Cynthia Okere, Lagos
As Africast 2025 comes to an end, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has reiterated its firm commitment to a stakeholder engagement drive aimed at elevating Nigerian television to a global platform.
The Director-General of the NBC, Mr. Charles Ebuebu, said that the Commission will engage key players in the music, film, and broader media ecosystems to address fundamental issues hindering the sector’s global reach.
”Our creative stories are selling everywhere in the world; what is the issue with TV?” he questioned. “We’re going to identify the issues and address them to enable us take TV to the next level.”
Mr. Ebuebu also commended media industry participants for their involvement in this year’s Africast, urging them to collaborate with the NBC to implement the solutions discussed during the exhibition.
Authentic Youth-Focused Content
In a separate address, Jibe Ologe, the Managing Director of Rwells Media, called on all stakeholders-including child advocates, the government, and parents to actively monitor the content their children consume.
She reiterated that Nigerian youth need content that resonates with them while also fostering a sense of national identity and patriotism.
“The young people are very intelligent; they want the truth, they want to speak their minds, and they also want to be considered,” she said.
Mrs. Ologe offered a clear directive for content creators: to be inclusive and research-driven: “If you want to create content for the youths, make sure you have an inclusive policy. Do your research and find out what they want.”
She had this view on empowering young presenters: “Get young people to present their shows; do not use old people to present young people’s shows.”
And on promoting Nigerian identity, she said content showing Western cultures, which are “alien to ours,” is causing many youths to “malfunction today.” She called for the production of material that “will reshape the mind of the youths to remember that they are Nigerians and not American.”
Mrs. Ologe strongly urged radio and TV presenters to embrace their local accent instead of mimicking British or American speech.
“You’re not British, you are Nigerian. Be proud of your country and speak like a Nigerian. Be proud of your accent. You can speak English well and still be Nigerian,” she emphasized.
Africast: A New Era for Media
Other exhibitors and participants praised the NBC for the quality of the event, describing the conferences as the dawn of a new era for media industries in Nigeria.
Samuel Anyanwu from Radio Nigeria noted, “Truly, with what we have seen here and the vision so far, we strongly believe that we’re going to be impacted positively. There’s no doubt that the new media ecosystem will be embraced by all media organizations within Nigeria.”
Idris Aloma, General Manager of the University of Ilorin station, added: “We have been able to have good networking and have been exposed to the latest equipment in electronic media… That showed that Africa is not static, retarded but moving on. In the next few years, where broadcasting will be is going to be different from where we were in the years past.”
About Africast 2025
The 2025 edition of Africa’s premier conference and exhibition for broadcast and digital media was themed: “Navigating the Digital Surge: Building a Resilient African Media Ecosystem for the Future.”
Established in 1996, the event has grown into a continental hub where ideas, policy, creativity, and technology converge.
This year’s event focused on digital transformation, covering topics like AI, audience data, new regulatory frameworks, and sustainable media operations.
It attracted over three thousand delegates, including celebrities and media veterans like Sam Anyamele, Toyin Sokefun-Bello (Ty Bello), and Charles Novia.