Tajuddeen Adepetu is not just a media executive—he’s a media architect with a legacy built on foresight, execution and scale. With over two decades at the helm of Africa’s most influential platforms, Adepetu has shaped how millions experience music, fashion, drama, news, and culture. As CEO of Group8, he leads a media-tech powerhouse that spans television, radio, and digital innovation. Vanessa Obioha was among a group of journalists who had a rare and unfiltered conversation with the man who has quietly done the work—building platforms, creating jobs, and advancing digital media long before it became a national agenda. His insights reflect deep industry experience, a clear understanding of global trends and a firm belief that Nigeria can still lead—if it chooses to act with clarity and urgency.
Your name has been synonymous with Nigerian entertainment for decades. What exactly is Group8 today?
Group8 is not just a media company—it’s a media-tech force engineered for the digital age. We operate across television, radio, digital and tech. We don’t wait for change. We drive it. Our core is innovation. Our purpose is impact. We shape your world.
Our eight TV channels are up and running across multiple platforms: terrestrial broadcast, satellite, mobile apps, smart TVs and streaming services. Whether you’re watching live, on-demand, or through FAST channels, we’re where the audience is.
We’ve created channels that are active, accessible, and future-ready.
Group8 also runs multiple radio stations across the continent. What’s the scale?
We run 8 themed radio stations broadcasting across 24 cities in Nigeria and other African markets. Each one is hyper-local and digitally connected. We’ve removed the old model of uniform radio content. Every station has its voice.
Formats include: Youth-driven urban music, Talk and current affairs, Business and lifestyle radio, Classic hits and nostalgia, Local-language programming, Afrobeats and pop culture, Indigenous sound formats, Live social radio and digital extensions
We format-specific content built on what our data tells us audiences want.
Why go this big? Why not just stick with content creation like everyone else?
Because content alone is not power. Distribution is power. You can have the best series, the best movie, the best music—but if you can’t control where it goes, how it’s accessed, and how it’s monetized, then you’re a content vendor, not a media force.
Group8 is about owning the pipeline—not just the pipeline to TV screens but the pipeline to hearts, habits, and digital devices. That’s why we build platforms.
You’ve been vocal about Nigeria’s failure to complete the Digital Switch Over (DSO). Why now?
Because the window for excuses is closed. We started this journey in 2006. We’re now in 2025. That’s 19 years of underperformance, broken promises, and outdated thinking. The original goal of the DSO was brilliant—free up spectrum, improve quality, create new jobs, unleash content potential. But we got stuck in a 2015 playbook—written before smartphones became the new TV.
We cannot build a digital future using analogue tools. And every day we delay, we lose ground. Economically, creatively, and globally.
You’ve called out the 2015 White Paper. What’s wrong with it exactly?
Everything. It was written when Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) was the primary global standard. Today, the landscape has shifted: DTH, OTT, IPTV, mobile-first platforms, and hybrid broadcast models dominate the ecosystem.
The 2015 White Paper doesn’t even mention mobile streaming or data-driven content delivery. That’s unacceptable. We need a total overhaul—led by digital intelligence, not outdated bureaucracy.
What about the Set-Top Box strategy? Wasn’t that supposed to be the backbone of DSO?
That’s part of the problem. The Set-Top Boxes (STBs) we’re pushing today are obsolete. They’re one-directional, non-interactive, and data blind. Today’s consumer wants one device that streams, downloads, surfs, and interacts. What we need are hybrid STBs—built for both broadcast and broadband. Anything less is a dead end.
Who should be leading this national reset?
The NBC. Full stop. They’re the legally empowered body. Give them independence. Give them a budget. Give them the room to innovate. But don’t give them drama. Too many powerful hands are pulling this project in opposite directions. Let the NBC drive—then hold them accountable. Don’t shackle the pilot mid-flight.
There’s a lot of resistance from legacy players. What’s your message to them?
Adapt or become irrelevant. We can’t build Nigeria’s broadcast future based on legacy investments. That’s like trying to save Nokia while the world builds iPhones. You either upgrade or you get out of the way. I’ve invested in platforms, infrastructure, studios, and digital transformation—not because I hate the past, but because I love the future.
What exactly are we losing by not completing Nigeria’s Digital Switch Over (DSO)?
We are losing billions in value.
Let’s be specific: Jobs in production, distribution, post-production, tech, and advertising, Revenue from content licensing, ad spend, data monetization, and syndication, Opportunities for export, soft power, and cultural capital.
We’ve got one of the world’s most creative populations—Afrobeats, Nollywood, influencers, live events—but our infrastructure is holding us hostage. DSO was meant to be the rocket. Right now, we’re still on the launchpad watching the world fly past.
So what has Group8 done differently?
We didn’t wait. We built.
At Group8, we’ve constructed our own distribution engine across TV, radio, and digital—the DSO that Nigeria was supposed to build. It’s already live. All of our channels are available on satellite, terrestrial, mobile apps, FAST platforms, and via digital streaming portals. We’ve built the very thing government keeps promising.
And your radio network?
We operate eight themed radio brands in 24 cities—urban, classic, indigenous, business talk, and more. Each one runs across FM and IP radio. We keep it sharp, modern, and data-backed.
It’s not just about content—it’s about infrastructure and insight. That’s how we stay ahead.
What about monetization? Everyone’s creating content, but few are making real money.
Exactly. The real money is in data-driven distribution.
At Group8, we’ve implemented: Audience analytics that guide programming, music curation, and ad placement, AI tools for content tagging, smart scheduling, and OTT personalization, Monetization models across traditional ads, branded content, subscriptions, syndication, and licensing, We’re even exploring micropayments and content wallets tied to mobile operators and fintech partners.
That’s how you build a future-proof ecosystem. You don’t chase virality. You own the pipes.
What would you do differently if you were steering the national DSO?
Tear up the 2015 playbook, Issue a new Digital Media Framework tied to Nigeria’s broader tech policy, Merge broadband and broadcast into one rollout strategy, Mandate hybrid STBs and mobile-first streaming platforms, Incentivize local tech devs to create DSO-enabled apps and platforms, Tie DSO to the creative economy. This isn’t about spectrum—it’s about jobs and GDP, Define clear deliverables and deadlines. Hold someone accountable. No more press conferences.
You’ve said DSO isn’t just a tech issue—it’s a test of Nigeria’s national vision. What do you mean?
The world is streaming culture. But if Nigeria can’t digitally distribute its own identity, we will lose influence.
We’ll have American apps selling our music, European platforms monetizing our shows, and foreign advertisers mining our data. Meanwhile, our local networks will be scrambling just to stay live. That’s the real risk: cultural colonization by digital default.
If we don’t modernize, Nigeria becomes a content farm for global platforms—while our local creators are left underpaid and under-recognized.
What’s your message to those still waiting to see how this plays out before acting?
You’re already late. Digital transformation is not a “wait-and-see” game. It rewards first movers. Those who act now will own the pipelines, the platforms, and the audience. Those who wait? They’ll be renting access from others. DSO or die trying isn’t a threat. It’s the truth.
You’ve spoken strongly about policy, platforms, and disruption. But what do you tell young creators today—those trying to break into this space without the resources?
I tell them the same thing I told myself when I started out in Jos, with nothing but a notebook and a dream—don’t wait for a perfect system. Build anyway.
The government might be slow. Policies might be outdated. But the digital tools are in your hands. You’ve got smartphones, editing software, platforms, and the audience. You just need strategy, discipline, and focus.
Start with short-form. Build a community. Monetize small. Be consistent. Be data-conscious. And stop copying America. Tell your own story in your own voice.
Legacy won’t save you. Speed will. Authenticity will. Boldness will.
You’ve been in this game for decades. What keeps you going? What’s next for you?
Purpose. And the fact that Africa is not a follower anymore—we are now the content capital of the world.
I’ve watched Soundcity grow from an idea to a continental giant. I’ve seen Spice TV become Africa’s fashion voice. I’ve launched channels like ONTV, Access24 News, Trybe Movie Channel, LifeTV , UmmahTV and Televista that have shaped culture.
But I’m not done. The next chapter for Group8 is full digital convergence: App-first viewing experiences, AI-led content scheduling, Micro-subscription platforms, Cloud production pipelines, Training the next generation of African creators and engineers.
We’re building not just for Nigeria, but for Africa and the diaspora. Lagos to Accra; Nairobi to London. That’s the new route.
You’ve said this fight isn’t just about broadcast—it’s about national direction. What’s your message to the Nigerian government?
Wake up. This is your shot to create a global industry from the ground up.
DSO is more than a TV upgrade. It’s a launchpad for a new economy—powered by content, talent, tech, and youth.
But right now, we are killing the future with delay.
Here’s what we need from government:
Declare a hard reset on DSO, Publish a 2025 Digital Broadcast Strategy, Stop treating policy like politics, Let the NBC lead with data and innovation, Fund the rollout properly—or let the private sector lead, Cut the noise. Drive the vision.
We’re not asking for favors. We’re demanding that the system stop blocking progress.
To your peers in the industry—content owners, channel operators, broadcasters—what would you say?
Stop waiting for someone to save you.
Upgrade your technology. Digitize your operations. Partner with platforms. Rebuild your business models. Own your data. Train your teams.
If your channel is still stuck on one format, you’ve already lost. If your team can’t create for five platforms at once, you’re playing catch-up.
You don’t have to be big to be smart. But you have to be digitally sharp and future-minded.
This is no longer about legacy. It’s about leverage.
I want to add that the world is watching Nigeria. They’re listening to our music. They’re watching our movies. They’re copying our style. The question is: Are we building the systems to own that influence?
Because if we don’t fix DSO now—if we don’t modernize our broadcast infrastructure, upgrade our policies, and empower digital media—we will be remembered as the generation that created gold and gave it away.
This isn’t just about bandwidth. It’s about ownership. It’s about pride. It’s about showing the world that we’re not just talented—we’re strategic, capable, and ready.
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