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UBA Extends Goodwill to Filmmakers

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United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has restated its commitment to the growth and development of the African movie industry, through the creation of an enabling environment for film and movie financing.
Speaking at the just concluded 2009 African Movie Academy Awards (Amaa) Ceremony held in Bayelsa State, Mr. Martin Anyanwu, group director, Marketing and Corporate Relations, UBA, said that though the UBA-Amaa partnership is a platform for recognizing and rewarding filmmakers, actors and actresses; the bank is going a step further in providing the tools and environment required to access finance.
“Financing is a critical problem faced by the industry not just in Nigeria but across Africa. Apart from this, there are other challenges too. For instance, many filmmakers require coaching and support when it comes to business planning and writing,” he noted.
Anyanwu said that UBA-Amaa will in the present arrangement work in partnership with various sectoral groups including the Association of Movie Producers (AMP) and Empretec Nigeria Foundation, for training platforms through workshops/seminars aimed at enhancing the entrepreneurial and business planning skills of industry practitioners.
“We have already taken twenty such filmmakers in Nigeria through such programmes and they have in turn submitted proposals which are currently being evaluated by our entertainment desk,” he said.
Mrs. Peace Anyiam-Osigwe, president, Amaa, noted that African films have the potentials of changing the negative perception of the continent based largely from images fed to the world over the years through the conventional news media.
She said there was the need to produce the right films and equally reward stakeholders so they can be encouraged to do more.
The 2009 UBA-Amaa would go down as one of the biggest gathering of movie makers across the African continent. Hollywood star, Forest Whitaker who won an Oscar for his portrayal of the former Ugandan president, Idi Amin Dada in the ‘The last King of Scotland’ and Danny Glover, witnessed the handing over of the UBA-Amaa plaque to worthy winners.
Since debuting in 2004, UBA-Amaa is increasingly attracting attention from the global community. This is clearly reflected in the growing number of entries submitted from other countries namely: Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cameroun, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Rwanda, Niger and Zimbabwe.
With UBA partnership, Amaa is extending its frontiers to the establishment of an African Film Academy, large scale training, production, marketing and commercial distribution of films.
In Nigeria, UBA is also working with the National Film & Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the Lagos State Film and Video Censors Board to enforce anti piracy laws; an effort which has culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding to frustrate the sales of pirated works on the streets and shops.

 


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MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

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MTN Group has begun rolling out MTN One TV, a new entertainment proposition designed to make digital video content more accessible, relevant, and flexible for customers across African markets.

MTN Launches One TV with Free-to-View, Pay-as-You-Go

Introduced in line with MTN’s Ambition 2030 strategy, MTN One TV brings together local storytelling, live channels, international programming, and market-specific viewing options tailored to how customers across the continent access and pay for digital entertainment.

The proposition is designed to give customers greater choice in how they watch content, with viewing models that may vary by market and can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded experiences, pay-as-you-watch access, and subscription offerings.

Depending on local availability, customers may also be able to pay through airtime, Mobile Money, and other locally supported payment methods, helping to reduce common barriers to streaming access.

Beyond enhancing customer experiences, MTN One TV creates new opportunities for African creators, broadcasters, advertisers, and ecosystem partners by helping connect content to wider audiences through MTN’s scale across connectivity, payments, and digital services.

By bringing together a broad mix of content experiences under a single proposition, MTN aims to support greater content discovery, broader audience reach, and sustainable growth across Africa’s digital entertainment ecosystem.

Anchored in MTN’s strategic platforms of Connectivity, Fintech, and Digital Infrastructure, MTN One TV forms part of the Group’s broader ambition to build digital experiences that create value for customers while enabling participation and growth across Africa’s digital economy.

“Entertainment is increasingly becoming an important gateway to digital participation,” said Selorm Adadevoh, MTN group chief commercial, strategy and transformation officer.

“Through MTN One TV, we are leveraging the scale of our connectivity, fintech, and digital capabilities to make relevant content more accessible while creating new opportunities for Africa’s creative and digital economies. This is aligned with our ambition to deliver digital solutions for Africa’s progress.”

MTN One TV is being introduced progressively across MTN markets through a phased rollout approach that reflects local market needs, existing services, and partnership opportunities.

Over time, MTN will bring together a combination of video capabilities, content partnerships, and customer experiences under the MTN One TV brand to create a more consistent and scalable entertainment proposition across its footprint.

Through MTN One TV, MTN continues to extend its role beyond connectivity by combining entertainment, payments, and digital services to deliver experiences tailored to the needs of African consumers.

The rollout supports MTN’s Ambition 2030 vision of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress while expanding access to digital entertainment across the continent.

 


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IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World’s Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

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International Air Transport Association (IATA) has identified Nigeria as one of the most expensive countries in the world for airline operations, citing high taxes, charges and operational costs that continue to weigh heavily on local carriers.

IATA Drops Bombshell: Nigeria Among World's Most Expensive Countries to Run an Airline

IATA’s Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East, Kamil Al-Awadhi, disclosed this during the association’s Annual General Meeting held in Rio de Janeiro.

Al-Awadhi said that although Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, had been pursuing reforms aimed at improving the aviation sector, airlines operating in the country still faced enormous cost pressures.

According to him, the high-cost operating environment has continued to affect the profitability and competitiveness of Nigerian airlines, making it difficult for the industry to realise its full potential.

He noted that excessive taxes, regulatory charges and other operating expenses remained major obstacles to airline growth across the region, with Nigeria ranking among the most challenging markets from a cost perspective.

Al-Awadhi urged member states of the Economic Community of West African States to adopt a proposed 25 per cent reduction in aviation taxes and charges to ease the burden on airlines and passengers.

According to him, lowering taxes and charges would reduce airfares, stimulate passenger traffic and strengthen the competitiveness of carriers operating within West Africa.

He stressed that a more supportive policy environment was critical to unlocking the economic benefits of aviation, including increased trade, tourism and regional integration.

Industry stakeholders have consistently advocated lower taxes and regulatory fees, arguing that the current cost structure makes air travel less affordable and limits the growth of the sector.

IATA’s latest remarks add to calls for governments in West Africa to implement policies that will promote a more sustainable and competitive aviation industry across the region.


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NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

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The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), under the leadership of its Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Khalil Suleiman Halilu, has trained 50 women in Kano State on inverter and battery technologies through its She-Powers Energy Initiative.

NASENI Trains 50 Women in Kano on Renewable Energy Technologies Under She-Powers Initiative

The three-day programme, held at the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano which ended yesterday, was designed to equip participants with practical renewable energy skills, promote women-led enterprises, and enhance sustainable livelihoods.

 The initiative forms part of NASENI’s broader commitment to empowering women, creating economic opportunities, and expanding participation in Nigeria’s growing clean energy sector. It also aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by supporting job creation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive economic development.

 Through targeted interventions such as the She-Powers Energy Initiative, NASENI continues to demonstrate its commitment to leveraging technology and innovation to improve lives and drive sustainable development across the country.

Photos: Participants at the She-Powers Energy Initiative training organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) held at the the Technology Incubation Centre, Farm Centre, Kano yesterday.


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