Kemi Omotosho: MultiChoice's Business Transcends Entertainment, Fuels Nigerian Creative Economy

MultiChoice Nigeria's business has expanded significantly beyond entertainment, positioning itself as a key contributor to Nigeria's burgeoning creative economy, according to CEO Kemi Omotosho. After more than three decades in the country, the company has evolved from merely distributing content to becoming an integral part of a wider ecosystem that includes producers, actors, production crews, dealers, and small businesses.

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When people turn on DStv or GOtv, they see the finished product. What they don’t always see is the entire Nigerian ecosystem behind that screen

"When people turn on DStv or GOtv, they see the finished product. What they don’t always see is the entire Nigerian ecosystem behind that screen," Omotosho explained. She emphasized that MultiChoice is actively investing in Nigerian people, businesses, and infrastructure, fostering the growth of the nation's creative sector. This local orientation is crucial, as Omotosho noted that strategies successful elsewhere cannot simply be replicated in the Nigerian market.

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We are not just distributing content; we are investing in the people, businesses and infrastructure that help Nigeria’s creative economy grow

The company's integration into the global media group CANAL+ in September 2025 is expected to provide MultiChoice Nigeria with enhanced scale, technology, content, and international expertise. However, Omotosho stressed that the company will retain its distinctively Nigerian focus, describing it as "a deeply Nigerian business with the strength of a global group behind it." Platforms like Big Brother Naija and the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, along with the MultiChoice Talent Factory initiative, are testaments to this commitment to showcasing and developing Nigerian and African talent and stories.

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I would describe MultiChoice Nigeria as a deeply Nigerian business with the strength of a global group behind it

Omotosho also highlighted the company's efforts to combat piracy, linking it directly to the protection of the broader creative economy. She argued that piracy not only harms MultiChoice but also impacts producers, actors, and numerous workers whose livelihoods depend on the commercial value of content. In collaboration with the Nigerian Copyright Commission and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, MultiChoice is working to curb piracy and raise public awareness about its detrimental effects.

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Nigeria is not a market where you can simply take something that works elsewhere and assume it will work here