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Showmax Unveils First Ever Nigerian Masterbrand Campaign

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Showmax, Africa’s original streaming service is staking a major claim on the rapidly growing streaming industry in Nigeria with its first ever Nigerian Masterbrand campaign with tagline “No one tells a story like we do”.

The campaign officially launched on Monday, 29 May with a super crisp and relatable television commercial featuring Nigerian actress, Sharon Ooja, who also stars in the AMVCA-nominated Showmax Original, Flawsome. The campaign pays an ode to the vibrant, larger-than-life storytelling streak of Nigerians and Showmax’s apparent efforts to tell authentic Nigerian stories through its slate of originals – eight of which were launched over the past one year.

Showmax had first teased the campaign with a display of some of the most popular Nigerian slangs such as Just Dey Play, Woto Woto, Eweee and Pressure Ti Wa on billboards across major cities in Nigeria. Conversations about these billboards were amplified on social media with many users giving their unique spins and takes on the campaign.

It wouldn’t be the first time Showmax would be starting conversations on social media. In 2022, the streaming platform’s hit Nigerian iteration of the Real Housewives franchise, The Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOLagos) dominated conversations on social media, sitting on the Twitter trend table for its 13-week long run. RHOLagos has gone on to win an AMVCA for “Best Costume Designer”, alongside other Showmax originals like the police and procedural drama, Crime and Justice Lagos, which snagged the awards for “Best TV Series” and “Best Picture Editor”.

Speaking on the campaign, Opeoluwa Filani, General Manager at Showmax Nigeria, says that the campaign is a celebration of the wealth of stories that abound in Nigeria and Showmax’s commitment to telling them as a truly Nigerian brand. “In Nigeria alone, we have over 300 tribes and thousands of untold stories.

“We can tell 300,000 stories in a year, and you will still find a new and exciting story to tell for the next 10 decades. That’s the beauty of our diversity,” he says.

“As a brand, we believe it is our duty to tell these stories and tell them in their most original and purest form. And this is even more important to us because we’re Africa’s original streaming platform and we truly believe that no one can tell our stories better than we do,” Filani concluded.

The streaming service had officially set up shop in Nigeria last year with the appointment of Filani as General Manager and other key hires for its Nigerian operations as part of efforts to solidify its presence and investment in the country.

At the time, Yolisa Phahle, the CEO of Showmax, had said in a statement that the platform has witnessed unprecedented growth in its paying subscriber base and it “has become even more important to have a dedicated team at the helm of affairs of Showmax in one of our most important markets.”

That decision is paying good dividends. With 22 nominations at the biggest TV and film awards in Africa, a record charting kids’ show, Jay Jay: The Chosen One, mirrored after the reimagined childhood of Nigerian football legend, Jay Jay Okocha, a growing slate of critically acclaimed originals including the James Omokwe-produced Diiche, Flawsome, Crime and Justice Lagos, The Real Housewives of Lagos and Abuja, and Wura, as well as an extensive collection of TV shows and films from Africa Magic – such as Itura, Covenant, My Beautyful Life and Ricordi.

The streaming platform is also home to HBO shows. Fans of Game of Thrones and its prequel, House of the Dragon can binge-watch the complete seasons of the fantasy series as well as other fan-favourite HBO and Emmy-winning shows such as Succession, Barry, The Last of Us, Love and Death, Industry and Euphoria.

Showmax Pro bundles the Showmax entertainment offering with music channels, news and live sports streaming from SuperSport. Subscribers can live stream the latest seasons of the English Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, UEFA Europa and UEFA Conference leagues, FIFA World Cup qualifiers and more.

Showmax can be streamed using apps for smart TVs, smartphones, tablets, computers, media players and gaming consoles with data consumption management available using the bandwidth capping feature.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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Celebrating a Visionary Leader Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR at 65

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By Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata (CFA)

Today, we celebrate a leader whose unwavering commitment to “Everything Technology, Technology Everywhere” is turning bold ideas into real impact for Ndi Anambra.

As someone privileged to lead the Anambra State ICT Agency, driving e-governance initiatives, and now the Geeks & Founders Alliance for Soludo (GEFAS), a coalition of tech professionals, founders, and enthusiasts advancing technology and championing the re-election of Governor Soludo, I see first-hand how Mr. Governor’s vision keeps challenging us to push boundaries: from digitizing government operations to expanding free Solution WiFi, deploying smart solutions, and driving public-private partnerships that create jobs and make Anambra truly work for the people.

Today, under his visionary leadership, the combination of solid physical infrastructure, livable cities, and a growing digital backbone is fast positioning Anambra as an attractive hub for talent, investment, and innovation- a destination and not a departure lounge

Leadership is not about lofty speeches but clear action, and Governor Soludo has shown us that bold decisions, like removing Right of Way charges to drive connectivity, can transform an entire ecosystem.

As we mark his birthday, we rededicate ourselves to this vision: a smarter, more connected, and prosperous Anambra that works for all.

Happy Birthday, Mr. Governor, Oluatuegwu!

Here’s to more impact, more solutions, and a future that keeps rising.


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Court Upholds AVRS Legal Rights to Licence Audiovisual Works in Hotels

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Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has upheld the statutory right of the Audiovisual Rights Society of Nigeria (AVRS) to licence hotels and other business establishments for the public use of audiovisual works (movies and films) transmitted within their premises via Pay-TV subscriptions.

Court Upholds AVRS Legal Rights to Licence Audiovisual Works in Hotels

This is a landmark judgment that reaffirms the rights of Nigerian copyright holders and strengthens the creative ecosystem.

Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who gave the judgment, dismissed the case filed by Reiz Continental Hotel Limited against AVRS, where the hotel sought a declaration that it could not be compelled to pay copyright fees for audiovisual content (movies and films) accessed through subscription-based broadcasting.

In the ruling delivered on Thursday, July 24, the court held that AVRS, by virtue of its status as assignees of copyright in several audiovisual works, and approved collective management organisation (CMO) pursuant to Section 88 of the Copyright Act 2022, had demonstrated the legal basis of its licencing activities, and was entitled to issue copyright licences to users of audiovisual works belonging to it, including the Plaintiff (Reiz Continental Hotel Limited). Abuja Formula 1 Grand Prix ticketsNigerian cuisine recipes

The court rejected the claims of Reiz Continental Hotel that it was merely a recipient of broadcasts from a pay subscription television service, and therefore not liable to any licence from AVRS.

It held that the activities of Reiz Continental Hotel, operating a hospitality business, which is profit-driven, and possessing several television sets, which transmit audiovisual content, were carried out in contravention of sections 11(b), (c) and (f) of the Copyright Act in respect of the rights held by AVRS.

The court also held that the acts of transmission of audiovisual works by Reiz Continental Hotel, since done in the context of business, were in contravention of section 36(1)(a) and (g) of the Copyright Act, unless licensed by AVRS.

According to the court, the provision of section 36(1)(g) of the Copyright Act, 2022, renders a person liable for infringement of copyright for performing or causing to be performed for the purposes of trade or business or the promotion of a trade or business, any work in which copyright subsists.

The court further held that participation in a collective licencing agreement by the Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA), of which Reiz is a member, was binding on Reiz and stopped it from denying the validity of the agreement with AVRS.

Speaking on the judgment, Mike O. Akpan, legal counsel to AVRS and principal partner, Alpha-Edge Legal, said that the judgment is not only a legal victory for AVRS and its members, but also a significant affirmation of Nigeria’s commitment to upholding copyright law and protecting creative enterprise. Nigerian cuisine recipes

He added that it establishes a strong precedent for copyright enforcement across the hospitality sector and other commercial users of protected content.

Reacting to the landmark judgment, Mr. Mahmood Ali-Balogun, chairman of AVRS, said: “This judgment is a profound moment for members of AVRS. It affirms the legitimacy of our collective licencing structure and ensures that copyright owners in the film and movie sector are rightfully protected under the law.

“AVRS has always approached licencing with openness, fairness, and a readiness to dialogue. Today’s court decision is a win for our members, the film industry, for Nigerian creators, and for the nation. It strengthens the foundation upon which the creative economy can grow and attract investment.”


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NDPC Hides MultiChoice Privacy Violation Details Despite FOI Request- FIJ

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Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has refused to release details of the data and privacy rights violation for which it fined MultiChoice Nigeria, despite receiving a Freedom of Information (FOI) request from FIJ.

NDPC Hides MultiChoice Privacy Violation Details Despite FOI Request- FIJ

FIJ otherwise Foundation for Investigative Journalism, is an independent, not-for-profit organisation that combats injustice, holds power to account and speaks for the voiceless.

In its announcement on July 6, the NDPC said it had fined MultiChoice Nigeria N766,242,500 for breaching the data and privacy rights of subscribers and even those who are not necessarily subscribers.

FIJ emailed the data protection commission an FOI request on July 9.

The commission acknowledged the receipt of the email that same day and added: “It has been forwarded to the relevant department and we would respond soon.”

Fifteen days later, FIJ got no other response from the NDPC.

In Nigeria, FOI requests have a seven-day timeframe, and it starts counting as soon as a public institution receives a request for public information.

FIJ understands that holidays, which include a Sunday and a public holiday, are to be excluded in the computation of the timeframe.

The receiving institution is mandated, within those seven days, to either provide the requested information or explain in detail why it is unable to do so based on the provisions of the FOI Act.

Established under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, the NDPC’s tasks include safeguarding data privacy, enforcing regulations and promoting responsible data handling in the country.

When the Commission announced the N766.2 million fine against MultiChoice Nigeria, it said the company had violated the privacy rights of subscribers and allowed the illegal cross-border transfer of personal data of Nigerians.

MultiChoice Nigeria operates through various subsidiaries, such as DStv and GOtv. The NDPC said it launched an investigation into the company in the second quarter of 2024.

“NDPC found, among others, that Multichoice violated the data privacy rights of subscribers and their friends who are not necessarily subscribers,” the statement issued by NDPC read in part.

“The Commission also found that Multichoice carries out illegal cross-border transfer of personal data relating to data subjects in Nigeria. The depth of data processing by Multichoice is patently intrusive, unfair, unnecessary and disproportionate.”

FIJ’s FOI request aimed to understand the extent of the data and privacy breaches committed by MultiChoice Nigeria, the remedial measures directed by the NDPC and the specific channels through which the company collected the personal data of Nigerians.

Two weeks after the request was submitted, the NDPC has refused to respond.

Section 7, sub-section 4, of the Freedom of Information Act (2011) states, “Where the government or public institution fails to give access to information or record applied for under this Act or part thereof within the time limit set out in this Act, the institution shall, for the purposes of this Act, be deemed to have refused to give access.”

According to the Act, where a case of wrongful denial of access is established, the defaulting officer or institution commits an offence and is liable on conviction to pay a N500,000 fine.

At the time of this report, there was no publicly documented case of the NDPC granting an FOI request to share more details after an investigation.

In 2023, FIJ detailed how the Nigerian government often violated the FOI Act. Journalists at top newspapers in the country noted that government agencies had a habit of disregarding FOI requests, despite being legally obligated to respond.


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