TV games shows make a comeback on Africa Magic

TV game shows have proven to be a hit with Nigerians. This, according to industry stakeholders, may be because of the competitive nature of the average Nigerian who would always strive to come out tops in any situation. Whether as trivias or dedicated game shows in reality competitions, Nigerians are always keen on participating, winning and being entertained.

It was commonplace to see families gather to watch their popular game show, ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’ (WWTBAM) in the early 2000s, anchored by celebrity host, Frank Edoho. When the show took a break in 2017, many Nigerians yearned for a replacement or its eventual return. This was because asides from the financial benefits the contestants received, viewers were also entertained watching the contestants, drawn from different social-economic classes, tackle a variety of questions on history, sports, geography, science and other general knowledge questions. The buzz created around the shows encouraged viewer empathy that was heightened when the contestant was a favourite.

It is a general notion that game shows have a way of engaging the viewer irrespective of age or status. Therefore, it was probably for these reasons that the Friday night arena games on popular reality TV show, Big Brother Naija witnessed massive following, had great appeal and generated heated conversations among viewers.

Having identified the appetite of Nigerians for game shows, Africa Magic created ‘Come Play Naija’, a family game show that made its debut in March 2022 on DStv and GOtv. The family game show involved contestants competing in fast-paced games to win up to 5 million weekly. The show mirrored the BBNaija Arena Games held on Friday nights with the various obstacle courses and other fast-paced games.

Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head, Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria described the show as an entertainment package that will further affirm Africa Magic’s position as a leading local entertainment provider, ranging from reality shows to movies, drama series and now family game shows.

The first season of the show, hosted by media personality Hero Daniels, saw 22-year-old Eretan Debbie win 15 million Naira and a brand new car at the finale on Saturday, 26 March 2022. In addition, the ‘Home Play’ edition of the show rewarded 120 DStv and GOtv subscribers with 50,000 Naira each for making accurate predictions on which team will win during the Saturday live show.

One of the highlights of the season were the celebrity appearances by Nollywood superstars, Osas Ighodaro, Ibrahim and Linda Suleiman, and ex-BBNaija housemates, Liquorose, Venita and Sir Dee.

With Come Play Naija over, Nigerians can still enjoy the entertainment games shows bring as ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’ is back to TV screens on Africa Magic Showcase, Urban and Family every Sunday at 8:30pm, with Frank Edoho remaining at the helm.

The new WWTBAM season themed ‘The Rebirth’ commenced in March 2022 and will run for 52 weeks. According to the sponsors, a whooping sum of N20 million will be won. With two episodes in already, the show is amassing new followers whilst retaining old ones. The new edition of the show has added a new lifeline called ‘Ask the host’ to aid contestants when they are stuck on questions. Other lifelines the participants will get to choose from are ‘50-50’ and ‘Call a Friend.

With the excitement that came with ‘Come Play Naija’ and the return of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’, Nigerians have appreciated MultiChoice for its consistency of purpose and dedication to constantly creating wholesome entertainment options for families beyond dramas and reality shows.