AFRICA Magic, the flagship channel under MultiChoice, is celebrating two decades of remarkable growth and success in shaping the African entertainment landscape. Since its inception in 2003 as a single channel primarily showcasing Nollywood movies, Africa Magic has evolved into a powerful platform featuring seven diverse channels dedicated to movies, sitcoms, soap operas, telenovelas, music, reality, and magazine shows, all designed to cater to the preferences of its African audience.
The journey of Africa Magic has been defined by relentless investment in the African entertainment industry, particularly in Nigeria, which is often considered the epicentre of the African entertainment world. The platform has not only offered support, training, and a launching pad for both budding and established talent but has also significantly contributed to the local creative industry.
Productions like Africa’s Next Top Model, The Voice Nigeria, Big Brother Naija, and the annual Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards have solidified Africa Magic’s reputation as a purveyor of premium entertainment tailored to the tastes of its audience.
Moreover, Africa Magic has been a patron of local languages, commissioning series, reality shows, programs, and films in Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and English, which have collectively generated countless hours of original content. This endeavour has injected substantial financial resources directly into the creative industry, creating thousands of jobs in various related sectors.
Notable Africa Magic series, such as Tinsel, have amassed an impressive 3,600 episodes, establishing it as Nigeria’s longest-running telenovela. The production of this series alone employs over 1,200 staff and crew. Meanwhile, the annual Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards event contributes to the creation of 3,000 direct and indirect jobs each year.
The impact of Africa Magic goes beyond its financial investments. The West Africa academy of the MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF) in Lagos is nurturing the next generation of content professionals from Nigeria and Ghana. Through initiatives like the MTF Academy, MTF MasterClass Series, and the MTF Portal, Africa Magic is shaping young filmmakers, elevating storytelling quality, and bolstering Nigeria’s global image.
The MTF alumni have transitioned into pivotal roles in major Africa Magic productions. For example, Uchenna Ugwu has served as the head writer for Africa Magic Igbo’s first commissioned TV series, Nwanyị Ike, and worked as a writer and script editor for Wura, the Nigerian adaptation of The River and Covenant.
Other MTF graduates, Horla Manuvor Jnr. and Teniola Oyelumade, have joined forces to establish ‘Gray Space,’ a company commissioned by MultiChoice Nigeria to handle live stream production for two Nigerian start-ups participating in the MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme.
The MultiChoice Africa Accelerator programme underscores MultiChoice’s commitment to enhancing social impact in Nigeria. The programme invites applications from social enterprise start-ups across Africa and concludes with a finals event in Dubai, where shortlisted start-ups present their business plans to a panel of investors.
MultiChoice Nigeria, through its contributions to the industry, has demonstrated a significant ripple effect on the economy and society. This encompasses economic and social impact, contributing to the industry’s growth and positively affecting people’s lives.
John Ugbe, CEO of West Africa at MultiChoice, affirmed the company’s dedication to improving the quality of people’s lives through entertainment. He expressed MultiChoice’s commitment to continuing to enable quality African storytelling that resonates with the audience’s interests, hopes, and aspirations.
Ugbe adds, ‘We’re all about improving the quality of people’s lives through what we do. We have been humbled to see our audiences respond to that, and we look forward to many more decades as part of the African entertainment landscape.’
As Africa Magic celebrates its 20th anniversary, it remains a powerful force in elevating African content and fostering creativity, making it an indispensable cornerstone of African entertainment.