Broadcasting
Stakeholders call for Digitisation of African Music @ AFRIMA
Discussants at the All Africa Music Award (AFRIMA) 2017, yesterday unanimously called for digitisation of music produced in the African continent, to ensure global competitiveness.
The discussants, who made the call at the Music Business Roundtable of the 2017 AFRIMA in Lagos, said that Africa should not be tardy with digitisation of its music brands.
The event had as its theme: “Digital Takeover: Shaping the Future of African Music, Money, and Media.
AFRIMA is a world-class event that holds annually with live performances by celebrity artistes and televised broadcast to 84 countries around the world.
Some of the panelists include General Manager , Sony Music (West Africa), Michael Ugwu; the Chief Executive Officer, (CEO), Lead Consultant, Kelvin Orifa and Rikki Stein, CEO, Kalakuta Sunrise Ltd.
Others include, Sam Onyemelukwe, Managing Director, Trace T.V, and Angela Martins, Head of Culture Division, Department of Social Affairs, African Union.
Ugwu said that embracing digitisation would not only boost the revenue from the entertainment industry, but also put it on the global map.
“We need to get it right that digitisation will help a lot in our projection to the global market; the more we participate the more our music travels.
“It has a lot of impact aside of the monetary values. Many of the artistes are terrified of live streaming of their music asking what they would gain from it since it’s been streamed live.
“There are lots of gains in it; there are lots of negotiations going on about the benefits of live streaming though i also have a bad experience with one of my clients.
“Sometimes live streaming allows for the global views of music because it travels faster than putting on a site for people to download, which may consume more data,’’ he said.
Speaking in the same vein, Kelvin Orifa, Chief Executive Officer, (CEO), Lead Consultant, said that there were lots of opportunity in the marketing of music.
According to him, the only thing left for the artistes is to provide the right content.
“I had to resign my job at one of the leading communication companies to pursue a career in marketing of music which i found rewarding.
“I think with the right content, music from Africa is on the right path, we now have more demands for African music and more collaboration with African Musicians.
“We still need more content to be out there and compete well in the global circuit. My companies now have been able to gather experience in interacting with other segment in the market.
“We should take knowledge of the market seriously and add it to capacity building of our musicians,’’ he said.
Orifa said that marketing music need a lot of projection as to when to expect yields from the music and also the benefits the content providers would derive from their intellectual property.
“Music marketers must take a short term and long term view of their production. It is by finding the environment where the music will sell and be appreciated.
“A lot of music companies have been in existence for many years but not persistent, here we are today; about 15 years ago the world bloggers didn’t exist.
“The industry like other industry are brands and products, they existed years ago but now going into extinction. We need to have projection because of the dynamics of digitisation.
“A very strong brand will have a history, a story line of where it’s coming from. So, projection is the key to the digitisation,’’ he said.
Also, Onyemelukwe of Trace Music, said that artistes need to be patient with their music before thinking they are on the world map..
“Digitisation is a boom; we need to do more of live streaming for the world to see. Many people around the world now want to listen to African tunes online.
“Although the bandwidth in Africa as regards to live streaming is still low, we need something above the present 4G network that we are using, we need 5G.
“Digitisation of our music makes it travel faster and make it known to the world. We may say that it is not very profitable, but it takes artists to places where they can never imagine,’’ he said.
QNET, a global leader in direct selling focused on wellness and lifestyle products, firmly disassociates itself from any unlawful activities being conducted by unauthorized individuals or entities fraudulently using the QNET name to mislead and exploit members of the Nigerian public.
These concerns have resurfaced following the arrests of several suspects in Niger State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
QNET commends the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for its actions in apprehending those responsible and is actively supporting the authorities to prevent further misuse of its brand.
QNET Says NO to Brand Misuse and Criminal Misrepresentation
QNET is a 27-year-old international direct selling company offering wellness and lifestyle products through a network of independent distributors.
These individuals are customers who have purchased QNET products and have chosen to build their own direct selling business using our platform. They operate independently and are not employees of QNET.
Unfortunately, certain third-party entities such as Mighty Infinity Millionaire Ltd, that have no affiliation to QNET, and operate without our oversight or recognition, have grossly misrepresented the QNET business model and acted in a manner that is in no way a representation of QNET business ethics or values.
We unequivocally state that such entities and individuals are not affiliated with or endorsed by QNET. QNET reiterates that Transblue Nigeria Limited remains our sole partner in Nigeria.
Operating Within Legal and Ethical Boundaries
In Nigeria, QNET operates strictly within the legal and regulatory frameworks through our official local partner, Transblue Nigeria Limited. We remain committed to ethical business practices and protecting both our brand and the public from exploitation. We urge members of the public to remain vigilant, verify the authenticity of individuals or entities claiming affiliation with QNET, and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.
Statement from QNET’s Regional Leadership & Legal Nigerian Partner
Responding to the fraudulent activities being perpetrated in QNET’s name, Biram Fall, Regional General Manager of QNET for Sub-Saharan Africa, states, “We are extremely disturbed by the way unscrupulous individuals have misused the QNET brand to deceive innocent Nigerians with false promises. At QNET, our values are rooted in honesty and empowering people to build better lives through genuine means. We remain committed to supporting law enforcement agencies in their efforts to bring these fraudsters to justice and encourage the public to verify any claims of affiliation with QNET before getting involved.”
To avoid further confusion, QNET wishes to emphasize the following:
● QNET does not operate or endorse any physical or online university under the name “Q-University” in Nigeria. QNET is part of a larger business conglomerate that operates the Quest International University in Malaysia, which does not have any overseas campus.
● QNET is not involved with online medical courses or academic institutions in Nigeria.
● QNET does not support or condone recruitment-driven models that promise employment, scholarships, or guaranteed returns unrelated to the legitimate sale or purchase of QNET products.
● QNET strongly condemns the unauthorized use of our intellectual property – including company logos, founder portraits, and promotional materials – by fraudulent actors aiming to mislead the public.
QNET’s Awareness Creation and Consumer Protection Efforts
Since entering the Nigerian market in 2022, QNET with the support of our local partner, Transblue Nigeria Limited, have prioritized financial literacy and consumer protection. In November 2023, we launched the Say NO! Awareness Campaign to educate the public about scams and promote responsible entrepreneurship. The campaign has reached thousands through multilingual billboards, radio messages, educational pamphlets, and online platforms. As part of this campaign, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE) and the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) were also engaged.
Cooperation with Law Enforcement
QNET expresses its full support and appreciation for the EFCC’s efforts to protect citizens and crack down on cyber and financial crimes. We are actively cooperating with the Commission in its investigations and are committed to further educating the public on the nature and values of QNET’s legitimate operations.
Public Advisory: How to Stay Safe
To protect yourself from scams falsely linked to QNET:
● Verify all QNET-related information at: www.qnet.net
● Report suspicious activity via email: network.integrity@qnet.net or WhatsApp: +233 256 630 005
● Learn how to identify scams at: www.saynocampaign.org
QNET remains fully committed to ethical business practices and transparency. We stand with Nigerian authorities in protecting citizens from fraud and will continue to cooperate fully to bring those misusing our brand to justice.
Eedris Abdulkareem, veteran hip hop artiste, is showing no signs of backing down as he hints at releasing another protest song, shortly after his last track was banned by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
Eedris Abdulkareem, veteran hip hop artiste
He recently again stirred the political waters as he hinted at the release of a new protest song, only weeks after his controversial track Tell Your Papa was banned by the National Broadcasting Commission.
The outspoken musician took to social media on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, to share an animated cover design with the words “3 Arms of Government,” suggesting the theme of his upcoming release.
Though the title remains undisclosed, the post was captioned simply with “Stay tuned,” fueling speculation that another hard-hitting social commentary is on the way.
Abdulkareem, known for his unapologetic political views, recently described the NBC’s decision to ban Tell Your Papa as hypocritical. Undeterred by censorship, he appears set to continue using music as a platform to criticize injustice and demand accountability.
The rapper also recently reaffirmed the relevance of his classic hit Jaga Jaga, stating that it would remain the country’s “second unofficial national anthem” until key issues like security, electricity, and governance are addressed.
With another protest song on the horizon, fans and critics alike are bracing for what may be Eedris Abdulkareem’s most direct political message yet.
In celebration of the Easter season, MultiChoice has announced the launch of a dedicated Easter Pop-Up Channel, offering DStv and GOtv subscribers across Nigeria the chance to experience live broadcasts of key Easter events and services from the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.
The special channel, which runs from Thursday, April 17 to Monday, April 21, will be available on DStv channel 196 and GOtv channel 28, bringing the significance and beauty of Easter directly into viewers’ homes.
Throughout the Easter period, the channel will broadcast a rich lineup of live religious events. The programming begins on Thursday, April 17, with the Chrism Mass in the morning, followed by the Mass of the Last Supper in the evening.
On Good Friday, April 18, viewers can join in the Good Friday Tenebrae and the Seven Last Words service, followed by the Stations of the Cross from St. Gregory’s, and later the Passion Service.
The spiritual journey continues on Saturday, April 19, with the Easter Vigil Mass late in the evening, leading into the Easter Sunday Mass on April 20. The channel’s special programming concludes on Monday, April 21, with the Easter Monday Mass from Galilee.
This dedicated pop-up channel is designed for those who may be unable to attend church services in person, as well as for anyone seeking to deepen their spiritual observance during the Easter holidays. By broadcasting these significant events, MultiChoice reaffirms its commitment to providing content that resonates with the cultural and religious values of its viewers.
Subscribers are encouraged to tune in to DStv channel 196 and GOtv channel 28 throughout the Easter period to take part in these important religious celebrations from the comfort of their homes.
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