KAFTAN TV

KAFTAN TV, short for King Adebayo Film and Theatre Arts Network Television, is a Nigerian independent 24-hour television channel operated by King Adebayo Film & Theatre Arts Network Limited. The channel is headquartered in Ondo City, Ondo State, and has additional offices in Lagos and Abuja. Its identity is closely associated with regional Nigerian broadcasting, locally produced television, public-interest programming, and the wider film and theatre-arts activities of its operating company. The organization was established in December 2016, but it began broadcasting in September 2018. Its service has been distributed through Nigerian and international platforms, including StarTimes, BEN Television, and satellite listings carried by LyngSat. The channel broadcasts primarily in English and has positioned itself as an independent Nigerian outlet capable of combining television news, current affairs, advocacy, entertainment, documentaries, drama skits, and other locally generated content. It is also a member of the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria, an umbrella body representing public and private broadcasting organizations across terrestrial free-to-air, digital terrestrial, direct-to-home, multimedia distribution, radio, and television sectors. KAFTAN TV's early operations included coverage of public affairs and elections. During its reporting of the 2018 Osun State general elections in Osogbo, a crew member was injured when thugs disrupted electoral proceedings, and production equipment was reportedly damaged beyond repair. The incident illustrated the operational risks faced by Nigerian broadcast crews working in politically sensitive environments, while also reinforcing the station's role as a field-based news and public-information broadcaster. The channel expanded its linguistic and geographic reach in 2020 by launching a Yoruba-language service. The Yoruba channel began broadcasting on StarTimes nationwide and became available outside Nigeria from 1 September 2020. This extension broadened KAFTAN TV's relevance to Yoruba-speaking audiences and to Nigerians and other viewers abroad seeking programming connected to southwestern Nigerian culture and public life. Beyond channel operations, the KAFTAN organization maintains media-production and theatre-arts training activities. Its output includes feature documentaries, television programs, and drama skits. In January 2021, it began a free television-broadcasting training program for young people in Ondo State, sponsored by the Queen Lilian Adebayo Foundation. The initiative linked the station's broadcasting mission with skills development and entry-level workforce training in media production. KAFTAN TV also pursued an international distribution presence. On 28 January 2021, it launched its signal on the United Kingdom's BEN TV platform, carried on Sky channel 195. This gave the station an additional route to diaspora and international audiences. Its recognition has included being named Best Exhibitor for Public Relations and Media at the Abuja International Trade Fair in October 2018. In January 2021, the Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance in Nigeria presented the organization with a Distinguished Excellence Award for its media work, advocacy, and public sensitization relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Publicly available reference material identifies Adewole Adebayo as the owner and Abdulwaheed Odusile as chief executive officer. KAFTAN TV should be distinguished from KAFTAN TV Limited, a separate entity. Available material does not establish a public listing, revenue figures, employee count, or a detailed current programming schedule.

KAFTAN TV was established in December 2016 as the television arm of King Adebayo Film & Theatre Arts Network Limited. The operating company is headquartered in Ondo City in Ondo State, with further offices in Lagos and Abuja. Although the organization was established in 2016, the channel began broadcasting in September 2018. From its launch, KAFTAN TV operated as an independent Nigerian 24-hour broadcaster. Its service combined English-language broadcasting with news, public affairs, entertainment, advocacy, documentaries, television programs, and drama skits. The organization also maintained a broader media-production and theatre-arts orientation, rather than functioning solely as a retransmission or distribution outlet. It became a member of the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria, a national association bringing together public and private broadcast organizations across several television and radio distribution systems. The station's news operations included field coverage of elections and other public events. During its coverage of the 2018 Osun State general elections in Osogbo, a crew member was injured after thugs attacked the crew during a violent interruption of electoral proceedings. Equipment used by the production team was reportedly damaged irreparably. The event forms part of the channel's documented operational history and reflects the hazards faced by Nigerian journalists and broadcast workers covering contested political events. KAFTAN TV expanded its reach and audience segmentation in 2020 with the creation of a Yoruba-language channel. The service was launched in August and began broadcasting on StarTimes across Nigeria and outside the country from 1 September 2020. The Yoruba offering provided a culturally and linguistically targeted complement to the station's English-language service and strengthened its connection with Yoruba-speaking viewers, particularly in southwestern Nigeria and among diaspora audiences. The organization also developed a training role. In January 2021, it introduced a free television-broadcasting training program for young people in Ondo State. The program was sponsored by the Queen Lilian Adebayo Foundation and connected KAFTAN TV's own production expertise with practical skills development for prospective media workers. International distribution became another important milestone in early 2021. On Thursday, 28 January, KAFTAN TV launched its signal on BEN TV in the United Kingdom, where it was carried on Sky channel 195. This extended the channel's availability to viewers outside Nigeria and complemented its earlier distribution through StarTimes, BEN Television, and satellite listings. KAFTAN TV received recognition for both its media presence and public-interest activity. In October 2018, it was named Best Exhibitor for Public Relations and Media at the Abuja International Trade Fair. In January 2021, the Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance in Nigeria presented it with a Distinguished Excellence Award for media exploits, advocacy, and COVID-19 sensitization. Public reference material identifies Adewole Adebayo as owner and Abdulwaheed Odusile, the former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Ogun State, as chief executive officer. Detailed information about later ownership changes, financial performance, programming schedules, and current distribution is not established in the supplied sources.

• 2021

  Broadcasting training program introduced

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAFTAN TV began a free broadcasting-training initiative for young people in Ondo State, sponsored by the Queen Lilian Adebayo Foundation.

• 2021

  UK distribution launched

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  The channel launched on BEN TV's UK service on Sky channel 195 on 28 January.

• 2021

  COVID-19 advocacy award

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAFTAN TV received a Distinguished Excellence Award for media, advocacy, and COVID-19 sensitization work.

• 2020

  Yoruba-language channel launched

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  The organization launched a Yoruba-language service, later distributed on StarTimes in Nigeria and internationally.

• 2018

  KAFTAN TV begins broadcasting

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAFTAN TV commenced broadcasting as an independent Nigerian 24-hour television channel in September.

• 2018

  Osun election coverage incident

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  A crew member was injured and production equipment was reportedly destroyed during an attack while covering election disruption in Osogbo.

• 2018

  Abuja International Trade Fair recognition

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  KAFTAN TV was named Best Exhibitor for Public Relations and Media at the Abuja International Trade Fair.

• 2016

  Organization established

  [1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  King Adebayo Film & Theatre Arts Network Limited established the organization that would operate KAFTAN TV.

An independent Nigerian broadcaster focused on locally produced news, public affairs, entertainment, advocacy, and culturally relevant English- and Yoruba-language programming, with additional activity in media training and theatre-arts production.

• Television channel · 2018

  KAFTAN TV English-language channel

  The core 24-hour Nigerian television service, broadcasting in English and combining news, current affairs, public-interest content, entertainment, documentaries, television programs, and drama skits. The channel has been distributed through platforms including StarTimes, BEN Television, and satellite listings.

• Television channel · 2020

  KAFTAN TV Yoruba-language channel

  A Yoruba-language service introduced to extend KAFTAN TV's reach among Yoruba-speaking viewers in Nigeria and abroad. It began broadcasting on StarTimes nationwide and outside Nigeria from 1 September 2020.

• Content production

  Original media production

  KAFTAN TV and its operating network produce locally oriented feature documentaries, television programs, and drama skits. These productions support the channel's independent Nigerian identity and broaden its output beyond acquired or retransmitted programming.

• Professional training · 2021

  Television-broadcasting training program

  A free training initiative for young people in Ondo State, sponsored by the Queen Lilian Adebayo Foundation. The program was designed to provide exposure to television broadcasting and media-production skills.

• 2021Free television-broadcasting training

  Ondo State, Nigeria

  KAFTAN TV began offering free television-broadcasting training to young people in Ondo State with sponsorship from the Queen Lilian Adebayo Foundation.

  Outcome. The supplied reference material confirms the program's launch but does not provide participant numbers or longer-term outcomes.

  Source
• 2020COVID-19 advocacy and sensitization

  Nigeria

  KAFTAN TV used its media and advocacy activities to support public sensitization concerning the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

  Outcome. The work was recognized with a Distinguished Excellence Award from the Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance in Nigeria in January 2021.

  Source

• 2021

  Expansion into UK distributionStrategy

  Background

  The broadcaster pursued access to Nigerian diaspora and other international viewers.

  Action taken

  KAFTAN TV launched its signal on BEN TV's UK service, carried on Sky channel 195, on 28 January 2021.

  Aftermath

  The move created an additional international distribution route; the supplied sources do not quantify its commercial impact.

  Source

• 2021

  Introduction of broadcasting-skills trainingStrategy

  Background

  The organization extended its media-production and theatre-arts role into youth skills development.

  Action taken

  KAFTAN TV launched a free broadcasting-training program in Ondo State with foundation sponsorship.

  Aftermath

  The initiative strengthened the organization's public-service and workforce-development profile. Detailed enrollment and completion data are not available in the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch of Yoruba-language serviceProduct launch

  Background

  KAFTAN TV sought to broaden its audience and serve Yoruba-speaking viewers in Nigeria and abroad.

  Action taken

  The organization launched a Yoruba-language channel in August 2020 and placed it on StarTimes from 1 September.

  Aftermath

  The service expanded KAFTAN TV's linguistic offering and international availability, although audience and financial results are not reported in the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2021

  KAFTAN TV begins free broadcasting training program[1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The organization started a free television-broadcasting training program for young people in Ondo State, with sponsorship from the Queen Lilian Adebayo Foundation.

• 2021

  KAFTAN TV launches on BEN TV's UK Sky platform[1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  KAFTAN TV launched its signal on BEN TV's United Kingdom service, carried on Sky channel 195, on 28 January 2021.

• 2021

  KAFTAN TV receives COVID-19 advocacy recognition[1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The Coalition of Civil Societies and Media Executives for Good Governance in Nigeria gave KAFTAN TV a Distinguished Excellence Award for its media work, advocacy, and COVID-19 public-sensitization efforts.

• 2020

  KAFTAN TV launches Yoruba-language channel[1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  KAFTAN TV introduced a Yoruba-language service in August 2020. The service began broadcasting on StarTimes nationwide and internationally from 1 September 2020.

• 2018

  KAFTAN TV crew member injured during Osun election coverage[1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  A KAFTAN TV crew member was injured while the station covered the Osun State general elections in Osogbo. Production equipment was also reportedly damaged beyond repair during a violent disruption of electoral proceedings.

• 2018

  KAFTAN TV recognized at Abuja International Trade Fair[1]KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The channel was named Best Exhibitor for Public Relations and Media at the Abuja International Trade Fair.

1. 1KAFTAN TVen.wikipedia.org
2. 2KAFTAN Media official websitekaftanmedia.tv