Ariya Networks has announced that it has secured the rights to broadcast the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Nigeria, marking a major step for the newly launched broadcasting and streaming platform as it enters the African sports media space.
Speaking at a press briefing held on Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Chief Executive Officer of Ariya Networks, Dr Idris Olagoke Badmus, said the AFCON broadcast aligns with the company’s broader vision of building a global, African-owned media platform.
“Ariya Networks globally launched this month with a press conference in New York City. We are a registered broadcasting corporation with a license to broadcast globally, and our holding company, Amni Corporation, has been operating in the United States for the past 11 years,” Badmus said.
He noted that the network was conceived to address long-standing gaps in global media representation for people of African descent. According to him, despite being over 1.6 billion globally, Black communities remain underrepresented and misrepresented in international media narratives.
“We are 1.6 billion Black people in the world, yet the world treats us like a minority,” he said. “There are only six major global news organizations, and Ariya Networks is the sixth. The difference is that we are not here to follow the same political template that was handed down to us. That is not our news.”
Badmus explained that while most global news platforms focus heavily on politics, Ariya Networks prioritises social economy, culture, innovation and inter-African collaboration.
“Seventy per cent of our content is about what Africans are doing for themselves. What Kenya is producing that Nigeria can buy, what Tanzania can export to Dallas, what Jamaicans are creating that Haitians can replicate. This is about connecting Black people globally and telling our own stories,” he said.
He criticised mainstream international coverage of Africa, noting that global networks often only pay attention to the continent during crises. “CNN has one correspondent covering the whole continent, and they only go where there is disaster. If there is no disaster, there is no Africa. We want to change that narrative by reporting our successes, talents and innovations,” he added.
Against this background, Badmus said AFCON provided a strategic entry point for Ariya Networks to introduce its mission to a wider African audience. He announced that the tournament, which kicks off on December 21, will be broadcast live on two Ariya Sports channels, with on-demand streaming also available for viewers who miss matches or wish to rewatch highlights and analyses.
“AFCON came as an opportunity for us to introduce our intention,” he said. “From December 21, we will broadcast all matches on two of our channels. Beyond live games, viewers will be able to stream matches afterward, replay goals and access our in-depth analysis.”
He described Ariya Networks as a hybrid platform combining live television and on-demand streaming, with six live TV channels and over 300 titles currently available. “We are a combination of Netflix, Amazon Prime and live broadcasting. That is what makes us unique,” Badmus said.
The CEO also outlined the network’s long-term commitment to developing African sports beyond football.
He announced plans to launch the Ariya Boxing Classic in June 2026, featuring boxers from eight West African countries competing in a structured, televised tournament designed to produce world champions within five years.
“We are not talking about European leagues. We are talking about African leagues,” he said. “The difference between African sports and European sports is not talent; it is direction and intention. Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone – the talent is there. What we lack is investment and platforms.”
Badmus argued that Africa’s heavy consumption of European and American sports content has contributed to the underdevelopment of local leagues. “If we spend half the energy we use watching European football on our own continent, we will develop ourselves,” he said.
On pricing, Ariya Networks announced a three-tier subscription model for Nigerian viewers, Free, Basic and Premium which have been made affordable.
He added that Ariya Networks is available on smart TVs and mobile devices, including Android and Apple platforms, and is accessible on major app stores alongside established global streaming services. The AFCON broadcast license covers 32 markets in Nigeria, a limitation he attributed to channel capacity rather than content restrictions, assuring viewers they would not miss key matches.
Badmus disclosed that the platform has already recorded about 400,000 downloads within its first few weeks of launch, even before major promotional campaigns.
“This is not just about subscriptions,” he said.
“It is about communication in Africa. It is about finally telling our own stories, in our own voice, on our own platform.”
