By Olubunmi Adeniyi
Lagos. April 11, 2013: Second national operator, Globacom has unveiled ‘The X Factor’ the world’s number one music singing talent reality TV show in Nigeria to mark its tenth anniversary of commercial operation. 
The telecoms company says it will be the first time that the show is coming to Africa and underscores its position as the leading force that connects the youths to their entertainment passion.
The show which has a top prize of N24 million ($ 150,000) is the biggest purse among current reality TV shows. The winner will also win a contract with Sony Music to record an album and receive professional management.
Sulyman Bello, head of reality shows, Globacom, says the mobile operator needed to do something special to signpost the special year of its 10th anniversary, hence the gift of “The X Factor” to entertain and delight its teeming subscribers across sub-Saharan Africa and the larger public.
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of our operations and this programme is, in part, our modest way of thanking our subscribers for their loyalty and patronage,” Bello says.
Glo says that it is proud of this development and the attendant excitement it will generate across the continent.
“Africa has been yearning for a programme of this optimum quality and we are privileged to have made it possible”, the company says.
Commenting on the ultimate prize of $150,000 to the winner, Bello says that this is in sync with the profile of the show, adding that the unprecedented top prize is a reflection of the premium status of the programme.
According to him, this is in addition to the coveted Sony Music contract with the attendant post-season superstar status for the winner and international stardom which is not provided by any other music talent show in the country today.
Speaking about the show’s upcoming debut in Nigeria, Jamie Lynn, EVP Sales & Distribution, EMEA at FremantleMedia said “The X Factor is one of the leading entertainment shows of this generation and we’re absolutely delighted to be working with Glo to bring Nigeria its own version. The blockbuster show has enjoyed immense success all over the world and we have no doubt it will make the same impact in Nigeria as it has had around the globe.”
The X Factor is a Syco-owned format and is produced and distributed worldwide by Fremantle Media. The show has been successfully launched in major countries including UK, the United States, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain.
Here in Nigeria, the month-long pre-auditions, which are the first stage, will kick off in Abuja on April 13 and later hold in Port Harcourt and Lagos. It will also run in Accra and Kumasi in Ghana.
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