Broadcasting
Multichoice Commissions Resource Centres
Multichoice, Nigeria’s leading pay TV operator, has commissioned 10 educational resource centres in Katsina, bringing to 81 its total number of educational resource centres across Nigeria. The Multichoice educational resource centres are technological resource facilities by which Multichoice helps to enhance learning and development in secondary schools across Nigeria.
According to Joseph Hundah, the company’s managing director, ‘as part of the Multichoice Resource Centre project, Multichoice makes available to secondary schools, physical hardware including television sets, decoders and satellite dishes, learning boards, laboratory tables and chairs, generators, video recorders as well as a bouquet of learning and educational channels’.
"These educational and learning channels are customized to this special project and are not available commercially," he said. The objective he stated, is to assist schools in making the process of learning more vivid and empirical and therefore create more impact. "Students, in schools where scientific laboratories do not exist for instance, can witness scientific experiments being carried out and in the process get valuable insights they could never have gotten if all they had to do was to imagine how these processes take place," he said.
Hundah added that feedback from the dozens of schools across Nigeria where the Multichoice Resource Centre project has been implemented has been overwhelmingly positive as teachers as well as students have expressed immense satisfaction with the additional value that the resource centres add to their quest to teach and learn, respectively.
States that have so far benefited in the Multichoice Resource Centre project which is targeted at the entire country include Lagos, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Cross River, Abia, Ekiti, Bauchi, Katsina and Abuja, respectively, in four different phases. The fifth phase is expected to commence shortly.
Speaking at the launch in Katsina, Dr. Ismail Tsigi, the State Commissioner for Education, commended Multichoice for the Resource Centre Initiative, describing it as a laudable private sector initiative that will contribute to significantly in enhancing Nigeria’s educational development.
He added that the Katsina State Ministry of Education will spearhead a crusade to help ensure that the facilities at the Multichoice Resource Centres are used judiciously by school principals, teachers and students through close monitoring to ensure that the state derives optimal benefit from the facilities.
Mr. Ade Adefeko, the company’s head of corporate communications and public affairs said that the Resource Centre Project is a corporate social investment initiative by Multichoice. "We realize that knowledge is pivotal to Nigeria’s social and economic development and indeed key to Nigeria retaining a competitive edge in today’s world which is driven by intellectual capital. This is the reason that we will continue to commit resources into ensuring that as much as we can, we help to empower thousands of young people with the knowledge and skill with which to be relevant and make a real difference in the future," he stated.
Multichoice, he stated, works in partnership with the NGO, SchoolNet Nigeria and various state Ministries of Education in implementing the Multichoice Resource Centre Project.
In the case of the Katsina Multichoice Resource Centre project as with all other projects, SchoolNet, Adefeko disclosed, carried out a need assessment and subsequent training of teachers in beneficiary schools prior to the commencement of the project, in order to enhance their capacity to integrate the new learning bouquet into their traditional teaching and learning environment.
In his speech, Dr. Bashir Galadanci, acting chairman of SchoolNet Nigeria, , said the MultiChoice Resource project embodies a partnership between a diverse range of public and private sector interests aimed at mobilizing Nigeria’s human and financial resources to the singular purpose of transforming the education system in Nigeria into one which participates in and benefits from the global knowledge society.
MultiChoice Nigeria has slashed the price of its DStv decoder from N20,000 to N10,000, representing a 50 percent drop, in a aim at attracting attract more customers and curb declining subscriptions.
The campaign, titled “We’ve Got You,” was launched on June 16 and will continue until July 31.
Also, as part of its efforts to ease economic pressure on households and improve access to digital TV services, the campaign offers a free upgrade for both active and returning customers.
Speaking on the campaign, John Ugbe, chief executive officer (CEO) of MultiChoice Nigeria, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to rewarding loyalty and enhancing daily viewing experiences.
“We want to ensure our customers feel appreciated and have access to the best entertainment every day,” Ugbe said.
“The ‘We’veGot You’ campaign is about making premium content more accessible and showing that DStv offers something for everyone, not just football fans.
“By repositioning itself as a platform for daily value, DStv aims to encourage content discovery across a wider array of genres, including movies, drama, kids’ programming, and news.
“This means more channels, more shows, and more reasons to tune in every day.”
The development comes amid MultiChoice Nigeria’s legal battle with the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over price hike.
Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will, on Oct. 7, arraigned the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Qatar Airways, Mr Temi Birdzell, alongside the company and its top officers, over allegations bordering on breach of FCCPC Act, 2018.
The defendants will be arraigned before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Others to be arraigned with Birdzell are Stella Ihediwa, the Account Manager of the airline; Kennedy Chirchir, the Country Manager and Eva Ojeje, who is the Sales Manager of the company.
Although the arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday, the matter could not proceed.
Upon resumed hearing, none of the defendants was in court.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, none of the defendants was in court due to improper service of the court documents, including the hearing notice, on them.
FCCPC.’s lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, told the court of their inability to serve four of the defendants, although the company was served.
Nsitem then sought an adjournment to enable them do the needful and the judge adjourned the matter until Oct. 7 for the defendants to take their plea.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/200/2025, dragged Qatar Airways, Birdzell, Ihediwa, Chirchir and Ojeje to court as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
FCCPC, in the application dated May 26 but filed May 27, had preferred a two-count charge against the defendants.
The defendants were alleged to have failed to appear before FCCPC in compliance with a lawful summons of the commission dated Sept. 6, 2024, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 33 (3) of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection (FCCPC) Act, 2018.
They were also accused to have on Sept. 18, 2024, intentionally withheld the production of documents in compliance wth a lawful summons of the commission, thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 111 of FCCP Act, 2018.
In count three, they were alleged to have on Sept. 18, 2024, engaged in the contravention of the consumer rights, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 124(1) and punishable under Section 155 of the same Act.
Broadcasting
Global recognition for African communications agency as Irvine Partners CEO joins UK PR power list
Irvine Partners (IP) is proud to announce that its CEO, Rachel Irvine, has been named to the prestigious Women in PR 40 over 40 power list in the United Kingdom.
Rachel-Irvine-CEO-Irvine-Partners
This recognition celebrates women in leadership who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, driven change, and championed effective staffing strategies within the industry.
“This list celebrates the vision and lasting impact of women who continue to lead with purpose,” says Rachel Irvine.
The honour not only spotlights Rachel Irvine’s achievements but also underscores the strategic advantage of Irvine Partners’ approach to assembling the most effective teams.
This emphasis on broad perspectives and a range of experiences has propelled the agency from its South African roots to international acclaim, with wholly owned offices now thriving in the UK, Germany, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana.
The proudly woman-owned and led agency gets that securing the right talent, regardless of background, is a direct business advantage. Three in every four of its employees are women, with people of colour comprising 60% of its global staff.
IP cultivates a workplace where varied expertise is valued. Its talent strategy allows its teams to bring unique insights to complex client challenges that can only be navigated with a nuanced understanding of audiences across its six regions.
IP’s emphasis on its people and culture is crucial to how the agency maintains long-term client relationships with global industry giants such as Google, Spotify, Uber, TikTok and Salesforce.
“Good ideas don’t carry passports,” Irvine adds. “Our global success isn’t just about market expansion; it’s a testament to the power of diverse perspectives and a culture where entrepreneurial spirit thrives, consistent excellence is expected, and everyone’s potential is actively grown.
“As we’ve grown from Woodstock in Cape Town to Westminster, London, we’ve built an environment where every team member is actively coached and cultivated to excel. This ethos isn’t just a moral compass; it’s our strategic asset.”
The Women in PR 40 over 40 power list addresses ageism in the PR industry, a bias that research shows disproportionately affects women from the age of 40 onwards. Rachel Irvine’s inclusion is a strong counter to this trend, highlighting the significant value experienced professionals bring to the industry. “Grumbling about a stacked deck seldom yields results,” advises Irvine.
“If you’re in a place that doesn’t serve or support you, leave. Back yourself and find your tribe.”
MultiChoice Nigeria Slashes Decoder Price by 50 Percent, Offers Free Upgrades
SEC Advocates for Advanced Financial Inclusion by 2030
NFIU Credits AML/CFT Reforms behind Nigeria’s Nears Exit from FATF Greylist
Keystone Bank, Enterprise Devt Centre Sign MoU To Empower SMEs ln Nigeria
AfCFTA Positions Africa to Tap into $712bn Digital Trade Market by 2035
Telecom2 days agoLebara, New Operator Enters Nigerian Telecom Arena, Sells Minutes, Not Airtime
General News1 day agoOpenAI Unveils New AI Agent for Software Developers
E-Business2 days agoOver 7m Streaming Accounts’ Credentials were Leaked in 2024 – Report
E-Financial2 days agoFidelity Bank Uplifts Old People’s Home with Essential Items Donation
E-Financial2 days agoS&P Global Ratings Downgrades Ecobank Nigeria’s Credit Rating to CCC-, Outlook Negative
Telecom2 days agoPIN Pushes for Equitable Digital Governance at World Internet Forum
Telecom1 day ago15 African Startups Using AI Selected for Google Accelerator Cohort 9
E-Financial2 days agoEFCC Drags Cititrust to Court over Unreported ₦200mTransfers