Nickelodeon focuses on Africa in 2009

Nickelodeon Africa plans to open up commercial airtime on the channel and provide integrated sponsorship opportunities. It also plans to grow its reach in Africa and increase the number of branded Nickelodeon programming blocks on terrestrial broadcasters on the continent outside of South Africa.

Off-air, Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products plan to focus on the rollout of consumer products programmes for SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Nickelodeon will be working with licensing agency, Character Licensing and Marketing (CLM), to promote categories such as toys, gifts, apparel, housewares and home entertainment.

A new Nickelodeon Africa website, www.nickelodeonafrica.com, will launch later in March 2009 featuring programming news, online games and downloads and community areas. A Nickelodeon mobile TV channel is also available via the Vodacom network in Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania, which features Nickelodeon's shows refreshed on a weekly basis.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of SpongeBob SquarePants, marketing activations and programming have been scheduled in three periods throughout the year starting April 2009.

“I have no doubt that Nickelodeon Africa will become the standout go-to destination for African kids of all ages both on and off-air,” said Alex Okosi, senior vice president and managing director, MTV Networks Africa.