Video streaming platform MVMO launches in Africa

MVMO, an innovative new entrant to the high-growth African online entertainment market has announced the launch of its service in the continent. MVMO (Movies, Video, Music, Opportunity) is a distribution platform developed in association with the Creative Africa Exchange (CAX), a fast-growing marketplace for the creative and cultural industries, sponsored by Afreximbank.

MVMO launches at a time of exciting growth for high-quality streaming content in Africa. Content creators and mobile service providers alike are exploring the opportunities for delivering streaming platforms in a continent where mobile penetration represents a vast opportunity, but bandwidth remains a challenge.

Delivering exceptional quality at very low bitrates, MVMO is ideally placed to help consolidate the content streaming sector in Africa. A series of successful trials took place ahead of the official launch in Nigeria, with formal dates for other countries set to be announced soon. Simultaneously, the platform has been establishing partnerships with major global providers for different types of content. Times Multimedia has already been confirmed as the exclusive news affiliate for the platform, and details of more partnerships will follow in the coming months.

In accordance with the rapid growth of Africa’s creative industries across film, TV and music, MVMO aims to become the ‘go to’ platform for the best new content being produced across the continent. It is actively seeking to build relationships with both established and emerging independent producers, helping them to publish and monetize their content, as well as optimize their reach throughout Africa.

While investment in cellular infrastructure in Africa continues apace, with a number of 5G networks expected to launch imminently, the vast majority of consumers will still only have access to 2G or 3G services for years to come. Thanks to a collaboration involving video compression technology pioneer V-Nova and OTT TV leader Simplestream, MVMO is able to deliver robust and reliable video quality at extremely low bitrates – making the platform suitable for the full range of network environments.

Sandra Iyawa, CEO of Times Multimedia and Chief Content Officer for MVMO, adds: “This is a breakthrough for the African Creative economy because of its reach and affordability for Africans. MVMO will serve as a key monetization platform to make the creative economy more viable and impactful.”