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MultiChoice to Stream Netflix, Amazon in New Deal

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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.

MultiChoice to Stream Netflix, Amazon in New Deal

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.

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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.

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“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.

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Awba-Ofemili Unveils 2026 Health Campaign, Offers Free Medical Screening

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Awba-Ofemili Development Union (ADU) Health Committee has officially announced the launch of the Awba-Ofemili Health Awareness Campaign 2026, a community-wide initiative designed to promote preventive healthcare, disease awareness, early detection, health education, and healthy living across Awba-Ofemili.

Awba-Ofemili Unveils 2026 Health Campaign, Offers Free Medical Screening

Awba-Ofemili Health Awareness Campaign

The campaign, themed “Beyond Elu-Ulee (Buruli Ulcer): Building a Healthier Awba-Ofemili,” will be held on Thursday, 17 September 2026, at the Civic Centre, Awba-Ofemili, beginning at 9:00 a.m.

The programme builds on the success of the committee’s maiden Elu-Ulee (Buruli Ulcer) Awareness Campaign, which raised awareness on Buruli ulcer and strengthened community engagement on preventive healthcare.

According to the Chairman of the ADU Health Committee, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, KSM, the 2026 campaign represents a significant expansion of the committee’s health intervention agenda.

“This campaign is about moving beyond awareness to action. We want to deepen community health education, encourage early detection of preventable diseases, strengthen school health initiatives, promote First Aid awareness, and build sustainable partnerships that will improve the health and well-being of our people,” he said.

The 2026 campaign will feature community health education, free basic health screening, school health support, First Aid awareness programmes, and stakeholder engagement with healthcare professionals, development partners, and community organisations.

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The committee has called on sons and daughters of Awba-Ofemili, residents, friends of the community, corporate organisations, philanthropic individuals, NGOs, healthcare institutions, and development partners to support the initiative through financial contributions and strategic partnerships.

To support the implementation of the campaign, the ADU Health Committee has opened a dedicated fundraising channel through Fidelity Bank Plc, with donations payable to Awba-Ofemili Education Volunteers (Account No. 6060490921).

The Committee appealed to all supporters to use “HEALTH FUND” as the transfer narration so that contributions can be properly recorded and accounted for under the ADU Health Committee Health Fund.

Secretary of the ADU Health Committee, Mr. Cornelius Nwakonobi, emphasized that every contribution would make a meaningful impact.

“No donation is too small. Every contribution will support community health education, medical outreach, school health programmes, First Aid support, and preventive healthcare initiatives. Together, we can build a healthier, stronger, and more resilient Awba-Ofemili,” he stated.

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The ADU Health Committee reaffirmed its commitment to working with government agencies, healthcare professionals, development organisations, the Nigerian Red Cross, community stakeholders, and the Awba-Ofemili diaspora to advance sustainable health interventions in the community.

For partnership enquiries, sponsorship, or additional information, interested organisations and individuals are encouraged to contact the ADU Health Committee Secretariat.

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NBC Files Fresh Appeal against Judgment Barring it from Imposing Fines on Broadcast Stations

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National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has filed an application seeking the permission of the court of appeal to file a fresh appeal against the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja barring it from imposing fines on erring broadcast stations.

NBC Files Fresh Appeal against Judgment Barring it from Imposing Fines on Broadcast Stations

In the application filed at the court of appeal in Abuja by Dapo Akinosun, counsel to the NBC, the commission argued sanity in Nigeria’s broadcasting sector is under threat and that the public interest would be better served if the court grants the application.

On January 17, 2024, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, a judge at the federal high court in Abuja, restrained the NBC from imposing a N5 million fine on broadcast stations sanctioned in 2022 over allegations of “undermining Nigeria’s national security by broadcasting documentaries on banditry in Nigeria”.

The affected broadcast stations were Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV; TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV); Trust-TV Network Limited; and NTA StarTimes Limited.

The suit was filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA).

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Dissatisfied with the ruling, the NBC appealed the judgement filed an appeal at the court of appeal in Abuja.

In June, the court of appeal dismissed the commission’s appeal, holding that it was “fundamentally defective” and incompetent.

Jane Inyang, lead judge of the panel, held that the parties before the lower court were identified as “Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda (as applicant) and National Broadcasting Commission (as respondent)” but in the notice of appeal the purported appellant was described as the “Nigerian Broadcasting Commission”,

The judge held that the discrepancy was significant and that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the commission’s appeal.

In the application, the NBC urged the court to grant it leave to raise and argue a fresh issue on appeal relating to the legal capacity of MRA to institute and maintain the original suit before the lower court.

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The commission argued that the defect in the earlier notice of appeal, which resulted in the dismissal of its appeal, arose “solely from an inadvertent misdescription” of its name by its lawyer.

The NBC told the court that the subsisting judgement raises questions on the commission’s statutory powers to regulate broadcasting and enforce compliance with broadcasting standards in Nigeria.

The commission argued that the subsisting judgment is capable of creating uncertainty regarding its regulatory powers if it is allowed to stand.

The NBC also argued that without the pronouncement by the appellate court on the issues raised in the appeal, its regulatory framework would be weakened.

“A weakened regulatory framework may embolden non-compliance with established broadcasting standards, thereby increasing the dissemination of false, misleading and unverified information capable of causing unnecessary public anxiety, panic and social unrest,” the NBC said.

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“Absence of effective regulatory oversight may further encourage irresponsible broadcasting practices and the misuse of broadcast and digital media platforms by persons who deliberately publish sensational, inaccurate or inflammatory content to intimidate, harass or unduly influence individuals, institutions and public discourse.”

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Davido Shares Past Suicidal Thoughts, Drops Oriadé Album

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David Adedeji Adeleke, known professionally as Davido, has shared his past suicidal thoughts as he dropped Oriadé,  his sixth studio album yesterday.

Davido Shares Past Suicidal Thoughts, Drops Oriadé Album

Davido

Davido said he chose the date on purpose as it marks exactly 15 years since he began his professional music career.

Oriadé is a Yoruba word combining “Ori,” meaning destiny, and “Adé,” meaning crown.

It translates to “the crowned head.” The album has 13 tracks and features Black Sherif, Aya Nakamura, Leon Thomas, Mayorkun, and Llona.

It follows his 2025 project, 5ive, which reached number two on the Billboard World Albums chart.

Davido also announced an international tour to support the new record.

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In the days leading up to the release, Davido gave interviews that revealed personal details about his past and his current life.

Speaking to Vibe Magazine on Thursday, he described a 2014 incident in Ghana that left him feeling suicidal.

He said he invited a woman back to his hotel room after a show, and she later posted a photo of him sleeping online.

He said the fallout overwhelmed him.

“My daddy was calling me. My sisters were calling me. If I saw the balcony that day, I would have jumped,” he said.

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He said he was young at the time and did not fully understand the consequences of his actions.

He described the experience as a turning point that changed how he thinks about privacy and fame.

In the same interview, he explained why he often dresses down in public despite his wealth.

He recalled a trip to the South of France where he went out in shorts and slippers without his watch.

“I’ve been on jets, I’ve been flying, I’ve been in all these places since I was a baby. I’ve been seeing money since I was a baby. So all these things don’t really excite me,” he said.

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He added that he sometimes prefers to drive a Toyota to the supermarket in Atlanta instead of one of his luxury cars.

In a separate livestream with Davrel, Davido spoke about how his life has changed since marrying his wife, Chioma, and becoming a father.

He said his home no longer holds the large crowds it once did.

“I can no longer have 100 people in my house like before,” he said.

He said he speaks to Chioma every day regardless of his schedule.

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He also disclosed that he spends between $200,000 and $300,000 a month on himself, not including costs for his wife, children, jewelry and cars.

He said the amount is lower when he is in the United States, where he described his lifestyle as quieter.

 

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