General News
Nigeria, Strategic Market for Kwese TV in Africa- Hundah
Joseph Hundah, president and CEO at Econet Media. A seasoned media and finance executive with over 20 years experience, both on the continent and the globe, Hundah is currently leading the African born but international entertainment group. His previous roles include Executive Vice President: Africa for Modern Times Group as well as Managing Director of Multichoice, Nigeria; Operations Director for M-Net, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Chief Financial officer for M-Net and Super Sport International Holdings Limited and General Manager Finance at the South African Broadcasting Corporation. Through his leadership and experience, the organizations that he has worked with have experienced unprecedented levels of growth and expansion including entrance into new markets. In an Interview with journalists at the launch of Kwese TV in Lagos recently, he spoke on how strategic Nigeria is to the growth of the Station. Ugo Onwuaso was there for Nigeria CommunicationsWeek. Excerpts.
Hundah’s View of African’s, in Terms of like for Pay TV
Well, pay TV in Africa versus the rest of the world ,actually is very much beneficial ,for example if you look at what we call TV household, that is, a household that has a TV in it, the penetration is less than 20%,which is much lower than the rest of the world, so there is very much an opportunity to continue to grow pay TV, but what is also important to understand is that the consumer habits of watching Television are changing, more people are watching content on mobile phones, on laptops, on iPads etc, and we really try to build a business that is suitable also for watching contents even on the mobile phone, so our thrust is really not only to have presence in traditional media platforms but also to look at the new digital media platforms as well for our content.
Based On This, What Can You Say Motivated The Kwese TV To Launch At This Time?
First of all, we saw a gap in the market, we’ve seen that pay TV industry is still growing but more than that, we really pride ourselves on being on innovation and doing things that has not been done before on the continent, for example, that is why we introduced flexible billing on our platforms, the ability to pay three, seven days, its completely innovative, it’s only been tried by one platform in India, no one else has tried it in the world, so we thought why not try this in Africa, it makes sense, after all we sale rice in cups, we sale water in small packs, this is the way economy in Africa is been built over a period of time, so why not do the same in entertainment, let’s give entertainments in small batches but over and above that we’re really trying to build a strong business around mobile, because you know, there are more than 300 million smart phones in Africa, its higher than the US and they expect that those numbers are going to triple over the next 5 years, by 2022 it should be almost 900 million smart phones, the smart phones are getting cheaper, they are getting better quality and most of the population in Africa are actually very young, you know the average population in Nigeria is properly under 20, so you can imagine these young kids are not watching content on television any more, they are watching content on phones, they are on social media. So we have to build a business that is geared towards that.
Having Launched In Nigeria, How Many Countries Are You In Africa And What Is Your Expansion Plan?
Well, on pay TV side, we’ve launched in 14 countries, we started at the beginning of August, we actually launched yesterday also in Uganda and we have plans to launch in Tanzania as well, in Ethiopia, in Namibia, in south Sudan and Swaziland those are countries that are left for us but on our free to air platform, we are in 25 countries , in English and French speaking countries, you know, for the first time consumers are getting premium sports for free, which is really what we want to build, we want to build sports, not just soccer but full sports in general because we have such a young continents, these kids needs to keep themselves occupied, we need them to be involved in sports and stay healthy, the kids are becoming fat.
In These 25 Countries, How Important Is Nigeria?
It’s critical, absolutely critical. It’s a critical market for us, not only because of the population size but the economy is strong and it properly takes like 2 or 3 east African countries to make a population of Nigeria, so Nigeria is really really important market for us.
What Are You Putting In For Nigerian Consumers?
Nigerian consumers are special in the sense that you got a very thriving media business here, remember that your movie industry is the second biggest in the world, so for us it’s important to have as much local content as possible in our platform and we are going to continue to build this specifically for this market because in Nigeria alone you can really create sufficient content to satisfy the Nigerian market alone, but nice thing about Nigeria as well, is even when you create content for Nigeria , it normally travels very well. So the Nigerian movies and contents are very popular elsewhere in Africa, even in DRC, South Africa, in Kenya, in music, in movies. So it’s quite a nice market for creating contents.
What’s Kwese Doing As Regards Developing Young Entrepreneurs?
We have 600 dealers and retailers around Nigeria, most of these people are young, most of our installers are young people, all they do is that they get our installation app and they go and do installations and keep themselves busy, you know it takes about 2 to 3 hours to do one installation, so we are really trying to build that network and this is just the beginning and that network is going to grow, so we really really trying to encourage more and more installer to come on board but we are also encouraging people that are in the production industry, in terms of creating content for our platform, for all our different markets, not just in Nigeria but across Africa.
When You Said Growth, Are You Talking About Growth In Million, That Is, The Entrepreneurs You Are Trying To Grow?
It will be hard to build millions of entrepreneurs but certainly thousands of entrepreneurs, the more installers we have in the market, it will be easier for our customers to get access to the products, so it’s important that in every part of Nigeria, right from the corner of Maiduguri to Sokoto, that we have installers that are available to install our products.
On The Satellite Connectivity Are You Running On KU Band or C Band?
No, we’re running on KU and C band in different part of the continent and we are in rotors satellite, so the reception should be very good, we have taken precaution to try and reduce rain fade but it’s impossible to get rain fade over unfortunately but what you can do is minimize it and we’ve taken steps to minimize it, it’s a strong satellite signals and right equipments to receive those signals.
How Do You Intend To Manage Competition?
Look, Competition is good in the industry because at the end of the day the consumers benefits from competition, price is come down, more variety, so we are really encouraged by competition, what is important for us though is to focus on our own business, what is our own strategy, what is our own plans, how do we intend to rollout the business across Africa, you know, if you manage your own business and if you are sure of your own strategy, you don’t just worry about competition, you know, competition takes care of itself, so we are very happy with the content line that we put out, we’ve worked really hard to get premium contents on our platform, as you saw so many channel that are on our platform are new to Africa completely, so there is scope out there to do business, it’s about creating differentiations , about customer service and about delivery to your customers.
Kwese TV, Five Years From Now
Our ambition is to be number one media business in Africa, across the board. And I think we are on our way to do that, we are already the biggest free to air TV station within two and half years, so it’s just a question of giving us time and we will be number one.
When Will Kwese Tv Go Into Original Production?
We already have some original productions created around some of the sports rights, for example, Sound Sultan will be doing our basketball show in the mornings, so there is a lot more of that going on.
Stand Out Content In Store
We have, like some of the channels that we have in our platform are new to the market, for example Dream works, Toonami which is Carton Super heroes and we’ve got so many news channels that has never been seen in Africa before, so we have quite nice array of contents that is completely exclusive on our platform
Kwese Sports’ Leverage
Sports is really really important on our platform and so far the first biggest investment we made was in sports because when sports rights became available we were able to get them and the nice thing about sports is that, most big sports tournaments are well known, it just gives you good brand recognition and good expansion of your brand but ultimately we know that your offering must be well rounded, you got to take care of kids, you got to take care of women and household as well, it can’t just be all about sports.
Positioning For EPL Right
Right now we have a relationship with them already because we bought their free-to-air right which we are showcasing on Kwese free to air sports, so the issue is that when the right come up, when opportunity is given to everybody to bid for the right, we will bid for it. There is never a guarantee that you will win the bids you know, like we saw a couple of years ago HiTV came in they won the rights and then DStv won the rights back again, you can never know, it’s always up to who pays the most unfortunately with it, it’s completely a very transparent process and all we need is a fair chance to be able to put in our bid as well.
Women and Children Centered Quality Premium Content
Absolutely, in our children’s offering alone we have two exclusive channels Dream world and Toonami and over and above that we have other channels, we have pop, we have boomerang, we have carton network and we have Kwese kids a channel dedicated towards kids, for women we have the E channels coming up soon, we have fox channels that are coming up, we have telenovelas in, Zee bollynova, we have passion, so we have a lot of contents built for women and we have our own branded channels like Kwese prime are targeting women specifically in movies.
Dr. Evans Woherem, an award-winning African technology researcher, analyst, and writer, has proposed a comprehensive and implementable strategy to end terrorism, banditry, and criminal violence in Nigeria, warning that the country’s prolonged insecurity has reached a critical point that demands urgent, coordinated action.
Titled “A Comprehensive Strategy for Ending Terrorism, Banditry, and Criminal Violence in Nigeria: A Pragmatic, Multi-Layered, and Implementable Framework,” the paper presents a holistic roadmap designed to reverse more than a decade of escalating violence that has claimed thousands of lives, displaced communities, weakened local economies, and eroded public trust in governance.
According to him, insecurity has become deeply entrenched in everyday life across the country. “Terrorism, banditry, and criminal violence have become so commonplace that they now dominate daily conversations among Nigerians,” Dr. Woherem noted, adding that while the crisis is most acute in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions, “its effects are now being felt even in the southern parts of the country.”
Citing the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, which ranks Nigeria sixth globally in terms of terrorism impact, Dr. Woherem described the ranking as “a sobering statistical confirmation that terrorism still weighs heavily on the Nigerian state.”
The paper traces the roots of the crisis to the emergence of Boko Haram in 2009 and the subsequent rise of splinter groups such as ISWAP. It recalls high-profile incidents including the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, the Dapchi and Kankara kidnappings, and a series of mass abductions and attacks on schools and places of worship recorded in 2025.
Dr. Woherem observed that banditry, largely driven by ransom payments, “has spread across the entire nation, creating fear, weakening productivity, and pushing millions of households deeper into poverty.”
While acknowledging the role of military action, the author cautioned against relying on force alone. “Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency and violent crime through arms and ammunition alone,” he said. “Any sustainable solution must confront the internal conditions that allow insecurity to thrive.”
Among the key drivers identified in the paper by Dr. Woherem, are porous borders, arms proliferation, youth unemployment, economic stagnation, and persistent conflicts over land and resources, challenges Dr. Woherem stressed can be addressed through “a deliberate, intelligence-led, and whole-of-society approach.”
At the heart of the proposed framework, Woherem noted, is a call for intelligence-driven security operations, including the establishment of a National Counter-Insurgency and Intelligence Fusion Centre. “Security operations must be guided by accurate, actionable intelligence rather than fear-led mass actions that often harm civilians and undermine public trust,” he stated.
The paper also advocates comprehensive policing reforms, including the creation of constitutionally backed state police systems supported by a more specialized federal police structure. “Nigeria’s over-centralised policing model is structurally incapable of effectively addressing widespread criminality across such a vast and diverse country.”
Recognising the realities at the grassroots, Woherem calls for the formal regulation of community-based security groups, and noted that “ignoring vigilante groups is dangerous, and banning them outright is unrealistic,” but stressed that their roles must be clearly defined, regulated, and subject to strict oversight.
On border security, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin, the author warned that instability in neighbouring countries continues to fuel Nigeria’s insecurity. “No permanent solution is possible without deep regional cooperation,” he said, advocating an Integrated Border Management system supported by joint operations with neighbouring states.
The paper places strong emphasis on prevention through economic inclusion, youth employment, and skills development. “Jobs and income remain the most powerful tools for preventing recruitment into violent groups,” Dr. Woherem asserted, adding that immediate livelihood opportunities significantly weaken the appeal of extremist narratives.
He also called for structured deradicalisation and reintegration programmes, noting that “a humane, community-accepted process is essential for breaking cycles of violence and preventing relapse into extremism.”
Dr. Woherem further emphasised the need for governance reforms and accountability in the security sector. “Without transparency, oversight, and institutional integrity, even the best security strategies will fail,” he warned.
The white paper outlines a phased implementation plan from 2025 to 2030, beginning with intelligence fusion, pilot state police initiatives, community security registration, drone surveillance, and financial crackdowns on terror networks, before expanding into nationwide reforms and long-term consolidation.
Concluding, Dr. Woherem expressed cautious optimism about Nigeria’s future. “Nigeria can overcome this prolonged phase of insecurity,” he said, “but only through political will, coordinated institutions, and the active participation of society.”
He added that the proposed framework offers “a realistic pathway to restoring security, rebuilding public trust, and unlocking Nigeria’s vast human and economic potential.”
In a market where less than 3% of land is formally registered and property fraud remains systemic, infrastructure, not apps, is becoming the defining battleground for real estate innovation.
L-R: Ndifreke Ikokpu, COO, Sytemap, HRM Oba Akintoye Adeoye, President REDAN & Cholatte Odunlade-Akeji, Director, RightHome
That reality came into sharp focus on December 18, 2025, as the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sytemap Technologies Limited, signaling a major industry endorsement of Sytemap’s land and real estate transaction infrastructure.
The partnership centers on RightHOME, a jointly developed digital real estate platform powered by Sytemap’s secure cloud infrastructure, mapping systems, transaction monitoring, and fraud-prevention architecture, with REDAN driving ecosystem adoption through its nationwide developer network.
Nigeria’s real estate sector processes transactions worth trillions of naira annually, yet remains heavily manual, fragmented, and vulnerable to disputes. Industry data suggests unresolved title issues alone lock up ₦36 trillion in dead capital, limiting access to finance and slowing development.
“This MoU represents a shift from fragmented digitization to coordinated infrastructure,” said Nnamdi Uba, CEO at Sytemap. “When the industry body itself aligns around shared standards, verification, and technology, innovation can finally scale responsibly.”
Under the agreement:
· REDAN will onboard registered developers and promote adoption of the platform as a trusted digital channel.
· Sytemap will deliver secure hosting, real-time monitoring, escrow-aligned transaction workflows, and compliance with Nigeria’s data protection regulations.
· Joint standards will be developed for digital verification, transparency, and asset mapping.
From a technology perspective, the partnership reflects a growing consensus that solving African real estate challenges requires deep infrastructure, not surface-level marketplaces. Fraud detection, uptime reliability, auditability, and regulatory alignment, areas often overlooked in proptech, are central to Sytemap’s approach.
HRM Oba Akintoye Adeoye, representing REDAN noted, “This collaboration allows developers to operate in a system where trust is embedded, not assumed. That is critical for long-term growth.”
For the broader tech ecosystem, the MoU stands out as a rare example of industry-led validation, where a national association formally aligns with a technology provider to modernize an entire sector.
Ndifreke Ikokpu, COO at Sytemap signed on behalf of Sytemap while Cholatte Odunlade – Akeji, CEO of RightHome signed on behalf of the Special Purpose Vehicle.
As pressure mounts to unlock housing finance, attract institutional capital, and reduce transaction risk, the REDAN–Sytemap partnership positions digital land infrastructure not as an optional upgrade, but as a foundational requirement for the future of real estate in Nigeria.
Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, has cautioned that failure to implement Nigeria’s new tax laws by January 1, 2026, would leave the vast majority of workers and businesses at a disadvantage.
Taiwo Oyedele
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Oyedele said postponing the reforms would mean that “the bottom 98 per cent of workers remain overtaxed,” while businesses continue to grapple with multiple taxation and miss out on exemptions.
He added that small and unprofitable enterprises would still be subject to minimum taxes, and hidden VAT charges would keep driving up the cost of essentials such as food, healthcare, and education.
His comments come amid calls by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and several civil society groups for a suspension of the reforms. Oyedele argued that rather than halting implementation, specific areas of concern should be identified and corrected.
“So, we need to be clear about what we are asking for,” he said. “Even if it is established that there have been substantial alterations to what the National Assembly passed, my view will be to identify those provisions… and go ahead to implement the law as passed by the NASS, while you address the issues as to how they got in there in the first place.”
Oyedele acknowledged that even the version passed by lawmakers contained sections requiring amendment, citing issues with referencing and definitions.
He also addressed controversy over alleged discrepancies between the gazetted laws and those approved by the National Assembly, noting that without access to the officially harmonised bills certified by the clerk, it was difficult to determine differences.
He pointed to Section 41(8), which initially appeared to require a 20 per cent deposit but was later excluded from the final version, stressing that some draft materials circulating in the media did not originate from the House committee. “I think we should allow them do the investigation,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu has already signed the four tax reform bills into law, describing them as the most significant overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system in decades.
The reforms — the Nigeria Tax Act, Nigeria Tax Administration Act, Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act — are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026, under a unified Nigeria Revenue Service.
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