Zee Entertainment to launch ‘first-ever’ productions in Hausa, Yoruba

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, the owner of the Zee World TV channel, has announced plans to launch two local productions in Hausa and Yoruba.

The media company spoke about the plans at a meeting with Deepvision agency at Radisson Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos, on Friday.

Somnath Malakar, CEO, Sub-saharan African and Indian Islands, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, said in the next two months, the company will be launching the two local productions in Nigeria.

According to him, the feat, which he said is the first of its kind, will help the company to maintain its status as the “most watched TV channel in Nigeria”.

“As I speak to you, in the next two months, for the first time ever, we’re doing two local productions in Nigeria for Zee World. And in the next one year in March, hopefully, we’re going to be up and running with Zee One local production as well,” he said.

Somnath also said the use of “language of convenience” and “similarities in culture and values” between India and Nigeria has been the secret to the dominance of the channel.

“You know Nigeria is similar to India’s culture, family values; that the reason a channel that gives Indian content in a language of convenience stands as number 1. So this goes on to show the synergy of the two countries in thought process and preferences,” he added.

“Going further, we will extend that relationship by having contents even more closer to your heart in Hausa and Yoruba very soon.”

Following the success of the first reality dance show in the channel, Dance Africa Dance, the company said it plans to start the sequel, Dance Naija Dance, in the next few months.

Dance Naija Dance, according to Somnath, is exclusive to Nigerians across the 36 states and will run for 100 days as 20 episodes — 2 episodes per week.

Auditions for the show will take place in three cities including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.

“We created the first reality show, a local production, on our channel Dance Africa Dance, so in exactly one month and half from now we will be doing Dance Naija Dance in Nigeria,” Somnath said.

Zee World debuted on Nigerian television in February 2015, becoming a favorite among Nigerian families.