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MMS Africa Transforms African Broadcasting for the Digital Age with inq.
MMS Africa, a provider of media management software solutions to broadcasters across Africa, has partnered with inq., a Convergence Partners company, to host its infrastructure, support its IT requirements and assist it with the software customisation on its broadcast solution.
“Since we opened our doors in 2017, the focus has always been on enabling the integration of multiple back-end software solutions for broadcasters who relied on these complex environments to fulfil their mandates,” says Abdul Mathee, Founder of MMS Africa.
“At the time, we partnered with international software vendors to deliver a solution, but it was still price prohibitive for many of the growing broadcasters across the continent.”
This was the catalyst for MMS Africa to begin developing its own software that would initially take four linear back-end broadcast processes to deliver a complete virtualisation solution. The company started working with several television and radio stations by taking care of their broadcasting software requirements for them to focus on the content.
“One of our first major contracts was that of the Namibian public broadcaster. With this deal in place, we had to invest more in infrastructure and wound up on the Teraco back-end. This enabled us to more effectively scale up to meet the demands of broadcasters as they began transitioning to a digital environment,” says Mathee.
It was at the end of November 2022 when MMS Africa approached inq. to assist it with its infrastructure and IT functions.
“Inq. did everything for us that was IT-focused. Inq. began with the hosting and supply of our infrastructure and the required support, as well as assisting us with the development and customisation of our software,” adds Mathee.
This comprehensive support was essential, given how the Namibian broadcaster was still heavily reliant on legacy systems and manual processes, which had not changed much since it split from the SABC in the early 90s.
“With the assistance of inq., we sit down with broadcasters like the one in Namibia, analyse their environment and identify the ways to improve workflows. It is about creating an ideal balance between people, systems and processes. Our focus is about relationships and using technology to automate, enhance and transition African broadcasters into a digital age,” says Mathee.
With the work done on creating a digital-first environment for the Namibian broadcaster, MMS Africa can now approach any broadcaster or media house in Africa and apply their learnings to customise the MMS’s platform to deliver on any requirement.
Assisting in the customisation of the MMS environment, the inq. team played a crucial role in enabling MMS Africa to take its solution to the next level.
“There was a significant amount of customisation required, but our team went the extra mile to assist MMS Africa to deliver on everything they needed,” says Ralph Berndt, Sales and Marketing Director at inq. SA.
According to Mathee, inq.’s presence across Africa contributed to the growth of their partnership.
“Thanks to inq., we are strongly positioned to expand into other markets and provide a complete multimedia solution without needing to spend years customising and adjusting anything. Much like Netflix can launch in 180 countries in one day, the work inq. has done with our team means we can effectively switch on broadcasters across the continent on our platform almost at the click of a button.
This has been an incredibly beneficial partnership for us and one we will look at enhancing even further in the coming months,” concludes Mathee.
The African Development Bank (AfDB), has disclosed plans to work with the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), to boost the state’s transport system with the development of another rail line.
This was contained in a statement signed by, the Head, Corporate Communication, LAMATA, Mr. Kolawole Ojelabi in Lagos.
Ojelabi said that the AfDB Vice President, Private Sector Infrastructure and Industrialisation, Mr. Solomon Quaynor, gave the assurance during a visit to LAMATA.
He added that the bank was interested in partnering LAMATA to expand the capacity of the existing rail system.
“Quaynor was also in the company of the Non-Sovereign Operations and Private Sector Equity Specialist, Mr Mayowa Ayodele ahead of a visit of the technical team to assess the Purple line,” he said.
The Purple Line is a 60-kilometre railroad along the Redemption Camp in Ogun State, traversing Berger, Agege and Alimosho and terminate at Volkswagen to join the Blue Line.
“The visit follows a recent pitch for investment on 60-kilometre Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Purple Line at the African Development Bank forum in Morocco, where the Lagos delegation was led by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“This is to further discuss collaboration on the project and other lines outlined in the Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan. The delegation toured the LRMT Blue Line and expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Blue Line rail system,” he said.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has filed a lawsuit against the Nigerian government the 36 states over the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024.
SERAP is arguing that “the repressive use of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 by the government to criminalize legitimate expression violate the human rights of Nigerians, including activists, journalists, bloggers and social media users”.
In a statement on Sunday, Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director, SERAP, explained that the suit was filed to stop the Tinubu administration and Nigeria’s 36 governors from using the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 to criminalize legitimate expression and punish Nigerians, including social media users.
He said: “Rather than using the amended legislation to make cyberspace and its users safer, Nigerian authorities are routinely weaponizing it to curb Nigerians’ human rights and media freedom.
“The suit no: ECW/CCJ/APP/03/2025 was filed last week before the ECOWAS Court in Abuja.”
Recall that Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court had on March 25, 2022, declared Section 24 of Nigeria’s original Cybercrimes Act 2015 as “arbitrary, vague, and repressive.”
The court ordered Nigeria to repeal the provision, citing non-compliance with human rights obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Although the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 repealed Section 24, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) argues that the reworded provisions still infringe upon freedom of expression and information.
SERAP’s concerns center around the ambiguity of “causing a breakdown of law and order” in Section 24(1)(b), which they believe threatens peaceful and legitimate expression and leaves room for abuse.
SERAP highlighted several instances where the law was allegedly misused to target government critics, including activist Dele Farotimi, journalist Agba Jalingo, and social media user Chioma Okoli.
The organization emphasized that the amended legislation has a chilling effect on human rights and media freedom.
SERAP stressed that the amended Act contravenes international human rights law, which requires restrictions on freedom of expression to serve a legitimate purpose and be strictly proportionate.
The organization seeks a declaration that Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act 2024 is unlawful and an order directing the government to repeal or amend the legislation in compliance with international standards.
However, a hearing date has not been set for the suit.
Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) has applauded Mr. Monday Okpebholo, Edo State governor, for the appointment of Mr. Collins Edomaruse as his Special Adviser, International Development Partners (IDP).
Ms Maureen Chigbo, president of GOCOP and publisher of RealNews Online, described Edomaruse’s appointment as a welcomed development.
Chigbo in a press statement by Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, GOCOP Publicity Secretary, also congratulated Edomaruse for this appointment assuring of support from over 110 members of GOCOP in carrying out his duties.
Until his appointment, Edomaruse who is a founding member of GOCOP and the Secretary General of the body of reputed online publishers is also a member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), among others.
Edomaruse doubles as the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of METROWATCH, and has held several senior editorial management positions in THISDAY, including Group News Editor, Group Politics Editor, Deputy Editor, Daily, Saturday and Sunday titles respectively, as well as the Editor, Nation’s Capital/Abuja Bureau.
Also known as ‘General’ because of his mastery of the Defence Beat, his records in THISDAY have remained unbeaten, where he ranked the best among the editors.
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