Broadcasting
NCC Tasks AVRS on Licensing, Distribution of Royalties
Mr. John Asein, Director General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission,NCC, has urged the leadership of the Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria, AVRS, to evolve strategies to manage the impact of the growth in digital technologies that has ushered in a new wave of services that has seen content consumption rise exponentially.
NCC boss made the call at the maiden edition of Stakeholders-Users Forum organized by the AVRS, which held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, last week.
While calling on content users to cooperate with AVRS in ensuring that licensing is conducted in the most business-friendly manner, the NCC DG canvassed a situation where the AVRS must be seen to discharge its function in a manner that justifies its existence as a collective management organization.
His words, “I encourage users to cooperate with the AVRS in ensuring that licensing is conducted in the most business-friendly manner.
As long as it is acknowledged that creative contents are vital inputs to the operations of certain businesses, licensing of such content is no longer debatable, but rather a case of ascertaining what the appropriate licensing rates and tariffs should be.”
Asein, however, expressed NCC’s willingness to assist parties who may have difficulties in coming to an amicable conclusion of such licensing deals through alterative dispute resolution.
Speaking in the same vein, Chairman of the forum and former DG of the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Emeka Mba, canvassed the need to deconstruct and reconstruct the Nollwood value chain in a way as to maximally secure any real measure of value to the industry practitioners.
Mba was unequivocal in his submission that the industry guild and associations have largely failed to design an engagement strategy with agreed deliverables that the NCC and other agencies can be measured by.
He therefore charged AVRS to rise to the occasion and act in the overall industry interest. According to Mba, “The AVRS should be the last man standing; the industry insurance vehicle to ensure that a measurable portion of the value created by Nollywood comes back to Nollywood for the benefit of industry practitioners.’’
But to effectively play the role of the last man standing, AVRS according to Mba must conduct an audit of what is collectible based on the applicability of the law establishing it and this must be broken down sector by sector.
Earlier in his welcome address, Chairman of the AVRS, Mahmood Ali-Balogun noted that while the AVRS may have recorded some progress in the areas of enlightenment, membership data analysis, capacity building for staff and management and strategic partnership building processes, the collecting society is still lagging behind, given the fact that the CMO was licensed about five years ago and till date, it has not commenced the licensing and distribution of royalties, which as he stressed ‘are the two fundamental purposes for which AVRS was established and approved as a CMO’.
Commending the understanding and spirit of cooperation by users of audiovisual content who have shown commitment to voluntary compliance with copyright regulations by obtaining AVRS license,
Ali-Balogun urged users who are still trying to evade payment for AVRS license to obtain the license as the Nigerian Copyright Act is very clear on the obligation and liabilities of right users.
The event which was hosted by veteran actor, Richard Mofe Damijo, had in attendance big names in the Nigerian motion picture industry, industry regulators like he Nigerian Copyright Commission,NCC, officials of banks and other financial institutions, entertainment lawyers, captains of industry among others.
Participants emphasized the need for the leadership of AVRS to set the machinery for rights collection and administration in motion picture industry, especially against the backdrop of the massive transformation and continuous expansion that the audiovisual landscape has witnessed in the past two decades.
Mr. Charles Ebuebu, director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has called on Nigerian content creators to actively participate in the country’s Digital Switchover (DSO), describing the transition as a major opportunity for visibility, revenue growth, and industry collaboration.
Mr. Charles Ebuebu, DG, NBC
Speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the induction ceremony of the Electronic Media Content Owners Association of Nigeria (EMCOAN) in Lagos, Ebuebu stressed that the success of the DSO depends on engaging content to populate the nation’s new digital channels.
“Without content, the DSO’s success would be incomplete. We are urging content owners to collaborate with the Commission to ensure Nigeria’s digital future is rich, diverse, and sustainable,” he said.
The NBC boss highlighted that the upcoming FreeTV Direct-to-Home (DTH) platform, along with its mobile applications, would provide content creators with nationwide reach, advanced analytics, and brand partnership opportunities.
Nigeria’s DSO, which marks the shift from analogue to digital broadcasting, is being implemented by the NBC using the Nigcomsat satellite infrastructure. The programme aims to deliver over 100 nationwide channels and expand access to Nigerians in remote areas via hybrid decoders, addressing long-standing infrastructure and funding challenges. The project, which has experienced delays since 2012, now has strong government backing and is scheduled for launch in April 2026.
Ebuebu commended EMCOAN members for their contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s creative economy and encouraged them to leverage the opportunities offered by the DSO to promote local stories, culture, and creativity on both national and global stages.
During the ceremony, EMCOAN honoured its distinguished members, naming Wale Adenuga, MFR, as Grand Patron and Mr. Yinka Adebayo as Patron.
Prominent figures in the broadcasting content industry, including Wale Adenuga, Opa Williams, Agatha Amata, Jibe Ologeh, High Chief Emeka Ossai, Debbie Odetayo, Amina Mohammed, and Frank Elaboya, attended the event.
Representing the NBC at the event was Mr. Ralph Akpan, director of the Lagos Zone, while EMCOAN president, Mr. Adeniji Omirin, MD of ADNOM Media, urged members to fully engage in the digital switchover.
Canal+ is to cut jobs at MultiChoice as part of a sweeping restructuring plan aimed at stabilising the African pay-TV operator, following years of operational and financial pressure.
The move comes alongside a planned $115 million capital injection, underscoring the urgency of efforts to revive the business after the French media group took control.
The planned layoffs are expected to form a core element of a broader cost-cutting and efficiency drive, as Canal+ seeks to streamline MultiChoice’s operations and improve profitability.
The restructuring signals a shift toward leaner operations, with a focus on eliminating redundancies and optimising the company’s cost base.
MultiChoice has struggled in recent years with declining subscriber numbers across key African markets, weighed down by macroeconomic pressures, currency volatility, and changing consumer behaviour.
The rise of global streaming platforms has intensified competition, chipping away at the company’s traditional pay-TV dominance.
Canal+’s intervention marks a pivotal moment for MultiChoice, reflecting a more aggressive approach to repositioning the business.
By combining fresh capital with structural reforms, the new owners are aiming to both stabilise short-term performance and lay the groundwork for longer-term growth.
The $115 million injection is expected to provide immediate financial relief, supporting operations and potential strategic initiatives.
However, the accompanying job cuts highlight the depth of the challenges facing the company and the scale of transformation required to restore competitiveness.
Nigeria has ranked first globally in the ownership of the two largest stablecoins, Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC), reflecting the country’s growing reliance on dollar-linked digital assets.
USDT, USDC
Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC are designed to maintain a fixed value against the U.S. dollar, allowing users to store money digitally while avoiding the price volatility associated with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
According to the 2026 Stablecoin Utility Report released by BVNK, about 59 percent of Nigerian crypto users hold USDT, while 48 percent own USDC, giving the country the highest combined ownership rate among all nations surveyed.
The report placed Nigeria ahead of several major economies, including Australia and India, highlighting the country’s strong adoption of dollar-denominated digital assets. Australia ranked second with 34 percent USDT ownership and 29 percent USDC, while India placed third with 30 percent USDT and 27 percent USDC holdings.
The study also examined adoption levels across other regions. Countries such as Colombia and Singapore showed strong usage of both stablecoins, while adoption levels were also notable in South Africa and the United States.
Other markets included in the analysis were Philippines, Thailand and Argentina, where stablecoin ownership has also increased significantly. Among European economies, the report said France and Germany showed moderate levels of adoption, while Latin American markets such as Mexico and Brazil recorded smaller but growing usage rates.
The United Kingdom also appeared in the ranking with modest levels of stablecoin ownership. The report noted that USDT ownership exceeds USDC in many countries, including Nigeria, Australia, India, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Argentina and France.
However, USDC is often viewed as a more compliance-focused stablecoin because of its stronger transparency and regulatory alignment. In some markets, including South Africa, Colombia, Germany and Brazil, the report found that USDC adoption slightly exceeds USDT.
More broadly, the data suggests that stablecoin adoption is being driven largely by emerging economies rather than advanced financial markets. According to the report, countries such as Nigeria, Argentina and the Philippines are among the biggest users of stablecoins, where people increasingly rely on dollar-pegged digital assets to protect savings from currency volatility and facilitate cross-border payments.
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