Broadcasting
The Youth of Nigeria and the 2023 General Election
By Ray Youssef, founder and CEO of Paxful,
Nigeria’s 2023 General Election is just around the corner. While political parties are currently rounding up campaigns as the election draws close, Nigerians are suffering amidst scarcity of cash, fuel and basic needs like electricity. It feels like everything is coming to a head on February 25th—where election day is expected to have record voter turnout.
I am proud to announce that on election day, I will be honoring my pledge to support those voting by supplying 15 vans that will drive throughout the Abuja, Lagos, and Ibadan states to offer free phone charging, WiFi, and water. I am doing this in partnership with the Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI), an international effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. The YALI Network stands at over 700,000 youth strong and I am privileged to work with them to support the election.
We picked these specific states as they are expected to have high foot traffic and long lines on election day. Our goal is to support a positive atmosphere while voters take part in the democratic process where many people rely on their phones to stay connected and informed. We want to keep people hydrated and comfortable—as long lines at polling stations can be grueling.
The 2023 General Election in Nigeria is a pivotal moment for the country. In a region seeping with natural resources and a strong, growing youth population, Nigeria faces economic uncertainty—inflation is over 20%, people are struggling with the cost of living, and Nigeria is experiencing a “brain drain” of doctors, nurses, and engineers. At least 50 doctors leave Nigeria every week to work abroad.
This is why the youth of Nigeria believe that this election will define the future of the country. These young people make up around 40% of voters and their future is riding on this election. Their political appetite matches up with what I am seeing and hearing on the ground.
While I am not native to Nigeria, I am a proud African, born on the continent. I have been fortunate enough to frequently visit this special country and meet with its people. I do this on behalf of Paxful, the company I founded whose mission is to end economic apartheid through peer-to-peer finance and Bitcoin—and with the Built With Bitcoin Foundation, my non-profit which has built and renovated twelve schools and education centers using Bitcoin.
People on the ground are ready for change and financial prosperity. That’s why we’ve seen so many people turn to Bitcoin, as it allows everyday people, including the unbanked, to easily pay a bill or simply remit vital funds to a loved one.
Bitcoin is the signal for change and if any country is more capable—it’s Nigeria. The country has the largest population of youth in the world, with a median age of around 18 years—70% of its people are under 30 years old.
This is their time. They love their home and want to see it thrive. We all do. I truly believe that Nigeria is leading Africa (and the world) into a financial golden age and this could be a moment that brings us closer to that prosperous future.
I know that my donation of water, charging and WiFi will only impact a fraction of the millions of voters. But I’m pushing forward to stand in solidarity with the people of Nigeria. You are warriors at heart, with entrepreneurship baked into your DNA—and I cannot see what change you bring on election day.
Make we jam for Naija.
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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