BET Africa unveils a new Brand Identity that honours all types of Black creative expressions and affirms that “it all happens here” with Black innovators, Black visionaries, Black talent, and Black communities.

BET Africa’s new look and feel aims to become a platform where innovators, visionaries, performers, and communities can all come together and make things happen. BET Africa reinforces their new identity as the destination for all forms of Black creative expression. This is a platform where you may learn about and express Black creativity and the power of storytelling.

For decades, BET has been at the forefront of telling stories that are relatable, relevant, entertaining, and impactful. The brand refresh brings together culture, community, and creative expression that is undoubtedly beautiful and unapologetically black.

“Successfully rebranding a content platform like ours often comes with great expectations and requires meticulous execution across the board, given our rich history and accomplishments over the years. With our enviable position as the leading global black entertainment platform, we remain confident that our audience will continue to resonate with everything we stand for regardless of our brand refresh efforts,” said Monde Twala, SVP/GM ViacomCBS Networks Africa and BET International Peer Lead.

“The Culture is forever evolving, it’s very important that BET captures this authentic creative spirit. It is also critical to provide our fans with the ability to see themselves and to provide them with something with which they can identify with. BET Africa is rooted in culture and ingenuity, and this new positioning celebrates the heartbeat and rhythm of culture and Black entertainment,” Twala concludes.

Premium tea label Lipton hosted a “Sip and Paint” event on Friday, January 21, 2022, at Tree House Garden, Lagos.

The event, which was geared towards encouraging tea consumption and building awareness around the newest addition to its product line, was hosted by radio personality and presenter, Kaylah Oniwo.

Commenting on the event, Asst. Brand Manager, Ekaterra-Zainab Abbas, said, “As much as tea-drinking is a common culture in Nigeria, we realized that a lot of people do not realize its wide-ranging benefits, particularly unsweetened tea. We hosted the Sip and Paint event to not only raise awareness about these benefits but to support the tea-drinking culture. ”

“Tea is a rich source of flavonoids. Dietary flavonoids may help maintain a healthy heart. The event enabled people to have first-hand experience of the goodness of tea, particularly Lipton Extra Strong Tea, “she added.

The event featured celebrities like Denola Grey, Toke Makinwa, Taymesan, Opeyemi Famakin, and Enioluwa, among others. Other attendees included Ekaterra’ s General Manager Africa, Chiedozie Egbuna, Country Brand Manager, Motunrayo Babalola, and R & D Lead, Africa, Kayode Oluwatoba.

Chigozie Obi, a multi-dimensional visual artist has emerged as the winner of Access Bank Art X Prize’s 2021 art competition.

The winner was awarded a N1,800,000 grant; a three-month residency at Gasworks, London; and a solo booth presentation at ART X Lagos in 2022.

The winner of the Access Bank ART X Prize 2021 was announced at the official launch of the sixth edition of ART X Lagos, which was held on the 28th of September 2021.

The multi-dimensional visual artist was selected by a jury from five shortlisted finalists, which included: Chukwudi Onwumere, Mobolaji Ogunrosoye, Nyancho NwaNri, and Omoregie Osakpolor.

Prior to the announcement, the finalists had participated in the Finalists’ Forum, a two-day intensive program designed to support their creative practice and prepare them for their final presentations to the jury.

Group Head, Corporate Communications at Access Bank Plc, Amaechi Okobi, stated that the initiative has shown that “good can come out of Nigeria, and Africa,” reaffirming that Access Bank “would continue to support the Access Bank Art X prize and Art X Lagos.”

Addressing the finalists, Okobi declared, “You’re all winners; you are all incredibly talented, so be assured that whatever happens after today, your future is bright.

“Remember that you are all ambassadors of our great country. Wherever you go, wherever you find yourself, remember that people will be looking to you as story tellers, so tell stories about where you come from.”

The winner, Chigozie Obi, showing much gratitude for the platform and expressing her joy, stated that:

“The residency is so amazing, particularly working with new materials. I am very excited about that and just connecting with people because my work is very much about human connection. I am excited about the reach; a lot of people are going to see my work. I am also excited to experiment in a new space.”

Themed “Forward Ever”, this year’s Art X Lagos edition speaks to the youth generation’s increased understanding of their role as engaged citizens, navigating their presence and trying to become active instigators in the creation of their futures.

Access Bank, Africa’s leading retail Bank, has shown great commitment to the Nigerian economy by playing a critical role in the art sector’s booming and flourishing status.

Dedicated to fostering a healthier lifestyle for Nigerians, Nigeria’s first-ever no-added-sugar malt brand, Amstel Malta Ultra, sponsored Festac half Marathon which held on October 2, 2021.

The half marathon, which is aimed at reviving the Festac legacy by promoting home-based athletics and cultivating a sense of pride and community among locals, had a total of 650 registered participants from across Nigeria. All the athletes were required to provide medical reports before running the race, which started at exactly 8am.

Speaking of their support for the race, Senior Brand Manager Amstel Malta, Aminah Jagun, said, “The Festac Half Marathon is in line with our ambition to promote a healthy lifestyle for Nigerians not only through our products but also through our support for homegrown sporting activities.

“We are glad to see the number of participants who signed up to be a part of the race and the excitement this brings to the Festac community”.

Emerging in first place in the male category was Ismael Sajo from Cross Rivers State, who went home with five hundred thousand Naira cash. Jigak Monday from Plateau State came in second winning three hundred thousand Naira, and Emmanuel Gyang also from Plateau State who came in third walked away with a sum of two hundred thousand Naira

For the female category, Joy Abiye David came in first place receiving a cash prize of five hundred thousand Naira. Vera Yohanna came in second winning three hundred thousand Naira, and Elizabeth Nuhu who came in third walked away with a sum of two hundred thousand Naira. Additionally, all participants who finished were rewarded with a medal.

Special guests in attendance at the event were; Chairman Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Engineer Valentine Buraimoh, his Chief of Staff, DPO Festac Town, CSP Balogun among others.

After the race, the community marathon torch was handed over to the Chairman of Eti Osa Local Government as the next community marathon is scheduled to be held in Lekki, Lagos.

Election season is almost upon us again, and the electrifying build-up grows with each day. As the countdown to the ballot box begins, the anticipation is palpable. The wave of election excitement has not missed Mary Ndlovu in BET Africa’s Original Daily Drama ISONO that airs Monday to Thursday on BET Africa (DStv Channel 129, GOtv Channel 21) at 20:30 WAT/21:30 CAT.

Mary Ndlovu, popularly known as Mother Mary, has decided that she wants to join the local government elections and run for a councillorship position in her neighbourhood. This is no doubt one of her many underhanded schemes but will the community be able to see through her plans? Since the disappearance of the man she claims to love, Mary has been riding this wave in the eyes of Vosloo’s community and uses it as a ploy to get people’s sympathy and pity. She has a knack for dodging accountability but will it catch up with her eventually? Only time will tell where her path will lead.

The idea to run for council was sparked when someone mentioned that the community needs a leader like Mary Ndlovu to run for office. After careful consideration, she settles on the idea. She decides to centre her whole campaign around fighting crime, and herein lies the irony as she has been the mastermind behind the crimes in the neighbourhood. This is the perfect cover-up for all her shady dealings and deeds.

To effectively sell the idea to the community, she will need Lili as her right-hand support, so Mary comes across as a genuine, community leader that cares about the people of Vosloorus. Her campaign is in full effect as she continues to gain support from the locals. They are in the process of developing posters and conceptualising slogans for her campaign while running it from the church, so it further instils the perfect perception in the eyes of the public. She truly is a master of deception as we witness her plotting and scheming to make this her ultimate ploy and cover-up by using politics and religion as the veil she hides her evil behind.

As the elections draw closer, Mary continues to manipulate the public into believing that she is a woman of stature that is trying to clean up the streets of Vosloorus and make it a better place. She eagerly wants to rise to the top again and rub it in the faces of her enemies and in the end, the community will lose.

Love her or hate her, but you have to appreciate Mary for her tenacity and determined will. When she has set her sights on something, she makes it her sole purpose to achieve it. Her latest endeavour promises to be one that will be compelling and thrilling as we witness her journey to the ballot box.

Will she be able to win over the hearts and minds of the community and eventually win the elections? Will she eventually be exposed for the fraud that she is and pay for her sins? To find out tune in to ISONO exclusively on BET Africa DStv channel 129, where Dark Secrets Lead to Deadly Sins, Monday to Thursday on BET Africa (DStv Channel 129) at 20:30 WAT/21:30 CAT.

For more information on BET Africa’s original local content visit www.betafrica.tv, like and chat to us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BETinAfrica, and join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram @BET_Africa.

As part of its continued commitment to advancing Nigeria’s talents, music, lifestyle and entertainment, MTV Base will be airing another edition of its quarterly music discourse, ‘Musicology’ on Thursday, 5 August at 20:00 WAT / 21:00CAT, on DStv Channel 322 and GOtv Channel 72.

Centered on the theme, “The Entertainment Industry Post-Covid; Way Forward”, this quarter’s edition will explore different aspects of the music business and proffer workable solutions to the new challenges of the music industry brought about by the pandemic.

Hosted by ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) Culture Squad icon, the enigmatic Dadaboi Ehiz, this Musicology discourse will feature gatekeepers and key players in the Nigerian entertainment industry, including – Joey Akan (Music Critic/Columnist and Pop Culture Commentator), Oyinkansola Fawehinmi (President, Digital Music Commerce and Exchange Limited), Lanre Shonubi (OAP, Hot FM), Motolani Alake (Editor, Pulse Nigeria), Titilope Adesanya (Project Manager, EMPIRE; Olamide, KiDi, Fireboy DML, Yaw Tog, Kizz Daniel, L.A.X).

“The pandemic has had a huge impact on businesses across every sector and the music industry is no exception. For this quarter’s edition of ‘Musicology’, our industry experts will be comprehensively exploring different aspects of the music business strongly affected by the pandemic and mapping out viable solutions,” said Solafunmi Sosanya, Senior Channels Manager, VCNA, on the forthcoming dialogue.

“We believe that through this conversation, entertainment industry practitioners across the continent will be armed with the requisite knowledge to take on the challenges posed by the ‘new normal’ and turn them into advantageous and indeed, profitable ventures” she concluded.

Watch previous editions here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRncuV3fVHuHXCDIqYr7ueQ

The Nigerian creative industry is rich with avalanche of opportunities, but despite these opportunities, there are still several challenges faced by stakeholders.

In response to the prevalent uncertainties that exists within the industry, entertainment powerhouse, ViacomCBS, in conjunction with AfricaNXT, recently held a virtual panel session to educate creatives on how to build a sustainable and profitable career.

Themed: Is It Possible To Build Profitable And Sustainable Careers In Today’s Creative Economy In Nigeria? and moderated by media personality – Folu Storms, the conversation featured Country Manager, ViacomCBS Network Africa, Bada Akintunde-Johnson and Inya Lawal, CEO, Ascend Studios.

Starting off the conversation, Akintunde-Johnson said that a key to “matching profit with passion is not going solo,” adding that “Behind every super star that you see is a team.

“There are people with talents and skills in different areas that ensure that every relevant superstar stays relevant,” he stated.

With the creative industry teeming with opportunities, the entertainment powerhouse chief also encouraged young people to pick up relevant skills to take advantage of the viable opportunities.

According to Bada, part of having a plan is to solve some of the problems that plague the industry, as opposed to just acknowledging that there are problems with no move to solve those problems.

“You must understand that you have everything within you to solve some of the problems,” he said.

On her part, Inya Lawal, revealed that a lack of structure is the major problem that plagues the industry. She also emphasized that creatives should not hide behind the difficulties they face as a result of these challenges.

“You need to figure things out yourself. People have different trajectories of their careers that they need to align with. And rather than playing it by ear, it is good to have a plan,” she said.

For the participants in attendance, the conversation proved to be a wholesome experience.

Running with the vision to reimagine Africa, ViacomCBS is a multimedia entertainment network that offers the most comprehensive broadcasting portfolio on the African continent, reaching over 100 million viewers across 43 African countries.

As an envoy for a reimagined Africa through content that is relevant and resonates with young audiences, ViacomCBS Networks Africa (VCNA) understands and recognises the importance of creating an environment that supports the potential of the youth on the continent. It is with this in mind that VCNA continuously aims to collaborate with partner organisations to bring education and awareness to imminent social issues like the ongoing fight against malaria in the African continent.

To help in continuing the fight against malaria, VCNA through its brand channels has partnered with the Zero Malaria Starts With Me movement in support of the Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign. This partnership aims to raise awareness of the disease, drive education, and engage youth discussion about malaria throughout Africa Day in May and Youth month in June.

VCNA youth entertainment channels will amplify and curate educational and call to action messages and content to drive mobilisation in support of eradicating malaria in Africa. As a media partner for the global Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign, VCNA has committed to providing a voice through its platforms to the campaign, which is aimed at the youth on the continent.

The network as a media partner has stated that this is the generation to end malaria and, by collectively fighting the deadly disease, the collaboration will assist in creating a world that is safer for everyone. As such, the partnership campaign will be extended across the consumer brands, youth, and children’s channels, and social platforms throughout June, which is observed as Youth Month in South Africa.

Monde Twala, Senior Vice President and General Manager at ViacomCBS Networks Africa, has expressed VCNA’s reinforcement and the need for African collaborations: “As VCNA we are inspired to continue to drive initiatives through powerful partnerships that are committed to realising a reimagined Africa which showcases the continent’s talent and drives a strong message of hope and change. The Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement embodies the vision to create an Africa where youth can realise their best potential. We look forward to amplifying positive social impact across our MTV Base, Nickelodeon and BET Africa platforms during Africa month in May and Youth Month in June.”

Following the recent joint launch of the Draw The Line Campaign with Malaria No More, MTV Base through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with VCNA will drive awareness and education on how best to reduce malaria incidences across all its platforms.

Lilies Njanga, Africa Director at Malaria No More UK said: “Young people are the future of the fight against malaria. They are the generation to eradicate this disease. We are delighted to partner with VCNA who represent the energy and voices of the next generation. Together we represent a creative force as we draw the line against malaria, and we invite young people to join us.”

Abdourahmane Diallo, CEO of RBM Partnership to End Malaria said: “Together, we can end malaria, and today’s youth can be the generation that rids the world of this ancient and deadly disease and achieve a malaria-free future for all. Today, we must all draw the line against malaria and recommit to achieving zero malaria in Africa and around the world.”

MTV Base, the youth and music channel of VCNA, will host the Africa Day virtual Concert across VCNAs’ proprietor channels BET Africa, MTV and MTV Base. The performance line-up is expected to be an explosion of fresh talent with artists from across the globe.

Viewers from across the continent can tune into the Africa Day Concert 2021 experience this Africa Day, 25th of May, on MTV Base (DStv Channel 322) at 21:00CAT/20:00WAT. The show will also repeat on BET Africa (DStv Channel 130) on Wednesday 26 May at 12:00CAT/11:00 WAT and on MTV Africa (DStv 130) Thursday 26 May at 19:00CAT.

For more information visit mtvbase or betafrica and follow the journey to the Africa Day virtual Concert on Twitter and Instagram @MTVBaseAfrica and @BET_Africa.