The fourth edition of Discop Africa concluded last week in Nairobi, with distributors reporting strong demand for content in the region.
80 major vendors from 25 overseas and seven African countries attended Discop Africa 4, an 8% jump in sellers’ attendance that underscores the importance of post-World Cup sub-Saharan Africa for television content and packaged TV channel exporters. Amongst the sub-Saharan African content buyers visiting, 115 of them represented 72 “Major’ sub-Saharan TV Stations and Pay-TV platforms.
Companies in attendance included the leading Indian business group Bharti, which recently completed an $11 billion acquisition of mobile operator Zain’s 42 million East African subscribers and is now looking to identify content suppliers for its future direct to home television services.
Additionally, the large turnout of Nigerian companies, 25 in total who came to Nairobi to sell and to buy content, highlighted once again the strategic importance of this country in the sub-Saharan African marketplace. “Close to 120 participants attended our country spotlight on Nigeria. For the first time, we were able to bring 95% of Nigeria’s key television players to Discop Africa,’ says Ijeoma Onah, who represents Discop markets in Nigeria,
“I am happy to see that over the last two years our DISCOP Africa attendees have been able to establish solid contacts with Africa’s key TV pioneers, who are now in a position to take the continent to the next level of television distribution.’ comments Patrick Jucaud, general manager of Basic Lead, organisers of Discop markets. “Recent initiatives such as the $1 billion private equity venture for business investment in Africa set by Bob Geldof, the former Boomtown Rats rocker turned television producer, underlines the importance of the sub-Saharan African region in the global economy and we are delighted that Discop markets continue to be at the forefront of this.’
The next Discop Africa will take place from 9 to 11 February in Accra, Ghana. As from 2011, the market will be held once a year and not twice as has been the case for the past two years.
