Broadcasting

StarTimes Unveils ‘Papilo’ as Brand Ambassador

Published

10 years ago

October 29, 2015

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StarTimes Africa, a digital TV entertainment platform, has appointed world football icon, Kanu Nwankwo as its new brand ambassador.

The 3-year partnership deal indicates that the former African footballer is the new face of StarTimes PayTV across 12 African markets where it presently operates, including Nigeria, Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Kenya, DRC, Uganda and others.

Mr. Jack Liu, chief executive officer of StarTimes Nigeria, explained that his company chose the football legend because of his fame and acceptance across Africa.

“Given Kanu’s successes in international football, his popularity is not limited to Nigeria alone but cuts across most countries in Africa. Kanu is an inspiration to everyone as his success represents a true Africa story; rising to success against all odds. He is a star the man next door can relate to” he said.

Nwankwo would be supported by another ex-international, Jonathan Akpoborie who was also appointed as sports programs strategist and celebrity guest analyst on live shows. Akpoborie will feature as technical sports analyst on various StarTimes live sports broadcast shows dishing out insightful analysis and commentaries.

Elated Papilo, as popularly called by fans, appreciated the digital cable network for considering him worthy of being the company’s ambassador.

“I am very happy to support and promote the StarTimes brand as its ambassador in Africa. My goal is to see Africa fully migrated to digital television broadcasting by June 17, 2017 and I am glad to partner StarTimes in achieving this,” he stated.

The new brand Ambassador expressed delight to work with StarTimes in promoting the brand’s programmes in Nigeria and Africa in general.

According to him, the advent of StarTimes marked the clash in paytv charges in the country, bringing digital broadcasting to the masses, promising to bring more feathers on the cap of the network as it gears towards digital migration by 2017.

StarTimes currently holds the exclusive broadcast rights across Africa for Bundesliga, Serie A and League 1.

It currently broadcasts exclusively the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile showing from October 18 through November 8.

Jonathan Akpoborie while reading Nwankwo Kanu’s profile said the new StarTimes ambassador is a retired Nigerian footballer who played as a striker.

Kanu was a member of and later captained the Nigerian national team for 16 years from 1994 until 2010.

“He’s Africa’s most decorated footballer player, with a large collection of accolades from Premier Leagues across Europe and FIFA competition.

“Standing tall at 6’5, Kanu, a football striker chose football as a profession and began to play at that level as early as age fifteen.

“With Arsenal FC (England), he created a following of one of the biggest football fans followership in Nigeria and indeed Africa.

“He is also two times UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and works to help children in all circumstances”.

On his part, Mr. Maxwell Loko, director NTA-Star Tv Network, described Kanu as an inspiration to everyone as his success represents a true Africa story; rising to success against all odds.

Loko said, “He is a star the man nest door can relate to. Apart from being an ex-captain of the Super Eagles, he is the most highly-decorated African footballer, having won a UEFA Championed League medal, a UEFA Cup medal, three FA Cup Winners Medals and two African player of the year awards amongst others”.

He is the only English Premier League player to have won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, Premier League, FA Cup and Olympic Gold Medal.

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Broadcasting

EFCC Arik Case: Witness Testifies on Receiver Manager Nominee’s Role in NG Eagle Shareholding

Published

12 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Ugo Onwuaso

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The 4th prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former AMCON Managing Director, Ahmed Kuru, on Monday continued to give the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, ‘fresh insight’ into how the structure and equity of NG Eagle Airlines was set up.

EFCC Arik

In his testimony, Kaltungo testified that this arrangement entails the Receiver Manager’s nominee having a shareholding arrangement of NG Eagle of “one unit within a billion-share structure,” as part of the findings that emerged during the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s investigation.

The development surfaced as EFCC Investigative Officer, Bawa Usman Kaltungo, continued his examination-in-chief led by prosecution counsel, Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN. Kaltungo told the court that the financial trail uncovered by investigators showed how funds allegedly belonging to Arik Air Limited were unaccounted for while NG Eagle was being established.

Kaltungo also, in the course of his testimony, sought to mislead the Court to believe that the 1st Defendant sold NG Eagle shares solely and unilaterally as a Receiver holding majority shares in NG Eagle, when in fact he is just a nominee with a single unit of share, as AMCON, the corporation that appointed him, holds majority shares in NG Eagle.

Even though his testimonies were made with the support of a few documents admitted in evidence, Kaltungo still was not able to establish a nexus of any act of omission on the part of the accused persons to establish fraud or crime in the management of Arik’s loan.

Kuru is standing trial alongside Kamilu Alaba Omokide, Captain Roy Ilegbodu, Union Bank Plc, and Super Bravo Limited before Justice Mojisola Dada. According to the witness, the statement of Arik’s former Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Jonathan Sani, detailed how the defendants allegedly moved N4.5 billion from Arik to fund NG Eagle, an airline he said was controlled by the defendants. He further testified that Omokide and Ilegbodu allegedly worked with Kuru to funnel a total of N4.9 billion from Arik’s coffers to manage and fund operations of the new airline.

Kaltungo added that beyond the cash transfers, Arik staff were also moved to NG Eagle even though the new airline was set up while Kuru was still AMCON MD, and Omokide served as AMCON’s Receiver Manager. He said salary payments and operational expenses for the newly formed NG Eagle were borne by Arik Air Limited.

During proceedings, the court admitted a CTC of an ex parte order, which the prosecution termed as the only document authorizing the appointment of the RM over Arik and marked the same as P17, along with other exhibits—P18, P25, P26, P44, and P45—including. photographs and videos in a flash drive containing footage of alleged vandalised aircraft were played in court, but the Prosecution again failed to establish a nexus as to whether those aircraft indeed belonged to Arik.

Meanwhile, counsel for the second and third defendants applied for the release of their clients’ passports for renewal and medical purposes. Justice Dada granted the requests on the condition that the documents be returned to the court registry no later than January 2, 2026.

The matter was thereafter adjourned to February 25 and 26, 2026, for continuation of the trial and Examination-in-Chief of PW4

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Broadcasting

NIPR Postpones Maiden PRICE Awards to January 25, 2026

Published

3 days ago

December 6, 2025

Ugo Onwuaso

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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.

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Broadcasting

Netflix Seals $82.7bn Deal to Acquire Warner Bros., HBO Max

Published

3 days ago

December 6, 2025

Ugo Onwuaso

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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.

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