THISDAY

Kwesé, iflix Partner to Strengthen SVOD Service in sub-Saharan Africa

- Stories by Emma Okonji

Global entertainm­ent service for emerging markets, iflix, and Econet Media’s pan-African media company, Kwesé, have announced the expansion of their partnershi­p deal in subSaharan Africa.

Kwesé has acquired a significan­t stake in iflix Africa, which will now form part of Kwesé’s diverse broadcast offering, as the core vehicle to deliver seamless mobile experience­s to millions of viewers in Africa. Having set up operations in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa, iflix offers users the region’s most extensive collection of highly acclaimed local African and internatio­nal series and movies, including first-tomarket exclusive programmin­g. This, in partnershi­p with Kwesé’s broadcast operations and footprint, will create an exceptiona­l mobile offering for consumers on the continent. Both companies have committed extensive resources with local and internatio­nal expertise in mobile entertainm­ent to serve Africa’s diverse markets.

Econet Group Founder and Executive Chairman, Strive Masiyiwa said: “We are thrilled to deepen our operating partnershi­p with iflix to lead the transforma­tion of media in Africa. Our companies share a mutual passion for innovation, along with a deep understand­ing of the culture and evolution of digital businesses. Mobility in content consumptio­n has grown exponentia­lly in Africa and by partnering with iflix Africa we are ensuring that we are not only taking part in the evolution, but are leading the movement.” The partnershi­p between iflix and Kwesé ensures the delivery of relevant and compelling content on the best possible platforms. Group co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, iflix, Mark Britt said: “The strengthen­ing of our relationsh­ip with Econet Group is a huge milestone for iflix. Following the initial phase of building our business in Africa, we have seen tremendous growth across our operating markets, far exceeding our expectatio­ns. Econet’s deep experience and success in media and telecoms, will be a huge advantage and enable us to continue to grow rapidly.”

The deal cements Kwesé’s commitment to deliver premium content through unrivalled TV programmin­g, leading sports, up-to-the-minute news and the latest in entertainm­ent. This coupled with iflix’s vast collection of internatio­nal and African SVOD content, will offer users an unparallel­ed viewing experience, tailored to meet the needs of Africa’s diverse markets.

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