Showbiz
20 years of Magic: Welcome to Our Re-Branded Africa Magic
By Africa Magic
20 years, 7 channels and about N622.5 billion in investment in local content development. In 2003 we began our journey of telling authentic Nigerian stories with the launch of Africa Magic.
We were intent on creating a platform where the everyday Nigerian could see themselves represented in relatable stories reflecting our cultures and life in Nigeria, told ‘by us, for us’ – the Naija way. Now, we celebrate an iconic milestone – celebrating 20 years of creating and telling original Nigerian stories, producing and licensing over 25,000 hours of authentic Nigerian content.
Africa Magic launched as a single channel in Nigeria and has now expanded into a cluster of 7 channels, telling our stories in English and indigenous languages – Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba and broadcasting to over 42 African countries reaching millions of households, across income groups.
This milestone would have not been possible without the support of our loyal viewers who have grown with us through the evolution of different genres from the days of Doctor’s Quarters and Tinsel to religiously following every season of BB Naija and Nigerian Idol.
Our success has also been underpinned by our partnership and support from Nollywood in developing critical skillsets to help us deliver iconic productions, launching careers and uncovering global talent.
This is a story of a collective victory. The support of viewers and the industry has enabled Africa Magic to celebrate 20 years of non-stop groundbreaking Nigerian content.
In celebration of this milestone, Africa Magic has undergone a re-brand to signify a new era of pushing even more boundaries and finding new frontiers in local storytelling and to reflect even more closely an Africa Magic that is the mirror image of our viewers and in response to their tastes; while keeping at the core, the celebration of African diversity, our rich culture, and the people in the many creative expressions of who we are.
The refresh of the Mother brand logo and Channel Imaging is to reflect the Africa Magic that is rejuvenated, vibrant, ageless and in tune with our evolving viewers. Creating consistency between our channels, our audiences, and our content. This was the principle that guided most of our design thinking. Creating a brand look and 7 channel identities that felt like an extension of our content. A seamless integration of our “who, what, where, and why”. We wanted to see our Nigeria, our people, and our stories reflected, amplified, and celebrated. Our way.
Africa Magic Showcase
A showcase is a situation or event that makes it possible for the best features of something to be seen. A spectacle is an occasion, or medium for exhibiting something or someone, especially in an attractive or favourable aspect.
AMShowcase has always been the channel where the best of our best is exhibited for the viewing pleasure of our audience. In its refreshed dynamic state, its teal colours remind us of the civility and clarity, open communication, and practical thinking that goes into all that the channel exhibits.
Not too evocative, AMShowcase lends itself as a means for stress relief with the plethora of programming that makes it the darling for appointment viewing after a hard day of work.
Africa Magic Urban
Urban – a word borrowed from the French meaning “belonging to a city, courteous, of manners or style, cultivated, polished, refined, sophisticated. Contemporary. The ruby red base colour represents the intense feelings and passionate nature of the channel.
AMUrban’s single-minded goal is to stimulate the senses and invoke ambition for what can be. AMUrban’s drapery is dynamic depicting the fluidity of the myriad of ideas of the people. What keeps all this motion and change thrilling is that, if you blink, you could miss some of the more intriguing content on the channel.
Being a “colour of action,” Ruby Red invigorates courage, strength, and power, just like AM Urban.
Africa Magic Family
Family is a rollercoaster of emotions, core memories and events – moments of optimism bursting with energy, times of joy, happiness and friendship, and even in the sad times. Times when intellect and achievements are celebrated or even when jealousy, betrayal, illness and danger are on the horizon. These are the ties that bind us as families – whether by blood, bond or choice.
These are the themes that drive the choice of our shows on AM Family and these are evoked in the colours of the AM Family. The circles remind us of those we relate to, of family, the friends – you – who we’ve gathered around us, of our communities.
The yellow of our AM Family is a reminder of the happiness and optimism, harmony, communication, and loyalty that fosters positive relationships and encourages open and honest communication within a family unit.
Africa Magic Epic
Inspired by Africa’s traditional roots with movies and series depicting cultural aspects of who we are as a collective and the millennia of stories and histories that tie us together.
The blue colour of our AM Epic is the colour of the ocean and the sky; it symbolizes the serenity, stability, inspiration, and wisdom of our forebears which they have passed down to us and is the calming colour that reminds us of the reliability and truth of this shared heritage.
It reminds us of the constancy of time and acts as the reassurance of a future for generations yet to come.
Africa Magic Hausa
The ‘Dagin Arewa’ emblem is an older and traditionally established emblem of Hausa identity – also known as the ‘Northern knot’ – in a star shape, used in historic and traditional architecture, design and hand-embroidery.
This features as a celebration of the rich culture of the Hausa-speaking peoples of Nigeria and across Africa. A people who are graceful and elegant in carriage and this comes through in our use of the Arewa symbol.
In Hausa culture, green is a colour that represents the growth, harmony and rejuvenation that comes after a time of dryness. A revival of hope.
AM Hausa celebrates the rich history, lives and culture of this proud people.
Africa Magic Yoruba
The colour “osan/topala” orange represents warmth, enthusiasm, and creativity in Yoruba culture – traits that are synonymous with the Yoruba-speaking people of southwestern Nigeria. The indefatigable sense of optimism of the Yoruba people conveys a message of positivity. Their warm and welcoming way of being is also encapsulated in this.
AM Yoruba presents a slate of the rich culture and history of the Yoruba people in times past, present and future to your viewing pleasure in high definition.
The Adire – “tie and dye” – is a centuries-old art form made famous by women in southwestern Nigeria. As well as being an art form, adire is a means of telling stories and preserving histories.
AM Yoruba is in the same way as the patchwork and imagery on adire textiles, extracting the stories of the life and the endurance of the Yoruba people and preserving them for posterity – we share the passion for storytelling.
Africa Magic Igbo
Purple symbolizes magic – Africa Magic. It depicts the mystery, spirituality, the subconscious, creativity, dignity, and royalty of a people – just like the Igbo people of South Eastern Nigeria.
Variations of purple convey different meanings: Light purples are light-hearted, floral, and romantic – typical of a people with many facets.
Represented also by the “ofo” a staff held by those who have been entrusted with the power to govern or lead a people and the Nigerian Nsibidi symbols – the oldest form of writing in Africa.
AM Igbo continues to put on display this rich culture with a stamp of authority from the “ofo” to keep you where the show is happening! This is our AM Igbo.
The enthusiasm around this anniversary and rebrand has been incredibly humbling and invigorating. The feedback and comments from across the industry have kept the momentum going. Maybe it’s because Africa Magic is rewriting the rules and redefining what the brand means in a more authentic way, but something shifted for the entire team. Africa Magic is a brand the audience sees themselves, their families, and communities in – which is an extremely exciting place to be. After 20 years, Africa Magic is more than ready to show the world our own brand of magic – Africa Magic.
Happy 20th Anniversary Africa Magic!
Let’s make Magic, Looking Back, Moving Forward!
Nollywood actor Kunle Remi has clarified that his recent social media comment comparing the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards to the Academy Awards (Oscars) was made in jest, following widespread reactions online.
The conversation began after the actor shared a video from the 2026 Academy Awards (Oscars), where Michael B. Jordan was seen having his award engraved shortly after his win. In his initial reaction, Remi suggested that winners at the AMVCA do not receive their plaques immediately, a claim that quickly gained traction across multiple media platforms.
However, in a follow-up video posted shortly after, the actor dismissed the comparison as a joke, noting that he is aware of how the AMVCA award process works.
“I was just messing around, and it was all a joke,” he said, adding that people had taken the remark more seriously than intended.
He reaffirmed his respect for the platform, describing the AMVCA as the only African awards show comparable to the Oscars.
“AMVCA is the only African show you can even compare to the Oscars,” he added.
The actor also confirmed his involvement with the awards, noting that he will be present at this year’s edition and is actively working on it.
“I’ll be at this year’s AMVCA, in fact, I’m working with them on this one.”
The exchange has since drawn attention to how awards are handled at the AMVCA. Winners receive their plaques on stage immediately after being announced and are subsequently directed to a designated media room, where engraving stations are set up to personalise each award in real time.
The engraving process is completed on the night of the event, with winners finalising their plaques while also engaging with the press through interviews, photography, and official media documentation.
Industry sources familiar with the production confirm that this system has been consistently implemented across previous editions, with visual documentation from past ceremonies showing the engraving process and post-win media interactions.
The clarification comes amid ongoing conversations about production standards across global award platforms, as African film and television continue to gain wider international visibility.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The application deadline for the 2026 intake of the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) has been extended to Monday, April 27.
The deadline for the pan-African film and television training institution was earlier fixed for February 27, but it has now been extended by two months, giving aspiring African filmmakers, directors, producers, scriptwriters and storytellers across the continent additional time to apply for its fully funded, industry-accredited training programme.
The programme is open to young creatives aged 18 to 35 with a passion for the screen industry. Applicants may hold qualifications in film, television, media, drama, or related creative disciplines or possess one to two years of industry experience. A formal film degree is not required.
Participants will be exposed to a structured 12-month programme across key areas, including scriptwriting, production management, directing, cinematography, editing, sound, and various post-production specialities, gaining experience in bringing stories to life. The programme is fully funded, covering tuition, production costs, and monthly stipends, allowing participants to focus entirely on developing their craft.
MTF operates academies across four African cities: Johannesburg (South Africa), Nairobi (Kenya), Lagos (Nigeria), and Lusaka (Zambia), ensuring a diverse pool of talent is trained to contribute to the growth of Africa’s film and television industry.
The initiative was established in 2018 by MultiChoice Group, a CANAL+ company, to discover and nurture the next generation of storytellers by providing access to mentorship, technical training, and real-world production experience in film and television.
Almost 300 filmmakers have been trained by MTF, with participants producing over 42 movies during the programme. These projects are broadcast on DStv and GOtv channels, including Maisha Magic, Zambezi Magic, and Africa Magic. MTF graduates have earned nominations and awards at major platforms such as the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), Uganda Film Festival, and Women in Film Awards. Alumni also collaborate in global creative spaces, including the European Film Market and Durban FilmMart.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigeria and the United Kingdom have forged new pathways aimed at tapping into the growing global creative economy.
The UK, through the British Council, will help Nigeria build stronger systems, infrastructure and professional capability to unlock opportunities in the sector.
The collaboration will support the development of creative systems and partnerships by focusing on artistic collaboration, creative infrastructure, institutional capacity, skills development and exchange.
This is an offshoot of the two-day state visit to the UK by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday and Thursday. The President returned to Nigeria on Friday.
The deal with the UK concerning the creative industry aims to deliver practical, long-term value through stronger partnerships and technical cooperation.
The sector is recognised as a key engine for job creation and foreign exchange earnings, with explicit targets to increase the value of creative industries and strengthen infrastructure, digital integration, and international market access.
In the UK, the creative industries are recognised as one of the country’s highest-growth sectors, supported through government funding, investment incentives, and industrial strategy to boost innovation, skills development, export growth, and international partnerships.
Already, the Nigerian government has articulated a comprehensive vision to grow its creative economy through initiatives such as the Nigeria Destination 2030 creative economy framework, skills development priorities, strategic policy reforms, and fostering public–private partnerships aimed at scaling creative business outputs and increasing global competitiveness.
Through one of the partnerships between both nations, the UK/Nigeria Bilateral Season, there would be a focus on strengthening creative systems and production infrastructure, including the adoption of emerging technology; supporting skills development and leadership across arts, culture and education sectors; improving access to UK and international markets through structured mobility pathways and industry engagement, and enabling UK and Nigerian creative institutions to form lasting partnerships that continue beyond the Season.
Activities will take place across both countries in 2028, following two years of partner engagement involving visiting delegations and programme incubation, unlocking resources in both countries to catalyse greater cultural collaboration.
The other arm of the collaboration is the launch of the British Council SCALE UK-NG Creatives Entrepreneurs Award Programme (2027/28)
The British Council and the Department for Business and Trade will partner on the new SCALE (Supporting Creative Acceleration, Leadership & Exports) Programme.
SCALE will enhance international connections and export readiness, supporting both the Nigerian and UK creative economy growth and trade.
The Award and associated fast-track training programme will draw on a decade of learning gained from the delivery of the British Council Young Creative Entrepreneurs Programme and from DBT’s sector expertise and network of investors.
“Culture has an amazing power to bring people together. When we work together, we open our eyes to new creative possibilities and build opportunities to grow our creative sectors.
“With the UK being home to the largest Nigerian diaspora in Europe, we’re perfectly placed to make the most of these opportunities.
“So many of our brightest stars have shared heritage across Nigeria and Britain, and I look forward to these cultural bonds only growing stronger through the joint Season of Culture in 2028, the UK’s Arts Minister, Ian Murray, said.
Also commenting, the Country Director for British Council Nigeria, Donna McGowan, said, “The UK/ NG Season will involve a range of innovative initiatives to be designed by diverse UK and Nigeria creative organisations, with activity taking place in both countries.
“SCALE is a transformative initiative that aims to empower the next generation of Nigerian creatives.
“By fostering innovation and providing vital resources, we are not only investing in individual talents but also strengthening the cultural and economic ties between the UK and Nigeria.”
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