iWorld
Eros Now expands digital footprint in Africa
Mumbai: Eros Now, the video streaming service owned by Eros STX Global Corp, on Friday announced the partnership with Digital Media 333 (DM 333), an African OTT entertainment platform.
With this association, Eros Now’s premium Bollywood content line up with new and classic Bollywood films, originals, exclusive online premiers, and more wide-ranging content in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati languages will be available with English subtitles for audiences in African countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, DRC, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
DM 333 will be offering seamless entertainment through the recently launched AVVATTA, a complete digital mobile entertainment experience.
“As a leading global premium SVOD platform, it is our constant endeavour to deliver entertainment to audiences worldwide,” said Eros Now, CEO, Ali Hussein. “Indian content has been receiving greater interest globally and Africa remains one of the most significant markets for players offering the best of Indian entertainment. The partnership enables Eros Now to build a deeper connect in African countries and cater to their growing demand for online streaming.”
As per the Digital TV Research report, the African OTT market is set for an explosion over the coming years, with the market set to reach $1.7 billion by 2026. SVOD services will continue to make up the bulk of the market.
“With the growing Indian content consuming population in the African region, this association will further strengthen and satiate the demand for Indian entertainment content amongst its viewers and expand Eros Now’s reach in international markets,” the platform said in a statement.
“African people are constantly looking for premium entertainment experience and are in love with Indian content. I spotted this gap and realised it is the right time to offer premium content to South Africans at an affordable subscription,” said DM 333, founder, Surie Ramasary.
e-commerce
ONDC names Vibhor Jain MD and CEO; Rohit Lohia joins as CBO, Manoj Thakur as CTO
Leadership formalised as open commerce network sharpens focus on scale and user value
The Open Network for Digital Commerce has formalised Vibhor Jain as managing director and chief executive officer, cementing a leadership transition at India’s ambitious open commerce platform as it pushes for scale and relevance.
Jain, who had been serving as acting chief executive officer since April last year following the exit of Thampy Koshy, steps into the role with effect from 7th April , according to a report by The Economic Times. He previously served as chief operating officer at the government-backed network, which enables buyers and sellers to transact across applications through an open, interoperable system.
Setting out his strategy, Jain underscored the network’s differentiated architecture. “Going forward, we are concentrating on what open, interoperable infrastructure can uniquely enable, things that no single platform has the incentive or the architecture to do,” he said.
He added that the immediate priority is to widen ONDC’s impact across user cohorts often underserved by platform-led commerce. “My priority is to deepen the value ONDC creates for the people it exists to serve: kisaans, karigars, kiranas, gig workers, first-time investors, and daily commuters across India,” he said.
Jain also flagged leadership reinforcement within the organisation, noting that ONDC has “a strong and exciting leadership team in place”, with Rohit Lohia joining as chief business officer and Manoj Thakur as chief technology officer.
With over 18 years of experience spanning entrepreneurship and consulting, Jain brings a track record in technology-led, large-scale transformation programmes and internet businesses. At ONDC, he has been closely involved in shaping strategy and operations as the network seeks to move digital commerce away from platform-centric models towards an open network approach.
Before ONDC, Jain worked with JUMO, where he helped set up the fintech firm’s India operations, and led the India launch of Mobike, handling regulatory, policy and operational aspects of its market entry. Earlier, he co-founded Atlanta Healthcare, an air quality management company, and spent more than a decade in consulting roles at Andersen and EY, advising governments on public policy and technology-driven reforms, including work on the Aadhaar programme and tax systems.
The mandate is clear but the path is complex. As ONDC attempts to rewrite the rules of digital commerce, Jain now carries the burden of turning open architecture into mass adoption, in a market still dominated by platform power.
