Kaye-Ann Williams to head up Netflix Africa's content as head of scripted films and series

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix has appointed South Africa's Kaye-Ann Williams as director of scripted content for Netflix Africa and she will join from February to oversee the video streaming service's scripted films and series in sub-Sahara Africa.

There is no word yet on how Kaye-Ann Williams' new role at Netflix aligns and fits in with what Dorothy Ghettuba has been doing at Netflix Africa. Dorothy Ghettuba's who is on leave is the director of content for Africa at Netflix.

Kaye-Ann Williams joins Netflix Africa from Primedia Studios where she was the vice president of content for a few months since the middle of 2024.

Before Primedia Studios Kaye-Ann Williams was the head of scripted series and movies at Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video for South Africa, until Amazon abruptly axed the unit at the beginning of last year.

Before that, Kaye-Ann Williams worked for several years at MultiChoice and M-Net overseeing series and film development and commissioning.

Besides the situation around Dorothy Ghettuba, Netflix also recently lost David Karanja who oversaw Netflix Africa's licensing of original content, as well as Tendeka Matatu who also exited the video streamer after three years where he was director of local language films.

Kaye-Ann Williams will be reporting into Ben Amadasun, Netflix vice president of Middle East & Africa content.

"I'm delighted to welcome Kaye-Ann to the team as we strengthen our long-term commitment to African storytelling," says Ben Amadasun, in a prepared quote.

"Kaye-Ann is a true champion of world-class storytelling and has worked with the best creative talent in South Africa, helping them to create some of the most ambitious projects on African television."

"I look forward to working alongside her to further build on the wonderful work the team has done so far to deliver compelling stories from Africa and to nurture our many local creative partnerships."

Bizarrely, the American trade website Deadline.com branded Netflix's general press release on Friday about Kaye-Ann Williams and Ben Amadasun's quote - something which is a basic executive appointment, announced through a press statement emailed out - an "exclusive".

The South African website Bizcommunity.com similarly slapped a ridiculous "exclusive" on Friday on exactly the same press release sent to Bizcommunity and other media by Netflix about Kaye-Ann Williams.

Besides the ridiculousness of two different places claiming "exclusive" over exactly the same Netflix appointment media announcement - which obviously can't both be true - is also the hilarious notion that a general press release that media didn't do any work for but was an emailed hand-out, can ever qualify as any kind of so-called "exclusive".

Third season of Netflix Africa's crass-spicuous consumption reality show Young, Famous & Africa set for 17 January without Bonang Matheba

by Thinus Ferreira

A third season of Netflix Africa's reality show mixing crass conspicuous consumption with conflict, Young, Famous & African, will be released on the streaming service on 17 January - but without Bonang Matheba who joined last season.

According to a press release from Netflix South Africa's PR agency, newly-added participants in the third season include Kefilwe Mabote (South African influencer), Ini Edo (Nigerian star) and entrepreneur Shakib Lutaaya (entrepreneur).

These three join the returning participants Zari Hassan, Swanky Jerry, Annie Macaulay-Idibia, Diamond Platnumz, Naked DJ, Kayleigh Schwark, Fantana, Luis Munana, Nadia Nakai and Khanyi Mbau for a third season that has 8 episodes.

South Africa's Bonang Matheba is not part of the third season of Netflix's Young, Famous & African and no reason for her exit has been given.

"Eight episodes pull back the curtains on fractured marriages, fragile friendships and fresh connections. It all ends in premium tears," states Netflix SA.

Young, Famous & African produced by Urban Brew Studios and Apop Media was created by Peace Hyde and Martin Asare Amankwa, with Adelaide Joshua-Hill, Martin Asare-Amankwa and Peace Hyde as executive producers, and Jwalane Letaba as showrunner.

Wesley Makgamatha is the director.

Netflix Africa holds 'Lights, Camera ... Naija!' showcase in Nigeria to display Nollywood film biz potential.

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix held a Nigerian content showcase in Lagos on Sunday evening under the header of "Lights, Camera ... Naija!" that had the Nigerian entertainer and comedian Basketmouth as host.

According to Netflix Africa, the aim of the event was to showcase the talent and content of Nollywood - as Nigeria's film industry is also known as - and to put the potential that the country's film and TV industry has, on display.

"Lights, Camera ... Naija!" was billed as a celebration of the Nollywood, Kannywood and Yoruba industry and the stakeholders, producers and actors contributing to its growth.

Netflix has ramped up its financial investment in the West African country over the past few years, producing more and more content for the global streaming service aimed at a Nigerian and pan-African audience.

Sunday's invited Nigerian stars included Bimbo Ademoye, RMD, Bolanle Ninalowo, Lateef Adedimeji, Mo Bimpe, Chidi Mokeme, Odunlade Adekola, Bisola Aiyeola, Kunle Afolayan, Kunle Remi and others.

It's not known what content and information Netflix shared at the "Lights, Camera ... Naija!" which wasn't streamed, or what was said there. No press release or press materials were shared. 

By Monday afternoon Netflix and its PR company in South Africa, Eclipse Communications, didn't respond to media queries made since over the weekend seeking clarity over Sunday's upcoming event.

On Saturday and all through Sunday TVwithThinus reached out to Marang Setshwaelo, Netflix's publicity director for sub-Saharan Africa, on email, WhatsApp and calls about the streamer's "Lights, Camera ... Naija!" event in Nigeria but by Monday afternoon there's been no response.

Amazon Prime Video does first Nigerian original commissions for Gangs of Lagos and LOL: Last One Laughing Naija, enables payment in local naira currency.

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Prime Video on Friday announced that the global streaming service has commissioned its first Nigerian original film, Gangs of Lagos as well as a local series version of LOL: Last One Laughing Naija, whilst enabling Nigerians to now pay in the local Naija currency for the service.

Gangs of Lagos as a film will be released on Amazon Prime Video later this year and LOL: Last One Laughing Naija as a series will be released on Amazon Prime Video in 2023.

Amazon Prime Video Nigeria describes Gangs of Lagos as a "high-stakes, gritty, and hard-hitting action crime-thriller, with an authentic storyline centred on a group of friends who each have to navigate destiny, growing up on the bustling streets and neighbourhood of Isale Eko, Lagos".

Amazon says Gangs of Lagos will "feature elaborate set pieces, action scenes, and engaging dialogue, balanced out by its high-octane pace and an emotionally grounded story at its core".

Gangs of Lagos stars Tobi Bakre, Adesua Etomi-Wellington, and Chiké, is directed and produced by Jade Osiberu, produced by Kemi Lala Akindoju and co-produced by Akin Omotoso also producing original content for Netflix Africa.

LOL: Last One Laughing Naija is an unscripted series, where a group of comedians compete to be the "last one laughing".

The show has Basketmouth as presenter, who will pit 10 famous Nigerian comedians against one another to see who will ultimately win by trying to make their opponents laugh and lose.

LOL: Last One Laughing Naija is filmed and produced in Nigeria, and produced by Livespot360. It follows the success of the Amazon Prime Video global format already launched in Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, India, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, and will launch in 2023.

The unscripted series will showcase authentic Nigerian comedy from top Nigerian comedic talent, and will launch next year on Amazon Prime Video worldwide.

Both local productions build on recent film deals made by Amazon Prime Video, including an exclusive commissioning slate deal with Nemsia Films for three feature films, beginning with Breath of Life, launching next year. 

Other exclusive licencing agreements include deals with Nigerian production studios Inkblot Studios as well as Anthill Studios, bringing Amazon Prime Video customers exclusive access to their movies after theatrical release, such as King of Thieves, Superstar, Progressive Tailors Club, Bad Comments, and Badamasi, which are currently available to watch.

"We're delighted to be increasing our investment in Amazon Prime Video for customers in Nigeria, making it a truly localised experience," says Josh McIvor, director of international expansion at Amazon Prime Video, in a statement released on Friday.

"From local payment and a full-scale local marketing campaign, to more local content specifically for Nigerian customers, our investment in Nigeria is a significant step towards our broader expansion plans in Africa and our ambition to be the most local of global streaming services."

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, head of Nigerian Originals at Amazon Prime Video and who joinedAmazon recently after jumping unannounced from MultiChoice Africa as yet another high-profile top executive exit from the pan-African satellite pay-TV service, says in the statement that "We know our customers want to see locally relevant faces, places, and stories alongside our global content on Prime Video, so we're excited to be bringing Nigerian customers these brand-new Local Amazon Originals, Gangs of Lagos and LOL: Last One Laughing Naija, which will complement our growing selection of Nollywood and African series and movies".

"The news signals our continued commitment to the Nigerian TV and film industry, bringing the very best of authentic, homegrown stories to not only our customers in Nigeria, but also Amazon Prime Video members around the world."

ALSO READ: Gideon Khobane exits MultiChoice for Amazon as next high-profile exec to leave the pay-TV operator.

ALSO READ: MultiChoice Africa and M-Net also lost its top West Africa content boss Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu who jumped to Amazon Prime Video as head of Nigerian Originals.

Former Uber West Africa boss Ebi Atawodi jumps to Netflix as its director of payments for the Africa, Europe and Middle East region.

by Thinus Ferreira

Ebi Atawodi, Uber Nigeria's former general manager for the West African region, has been appointed by Netflix as director of payments for Netflix's Africa, Europe and Middle East (EMEA) region, a region that currently has 66.7 million subscribers.

Announcing her appointment as Netflix EMEA director of payments on LinkedIn, Ebi Atawodi wrote that "Anyone who knows me knows I'm obsessed with Netflix – the culture, the product, the impact it has had on the art of storytelling. Excited to be joining Netflix as director of payments [Europe, the Middle East and Africa] and can't wait to do the 'best work of my life' ".

In her new role, Ebi Atawodi will work to streamline, adapt and integrate Netflix's payment system not just for consumers in South Africa and across the African market, but she will likely also work with telecom and pay-TV partners like Telkom and MultiChoice who have already integrated the video streaming service as an add-on app that their customers can sign up for besides the main services.

Ebi Atawodi joins notable other Africans working for and representing Netflix's interests in Africa, including Dorothy Ghettuba as the programming head of Netflix Originals for Africa, Ben Amadasun as Netflix's director of licensing and co-productions in Africa, as well as Marang Setshwaelo who is Netflix's publicity director for the sub-Saharan Africa region working from Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Ebi Atawodi worked for Uber for 6 years, starting in 2014 as Uber's general manager for Lagos where she expanded the availability of the ride-sharing service in around Nigeria's largest cities like Lagos and Abuja, as well as across the West African region, and spearheaded the introduction of cash payments..

She eventually became Uber's general manager for West Africa. 

Ebi Atawodi became Uber's product manager for global payments in February 2017 just a year after Netflix launched across Africa in 2016 where it is now competing with MultiChoice's Showmax, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video and a growing list of video streamers available on the continent.

Ebi Atawodi jumps to Netflix in Amsterdam from Uber's office in Amsterdam where she was the senior product manager at Uber worldwide, leading the Uber's Amsterdam money product team.

Previously she was the head of corporate communications at Etisalat, one of the main telecommunications companies in Nigeria.

During her career, Ebi Atawodi has worked with various companies such as Nokia, GlaxoSmithKline and First Bank of Nigeria and holds a B.Sc in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nottingham and M.Sc in Computing Science from Imperial College London.

Netflix currently has just under 2 million subscribers in Africa according to the latest market research, ahead of Showmax with 688 000 (including DStv subscribers who get it as a free add-on).

In January 2021 Netflix reached 203.7 million paying subscribers when it surpassed the 200 million subscriber mark for the first time, and noted that it expects the EMEA region with its current 66.7 million subscribers to surpass North America by sometime around 2023 or 2024.

ALSO READ: Netflix passes the 200 million subscriber mark globally with 203 million subs, teases renewal for its Bridgerton period drama from Shondaland.

Netflix announces its next Netflix African original with South African dance drama JIVA! from showrunner Busisiwe Ntintili and produced by Blue Ice Africa starring Noxolo Dlamini.

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix has commissioned another South African original drama series, JIVA! as part of its growing slate of Netflix African originals, following the dance trials and tribulations of the Durban working class girl Ntombi fighting off rivals and battling family problems to succeed in the country's cutthroat performing arts industry. 

JIVA! will be produced by Cape Town based production team Blue Ice Africa with Busisiwe Ntintili, Adam Friedlander and Tebogo Maila as executive producers and was created by Busisiwe Ntintili of The Ntintili Factory who will serve as showrunner.

Busisiwe Ntintili is an award-winning writer, director and producer with 20 years of television and film under her belt, including the drama series Intersexions and the box office film Happiness is a Four Letter Word.

Scottnes L. Smith (Hear Me Move, There's A Bluebird In My Heart, Long Street), the award-winning Director Mandla Dube (Kalushi) and the award-winning director Mmambatho Montsho (Emoyeni, Lockdown) will join the directing team of JIVA!. 

Bontle Modiselle, dancer, actor and radio personality and Tom London, founder of South Africa’s dance crew Soweto’s Finest, join the creative team as JIVA!'s choreographers.

The JIVA! cast includes Noxolo Dlamini in the lead role of Ntombi, Candice Modiselle, Sne Mbatha, Stella Dlangalala, Zazi Kunene, Anga Makubalo, Given Stuurman, Ntuthuzelo Grootboom, Zamani Mbatha and veteran actor Tony Kgoroge.

Netflix describes JIVA! as "a fun and energy-packed drama series that follows the life of the talented street dancer Ntombi, who while juggling the demands of a dead end job, family responsibility and a rocky love life realises that her dance moves could be her ticket out of her working class neighbourhood in Durban. But first, she must overcome her fears, beat her rivals and sort out the chaos that is her family."

JIVA! is the next African and South African commission for Netflix under the management of Dorothy Ghettuba who took up the position to head up the commissioning of Netflix's African originals in mid-2019 and who is tasked to expand Netflix's content slate from the African continent from Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Earlier this week Netflix announced a second season pickup for the lukewarm received.drama series Queen Sono headlined by Pearl Thusi and produced by Diprente with director Kagiso Lediga.

Other Netflix African originals in production include its first-ever Nigerian produced, as-yet-untitled 6-episode supernatural series, is first-ever African animation series Mama K's Team 4, and the completed, Cape Town, South African set youth drama Blood & Water that will launch in May 2020.