Broadcasting
DStv, GOtv to Air Biggest Live Events of the Festive Season on Pop-Up Channel

Leading TV entertainment company, MultiChoice has announced a brand new event pop-up channel to showcase variety of live events set to take place during the festive season.
Starting from 30 November 2018, all active subscribers on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family, Access and GOtv MAX subscribers will have VIP tickets to watch the hottest shows of the season which include electrifying concerts, colorful carnivals, spirit-filled worship festivals and more LIVE from the comfort of their homes on DStv channel 198 and GOtv Plus channel 29.
The festival feast which started with the live broadcast of the 5th edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) held in Ghana will continue with the airing of the largest Catholic praise ministration in Africa, Unusual Praise on Friday, 30 November.
The 8th edition of Unusual Praise will feature a night of unforgettable spiritual connection, singing and worship from 12-time Grammy award winning gospel ministers, Cece Winans, Tim Godfrey, Mahalia Buchanan, Chioma Jesus, Bukola Bekes, Panam Percy Paul, Midnight Crew, Frank Edwards, Mercy Chinwo, Preye Odede amongst others.
The extravaganza shifts into gear on Sunday, 2 December with the 2018 Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 on DStv channel 199 from 1 December 2018 to 5 December 2018.
A second festival will be staged this year to celebrate the life’s work and legacy of Nelson Mandela for his 100th birthday and will be headlined by hip-hop royalty, Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Other big performers of the night include Ed Sheeran, Usher, Femi Kuti, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Casper Nyovest and many more.
Viewers will witness an epic night filled with amazing performances and speeches by some of the biggest names in American and African history including Oprah Winfrey, who will deliver the keynote address for the event.
Asides performances, viewers will enjoy exclusive content such as documentaries.
Then on Friday, 7 December the pop-up channel will air the highly anticipated annual Gospel Music Concert, The Experience, which will feature some of gospel music’s biggest names including Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene, Tope Alabi, Donnie McClurkin, Timi Dakolo, Nathaniel Bassey, Chioma Jesus and a host of others.
The 13th edition of The Experience promises to be yet another exciting worship experience as viewers will have an opportunity to enjoy gospel music concert alongside the hundreds of thousands of worshippers expected to attend the concert in Lagos.
On Saturday, 8 December viewers will be taken down memory lane to enjoy a cocktail of eclectic genres such as Fuji, Juju, Highlife and contemporary Afro Music from some of Nigeria’s celebrated music icons with The Monarch Experience.
The special event will feature evergreen music from Sir Shina Peters, Onyeka Onwenu, Bright Chimezie and Gloria Ibru.
Viewers are in for a treat with the 11th edition of The Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols Festival on Saturday, 22 December.
The festival will feature international gospel artistes like the multiple award-winning Nicole Mullen, gospel saxophonist Angela Christie and stirring vocalist Elsie William.
Other special appearances include Nigerian artistes like Gospel sensations Eben, Preye, Mercy Chinwo, James Okon, The Midnight Crew among others.
Dubbed as Africa’s biggest street party, the Calabar Carnival will hit the streets with a bigger and more colorful ensemble from Wednesday, 26 December till Sunday, 30 December.
Viewers will be transported to the beautiful city of Calabar to enjoy a parade of creative dance moves, elaborate floats and imaginative interpretations of a rich cultural display as well as a musical concert featuring some of Nigeria’s top music artistes.
The One Lagos Fiesta wraps-up the on-screen spectacular showcase and ushers in the New Year from Monday, 31 December.
Viewers will join the city of Lagos as it counts down to 2019 with a massive concert featuring the hottest Nigerian acts live in concert.
The Nigerian Festivals pop-up channel is live on DStv Channel 198 and GOtv Plus channel 29 from Friday, 30 November 2018 till Tuesday, 1 January 2019 and is open to all DStv customers on Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access and on GOtv MAX customers.
Broadcasting
Curbing Insecurity, Investing in Rural Infrastructure are Key to Nigeria’s Agri-Potential

By Diana Tenebe, Chief Operating Officer, Foodstuff Store
Nigeria, often dubbed the “Giant of Africa,” possesses immense agricultural potential. With vast arable land and a predominantly agrarian population, the nation could easily achieve food security and become a major player in global food markets. However, this promising future remains largely untapped, held hostage by two formidable challenges: pervasive insecurity and a severe deficit in rural infrastructure. Addressing these twin issues is not merely an economic imperative but a matter of national survival and prosperity.
The escalating insecurity across many parts of Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt, has dealt a crippling blow to agricultural productivity. Benue State, famously known as the “Food Basket of the Nation” due to its rich soil and significant contributions to Nigeria’s food production, provides a stark and tragic illustration of this crisis. Recent events in Benue underscore the devastating impact of unchecked violence on farming communities.
In June 2025, horrifying attacks in Yelewata in Benue State claimed the lives of dozens, with reports suggesting the death toll could be over a hundred. Families have been displaced, their homes razed, and their farmlands abandoned. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported over 500,000 registered Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Benue State as of 2024, a number that continues to rise.
The economic ramifications of this violence are profound. Farmers, fearing for their lives and livelihoods, are unable to cultivate their lands during critical planting seasons. Crops are destroyed, storage facilities are razed, and market access is severely hampered. A recent study revealed that a one percent increase in insecurity leads to a 0.211% and 0.311% decrease in crop and livestock output respectively in Benue State. The state, which accounts for over 51% of Nigeria’s yam production and is a leading producer of cassava, rice, and soybeans, is witnessing a drastic reduction in its agricultural output. This directly fuels food inflation, pushing millions deeper into hunger and poverty. The once vibrant agricultural landscape of Benue is now characterised by fear, abandonment, and immense losses.
Beyond the immediate human and economic toll, insecurity erodes trust in government and institutions, making it difficult to implement any meaningful agricultural development programs. Farmers are reluctant to invest in their farms due to the uncertainties attributed to insecurities. This cycle of violence and despair starves the nation of its most fundamental resource: food.
However, even if insecurity were to magically disappear, Nigeria’s agricultural sector would still face an uphill battle without significant investment in rural infrastructure. Rural areas, where the vast majority of agricultural activities take place, are largely underserved by basic amenities. Poor road networks make it incredibly difficult and expensive for farmers to transport their produce to markets, leading to significant post-harvest losses. Lack of access to reliable electricity hinders processing and storage, further diminishing the value of agricultural products. Limited access to irrigation facilities means farmers remain heavily dependent on erratic rainfall, making them vulnerable to climate change.
The symbiotic relationship between curbing insecurity and investing in rural infrastructure cannot be overstated. A secured environment provides the foundation for infrastructure development, allowing construction projects to proceed without fear of attack or sabotage. Improved infrastructure, such as good roads, can facilitate quicker deployment of security forces to troubled areas, enhancing response times and potentially deterring attacks.
Investment in rural infrastructure is a catalyst for agricultural transformation. It reduces transportation costs, increases market access for farmers, and encourages value addition through processing. Cold storage facilities, for instance, can drastically reduce post-harvest losses, while improved irrigation systems can boost yields and enable year-round farming. Rural electrification can power small and medium-scale agro-allied industries, creating employment opportunities and diversifying rural economies. Access to information and communication technology, even in remote areas, can connect farmers to market information, modern farming techniques, and financial services.
To unlock Nigeria’s vast agricultural potential, a comprehensive and integrated approach is essential. This begins with establishing a robust security architecture to protect farming communities. The government must prioritize this through increased deployment of security personnel, fostering community-led intelligence gathering, implementing effective conflict resolution mechanisms, and ensuring swift justice for perpetrators of violence. It’s also crucial to address the root causes of farmer-herder conflicts, such as land disputes and resource scarcity, by promoting equitable land governance and establishing designated grazing reserves.
At the same time, massive investment in rural infrastructure is imperative. A national strategy focusing on rural development should prioritize constructing and rehabilitating feeder roads to connect farms directly to markets. This also includes providing reliable electricity through both grid expansion and sustainable renewable energy solutions, developing modern irrigation schemes, and establishing efficient storage and processing facilities. To bridge the significant funding gap in these areas, public-private partnerships should be actively encouraged.
Immediate support for displaced farmers is also critical. For communities, particularly those in states like Benue who have been displaced by violence, urgent assistance is needed to help them return to their ancestral lands and resume their farming activities. This support should encompass providing essential resources such as seedlings, fertilizers, and financial aid, alongside much-needed psychosocial support.
A successful transformation hinges on policy coherence and implementation. There must be a strong political will to effectively implement existing agricultural policies and to create new ones that are responsive to current challenges. This includes vital areas such as land reforms, ensuring easier access to credit for smallholder farmers, and strengthening agricultural extension services.
Nigeria’s agricultural sector is a sleeping giant, capable of feeding the nation and driving economic growth. However, until the twin scourges of insecurity and infrastructural deficit are decisively tackled, its immense potential will remain largely unrealized. The tragic narrative in Benue State serves as a poignant reminder that the path to agricultural prosperity in Nigeria begins with peace and the foundational investments that empower those who feed the nation.
Broadcasting
TCN Expands Grid Capacity with 5,910 MVA Boost from Multilateral Projects

Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced a major boost to the national electricity grid with the addition of 5,910 megavolt-amperes (MVA) of transformer capacity.
The development was disclosed by the General Manager of Project Coordination and Technical Assistant to the Managing Director/CEO, Aminu Tahir, during a presentation on ongoing initiatives under the company’s Project Management Unit (PMU).
Tahir noted that the projects were being funded by major international partners, including the World Bank, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and the African Development Bank (AFDB), while procurement processes for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-supported projects in Lagos and Ogun states were nearing completion.
According to him, several projects under the PMU have already been completed, while others are nearing completion, with some at about 80 percent progress.
He confirmed that the initiatives have “significantly boosted the national grid, with an additional 5,910 MVA of transformer capacity as of date.”
In a related development, TCN confirmed the successful restoration of bulk power supply nationwide via the Kainji–Birnin Kebbi 330kV transmission line.
The power line was re-energised at approximately 12:40 p.m. on Wednesday after emergency repair work was completed.
The line had experienced major disruptions following the collapse of three transmission towers due to a windstorm on May 7.
While emergency reconstruction was ongoing, another windstorm brought down three additional towers in Galadima Village, Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State. In response, TCN mobilised multiple contractors to fast-track repairs.
“Work was done day and night, in conjunction with our supervising engineers, to ensure the quick restoration of the line,” said Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, in a statement.
She expressed appreciation for the patience and understanding shown by affected communities during the restoration period.
Mbah reaffirmed the company’s commitment to ensuring the efficient and reliable transmission of bulk electricity to distribution load centres across the country.
Broadcasting
DStv Loses 1.4m South African Subscribers in Two Years

DStv, owned by MultiChoice, has lost far more subscribers in South Africa in the last two years than it appears from its reporting, according to Moneyweb.
According to the group, its “active” subscriber base declined from eight million on 31 March 2023 to seven million on 31 March 2025.
The drop in subscribers accelerated from 400 000 in the prior year to 600 000 last year.
However, this is only the specific number of active customers on that date.
DStv is very aggressive in ensuring that customers are active at the end of March each year (and at the end of September) given its financial reporting.
It introduced a new metric in FY21 which measures customers who had an active subscription at any point within the 90 days before the reporting date.
On this measure, its base dropped from 9.3 million in March 2023 to 7.9 million in March 2025, equal to 1.4 million.
The declines are across the board in its premium, mid-market and mass market segment, but the first two are leading with drops of 22% to 23% each.
The premium segment includes the Premium and Compact Plus packages, while mid-market comprises its Compact and Commercial packages.
The mass market segment has seen an 11% decrease in subscribers over the last two years.
In its rest of Africa business, the decline on the 90-day active metric is even worse. Here, the number of subscribers has dropped from 14.2 million in March 2023 to 10.7 million in March 2025.
This is a 25% decline, or 3.5 million subscribers. In this business, the premium segment is flat over two years, mid-market is down 14% and mass market by 29%.
Its business in Nigeria continues to battle currency devaluation, with its share of subscription revenue across the African operations dropping from 44% in FY23 to just 26% in FY25.
In rand terms, subscription revenue in Nigeria is down from R9.1 billion two years ago to R3.5 billion now.
The group took a R2.8 billion foreign exchange hit in Nigeria, with the naira depreciating 44%.
This, coupled with other forex impacts, saw its R1.3 billion reported trading profit in Africa swing to a R800 million loss.
Somehow it tries to illustrate a R2.3 billion “organic” profit, before the currency impacts.
Price increases (averages of 5.6% in 2023 and 5.7% in 2024) were not enough to offset the subscriber declines.
Subscription revenue in South Africa has declined from R27.3 billion in FY23 to R25.7 billion in the year to end March 2025.
Not only is the macro-economic environment weighing on consumers, it also highlights the impact of “piracy, streaming options and social media”.
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