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Opinion:The Science Of Live Videos And The Art of Getting It Right

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By Enitan Kehinde, Lead Consultant of the FMCG portfolio at BHM

 

Watching Andrea Bocelli live, on Sunday, April 12, 2020, was so surreal!
But what made it even more special was watching it with my grandpa!
You see, my 80-year-old grandfather is the absolute king of swank and growing up around him, I fell in love with some of what have now become my favourite things … red wine, croissants, cheese platters, jazz and of course the opera, so it was a blessing sharing the live concert with him.
My colleague shared the link to the concert with me and I hurriedly sent it to my grandpa. It was a wonderful experience to share in our love for Andrea Bocelli’s music even though we were miles apart.
And that’s the reality of the world today.
Now more than ever, the world is turning to technology to stay connected. This is as a result of the global pandemic which has forced human beings across the world to keep their distance from one another.
And with features like calls, videos, photos, games and of course, live streams, things like social distancing are now a breeze.
Live videos have especially become very popular but the phenomenon didn’t start today.
With platforms like Livestream (launched in 2007) and YouTube Live (launched in 2008) who first introduced us to the world of live videos online and Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Periscope, LinkedIn and others introducing the Live feature to their apps, the successful element has come to stay.
In Andrea Bocelli’s case, Italy has had over 155,000 confirmed cases and almost 20,000 deaths, and the world-renowned opera singer used a live video to bring people together, spreading the message of hope. Hosted on YouTube, the Live video had 2.8 million peak concurrent viewers, according to YouTube and yielded over 26million views in less than 24 hours.
Where the message has been to cure boredom and engage with fans, musicians like Tory Lanez and FalzTheBahdGuy have proven that Live really does work. Tory, for example, has broken Instagram Live records, reaching over 350,000 views, at a time, and even launching merchandise for his Instagram Live-based show, Quarantine Radio. For these celebrities, Live videos have become a platform to engage with fans, showcase their art and bring people together for the fun of it.
Beyond pop-culture, one of my favourite pastors, Pastor Poju Oyemade, about two weeks ago, started a live series. One of the sessions with Reverend Sam Adeyemi, which focused on leadership, the pandemic and the state of the country, recorded thousands of views.
But why are brands not getting it right?
Why are brands not getting as many eyeballs as the pop-culture and faith-based “influencers”?
I have found myself joining a number of live videos initiated by brands, and even with the presence of a brand ambassador, celebrity, artist or DJ, the numbers were not impressive.
What could be the reason for this?
To find the answers, we have to dig deep into the reason why Live videos are successful in the first place:
  • Planned but not stiff: Planned videos can also be fun and that is where trends like the “Battle of Hits” hosted by top music producers across the world, falls.
In Nigeria for example, when music producers, Shizzi and Sarz had their “Battle of Hits” Live video, it got as much as 25,000 views, at a time. The trend is based on two things young people love good music and nostalgia. Which leads me to my next point:
  • That Edge: What’s that edge your live video has? Is it just another concert? Another training session? Another platform to have your influencers and ambassadors look like they were forced to be there? Or is it a video with an edge hinged on your target audience’s interests?
  • Engage with the audience: When I watched FalzTheBahdGuy’s “Ask Me Anything” Live video, I was hooked. I sat through what didn’t feel like at least four hours and shared the video with everyone who cared to watch. Why? Because Falz got us all involved. Even his family joined in.

Successful Instagram videos like his, which had as much as 20,000 views, at a time, saw Falz speak with multiple fans. The live video had Falz interact with numerous fans giving them a chance to get to know him better, breaking the celebrity facade.
  • Bringing Diverse People Together: At least that’s what Diddy did with Team Love Dance-A-Thon, and exactly what Global Citizen will do on April 18, 2020, with its “Together At Home” Concert.

    Diddy brought creatives from across the world, like LeBron James, Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez, Drake, Justin Bieber, Lizzo, Tiwa Savage and Burna Boy to discuss the effect of the epidemic on their vicinity, their art and his new show. Tagged The Team Love Dance-A-Thon, the show was put together to celebrate health workers in the forefront fighting the global pandemic Coronavirus.

  • Branding = Repellant: From the trends over the past few weeks, it is quite obvious that branding repels views. It’s almost like a turn-off. I have joined a number of overbranded live videos and I’ve cringed at the numbers. And this is exactly where our brands get it wrong. As brand managers, we always want to brand everything and heavily too. Brand custodians are guilty of shoving their brands in the faces of their customers, consumers and fans.
  • For The Average Nigerian, Data Is Expensive: Have we even thought that maybe Nigerians can’t afford to watch live videos? Widespread poverty is a cruel reality for us in Nigeria. Unlike other countries where data plans are relatively affordable, and there’s a 47% YoY increase in the consumption of live videos, Nigeria is not one of them. The bulk of the population earns less than the N30,000 minimum wage and are spending 95% of it on food and survival. It is quite expensive to spend at least N1000 on 1gb of data and squander it all on live videos.
So, how do we get our live videos to be the centre of interest, to be shared by thousands and to be the most talked-about?
Here’s a clue – Find that one thing that people care about, that one thing that’ll make them use all the data that they would have otherwise saved, and no it is not your brand or your ambassadors.
If unplanned videos work, how do we make our videos to be just as random, not too branded but just as interesting?
That’s the question. And I hope as brand custodians we can take a learning or two from the masters of influence – celebrities, artists, actors and socialites amongst others.
A key thing to note though is that this season is not about your brands but about your consumers. It is more about bringing people together and giving them something to find interesting and engaging.
I can’t wait to see what brand eventually breaks the cycle of the uninteresting brand-related live videos.
I’ll be on the lookout!

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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

General News

Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

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Delta State Police Command has revealed how a 17-year-old boy allegedly hacked into celebrities’ WhatsApp accounts and sold explicit adult content to classmates.

Teenager Hacks Celebrities Whatsapps, Sells Adult Content  in Delta

This was disclosed in a viral video shared by comedian Otaghware Onodjayeke, popularly known as I Go Save, during a security awareness programme where he spoke with Temi Agbede-Zuokumor, divisional police officer (DPO) of Ugborikoko Division, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

The DPO explained that the case came to light after a routine check of a student’s phone, which first raised suspicion.

Agbede-Zuokumor disclosed that the student’s mother had initially claimed the phone belonged to his sister, but further inspection revealed otherwise.

“The woman looked very modest, so I asked her if she was from Deeper Life. She said no. I then asked why her son took a phone to school, and she claimed it belonged to his sister,” she narrated.

The DPO expressed that the development triggered her suspicion, prompting officers to examine the phone’s contents.

“Something told me to check the phone. When we did, we discovered that everything on the device belonged to the boy,” she said.

She added that the phone contained over 80 foreign numbers, including Australian contacts, alongside numerous explicit materials.

“We saw several foreign numbers, over 80 Australian lines, and the phone was filled with pornographic content,” she said.

The police officer further disclosed that the suspect allegedly sold explicit materials to his classmates, who referred to him as “boss.”

“We also saw chats with his classmates asking if he had explicit content to sell. They were calling him ‘boss’ in school,” she added.

According to her, investigations also revealed that the teenager had hacked into WhatsApp accounts belonging to prominent individuals and used them to solicit money.

“We discovered he had access to WhatsApp accounts of some celebrities, which he used to demand money from unsuspecting victims,” she said.

Speaking during the session, comedian I Go Save recounted a similar experience, describing how he was once contacted by a suspected fraudster impersonating Elon Musk, Forbes world richest man.

“That was how someone impersonating Elon Musk messaged me, saying he was stranded and needed a recharge card,” he said.

“I was surprised and asked which network he used. The person later sent an Opay account,” he added.

The police warned parents and school authorities to be more vigilant, stressing the growing concern of cyber-related crimes among young people.

 


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SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged N2.9Bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy,  as well as the management of the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), to account for and explain the whereabouts of an alleged ₦2.9 billion in missing or diverted public funds.

SERAP Asks Tinubu to Probe Alleged ₦2.9bn Fraud In NIGCOMSAT, NNRA

SERAP also called on Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), attorney general of the federation and minister of justice,  and relevant anti-corruption agencies to investigate the alleged diversion of funds, including those documented in previous Auditor-General reports.

In a letter dated April 11, 2026, and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director SERAP, said: “These allegations, involving critical public institutions, represent a grave violation of the public trust and a fundamental breach of Nigeria’s anti-corruption laws and international obligations.”

The group further urged the Federal Government to direct NIGCOMSAT to disclose the shareholders and beneficial owners of a company that allegedly received ₦465 million in “unauthorised investment” from the agency.

SERAP said, “Anyone suspected to be responsible should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any missing or diverted public funds should be fully recovered and remitted to the treasury.”

The organisation gave the government seven days to comply, warning that it may initiate legal action if its demands are not met.

It also stated that accountability in both agencies is critical, given their strategic roles, saying: “Accountability in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA is critical given their strategic roles in Nigeria’s digital economy and national safety systems. Mismanagement in these agencies not only wastes scarce public resources but also threatens national development, technological progress, and public safety.”

SERAP added: “Ensuring accountability is therefore essential to protecting both Nigeria’s present and its future.”

It warned that failure to address the allegations would continue to erode public trust, stating: “These allegations, if left unaddressed, will continue to undermine public confidence in government institutions, weaken Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework, and deprive citizens of resources needed for development.”

The allegations were drawn from the Auditor-General’s report published on September 9, 2025, which examined financial activities in NIGCOMSAT and NNRA and raised concerns over possible mismanagement of public funds.

According to the report, NIGCOMSAT failed to account for over ₦465 million used for an “unauthorised investment” in Gicell Wireless Ltd, made without approvals from the Minister of Science and Technology and the Accountant-General of the Federation.

It also noted that “there was also no evidence that a competent Investment Analyst performed investment appraisal,” while the investment agreement raised concerns over valuation and exchange rate assumptions.

The Auditor-General further stated that “NIGCOMSAT made ineligible, irregular and wrong payments of over ₦3 million to staff,” and that “the payment was made without due process and any documents on what the payments were meant for.”

It also flagged an irregular rent payment of over ₦4.3 million, noting that although a refund was requested, “there was no evidence that the consultant refunded the money.”

It added that NIGCOMSAT “failed to remit over ₦507 million of its internally generated revenue to the Consolidated Revenue Fund,” while also failing to account for over ₦6 million for undelivered store items.

The report further stated that “there was also no evidence of how the transferred funds were spent or utilised,” referring to an irregular ₦84.78 million transfer from a Remita account to a special project account.

On NNRA, the report alleged that ₦4.35 million was spent on training without evidence that it took place, while ₦16.7 million was paid for ICT equipment without approval.

It also stated that ₦33.4 million was spent on items that were never supplied, and that “there were no documents to support” several payments for operational activities.

The Auditor-General further noted that NNRA “failed to retire over ₦6.5 million of cash advances granted to staff,” and that ₦2.05 million paid for foreign training had no evidence of participation.

It also stated that ₦1.95 million collected through Remita was not recorded in the agency’s cashbook, leading to concerns of revenue understatement.

SERAP said the findings point to “a systemic pattern of financial mismanagement, opacity, and corruption within an agency entrusted with advancing Nigeria’s digital and communications infrastructure,” adding that NNRA’s lapses also raise serious concerns about compliance with safety and financial regulations.

 


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IHS Nigeria Renovates, Upgrade Facilities at the National Museum Lagos

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L-r Senior Vice President and Chief Corporate Services Officer, IHS Nigeria Limited, Dapo Otunla; Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Olugbile Holloway; during the commissioning of the newly renovated National Museum Gallery, sponsored by IHS Nigeria, on Saturday, 11th April 2026, at the National Museum Lagos, Nigeria.
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IHS Nigeria, part of the IHS Holding Limited (“IHS Towers”) group, one of the largest independent owners, operators, and developers of shared communications infrastructure in the world by tower count, has partnered with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments to renovate and upgrade facilities at the National Museum, Lagos.

Commissioned by the Honorable Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, the project is a significant step towards restoring and improving critical facilities at the museum complex, while supporting the long-term preservation of Nigeria’s cultural assets and heritage.

The project has improved the overall aesthetic appeal of the museum site and featured extensive restoration of the museum’s main gallery. The restored gallery incorporates the installation of modern display and lighting systems, air‑conditioning units, a solar inverter system to enhance energy efficiency, and surveillance cameras to aid safety, security and operational performance across the facility. These renovations and upgrades follow on from IHS Nigeria’s sponsorship of the museum’s efforts to digitize Nigeria’s cultural heritage and launch Nigeria’s first digital museum of antiquities at www.museum.ng.

Mohamad Darwish, CEO, IHS Nigeria, commented, Having seen the rich historical and cultural heritage housed in this national museum complex, we believed it was important to go a step further after supporting the development of the digital museum, to also improve the aesthetics, security and structural integrity of the main physical complex. This aligns with our broader commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and the preservation of Nigeria’s history.

“I am proud of these renovations and that visitors, including tourists, researchers and art enthusiasts, can visit the museum to be immersed in Nigeria’s rich history in an environment that is safe, beautiful and welcoming.

“The artifacts can also now be better preserved, protected and presented in a way that celebrates the history they represent. I thank the National Commission for Museums and Monuments for this ongoing partnership which continues to exemplify the power of a collaborative effort in driving innovation, fostering national pride, and enhancing the creative economy.”

Olugbile Holloway, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, commented, “On behalf of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, I wish to express our deepest gratitude to IHS Nigeria for their generous support of the restoration of the National Museum, Lagos. This landmark gesture goes far beyond bricks and mortar — it is a profound commitment to preserving the soul of our nation.

“The National Museum Lagos is home to some of Nigeria’s most treasured antiquities, from the ancient terracotta of the Nok civilization to the magnificent bronzes of the Benin Kingdom and the classical works of Ife.

“To restore this institution is to restore our collective memory. We thank IHS Nigeria for choosing to renew not just infrastructure, but the heritage, identity, and the hope of our people. Their support ensures that generations of Nigerians yet unborn will walk through these halls and encounter the full greatness of who we are and where we come from.”


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