Broadcasting
X3M Ideas Announces Middle East and Pan-African Expansion as Part of its 10-Year Celebration
The much-anticipated 10th anniversary of X3M Ideas is a milestone in the episodes of marketing communications in Nigeria. Changing the course of the industry’s history, the pan-African creative agency celebrated a decade of existence with regional expansion projects- a rare occurrence for any indigenous advertising brand in Nigeria.
In the last three decades, leading agencies like Lowe Lintas, Grant Advertising Limited, OBM, Rosabell Advertising as well as STB McCann dominated advertising in Nigeria. Sadly, the lack of a sustainable model has been identified by experts as a major roadblock to pushing the frontiers of marketing communications agencies in Nigeria.
This challenge had been identified ten years ago when X3M Ideas was launched in Nigeria. Now a leading full-service marketing communications agency, X3M Ideas is marking its 10th anniversary with Middle-East and Pan-African expansion.
Founded in Nigeria on August 1, 2012, with the aim of redefining advertising practice, X3M had blazed the trail in innovative solutions to marketing communication in the era of digital disruption. With local and international recognition for its service, the agency has been ranked among the top three advertising agencies in Nigeria at the prestigious LAIF Awards.
Expansion operations for X3M Ideas first commenced in 2017 with the South Africa launch and in 2018 operations kicked off in Zambia. In January 2022, the operations were expanded to Congo Brazzaville. For the Founder, X3M Ideas, Steve Babaeko, Africa is a big market full of opportunities. With a portfolio that boasts of incredible campaigns for brands like Flutterwave, FrieslandCampina, Diamond Bank, Glo, X3M Ideas has the reputation of helping brands find their ‘x-factor’ with its wealth of expertise and sound understanding of the African markets.
At 10, X3M Ideas is penetrating the Middle East with its Dubai launch. No doubt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the second-largest investor in Africa after China. The current trend is that many Africa-focused companies are basing themselves in the emirate. According to the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, there are now more than 21,000 African companies in Dubai.
Based on the need for a truly African marketing communications agency in the Middle-East market, X3M Ideas is set for an unprecedented expansion project on the heels of its successful launch in South Central Africa. Since its inception, X3M Ideas has executed brilliant marketing campaigns and premium brand experiences for brands like Chivas, Beefeater, Access Bank, GoTV and Jameson in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Botswana.
While reflecting on these expansion plans, Babaeko is optimistic that the next journey into new markets in Dubai, Kenya and Congo Brazzaville will breathe a new life into advertising practice in those regions.
“In the past 10 years, X3M Ideas has revolutionised marketing communications using brand-tailored solutions to navigate the dynamic nature of the markets. Due to digital disruption, the business of advertising has become more complex than before.
“Rather than focus on the challenges of consumer markets where we operate, we see more opportunities for growth beyond the African continent. Dubai is a choice destination for businesses in Africa. Wherever we see a need for innovative solutions for strategic communications, we go there and help businesses find their ‘X-factor’ and deliver quality service,’’ he said.
To help businesses find their ‘X-factor’, X3M Ideas studies and understands the consumer; cuts through the trade and channel activities expands its reach using digital and interactive media while measuring the impact of every campaign for further improvement.
The Executive Creative Director, X3M Ideas, Mike Miller expressed optimism about the ongoing expansion saying,
“At ten, we will continue with our strategy of helping organisations find their spark, their X-Factor.’ X3M Ideas will always drive against the odds of inter-regional growth which is a rare feat for businesses with African roots. Rather than wait for the world to bring businesses to Africa, we are using innovative solutions in marketing communications to creatively redirect the traffic by taking Africa to the world,” Miller said.
American Tower Corporation (ATC) Nigeria and the ProFuturo Foundation have announced a strategic partnership aimed at transforming the educational sector through digital innovation and technology.
The programme, which is being implemented in conjunction with the Kukah Centre, is expected to benefit over 5,600 school children and 34 teachers across 11 schools in Kano, Kebbi and Taraba states.
The initiative is part of a broader global collaboration between American Tower and ProFuturo Foundation, targeting education gaps in seven African and Latin American countries.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ATC Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Mr Pieter Van Der Westhuizen, said the partnership was aligned with the company’s Digital Communities programme, which facilitates technology-driven learning, financial literacy for adults and access to healthcare services in underserved areas.
“At ATC Nigeria, we are proud to support this impactful collaboration, which brings digital tools directly into classrooms. This partnership is not just about equipment—it’s about giving children the future they deserve,” he said.
General Manager of ProFuturo Foundation, Ms Magdalena Brier, described the partnership as a crucial step towards bridging the digital divide and empowering vulnerable communities.
“This alliance reinforces our mission to transform lives by improving access to education and digital tools. Every child and teacher reached through this programme is a testament to what we can achieve together,” she said.
Each school will be equipped with a digital learning kit, which includes computers, tablets, routers, projectors and other essential components tailored to foster interactive learning—even in areas with limited connectivity.
The initiative seeks to strengthen innovative teaching practices and promote inclusive education through digital transformation, with active support from local authorities who were present at the official launch.
About ₦2 billion changes hands in bets every day (KPMG Gaming Outlook 2025), driven by a 60-million-strong punter base that treats wagering as both entertainment and side-hustle. Industry revenue is on pace to hit US $3.63 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) by December 2025 – roughly the size of Nigeria’s entire recorded-music market.
Smartphones rule this universe: more than 90 percent of slips now start and finish on a handset, which is why the market leaders obsess over data-lite apps and USSD deposits almost as much as odds feeds.
Our Litmus Test for “Best”
To separate hype from heft we graded each book on the nine variables that still matter after the banner ads fade:
- Odds edge & market depth – average margin on EPL, NPFL and niche sports
- Live tech stack – cash-out latency, in-play uptime, streaming rights
- Payout speed & reliability
- Responsible-gaming tools (RG) – time-outs, self-exclusion, deposit caps
- Licensing strength & dispute history
- Promotions that actually pay
- Product breadth – virtuals, jackpots, prediction games, casino
- Financial resilience – operating cash flow, retail footprint, VC war chest
- Cultural traction – agent networks, grassroots sponsorships, meme power
The Heavyweights – and Why Each Owns a Piece of The Best
| Operator | What They Nail | Ticking Time-Bombs | Verdict |
| SportyBet | Biggest traffic (≈ 57 M visits / month), sub-5-second cash-outs, crazy-low EPL margin (~4.5%). | Still no retail city hubs; crash loops on older Tecno devices. | Mobile kingpin |
| Bet9ja | Heritage trust, retail agents in 20 states, jackpots like Super9ja; circa ₦10 billion monthly handle. | Dated UX; odds less sharp since 2024 revamp. | Legacy war-horse |
| BetKing | Data-driven odds, Genius Sports in-play feed, renewed deal with Gamble Alert for RG training. | Slower KYC queues at peak traffic. | RG poster-child |
| Surebet247 | NLRC Permit 0001081; cash-first agent model with mobile slip tracking; boosted welcome bonus to ₦150k; full cash-out on domestic basketball. | Android app, iOS app; livestream rights still pending. | Mobile dark horse |
| 1xBet & Betway | Global market buffet, esports, crypto options. | Offshore-licence optics; occasional geoblock glitches. | International muscle |
| NairaBet, AccessBET, Msport, Premier Bet, BetPawa | NairaBet = pioneer cachet; Msport & BetPawa blitz TikTok; Premier Bet just signed Francis Ngannou. | Each misses at least one core pillar (RG tooling, market depth or fast payouts). | Specialist niches |
Two Deep-Cut Insights the Billboards Won’t Show You
- Women are quietly reshaping the market. According to University of Abuja (“according to data from the University of Abuja”), 30 percent of urban Lagos women now gamble regularly, and a 2025 field survey found daily spend often tops ₦50,000 despite lower median income.
- Mobile-money betting dents student wallets. According to Lagos State University, mobile-money deposits explain 26.7 percent of the variance in student financial well-being – a stat that should make every platform’s RG desk sweat.
So, Who Actually Wins?
- Premier-League diehards who live for lightning-fast in-play cash-out: SportyBet wears the crown.
- Corner-shop loyalists who still like to chat with a clerk: Surebet247 Betshop nails the cash-plus-mobile sweet spot.
- Jackpot chasers who want EPL on Saturday, Ugandan Super League on Tuesday, and darts on Thursday: Bet9ja is still the Swiss-Army knife.
Punters who value self-exclusion toggles and deposit caps (you should): BetKing edges ahead.
In reality, “best” is contextual. Odds hawks, live-stream junkies, crypto degenerates and agent-network stalwarts will all point to different logos. What you don’t want is a bookie that melts down at 89′ when Villarreal finally scores.
On that front, the four names above – plus a rapidly innovating Surebet247 mobile bet shop – look built to survive Nigeria’s next data-price hike and the NLRC’s tightening audit screws.
The rest? Keep one eye on their uptime dashboards – and the other on your bankroll.
By Lukman Otunuga, Senior Market Analyst at FXTM.
A flurry of high-risk events may pump global financial markets with fresh volatility this week.
Top-tier data, including US Inflation, the unofficial start of earnings season, and US Congress “Crypto Week,” among other themes, could spell fresh opportunities.
Amidst this, uncertainty over global trade will add to the mix after President Donald Trump threatened 35% tariffs on the EU and Mexico over the weekend.
Regarding US inflation, this may impact bets around Fed cuts in the second half of this year. Markets are forecasting CPI to rise 2.6% from 2.4% in the prior month, with core CPI rising to 2.9% from 2.8%. Signs of rising prices may shave bets around the Fed cutting interest rates – boosting the dollar as a result.
Closer to home, Nigeria’s June CPI data due July 15 is expected to show signs of cooling inflationary pressures. This could offer some relief to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which aggressively hiked interest rates throughout 2024. Inflation is expected to have eased to 21.4% year-on-year from 23% in May – marking the 4th consecutive month of decline. However, the slowdown is largely a technical adjustment aided by the recent gains in the Naira amid higher non-oil exports and a weaker dollar.
The CBN is scheduled to meet later this month and will most likely keep rates unchanged at 27.5%.
One key challenge for the country will be how to re-tweak its budget for lower oil prices. Indeed, the budget was based around oil production at 2 million barrels and oil prices of $75. Brent is trading around $70 with the nation producing 1.544m b/d of crude in May according to OPEC. Nigeria is hoping to raise production to 1.9m b/d by the end of 2025. But its impact on the economy may be muted if oversupply and tepid demand keep oil prices subdued. Brent is up 4% this month but still down over 6% since the start of 2025.
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