DStv Media Sales, and the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) successfully hosted the 9th edition of their annual industry conference yesterday, May 8, 2025, at Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos.
The conference, themed “Optimise,” brought together experts to discuss the importance of optimisation, collaboration, and innovation in the media landscape as well as the latest trends and strategies for driving growth and profitability in the industry.
In her opening remarks, Doris Ohanugo, Executive Head, DStv Media Sales Nigeria, referred to the conference as one that continues to push the boundaries of media, marketing and innovation across the industry.
“This year’s theme, ‘Optimise’, may be simple in word, but it’s powerful in meaning. In today’s fast-paced landscape, optimisation is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. It’s about achieving more with less, moving faster with clarity, and creating deeper connections in a crowded landscape.” She said.
Delivering her keynote speech on the importance of a 360-degree approach in advertising, Kholeka Maringa, Head of DStv Media Sales, Africa emphasize the need for a comprehensive marketing strategy that engages consumers across multiple platforms and touchpoints.
According to her, “A 360-degree approach is a marketing strategy that involves creating a cohesive brand message across multiple channels, including TV, digital, social media, and out-of-home advertising. The goal is to meet audience reach and enhance viewer engagement by providing consistent content, technologies, intellection, and participation.
“As a leading video entertainment company, MultiChoice has built a solid reputation across Africa. With over 30 years of experience in Nigeria and a presence in 50 African countries, MultiChoice reaches over 74 million people. The company’s multichannel network includes YouTube, social media, and out-of-home platforms, accounting for an additional 10 million subscribers.
“To create a massive brand experience, the 360-degree approach involves integrating various channels, making the campaign feel more personal and engaging. This requires consistent messaging using a unified tone and messaging across all channels, as well as audience targeting and continuous optimization using data.” She added.
Maringa shared valuable data-driven insights into audience behavior using the 11th edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) as a case study. The 7-month campaign included a press conference that reached over 1 million people, a live nominee announcement, and an icons night that celebrated Nollywood legends. The event also featured the MultiChoice Talent Factory, which trained young producers and filmmakers, as well as a cultural day that celebrated Nigerian culture, then the main event, which included a red carpet and award show.
According to her, the event recorded impressive viewership numbers, with 3.3 million viewers in Nigeria and 6.7 million outside Nigeria on linear platforms. Non-linear platforms recorded 250,000 digital viewers in Nigeria, 10 million total views on video-demand, and 2.3 million social media impressions. The event also saw 10,000 attendees from the press conference to the final show, with a total of 1.8 million votes cast.
The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Fadolapo Olalekan at the event emphasized the importance of industry collaboration and media investment, highlighting its effect on the brand.
Dr. Fadolapo who was represented by Adeyinka Adebayo, Group Executive Director, OMG Central and West Africa said “Media investment is an opportunity for you to be on the issue of awareness, be on the issue of information. It’s also an opportunity for you to enhance the equity of your brand.”
He stressed the need for collaboration among industry stakeholders, including media owners, agencies, and advertisers emphasizing the importance of self-regulation, capacity building, and advocacy in creating a stable business environment. By working together, stakeholders can drive growth and profitability.
For brand owners, Adebayo highlighted the importance of prioritizing inclusive growth, competition, and efficiency. He also emphasized the need for localization, ensuring that global campaigns are tailored to local markets. This approach enables brands to resonate with their target audience and achieve their marketing objectives.
Providing practical tips on media optimization and value, Dozie Okafor, President of the Media Independent Practitioners’ Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) emphasize the need to capitalize on both TV and Digital platforms.
According to him, combining international best practices with local insights can lead to innovation tailored to our markets. Despite challenges like media fragmentation, data inaccuracies, and digital infrastructure challenges, there are opportunities for innovation, cross-industry partnerships, and increased investments in out-of-home advertising.
Nosipho Gama, Executive Head, Business Enablement, DSTV Media Sales highlighted the importance of revisiting the basics of media, specifically reach and impact. “The reach and impact equation in media is not an aesthetic one. It continues to move, it continues to evolve, and it continues to touch our viewers and ourselves in different ways.”
Using audience as a case study, Nosipho said the audience is a central point of interest for media owners, agencies, and clients. As media owners, they create content for their audiences and provide platforms that work for them, both in and out of the home. The speaker noted that their company, MultiChoice, delivers commercially viable audiences across different platforms and touchpoints.
“Audience is not just about the bigness of the audience, but it’s the quality of the audience. It’s the audience that you’re looking for. If you are selling a Maserati or you are selling cooking oil, it’s two different audiences that you’re looking for.” Nosipho said.
She also discussed the evolution of the video entertainment landscape, highlighting Nigeria’s role as a pioneer in television and digital media. They noted that the world has changed from a single screen television in the home to a world of multi-screen options, including smart TVs, laptops, projectors, tablets, and gaming consoles.
The conference gave insights, strategies, and expertise needed to stay ahead of the curve in in the marketing landscape from shifting consumer behaviors, fragmented attention spans, and tightening marketing budgets, ability to refine, recalibrate, and rise above the noise which is the greatest competitive edge.