At Africast 2025, Africa’s premier broadcast and media convergence platform held in Lagos, conversations moved beyond content creation to focus on data, trust, and cybersecurity — the new pillars of Africa’s digital media future.
Themed “Navigating the Digital Surge — Building a Resilient African Media Ecosystem for the Future,” the conference explored how accurate audience data and digital safety will shape the continent’s next phase of media growth.
Media entrepreneur Rotimi Pedro, in his presentation titled “The New Audience Currency,” highlighted the urgent need for reliable audience measurement systems that mirror the realities of modern digital consumption.
He revealed that Media Measurement Nigeria Limited (MMNL) is leading a private sector–driven initiative to build Nigeria’s first comprehensive audience measurement framework.
The project, which began with a survey of over 80,000 households, aims to track viewing habits across diverse demographics.
Pedro said the pilot phase covering 2,000 Lagos households will conclude in early 2026, ahead of a nationwide rollout by 2027.
Describing data as “the currency that sustains content and distribution,” he stressed that the system will strengthen advertising insights, content valuation, and decision-making for broadcasters.
“You cannot navigate this digital surge without data,” he said.
Representing the National Assembly, Senator Ken Emeka Eze acknowledged that Nigeria’s broadcasting laws are outdated and must evolve with the digital era.
He disclosed that a bill to amend the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Act has passed its first reading, aiming to empower the Commission to regulate online TV, streaming, and digital platforms.
“There is a lacuna in the law that hinders proper integration into the digital ecosystem,” he noted.
In a cybersecurity panel, Finnish expert Vesa Muhonen described trust as “the true currency of the digital age,” warning that no amount of technology can replace public confidence.
He emphasized that trust underpins digital systems, media platforms, and public services in an era of information overload.
Olamide Awebifa, Director of Information Security Development at CSEAN, cautioned that media organizations are increasingly targets of ransomware and data breaches.
“Many platforms focus on monetization but ignore security,” he said, urging the industry to embed cybersecurity from the design stage to prevent data exposure and intellectual property theft.
Also speaking, Gbolabo Awelewo, Chief Business Officer at Esentry, warned against deepfakes and insider threats.
He advised media professionals to adopt stronger data protection, encryption, and verification tools to detect manipulated or AI-generated content.
“Without proper security and backup, organizations risk losing everything to a single cyberattack,” he said.
Africast 2025 reaffirmed its place as a strategic forum for African broadcasters, regulators, and innovators — underscoring that the continent’s media future rests not just on creativity, but on the strength of data accuracy, cybersecurity, and public trust.
Reporting by Chioma Ezike