Nigerians Report Online

Friday, October 18, 2013

Top 5 Wealthiest People in Africa

Alhaji Aliko Dangote is the wealthiest of them all.

16 Oct 2013 05:00 Africa/Lagos

Wealth-X Reveals Africa's Wealthiest UHNW Individuals

SINGAPORE, Oct. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The wealthiest man in Africa is Nigeria's Aliko Mohammed Dangote, a self-made business tycoon with a personal fortune of US$17 billion. He leads the Wealth-X list of Africa's wealthiest individuals, which is primarily dominated by South Africans and Egyptians.

With a combined fortune of US$73.2 billion, these 10 individuals account for 0.4 percent of Africa's ultra high net worth (UHNW) population but over 20 percent of the UHNW wealth in the region.

Nassef Onsi Najib Sawiris is second wealthiest person in Africa.

Wealth-X released this list as part of the Wealth-X and UBS World Ultra Wealth Report 2013. The study showed that in 2013 Africa's UHNW population increased by 9.5 percent to 2,775 individuals with a combined wealth of US$350 billion – a 7.7 percent rise from last year.

Dangote started a small trading firm in 1977 that grew to become the Dangote Group, Nigeria's largest conglomerate and a major supplier to the country's soft drink companies, breweries and confectionaries – effectively dominating its sugar market. The group also has interests in other commodities, with operations in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

The only other Nigerian in the list is Michael Adeniyi Isola Adenuga, who has a net worth of US$6.8 billion. Adenuga is the chairman and CEO of Globacom Limited, a privately-owned telecommunications company in Lagos.

Below are Africa's top 5 wealthiest individuals:

Rank	Full Name	Country	Net Worth (in US$ billion)
1	Aliko Mohammed Dangote	Nigeria	17
2	Nassef Onsi Najib Sawiris	Egypt	8
3	Naguib Onsi Najib Sawiris	Egypt	7.3
4	Zine El Abidine Ben Ali	Tunisia	7
5	Michael Adeniyi Isola Adenuga	Nigeria	6.8

Four South Africans appear on the list: Johann Rupert ($6.6 billion), Gaynor Rupert (US$6.5 billion), Nicholas Oppenheimer ($6.3 billion) and Christoffel Wiese (US$2.9 billion).
Three members of Egypt's Sawiris family made the list: billionaire businessman Nassef Onsi Najib Sawiris (US$8 billion) and his brothers Naguib (US$7.3 billion) and Onsi (US$4.8 billion).
To view the complete list, visit http://www.wealthx.com/articles/2013/africas-10-wealthiest-uhnw-individuals/

For more information on the global UHNW population, download the Wealth-X and UBS World Ultra Wealth Report at http://www.wealthx.com/wealthxubswealthreport/

About Wealth-X
Wealth-X is the definitive source of intelligence on the ultra wealthy with the world's largest collection of curated research on ultra high net worth (UHNW) individuals, defined as those with net assets of US$30 million and above. Headquartered in Singapore, it has 12 offices in five continents. (www.wealthx.com)

SOURCE Wealth-X

CONTACT: Wealth-X, +65 68325169, press@wealthx.com alert
Web Site: http://www.wealthx.com

There Are Many African Filmmakers, But There Are No African Cinemas

‘There are many African filmmakers, but there no African cinemas’
The need for an independent net of distribution and for an alternative funding, key aspects of the first FCAT Espacio Professional

Córdoba, 15th October 2013. FCAT Espacio Profesional, a spaced conceived for the critical debate on African cinemas, has started today at the African Film Festival of Cordoba. The activity has consisted of a twofold panel – on the one hand, the presentation of the book Les cinémas d'Afrique dans les années 2000 by the expert on African Film Criticism, Olivier Barlet; and a round table with African filmmakers and Barlet himself revolving around the present of African cinemas.

Olivier Barlet, has been accompanied by Carlos Domínguez, director of FCAT Espacio Profesional, eager to prompt the translation and publication of this book, into Spanish, firstly and secondly, in English; María Sylveyro, Head of the Editorial Ocho y Medio in Spain, who has stated that the idea of Ocho y Medio is to have this book published into Spanish by this date next year; and Marion Berger, FCAT Curator, who has highlighted from the book the questioning of the Western thoughts on Africa and the dynamism of the notions revolving around Africa. Olivier Barlet is one of the most prolific and relevant film critics specialized in the cinemas of Africa, as well as a key promoter of the film critic profession and genre in Africa. According to him, Les cinémas d'Afrique dans les années 2000, is a book following Mbembe’s idea of Europe not being the centre of the world any longer. ‘Africa teaches us how to understand the world, since Africa has already encountered the other, and they are used to the unexpected. Their capacity of action is very different and can teach the Western world a lot’, Barlet has stated. The book, whose departing points are not Western but Africans, has two aims – to understand the world and to learn about cinema.

In addition to Olivier Barlet, the second panel has hosted some of the most relevant experts on this field to discuss the current situation of African cinemas. Among them, South African filmmaker, Arya Lalloo, whose documentary film Jeppe on a Friday (2012) is in the official selection of FCAT Cordoba 2013; Algerian filmmaker, Lamine Ammar Khodja, and Senegalese filmmaker William M’baye, whose documentary film Président Dia (2012) is also lined up for the official selection of this festival. The panel has revolved around the need for finding new ways of funding both popular cinema and ‘cinéma d’ateur’ and for finding a solution to the lack of distribution that most of African countries are experiencing today.

“There are many African filmmakers, but there are no African cinemas”

Ousmane William M’ Baye, director of the documentary film Président Dia (2012, 54’), has provoked the very engaged audience and speakers at FCAT Espacio Profesional, by stating – ‘There are many African filmmakers, but there are no African cinemas’. M’Baye was referring to the presence of worldwide acclaimed filmmakers, that are usually framed as ‘African’, but the lack of exhibition of African cinemas in the continent. In the end, African films are screened elsewhere in European film festivals. This statement has very much entailed with Barlet’s reflection on the digital era, where Africans can easily create their own films, as ‘the image has always been a key aspect for communications in Africa’. However, there is not a learning process on this image and thus, the resulting images can be highly problematic and misrepresentative of Africa’. M’baye has claimed ‘an aesthetical wave in Africa, which is how we should respond to crisis’. In this way, the contribution of Arya Lalloo have been of great relevance, as she has highlighted the importance of ‘audience participation’, so we answer to the questions of ‘what cinema are we doing and for whom? There have been many changes, but the solution in cinema must be addressed through the film language itself’. This is why cinema as a mirror is not as relevant any more as cinema as a reflection. The South African filmmaker has highlighted the importance of a creation of an alternative circuit, as today the reason for the large number of co-productions is the lack of funding for independent creations.

The need for an independent distribution network

Algerian filmmaker, Lamine Ammar Khodja, shared as well his concern of the lack of distribution in Africa in general and in Algeria, in particular, where ‘there is just a State cinema with over 100 films per year, yet where people do not watch independent cinemas’. This is a frustrating situation, according to him, that could be solved if the State leave cinema for filmmakers, and engaged in the promotion of a fluid net for the ways of funding those cinemas.

Finally, Olivier Barlet has demanded as well the need for the co-existence of the duality popular cinema and cinema d’auteur – ‘The filmmaker must think of the artistic side of his work’. Barlet explained that the creation of new cinemas has nothing to do with the success regarding audience. For instance, in Chad there was a creative boom, a very big cinema was build up in the capital, but it barely gathered 21 spectators per day. He indicated as possible solutions the creation of schools of cinema and Film Reviews magazines in order to mobilise the audiences.

Further panels at FCAT Espacio Profesional 2013

FCAT Espacio Profesional will be running until Friday the 18th of October, every morning at Casa Árabe. Tomorrow, the panel will be aimed at women, with Arya Lalloo, Laurence Attali (filmmaker and producer from France/Senegal), Latifa El Berki (Moroccan producer) and Narimane Mari (Algerian-French filmmaker and producer) chaired by Guadalupe Arensburg, author specialist in African films.

International Media Office:

Estrella Sendra
Tel.: +34 667 39 26 13
media@fcat.es

DOWNLOADS:

FCAT Programme: http://goo.gl/OZiVtq

Catalogue: http://goo.gl/eaWMPq
Press Dossier: http://goo.gl/hTzVL0
FCAT Poster: http://goo.gl/F7bRBR
Video FCAT poster: http://goo.gl/KtWjfd

‘The future of African cinema lies on reinventing smart cinema’

The online distribution platform Africafilms.tv cements its collaboration with the African Film Festival of Cordoba-FCAT, offering five titles from the 18th October
Cordoba, 18th October 2013. The professional forum at the African Film Festival of Cordoba-FCAT, known as FCAT Espacio Profesional, has given voice today to the filmmakers of emerging projects aimed at the online distribution. The round table, ‘An outlook on the audiovisual sector in Africa’, has started with an outlook of the history of African film festivals, the relation with festivals and the digital, and the capacity of the festivals of building audiences and allowing the existence and distribution of African films. These points, supported by Dr Lindiwe Dovey, founder of London Film Africa, and professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies (U. London). This panellist has been followed by Enrico Chiesa, director of Africanfilms.tv, who has been contributing to the festival since the foundation of the online site in 2011. Chiesa has explained that they have just launched an initiative consisting on providing audiences with a series of films taken from the FCAT film archive. This initiative, that will start on the 18th of October, dovetailing with the closing and awards ceremony of the festival, will allow audiences to stream and watch these films in their own computers. ‘African film must enjoy the great advantages of the new ITCs in order to meet the enormous audience’, Enrico Chiesa has stated. The VoD (Video on Demand) site, funded by the ACP States and the European Union, aimed at promoting the African film sector and the cooperation among professionals in Africa, Spain and beyond. The project, based in Dakar, is also available in Mali and France, other than in Senegal. During his speech, the director of Africafilms.tv has highlighted the importance of reinventing smart cinema to prompt a popular cinema.

The five selected films to be provided out of charge to the surfers for a week are Ezra, by Nigerian filmmaker Newton I. Aduaka; the German-Kenyan coproduction Soul Boy, by Hawa Essuman; Surfing Soweto, by Sara Blecher; Il va pleuvoir sur Conakry, by Cheik Fantamady Camara, screened at the festival; and Jimmy Dakar Soul, by Marina Aguirre and David García, an international premier at FCAT Cordoba 2013.
However, Africafilms.tv is not the only one aimed at the online distribution of African cinemas. The round table has also counted on Russell Southwood, who has presented Smart Monkey Tv , a Youtube channel linked to Balancing Act, an online site devoted to information and communication of African issues and cultures. Southwood has shared Chiesa’s point on the necessity of enjoying the new tools, such as the smartphone, which has become the “medium of choice in Africa”.
FCAT Espacio Profesional concludes today with the forum of production and co-production in Africa and Spain. The festival will celebrate its closing and awards ceremony this evening, revealing the five winners out of the 27 films on competition.

International Media Office:
Estrella Sendra
Tel.: +34 667 39 26 13
media@fcat.es

The First "Girl Rising" Success Story in Nigeria and How A Free MTN School Bag Made A Great Difference

When the poor mother of 13-year-old girl Nkejika died after protracted illness, her impoverished father could no longer bear the burden of parenting alone, so he asked for the help of his in-laws and relations. In response, his sister in-law took Nkejika under her care in Shomolu, Lagos. Nkejika was very grateful and happy, but her happiness soon turned to sadness when the shameless and unscrupulous husband of her aunt started harassing her for sex and when she refused, he became hostile and mean to her. The more the poor girl refused to be abused the more he maltreated her and threatened to make her life more miserable if she dared to tell her aunt what was going on behind her back. He stopped her from school with the excuse that he could no longer provide for her junior secondary school education and Nkejika was turned into a housemaid to do all the chores in the house from dawn to dusk. Nkejika became depressed , and only found consolation in her best next door friend, Labake, a 12 year-old daughter of a single mother living in the same tenement. Labake's well educated mother could afford to send her daughter to one of the best private secondary schools in Lagos (and that makes Labake more brilliant than most of her mates in the tenement), and she loved to spend her free period with Nkejika and often shared her food and gifts with Nkejika who confided her agony to Labake who in turn told her mother.

Then one day as Nkejika's wicked uncle was maltreating her again for failing to do all the chores in the house, Labake's mother had to intervene when she saw the man hitting her with a rake. She seized the rake from him and said he could scold her to discipline her and not maltreating her. He warned her to mind her business. She ignored his threats and reported to the Publisher/Editor of Nigerians Report Online; on what could be done to save the life of Nkejika from being ruined by her cruel uncle. Nigerians Report Online is already known for exposing the ills in the society and reporting many cases of child abuse, rape and violence against women. The Publisher/Editor Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima told Labake's mother about the new Girl Rising Campaign for the education of underprivileged girls in the world and promised to report Nkejika's ordeals to NGOs committed to human rights and the welfare of girls and women and he kept his promise. But none of the NGOs did anything to help the poor girl. So, he decided to invite her to the Nigerian premiere of Girl Rising on Friday October 11, celebrating the United Nations International Day of the Girl Child, where he planned to introduce her to the NGOs among his co-partners and co-sponsors of the premiere and in fact mentioned the case of the poor girl to 10x10. But on the day of the premiere, the cruel uncle of Nkejika refused to let her leave the house and so she could not see the much talked about Nigerian premiere of "Girl Rising". Labake's mother and Michael Chima were disappointed. But he collected two of the gifts of free MTN school bags given to over 300 school children who came to the premiere and gave them to Labake's mother. "Please, give one to Nkejika. Tell her it is a gift from Girl Rising," Michael Chima said. Labake's mother was glad and grateful and returned home and gave the free MTN school bag to Nkejika who was very happy to receive it and when she looked inside the school bag, she saw a copy of "HIs/Her Book" by Dr. Anthony Marinho, one of the over 300 copies donated by Educare Trust, one of the leading co-sponsors of the Nigerian premiere. In innocent excitement, Nkejika showed them to her aunt who thanked Labake's mother and listened as Labake's mother told her the moving stories of the "nine girls from across the globe who vow to get an education despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their paths". She told her that even 10×10 that made the groundbreaking film, Girl Rising, knows about Nkejika and will help her in their global social action campaign for the education of poor girls in the world. She showed Nkejika's aunt photos from Girl Rising and the Nigerian premiere at the prestigious Silverbird Cinemas of the Silverbird Galleria on Victoria Island, Lagos. She was moved to show the free MTN school bag and free book to her husband and begged him to let Nkejika return to school and he agreed. And so Nkejika resumed schooling yesterday. Now she can live up to the great expectations of the true meaning of her Nigerian Igbo name Nkejika, which means What I have is bigger and greater.

Nigerians Report Online also raised some money from the 40% of the tickets sold at the second screening of the Nigerian premiere of "Girl Risng" on Saturday October 12, that will be donated to Girls Power Initiative (GPI), a Nigerian non-governmental, not-for-profit youth development organization founded in 1993 by Bene Madunagu and Grace Osakue to address the challenges facing girls in the Nigerian society and equip them with information, skills and opportunities for action to grow into self actualized young women.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Catholic Church of Resurrection's 2013 Pre-Harvest Dinner at the Sheraton Hotels

Guest Speaker,PROF Anthony Chiegboka, Oguagu and Lolo Chukwuemeka Victor Aniche, Mr. Emma Umenwa and Pharmacist Nnambi Obi.

2013 harvest committee of Catholic Church of resurrection Magodo GRA, on Saturday 12^th October held their pre-harvest dinner @ Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

The Parish Priest, Revd Fr. Micheal Etekpo,MSP and Pharm. Nnamdi Obi, chairman Embassy Pharmacy.

Barrister Emeka Ofoma.

Mr. Ingram Osigwe.

Mr. and Mrs. Ikechukwu Amaechi.

Sir Edwin Muomenam, Chairman, Edic Chemicals Nigeria.

Ben and Ijeoma.

Dr and Mrs. Chukwuka, Chairman of Green Life Pharmaceuticals Limited.

Gboyega Mouriho, Peter Egbomokhai and Barrister Emeka Ofoma.

Derrick Osondu, Marketing Manager of Green Life Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Mr. Ingram Osigwe, CEO of Full Page Communications Limited.

Chairman of the 2013 Harvest of Sincere Conscience, Mr. Emma Umenwa, CEO of Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited.

Chairman of the Occasion, Pharm. Nnamdi Obi, Chairman/CEO of Embassy Pharmaceuticals.

Keshi Ofuobi.

The beautiful hostesses.

Uche and Ogoo.

Gladys, Kemi and Lola.

Mr. and Mrs. Chinedum.

Mr. and Mrs. Emeka Okoye.

Mr. and Mrs. John.

Harvest Committee Chairperson, Omotola Dawodu.

Employees of Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

The $8 Trillion Power of Women Corporate Directors

NEW YORK, Oct. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- How much influence do women board directors really wield worldwide? Nearly $8 trillion.

WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) – a global community of more than 2,500 directors, and the largest organization of women corporate directors worldwide – recently aggregated the market capitalization of the public companies on whose boards their members serve. They found that the number totaled almost $8 trillion; if WCD were a country, its economy would be the world's third largest, behind only the U.S. and China.

"The impact of this number – which doesn't even include the large private companies our members represent – speaks to the enormous influence WCD members wield in boardrooms globally," says Susan Stautberg, CEO, co-founder, and co-chair of WCD.

$8 trillion represents the total market capitalization of the 3,500+ public companies on whose boards WCD members serve around the world. With more members joining each day, and new chapters opening almost every month, WCD currently has 56 chapters in more than 30 countries.
"WCD has been a game-changer worldwide," says Ms. Stautberg. "From Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to India and Japan to countries in Latin America, Europe, and Africa, our members are writing legislation and working with regulatory agencies such as the SEC to shape policies designed to bring more qualified women on boards."

Leveraging the ROI of women directors
"The WCD analysis shows that diverse boards add value to the companies they oversee – value that often comes in the form of higher returns or improved overall financial performance," says Maggie Wilderotter, Chairman and CEO of Frontier Communications, co-chair of WCD's Global Nominating Commission, and director of Procter & Gamble and Xerox.

"The corporate world would do well to better leverage the WCD asset in a much more significant way," adds Chairman of Avon Products and former CEO and director of Campbell Soup Company Douglas R. Conant. "The evidence of their ability to add value continues to affirm that this remarkable community of women has both a world-class aptitude and an undeniable appetite for contribution."

Harvard Business School's Boris Groysberg, the Richard P. Chapman Professor of Business Administration, believes that WCD is playing a key role in the turning point around board diversity. "Many are disappointed with what boards have been able to achieve regarding diversity and inclusion over the last 20 years," he says. "But the numerous efforts of WCD, from helping women get on boards to understanding practices for building more inclusive board cultures, are important as we make progress over the next 20 years."

Using influence to improve board governance
As women directors move beyond token representation and into a position of real power, they can become even greater agents of change, says Henrietta Holsman Fore, co-chair of WCD, co-chair of the Asia Society, and director of ExxonMobil Corp. and other boards. "WCD is working to spread excellence in governance practices to boards globally at a time when boards are facing more complex challenges than ever before."

Boards are being held more accountable by investors for ensuring regulatory compliance – which is more complicated as companies expand into new markets and as governments impose more regulations around financial reporting. But boards are also being charged to take a greater role in corporate social responsibility and sustainability efforts beyond what the laws mandate – part of the trend toward deeper engagement with the communities in which companies operate.

"Women have skill sets that make them especially good stewards," Mrs. Wilderotter says. "We listen, we evaluate, we look hard at risk/reward; we have strong ethical boundaries, seek consensus, and look at the big picture. In my experience, those traits translate into a better experience for customers, employees, and shareholders."

Myra Hart, a director of Kraft, former director of Office Depot, and co-chair with Mrs. Wilderotter of WCD's Global Nominating Commission, agrees: "Women corporate directors bring unique knowledge and experience to the boardroom that both broaden and deepen the consideration of key issues."

Taking the reins of responsibility
To improve this director knowledge, WCD hosts a number of events throughout the year and across the globe. "The $8 trillion reach of our membership is both an opportunity and a responsibility. The size of our impact means that WCD members bear the burden – which they embrace – of improving their own skills and capabilities as directors," says Ms. Stautberg. "And as WCD's influence grows, this means that more of these skills can be deployed to effective use in boards across the world."
Upcoming WCD events include:

Americas Institute – November 7-8, 2013, in Ft. Lauderdale, FL; theme: "Leveraging the Opportunities for Growth in the Interconnected Americas"
European Institute – Spring 2014
New Director Seminar – May 13, 2014
Chair and Lead Director Roundtable – May 13, 2014
Global Institute and Visionary Awards – May 14-15, 2014

To view an infographic that demonstrates the influence of WCD's $8 trillion voice, please click here .
For more information about WomenCorporateDirectors and their programs for directors, please contact Davia Temin or Suzanne Oaks of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or news@temin.com .

About WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD)
WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) is the only global membership organization and community of women corporate directors, comprised of more than 2,500 members serving on over 3,500 boards in 56 chapters around the world, with many more slated in the next two quarters. WCD membership provides a unique platform for learning from the intellectual capital of accomplished women from around the world, and WCD's mission is to increase courage, candor, inclusion, and cohesion in the boardroom. In 2012, WCD launched the Global Nominating Commission, a high-level task force of select corporate board nominating committee chairs and members from around the world, as well as CEOs, focused on proactively building diverse boards and candidate slates. KPMG is a Global Partner of WCD. WCD's Founding Partner is Heidrick & Struggles. Strategic Partners include Marriott International and Pearl Meyer & Partners, and WCD Alliance Partners include International Finance Corporation (IFC), JPMorgan Chase, and Northern Trust.
WCD has 56 global chapters, located in Arizona, Atlanta, Beijing, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Chile, Cleveland, Colombia, Columbus, Dallas/Fort Worth, Delhi, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Gulf Cooperation Council, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Houston, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, London, Los Angeles/Orange County, Malaysia, Melbourne, Mexico, Milan, Minnesota, Morocco, Mumbai, Netherlands, New York, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern California, Peru, Philadelphia, Philippines, Rome, San Diego, Sao Paulo, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, South Africa, South Florida, Switzerland, Sydney, Tennessee, Toronto, Turkey, Washington, D.C, and Western Canada. For more information, visit www.womencorporatedirectors.com.

SOURCE WomenCorporateDirectors

Web Site: http://www.womencorporatedirectors.com

Top News
17:23	YahClick Continues to Boost Connectivity Across Nigeria Helping Businesses Flourish
14:30	Fraud conviction for man who reported car stolen, sent it to Nigeria
13:30	Business Thrives At MIPCOM Market
12:30	Platts Survey: OPEC Pumps 29.91 Million Barrels of Crude Oil Per Day in September
06:46	IFC Launches $1 Billion Bond Program to Strengthen India's Capital Markets, Attract Foreign Investment

Casting the Net – How To Build a Multi-billion Media Company in Africa

Perseverance, tenacity, self-belief, great vision and sheer bloody-mindedness are the key ingredients for any successful entrepreneur. But, when setting up a new business on the African continent with a seriously innovative business idea that would disrupt the broadcast sector, you need all this and more. These attributes can all be seen in the form of Jason Njoku, CEO and one of the founding partners of iROKOtv Recently crowned CNBC All Africa Business Leaders Entrepreneur of the year – West Africa, Jason will be sharing his knowledge about how to grow a multi-million dollar media company in Africa with delegates at AfricaCast in November 2013.

iROKOtv, so named after an African hard-wood tree whose prolific growth is unending once its roots are firmly established, is pioneering monetised digital streaming content. Beginning with a YouTube channel entitled ‘Nollywood Love’, iROKO’s digital Nigerian movie offering very quickly grew to owning and operating its own online platform; streaming movies, music and a host of entertainment services to the African diaspora.

The US and UK make up a significant portion of iROKO’s traffic – those who have a desire to stay in touch with their roots. However, as Africa’s broadband penetration develops and matures, allowing for faster and cheaper access to internet based content, this will probably change. In fact, the company is noting an increase in its mobile uptake across Africa as it makes every effort to keep the size of its files reasonable and accessible. When he first started the business – only three years ago – Jason had to fly back to the UK to be able to upload the first movie content he had bought. How things have changed.

Speaking of his involvement at this year’s AfricaCast event at AfricaCom 2013 and what delegates can look forward to learning, Jason is keen to point out that “while working in Africa is a challenge, it is not insurmountable”. One of those challenges is the online payment structure in Africa which iROKO is slowly tackling. “Africa is raw and often brutal, but it presents huge and exciting opportunities for those willing and brave enough to want to make a difference as well as achieve commercial success. For me, AfricaCast will be about celebrating the emergence of a new generation of incumbents in the tech and internet world, as well as meeting those who are willing to go that extra mile in disrupting the norm”.

Prior to iROKO streaming its first Nollywood movie, there had been no established value in online content for the movie producers. Now it is an entirely different picture. Jason equates the success of the business in no small part to the creation of a win-win situation for the movie producers and for the audiences who devour each successive “slice of home”. Considering that Nigeria has 300+ movie producers (include anyone who has a mobile phone and an idea in this equation), churns out some 2000 movies per annum with 85% of those going straight to VCD, you can see that there is a wealth of stock to feed this growing appetite.

The AfricaCast event will provide plenty of debate, discussion and insight into understanding how digital innovation is changing the African broadcast landscape and how to overcome the challenges facing this dynamic market. To register: www.comworldseries.com/africa

About iRoko Partners:

iROKOtv is the world’s largest distributor of Nigerian entertainment. Since December 2010, the company has built a global audience of over six million unique users from 178 different countries across its movie and music platforms.

Between iROKOtv, an on-demand film streaming service for Nollywood movies, and iROKING, a music streaming service, iROKO has the largest legally assembled library on planet earth, giving viewers access to thousands of movies, tunes and music videos at the click of a mouse. The company works with Nigerian movie and music producers & artists to bring this content into the digital arena, showcasing the very best of the country’s incredible creative content to the African Diaspora on beautifully designed, easy-to-use websites, mobile apps and DVDs.

www.irokoktv.com

About AfricaCom 2013

AfricaCom is Africa’s largest communications conference & exhibition. Now in its 16^th year, the conference features 300+ exhibitors and an astounding 8,000 senior decision-makers representing the entire communications ecosystem across Africa and beyond. The conference programme covers the most strategic issues affecting companies in Africa’s digital market - services, efficiency, profitability, customer experience, partnerships, policy and more – and features 6 co-located events: LTE, Digital Music, Mobile Money, AfricaCast, AfricApps, Cloud/Big Data. To register: www.comworldseries.com/africa

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time

New Documentary Answers Question: Who is Pope Francis?

'Francis: The Pope From the New World' to air on FOX Business. Oct. 20