Afia Media—the only broadcaster in Nigeria dedicated exclusively to the South-East region on DStv and GOtv—has launched Obuzo, a novel advertising support scheme aimed at helping local small and medium-sized enterprises break into mainstream media for the first time.
The initiative grew out of insights gathered from How Market, Afia TV’s on-the-ground business feature programme that spotlights traders, artisans, and entrepreneurs operating in markets across the South-East. Since the show began airing, Afia Media says it has connected with hundreds of SMEs and uncovered a persistent hurdle: despite offering quality products and services, most had never run a single TV or radio ad—hampered by cost, lack of technical know-how, or limited access to media platforms.
Real Results from Media Exposure
Those who did appear on How Market reported a noticeable uptick in customer inquiries from outside their usual catchment areas—proof that screen time can translate into real business growth.
Chinasa Aniagolu, who runs Linaz Baby Store, shared how her feature on the programme transformed her customer base:
“Appearing on How Market gave my brand a level of visibility I never expected. Almost immediately, I started getting orders from across Nigeria and even from Ghana. That experience showed me just how powerful media exposure can be for a small business—it literally opened up a whole new market.”
Why Obuzo Exists
For Afia Media, those stories confirmed what they had long suspected: that many promising SMEs are invisible simply because they cannot afford to advertise. The Obuzo grant was created to fix that.
Emeka Mba, Founder and CEO of Afia Media, explained the thinking behind the initiative:
“How Market introduced us to entrepreneurs with extraordinary products, solid businesses, and huge potential—yet most had never bought a single TV or radio spot. We realised that visibility was a privilege reserved for big corporations. Obuzo is our way of levelling the field and giving deserving businesses a platform to reach customers far beyond their neighbourhoods.”
What the Grant Covers
Selected beneficiaries will receive advertising slots across Afia Media’s platforms, including:
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Television commercials
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Radio spots
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On-screen promotional features
