MTN Is Making Its Own TV Shows. Why Does That Matter for African Film?

MTN is already in the business of helping millions of Africans watch films and TV shows on their phones. Now, it wants to make some of those shows too.

On October 30, the telecommunications company announced the launch of 100 Reasons to Stay Single in Lagos, the first original series on its streaming platform, MTN One TV.

Produced by Nigerian filmmaker Mimi Bartels, the comedy follows three housemates navigating dating, friendship and relationships in Lagos. The production brings together talent from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, including South African actor Bohang Moeko.

Interestingly, although the series is set in Lagos, Nigerian audiences cannot yet watch it on the platform. It is currently available in South Africa, Ghana and Zambia, with MTN promising to expand into more countries.

But the bigger story here isn’t just the arrival of a new series. It’s what MTN plans to do next.

From Selling Data to Making Entertainment

MTN One TV launched in June 2026 as a streaming service offering films, series, live television and other entertainment. Depending on the country, viewers can access content for free with advertising, pay for individual viewing, or subscribe.

Unlike streaming platforms that typically require bank cards, MTN One TV can also support payments through airtime and Mobile Money in markets where those options are available.

That’s an important distinction. For someone who already buys mobile data or airtime, paying to watch a show through the same service could be easier than signing up for another streaming subscription.

Until now, MTN One TV has largely focused on bringing existing entertainment to viewers. With 100 Reasons to Stay Single in Lagos, it is beginning to support original productions as well.

And it doesn’t intend to stop at one show.

MTN Is Looking for More African Stories

Ahead of the launch, MTN invited African producers to pitch projects for its platform through industry events including MIP Africa.

The company is interested in everything from feature films and conventional television series to microdramas, a format built around very short episodes.

For example, one of its proposed formats consists of 30 episodes lasting approximately two minutes each. That’s an entire drama series told in roughly an hour, but broken into episodes short enough to watch during a commute or a quick break.

MTN is also considering longer productions, including films running between 60 and 90 minutes and series with six to thirteen episodes.

Its primary target audience is people aged 18 to 34, particularly in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and Zambia. It wants stories rooted in African experiences that can also connect with audiences in other countries.

The range of formats suggests MTN isn’t simply trying to recreate traditional television on a phone. It is exploring different ways people might watch entertainment, from quick episodes to full-length films.

Could This Open Another Door for African Filmmakers?

For African producers, one of the biggest challenges is finding companies willing to finance their projects and platforms willing to distribute them.

Broadcasters, cinemas and international streaming services have traditionally provided some of those opportunities. MTN could eventually become another option.

The company already has something that many entertainment businesses spend heavily to build: a large customer base across multiple African countries.

It also has existing systems for collecting payments and communicating directly with customers. Those advantages could make it easier to introduce viewers to new shows, particularly in markets where paying for streaming remains difficult.

A Nigerian production, for instance, could potentially reach viewers in Ghana, Zambia and South Africa through one distribution arrangement rather than separate deals in each country.

But that possibility comes with questions.

MTN has not disclosed how much it intends to spend commissioning productions, how many originals it plans to release, or how its shows are performing with audiences. Its pitch sessions also do not guarantee that participating filmmakers will receive funding or production deals.

And for producers, the terms of those deals will matter. Getting a film onto a platform is one thing. Retaining the rights to distribute it elsewhere, produce a remake or earn from its future success is another.

For now, MTN One TV is still an emerging player in original African production.

Its first series is a modest beginning, but the development is worth watching. If MTN can turn its existing mobile customers into a sustainable audience for African entertainment, it could give filmmakers another way to get their stories made and seen.

The real test will be whether more original productions follow, how widely they’re distributed, and whether audiences actually show up to watch them.