General News
MTV Shuga Season 6 Launches in Africa with Lagos Premiere

MTV Shuga a multi-award winning drama has premiered its Season 6, tagged “MTV Shuga Naija” at FilmHouse IMAX Cinema, Lekki, featuring a stellar cast and a powerful story.
Season 6 promises engaging, captivating, suspenseful and twitter-ready moments that homegrown MTV Shuga is renowned for.
Globally regarded as Africa’s most viewed youth-focused series, “MTV Shuga” has since inception in 2009 grown local cultural and social relevance on a continent which is rich in social diversity and culture and where countries are wanting content in local languages that resonates with them culturally.
Broadcast in over 61 countries, the series format which combines music and prevalent pro-social issues which are relevant across the continent, MTV SHUGA Season 6 features a plot that both in storyline and visually, portrays the vibrant streets, eclectic clubs along with the bustle of Lagos metropolis along with the contrasting Northern Kano and Kaduna regions.
In keeping with growing and investing in the production and film industry in Africa, the full cast of local talent includes MTV Shuga veterans who make an appearance to consolidate their roles from Season 4. Timini Egbuson, Jemima Osunde, Sharon Ezeamaka and Olumide Oworu all make a warm return to our screens.
New cast members making their debut in season 6 are Ozzy Agu, Rahama Sadau, Amal Umar, Yakubu Muhammad, Bolanle Olukanni, Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi, Nobert Young, Bukola Oladipupo, Alvin Abayomi, and Helena Nelson along with many more new faces.
MTV Shuga Naija is produced by award-winning writer/filmmaker and MTV Shuga Season 4 Producer Chris Ihidero working together with Emma Uduma and award-winning Nigerian directors, Tolulope Ajayi, Ishaya Bako and Tope Oshin.
MTV SHUGA is a great example of where the format and story line resonates globally.
This series together with pulsating entertainment and pop culture is where MTV Shuga Naija weaves in stories that will speak to young people across Nigeria and the many gatekeepers they have to engage with as they navigate choices about safe sex, family planning, the use of contraceptives, peer pressure, domestic and sexual violence.
Georgia Arnold, Executive Director, MTV Staying Alive Foundation and Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility for MTV Networks International, said “We are thrilled to be bringing MTV Shuga back to Nigeria.
“We can’t wait to share the exciting new storylines and important messaging on family planning and sexual health that we’re touching on this season.
“We’ll explore more issues that affect young people and highlight the reality faced by many adolescents in their everyday lives, as well as the choices they can make to empower themselves.”
Commenting on the return of MTV Shuga, Alex Okosi, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa), said: “VIMN Africa is committed to empowering young people in Africa, and through MTV Shuga, we address key social issues affecting young people through realistic storylines and characters that resonate with them.
“The series seeks to impart knowledge and empower the youth to take positive action towards their health and lives.”
With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MTV Staying Alive has also worked with Lagos State Ministry of Health, Hello Lagos, Nurhi, Adolescent 360 (SFH) and DKT to ensure accurate and relevant messaging throughout the scripts.
MTV Shuga is working to improve knowledge, attitudes and behaviour with regards to sexual and reproductive health and increase the uptake of family planning services and commodities in Nigeria, with particular focus on adolescent girls (15-19) and young women (20-24).
Since it launched in Kenya in 2009, MTV Shuga has been broadcast in over 61 countries across the world, showing on 180 channels and reaching over 720 million people.
According to a World Bank study on the series, Nigerian viewers were more than twice as likely to go to centers to get tested after six months of watching MTV Shuga.
In addition, the rate of girls with Chlamydia who watched MTV Shuga was 58% lower than those who did not.
General News
FG Halts Controversial FRC Dues amid Industry Outcry

Federal government has temporarily suspended the controversial annual dues imposed on public interest enterprises by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) after fierce opposition from businesses.
Jumoke Oduwole, minister, Industry, Trade, and Investment, announced the decision during a Ministerial Consultative Meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
The move follows mounting pressure from private sector groups, including the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), who slammed the Financial Reporting Council (Amendment) Act 2023 for burdening companies with excessive fees.
The Act mandates cumulative annual charges for non-listed entities and imposes a harsh 10% monthly penalty on unpaid dues, compounding until full payment, a provision that sparked widespread backlash.
At the meeting, major industry players like NECA, MAN, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce (NACCIMA), oil producers, and telecom operators warned that the fees would cripple businesses already struggling in a tough economy.
Oduwole clarified the suspension, stating, “The government has decided to direct the Financial Reporting Council to pause in the implementation of the new annual dues. You know that I am a lawyer, and a suspension request by the organised private sector would be in contravention of legislation duly passed by the National Assembly. A pause is an administrative process simply to review, in line with what we discussed today.”
She assured stakeholders that the halt would last no longer than 60 days, with a technical working group—including FRC officials and private sector representatives—set up to reassess the policy.
“We are a listening administration. The private sector has requested a range from three months to an indefinite suspension. We are not going to do that. So, at the most, 60 days is in my estimate. We are going to set up a technical working group comprised of the FRC and the organised private sector who have formally written in, and this will be reviewed,” Oduwole emphasized.
General News
SON Pledges to Standardize Made-in-Aba Products

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) says it is intensifying efforts to standardise locally manufactured products, including Made-in-Aba brands, in order to enhance both local and international acceptance.
Aharanwa Chuks, Director of Region (South East), SON, communicated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Chuks said through the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), SON ensured that all Nigerian-made products conformed to the relevant Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS).
According to him, MANCAP involves direct engagement with manufacturers to certify that their products meet established quality benchmarks.
“This process includes inspecting production facilities, sampling products and testing them against NIS requirements.
“Successful compliance results in the issuance of the MANCAP certification, signifying adherence to quality standards.
“In Aba, SON has been proactive in educating manufacturers about standardization.’’
The director said SON also conducted stakeholder interactions; gathering manufacturers from various sectors to provide guidance on producing goods that met both local and international standards.
“For instance, leather manufacturers in Aba have been sensitized on standardization practices to enhance the global competitiveness of their products.
“Manufacturers are encouraged to collaborate with SON to obtain MANCAP certification, ensuring their products are not only marketable within Nigeria but also competitive internationally.
“This initiative aims to boost consumer confidence and promote the acceptance of Made-in-Aba products globally,” Chuks said.
General News
EFCC Arrests 133 @ Ponzi Scheme Training Academy

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has busted a Ponzi Scheme Academy and arrested 133 suspects in Abuja.
They were arrested at the Compensation Layout in Gwagwalada area of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, following actionable intelligence on the existence of the Academy.
The Academy, named Q University (a.k.a Q-Net) is in the business of recruiting gullible young Nigerians who are trained to recruit more gullible citizens into the scheme with the promise of getting unrealistic profit returns.
The suspects are enrolled into a training codenamed: “Special Training for New Generation Billionaire” and brainwashed to believe that they would graduate into the league of billionaires.
They got into the training by obtaining a form the promoters called “Independent Representative Application Form” with promotional slogans such as: “I’m a Champion” “I’m Unstoppable”, “I’m Infinity”, among others.
The EFCC carried out the operation in collaboration with officers and men of 176 Guards Battalion, Nigerian Army.
Items recovered from the suspects include phones, computers and other electronic gadgets.
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
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