Showbiz
Meet the MultiChoice Talent Factory West Africa Class of 2024
MultiChoice is proud to welcome the latest cohort of 20 young and passionate filmmakers to its MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) West Africa Academy in Lagos, as the MTF Class of 2024 starts its fully funded, year-long course of training in film and television. The students consisting of a diverse group of males and females from Nigeria and Ghana, were chosen after a rigorous six-week selection process of interviews and adjudication by film and television experts, as well as regional academy directors.
The MTF West Africa Academy is one of three on the continent, where students spend 12 months in workshops, lectures and masterclasses, gaining skills in screenwriting, editing, various elements of production, directing and the business of film, amongst others. These are done through rich theoretical training and immersive experience working on TV and film productions, all geared to broadening their skill sets and empowering them to work in various creative disciplines – not only the film industry.
Speaking at the welcome session held for the 2024 cohort, the CEO of West Africa, MultiChoice; John Ugbe, encouraged the new intakes to take a firm hold of the opportunities open to them. According to Ugbe, “Start this journey with an open mind ready to unlearn old ways and learn the value that the structure of the MTF provides. The MTF Academy presents you with priceless opportunities for access and resources with which you can grow and expand the horizons of your careers”.
Also speaking at the session, MTF West Africa Academy Director, Atinuke Ngozi Babatunde said, “Every year, a new set of MTF graduates are released into the West African film and television industry, and they inject fresh ideas, energy, and enthusiasm into the local creative sector,”. Last year, our students achieved great success, with some already entering negotiations with Africa Magic to show their films on the channel. We are proud to be shaping Africa’s creative industries and excitedly look forward to working with this year’s cohort”
Since its establishment in 2018, the MTF Academies across Africa have produced over 200 qualified young filmmakers, who are now taking African stories to the world. An MTF survey found that around 92% of MTF Academy graduates go on to work in the creative sector. “As Africa’s most loved storyteller, MultiChoice sees the MTF Academy as an investment in our business and the future of our industry,” says Babatunde. “Many MTF graduates later join MultiChoice productions, while others start their businesses and become our partners and suppliers in the industry.”
The rich experience at the MTF is made possible through partnerships. In West Africa, the MTF Academy curriculum is designed in partnership with one of Nigeria’s most prestigious universities – the Pan Atlantic University (PAU) in Lagos, which confers qualifications to students upon completion of the programme. On the international scene, partnerships with the world-renowned New York Film Academy (NYFA) and Zee World, one of Nigeria’s most loved Bollywood channels, contribute to significantly enriching the learning experience of MTF students. The final stage of the course sees students developing feature films for broadcast on MultiChoice’s local channels and Showmax.
This year’s MTF Academy intake follows in the footsteps of several highly successful cohorts of students who have won awards, had their work shown on major platforms and gone on to great career success. Three productions from the MTF Class of 2023 students – The Delectable Azeezah Sama, Dark Echoes, and With Love from Bayelsa – received nominations at international film festivals. Many alumni have commissioning discussions with Akwaaba Magic and Africa Magic while several others work on Africa Magic productions.
“We welcome this year’s MTF students to the MultiChoice family,” says Babatunde, “and look forward to thoroughly equipping them to take African stories to the world, and produce relevant, hyperlocal content for markets across the continent.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A 12-hour non-stop entertainment event offering various performances and activities all night long will take place in Lagos from the evening of December 21 into the early hours of December 22, 2025.
This programme known as InsomniaQ, is being put together by one of Africa’s leading digital payments platforms, Quickteller.
Quickteller is a brand powered by the Interswitch Group, and InsomniaQ was created to celebrate African creativity.
The all-night music and entertainment experience will hold at the Ballroom of the Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island.
It is designed to capture the vibrancy and cultural energy that define Lagos in December. InsomniaQ is positioned to become Africa’s newest must-attend December destination.
The concert blends diverse African soundscapes, creative expression, and immersive lifestyle experiences, offering a night curated for music lovers, diaspora returnees, cultural enthusiasts, and everyone drawn to the city’s festive season.
More than a concert, InsomniaQ represents a new cultural moment, one that celebrates the richness, depth, and diversity of African talent. With a lineup cutting across contemporary and alternative genres, the festival aims to introduce a bold, fresh, and unforgettable experience within Lagos’ already vibrant entertainment landscape.
“InsomniaQ is an invitation to celebrate African creativity in a way that feels bold, fresh, and true to who we are.
“Quickteller has always been an essential part of the experiences people value, and this festival brings that connection to life in an entirely new dimension.
“As Lagos welcomes friends, family, and visitors from around the world each December, we are proud to introduce a platform that showcases our music, our culture, and the vibrant energy that defines this season,” the Divisional Head of Growth Marketing for Quickteller Ecosystem at Interswitch, Mr Olawale Akanbi, noted.
Through Quickteller, Interswitch continues to champion initiatives that go beyond digital transactions to enrich the everyday life of millions of Nigerians.
InsomniaQ extends this mission by empowering cultural expression, unlocking creative opportunities, and supporting the continent’s growing entertainment ecosystem.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The quartet of Oyindamola Timothy (Fashion), Steve Adeyemo (Tech), Uche Kalu (Dance), and Emmanuel Elijah (Music) emerged the category winners of the Stanbic IBTC FUZE Talent Show 4.0.
They received N10 million each for their efforts, along with mentorship opportunities, industry exposure, and support to advance their creative journeys.
The four were chosen from the 12 finalists at an event aired on Sunday, December 14, 2025, on AIT (DStv Channel 253) at 7:00 pm, Africa Magic Showcase (DStv Channel 151) at 5:00 pm, and streamed live on the official Stanbic IBTC YouTube channel, connecting millions of viewers to the excitement and energy of the show.
The 2025 edition drew over 6,000 entries nationwide and continued to inspire a new wave of innovation among young Nigerians in fashion, technology, dance, and music. The participants fought for a share of the N90 million in prizes put up by the organisers.
This year, the FUZE Talent Show also introduced an exciting new twist: The Fan Favourite Feature, which allowed viewers across the country to vote for the contestant who most inspired them. This addition deepened audience participation and further strengthened FUZE’s mission to connect creativity with community support.
“FUZE 4.0 truly lived up to its promise as The Ultimate Show, a platform that celebrates courage, creativity, and innovation.
“Every contestant who graced that stage reminded us of the extraordinary potential of Nigerian youths.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we are proud to continue creating opportunities that help young people dream bigger, think bolder, and achieve more. It is all about home-grown talent for us as we power the made-in-Nigeria initiative,” the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr Chuma Nwokocha, said.
As excitement builds for FUZE Festival coming up on Saturday, December 20, 2025, attendees can anticipate experiencing this year’s edition theme The Ultimate Show in full, with circus-style attractions, from magicians and parade performers to flash mobs and art displays.
An expanded marketplace, freebies from participating partners and on-site Stanbic IBTC services will enhance convenience, while performances by Wande Coal, Pheelz, Chike, and Ms DSF will add a nostalgic, high-energy finish. Interested attendees can register to attend via the Stanbic IBTC Events App or visit www.events.stanbicibtc.com to secure their spot.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The 2019 single released by Nigerian singer, songwriter, and producer, CKay, Love Nwantiti, has officially surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
This feat has made him one of the few African artists to reach this milestone and the first Nigerian solo act to achieve this.
The song has sustained a global appeal, with listeners from the United States, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and the United Kingdom playing it in the last 28 days alone, a proof of the track’s staying power well beyond its viral peak.
This achievement places CKay in an elite group of African artists with billion-stream records on Spotify, which includes hits driven by collaborations with Nigerian artists, such as Drake’s One Dance (featuring Wizkid and Kyla), Future’s Wait For U (featuring Drake and Tems), and Rema’s Calm Down (featuring Selena Gomez), and solo song Water, by Tyla.
Love Nwantiti was released on CKay’s EP titled CKay the First. It began as a slow-burn masterpiece that captured a global audience. It then broke out by blending the grooving rhythm of Afrobeats with an emotional feeling and an entrancing melody, a sound CKay himself pioneered and coined as Emo-Afrobeats, fusing African rhythms with raw, heartfelt emotion.
The song, which translates to sweet gentle love in the Igbo language, communicates an intense desire for a love interest. Its journey from a homegrown Nigerian track to a cultural sensation fuelled by countless dance challenges, social virality, and international remixes is proof of the widespread power of its sound.
It remains a fixture on playlists globally, with over 3.9 million playlist adds and sustained streaming momentum across continents.
CKay achieved this historic mark with a solo, non-collaborative lead release by a Nigerian artist. This distinction highlights his unique vision and singular impact as both a writer and performer, making him a true torchbearer for the new generation of African music talent.
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