By Ayo Onikoyi

 Oye Akideinde, Head of Digital Products and Innovation at Airtel Nigeria, along with other esteemed panelists, engaged in insightful discussions on core issues surrounding local content distribution at the recent Omniverse 2024 Summit held at Landmark Event Centre, Lagos.

During the summit, the panel, hosted by Beat FM music conference in association with the African Music Summit, delved into the topic: “Local Business Platforms, Global Impact: Redefining the Creative Industry.”

Drawing parallels between local and international content distribution companies, the panelists emphasized the need for disruptive strategies to enable local content distributors to compete effectively in the global market.

The distinguished panelists included Oye Akideinde, Bizzle Oshikoya of The Plug, Moses Babatope of FilmOne, and Samaila Dogara of SeedFi, representing thought leadership across the tech, finance, and creative sectors.

Samaila Dogara highlighted the economic disparities between local and international distribution companies, particularly within the film and music industries. He underscored the challenges faced by local distribution companies in accessing funding compared to their international counterparts.

Oye Akideinde echoed Dogara’s sentiments, emphasizing the hurdles encountered by local distribution companies in competing with international giants. He cited issues such as funding constraints, exchange rate disparities, and the advanced financial capabilities of international companies.

Airtel Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to supporting creatives and innovators in Nigeria. Oye Akideinde reiterated the brand’s dedication to collaborating with talents across the country.

He said: “At Airtel, we are continually seeking to forge collaborative partnerships that foster co-creation. We are open to a myriad of innovative possibilities, from content creators who wish to feature their work on Airtel TV, to app developers eager to leverage our Smartcash payment solutions.”

The discussions at the Omniverse 2024 Summit underscored the importance of addressing challenges and implementing innovative solutions to empower local content distribution within the creative industry.