BBNaija: Changing the narrative in Nigeria’s creative industry

BY ORJI ONYEKWERE

Over the years, the Nigerian creative industry has continued to boom, with experts projecting a revenue of $100 billion by 2030. From Nollywood to music and arts, the creative economy has provided over 4 million jobs for creatives across the space.

Various sub-sectors in the entertainment space have continued to witness a significant boom, with Nigeria’s reality TV shows, particularly Big Brother Naija, contributing immensely to the growth since it made a comeback in 2017.

With an estimated production cost of over N18 billion across four seasons between 2019 and 2023, BBNaija’s contributions to the industry continue to grow, employing over 2,000 creatives’ year-in-year-out for the three months in which the show airs.

Yearly, young Nigerians turn out in their numbers to audition to participate in what is unarguably Africa’s biggest reality TV show.

Showcasing their talent and telling their truth while applying their life skills to live with people of varied ethnicities, upbringings, and social values.

In this period, over 30 million people have voted to keep their favourites in the house to win the grand prize that can change the trajectory of their lives in the creative space while engaging enthusiastically with content from different platforms and brands during the lifespan of the show.

From content creators like Glory Elijah, who has built a community with over 300k subscribers on YouTube, from analysing housemates and activities around the show, to online platforms like Netng which have an audience reach of over 20 million across their social media platforms, seeking exclusive BBNaija content, BBNaija’s impact is unrivalled in the TV sphere across Africa.

For the Housemates, the BBNaija has become a platform to build social capital, turning many to social media influencers, while helping them launch illustrious careers in different fields.

Year-in-year-out housemates see an over 500% increase in their follower counts and engagement and these statistics still hold for the BBNaija No Loose Guard season. Arguably, there’s no show in Africa that benefits the contestants, content creators, and stakeholders of the show like BBNaija.

To put in perspective, after Ebuka Obi-Uchendu’s feature on the first season of the show, the current host of BBNaija has gone on to make himself a household name in the entertainment industry by successfully branding himself as the most stylish host to grace the TV space in Nigeria.

Every year we see Ebuka working with innovative designers like Mai Atafo and Ugo Monye to create ensembles that often change the trajectory of male fashion for the forthcoming year, his influence is undeniable. In the space of seven years, he has established himself in the broadcasting sphere while further making a name for himself as the host of the past eight seasons of Big Brother Naija.

Then there is Bisola Aiyeola, who, as a housemate on BBNaija See Gobbe, showed that she was a big ball of talent with so much to offer the entertainment space.

Since she featured on the show, she has gone on to establish herself as one of Nigeria’s brightest stars with features in blockbusters such as Sugar Rush, Bling Lagosian, This Lady Called Life, Flawsome, and more.

Her acting prowess has earned her multiple accolades, including the AMVCA Trailblazer award, where she became the first BBNaija ex-housemate to win this at the 2018 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards. Being the multifaceted talent that she is, she has successfully produced movies like introducing the Kujus while simultaneously becoming the first African media personality to host Family Feud, a TV reality show organized by MTN and Ultima.

On the other hand, ex-BBNaija Housemate Tobi Bakre’s achievements in Nollywood have distinguished him as the new King of Thriller. In three years, he has featured in high-earning box office films like Brotherhood and Gangs of Lagos, while working on TV series like Africa Magic’s ‘Slum King,’ where his role as Maje further proved that he is here to stay. His proficiency as an actor earned him the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award for Best Actor in a Drama, Movie or TV Series in 2023.

The success stories are numerous. From contestants who have won and gone on to secure their space in the professional sphere like Miracle Igbokwe, to talent like Elozonam, Laycon, Saga Adeolu, and Mercy Eke, who have leveraged the fame they achieved on the show to further push their careers in the creative industry. BBNaija has constantly proven its influence.

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In Dr. Busola Tejumola’s words at the BBNaija All Stars prize presentation last year, BBNaija has been a certified investment story breeding new opportunities for housemates, brands, partners and viewers.

“It’s been eight years of impacting over 2,000 people who work on the project. It is a certified investment story, one that we would continue to invest in across our different productions at Africa Magic and MultiChoice,” she said.

Regardless of personal bias, BBNaija is a platform that serves as a launch pad for talent while significantly contributing to the Nigerian creative economy. For small businesses, creatives, talent, and content creators, there’s a ripple effect that benefits everyone involved with the show directly or indirectly. This is why brands such as Pepsi, Guinness, and Lush Hair come back as sponsors’ season after season.

For the No Loose Guard season, N65million cash and an SUV worth N50 million are up for grabs, a prize that will change the trajectory of the winner’s life. Tune in to DStv Channel 198 and GOtv Channel 49 to catch the excitement as the new winner of BBNaija is revealed this Sunday. If there’s no BBNaija, what other show can take its place? None.