Broadcasting
Reps Query NTA over Under 17 World Cup Contract
Musa Usman Magawatta, director general, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), has come under the hammer of federal lawmakers who have queried the DG for allegedly ignoring due process in awarding contracts for the upgrading of equipment in preparation for the FIFA under 17 World Cup hosted by Nigeria last October.
The House Committee on Information and National Orientation during the budget defence session with management of NTA described the contract award as breaching the 1999 Constitution and the 2009 Appropriation Act, because it was done without inputs from the National Assembly.
Magawatta had in his presentation, told lawmakers that the management of NTA obtained the permission of the federal executive council [FEC] in the wake of preparations for the tournament to pay 8.2 billion naira, representing 15 percent of the entire contract sum from its internally generated revenue [IGR].
In his response, Mustapha Habeeb, acting chairman of the Committee, said that he is amazed how NTA was able to cajole Professor Dora Akunyili, minister of Information and Communications, and FEC to approve the payment without recourse to the National Assembly, pointing out that the money spent was an extra-budgetary expenditure, which should have gotten the approval of the federal legislature.
In his words,” not only that NTA was operating in breach of the laws by not remitting its IGRs into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, or the Federation Account as required, he said the Authority has also been indicted in a yet to be debated report of the House Committee on Finance of also not remitting its value added tax [VAT], and the pay as you earn [PAYE] tax deductions from employees into government coffers. “
The DG in his submissions explained that the contract to upgrade NTA’s equipment from standard to high definition status in preparation for the FIFA organized tournament was borne out of the challenges to meet up the time.
He said after paying the initial 15 percent, the balance was however negotiated to be paid in a quarterly installment of 930 million Naira, spread across the next two years through the debt management office [DMO], adding that NTA plans to pay DMO from its IGRs in the ten years.
Defending the reason behind spending of IGRs by the Management of NTA, Magawatta explained that the Authority has been spending huge sum in its drive to commission new stations across the country, saying that the agency ought to have been commended based on its social responsibility services, as according to him, the National Assembly alone takes a lot of its air time, and for free.
He told the committee that what was usually allocated to NTA by the federal government in its budget were for overheads and personnel costs, adding that NTA pay 1.9 million dollars annually for satellite services, and also have to provide equipment, including cameras, vehicles and outside broadcast [OB] vans for its successful day to day transmission.
Broadcasting
EFCC Arik Case: Witness Testifies on Receiver Manager Nominee’s Role in NG Eagle Shareholding
EFCC Arik
Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has announced the postponement of its maiden annual Public Relations, Reputation, Ideas, Concepts and Excellence (PRICE) Awards and Prizes to January 25, 2026.
NIPR
The event, earlier scheduled for December 7, 2025, was deferred to accommodate stakeholders whose observance of Christmas festivities had commenced earlier than expected.
Chairman of the Organising Committee, Mr. Israel Opayemi, urged stakeholders to note the new date and prepare to participate in the ceremony.
He said the awards would motivate professionals, practitioners and scholars, while enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness in the public relations ecosystem and strengthening brand equity for all stakeholders.
Opayemi reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to delivering a best-in-class award administration and ceremony, describing the PRICE Awards as a credible and enduring platform to identify, celebrate and elevate outstanding individuals, campaigns and organisations shaping the public relations landscape across sectors.
The development of the PRICE Awards peaked in September 2025 when the NIPR President and Chairman, Council, Dr. Ike Neliaku, inaugurated a 12-man committee to organise the maiden edition. The inauguration followed the Council’s adoption of the report of a technical team tasked with establishing the awards.
Netflix has announced a landmark agreement to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a transaction valued at $82.7 billion, a move analysts say will reshape the global entertainment industry.
Netflix
The deal, which includes Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Games, was unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. Under the terms, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) shareholders will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.50 in Netflix shares for each WBD share.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos described the acquisition as “a defining moment” for the streaming giant, noting that the company intends to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations while expanding its production capacity.
“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies with Netflix’s culture-defining titles, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling,” Sarandos said.
The transaction is expected to close within 12 to 18 months, following the planned spin-off of WBD’s TV networks division, Discovery Global, in 2026. Netflix projects annual cost savings of $2–3 billion by the third year after completion and expects the deal to be accretive to earnings per share by year two.
Industry groups, including the Directors Guild of America and Cinema United, have raised concerns about the impact on movie theaters, while regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal over antitrust issues. Netflix has pledged to continue supporting theatrical releases, with Warner Bros.’ cinema commitments running through 2029.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav hailed the agreement, saying it “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love.”
Observers note that the acquisition comes 15 years after former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes dismissed Netflix as “the Albanian army,” underscoring the dramatic shift in the entertainment landscape.
FG, SEC, NGX Group Agree on Capital Gains Tax Reform
Airtel Africa Foundation Celebrates International Volunteer Day, Honours Employee Volunteers
Report Reveals Half of 2025’s Compromised Passwords were Already Leaked
EFCC Arik Case: Witness Testifies on Receiver Manager Nominee’s Role in NG Eagle Shareholding
Nigeria Dominates 2025 TikTok Sub-Saharan Africa Awards with Six Wins
Kaspersky Introduces Cyber Pathways to Support Career Development in Cybersecurity
NITDA DG Tasks Youths to Drive Africa’s Digital Transformation
Firm Urges Organizations to Check Protection of their Websites Amid Search Engine Optimisation Attack Schemes
Hackers Breach Phones of Dangote and Otedola, Demand Ransom
FCCPC Sets Deadline for Digital Lending Regulatory Compliance
General News2 days agoNiDCOM Launches Diaspora Startup Challenge to Boost Nigerian Talent
Telecom2 days agoNigeria Lacks AI-Ready Data Centres, Trails in Capacity – Nnamani
E-Financial2 days agoCAC to Shut Down Unregistered PoS Operators by January 2026
News2 days agoLagos Launches Tele-Vet, Nigeria’s First Veterinary Call Centre
Telecom2 days agoAnambra Leads Southeast in Digital Governance Under Soludo’s ICT Agenda
General News2 days agoOptimus AI LABS CEO Showcases AI Breakthroughs in Nigeria’s Financial Sector
General News2 days agoPromoPrint Rekindles Nigerian Resilience @ 25th Anniversary
E-Business20 hours agoReport Reveals Half of 2025’s Compromised Passwords were Already Leaked