A Nigerian romantic comedy exploring the complexities of dating in Lagos has become the first original production on MTN One TV, with the streaming platform taking the series to audiences in three African countries.
Titled 100 Ways to Stay Single in Lagos, the series premiered in Cape Town, South Africa, on October 29, alongside the 2026 MIP Africa event.
The production, led by Nigerian filmmaker Mimi Bartels, is now available in South Africa, Ghana and Zambia, with plans for expansion into additional markets.
The romantic comedy follows three housemates navigating relationships and the challenges of finding love in Lagos.
Its cast includes Toluwani George, Chimezie Imo, Mallum Arik, Vine Ogulu and Andrew Bunting, alongside South African actor Bohang Moeko.
The production also brought together creative talents from Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa, including Nigerian filmmaker Adeniyi Joseph Omobulejo, popularly known as TAJ, who served as director, director of photography and online editor.
Speaking to The Nollywood Reporter, Omobulejo described the project as an opportunity to combine several creative responsibilities he had previously handled through his production company, Nostalgia Media.
“I am thankful to Mimi Bartels, the showrunner, who just really let me be in my element. These are roles that I have played on all of my company projects and I got to express all of them again here. That’s a rare combination on a global project,” he said.
The filmmaker, who began his career as an editor, said his background had influenced his approach to directing and cinematography.
“I am a visuals guy and so I definitely love to shoot but I am a Director first and that gives me a lot of influence on not just the visuals but the story too,” he added.
He also praised the collaboration among the four directors involved in the production, saying their different approaches helped create a consistent visual identity across the episodes.
On the series' central theme, Omobulejo said the production explored the complications of relationships through comedy, particularly the unpredictable experience of dating in Lagos.
“Relationships are mostly complicated and this show highlights those complications, in some cases in a complicated way and while it’s hard to date in Lagos, I hope you still give it a shot or maybe try another state,” he said.
Bartels described the production's distribution across African markets as a major achievement, thanking MTN One TV for supporting the project.
“Seeing something created in Nigeria reach audiences across different African markets is incredibly rewarding,” she said.
MTN Digital Services Chief Executive Officer, Burak Akinci, said the launch reflected the company's ambition to support African creative talent and help local stories reach wider audiences.
“We see an opportunity to work alongside the industry, bringing our digital capabilities, market presence and understanding of African audiences to help great stories travel further,” he said.
MTN One TV said the platform was part of its Ambition 2030 strategy to expand its digital services business amid growing demand for digital entertainment.
The company also participated in MIP Africa 2026 as a Platinum Sponsor, organising pitch sessions to identify new productions and potential partnerships.
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