Brands/Products
Emmanuel TV’s Removal by MultiChoice on Mutual Agreement—Report
A fresh report has it that the removal of Emmanuel TV by MultiChoice, owners of DStv and GOtv, was based on mutual agreement.
There had been speculations in the social media space that the channel was delisted in the aftermath of a damning documentary by BBC, on the life and times of the founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Pastor TB Joshua, who died in June 2021.
According to a report by TheCable, a senior member of the church who revealed the details, said the church received two letters signed by MultiChoice West Africa CEO, Mr. John Ugbe, in 2023, warning of the poor performance of the channel and impending removal.
The source revealed that officials of the church consented to the removal of the channels via a letter to MultiChoice, dated December 22, 2023.
“Last year, we got a letter dated 7 August 2023 from MultiChoice Nigeria Limited regarding the channel distribution agreement between MultiChoice Africa (Proprietary) Limited and Emmanuel Global Network South Africa entered into on 29 October 2015.
“The letter was signed by Mr John Ugbe, the Nigeria CEO. He said the metrics of all channels on DStv and GOtv platforms are monitored by the Multichoice regularly and that Emmanuel TV was performing poorly.
“This was not surprising, to be honest. The moving spirit of Emmanuel TV was Pastor Joshua and since his death, things were never going to be the same again.
“MultiChoice said it expends considerable resources in terms of satellite and DTT capacity and subscriber management to distribute channels. As a result, only channels which maintain minimum performance standards are carried on their platforms, according to the CEO.
“Multichoice wrote to us again on 7 December 2023 saying that they had concluded the reassessment of Emmanuel TV’s performance between 7 August 2023 and 8 November 2023. They concluded that the channel had not met the 90-day improvement targets and would be discontinued effective 17 January 2024,” the source said.
According to the official, Emmanuel TV responded two weeks later, precisely on December 22, 2023, requesting termination “by mutual consent”.
It also said the wording of the messages to subscribers should read “Emmanuel TV Channel Exit” and not “Emmanuel TV Channel Termination”.
On December 19, 2023, MultiChoice sent an SMS to subscribers to notify them that Emmanuel TV would be discontinued.
In the SMS sent to its DStv customers, MultiChoice said: “Dear DStv Customer, please be advised that Emmanuel TV (DStv channel 390) will no longer be available from 17 January 2024 at 10.59. Please, visit dstv.com to check our latest content line-up.
Emmanuel TV was finally removed from both broadcast platforms on January 17, 2024, after a final performance review.
The BBC Africa Eye documentary accusing Joshua of rape, torture, and forced abortions was aired on January 8, 2024.
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.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
To further reinforce its commitment to continuous enhancement of customer experience through menu innovation and quality improvements, Chicken Republic, Nigeria’s leading quick-service restaurant brand and a flagship brand of Food Concepts Plc, has improved its Smokey Jollof recipe across restaurants nationwide.
As a customer-centric brand, Chicken Republic regularly evaluates consumer feedback, dining trends, and product performance to ensure its menu continues to deliver the quality and value to which customers have become accustomed.
The updated Smokey Jollof is part of this ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.
The refreshed recipe represents the latest evolution of one of the brand’s most popular offerings.
Developed with a focus on richer flavour, greater consistency and an even more satisfying eating experience, the improved Smokey Jollof reflects Chicken Republic’s dedication to meeting the evolving tastes and expectations of its customers.
“At Chicken Republic, our customers are at the heart of every decision we make. We are constantly listening, learning and looking for ways to improve the experience we deliver.
“The improved Smokey Jollof is a reflection of that commitment. We’ve refined the recipe to deliver an even richer, more enjoyable taste experience while maintaining the flavour profile our customers know and love,” the Managing Director of Food Concept, Mr Olumide Aniyikaiye, stated.
“Great brands evolve with their consumers. This update is not about changing what people love, but about making it even better.
“We are confident that customers will enjoy the improved recipe and appreciate the attention we continue to invest in delivering quality meals every day,” Mr Aniyokaiye added.
The improved Smokey Jollof is now available at Chicken Republic outlets nationwide, allowing customers to experience a more flavourful and consistent version of a fan-favourite menu item.
This latest enhancement underscores Chicken Republic’s broader commitment to innovation, quality and creating memorable meal experiences for customers across Nigeria.
