Showing posts with label population. Show all posts
Showing posts with label population. Show all posts

Saturday, July 6, 2024

The Best Solution To Increase The Number of Cinemas in Nigeria


In previous articles, I have already addressed the increasing challenge of lack of enough cinemas to meet the increasing demand for cinemas with the growing population of Nigeria that has the largest film industry in Africa celebrated for the phenomenal Nollywood that produces thousands of low budget movies annually. But there is a deficit in revenues of the box office caused by the unavailability of cinemas in majority of the states in Nigeria with only about 400 standard screens in the most populous country in Africa with a population of over 200 million people.

In 2012, I attracted the IMAX Corporation of Canada to consider having an IMAX cinema in Nigeria and in 2013 the corporation sent  Mr. Giovanni Dolci, the Senior Vice President, Theatre Development and Managing Director, Europe and Africa to meet with me in Lagos. We had an important meeting with the Creative Industry Group (CIG) of the Bank of Industry and met with the officials of the Umuwo Odofin Local Government for the location of an IMAX cinema on 10 acres of land in the popular FESTAC Town which I have planned to be called FESTAC IMAX Plaza with a mega shopping mall and car park for 1000 vehicles. My duly incorporated International Digital Post Network Limited signed a partnership agreement with the IMAX Corporation for 10 years (it expired in 2023). But after meeting with other stakeholders in the Nigerian film industry, IMAX went ahead of my plans to partner with the FilmOne Entertainment Group to build the Filmhouse IMAX cinema in 2016 located in Lekki on the Lagos Island. This is the first IMAX cinema in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa. 



The IMAX cinema is for only a minority of those who can afford the tickets and glasses. 
There can be at least two IMAX cinemas in every local government area in Nigeria.
They can be built by the local government or state government in partnership with private investors. And they can be highly profitable with competent and efficient management.
There are more than 30 million people in Nigeria who can afford to pay for the tickets and glasses. They belong to the fastest growing middle class population in Africa. But without effective marketing and public relations strategies, they will not be attracted to the IMAX cinema.

The FESTAC IMAX Plaza I proposed would have been more profitable to the IMAX Corporation and Nigerian film industry, because there are more people in FESTAC Town who can afford the prices for the tickets and glasses than the people in Lekki
FESTAC has the dynamic demographics of the lower class, middle class and upper middle class people in the same location with the most upwardly mobile young Nigerians in the Umuwo Odofin Local Government Area; one of the most dynamic local government areas in Nigeria.

Feasibility studies are necessary before starting any business venture and they include the researches on the economics and demographics of the population of Nigeria. 
You have to do Macroeconomic research and Microeconomic research on the entertainment industry, including the film, television, theatre and music industries of Nigeria.
All the researches are important, relevant and significant to the development of cinemas to supply on demand according to the needs assessment of the target audience. 
You must always supply on demand.
You cannot supply mangoes to monkeys when you know that monkeys love bananas.
You cannot supply cassavas to rabbits when they prefer carrots.

Cinewav Instant Cinemas: 
One Village, One Cinema Plan for Nigeria




In 2022, I signed an affiliate partnership with the Cinewav Pte. Ltd of Singapore for the introduction of low cost instant cinemas in Nigeria with the estimation for 3, 096 cinemas in all the 774 local government areas in the country with 4 cinemas in each local government area after a comprehensive feasibility study from the research on the demographics of the population of Nigeria.
Each cinema will cost N10, 000, 000 (ten million naira), including the training of two operators by Cinewav.
Cinewav Instant cinemas are mobile and can be installed within one hour at every location in every village square, town hall or school in every community.
The cinemas can be inside estates in the villages, towns and cities in Nigeria.
There are solar powered Cineplex when there is no electric power supply.
The low cost cinemas will sell affordable tickets for the majority of the population of Nigeria.
3, 096 cinemas in 774 local government areas with 4 cinemas in each local government area will generate a monthly revenue of more than N7, 856, 000, 000 ( seven billion, eight hundred and fifty six million naira) and over N94, 272, 000, 000 (ninety four billion, two hundred and seventy two million naira) annually.

Cinema - Nigeria | Statista Market Forecast
Revenue in the Cinema market is projected to reach US$123.50m in 2024.
Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2029) of 5.89%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$164.40m by 2029.
In the Cinema market, the number of viewers is expected to amount to 9.3m users by 2029.
User penetration will be 3.5% in 2024 and is expected to hit 3.6% by 2029.
The average revenue per viewer is expected to amount to US$15.59.
In global comparison, most revenue will be generated in the United States (US$20,980.00m in 2024)."
https://www.statista.com/outlook/amo/media/cinema/nigeria#:~:text=Revenue%20in%20the,20%2C980.00m%20in%202024).

The Cinewav Instant cinemas will increase the annual revenues of the Nigerian film industry and create thousands of jobs in Nigeria.

See Cinewav Cinemas for Every Location 
https://nigeriansreportng.blogspot.com/2023/11/cinewav-cinemas-for-every-location.html

 - By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima
Publisher/Editor,
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series
The first book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry since 2013.
Affiliate Partner,
Cinewav of Singapore
https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengoz



Saturday, May 4, 2024

The Realization of the Power of Christian Cinema and Islamic Cinema in Nigeria for National Orientation and Nation Building

 

Nigerian premiere of "The 7 Churches of Revelation" on Ascension Day, May 9, 2024.

Buy VIP Tickets on 
 https://selar.co/1wn1v4

https://tix.africa/buy/nigerian-premiere-of-the-7-churches-of-revelation


The Realization of the Power of Christian Cinema and Islamic Cinema in Nigeria for National Orientation and Nation Building


Anyone who is intelligent knows the immense powers of mass communication in the circulation of information for public enlightenment and entertainment which we have seen the impacts on the society through sociocultural, socioeconomic and sociopolitical developments in every nation. 

The power of religion or human civilization has been known since the book of Genesis in the Holy Bible, the foundation of the two greatest religions, Christianity and Islam in the history of the world. 

The two religions have the largest populations in Nigeria with the biggest and largest markets and economies in the most populous nation in Africa.






The symbiosis of the two religions is the basis for the initiatives of the Christian Cinema in Nigeria (CCN) and Islamic Cinema in Nigeria (ICN) I have started for the acceleration of the exploration and realization of the power of Christian and Islamic films for the education, mobilization and sensitization of the people for national orientation in the nation building of a New Nigeria in the leadership of Africa among the comity of nations in the world.

- Ekeyerengozi Michael Chima,
Founder/Executive Director,
Christian Cinema in Nigeria and Islamic Cinema in Nigeria.
Saturday, May 4, 2024.

Background of Christian Cinema

Catholic priest Athanasius Kircher promoted the magic lantern by publishing the book Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae in 1680  Controversy soon followed as priests and masons used the lanterns "to persuade followers of their ability to control both the forces of darkness and enlightenment" and temperance groups used the lanterns to fight alcoholism. In the 1800s, missionaries such as David Livingstone used the lanterns to present the Gospel in Africa.

Through the years, many Christians began to utilize motion picture for their own purposes. In 1899, Herbert Booth, as part of the Salvation Army, claimed to be the first user of film for the cause of Christianity


Wednesday, April 24, 2024

The Estimated Target Audience of Christian Cinema in Nigeria

The Estimated Target Audience of Christian Cinema in Nigeria

Christian Cinema is for evangelism, church planting and increasing the faith of believers as there is widespread decreasing passion for the gospel in Nigeria and we believe showing powerful facts of the Holy Bible can revive our faith in God and ignite the Pentecostal revival in Nigeria through Cinema Evangelism with the regular screenings of 
 Christian films in all the local government areas in the country with films dubbed in Arabic, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and other local languages.


Image credit:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-modern-african-studies/article/abs/changing-religious-composition-of-nigeria-causes-and-implications-of-demographic-divergence/C780E68F677B92253395051D3B1C8FA3

In 2023, Nigeria had the largest Christian population in Africa, with around 88.4 million people who identified as Christian. The "
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1368604/christian-population-in-africa-by-country/

Professed and practicing Christians in Nigeria are estimated to be 46. 8 percent of the over 201 million people in the country. And they are the largest populations in the southern states and in the middle belt states. 
The northern states are predominantly Muslims.

The estimated target audience of Christian Cinema in Nigeria will be 18, 576, 000 people annually in all the 774 local government areas in the country with more than 80 percent of them from the south and middle belt.

There will be screenings mostly in the churches, followed by screenings in town halls and village squares or centres.
Tickets will sell from N100 (one hundred naira) to N500 (five hundred naira) per person.

Special private screenings will be provided for Christian groups and others with the tickets selling from N2000 (two thousand naira).

CCN will generate an estimated N29, 288, 000, 000 (Twenty Nine Billion and Two Hundred and Eighty-Eight Million Naira) annually from the sales of tickets and from advertisements.

We have received the partnership support of Cinewav of Singapore for instant cinemas to support Nigerians to have solar powered cineplex in every village in Nigeria. 

View Cinewav cinemas on
 https://www.facebook.com/cinewavapp?mibextid=vPdvX0B5T65af74v

Patterns of Evidence of the United States of America has agreed to let us do screenings of their films in Nigeria in churches and public spaces.

Christian Cinema in Nigeria is open to partnership and sponsorship and for advertising of approved products and services.

Contact:
King of Kings Books International
Tel: +234 814 582 6448
On WhatsApp.
Email: kingofkingsbooks@hotmail.com kingofkingsbooks@gmail.com


Tuesday, August 22, 2023

25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars: Rekik Bekele

PRESS RELEASE
25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars: Rekik Bekele
Rekik Bekele is the CEO and Founder of Green Scene Energy

Access Multimedia Content

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, August 22, 2023/ - The 25 Under 40 Energy Women Rising Stars is a list celebrating the remarkable achievements of a select group of women across Africa’s energy sector, such as Rekik Bekele. With the objective of providing access to electricity to Ethiopia’s population, Bekele founded Green Scene Energy, and serves as a source of inspiration for many across the industry. The African Energy Chamber (http://www.EnergyChamber.org) spoke to Bekele about her success and future aspirations.

Please share a brief overview of your journey in the energy industry that led to your current role? What are some key achievements or milestones that you are particularly proud of?

With a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Electrical Engineering from Addis Ababa University, I have been actively engaged in the sector since 2010. My commitment to professional development and industry engagement is demonstrated by my role as a board member of the Ethiopian-Solar Energy Development Association and her participation as an Acumen East Africa fellow.

In 2016, I founded Green Scene Energy PLC, where I currently serve as the CEO and co-founder. The company has made remarkable achievements in expanding access to clean energy, creating job opportunities, and driving positive change within the industry. I take pride in providing solar home lighting solutions to over 9000 households, installing over 85 pumps, and implementing productive use solutions, thereby improving the lives of numerous individuals and communities.

My dedication to creating a sustainable energy future is further exemplified by my active participation as a keynote speaker in major off-grid energy events. Through these engagements, I share valuable insights and promote sustainable solutions, inspiring others and fostering dialogue within the renewable energy sector. I also take part in speaking engagements at universities and other events, where I aim to motivate and empower young women engineers.

The energy industry is known for its complexities. What were some significant challenges you faced along the way, and how did you navigate through them to achieve your goals?

In the renewable energy industry, I have indeed faced several significant challenges along the way. The complexities within the energy industry have required careful navigation and innovative strategies to overcome.

Limited Access to Funding: One of the major challenges has been the limited availability of funding and financial resources. Building and scaling renewable energy projects require significant investments, and securing adequate funding can be a daunting task. To overcome this challenge, I actively sought out partnerships with investors, financial institutions, and international organizations that share our vision of sustainable energy solutions.

Regulatory Environment: Policies and regulations in the energy industry sometimes do not adequately support the growth and development of renewable energy projects. This creates hurdles for implementation and slows down market growth. To address this challenge, we actively engage with government agencies, policymakers, and industry associations to advocate for favorable policies and regulations.

Availability of Foreign Currency: Another challenge we encountered was the availability of foreign currency. This affected the importation of necessary equipment, materials, and components required for renewable energy projects. To navigate through this challenge, we worked closely with financial institutions and partners to explore alternative financing options and strategies for sourcing essential resources locally. This helped us overcome the limitations posed by currency availability.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the renewable energy industry. It disrupted supply chains, leading to delays in project implementations and hindering access to necessary materials and resources. Additionally, the closure of construction sites and limitations on international travel also affected progress. To navigate through this challenge, we adapted our operations by implementing remote working arrangements, exploring local supply chains, and prioritizing the safety and well-being of our employees.

Internal Conflict: The internal unrest between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front further added to the challenges faced in the industry. This conflict disrupted operations, hindered project progress, and impacted stability in the region. To navigate through this challenge, we closely monitored developments and made necessary adjustments to ensure the safety of our staff and projects.

Despite these challenges, we remain committed to our goals of promoting sustainable energy solutions.

What advice would you give to young females aspiring to excel in the energy sector? Are there any specific strategies or mindsets that helped you overcome obstacles and reach your current position?

As a young female aspiring to excel in the energy sector, I would advise you to:
  • Embrace Challenges: Be open to stepping out of your comfort zone and taking on challenging roles or projects. Sometimes, it's in these unfamiliar territories that you discover your true passion and purpose.
  • Seek Opportunities to Learn: Look for opportunities to gain knowledge and skills in the energy sector. Attend workshops, webinars, and conferences, and stay updated with the latest advancements in the industry. Continuous learning will help you stay ahead and excel in your field.
  • Build a Strong Network: Connect with professionals in the energy sector, both male and female. Networking can provide you with mentorship, guidance, and valuable connections that can help you overcome obstacles and reach your goals.
  • Be Resilient: Overcoming obstacles is a part of any career journey. Develop a mindset of resilience, tenacity, and determination. Learn from failures, adapt and keep moving forward towards your goals.
  • Find Your Passion and Purpose: Identify what truly motivates and inspires you in the energy sector. Whether it's finding solutions to community problems, like energy poverty, or innovating in the field of sustainable farming, align your work with your passion and become a driving force for positive change.
Remember, success is a journey, and perseverance, continuous learning, and passion will be your guiding lights along the way.

A career in energy can be demanding. Could you describe a typical day in your life?

A career in the energy sector is indeed demanding, and I can relate to the challenges you are facing. Here is a glimpse into a typical day in my life:

6:00 am: I start my day with exercise, either by going for a run or hitting the gym. Physical activity helps me stay energized and focused throughout the day.

8:00 am: I begin my workday by checking emails and reviewing my schedule for the day. This allows me to prioritize tasks and address any urgent matters.

9:00 am: I usually have meetings with my team to discuss ongoing projects, review progress, and address any challenges or opportunities. These discussions involve brainstorming solutions, making strategic decisions, and coordinating resources effectively.

11:00 am: I dedicate this time to collaborating with partners and stakeholders in the energy industry. This may include attending online conferences or meetings to explore potential collaborations, partnerships, or funding opportunities. Building strong relationships and networking are vital for success in this industry.

1:00 pm: I usually bring my lunch or breakfast to the office and have it around this time. Taking a break to nourish myself is important for maintaining focus and productivity.

6:00 pm: My work typically continues until this time, but it may sometimes extend to 8:00 pm or later, depending on the demands of the day. I prioritize completing pending tasks, following up on important matters, and preparing for the next day.

I understand the challenges of balancing work and family life. I am fortunate to have the support of my understanding and supportive family, especially my husband who is also my business partner. His sacrifice and dedication to our shared vision have been instrumental in establishing Green Scene Energy UK. While it can be demanding, I try to find a balance and make time for my family and personal interests like running and dancing.

Looking ahead, what changes or advancements do you hope to see in the energy sector, and how do you envision your role in shaping that future?

Looking ahead, I have several hopes for changes and advancements in the energy sector:
  • Energy Access for All: I hope to see a significant shift to ensure universal access to clean and affordable energy. I hope to see advancements in technology and innovative business models that can bring energy access to underserved communities, both in rural and urban areas.
  • Green Scene's vision is to contribute to the national electrification plan. Manufacturing solar appliances for rural households and generating energy with Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) are promising approaches.
  • Manufacturing Solar Appliances: By manufacturing solar appliances specifically designed for rural households, Green Scene can help bridge the electricity gap in Ethiopia. This initiative will provide access to clean and affordable energy for millions of households, improving their quality of life, and supporting socio-economic development.
  • Generating Energy with PPAs: PPAs can play a crucial role in increasing renewable energy generation capacity. By partnering with private investors, government entities, or utilities, Green Scene can establish renewable energy power plants and sell the generated electricity through long-term agreements.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

SOURCE
African Energy Chamber



Tuesday, April 25, 2023

NTA Can Launch Cable TV Network within 12 Months

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) can launch a cable TV network within 12 months to compete with MultiChoice of South Africa and StarTimes of China.

Majority of Nigerians cannot afford the increasing subscriptions to the cable TV networks in Africa's most populous country of over 220 million people.

The solution is having a Nigerian owned cable TV network with subscriptions affordable to majority of people in Nigeria.


NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series

The first and the best book series on Nollywood and the Nigerian film industry published since 2013.





Thursday, April 6, 2023

Population of Igbos and Their Locations in the World

Population of Igbos:

Ṇ́dị́ Ìgbò. 50,366,800 (2021 est.)
Regions with significant populations
Ñigeria 45,880,000.

Igbo Americans, or Americans of Igbo ancestry, (Igbo: Ṇ́dị́ Ígbò Amerika)
Since the turn of the 21st century genealogy tracing by means of DNA testing is in part revealing the Igbo ancestry of African Americans, some notable celebrities including Blair Underwood and Quincy Jones.

1. USA (New York; Houston/Dallas, Texas; California; Maryland; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois)
2. UK (London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham)
3. South Africa
4. Canada
5. Germany
6. Netherlands
7. Malaysia
8. China
9. Thailand
10. Spain
11. Ghana
12. Benin
13. Equatorial Guinea
14. Gabon
15. Haiti
16. Cuba
17. Japan
18. Finland
19. Sweden
20. South Korea

Facts You Don't Know About the True Origins of the Igbos in Nigeria

IGBO AMAKA!
The Igbos of Eastern NIGERIA have the oldest monarchy in Africa dating back to the Bronze Age when the Igbo Ukwu Kingdom flourished and famous for the awesome bronze artworks of classic naturalistic sculptures of the lost wax casting of the same period of time with the Indus Valley Civilization of South Asia.

The progenitor of the Igbos was among the "Sons of God" who fell in love with the fair daughters of men before the days of Noah.

The ancient Nsibidi writings which were discovered in 1904. Historian Robert Farris Thompson erroneously misinterpreted the meaning of Nsibidi as "cruel blood thirsty". But Nsibidi actually means "In the Beginning" or "The Beginning".
Igbos are "UmuChineke" which means Children of God. 
Do you know that the word, CHI which is the Igbo root for the name of Almighty God, Chineke and Destiny is a universal name for destiny as the CHI in Chinese and Japanese which means the Vital Life Force of the universe.

Symbolism Of The CHI

In Plato's Timaeus, it is explained that the two bands that form the soul of the world cross each other like the letter Χ. Plato's analogy, along with several other examples of chi as a symbol occur in Thomas Browne's discourse The Garden of Cyrus (1658).
Chi or X is often used to abbreviate the name Christ, as in the holiday Christmas(Xmas). When fused within a single typespace with the Greek letter Rho, it is called the labarum and used to represent the person of Jesus Christ.

- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael CHIma,
"Orikinla OsinaCHI
Igbo-Centric and Igbo+Centricity
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSHFpGfjKRt/?utm_medium=share_sheet


Friday, April 23, 2021

Yoruba Movies, Series and Documentaries Will Attract Over 100 Million Yorubas

SANGO- The Return of the Orishas by Joshua Ojo.

Yoruba Movies, Series and Documentaries Will Attract Over 100 Million Yorubas

The Yoruba constitute about 105 million people in total in Nigeria and other countries in the world.
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa.

Related ethnic groups include
Afro-Brazilian • Americo-Liberian • Saro people  • Sierra Leone Creole people • Tabom people • Brazilian diaspora • Yorubas and Cuban Yorubas.
80 per cent of the Cuban population are either full-blown worshippers of different Yoruba Orishas.

- By EKENYERENGOZI Michael Chima,
Publisher/Editor, 
NOLLYWOOD MIRROR®Series 
247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Nigeria will be fourth most populous country in the world by 2050


Nigeria is currently the most populous country in Africa and seventh most populous in the world with 154,728,890 people as at 2009. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators.

Nigeria will become the fourth most populous country in the world by 2050 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

See the detailed report in the following news release.

27 Jun 2011 15:10 Africa/Lagos

U.S. Projected to Remain World's Third Most Populous Country Through 2050, Census Bureau Reports

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Through 2050, the United States is projected to remain in third place behind India and China among the world's most populous countries, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These findings are derived from the population estimates and projections for 228 countries and areas released today through the Census Bureau's International Data Base. This release includes revisions for 19 countries and provides information on population size and growth, mortality, fertility and net migration.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110428/DC91889LOGO)

"The Census Bureau has been preparing individual country population estimates and projections for more than 50 years," said Loraine West, a demographer in the Census Bureau's Population Division. "Current estimates and projections are provided through 2050 and are routinely updated as new data become available."

Although the United States will maintain its third place position, the ranking of the countries with the 10 largest populations in the world (see table) is expected to change over the next few decades.

The top 10 countries each currently have at least 125 million inhabitants. Russia and Japan are projected to soon fall out of this group because of persistent low fertility rates, which have already caused their populations to decline. Russia's decline is also due in part to relatively high mortality.

The countries expected to advance in the rankings are those with high fertility. Ethiopia, in particular, with an estimated fertility rate of 6.0 children per woman in 2011, is projected to vault from 13th to seventh on the list of most populous countries by 2050, tripling in total population from 91 million to 278 million. Nigeria also has a relatively high estimated fertility rate of 5.7 and is projected to more than double its population by 2050 from 166 million to 402 million.

Currently seventh on the list of most populous countries, by 2050, Nigeria is projected to climb to fourth.

Other developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Brazil and Indonesia, while continuing to grow, will drop slightly in the rankings given that their fertility already is lower than Ethiopia and Nigeria.

China and India, the only countries with more than a billion people, are expected to continue to occupy the top two positions, although their order is projected to switch by 2025 when India is expected to overtake China as the world's most populous country.

By 2050, the Philippines will round out the world's most populous countries, reaching 10th on the list with a projected population of 172 million.

The 19 countries included in this update are Afghanistan, Angola, Azerbaijan, Comoros, Curacao, French Polynesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Netherlands, Nigeria, Qatar, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Suriname, United States and the British Virgin Islands.

The Census Bureau's International Data Base includes projections by sex and age for countries and other areas with populations of 5,000 or more. Population projections incorporate assumptions about future trends in fertility, mortality and migration. In general, fertility and mortality are projected based on recent trends and migration for each country typically reflects recent trends but also considers longer-term levels of migration. The level of uncertainty is greater for projections further in the future.

Detailed tables

Editor's note: The data can be accessed at http://www.census.gov/population/international/data/idb/ .

Follow @uscensusbureau on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and Ustream.

Tom Edwards
Public Information Office
301-763-3030/763-3762 (fax)
e-mail: pio@census.gov

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

Web Site: http://www.census.gov

Latest Headlines

Airfarewatchdog Picks World's Top 10 Most Thrilling Airports

Hotwire Reveals Canadian Hotel Rate Report for June 2011

World's Data More Than Doubling Every Two Years - Driving Big Data Opportunity, New IT Roles

Consumer Reports Health: Key Drug Warnings Falling Through the Cracks

President Obama Back at Low on His Handling of the Economy

Over a Fifth of Public Sector Employees Admit to Submitting False Expenses

4th of July



Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time


27 Jun 2011


22:17
Willbros Settles Contract Dispute with TransCanada



Friday, April 17, 2009

The Untold Story of Distributing Newspapers and Magazines in Nigeria


Nigerians reading newspapers at a news stand.

Distributing newspapers and magazines in Nigeria is not an easy task, because there is no good infrastructure for the distribution of newspapers and magazines in the 36 states of the most populous country in Africa. With a population of over 140 people, Nigeria is the largest market in Africa and there are over 65 million users of GSM phones in Nigeria spending over $78 million weekly on phone calls. This awesome population of millions of people can afford to read newspapers and magazines if you know how to reach them daily, weekly or monthly.

We can attract some millions of the over 65 million users of GSM phones to buy newspapers and magazines if we can convince them to appreciate the fact that buying and reading more newspapers and magazines will be of great benefit to sustainable development of the Nigerian press and very important to nation building. It is possible.

I have been in Lagos city since last August, working with the Publisher of the new Supple magazine and following him to supply thousands of his magazine to distributors and vendors

We have to wake up early at 5 am and drive to the office of the Newspapers and Magazines Distributors Association of Nigeria on the Marina in Lagos, where scores of distributors and vendors gather everyday by day to share and circulate newspapers and magazines of all sorts.

They get to their workplace at dawn and I have seen them using candle lights in their large warehouse when there was a power outage. I have seen many young women among the young and old men carrying and sharing newspapers and magazines with total professional concentration. These conscientious Nigerians make me proud of being a Nigerian whenever I see them at work even in the dim candlelight. I wonder if some of them have taken their bath before leaving their various houses and rushing to their daily workplace before 5 am!

After supplying to them, we move on to Ikeja to supply to our distributors in the state capital. We also supply hundreds of copies of Supple magazine to the other distributors and vendors in other states through the distribution network of the National Daily newspapers.

Until you have handed your publications to the vendors you will not rest, because without these vendors your newspaper or magazine will not be well distributed all over Nigeria.

The Punch is the largest circulating newspaper in Nigeria and believe it or not, the circulation is not up 100, 000 copies daily in a country with over 140 million people! The irony is the fact that The Punch was circulating over 200, 000 copies daily when the population of Nigeria was less than 120 million people. Why?

Many reasons have been given for the gradual drop in the figures of copies of newspapers and magazines sold in Nigeria. But the truth is the figures of the readers have not dropped over the years. In fact, the readers have been increasing, but the majority of them do not buy the copies of newspapers and magazines they read daily. They have been sharing the copies bought by their colleagues in the workplace or neighbours and thousands more actually pay less to the vendors to read the newspapers on the spot and then drop them and many of these copies have been returned as unsold to the publishers.

If you are in Lagos city or other urban towns and cities in Nigeria, you will notice small crowds of people milling around news stands of vendors and gazing at the covers of the displayed newspapers and magazines. Many of them read the headlines and first paragraphs on the front pages and others pay less then the cover price to read more pages of the newspapers before leaving the spot. The vendors have nothing much to lose if the copies of these newspapers passed round among so many “on the spot” readers are returned unsold, because they make extra money from these passersby on each copy of the various newspapers and also collect their daily commissions from the distributors or publishers. In fact, some publishers use shortcuts to bypass the major registered distributors and engage the vendors to sell their newspapers and magazines directly to the readers on the street. The publisher of the Castle real estate and property newspaper employs his own vendors. The Guardian and The Punch also have their own vendors.

Millions of Nigerians will prefer to pay less to read fewer pages of newspapers and magazines than to pay more for more pages, because most of them will read only what attracts them and skip or glance over the adverts and other uninteresting things before dropping the newspapers and magazines. Most of them are interested in reading sensational breaking news on politics, crime and social gossip of romantic or erotic scandals and the millions of applicants prefer to look for vacancies and that would be all. Therefore, I can bet that newspaper of only 10 pages on these topics selling for as little as N50 will sell more thousands of copies than The Punch or The Guardian of 50-100 pages. In fact, they regard most content as garbage and the less garbage or page fillers the better for them.


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima is the Media Consultant of Supple magazine and the President/CEO of International Digital Post Network, LLC.




Hello! Have you read Half of a Yellow Sun?