing a formal regulatory framework for electricity market operations within Lagos.
With the release of Order No. LASERC ORDER/001/2025, the commission finalizes the shift of oversight from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to LASERC, aligning with the Electricity Act 2023 and Lagos State Electricity Law 2024.
Under the new regulations, individuals or entities involved in electricity-related activities in Lagos must obtain a license or permit from LASERC. Licenses issued by other regulatory bodies will no longer be recognized. Unlicensed operators must immediately halt operations and apply for proper authorization to avoid penalties, which include a fine of ₦20 million and additional daily fines of ₦20,000 for continued violations.
LASERC has encouraged entities unsure of their regulatory status to seek clarification to prevent sanctions. Despite the transition, existing national guidelines, including tariff structures, grid codes, and safety regulations, will remain in effect unless amended.
Dr. Fouad Animashaun, CEO and Executive Commissioner of LASERC, emphasized that the order is designed to ensure a secure, efficient, and reliable electricity market in Lagos.
He reiterated the commission’s commitment to global standards and safeguarding the interests of electricity consumers and investors.
This policy marks a significant shift in the state’s power sector and aims to enhance regulatory compliance while ensuring a more structured and effective electricity market.
- E-Financial16 hours ago
Fidelity Bank ED, Kevin Ugwuoke takes over as President of Risk Managers Association
- General News16 hours ago
Airtel Concludes Nationwide Environment Week with Market Clean-Up by Employees
- E-Financial3 days ago
Sterling Bank Pledges ₦2bn to Fully Fund University Scholarships
- Telecom3 days ago
MTN Nigeria Unveils CPaaS Platform to Transform Business Communication
- News16 hours ago
Why I am vying for AFRINIC board seat in 2025 election – Terry Edet
- News3 days ago
China Expands Zero-Tariff Trade for Nigeria, 52 Other African Nations
- General News16 hours ago
Court Orders Lawyer to Produce “Bail-Jumping” Client in MTN Cyber Fraud Case
- Telecom16 hours ago
Crypto Exchange MEXC Rolls Out P2P Support for Naira, Birr, and Rupee