BBC Igbo and Yoruba services launch today, two of the three new languages to be launched by the BBC for Nigeria and the West and Central Africa region. These services are part of the largest investment in the BBC World Service since the 1940s and are funded by the UK government.
The Igbo service is mainly for audiences in eastern and south eastern Nigeria as well as the large Igbo speaking diaspora. The Yoruba service targets south west Nigeria, Benin and Togo, as well as other parts of the diaspora. These fully digital services will include exciting short format audio, video, graphics and illustrations.
Twice daily, the teams will produce an episode of BBC Minute - keeping people in touch with the world in 60 seconds. The editorial agenda will reflect not only balanced impartial news, but also a rich mix of trending topics, sports, entertainment, business, health, education and women.
There will be original content through our network of reporters on variety of stories and issues that matter to local people and resonate across the region.
Digital content created daily for the website and social media platforms will cover a broad agenda, with a strong focus on audience interactivity. This is in keeping with the BBC News editorial strategy of not only being news providers, but also providing enriching analysis, explainers and features.
Peter Okwoche, Editorial Lead on the project, says: “Both services will concentrate on original journalism from their target regions but will also feature stories from Africa and the main global stories. BBC Igbo and Yoruba will provide a platform for debate on the main issues of interest to audiences and give voices to a wide spectrum of people. There will also be a strong focus on women.”
Oluwatoyosi Ogunseye, Head of West Africa, says: “Delivering content and engaging with the Igbo and Yoruba audiences in their mother tongues is authentic, exciting and refreshing. The BBC is passionate about original journalism that adds value and this is what we want to achieve with these services. These platforms will deliver independent, objective and original news to meet the needs of our audiences in Nigeria and West Africa.”
Notes to Editors
Websites
www.bbc.com/yoruba
www.bbc.com/igbo
Facebook
www.facebook.com/bbcnewsyoruba
www.facebook.com/bbcnewsigbo
Instagram
www.instagram.com/bbcnewsyoruba
www.instagram.com/bbcnewsigbo
The BBC World Service group reaches a global audience of 346 million weekly, on radio, TV, and digital.
BBC World Service received further funding of £291m until 2019/20 from the UK Government to launch 12 new language services: Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Gujarati, Igbo, Korean, Marathi, Pidgin, Punjabi, Serbian, Telugu, Tigrinya, and Yoruba. This additional funding is not part of the licence fee.
The Igbo minute is taken by the following partner stations in Nigeria; Anambra Broadcasting Station, Blaze FM, Odenigbo FM, Imo Broadcasting Corporation-Orient FM, Solid FM and Telemagic group.
The Yoruba Minute is taken by the following partner stations in Nigeria; Adaba FM, Lagelu FM, Kwara Radio and OSBC Radio.
BBC Minute (English) launched in 2015, and BBC World Service now partner with radio stations in countries around the world. Partners take BBC Minute and air them on their own stations. Other versions include BBC Minute On.. which focus on a single subject in more detail. BBC Minute is also available to download via itunes, Spotify, Tunein and via the BBC World Service’s own website
BBC World Service’s BBC Africa hub brings together the production of multilingual content about the continent on radio, on TV and online on bbcafrica.com. As it delivers content in English, French, Hausa, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Somali, Kiswahili, Afaan Oromo, Amharic, Igbo, Pidgin, Tigrinya and Yoruba. BBC Africa ensures a pan-African approach to the output, offering its audiences opportunities to join the global conversation. BBC Africa has teams based in London and across much of sub-Saharan Africa, and has well established production centres in various cities.