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A Call for Regulation of Nigerian Media Monitoring and Intelligence Industry
By Philip Odiakose
The Nigerian media monitoring and intelligence industry has witnessed significant growth and development in recent years. With the proliferation of digital media platforms, monitoring and analysing media content has become increasingly important. However, alongside this growth, concerns have arisen regarding the lack of regulation within the industry. This article explores the need for comprehensive regulations to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical standards within the Nigerian media monitoring and intelligence sector.
Understanding Media Monitoring and Intelligence
Media monitoring and intelligence involve the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of media content, including print (newspapers and magazines), broadcast (TV and radio), OOH (out-of-home), and digital media (websites and social media). It serves as a valuable tool for individuals, organizations, and governments to track public sentiment, manage reputation, and gain insights into media coverage. Media monitoring and intelligence agencies utilize advanced technologies, including natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, to scan and analyze vast amounts of media data.
The Unregulated Landscape
Nigeria’s media monitoring and intelligence industry operates without clear guidelines or oversight. This lack of regulation has led to several concerning issues. Firstly, the absence of standardized practices and methodologies raises questions about the accuracy and reliability of monitoring results. Without established benchmarks, there is a risk of misleading or incomplete analysis, potentially compromising decision-making processes.
Secondly, the unregulated industry has allowed for the emergence of unethical practices. The absence of a code of conduct or professional standards leaves room for unethical manipulation of media data, such as cherry-picking information or distorting results to fit certain agendas. This undermines the integrity of media monitoring and intelligence and jeopardizes the credibility of the entire media landscape.
Thirdly, the unregulated nature of the industry has contributed to a lack of transparency and accountability. Currently, no mechanisms are in place to ensure that media monitoring and intelligence agencies handle data responsibly or protect individual privacy rights. This situation raises concerns about data breaches, unauthorized access, and potential misuse of personal information.
The Case for Regulation
Regulating the Nigerian media monitoring and intelligence industry is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, it would ensure the accuracy and reliability of media monitoring and intelligence services. Implementing standardized methodologies and quality control, measures would enhance the industry’s credibility and increase confidence in the results provided. In recent years, some organizations, such as P+ Measurement Services, have joined global associations like AMEC, FIBEP, and others due to the absence of local regulators and associations.
Secondly, the regulation would promote ethical practices and integrity within the sector. By establishing a code of conduct and professional standards, media monitoring and intelligence agencies would be accountable for their actions, reducing the risk of biased or misleading information being disseminated. This would foster a more transparent and trustworthy media monitoring environment.
Furthermore, the regulation would safeguard individual privacy rights and protect personal data. Data protection laws and guidelines could be put in place to govern the collection, storage, and use of media data. This would prevent unauthorized access and ensure individuals’ personal information is handled responsibly.
The Way Forward
To achieve effective regulation, collaboration among relevant stakeholders is crucial. Media monitoring and intelligence agencies, industry associations, government bodies, and civil society organizations should come together to develop a comprehensive regulatory framework. This framework should address standardization, ethics, data protection, and privacy issues.
Establishing an independent regulatory authority could play a pivotal role in overseeing and enforcing compliance within the industry. This authority would set guidelines, issue licenses, conduct audits, and address complaints. It would also provide a platform for stakeholders to voice concerns, seek clarification, and contribute to ongoing discussions on industry practices.
Conclusion
The Nigerian media monitoring and intelligence industry has immense potential for promoting transparency, accountability, and informed decision-making. However, there is a risk of compromising these essential objectives without adequate regulation. The urgent need for comprehensive regulations cannot be overstated. By implementing standardized practices, ethical guidelines, and data protection measures, Nigeria can ensure that media monitoring and intelligence services are reliable and responsible tools for individuals, organizations, and the government. Through collaborative efforts and establishing an independent regulatory authority, the industry can thrive while upholding the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
Philip Odiakose is the Chief Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, a Media Intelligence Consultancy in Lagos State, Nigeria
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An institutional investor, First Ally Capital, has strengthened a leading Nigerian financial technology company, Mathesis Analytics, to scale its proprietary credit decisioning infrastructure.
It made this possible by injecting fresh capital into the firm, which specialises in AI-powered credit decisioning infrastructure, an action that will directly support the growth and scaling of Mathesis’ core mission of providing the intelligence and infrastructure needed to bridge the credit gap for millions of unscored or underscored individuals across Nigeria.
With this investment, Mathesis will enable financial institutions to confidently assess and extend credit to borrowers who lack a formal credit history by leveraging an expanded pool of alternative behavioural and transactional data.
To date, Mathesis’ systems have supported more than 8 million loans for over 2 million unique borrowers in Nigeria, and the company is actively deploying its infrastructure to establish a growing pan-African footprint.
With the investment from First Ally Capital, Mathesis is well positioned to transform how the credit ecosystem operates, driving financial inclusion in partnership with lenders across the continent.
A significant barrier to credit access in Nigeria, which prides itself on being Africa’s largest economy, is data fragmentation. Borrowers frequently build positive financial behaviours across multiple digital platforms by repaying microfinance loans, saving through fintech wallets, or servicing Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) facilities.
However, under traditional credit infrastructure, these achievements remain invisible to new lenders.
Mathesis addresses this challenge through the concept of Personal Equity—the quantified expression of an individual’s financial behaviour aggregated across every institution with which they have transacted.
By translating these disparate signals into a precise, portable measure of creditworthiness, Mathesis creates a comprehensive credit identity that reflects the full breadth of a person’s financial life.
“True financial inclusion cannot be achieved in a vacuum; it requires structural collaboration in which lenders and fintech companies work as partners within the ecosystem.
“This investment from First Ally Capital validates our approach to reshaping credit infrastructure. By quantifying Personal Equity, we empower lenders to safely look beyond the constraints of formal credit histories and recognise a borrower’s true creditworthiness. This capital enables us to accelerate our pan-African expansion while maintaining the robust, institutional-grade infrastructure our partners rely on,” the chief executive of Mathesis Analytics, Winston Osuchukwu, stated.
On his part, the chief executive of First Ally Capital, Mr Ebenezer Olufowose, said, “At First Ally Capital, we pride ourselves on being a one-stop destination for financial solutions, offering a diverse portfolio of services ranging from investment banking and asset management to trusteeship, inclusive banking, and real estate.
“Our investment in Mathesis Analytics reflects our strong belief in the company’s vision and our commitment to supporting forward-thinking enterprises that deliver excellence.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The chief executive of Canal+ Africa, Mr David Mignot, has disclosed that MultiChoice is now fully integrated into the media group.
Mr Mignot disclosed this via a statement issued on Thursday, noting that this development marks a new phase in the evolution of one of Africa’s leading pay television operators.
He noted that the integration positions MultiChoice within a global media organisation with an extensive international footprint.
“MultiChoice is now a full subsidiary of a truly international media group operating in 70 countries. The group was founded in France, is listed in London and Johannesburg, and has a strong African presence with operations in more than 45 countries,” Mr Mignot said.
The statement underscores the scale of the combined business, highlighting Canal+’s global reach alongside its significant investments across Africa.
The completion of the transaction is expected to strengthen MultiChoice’s position in the African media and entertainment market by giving it access to the broader resources, expertise and international capabilities of the Canal+ Group, while reinforcing the group’s commitment to the continent.
MultiChoice operates across sub-Saharan Africa through platforms including DStv and GOtv, serving millions of subscribers with entertainment, sports and news content.
By Adedapo Adesanya
FoodCourt, a Nigerian cloud kitchen startup backed by Y Combinator, has suspended operations after months of unpaid salaries and mounting debts to vendors triggered a staff strike and forced the company to halt customer orders, according to a report by TechCabal.
The publication reported that customers first noticed on March 4 that they could no longer place orders through the FoodCourt app after the company disabled ordering as kitchen workers, delivery personnel and branch staff embarked on strike over unpaid wages. The company also owed outstanding payments to vendors.
By April 19, FoodCourt had temporarily shut its last operating branch after suspending activities across its Lagos and Abuja locations while seeking fresh funding and restructuring the business, according to the report.
The company’s chief executive, Mr Henry Nneji, said the decision to pause operations was not caused by a single issue but by a combination of operational, organisational and working-capital challenges.
“It’s important to clarify that the decision to pause operations wasn’t driven by one single issue. We reached a point where it became clear that continuing to patch those issues while operating wasn’t the right long-term decision,” he said.
“The objective is to build a stronger business than the one that existed before the suspension. We fully intend to bring FoodCourt back,” he added in an emailed response.
The company acknowledged outstanding obligations to employees, vendors, riders and service providers, but declined to disclose the number of affected workers or the total amount owed. It said efforts were underway to resolve the liabilities as part of its restructuring process.
It was also reported that the startup’s financial difficulties worsened after expansion into additional locations increased operating costs, while its cloud kitchen model came under pressure from rising labour, logistics, food and marketing expenses.
Despite the shutdown, Mr Nneji said FoodCourt intends to relaunch after completing its restructuring, adding that the company believes demand for its products remains strong.
Founded in 2021 by Henry Nneji and Paul Adokiye Iruene, FoodCourt operates cloud kitchens under multiple virtual restaurant brands through its consumer app. According to TechCabal, the startup had previously disclosed raising $1.7 million, delivering more than one million meals and reaching $4.3 million in annual recurring revenue by the end of 2024.
