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
NCC Warns DJs: Playing Music Without License Could Lead to 5-Year Jail Term

Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has warned disc jockeys (DJs) against publicly playing music without proper authorization or a valid license.
NAN reports that John Asein, NCC director-general, gave the warning in an advisory issued in Abuja.
He said the commission’s attention had been drawn to the growing practice of DJs playing music in public spaces without obtaining copyright licences from their approved collective management organisations (CMOs).
Asein said under sections 9 and 12 of the Copyright Act, 2022, only the owner of copyright in a musical work or sound recording has the exclusive right to reproduce, perform, or communicate it to the public.
The NCC threatened to prosecute defaulters in a case that could lead to a N1 million fine or a 5-year jail term upon conviction.
“Engaging in any of these acts without the owner’s authorisation constitutes an infringement under the Act,” he said.
“Such infringement may constitute a civil wrong or a criminal offence under section 44 (7), punishable upon conviction by a fine of not less than N1 million or imprisonment for a term of not less than five years or to both.”
Asein advised DJs to obtain the necessary licences and pay royalties to the approved CMO before performing music publicly.
The NCC director-general added that the commission will arrest and prosecute anyone found violating the law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the approved CMO for musical works and sound recordings in Nigeria is the Musical Copyright Society, Nigeria (MCSN),” he said.
“The Commission is aware that the Disc Jockey’s Association of Nigeria (DJAN), as the umbrella body representing DJs in Nigeria, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with MCSN.
“Under the arrangement, DJAN is authorised to work with MCSN to facilitate the payment of royalties by DJs nationwide, based on the tariff that DJAN had negotiated with MCSN.”
Broadcasting
Netflix Hikes Subscription Fees Again in Nigeria over “Market Conditions”

Netflix has increased its subscription fees in Nigeria for the third time since 2024, with the Premium Plan rising by 21.43%, from ₦7,000 to ₦8,500 per month.
This marks the streaming platform’s first price adjustment in 2025.
Other subscription tiers have also been affected.
The Standard Plan now costs ₦6,500, up from ₦5,500—a hike of 18.18%.
The Basic Plan has increased from ₦3,500 to ₦4,000, while the Mobile Plan moved from ₦2,200 to ₦2,500, reflecting increases of 14.29% and 13.64% respectively.
The latest adjustment aligns with Netflix’s broader global pricing strategy, which the company has linked to its ongoing investment in content and platform development. In a previous communication to investors, Netflix stated, “As we invest in and improve Netflix, we’ll occasionally ask our members to pay a little extra to reflect those improvements. Which in turn helps drive the positive flywheel of additional investment to further improve and grow our service.”
While the company did not explicitly cite inflation in its most recent update, its website indicates that local economic factors influence its pricing structure.
“Price changes are made to respond to local market changes, such as changes to local taxes or inflation,” the statement read.
The move mirrors similar pricing shifts among other major digital and entertainment services in Nigeria.
Companies including Google, DSTV, GOtv, and Microsoft have also raised subscription rates, attributing their decisions to continued inflationary pressures and a weakening naira.
Broadcasting
NBC, Nigcomsat Launch Satellite Plan to Transform Broadcasting

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) have jointly introduced “The Big Picture’, a flagship initiative under Nigeria’s renewed Digital Switchover (DSO) project.
Under the project, Nigerian households will for the first time, gain access to high-quality digital broadcasts via affordable satellite dishes, hybrid devices, and internet-enabled set-top boxes.
Backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, this strategic shift marks a significant step toward transforming Nigeria’s broadcasting landscape by leveraging the country’s sovereign satellite infrastructure.
At the heart of the initiative is NigComSat-1R, Nigeria’s only communications satellite in orbit, which will play a critical role in delivering Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasts across the entire Nigerian territory.
This satellite-first approach eliminates the traditional dependence on terrestrial transmission towers, accelerating the nationwide rollout of digital broadcasting by over 65%.
It also offers a scalable, cost-effective, and future-ready model for expanding digital access and promoting national storytelling.
Key figures, including: Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC; and Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, managing director, Nigcomsat, have welcomed this forward-thinking strategy, emphasising its importance in maximising the use of national satellite assets and ensuring inclusive access to digital content.
An estimated 10 million homes equipped with DVB-S2-compatible televisions or decoders will have immediate access to free-to-air channels, while others will benefit from next-generation hybrid devices that combine satellite feeds with online streaming capabilities.
These new branded devices are designed with the country’s youth-dominated demographic in mind over 60% of the population is under the age of 25.
They will feature pre-installed apps, voice search functionality, parental controls, and seamless integration with NigComSat’s Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), offering an intuitive and engaging user experience.
In a data-driven upgrade to Nigeria’s broadcasting ecosystem, NBC is also partnering with global analytics firm GARB to introduce real-time audience measurement technology.
This will enable broadcasters, advertisers and content creators to analyse viewership trends across regions and devices, helping to tailor content more effectively and drive higher audience engagement. The introduction of this system is expected to boost advertising revenue by as much as 300% by 2026.
The success of “The Big Picture” will rely on robust collaboration between public and private stakeholders.
The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) and other content partners are expected to supply 60% of programming for the new 120-channel platform, using both original and repurposed content.
Meanwhile, local manufacturers will contribute by producing around 5 million compliant devices annually, a move projected to create over 20,000 jobs in assembly plants nationwide.
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