Alex Okosi is the driving force behind Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) Africa, home to Viacom’s powerhouse entertainment brands MTV Base, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., NickToons, VH1 Classic and BET on the African continent.
An 18-year veteran of the entertainment industry on 3 continents, with a broad background in marketing, affiliate sales, events, strategy and management, Okosi achieved a personal and industry milestone when he launched MTV Base, MTV’s 100th channel internationally, and Africa’s first bespoke MTV channel on 22 February 2005. His tenacity and belief in Africa soon paid significant dividends. VIMN Africa has become Viacom’s fastest growing international operation in terms of revenue growth – thanks to the rapid expansion of its footprint across Africa as a multi-portfolio brand distributed on multiple platforms including pay-TV, FTA, internet, SVOD and mobile platforms. Now in its thirteenth year, VIMN Africa delivers more channels to Africa than any other international network. Its collective footprint reaches 52 territories and more than 100 million viewers.
Appointed Senior Vice President and Managing Director of VIMN Africa in July 2007, Okosi’s association with the company goes back to 1998 when he joined the sponsorship development and trade marketing team in New York, before becoming part of the MTV Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing division in Los Angeles in 2000. By mid-2003, Okosi had transferred to MTV Networks International’s Strategy and Business Development team in London where he developed the business plan for MTV’s expansion into Africa and, in 2004, secured approval for the roll-out of Viacom’s localized play in Africa with the launch of MTV Base in 2005.
Okosi’s vision has always been to develop content and experiences for audiences that not only entertain and showcase the best of African music and entertainment, but also serve to socially empower audiences in Africa and around the world. As Africans, he believes, we have to keep living the mission of showing a “reimagined Africa” to the world. A tireless supporter of initiatives that motivate, empower and educate Africa’s youth, Okosi is recognized as an influential figure on the continent and was also named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2013.
Okosi managed the growth and development of the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA) – the largest celebration of African music and achievement on the continent. Launched in 2008, with an Africa reimagined narrative, the annual awards franchise has given top African artists a continental and international platform to raise their profiles. In 2015 he was instrumental in bringing the BET Experience to Africa for the first time. This successful BET franchise celebrates the rich and varied faces of the urban lifestyle experience under one roof.
Born in Nigeria, at the age of 12, Okosi moved to the US where he was educated at the Philips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and attended St Michael’s College in Vermont on a full basketball scholarship before graduating magna cum laude with a double major in Business Administration and Economics.
In March 2017, Okosi was appointed to Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Viacom International Media Networks Africa.
How do you create and monetize content for global audiences? What do African audiences really want to see and buy?
How do you understand the psychology, and how do you build a sustainable business around that? What’s working and what’s not, and how do we make sense of it all?
Alex Okosi, a #NECLive debutant, will lead a business session that’ll drive a discussion many producers, managers, creatives and businesses will find more than useful.
On Wednesday April 22, 2015 at the third edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference (NECLive) holding at Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, a number of respected contributors to Nigerian show business will be awarded NET Honours in recognition of their efforts in the promotion and development of Nigerian entertainment.
The NET Honours are awarded annually at the Nigerian Entertainment Conference, which is organized by Nigerian Entertainment Today (NET), the premier Nigerian entertainment industry media platform. They recognize media and entertainment personalities for their contribution to the growth and development of the entertainment industry in Nigeria, which cuts across music, film, fashion, comedy, art & design, media & broadcasting and branding.
Past winners of NET Honours include music icon Onyeka Onwenu, Nollywood legend Jide Kosoko, street music pioneer, Daddy Showkey, Gospel legend, Ebenezer Obey, Media mogul Ayo Animashaun, distinguished moviemaker, Zeb Ejiro and music executive Obi Asika. Others are Don Jazzy, D’Banj, Laolu Akins, Amaka Igwe, OJB Jezreel, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, Sunny Okosuns, Adebayo Salami,Sunday Omobolanle and Tajuddeen Adepetu.
The prominent Nigerian entertainment personalities who will receive NET Honours this year for their contribution to the advancement of their respective field include iconic OAP J.A.J, respected broadcaster and music critic, Benson Idonije, award winning music producer Cobhams Asuquo, media executive Alex Okosi, NBC DG Emeka Mba and respected entertainment writer Jahman Anikulapo.
Others are popular Yoruba movie actor Tajudeen Oyewole (Abija), Corporate Pictures CEO Razak Abdullahi, legendary actor and musician Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala), filmmaker Lere Paimo, Music icon (Lagbaja), Galaxy TV CEO Steve Ojo, renowned poet and actor, Adebayo Faleti and COSON Board chairman Tony Okoroji.
Chris Ihidero, chairman of the NET Editorial Board describes the NET Honours as a small token of appreciation for the immense contributions made by the awardees to the evolution of Nigerian entertainment as a business and as a culture.
In his words, “Few things define the culture of a country so closely as its entertainment culture. The overall culture of a country closely mirrors that of its entertainment industry and the positive contributions they have made are contributions, not just to entertainment, but also to national development.”
The Nigerian Entertainment Conference is the premier forum for entertainment industry discussions and agenda setting in Nigeria. The third edition of the annual conference tagged “Buying And Selling Nigerian Entertainment…And Everything In Between” will feature addresses and panel sessions involving prominent Nigerian show business personalities such as Davido, Shizzi, Bez Idakula, Linus Idahosa, Shina Peller, Tunde Laoye, Mai Atafo, Yetunde Babeko, AY, Wunmi Obe, Innocent Uba, George Thorpe and Jason Njoku.
Profiles Of NET Honours Recipients
Jacob Akinyemi-Johnson
Jacob Akinyemi-Johnson aka JAJ has had over 36 years of experience as a broadcaster. He has become one of Nigeria’s biggest broadcasting personalities and he has been instrumental to the growth of Rhythm 93.7 FM. JAJ’s consistently high standards and longevity have contributed in no small way to the growth of private radio and TV broadcasting in Nigeria.
Mr Benson Idonije
Benson Idonije is an iconic broadcaster, journalist, music producer and artist manager. At 78 years of age, with over 57 years in the industry in which time he has worked with legends like Fela Anikulapo Kuti, he continues to participate actively in the industry without showing any sign of letting up.
Cobhams Asuquo
One of Nigeria’s most successful song music producers ever, Cobhams Asuquo has achieved local and international acclaim. He is currently the CEO and Head of Productions of CAMP (Cobhams Asuquo Music Productions) and he is signed on to Sony ATV (Sony Publishing) London as a songwriter. Cobhams is living evidence of the human ability to surmount any kind of challenge and achieve success against all odds.
Abija
Tajudeen Oyewole aka Abija is one of the Nollywood’s most successful Yoruba actors. He is also a successful movie producer with titles such as Aji Perin, Ija Eleye, Omo Eleye and Orikunkun under his belt amongst others. With over 40 years of work under his belt in the Nigerian film industry, Abija still maintains his high level of output and creativity and does not look like quitting anytime soon.
Razak Abdullahi
Razak Abduallahi is the CEO of Corporate Pictures, one of the country’s top movie and music marketing firms. Razak Abdullahi’s efforts in marketing Nigerian movies and making Nollywood a profitable business model have contributed greatly to the success of the Nigerian film industry.
Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala)
One of the fathers of modern Nigerian comedy, Moses Olaiya has contributed immensely to the success of the Nigerian movie industry as an actor and a producer. He is also a huge contributor to the evolution and growth of Nigerian music. Moses Olaiya is a genuine living legend of Nigerian entertainment.
Alex Okosi
Alex Okosi is a media executive responsible for the launch of the pan-African MTV channel MTV Base in February 2005. This platform now gives African artistes a global audience of more than 100 million. He is also the creative force behind the MTV Africa Music Awards, another massive international platform for African artists to enhance their profile and status.
Lere Paimo
As a film actor, film-maker, producer and director, Lere Paimo has featured in, produced and directed several Nigerian films over the years. He has been awarded an MFR in recognition of his immense contributions to the Nigerian film industry, and till date he continues to make use of his experience and knowledge to contribute to the development of the industry.
Emeka Mba
Emeka Nkem Mba is the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and a highly respected veteran with over 23 years of experience in the industry. As DG of the NFVCB, he has carried out trailblazing work in reforming the Nigerian film industry and he was also instrumental to the launch of Africa’s first satellite movie channel Africa Magic which has given Nollywood a truly global platform.
Jahman Anikulapo
Jahman Anikulapo is a respected entertainment writer, Arts critic and journalist. He has presented Nigerian films to large international audiences at the Milan African Film Festival and French African Film Festival in Stuttgart, Germany, where he also served on the international jury. He is also on the board of the West African Documentary Film Forum, conveners of the yearly Real Life Film Festival in Ghana. He has continuously striven to promote the Nigerian movie industry.
Lagbaja
Afrobeat musician, Bisade Ologunde aka Lagbaja is one of Nigeria’s most successful and internationally recognized artistes. He has regularly used his clout to push for the interests of the Nigerian entertainment industry and his success in promoting indigenous African music to the African and global audience was key to the resurgence of the Nigerian music industry.
Tony Okoroji
Chief Okoroji is Chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) Board and he has been at the forefront of efforts to review Nigeria’s copyright laws. As one of Nigeria’s most respected authorities on Intellectual Property, he has consistently fought to promote the interests of Nigerian copyright holders in the entertainment industry.
Steve Ojo
Steve Ojo has been involved in broadcasting for 49 years. He later set up the first production company in Nigeria, supporting government stations with production and post-production services. As the founder and CEO of Galaxy TV, he continues to work to advance the interests of private broadcasting in Nigeria.
Adebayo Faleti
Adebayo Faleti is one of Nigeria’s entertainment pioneers with a career stretching back over five decades in poetry, acting, writing and broadcasting. One of Nigeria’s most celebrated Yoruba playwrights, he is also a successful Yoruba movie producer and one of the most respected exponents of the indigenous language creative sector.
The conference holds on Wednesday, April 22nd at the Eko Hotels & Suites in Lagos and will feature exhibitions, deliberations, workshops and masterclasses.
Here are some of the speakers that you can expect at the conference this year:
