Broadcasting
Steve Babaeko Elected As AAAN President
Steve Babaeko, ceo and chief creative officer, X3M Ideas has just been elected as the next president of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN).
The announcement was made at the 47th AAAN annual general meeting which was held virtually on July 2, 2020.
Steve Babaeko had officially announced his AAAN presidential candidacy on June 24, 2020, via his Twitter page which was closely followed by a revolutionary manifesto hinged on world-class positioning and women empowerment.
Within the last few years, Steve Babaeko had served as the Publicity Secretary and more recently, the Vice President of the association.
Having devoted years to the advancement of the association in his capacity as both the Publicity Secretary and Vice President, the X3M Ideas CEO intends to use his new position to give the association more visibility while building it to world-class standards.
The newly elected president of the AAAN has highlighted certain areas of focus in his manifesto. Through the collective effort of every member of the association, Steve Babaeko plans to make the AAAN more visible, give the Lagos Ideas Festival (LAIF) Awards the international flair it deserves, and work to foster unity and healthy competition between agencies in the association.
In addition, Steve Babaeko is paying a lot of attention to women empowerment as he promises to ensure gender balance in the leadership of the AAAN. Not forgetting the chief Advertising regulatory body, the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Steve Babaeko believes that it is in the association’s best interest to influence the body to better enforce the laws and policies that protect the Advertising industry.
Speaking on his new appointment, Steve Babaeko said, “I am excited to begin this journey as the AAAN president. It is time to revive our purpose by advancing our interests within and beyond Nigeria’s marketing communications landscape. Together, I believe that we can build the advertising industry of our dreams.”
Steve is renowned for his creativity and consistency as he has founded and successfully led one of Nigeria’s most innovative creative agencies, from a little Lagos startup to a multiple award winning firm operating in several countries across Africa.
Between 2016 and 2018, Babaeko was a jury member of the New York Advertising Festival and his impressive stint in the International advertising scene also saw him featured on Adweek’s list of the 13 global creative leaders in 2019 and serve as a judge at the 2017 The Loerie Awards.
Steve Babaeko believes that with the joint effort of every member of the association, the AAAN has the capacity to meet certain world-class standards and even surpass them.
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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