Kwesé Iflix unveils plans for original content investment

African OTT TV joint-venture Kwesé Iflix is to invest in a slate of localised original content as it seeks to drive uptake of its service across sub-Saharan Africa.

The JV between Econet Media and Asian SVOD player Iflix is to invest in local scripted drama, documentaries and pan-regional news content. The first original series, 13-part Swahili crime drama Nganya, which has premiered in Kenya, will be available across Africa from today.

Nganya will be followed by the December release of Tanzanian telenovela Nyavu and an unnamed docu-series pencilled in for early next year.

Kwesé Iflix said it has also greenlit a number of other projects yet to be unveiled .

Kwesé iflix CEO Mayur Patel said: “Our new original content offering underlines Kwesé iflix’s ambition to lead an entertainment revolution in the markets we serve in Africa. Deeply relevant, action-packed and with local antagonists, our original slate pushes the limits. We are thrilled to work with local top tier industry players to offer our users some of the region’s top entertainment franchises. We want to grow and establish Kwesé iflix as the new home for the region’s most talented producers and actors.”

The investment in original content follows Econet Media-owned Kwesé TV’s recent decision to abandon satellite-delivered pay TV and concentrate on its streaming activities.

The company said it would now focus on premium streaming offerings Kwesé Iflix and Kwesé Play and a stripped down free-to-view satellite offering based on its Kwesé Free Sports service.