Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      Vodacom, Maziv deal now looks likely after CompCom U-turn

      8 July 2025

      Icasa publishes new draft regulations for digital TV

      8 July 2025

      Fast-growing Beira port to get private mobile network

      8 July 2025

      MultiChoice hit with multimillion-rand fine for privacy ‘breaches’

      8 July 2025

      Still in play: Ramaphosa banks on talks to ease US tariff blow

      8 July 2025
    • World

      Cupertino vs Brussels: Apple challenges Big Tech crackdown

      7 July 2025

      Grammarly acquires e-mail start-up Superhuman

      1 July 2025

      Apple considers ditching its own AI in Siri overhaul

      1 July 2025

      Jony Ive’s first AI gadget could be … a pen

      30 June 2025

      Bumper orders for Xiaomi’s YU7 SUV heighten threat to Tesla

      27 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Siemens is battling Big Tech for AI supremacy in factories

      24 June 2025

      The algorithm will sing now: why musicians should be worried about AI

      20 June 2025

      Meta bets $72-billion on AI – and investors love it

      17 June 2025

      MultiChoice may unbundle SuperSport from DStv

      12 June 2025

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025
    • TCS

      TCS | Connecting Saffas – Renier Lombard on The Lekker Network

      7 July 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E4: Takealot’s big Post Office jobs plan

      4 July 2025

      TCS | Tech, townships and tenacity: Spar’s plan to win with Spar2U

      3 July 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on the latest and greatest cloud technologies

      27 June 2025

      TCS+ | First Distribution on data governance in hybrid cloud environments

      27 June 2025
    • Opinion

      In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

      30 June 2025

      E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

      30 June 2025

      South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

      17 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Singapore soared – why can’t we? Lessons South Africa refuses to learn

      13 June 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CambriLearn
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SevenC
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Top » Nigeria’s iRoko raises millions for expansion

    Nigeria’s iRoko raises millions for expansion

    By Staff Reporter25 January 2016
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    iRoko CEO Jason Njoku
    iRoko CEO Jason Njoku

    African mobile and Internet television pioneer iRoko on Monday announced it has concluded multiple deals worth a combined US$19m (about R312m) to secure new content for its platform and raise additional funding.

    The Lagos, Nigeria-headquartered start-up said the French media giant Canal+ and existing investor, Swedish investment company Kinnevik AB, are investing further money to help it expand.

    Canal+ Overseas president Jacques du Puy will join the iRoko board as part of the Canal+ investment.

    “iRoko will channel the investment into local content financing and production, as well as its product and engineering teams in Lagos and New York,” the company said in a statement.

    “The ambition is to produce at least 300 hours of original content in 2016, with the expectation of doubling that by 2018.”

    iRoko said this will allow it to build on an “already extensive catalogue” of African content.

    iRoko has previously raised $25m from international investors, including Tiger Global, Kinnevik and Rise Capital.

    CEO and co-founder Jason Njoku said iRoko will use the additional capital to target the millions of Africans expected to come online via mobile in the coming years, providing access to a wide range of Nigerian film industry, or “Nollywood”, content.

    “Mobile phone subscriptions in Africa are almost at 1bn and, by 2019, it is predicted that smartphone handsets, with which viewers can watch content, will make up 73% of the continent’s devices,” Njoku said in the iRoko statement.

    “The challenges surrounding mobile TV in Africa are mighty, but not insurmountable. It’s human to be entertained and to connect over community, and we are obsessed with creating Africa’s largest community around local content,” he said.

    iRoko said Nollywood is the world’s second largest film industry in terms of output, employs about a million people and contributes about 1% of Nigeria’s GDP.  — (c) 2016 NewsCentral Media



    iRoko Jacques du Puy Jason Njoku Kinnevik Rise Capital Tiger Global
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleWikipedia has a PR problem
    Next Article SA’s ReWare promises iPhones for the masses

    Related Posts

    Tiger Global-backed start-up joins Africa’s super-app race

    30 June 2023

    PriceCheck parent buys Nigeria’s TopCheck

    8 February 2017

    E-commerce foes click with merger deal

    12 October 2014
    Company News

    Huawei South Africa Partners Forum 2025: joining hands for a digital, intelligent future

    8 July 2025

    Powering South Africa’s industrial intelligence with Huawei Cloud’s AI-native innovations

    8 July 2025

    Rain launches a new way to connect. It’s a loop

    8 July 2025
    Opinion

    In defence of equity alternatives for BEE

    30 June 2025

    E-commerce in ICT distribution: enabler or disruptor?

    30 June 2025

    South Africa pioneered drone laws a decade ago – now it must catch up

    17 June 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.