Before the streaming wars over the African market began, MultiChoice was already backing Nigeria’s entertainment industry, supporting content creators through training programs, access to broadcasting, and awards in recognition of excellence. The broadcasting company is not resting on its oars and has instead intensified its commitment to service excellence delivery with a wide plethora of innovative products and services one of which is the streaming service – Showmax, all while being the same dependable brand that brings premium entertainment.
Since launching DStv in 1996, MultiChoice Nigeria has consistently created more opportunities than any Nigerian Pay-TV service provider and through the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards (AMVCA), they celebrate the best talents in the entertainment industry on the African continent. They’ve trained several filmmakers through the MultiChoice Talent Factory and continue to support Nollywood with their resources through the movies and series they commission yearly.
At its annual media showcase, this year held in Lagos, Nigeria on Thursday, September 15, 2022, MultiChoice reconfirmed its dedication to bringing the best entertainment to its customers. Executive Head of Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice, Busola Tejumola, said, “We are constantly seeking new ways to excite our customers by improving our products and services and bringing them the most premium entertainment. We are a brand dedicated to telling authentic African stories, which is why we have thousands of hours of new content from new and returning shows coming to our platforms over the next few months.”
To prove how serious MultiChoice Nigeria is about its commitment to bringing the best authentic African stories to its customers, Dr Tejumola unveiled a host of content viewers can expect to see over the next few months ranging across movies, telenovelas, series and reality television.
Perhaps the most exciting of them all is the FIFA World Cup that starts in November. Viewers can expect to enjoy all 64 games air on DStv and GOtv and Showmax Pro. An added feature this season is the preferred language option which delivers to customers the option of viewing the matches with commentary in a language of their choice across English, Pidgin, Yoruba, Hausa or Igbo. Further to this, there will also be five different channels dedicated to the World Cup available to customers ensuring a fulfillment of the promise for the best seat in the house.
Multichoice’s commitment to best-in-class entertainment was further reinforced at the Showcase by the announcement of a first of its kind extension of its flagship and Africa’s biggest reality series, Big Brother which will return in 2023 with the most unexpected twist. In what MultiChoice calls the ‘Clash of the Titans’, Nigerians and South Africans will battle for the title of ‘Big Brother’ winner – in one house. The broadcasting company is also taking its other highly successful reality series, The Real Housewives of Lagos Season 1, from Showmax to Africa Magic. The show will premiere on Africa Magic Showcase on October 3 and Africa Magic Urban on October 4, 2022.
With over 1000 hours of brand-new content and 50 titles slated to premiere in the next few months, MultiChoice is telling African stories through movies, animations, series, reality shows, and more. In October alone, three new shows will premiere on DStv and GOtv.
Femi Odugbemi’s Covenant will premiere on October 3 alongside James Omokwe’s Itura. Both series have 260 episodes each and will take over time slots Dilemma and Venge currently showing on Africa Magic as they wind down to an end. Ace producer, James Omokwe also has another title, Diiche, launching only on Showmax on September 29, 2022. Showmax will also premiere an exclusive Super Eagles documentary, Super Eagles Doccies, and Crime and Justice Lagos. Diane Russet’s series, Ricordi, is also billed to premiere on Africa Magic soon with the final season in the Halita series set to air, the secont season of The Rishantes and Lahira will also premiere on the movie channel later this year.
There will also be new seasons of fan favorites returning like Come Play Naija, Tinsel, Our Perfect Wedding, Flatmates, Turn Up Friday, and a new Multichoice commissioned season of YouTube sensation, Off Air with Gbemi and Toolz. There will also be a new season of The Johnsons which will honour Ada Ameh’s memory who sadly passed away on July 17, 2022. The annual holiday channel will also return in November to give viewers the best seats at the biggest end-of-year events like the Calabar Carnival and The Experience.
Beyond content, MultiChoice remains committed to helping to build the economy by fostering viable ecosystems on each of its production sets. On the upcoming epic telenovela series – Itura alone, there were over 350 crew members who together built – from ground up – the fictional kingdom of Ibaokuta which forms the background for the story of equality, love, justice, prosperity and peace. SuperSports with Super Picks continues to present its avid watchers the chance to win N50 million if they can successfully guess the outcome of 6 Premier League matches. Through the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), the company is also helping to create new entrepreneurs that will ensure the future of the Nigerian creative industry through a 365-day intensive training and hands-on internships in the art and business of film making. The school currently has a record of 100% completion with 68% of graduating students registering/establishing their businesses post-MTF classes.
Founded in May 2018 to ignite Africa’s TV industry and build the people that will create the future, the factory has graduated 40 students, with the next batch of 20 graduating in October. MTF hosts 20 students yearly. The enrollees are equipped with tools and hardware to support their learning and provide them with accommodation while also paying them a stipend throughout the entire one-year programme.
A brand highly invested in value, MultiChoice is always looking to improve the quality of service its customers receive. To this end, they’ve created a gamified feature in the MyDStv and MyGOtv Apps alongside a live-chat feature that allows customers to upgrade or downgrade their subscription packages easily without leaving the comfort of their homes. For access to belonging to the class of 100% Premium subscribers, customers should use the entire compliments available to them – use the upgrade to the DStv Premium Package, Explora PVR, activate the DStv App, and use the value added services – box office movies and Showmax – enjoy more value for their money by receiving gold remotes indicating membership of this class and front of the line access to invitations to the most exclusive MultiChoice events, and one free movie per month via the box office amongst other unique benefits.
Themed’ The Greatest Season in Entertainment’, Multichoice has been able to showcase that the best of entertainment can be enjoyed via DStv, GOtv, and Showmax for the entire family – from kids’ entertainment to Nollywood and Hollywood blockbusters, and series. The customers are the biggest winners as they are in for a treat in the coming months.
For more information about the juicy new content coming soon to DStv, GOtv, and Showmax, visit www.dstv.com/africamagic and www.showmax.com. Or follow the different platforms across social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
