Category: The Nation – Nigeria

ID Africa, organisers of NECLive, will hold the conference’s 11th edition on November 12, 2026, at Alliance Française, Lagos.

Themed ‘Home Advantage: Transforming Local Demand into Global Power,’ the edition is said to be built around the argument that Nigeria’s strongest bargaining chip in global entertainment may no longer be international validation, but the scale and value of its own domestic market.

‘Nigeria has already demonstrated that its creative industries can capture the world’s attention. The next opportunity is to understand how the strength of our domestic market can help us build greater ownership, attract investment and strengthen our position globally ‘ said Ayeni Adekunle, Founder and Convener of NECLive. ‘Home Advantage is about moving the conversation beyond how far our creativity can travel to what we can build from the market that exists right here. It is about ownership, investment and creating stronger systems that allow local demand to translate into sustainable power.’

NECLive 11’s theme argues for a different sequence that scale at home is what should now buy Nigeria leverage abroad, better deal terms, equity stakes, a stronger negotiating position with the platforms and partners it once simply courted.

The numbers make the domestic case. Nigeria’s Arts, Entertainment and Recreation sector grew 11.93% in Q2 2026, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, nearly three times the country’s overall GDP growth rate of 4.43% for the same quarter.

Cinema tells the story most visibly: the box office closed 2025 at a record N15.6 billion, up 34.7% year-on-year, with Nollywood outselling Hollywood locally for the first time, 49.4% market share against 48.8%, per FilmOne Entertainment’s Nigeria Box Office Yearbook. By mid-2026, Funke Akindele’s ‘Behind The Scenes’ had crossed N1 billion in 19 days.

Data from NECLive’s State of Nigeria’s Creative Economy 2026 Report underscores this home reliance, showing that 56% of creative practitioners rely on local clients as their primary source of income, compared to just 19.4% who draw their primary income from international markets. Yet access to affordable funding and reliable local distribution networks, rather than physical tools, are cited as the primary structural gaps holding practitioners back, confirming that while domestic demand is proven, the capital pipelines to scale it remain severely underdeveloped.

But growth and reach are not the same thing, and this is where the theme’s harder questions live. Ticket prices have more than quadrupled since 2019, and the average cost of 1GB of data more than doubled between 2023 and 2025. Nigerians now spend an estimated ?7.6 trillion a year on internet access alone. Technical infrastructure constraints compound these costs: the NECLive report identifies power outages and poor internet connectivity as the single biggest daily obstacle for practitioners, ranking well above funding delays, IP theft, and regulatory hurdles combined.

Moreover, 83% of creative professionals report losing over 10% of their weekly productive time to non-creative administrative burdens, such as chasing payments and managing logistics. Taken together, this suggests much of the current boom is being driven by deeper spending and effort from an existing base of consumers and practitioners, not necessarily a widening one – a distinction that matters if ‘local demand’ is meant to be the foundation of a global strategy rather than a ceiling on it.

Nigerian music’s 30 billion streams tell a similar story: strong headline numbers, but with significant revenue leakage to intermediaries, and most Nigerians actually discovering and streaming music on Boomplay and Audiomack rather than Spotify, because Spotify’s economics assume an affordability most local users don’t have.

Nigerian television drama series, ‘Sands of Time,’ has clinched seven awards in one week, earning recognition for its production, acting and television storytelling in Nigeria and Canada.

The series, ‘Sands of Time: We Happy People,’ led the production’s haul at the 2026 Nigerian Electronic Media Content Exhibition and Awards (NEMCEA), where it won Best Overall Drama Series.

Its producer, Stellamaris Duru, was named NTA Best Producer, while Hydra Aneme and veteran actress Chinyere Wilfred won Best Actor and Best Actress respectively for their performances in the series. The production followed the Nigerian honours with three international awards from film festivals in Canada.

It won Best Television Series (Africa) at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF), Best Television/Web Series at the Brampton International Nollywood Film Festival (BINFF) and Best Television Series (Africa) at the International Comedy and Art Film Festival (TICAFF).

Duru said the recognition reflected the team’s focus on producing stories that audiences can identify with.

‘For us, ‘Sands of Time’ is not just about making a television series; it is about telling stories that people can see themselves in and enjoy with their families. The response from audiences and the recognition we are receiving both locally and internationally show us that there is an audience for the kind of stories we are telling,’ she said.

Beyond the awards, ‘Sands of Time’ has secured broadcast slots on several television stations across the country. It airs on RSTV Port Harcourt on Mondays, TVC on Tuesdays, Wazobia Max Lagos on Thursdays, ITV Benin, OGTV, ITV Abuja, NTA2 Channel 5, Wazobia Port Harcourt, PRTV Jos, STV, Wazobia Max Abuja, WAPTV and EBS TV.

Duru said the multiple broadcast platforms have helped the series reach viewers in different parts of the country, while the international awards have provided another measure of its reception outside Nigeria.

‘Winning these awards is encouraging, but for me, the biggest achievement is knowing that the story is travelling. When a Nigerian series is recognised in Toronto, Brampton and at an international festival, it tells us that our stories can travel beyond the environment in which they were created,’ she said.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has called for stronger partnerships and increased access to affordable, long-term financing for states, regions and other subnational governments to accelerate climate action.

Sanwo-Olu made the call while addressing world leaders at the United Nations High-level Meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The meeting, convened by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, focused on accelerating the energy transition, strengthening climate adaptation and mobilising finance for climate action.

Sanwo-Olu addressed the meeting as a representative of the Under2 Coalition, a global network of state and regional governments committed to climate action.

‘For Lagos, climate action is about turning ambition into opportunity: protecting our people, strengthening our economy and building a more resilient and prosperous state for generations to come. Climate action is not separate from development. It is central to how we build our future,’ the governor said.

He highlighted Lagos’ efforts to address climate challenges associated with rapid urban growth, including moves towards cleaner transportation and initiatives to derive economic value from more than 5,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily through recycling, circular economy approaches and clean energy.

‘These are not abstract climate policies. They are decisions that can create jobs, improve services, strengthen resilience and make everyday life better for millions of people,’ he said.

The governor also stressed the role of subnational governments in implementing climate policies, saying stronger cooperation among states and regions would help accelerate climate action.

Sanwo-Olu, who appeared alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, said Lagos’ participation in the Under2 Coalition provided an opportunity to exchange experience with other jurisdictions and develop partnerships.

He also called for greater access to affordable, long-term financing to enable subnational governments to translate climate plans into infrastructure and other projects.

‘States and regions need access to affordable, long-term finance that can help turn strong plans into infrastructure on the ground. We need development finance institutions, investors and the private sector to see the opportunity in climate investment in emerging markets. Because the opportunity is enormous.

‘Our message from Lagos is simple: states, regions and subnational governments are ready to deliver. We have ambition. We have the responsibility. And increasingly, we have the solutions. Now we need to build the partnerships and mobilise the investment that will allow us to deliver them at scale,’ he said.

The governor’s intervention comes as Lagos prepares the next phase of its climate strategy through the Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE).

The office, led by the Special Adviser to the governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, is working to translate the state’s climate priorities under its State-Determined Contributions (SDCs) Framework into projects and implementation plans.

Oshodi said the state was also focusing on creating investment opportunities around its climate priorities.

‘The SDC Framework gives us the policy direction, but policy ambition alone does not move capital. Our focus now is on building the bridge between climate ambition and investment – developing investable opportunities, strengthening the data and measurement systems around them and creating pathways for investors, financial institutions, development finance institutions and businesses to participate,’ she said.

Lagos is also developing a Lagos Climate Finance and Investment Platform to connect the state’s climate priorities with capital, technology, financial institutions and implementation partners.

The platform is expected to focus on areas including climate finance, deal-making, Article 6 and climate assets, digital measurement and verification, as well as international partnerships.

Sanwo-Olu’s UN engagement forms part of Lagos’ wider international climate programme ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Trkiye, where the state plans to engage investors, development finance institutions, financial institutions, project developers and technology partners on its climate investment priorities.

Nollywood actress Damilola Oni has revealed why she has remained single.

In a recent interview, the actress revealed why she has remained single despite receiving several advances from men.

Oni explained that receiving attention from men does not necessarily mean that those making the advances fit her personal preferences.

‘The fact that they make advances at me doesn’t mean they are my spec,’ she said.

Speaking further on her experiences with men, she said that she regularly receives unsolicited and sexually suggestive messages from men who claim to be aroused by watching her on television.

The actress disclosed this while speaking about some of the experiences she has had with male admirers on social media.

According to Oni, some men go as far as telling her that watching her on TV made them sexually aroused and led them to masturbate.

‘I get a lot of messages in my DMs and even in the comment section saying a lot of nasty things. Some will say they got aroused while watching me on TV and they started masturbating. These messages come in regularly, but I always ignore them,’ she said.

Former D’Tigers forward and 2006 NBA Draft pick Ejike Ugboaja has issued a stern warning ahead of the upcoming Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) presidential election, declaring that the sport must not be sacrificed for personal ambition or prolonged stays in office.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Ugboaja called for an open, transparent, and level playing field, cautioning against any attempt by incumbent officials to hold onto power at the expense of the sport’s development.

Ugboaja, who serves as President of the Ejike Ugboaja Foundation, emphasized that Nigerian basketball requires a complete structural overhaul rather than political self-perpetuation. He stated that the game belongs to all Nigerians and cannot be treated as the personal property of a few individuals, warning that stakeholders cannot afford another flawed election that pushes the sport further into the doldrums.

‘We cannot afford to make another mistake that will further push our basketball into the doldrums. This is the time for every stakeholder to rise and ensure that the right thing is done in the period leading to the election,’ Ugboaja said.

The former Cleveland Cavaliers draftee declared that his presidential bid stems from a drive to rebuild the local talent pipeline. He highlighted his historic 2006 selection as the 55th overall pick directly from Lagos-based Union Bank Basketball Club, noting that no player from the Nigerian Premier Basketball League has managed to replicate that direct jump to the NBA in the two decades since.

‘I am the only player from the Nigerian Premier Basketball League to have been drafted directly from the league into the NBA in 2006. Since then, no player has made that same journey,’ he said. ‘That should tell us that something is fundamentally wrong and that there is an urgent need to restructure our basketball system.

‘That is why I have decided to come out and contest for the position of NBBF President. I have the will, the determination and, above all, the passion for this game.

‘I have passed through the system, I understand where the problems are, and I believe I understand what needs to be done to fix them.

‘This is the right time for me to step forward and play my part in turning Nigerian basketball around.’

According to Ugboaja, this prolonged drought proves the domestic system is fundamentally broken and urgently requires experienced leadership to fix.

Praising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his administration’s investment in sports, Ugboaja urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to safeguard the credibility of the upcoming ballot.

He specifically appealed to NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director-General Bukola Olopade to ensure the electoral process reflects openness and fairness, while raising concerns over the lack of an officially announced election venue.

Ugboaja also cited troubling developments involving the leadership of state basketball associations, alleging deliberate attempts to illegally remove chairmen in Lagos and Oyo states to influence the national vote.

‘Nigerian basketball belongs to all of us. It cannot be the personal property of a few individuals,’ he said. ‘The game deserves transparency, accountability and a leadership that understands what is at stake.

‘We have talented players, passionate coaches, dedicated administrators and millions of Nigerians who love basketball. What we need now is a system that gives those talents a genuine opportunity to thrive.

‘This election must be about the future of Nigerian basketball – not about protecting individual interests.’

He vowed to vehemently oppose any form of candidate imposition and called on players, coaches, and administrators to unite behind a transparent election focused entirely on the future of Nigerian basketball.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday arraigned a luxury goods dealer and lifestyle influencer, Afolabi Kazeem Michael, popularly known as KC Luxury, and two other suspects before the Federal High Court in Lagos over an alleged attempt to export 184.5 kilograms of cocaine to the United Kingdom.

The defendants, Boniface Freeman Ochoche Sule and Ikechukwu Ekugo Patriarch, were arraigned alongside Afolabi before Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji on a 22-count charge relating to cocaine trafficking, illegal export of narcotics and money laundering.

According to a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the defendants allegedly conspired between July 28 and August 1, 2026, to export the cocaine, concealed in five consignments, through a Lagos-based courier logistics firm to London.

They pleaded not guilty to all counts when the charges were read to them.

The charge sheet, marked FHC/LAG/CR/755/2026, alleged in count one that the three defendants conspired with Atandare Oladipupo Oluwarotimi and Latifat Yusuf, who have been arrested in London in connection with the case, to export the 184.5 kg of cocaine in five consignments.

The consignments were said to have been shipped under the name Yemi Ejide and carried Air Waybill Numbers 2079998314, 8224082370, 2079973571, 7181131742 and 2211893902.

The NDLEA alleged that Boniface procured Ikechukwu to facilitate the export, while Afolabi allegedly procured a staff member of BOT Express Logistics on Lagos Island to process the consignments.

Afolabi was also accused of unlawfully possessing the cocaine in preparation for its export.

The charge sheet further alleged that Afolabi paid N13.2 million from a Mallamawa Ventures Zenith Bank account to BOT Express Logistics as consideration for the shipment.

Sixteen other counts relate to alleged money laundering by Afolabi, who was accused of moving several billions of naira through various companies and personal accounts.

The charge lists the following companies and accounts: Mallamawa Ventures, Fateey Man Multi-Purpose Nig. Ltd, Patonifa Ltd, Ade-Lak Resources, Holmestas Global Services Limited and La Capital Enterprises.

The NDLEA alleged that the funds were used, among other things, to acquire motor vehicles and landed properties in an attempt to conceal the alleged proceeds of the illicit trade.

He was also accused of failing to declare his assets to the agency as required by law.

During Friday’s proceedings, NDLEA prosecutor Abu Ibrahim opposed the defendants’ bail applications and urged the court to remand them in custody pending trial, citing the gravity of the alleged offences.

Justice Faji subsequently ordered the defendants remanded in the NDLEA’s facility and adjourned the matter until October 4, 2026, for a ruling on the bail application.

NDLEA operatives arrested Afolabi, also known as KayCee Luxury, KayCee Lux, KC, Mr Luxury, and Yemi Ejide, on the night of August 13, 2026, as he allegedly attempted to leave Nigeria on a business-class flight to Paris from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

His arrest followed the interception of the 184.5 kg cocaine consignment, which the agency estimated to be worth about N39 billion.

A subsequent search of Afolabi and his Banana Island apartment led to the recovery of exotic vehicles, foreign currencies and jewellery, which the agency said were believed to be proceeds of the illicit trade.

The first count of the charge accused the defendants of conspiring with the two suspects arrested in London to export the cocaine, contrary to Section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has charged chief executives of federal parastatals to take the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to the grassroots and counter what he described as disinformation surrounding the government’s economic reforms.

Akume said Nigerians must be adequately informed about the objectives and impact of the administration’s policies, insisting that the reforms were not designed to ‘imprison or impoverish Nigerians’.

The SGF spoke on Friday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the Forum of CEOs of Federal Parastatals, led by its Convener and Chairman, Dr Kazeem Kolawale Raji, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).

Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs Office, Bekearedebo Augusta Warrens, urged heads of government agencies to use their nationwide structures and networks to improve public understanding of the administration’s programmes and achievements.

In a statement issued by Head of Information and Public Relations Department of the OSGF, Chris Ugwuegbulam, Akume said ‘in your various domains where your power is operative, ensure that people become aware of these achievements. Push this message down to the grassroots, because one thing I’ve observed in the policy right now is a lot of disinformation.

‘This reform policy is not meant to imprison or impoverish Nigerians, and that is the narrative that has been spread down to the grassroots. Push this message to help promote the image of this administration’, the SGF said.

Akume commended the forum for promoting the Renewed Hope Agenda within its members’ respective agencies and assured the chief executives of the institutional support of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) in pursuing their objectives.

He also thanked the forum for conferring on him the position of Grand Patron, saying its organisational structure and projections made its proposed target of mobilising 10 million votes for President Tinubu achievable.

The SGF urged the forum to sustain its momentum and establish a structured framework for continuous engagement with the OSGF, stressing that effective communication would enable the government to track its objectives and strategic initiatives.

Earlier, Raji said the forum was prepared to mobilise 10 million votes for President Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 general election through what he described as lawful, ethical, peaceful and issue-based grassroots engagement.

He said the forum intended to leverage the extensive professional and community networks of federal agencies across the country to pursue the target.

Raji said one of the forum’s major objectives was to bridge the communication gap between government policies and Nigerians, adding that the achievements, reforms and measurable outcomes of the Tinubu administration must be properly documented and communicated with fidelity to facts.

He said the forum conferred the position of Grand Patron on Akume in recognition of his leadership, institutional stewardship and role in coordinating the machinery of the Federal Government.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr Chidiebere John Ezeamama, urged the forum to establish a work-related communication network with the OSGF to ensure that achievements of federal parastatals were transmitted to the office in real time for proper documentation.

Ezeamama also proposed the creation of a centralised digital platform to facilitate real-time information sharing, coordinate participation among federal agencies and track developmental milestones.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has set September 24, 2028 target for Nigeria’s domestic gas market to transition to a fully established willing buyer, willing seller framework.

The Authority also tasked industry stakeholders to develop clear markers and deliver on their promise to ensure Nigeria grows its gas production and consumption.

The Chief Executive of NMDPRA, Mallam Rabiu Umar, made this known yesterday at the Gas Market Maturity Workshop, organised under the Decade of Gas initiative at the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Abuja.

He noted that gas must be affordable for Nigerians while supporting President Bola Tinubu’s investment reforms. This transition, he further explained, is in line with the Nigeria decade of gas goal to become a gas powered economy by 2030.

Umar said the transition would be based on measurable conditions that demonstrate the maturity of different segments of the gas market, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

‘Invariably, this is the first time that we have been bold enough to set a clear target for our gas market transition’ he noted

According to him, the PIA envisages a shift from a market largely coordinated through regulation to one driven increasingly by commercial contracts between willing buyers and willing sellers. He said Section 167 of the Act provides for the gradual movement of the domestic gas market towards a point where price regulation can step back as commercial contracting and competition become stronger.

‘The journey we are starting should lead us to a place where we should target a 24-month at best period within which we will be able to declare the market to be truly a willing buyer, willing seller market,’ he said.

The NMDPRA boss stressed that the transition must not be based on broad statements of intent but on clearly defined indicators, thresholds and safeguards. He identified supply availability and diversity, the number and quality of buyers and sellers, access to transportation infrastructure, strength of contracts, payment reliability, delivery obligations, market information and credible price signals as key indicators of market maturity.

Umar noted that Nigeria’s domestic gas supply remained tight, despite the country’s vast gas resources, stressing that infrastructure development must be matched by sufficient gas molecules to utilise the infrastructure. He also stressed the need to ensure that major gas infrastructure projects, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) pipeline, have sufficient gas supply to make them commercially useful.

‘If you look at supply, for example, on the domestic side, it is still tight, no matter how you look at it. We have a lot of work to do in our infrastructure space. The focus right now is not just delivering the infrastructure, but ensuring that we have enough molecules to fill the pipeline,’ he said.

He assured that the role of the regulator would also evolve as the market develops, with greater emphasis on establishing market rules, ensuring fair access, protecting competition and monitoring market conduct.

Consequently, the Authority, he said, has commenced consultations on draft regulations on anti-competitive practices, aimed at translating the competition provisions of the PIA into enforceable regulatory rules.

The NMDPRA chief executive also called for a realistic assessment of the different segments of the Nigerian gas market, noting that they were at different stages of development.

He said the sequencing of the transition would require determining which market segments were ready to move first, the thresholds they must meet and the safeguards required before liberalisation.

Umar further disclosed that the authority was nearing the conclusion of the process for the issuance of gas distribution licences, with the exercise expected to be completed in the coming weeks. He said qualified companies would be issued gas distribution licences in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The NMDPRA boss also said the authority was working to deepen the domestic utilisation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), stressing that increased domestic utilisation of the country’s gas resources would be an important indicator of economic growth.

He said the government was also seeking to expand the use of compressed natural gas (CNG), while several LNG and gas-to-power projects were being developed across the country.

According to him, greater domestic gas utilisation could support power generation, reduce dependence on imports and minimise transmission losses associated with moving electricity over long distances.

He added that the authority was committed to creating a predictable, coherent and transparent regulatory environment capable of attracting long-term investment into the gas sector.

Umar said gas projects required substantial upfront investment and long-term contracts before investors and financiers could commit capital.

‘For you to take an FID in a gas investment, you need to have a long-term contract,’ he said, adding that the authority was willing to engage with individual projects to identify regulatory measures that could support their development.

Also speaking, the Coordinating Director of the Decade of Gas Secretariat, Ed Ubong, said Nigeria could achieve a willing buyer, willing seller gas market before the end of the first horizon of the Decade of Gas programme in 2030.

Ubong said the programme had identified clear markers for achieving the target, including increasing gas supply to 12.6 billion cubic feet per day by 2030.

He said 16 key infrastructure projects were expected to support the growth of the gas market, while more than 60 projects capable of creating about 15 billion cubic feet per day of gas demand had been identified on the demand side.

He noted that a mature gas market would also require the development of a successful gas-to-power market and greater access to cooking gas.

In her speech, the President of the Nigerian Gas Association, Mrs. Yetunde Taiwo, an engineer, said the transition to a willing buyer, willing seller market must be driven by clearly defined milestones.

Taiwo said the NGA had consistently advocated for a commercially driven gas market but stressed that the transition must be properly sequenced to avoid moving either prematurely or too slowly.

She said, ‘As NGA, what we would like to see really is to see those goalposts, those milestones that have been set, that makes it a realistic journey for us to say we have achieved a willing buyer, willing seller status.’

According to her, Nigeria had made significant progress in the gas industry over the past decade, but substantial work remained to be done.

She called for stronger collaboration between government, regulators and industry, with government providing clear policy direction, regulators establishing predictable rules, and industry continuing to invest, innovate and execute projects.

Taiwo said the ultimate objective should be a gas market capable of attracting investment, encouraging greater participation and delivering reliable gas to industries, businesses and consumers.

Ola Aina, Arthur Okonkwo and Moses Usor have spoken of their excitement at being part of the Super Eagles squad ahead of Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar in Uyo.

Aina is back with the national team after a lengthy injury absence and is pleased with the competition created by the arrival of new players.

‘It feels good to be back,’ the Nottingham Forest defender said. ‘I’ve been out for quite a while, so it’s nice to see the boys again and be around the team.’

He also praised the quality of the new faces, including George Ilenikhena, Usor and Isaac James, but stressed that attention must now be on the task against Madagascar.

Goalkeeper Okonkwo is equally pleased to be back after making his senior Nigeria debut at the Unity Cup earlier this year. The Charlton Athletic goalkeeper has set ambitious targets for his international career.

‘I want to win the AFCON and compete in the World Cup,’ Okonkwo said.

The 24-year-old, who faces competition from Stanley Nwabali and Maduka Okoye, said his immediate objective is to keep learning and improving.

For Usor, the latest camp carries extra significance. The LASK forward missed an earlier opportunity to join the national team because of injury and described his first senior camp as a dream come true.

‘I feel good and I am really happy to be here,’ he said. ‘It was an amazing feeling because it was everyone’s dream to play for the national team.’

Usor said the players are fresh and motivated but warned against thinking about the September 29 trip to Guinea-Bissau before dealing with Madagascar.

‘It is one game after the other,’ he said. ‘We focus on Madagascar and talk about the Guinea-Bissau game after.’

The OMDCA – Online Movies and Digital Content Awards – is a new and dynamic awards platform created to celebrate, recognize and promote outstanding creativity, excellence and innovation within Nigeria’s rapidly evolving online movie and digital content industry.

Today, digital platforms have transformed the way stories are created, distributed and consumed.

From web series and online films to skits, short-form videos, documentaries, reviews and other forms of digital entertainment, Nigerian creators continue to demonstrate exceptional talent and originality.

However, many of these creative contributions remain under-recognised.

OMDCA, according to the organisers, was established to bridge this gap by creating a credible platform where outstanding practitioners can receive the deserved recognition.

The objective, according to the organizers, is to seek and recognize outstanding achievements in online movies and digital content.

The scope of the AWARDS, the organizers revealed, will recognize excellence across various areas of online entertainment and digital content creation, including acting, directing, producing, writing, cinematography, editing, comedy, web series, short films, skits and other emerging digital-content categories.

The awards will also accommodate both established practitioners and emerging talents whose work demonstrates creativity, quality and meaningful impact.