Deutsche Welle: First coproduction with African TV station

The new program offers an in-depth look at environmental innovations and best-practice guidelines in Africa and Europe and presents ideas on ecological protection from all over the world.

"Eco@Africa offers us a great opportunity to work with a relevant partner on a program that highlights the issues that affect us all," said DW's Director General Peter Limbourg at the official launch event in Abuja. "We are convinced that this approach to presenting environmental issues will strike a chord with viewers – not only in Nigeria, but around the world." Limbourg stressed that the German-African cooperation marked a "special moment in the history of Deutsche Welle."

"Channels TV is very pleased to be associated with Deutsche Welle in the production of Eco@Africa," said the Chairman of Channels TV John Momoh. "As we strive to help strengthen Africa's commitment on sound environmental management, it is our hope that the program will assist in providing direction on the continent's intended actions to address environmental issues affecting its people and the economy."

Environment Minister Amina Mohammed was full of praise for the coproduction: "This program could not have come at a better time. Nigeria is one of the countries most affected by climate change."

DW and Channels TV also used the event, which was broadcast in Nigerian at prime time, to pay tribute to "Eco Heroes." They help bring environmental issues to the forefront in Nigeria and include activists like Desmond Majekodunmi and Priscilla Achakpa, as well as Engr. Yahaya Ahmed, founder of the Development Association for Renewable Energies, and Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, founder of WeCyclers. Peter Limbourg invited the winners to present their projects at this year's Global Media Forum taking place in Bonn in June.

Eco@Africa focuses on the preservation of biological diversity, the utilization of national resources, energy sources of tomorrow and the mobility of the future. In addition to its reporting, the program also features a segment called #doingyourbit, where users provide examples of the things that they are doing to make a difference. Like how a simple stove is helping save lives by reducing pollution from cooking on open fires.

The show is broadcast every Saturday (06:30, 14:30 and 20:30 UTC) and Monday (10:30 UTC) on DW and every Sunday (20:00 UTC) on Channels TV.

In December Peter Limbourg and John Momoh signed an agreement to deepen the cooperation between DW and Channels TV at the global climate conference in Paris in the presence of Germany's Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks and her Nigerian counterpart, Amina Mohammed.

Channels TV has the largest audience of any private news station in Nigeria. Its flagship show 'News at Ten' is the most popular news program in the country. DW and Channels TV began their partnership in July 2015.