DStv, Africa’s leading entertainment platform, has been officially recognised as the #1 Most Admired African Media Brand in the Brand Africa 100 | Africa’s Best Brands 2025 rankings.

This recognition also sees DStv inducted into the prestigious Brand Africa Hall of Fame, a distinction reserved for iconic African brands that have significantly shaped the continent’s global image and competitiveness over the years.

The announcement was made at a high-profile ceremony hosted at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa, where leaders from across the African media and branding landscape gathered to honour the continent’s most impactful brands.

Launched in 1995, DStv has evolved from a digital satellite television pioneer into a content powerhouse, transforming the African viewing experience through continuous innovation, investment in local content, and a deep commitment to telling African stories.

“This honour reflects the incredible journey we’ve taken with our audiences across Africa. Being named Africa’s most admired media brand and joining the Brand Africa Hall of Fame is not just a celebration of where we’ve come from—it’s a reaffirmation of where we’re going.

“Our commitment to local storytelling, cultural authenticity, and innovation remains stronger than ever.

“We are proud to be a brand that not only entertains but uplifts and connects Africans through stories that matter.” States Calvo Mawela, Group CEO of MultiChoice.

Each year, the Brand Africa 100 survey identifies the most admired brands across the continent, based on independent research conducted in over 30 African countries, representing over 85% of Africa’s population and GDP, with more than 150,000 brand mentions and 5,930 unique brands.

The rankings are compiled through a rigorous process led by research partners including GeoPoll, Kantar, Integrate, and Analysis, making it the only pan-African, research-led and non-commercial brand equity study of its kind.

DStv’s induction into the Hall of Fame further cements its position not just as a media brand, but as a cultural force that continues to shape narratives and inspire pride across Africa. Through its investments in local productions, partnerships with African creators, and focus on quality storytelling, DStv remains at the forefront of Africa’s growing creative economy.

DStv was also honoured with the same top recognition in 2024, reinforcing its consistent excellence and enduring connection with audiences across Africa. Since its launch 30 years ago with just 16 channels, DStv has evolved into a dynamic content powerhouse, offering a rich mix of local productions, global entertainment, and integrated streaming options.

Today, it serves millions of households across the continent, delivering hundreds of channels and platforms that reflect the diversity, creativity, and aspirations of African viewers.

By Tolulope Obianwu

Every high-growth company experiences a moment when its engine sputters—quietly at first. Emails slip through cracks, customers wait too long, and once-smooth systems start breaking under pressure. This rarely looks like failure; it feels like chaos.

Tolu Obianwu

The truth? Your team didn’t fail. Your process did.

More accurately, the process you never designed to scale.

I’ve led operations and strategy at some of Africa’s fastest-growing fintech companies, building teams and systems that power complex payment infrastructure. And I’ve seen it repeatedly: velocity hides inefficiency—until it doesn’t.

This isn’t just a fintech problem. It’s a scaling problem. And if you’re a founder, operator, or builder, this article is your early warning: poor process doesn’t announce itself. It accumulates, silently, until your best people are fighting fires they didn’t start.

So, before things break, let’s talk about what makes processes fail, and what it takes to build operational structures that scale with your ambition.

1. DO NOT Confuse Speed with System: Startups are built on hustle. That’s part of the magic. But hustle without design leads to fragile outcomes. What works when you’re a 5-person team becomes a burden when you’re 50. Manually sorting payments, ad-hoc decisions, Slack approvals; these shortcuts become operational debt.

DO THIS INSTEAD:
Build systems early. They don’t have to be perfect, but they must be repeatable. Even lightweight process maps give your team breathing room and build investor confidence.

2. DO NOT Build Around Individuals: We romanticise “indispensable” team members; the only person who knows how X works. But hero-driven execution is unsustainable. When your process depends on one person being online, awake, or available, you’re not building a company. You’re gambling on burnout.

DO THIS INSTEAD:
Document workflows, spread context, and make knowledge transfer part of your onboarding and offboarding. Structure should outlive talent.

3. DO NOT Mistake Micromanagement for Control: I’ve seen it too often: leaders respond by inserting themselves into every decision when processes start breaking down. It’s understandable, but counterproductive. Micromanagement is not a fix. It’s a symptom.

DO THIS INSTEAD:
Create trust frameworks. Use process audits, not pressure. Empower teams with clear guardrails, not constant approvals. The goal of an exemplary process isn’t control – it’s clarity.

4. DO NOT Design for the Happy Path Only: Most processes look beautiful on paper until real users, real edge cases, and real stress tests come in. If your refund process fails when the volume spikes or your reconciliation breaks on public holidays, that’s not a people problem. It’s a design flaw.

DO THIS INSTEAD:
Anticipate failure. Ask “What could go wrong?” Run simulations. Processes must bend without breaking. That’s true resilience.

5. DO NOT ignore the Role of Culture: Even the best-designed processes die in hostile environments. If your culture rewards shortcuts, ignores documentation, or treats processes as bureaucracy, nothing will stick.

DO THIS INSTEAD:
Make ‘process’ a language, not a punishment. Celebrate people who fix broken steps. Tie operational excellence to career growth. Culture is what makes a process sustainable.

6. DO NOT Launch Processes Without Data Loops: If you’re not tracking turnaround times, errors, or usage, you’re not managing a process; you’re just hoping it works.

DO THIS INSTEAD:
Instrument every stage. Set KPIs that matter. Let data flag inefficiencies before customers feel them. A great process isn’t just followed – it’s monitored.

Final Thoughts

The truth is: every fast-growing company outgrows its old ways of doing things. There comes a time when velocity alone can’t carry the vision anymore. That’s inevitable. What isn’t inevitable is being caught off guard when it happens.

If you’re building for scale, process isn’t a bottleneck; it’s your runway. The best systems don’t slow people down; they let good teams move faster, with clarity and confidence.

Don’t wait for failure to expose what structure could have prevented it. Build deliberately. Review often. Automate what you can. And above all, make sure your process is strong enough to carry the weight of your ambition.

Because in the long run, it’s not speed that wins.

It’s the ability to move fast, without breaking yourself.

Tolulope Obianwu is a highly experienced professional in operations and technology strategy and currently is Head, Core Operations at TeamApt Ltd

In the heart of Nigeria’s ever-pulsing music scene, a quiet rebellion is unfolding. While Afrobeats remains the dominant sound echoing from car radios to club speakers, a parallel movement is rising; electronic dance music, championed by a new generation of Nigerian DJs, collectives and ravers. This isn’t just a shift in sound; it’s a cultural rewire.

EDM in Nigeria is more than beat drops and strobe lights. It’s a form of resistance; a way to build inclusive, community-first spaces in a nightlife landscape often defined by social hierarchy. Through underground raves and carefully curated experiences, Gen Z is rejecting the velvet-rope exclusivity of traditional clubs and creating something that feels real, raw and theirs.

And it’s working. According to Spotify data, EDM streams in Nigeria have grown by an astonishing 403% over the past three years, with user-generated EDM playlists rising by 353%. Over a million playlists now feature electronic tracks curated by Nigerian listeners alone. The genre is resonating and fast.

Afrobeats Meets EDM: A Sonic Cross-Pollination

But this isn’t a genre turf war. In fact, the data suggests a symbiotic relationship: Afrobeats remains the most streamed genre among EDM listeners in Nigeria outside of electronic music itself. That connection shows up on the dancefloor, where genre-fluid sets seamlessly blend Afro rhythms with electronic sound..

Take Particula, the genre-bending hit by Major Lazer featuring Patoranking, Ice Prince, Nasty C, Jidenna, and DJ Maphorisa. It’s one of the top five most-streamed EDM tracks in Nigeria. At number one? Marshmello and Khalid’s Silence, followed by Project Dreams with Marshmello and Roddy Ricch. These tracks reflect the hybrid sound Gen Z is embracing: emotionally resonant, rhythmically bold, and globally aware.

Building a Tribe, Beat by Beat

Collectives like Group Therapy, Element House, Sweat It Out, and Activity Fest are not just hosting events, they’re creating cultural hubs. These spaces, driven by intention and sound, have become sanctuaries for young Nigerians looking for connection over clout. The ethos is clear: come as you are, dance as you feel.

The increasing prominence of EDM in Nigeria was demonstrated when Spotify recently partnered with Group Therapy for their May Edition on Friday, the 23rd. The event, packed to the brim, showcased the community’s surging energy and deep love for electronic music. With performances by Dlala Thukzin, Frigid Armadillo, Aniko, Abiodun, Billy’s Room, and Jarlight, it was clear from the moment the first beat dropped that this was a thriving movement rooted in rhythm, intention, and real human connection.

Spotify data backs this shift. Listeners aged 18–24 account for nearly half (48%) of EDM streams in Nigeria, with men making up 76% of listeners. Lagos leads the movement, followed by Abuja and Port Harcourt. EDM is now among the top 40 most streamed genres by Gen Z Nigerians.

Friday Nights, Reimagined

EDM’s rise syncs perfectly with how Gen Z engages with nightlife. Fridays are peak streaming days, aligning with some rave schedules where events crescendo around midnight and spill deep into the night. These aren’t just parties, they are rituals, freeing attendees from the performative pressures of conventional nightlife.

“This is a scene that trades bottle service for belonging,” says Phiona Okumu, Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa. “One that prioritises joy over status. For many young Nigerians, EDM offers the rare chance to be fully present, immersed in sound, unbothered by social posturing.”

She adds: “EDM’s explosion in Nigeria is no accident. It’s the result of a generation hungry for new rhythms—of life, identity, and expression. DJs are the architects, Spotify is the amplifier, and Gen Z is the beating heart. Together, they’re reshaping not just how Nigerians party, but what nightlife can mean.”

So here’s your cue: the lights are low, the beat is rising and the revolution is already on the dancefloor.