Broadcasting
MultiChoice to Stream Netflix, Amazon in New Deal

MultiChoice Group Ltd, Pay-TV company, has signed deals with Netflix Inc and Amazon.com Inc to offer their streaming services through its new decoder.

The deal has been touted as a move by MultiChoice to retain subscribers. The platform has been battling greater competition from its US rivals after cheaper and faster internet speeds enabled them to grab a foothold on the continent.
With the partnership, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video will in some way be accessible through the next Explora decoder model from the company.
The Johannesburg-based company introduced its own streaming product called Showmax in 2015 and has offered cheaper deals on premium packages to shore up its customer base, but it has not been able to keep up with other foreign services.
According to reports, details on how the move could affect MultiChoice’s monthly fee will be announced in the coming weeks, a spokesman said on Wednesday.
Speaking on this, Mr Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice chief financial officer, said, “What would typically happen is we would get commission on whatever revenue gets generated by customers coming from our platform,” without being specific about Netflix and Amazon.
The deals were, however, included in MultiChoice’s results presentation, published on its website, under the heading – ‘Improve Retention’.
This led the company’s shares to jump on the news, gaining 8.5 percent to 102.62 rand at the close in Johannesburg, the highest in almost four months.
MultiChoice subscriber numbers rose by 5 percent in the year through March to 19.5 million households, with demand picking up at the end of that period as South Africa, its biggest market, entered a coronavirus lockdown.
The company offers a wide variety of international sport to its highest paying viewers, but has also been focusing more on local content and with Netflix also making an effort to produce more African content, the company considers it complementary.
“There is little overlap between content on Showmax, that is now 50 percent local, and a service like Netflix at the moment, hence, we find deals with other video-on-demand services complementary,” said Mr Jacobs.
Deals between pay-TV providers and streaming services have been struck elsewhere. Sky UK and France’s Canal+ both have agreements with Netflix.
MultiChoice reported full-year earnings per share of 1.17 rand, compared with a loss the previous year. The company announced a maiden final dividend of R5.65 pershare.
MultiChoice said the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business is as yet unknown, but said that it expects weaker economic growth and higher unemployment in many of its markets.
The TV service provider plans to continue local film productions, taking specific precautions such as splitting production teams, Mr Jacobs added.
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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