Victoria from Techpoint brings a series of significant updates from the global entertainment industry, Nigerian tech scene, and local financial regulations. Key among these are an intense bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery, a Nigerian CEO's accidental but impactful journey into artificial intelligence, and a looming deadline for Point of Sale (POS) agents in Nigeria to register their businesses.

The global entertainment landscape is currently dominated by a high-stakes battle for Warner Bros. Discovery. Initially, Netflix announced a massive $72 billion bid to acquire the media giant, sending immediate shockwaves through Africa's pay-TV market, particularly for MultiChoice, the parent company of DStv and Showmax. Warner Bros. Discovery serves as MultiChoice's largest supplier of premium international content. This acquisition bid came at a time when MultiChoice was already facing strained negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery over renewal fees, threatening the disappearance of 12 popular channels, including CNN, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, and Investigation Discovery, by the end of December. MultiChoice, under its new owner Canal+, has been aggressively cutting costs, intensifying these content disputes. The potential acquisition by Netflix, if cleared by the third quarter of 2026, would mean that Warner Bros. and HBO's vast content library, including iconic titles like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, The Big Bang Theory, House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, and the entire DC Universe, could become Netflix exclusives. This would critically undermine Showmax's premium appeal, which currently features 191 HBO series. The situation is compounded by MultiChoice's impending loss of four other channels—BET Africa, CBS AMC Networks, CBS Justice, and MTV Base—due to Paramount Africa's shutdown.

The bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery escalated significantly when Paramount Skydance made a $108.4 billion counter-bid just days after Netflix's initial offer. This move indicates a fierce contest for the studio's valuable TV, film, and streaming assets. Netflix's earlier victory celebration was short-lived, as Paramount's counter-offer guarantees a prolonged showdown. Netflix's bid, which includes a $5.8 billion fee if the deal collapses, had already drawn criticism from lawmakers and industry groups concerned about potential job losses and price hikes. Paramount's higher bid further complicates regulatory approval and intensifies market consolidation concerns. Backed by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, Paramount aims to bolster its position against Netflix and tech giants like Apple, which are increasingly venturing into content creation. Control over Warner Bros.' extensive portfolio promises instant credibility, broader audience reach, and significant merchandising potential, especially in gaming. Industry analysts foresee a tense period of negotiation involving shareholders, regulators, and politicians, with the outcome poised to reshape jobs, content production schedules, and consumer subscription costs globally.

In the Nigerian tech space, Richard Eradiri, co-founder and CEO of AI Examiner, shares an inspiring story of an accidental journey into artificial intelligence. A Zoology graduate from the University of Ibadan, Eradiri initially had no plans for a career in tech. However, a profoundly negative experience in 2019, where a developer absconded with $8,000 for a product idea without delivering anything, propelled him into software development. This turning point led him to teach himself coding. After graduating in 2020, Eradiri meticulously built his tech career, starting with six months of self-learning, followed by an internship, and then a rapid ascent in the industry. Within a few years, he was leading teams responsible for developing internal tools for major Nigerian financial institutions, including Zenith Bank and First Bank. One notable project under his belt is a withholding tax application for Zenith Bank, which processed over $1 million in the last year alone. His extensive experience building high-security applications alongside bank security teams became a masterclass in developing reliable systems, laying the groundwork for his current venture, AI Examiner. Eradiri’s transition from Zoology to a proficient engineer capable of building sophisticated bank-grade software and AI tools is both unlikely and highly commendable.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's dynamic Point of Sale (POS) industry is bracing for a significant regulatory shake-up. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has issued a stringent directive, mandating all POS operators to register their businesses by January 1, 2026. Non-compliance will lead to the seizure or shutdown of unregistered terminals, and fintech companies found onboarding unregistered agents will be reported to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and placed on a watchlist. This public notice, released on December 6, 2025, highlights the CAC's growing concern over the proliferation of unregistered POS operators, deeming it a clear violation of CAMA 2020 and the CBN’s agent banking rules. The commission also pointed out that some fintechs have facilitated