Broadcasting
Simi Named as Latest Spotify EQUAL Africa Artist
Global streaming giant, Spotify, announced today that Nigerian singer-songwriter Simi has been selected as Spotify EQUAL Africa music programme ambassador for July.
This announcement follows the release of her latest album, ‘TBH (To Be Honest)’ which came out in June.
Simi joins other Nigerian artists,Tiwa Savage, Ayra Starr, Asa, and FAVE to be part of EQUAL Africa, which aims to spotlight and amplify the voices of talented African female artists making waves in the music scene. She also becomes only the second African artist after Tiwa Savage to be named as an EQUAL Global and EQUAL Africa artist.
The Nigerian musician, sound engineer and actress, Simi Bolatito Ogunleye, started her musical journey as a chorister in church. Starting her musical career as a gospel singer, Simi released her debut studio album ‘Ogaju’ in 2008 before switching genres to Afro-pop. She came onto the public’s radar in 2014 after the release of the single, ‘TIFF’, which was nominated for Best Alternative Song at The Headies in 2015.
Her 2016 single, ‘Jamb Question’, was a massive hit, topping music charts for weeks. In 2020, Simi garnered even more buzz in the industry after she released her famous song, ‘Duduke’, which celebrated the birth of her daughter. ‘Duduke’ was one of the most played songs of the year in Nigeria, a further testament to Simi’s musical prowess.
“Striving and thriving as a woman in a male dominated industry has taken years of practice to master,” says Simi. “You go from being scared of it, to being intimidated by it, to being brave enough for it and then finally, to conquering it. I’ve almost always had to do way more than my male peers to prove myself. But, because of my love for music, I have been relentless and proud to do this work. I certainly hope, with all my heart, that the women who continue to come after me find it easier to shine in the way they deserve.”
Spotify welcomes Simi to the EQUAL programme which aims to foster gender equality and provide a platform to celebrate influential female artists. She joins a list of talented African women who are driving the culture and breaking through barriers in the music industry.
“We are proud to welcome Simi to the EQUAL programme, and we’re so excited to see where her talent continues to take her from strength to strength,” says Spotify’s head of music for sub-Saharan Africa, Phiona Okumu.
The EQUAL programme spans seven categories, which include the EQUAL Artists of the Month and the EQUAL local playlists. As the latest artist to join the EQUAL Africa and Global Music Programs, Simi will be featured on the EQUAL Africa and the EQUAL Global playlists.
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.
A major shake‑up rocks viewers and subscribers of DSTV/GOTV as many channels are set to shut down and be removed on January 1, 2026.
The trigger for the upcoming shut‑down is a breakdown in negotiations between the owners of multiple global channels and the pay‑TV operator.
As of December 2025, the deal between Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and DStv/GOtv has expired and the two parties have not reached a renewal agreement.
Without a new carriage/distribution agreement, the channels belonging to WBD risk being pulled off the DStv/GOtv line‑up.
This is the most significant content cutback the service has seen in years.
The affected channels are:
Discovery Channel
TLC
Cartoonito
Cartoon Network
CNN International
Food Network
The Travel Channel
TNT
Investigation Discovery
Real Time
HGTV
Discovery Family
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