Broadcasting
NEPC, NFC, Others Team up to Export Entertainment Industry
The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), World Bank, National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Nigeria Film Corporation (NFC) and Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) have joined forces to ensure that the Nigerian entertainment industry is taken to the international market.
Already, the World Bank has set aside a whopping $20 million for the project termed, “Harnessing the Nigerian Entertainment industry for Formal Export,” which they believe will earn Nigeria huge revenue in foreign exchange.
David I. Adulugba, NEPC Executive Director/CEO of NEPC said that the agency noted that “part of the NEPC strategy was to facilitate opportunities for entrepreneurs who wish to go into exports.”
He said the NEPC is doing collaborarative efforts as well as partnering with relevant agencies and stakeholders to see how “our music producers can be granted access to finance their productions.”
The NEPC boss also criticised the activities of pirates, whom he said have rubbished the success the music industry has recorded, adding that “piracy has affected the careers of many Nigerian musicians that could have contributed to the global music industry, which value he put at about $40 billion.
Adulugba said he believed that collaboration would mark the beginning of milestone towards the development of the entertainment industry as one of the products that can increase the basket of exportable products from Nigeria.
M. O. Ibrahim, area controller, South, also said the NEPC had identified entertainment industry as one with huge potential in terms of generating foreign exchange earnings for Nigeria.
He said with cooperation, the collaboration effort would be able to uplift the fortunes of the entertainment industry to the benefit of the nation.
He pointed out that since the works of Nigeria’s entertainment industry have a global audience, such should spur the collaborating efforts opportunity to take a closer look at the industry and work out strategies to move it ahead.
NEPC explained that the Nigerian music industry produces an average of 550 albums of different types of music annually, adding that an estimated 1,200 concerts and musical shows take place every year and account for a combined annual turnover of US$105.5 million.
While the mapping of the creative industries of Nigeria still has not been done, it is time that the Federal Government should consider the contribution of the creative industries to the gross national product very seriously.
The United Nations’ Creative Economy Report 2008 demonstrates that creative industries are powerful engines for economic growth and trade development in developing countries. This is true not only in terms of direct economic impact from the sale of goods and services but, importantly, also as a multiplier in other sectors by stimulating new business opportunities and enhanced capacity.
The global market for traded goods and services of the creative industries has enjoyed unprecedented dynamism in recent years. Their global export value reached $424.4 billion in 2005, accounting for 3.4% of world trade, compared with $227.4 million in 1996, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. Over the period from 2000 to 2005, creative industries’ share of global markets grew at an annual rate of 8.7%, a trend that is likely to continue, given the positive prospects for global demand. Exports of creative services increased by 8.8% annually, rising from $38.2 billion in 1996 to $89 billion in 2005.
While developed countries have dominated both export and import flows, developing countries year after year have increased their share in world markets for creative products, and their exports have risen faster than those from developed countries.
Exports of creative goods from developing economies accounted for 29 per cent of world exports of such goods in 1996 and reached 41 per cent in 2005, with China alone accounting for 19 percent.
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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