Broadcasting
StarTimes, SOS Children’s Villages Join Forces to Empower African Youth
Digital Television Company StarTimes Media and SOS Children’s Villages International have signed in Nairobi (Kenya) a Memorandum of Understanding (‘MOU’) that will see the two organizations partner towards supporting vulnerable families and children, with an emphasis on empowering youth in light of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (‘SDGs’).
The MOU will see StarTimes support SOS Children’s Villages programmes in over ten African countries specifically in broadening local learning opportunities and extending diverse experiences to young people from SOS Children’s Villages programmes.
This will include technical and vocational skills training and mentorship, alongside driving access to digital television in SOS Children’s Villages programmes and benefitting from media exposure on the StarTimes platform.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, Mr. William Masy, StarTimes Group Overseas Public Relations Director, noted that the brand made a commitment to empowering youth during the YouthConnekt Africa Summit in Rwanda in 2017.
The SOS Children’s Villages partnership represents a step forward towards facilitating the entry of youth into the job market and giving them the means to create a sustainable future for themselves and society.
“StarTimes Group is committed towards empowering youth and facilitating their entry, growth and development through availing themselves of mentorship and training opportunities. This partnership with SOS Children’s Villages is therefore very strategic, as we look forward towards imparting knowledge and skills to the next generation of our leaders,” noted Mr. Masy.
In this context, SOS Children’s Villages will share resources, skills and knowledge as far as youth employability and capacity building is concerned towards the implementation of the MOU.
For young people in alternative care, their first job is not only the first step towards independence. For them, their first job is a matter of survival – the difference between an independent life lived with dignity and a life plagued with further difficulty.
In Africa, 200 million people are aged between 15 and 24 years, comprising more than 20% of the total population. Demographic rates are growing fast, which will increase the pressure countries face in terms of job creation. Of this, youth make up 37% of the working-age population, but 60% of the total number of unemployed.
Ms. Shubha Murthi, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of SOS Children’s Villages International, commented: “Partnerships make our work possible. We can only accomplish what we do for children, young people and families thanks to the generosity, commitment and amplification of our message by corporate partners such as StarTimes.
In East and Southern Africa, SOS Children’s Villages works closely with a wide range of companies and partners who have a vested interest in improving the lives of the communities they are working in. As a result, the impact of our work is stronger and more sustainable.”
Mr. Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, took centre stage at the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) annual end-of-year meeting on Thursday, December 18, 2025, recounting the company’s remarkable growth and reaffirming free IT training for journalists.
Tim Akano, New Horizons Chief Executive Officer, in a group photograph with NITRA Members
Speaking directly to IT media members at the company’s training facility in Lagos, Akano acknowledged the critical role journalists played in supporting New Horizons during its formative years two decades ago.
He detailed how the firm evolved from a handful of staff to one of Africa’s leading ICT skills training organisations, now employing about 500 staff across multiple training centres nationwide.
Akano Spotlights Youth Training, University Partnerships
Akano highlighted that New Horizons has trained over 500,000 youths, particularly tertiary institution students, equipping them with practical IT skills essential for Nigeria’s digital economy.
He announced recent partnerships with universities, including a new agreement with Afe Babalola University, to scale hands-on training programmes for students.
“This growth would not have been possible without the media’s support in documenting our journey,” Akano stated, pledging continued free IT skills training for media members to remain competitive in the evolving digital landscape.
Reciprocal Support Defines Long-Standing Partnership
The venue hosting the NITRA meeting underscored Akano’s generosity; NITRA Secretary Chidiebere Nwankwo secured the free facility after contacting him—a gesture consistent with New Horizons hosting multiple association events and training IT journalists since its inception 20 years ago.
Participants shared personal testimonies of Akano’s support, including veteran journalist Aaron Ukodie, whose daughter—an Accounting graduate from the University of Johannesburg—received NYSC placement and IT scholarship at New Horizons.
The Guardian’s Yemi Adeyemi recounted Akano accommodating his editor’s child for mandatory IT training after other firms declined.
Members praised Akano’s commitment to human capital development as evidence of deep appreciation for the media community that chronicled New Horizons’ success over two decades.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has launched the NIMC Pre-Enrolment Portal to revolutionise the National Identification Number (NIN) enrolment process, enabling applicants within Nigeria and in the Diaspora to capture biodata online prior to biometric verification at enrolment centres.
NIMC
Accessible via penrol.nimc.gov.ng, the platform allows users to fill enrolment forms, schedule appointments, upload supporting documents securely, and manage personal details directly, thereby slashing congestion, minimising wait times, boosting data accuracy and enhancing overall service efficiency at centres nationwide.
NIMC Director-General and CEO, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, spearheaded the initiative as part of the Commission’s technology-driven strategy to fortify institutional performance, aligning with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda that emphasises digital transformation, efficient public service delivery and inclusive national development.
Dr Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications, highlighted key benefits including simplified biodata handling, confidential data protection through robust security measures, reduced physical centre visits and heightened operational effectiveness, urging all prospective enrollees to adopt the portal for a faster, citizen-friendly experience.[conversation_history]
The move underscores NIMC’s mandate under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007 to manage the National Identity Database, issue NINs and foster a reliable digital identity ecosystem vital for national planning, with users advised to complete pre-enrolment online before heading to selected centres for biometrics.
MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), a Pan-African film and television training institution, has announced the opening of applications for its 2026 intake.
MultiChoice
The fully funded programme is open to African graduates aspiring to become directors, filmmakers, scriptwriters, producers and storytellers.
According to MultiChoice, the nine-month accredited curriculum combines online learning with intensive in-person training, and is designed to balance theoretical knowledge with practical immersion.
MTF academies are located in Kenya, Nigeria and Zambia, and serve aspiring filmmakers from 14 African countries. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has trained 296 filmmakers, with graduates producing more than 42 movies aired on DStv, GOtv and Showmax platforms.
Organisers said alumni of the programme have gone on to establish over 50 production companies, while many continue to work within the MultiChoice ecosystem.
Graduates have also won accolades at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Kalasha Awards, Uganda Film Festival and Women in Film Awards.
Applications for the 2026 intake close on Feb. 27, 2026. Interested candidates can visit https://apo-opa.co/3XW53oE for programme requirements.
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