Top Online Distributor of African Content Launches Global Division

African TV pioneer, iROKO (the world's largest online distributor of African content), has launched its global content distribution and licensing division, iROKO Global, at DISCOP - the most important pan-African film, television programs, adaptation rights and packaged channels market taking place twice a year. By Tambay A. Obenson

The iROKO team will license its extensive library of Nollywood films and TV series to both on and offline, across Pay TV, Internet TV, Inflight and YouTube channels.

From its HQ in London, the iROKO Global team will be partnering with media outlets in key markets, notably the UK, US and France, to license Nollywood films and TV series and develop iROKO branded channels. Leading iROKO Global's worldwide licensing division is Senior Vice President, Justine Powell, who has recently joined the company from Associated Press, where she was Director of Sales for Europe & Africa.

Speaking on the official launch, Powell says: The gains Nollywood has made in the last five years has been staggering. Building on this momentum, and giving Nollywood the international platform it deserves, iROKO Global will be making the best content the industry has to offer available to its largest audience yet.

African entertainment has, for too long, been undervalued. However, as audiences look for more diverse content, demand for the continent's most popular form of entertainment has increased, and with this new distribution division, we are bringing the best of Nollywood to millions more fans around the world, across all platforms.

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Jason Njoku, iROKO Founder & CEO adds: Leading viewers to what they love is our ethos and what has underpinned this decision to move into content distribution. As the very nature of home entertainment and content consumption is changing, so must content distribution. Since 2011, we've connected with hundreds of thousands of Nollywood fans through our consumer platform, iROKOtv.com, but now is the time to extend our reach and showcase our content to millions more.

Having forensically tracked the growth of interest in African content across the globe, we predict that iROKO Global will generate a strong revenue stream for us and will help cement our position as Africa's leading entertainment brand.

The new venture is already generating seven-figure revenues for the company and follows on from the success of iROKO's move into Linear TV, with the launch of two new TV channels on Africa's StarTimes earlier this year. iROKO Global has already signed a number of deals with partners, including Star Times, Canal, Nollywood TV, Lebara, Vox Africa, Zuku, British Airways, Emirates, The Africa Channel, South African Airways and The Nollywood Channel.

Launched in December 2010 as a YouTube channel, NollywoodLove, iROKO launched a dedicated movie platform www.irokotv.com in December 2011, after securing Series A funding from US-based Hedge Fund Tiger Global of $3Mn. It has since raised an additional $22Mn from Tiger Global, Kinnevik and RISE Capital. iROKO has offices in Lagos, London, New York and Johannesburg. Visit www.iroko.ng.

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